The undergraduate geoscience curriculum at Lake Superior State University is field based and project centered. This format provides an active learning environment to enhance student development of a meaningful geoscience knowledge base and of complex reasoning skills in authentic contexts. Field experiences, including data acquisition, are integrated into both lower- and upper-division coursework. Students simulate the activities of practicing geoscientists by conducting all aspects of field projects, including planning, collecting data, analyzing and interpreting data, incorporating background and supplemental data, and completing oral and written reports of results. The projects stimulate interest, provide motivation for learning new concepts, and are structured to develop teamwork and communication skills.