Anything else to say?

Is there anything you wanted to say on Friday, but for some reason did not get the chance? Well, here's your chance. What research leads you to believe that Climate Change is caused naturally, or by humans? Has anyone (peers, parents, teachers) influenced your decision? Answer these or any other questions about climate change in your response to this post.

SSOCC (Socratic Seminar on Climate Change)

Is "global warming" actually happening? If so, are humans causing it? Or, is climate change occuring because of natural fluctuations in the system? We will be discussing these questions and more in our Socratic Seminar on Climate Change, which will occur during class this Friday. Today, you will be preparing yourself to contribute (intelligently!) to that discussion. I will give you a list of questions that will be addressed, and you may use the links provided to research the issue of climate change. Remember to have an open mind, so that your arguments will be well-informed.

Here is the list of questions that may be discussed. Feel free to write notes on it as you research. You may use these notes during the discussion on Friday.

Here is the list of links:

EPA for Kids (click on the "Climate Change -- what it is" and "Can we change the climate?")

Icecap Facts and Myths

American Policy Roundtable

Global Warming: Natural or Manmade?

Global Warming 101 (Roy Spencer)

Environmental Protection Agency

Dear, Atmosphere

Whether we are conscious of it or not, we owe a lot to our atmosphere. It protects us from harm, and provides us with what we need to live. I would like you to write to the atmosphere detailing how it is able to accomplish these things for us. This is your topic, but you may choose your "role", "audience", and "format". For ideas and instructions, click here:

Atmosphere RAFT Instructions

After reading the directions, simply open up a blank Word document and begin to write your letter, advice column, series of text messages, journal entry, or whatever it is you choose to write. Once you have made the necessary revisions and corrections, copy and paste your creation and send it to me through ediscio-mail. (I'd like to give you feedback through ediscio, and possibly ask for permission to post it on our blog.)

Good luck to all of you. Let the creative juices flow.

Training for the Quarter 3 Assessment

Your training regimen does not include one-handed push-ups (or getting slapped as you do sit-ups). It does include completing the astronomy cardboxes in Ediscio (Planetary Motion, Earth, Moon, and Sun Effects, Small Bodies of the Solar System and Our Sun, and Stars and Galaxies). Keep track of your success and let me know how you did through Ediscio-mail. Tomorrow, there will be a short standard check on Galaxies. It will include this essay question, which you may answer today or tomorrow during class:
Different theories exist about the origin of the universe, one of which is the big bang theory. In this essay, explain what the big bang theory is. Be sure to describe some of the events/discoveries that have led some scientists to this theory. (How does cosmic background radiation, the Doppler Effect, advanced telescopes, etc. contribute to the support and formation of the big bang theory?) (3 points).
The standard check will be followed by the Quarter 3 Assessment. Happy training!

The Doppler Effect

I have an understanding group of neighbors....

Chilean Earthquake Sites

Since we learned about earthquakes in this class, I wanted to include a few links that may be of interest to you concerning the latest massive earthquake in Chile.
I've seen some reports that say this earthquake, an 8.8 on the Richter scale, releasing 700-800 times more energy than the January earthquake in Haiti. Thankfully, the focus of the Chilean earthquake was at a greater depth. Otherwise it would have caused an even greater amount of damage. The USGS website has a ton of information if you're interested in learning more about it.

• A map of the latest earthquakes in the world
• A list of the most recent earthquakes (look at the incredible list of earthquakes in Chile on February 27-28.)
• Details, a Summary, and Maps of the 8.8 Chilean Earthquake

Remember the Tides?

It was a week or two ago that we learned about tides (or was it 3?). We learned about what causes high and low tides, and the difference between spring and neap tides. Do you still remember tides? The reason I ask is because I was able to go on a field trip to observe them over our Presidents' Day break. This is what I found:
Using these pictures and the following info, attempt to answer the numbered questions.

• Both pictures were taken from the same exact spot (The zoom for both snapshots was the same, too). The picture on the left was taken at about 2 o'clock in the afternoon. The picture on the right was taken 5 1/2 hours later, at 7:30 pm.
  
• The high temperature on this day in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico was about 85 degrees F. I tell you this not because daytime temperature influences tides. I tell you this so that might be jealous, and that you might be reminded that this snowy, frigid winter will not last forever.
  
• The moon phase on this particular day was a "New Moon".

1. What causes high tides and low tides?
2. Approximately how many high tides would there be on this day? How many low tides would there be?
3. On the day when the picture was taken, was there a Spring or Neap tide? If so, which one? How do you know this?