Module VII

NOTICE HOW THE TEMPERATURE DOESN'T SIMPLY GET COLDER AS YOU CLIMB IN ALTITUDE IN OUR ATMOSPHERE

 

                                          (diagram courtesy of apollo.lsc.vsc.edu)

Explain: What new learning or reflections have you taken from this module?

I learned that Clay put the course participants link at the top of the class homepage.  Thank you Clay.

I learned that indigenous peoples are indeed collecting data but just not quite like we learn in the Western culture.  I thought it was very neat that the Inuit people were posting observations on pieces of paper onto a wall in the Inuit Observations  of Climate Change video.

I also learned that biologists are using the females to access knowledge on the condition of the animals harvested.  To me, this is interesting because they way I was raised was that the men kill, clean and process big game, not the women.

Also, I never even know that the Arctic Climate Modeling Program (ACMP)  existed at all.  If you haven't looked at the overview of the program please click on the link I provided in the previous sentence.

I found it fascinating that microbes are remaining active well into the winter months in the arctic.  I have already shown soil microbes and global warming video to my Environmental Science classes today.


Extend: How might you use this week's information and resources in your lessons?  What other resources can you share?

I will be showing the TD video Alaska Native Teens Help Researchers because first it shows teenagers can aid in actual research (I teach teenagers) and second I loved the very beginning of the video which shows the change of the norther polar ice cap.  It is a great visual from a satellite point of view.  This connects to a cool video on glacier retreat that I found on YouTube. 

The Life Before Oxygen video will be a resource I use in Geology next semester as we go over the concept and activities on the geologic timeline.  It made me think of black smokers and how cool I think they are.  There is a downside to this video I found when I tried to show it to one of my classes, you cannot maximize the video like the others.....bummer.

Did you know they have found microbes that live on the hydrogen sulfide at extremely high temperatures.  This kind of research may lead to a better understanding of early life forms on Earth.  If you are interested in this type of microbiology check out the abstract on this link . 

                      (black smoker diagram courtesy of Bergensis University)
 

                   (black smoker picture courtesy of underwater times)

As I was cruising the net looking for other resources on ancient and microbial life I found this link that gives a great shortened version of the history of the universe and our planet.  Perhaps some of you may find it useful instead of those resources that are very detailed and long reads.

Lastly, I will be showing the videos in the Carbon Chemistry section of Clay's module to my freshman after Thanksgiving as we will  be starting a Chemistry unit.  If you teach a full on Chemistry course to upper classmen like I do you will find Ian Guch's website of FREE Chemistry supplements a savior. 
You can get all of his materials for free or you can make a donation to his program as I chose to do because you won't find many sites like his.

Evaluate: How useful, insightful or relevant are this module's information resources?

Every week I have found at least one thing that I have used or will use.  This week was a great week's module for me as far as useful resources for my classes as indicated in the "Extend" section of my blog.  This is most likely easier for me because I am teaching Chemistry, Geology, Physical Science and Environmental Science this year. 

Oh yeah, I almost forgot to give you guys a sweet link to an interactive Greenhouse Effect simulation.  Scroll to the bottom of the webpage and you will also find printable lessons that go with the simulation.  Or, you can simply project it on your Smartboard or a big screen and show the kids what happens when you manipulate greenhouse gas levels.


3 Colleagues

E.Hayes - thank you for the NASA tv link on your module V blog.  I sometimes visit NASA but I didn't know they had that.  Thanks

Jesse Bjorkman's blog has some funny political cartoons.  I will keep checking in on your blog Jesse to see what new cartoons you have up.

Tommy you have a cool earthquake link for us Alaskans.  Thanks Tommy.  Very cool.

Module VI

3 Colleague's
   Kevin thank you for the information on the ice cores.   Kevin had this info..."All three metal levels soar between 1850 and 1900 only to escalate 10 fold again in the early 20th century until the great depression curbed industry."  It find it astounding that people cannot see some of the extrememly suggestive correlations such as the one you pointed out.

Tyler- I love to hunt and really miss hunting white tail in the mountains of Montana.  I loved your pic and I didn't know the technique of hunting deer on the beach because of snow in the higher elevations.  That sounds AWESOME

1. Explain: What new learning or reflections have you taken from this module?

I have been aware of bio-accumulation for sometime but only with compounds like DDT and mercury.  I had no idea that industrial pollutants have been found in seal blubber whales.  It seems so obvious that I almost feel embarrassed that I have never made the connection to arctic wildlife that are on the higher trophic levels. 

I found it quite the coincidence that Clay linked us to the same video clip that I showed my Environmental Science classes yesterday on arctic haze.  You might want to check out another clip from the same episode on the coal industry. 

Another thing that I learned for the arctic haze video is that these pollutants can be suspended in the arctic air for weeks at a time and they can travel for up to ten thousand miles in Earth's air currents.

                                                        (photo courtesy of greenfyre)

2. Extend: How might you use this week’ information and resources in your lessons? 

I absolutely know that I will be using the warm and cold front models with my Physical Science classes next semester.  If you haven't created a folder in teachers domain to save you favorite items I highly recommend it.  I have saved things that I plan on using 3 to 4 months from now. 


Also, if you go in to "My Folders" on the left is "Add an external link".  So, if you find a link on some one's blog that you like you can save it with the other educational materials throughout the rest of this course.


I personally put the NOAA weather map link in there today.  I will use it as we study the atmosphere next semester as well as for my own personal  use.    


I have been aware of Earth's heat budget I did not know until this module that the convection cells in our atmosphere account for approximately 23% of the budget.  That is some serious power.  I wonder how many Watts of POWER that is?

                                                              (photo courtesy of hyperphysics)


 Lastly, even though I am not to my atmosphere unit for many months I still plan to use the graphs from the jet stream and temperature gradients simply to give my kids practice at making inferences from data.


3. Evaluate: How useful, insightful or relevant are this module’s information and resources?
Once again the most useful things I encountered this week are new computer animations to help myself and students understand very large systems of the Earth. 

This is totally cool with me because almost every class or professional development I take I get nothing useful out of it.  Every week I find at least one thing I can use which is a win in my book.

The  ocean temperature video has a female narrator which is a nice change as I find most science videos have a more monotone male voice.

LAB- A fun and easy lab is to have beakers of sand and water both at room temp (set them out the night before)

Purpose: is to explore the difference in heating and cooling between sand (land) and water (oceans)

1. Have the kids talk about how to set up the experiment (thermometers should be at equal depths, heat lamps of equal distance from the beakers, when to record temps, etc.)

2.  After data is collected graphs can be made and compared

This can be super basic or you can make it for higher level depending on what grade you teach.

Module V

3 colleagues
Janet Reed has a link oceans alive which I will be using with my physical science classes.  Thanks for that resource Janet

Cheryl has a picture of a balloon with a light below it.  What activity is that Cheryl?  The ALISON link she provides is very "cool"  Check it out and you will get my terrible pun.

Alison makes a good point that as educators we need to filter out the resources and information in the modules that will best meet the needs of our students.  Great reminder Alison.

3 Questions

( photo courtesy of hubble space telescope  check out the ice caps!!)

EXPLAIN

I learned that we  know more about the surface of Mars than we do about our oceans.  The comments of how the Russian's exploited the otter population allowed me to reflect on the same mentality when many non-native people slaughtered and exploited the once fantastic resource of the buffalo herds of North America.  It truly makes me sad and somewhat ashamed.

Warmer oceans affect food web video makes a wonderful point that most people don't realize in that a few degrees of temperature change has a tremendous impact on wildlife and their ability to survive. I know I will be using the youtube video on the seasons as the computer animation is better than my current video clip that I show.  When I have kids thinking that summer occurs when we are closest to the sun I turn on a lamp, have them stand at the other end of the room.  Then I ask them to take a 6 inch step forward and ask them "do think your body is going to be warmer after that tiny step you just took?"  Then I reinforce the concept that it is the angle of the incoming radiation that makes the difference. I also like to have students analyze data for different angles of light using our light sensor probeware

 

(photo courtesy of boston.com)

EXTEND This week's information reminds me to use more visual aids than I already do.  I feel as though I use a lot of visuals but I think that you cannot have enough visual aid to assist in teaching new concepts to our students. I will certainly use the satellite thermal images to show the change in ocean temperatures through the seasons.

If you like showing video clips to students the video on the EXTREME ICE SURVEY is really neat.  No matter what your view on global warming is, the time lapse videography is amazing. 

EVALUATE I have found this week resources are quite valuable to me as a high school science teacher.  I think I will use that Does a Watched Kettle Boil lab and extend it by dissolving certain compounds into the water.  Perhaps some ionic and covalent compounds and make circuits and then measure which allows the most amperage to flow. As always, I find the blogs of many of my fellow classmates insightful and motivating to become a better teacher in using all the resources we have available in this digital age.