The past few days we have been investigating air masses. Air masses have the same characteristics (temperature & moisture content) as the surface they form above. These air masses move around the globe, eventually colliding into eachother forming a front. Check out the following site for more information
http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/guides/mtr/af/home.rxml
Our final activity of the day required students to report the weather based on a map. Test your knowledge @ http://fur.ly/6evg
Practice: None
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Yikes!
What a crazy week this was! I appologize for not having any updates during this week. Let's catch you up...
We have spent the previous four days learning about the greenhouse effect. Greenhouse gases (like carbon dioxide, methane, & water vapor) trap heat from escaping our atmosphere. As more greenhouse gases are put into our atmosphere from human society, more heat is being trapped and this causes an increase in temperature.
Students have spent time exploring an interactive that teaches them more about the sources of greenhouse gases and the signs (impact) that the greenhouse effect is occuring. Check it out here: http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/globalwarming/interactive/interactive.html
Tomorrow we are having an assessment on these ideas.
We have spent the previous four days learning about the greenhouse effect. Greenhouse gases (like carbon dioxide, methane, & water vapor) trap heat from escaping our atmosphere. As more greenhouse gases are put into our atmosphere from human society, more heat is being trapped and this causes an increase in temperature.
Students have spent time exploring an interactive that teaches them more about the sources of greenhouse gases and the signs (impact) that the greenhouse effect is occuring. Check it out here: http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/globalwarming/interactive/interactive.html
Tomorrow we are having an assessment on these ideas.
Friday, November 18, 2011
Conduction
Today's learning target: Describe how heat transfers by conduction.
Students read a short reading about conduction. As they read, they completed a graphic organizer writing down important details. Our class then viewed a brief video describing conduction. Copy and paste the link below to check it out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wV7gzcKegdU&feature=related
Big Idea: Conduction is the transfer of heat by direct contact. Objects must be touching one another for energy to flow from hot (high energy)to cold (low energy).
Practice: None
Students read a short reading about conduction. As they read, they completed a graphic organizer writing down important details. Our class then viewed a brief video describing conduction. Copy and paste the link below to check it out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wV7gzcKegdU&feature=related
Big Idea: Conduction is the transfer of heat by direct contact. Objects must be touching one another for energy to flow from hot (high energy)to cold (low energy).
Practice: None
Monday, November 14, 2011
Convection
Today's learning target: Describe how heat transfers by convection.
Students read a short reading about convection. As they read, they completed a graphic organizer writing down important details (definition, characteristics, examples, and nonexamples). Once student finished reading, I showed an excellent clip that describes convection. Copy and paste the link below to check it out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pG-tkbQgMo
The next time we meet, our class will discuss our notes.
Big Idea: Convection is a form of heat transfer in a fluid by circulating currents. Air that is heated becomes warm and less dense which makes it rise. As this air moves further away from the heat source, it cools. Cooler air is less dense which forces it to sink back towards the heat source where the process begins again.
Practice: None
Students read a short reading about convection. As they read, they completed a graphic organizer writing down important details (definition, characteristics, examples, and nonexamples). Once student finished reading, I showed an excellent clip that describes convection. Copy and paste the link below to check it out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pG-tkbQgMo
The next time we meet, our class will discuss our notes.
Big Idea: Convection is a form of heat transfer in a fluid by circulating currents. Air that is heated becomes warm and less dense which makes it rise. As this air moves further away from the heat source, it cools. Cooler air is less dense which forces it to sink back towards the heat source where the process begins again.
Practice: None
Friday, November 11, 2011
Float or sink?
Today's learning target was...identify what factors determine if an object floats.
We began class by sharing our water cycle books that each student created. I look forward to reading these to see how well our students did.
The majority of the class was aimed towards our learning target. Students viewed an online interactive observing how mass and volume effect how an object floats or sink. After our observations, we discussed the requirements for an object to float in water. Student's decided that in order for an object to float in water, the volume must be larger than the mass. If the mass is larger than the volume, it will sink.
Copy and past the link below to check it out.
http://phet.colorado.edu/sims/density-and-buoyancy/density_en.html)
Practice: None!
We began class by sharing our water cycle books that each student created. I look forward to reading these to see how well our students did.
The majority of the class was aimed towards our learning target. Students viewed an online interactive observing how mass and volume effect how an object floats or sink. After our observations, we discussed the requirements for an object to float in water. Student's decided that in order for an object to float in water, the volume must be larger than the mass. If the mass is larger than the volume, it will sink.
Copy and past the link below to check it out.
http://phet.colorado.edu/sims/density-and-buoyancy/density_en.html)
Practice: None!
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Water Cycle Book
The past two days students have been working on their Water Cycle book. The final draft of this book is due at the beginning of class on Friday. Be sure to follow the rubric/information sheet closely for best results.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
The Water Cycle Book
Students were introduced to a project related to the water cycle. Each student is writing a creative story explaining how a water molecule moves through the various stages of the water cycle. Students are encouraged to use their results from yesterday's game to help them decide on where they will "travel." An information sheet was thoroughly discussed in class today to clarify expectations. The first draft must be completed by the end of class tomorrow so it can be peer edited. On Friday we will begin constructing our book.
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