Editor’s Picks: 1) TV Camera Captures Waterspout, 2) Unique Space Image of Alabama Tornado Tracks (May 16) , **3) Free Space Math Books, **4) Science.gov an Alternative to Google Searches? 5) Handbook for the Summer 6) Turn my School into a Prison.
Geosphere
| Site Name | Share Your Fossil Finds |
| Site URL | |
| Site Author | Encyclopedia for Life |
| Suggested by | Virginia Malone |
| Description | Teachers might be able to use this site which involves sharing pictures of fossils with EOL. Kids in elementary school are always bringing their teachers "neat stuff. |
Hydrosphere
| Site Name | TV Camera Captures Waterspout |
| Site URL | |
| Site Author | CNN |
| Suggested by | John Nelson |
| Description | An Australian news helicopter captures a trio of waterspouts off the coast. Unfortunately the clip is preceded by a commercial, but the footage is great. The best part is when the camera pans out and there are multiple spouts. |
Atmosphere
| Site Name | Humorous Look at the Difference between Weather and Climate |
| Site URL | |
| Site Author | BBC |
| Suggested by | Mark McCaffrey and Mike Passow |
| Description | Check out this video, Get Acclimatized: --a tongue-in-cheek look at understanding the difference between weather and climate. |
| Site Name | Unique Space Image of Alabama Tornado Tracks (May 16) |
| Site URL | |
| Site Author | NASA |
| Suggested by | Len Sharp |
| Description | “NASA has released a unique satellite image tracing the damage of a monster EF-4 tornado that tore through Tuscaloosa, Alabama on April 27th. It combines visible and infrared data to reveal damage unseen in conventional photographs. “This is the first time we’ve used the ASTER instrument to track the wake of a super-outbreak of tornadoes,” says NASA meteorologist Gary Jedlovec of the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, AL.” |
Space
| Site Name | NASA's Astrobiology Graphic Novels |
| Site URL | |
| Site Author | NASA Astrobiology Program |
| Suggested by | Lou Estey |
| Description | "To commemorate 50 years of exobiology and astrobiology at NASA", their Astrobiology Program is producing several graphic novels, chock full of the history and science of exobiology and astrobiology, all very well cited and referenced. Issue 1 (3.4 MB PDF) is an overview, and Issue 2 (37.3 MB PDF) focuses on Mars. Although the basic format is a "graphic novel", many photos and satellite images also used. Either issue can be downloaded as a PDF or a mobile app. (I suspect a couple more issues will be forthcoming ...) |
Environmental
| Site Name | Watch Focused Sunlight Melt Steel, Rock, and Anything Else |
| Site URL | |
| Site Author | BBC |
| Suggested by | Robert M. DeMarco |
| Description | “Anyone who ever set fire to ants using a magnifying glass: first of all, shame on you! Second of all, you're going to love this. Sunlight, focused intensely enough that it can (and does) burn any material on earth. Just how hot does it get in that ring of |
| Site Name | Campus Grow |
| Site URL | |
| Site Author | Emilie Jordao |
| Suggested by | Emilie Jordao |
| Description | "Campus Grow is a non-profit Student Organization that promotes sustainable farming at Central Michigan University Campus. Campus Grow consists of two gardens, totaling in 30,000 ft² in size, and everyone can join or promote learning activities in our gardens. The work developed at Campus Grow is significant to the development of mutual collaboration between CMU and other colleges and universities. We promote food education and learning possibilities to college, high school and primary school students! Campus Grow promotes sustainable means to grow food and maintain crops, which is essential to promote environmental preservation in a fast growing human society.Join Campus Grow and help establish and propagate organic farming practices! " |
General
| Site Name | Free Space Math Books |
| Site URL | |
| Site Author | Sten Odenwald |
| Suggested by | Sten Odenwald |
| Description | This page contains a complete collection of books and other Space Math products in PDF format, which are available to download. Note the large file sizes! Also, these documents are full-color, and contain additional explanatory materials about the content and how the topics align with national mathematics and science standards identified by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and the National Science Teachers Association. These books include most of the weekly math problems assembled by year or by special topic area, in a format that may be more convenient for the teacher than the individual weekly problem downloads. All books contain problems for a mixture of grade levels from 4th through 8th and beyond. Today I posted drafts for two new books 'Astrobiology Math' and 'Remote Sensing Math' at the SpaceMath@NASA 'books' area. Astrobiology Math (Draft:2011) 75 Problems This book introduces many topics in the emerging subject of astrobiology: The search for life beyond Earth. It covers concepts in evolution, the detection of extra-solar planets, habitability, Drake's Equation, and the properties of planets such as temperature and distance from their star. [PDF: 11.2 My ] Remote Sensing Math (Draft:2011) 103 Problems This book covers many topics in remote sensing, satellite imaging, image analysis and interpretation. Examples are culled from earth science and astronomy missions. Students learn about instrument resolution and sensitivity as well as how to calibrate a common digital camera, and how to design a satellite imaging system. [PDF: 16.2 Mb ] I think you will enjoy the mix of problems that cover many topics in these subject areas! If you find any 'problems' or 'typos' please do let me know so I can improve on these drafts. Also, if you have any suggestions for other problem topics in these areas, please drop me a line!! |
| Site Name | Science.gov an Alternative to Google Searches? |
| Site URL | |
| Site Author | DOE/OSTI |
| Suggested by | Wendy Van Norden |
| Description | Science.gov is a gateway to government science information and research results. Currently in its fifth generation, Science.gov provides a search of over 45 scientific databases and 200 million pages of science information with just one query, and is a gateway to over 2100 scientific Websites (see Science.gov fact sheet).Science.gov is an interagency initiative of 18 U.S. government science organizations within 14 Federal Agencies. These agencies form the voluntary Science.gov Alliance which governs Science.gov. Science.gov 5.0 provides the ultimate science search through a variety of features and abilities, including:
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Computer Tip
| Site Name | Vulcano App |
| Site Author | App Shopper |
| URL | |
| Contributor | Mark Francek |
| Description | Volcanoes, Tornados, Earthquakes, Buoys, Nuclear Reactors, Extreme Weather; A scientists tool to sniff out and access the worldwide instruments that monitor mother earth from your iPad and a pocket version for your iPhone/iPod. Features include interactive icon designer, 10Year - 6hour 4D activity timeline, and ultra-fast performance. The Earthquake Hound is by far its the best earthquake app for viewing the nuances of depth, age, and magnitude on a full-screen map and where the human hazards might be. This tool will challenge your brain, so If you're bright, smart and/or clever, you'll soon come to see the rhythm of her heart beat by watching her earthquakes over time. |
Demo
| Site Name | Demo for why Moon Appears Later in the Sky each Night |
| Contributor | Gene Williamson |
| Description | No diagram or visual, but I used to get kids to understand how this worked by having them act it out. Place an object (perhaps a second kid) 10-15 feet from the kid representing the Earth (observer). Have the observer point at the Moon. Then have the observer slowly turn through 360 degrees (24 hrs) until he is again pointing to where the Moon was. While the observer rotates have the "Moon" move about 12 degree in the same direction that the observer is rotating. When the observer comes to the end of the 24 hour rotation, he/she will find that the Moon is roughly 50 minutes ahead and the observer must rotate an additional 12 degrees or 50 minutes before the Moon is again in view. I actually used this to explain why tides occur 50 minutes later each day, but the model works for either observation. Just between you, me, and the fencepost, getting the kids to walk through the process was a lot more of an aha! moment than any visual or diagram, and consequently they understood and remembered better. Extension questions: What happens if the Moon revolves in the opposite direction? (50 minutes earlier) |
Inspiration
| Title | Handbook for the Summer |
| Suggested by | Suezell Francek |
| Description | Health 1. Drink plenty of water 2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar 3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants 4. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy 5. Make time to pray/meditate 6. Play more games 7. Read more books than you did in 2010 8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day 9. Sleep for 7 hours 10. Take a 10-30+ minutes walk or RUN daily. And while you walk, smile Personality 11. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about 12. Don't have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment 13. Don't overdo. Keep your limits 14. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does 15. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip 16. Dream more while you are awake 17. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need 18. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner with His/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness 19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others 20. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present 21. No one is in charge of your happiness except you 22. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime 23. Smile and laugh more 24. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree Society 25. Call your family often 26. Each day give something good to others 27. Forgive everyone for everything 28. Spend time w/ people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6 29. Try to make at least three people smile each day 30. What other people think of you is none of your business 31. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your real friends will stay in touch Life 32. Do the right thing! 33. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful 34. GOD heals everything 35. However good or bad a situation is, it will change 36. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up 37. The best is yet to come 38. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it 39. Your inner most spirit is always happy, so be happy |
Humor
| Title | Turn my School into a Prison |
| Suggested by | Tim Wozniak |
| Description | The Ithaca Public Schools Superintendent has asked Governor Rick Snyder to “convert my school to a prison.” Superintendent Nathan Bootz sent the following letter to Governor Rick Snyder. Read it, and let us know what you think by leaving your comments here or on the NBC25 Facebook page: In these tough economic times, schools are hurting. And yes, everyone in Michigan is hurting right now financially, but why aren’t we protecting schools? Schools are the one place on Earth that people look to “fix” what is wrong with society by educating our youth and preparing them to take on the issues that society has created. One solution I believe we must do is take a look at our corrections system in Michigan. We rank nationally at the top in the number of people we incarcerate. We also spend the most money per prisoner annually than any other state in the union. Now, I like to be at the top of lists, but this is one ranking that I don’t believe Michigan wants to be on top of. Consider the life of a Michigan prisoner. They get three square meals a day. Access to free health care. Internet. Cable television. Access to a library. A weight room. Computer lab. They can earn a degree. A roof over their heads. Clothing. Everything we just listed we DO NOT provide to our school children. This is why I’m proposing to make my school a prison. The State of Michigan spends annually somewhere between $30,000 and $40,000 per prisoner, yet we are struggling to provide schools with $7,000 per student. I guess we need to treat our students like they are prisoners, with equal funding. Please give my students three meals a day. Please give my children access to free health care. Please provide my school district Internet access and computers. Please put books in my library. Please give my students a weight room so we can be big and strong. We provide all of these things to prisoners because they have constitutional rights. What about the rights of youth, our future?! Please provide for my students in my school district the same way we provide for a prisoner. It’s the least we can do to prepare our students for the future…by giving our schools the resources necessary to keep our students OUT of prison. Respectfully submitted, Nathan Bootz Superintendent Ithaca Public Schools |
