24 September 2011 Earth Science Sites of the Week

Editor’s Picks: 1) *Six Ways to Use NASA’s Global Change Website, 2) *What Does it Feel Like to fly Over Planet Earth? 3) Planet Impact - Shoot a Comet into Jupiter Interactive, 4) How Far Away is the Moon?  A Misconception Revealed, 5) Earth Revealed.



Geosphere
Site Name
The Evolution of Life in 60 Seconds
Site URL
Site Author
Claire L. Evans
Suggested By
Robert DeMarco
Description
“A wild YouTube video that shows the "Evolution of Life in 60 seconds" ... biology related, with many big earth science events. It puts the spacing between events in perspective nicely.”

Site Name
Share Your Fossil Finds
Site URL
Site Author
Encyclopedia of Life
Suggested By
Virginia Malone
Description
“A link on a website that allows you to share your fossil finds and view the finds of others.”

Water
Site Name
Ocean Currents: get that Clownfish back Home
Site URL
Site Author
Suggested By
Barbra Scapellato
Description
For this K-8 activity: “An activity in which a little clownfish, was caught in the Great Barrier Reef, northeast of Australia. He was sold and flown to New York City. He has just escaped and jumped into the Atlantic Ocean. Help him get back home! His only chance is to swim with the ocean currents back to his home in the Coral Sea.”

Site Name
Satellite Photos of Japan, Before and After the Quake and Tsunami
Site URL
Site Author
Suggested by
Hannah Nazci
Description
“These are before/after photos of the reactors in Japan – courtesy of NY Times – just scroll the bar in the middle – the photos are layered.  Might help students get the magnitude of this situation – it seems like many of them are reacting like this is a movie (mine are middle school, so maybe it’s even harder for them).”

Weather
Site Name
Six Ways to Use NASA’s Global Change Website
Site URL
Site Author
NASA
Suggested By
Pete Saracino
Description
“This three-page, interactive PDF file gives step-by-step instructions for six ways to use NASA’s Global Climate Change Website in your classroom.”

Space
Site Name
What does it feel like to fly over planet Earth?
Site URL
Site Author
James Drake
Suggested By
John Nelson
Description
Scientist James Drake is the man responsible for grabbing the publicly-available images showing North and South America. They are taken from The Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth a site that has made over a million images of earth available for the viewing public. The manned space station from which the pictures were taken travels at a rate of over 17,000mph in its journey around the earth and features a gym, two bathrooms, and the floor space equivalent of a 5 bedroom house. “

Site Name
Shoot a Comet into Jupiter Interactive
Site URL
Site Author
SL-9
Suggested By
Nicole Sosnoski
Description
“A great interactive about comet SL-9 & Jupiter, complete with hit or miss comet games.”

Site Name
Astrophotography
Site URL
Site Author
Thierry Legault
Suggested by
Greg Hofer
Description
Thierry Legault has taken some very interesting photographs including the International Space Station transiting the sun and the full moon. The thin new moon crescent taken in daylight is very interesting!

Site Name
How Far Away Is The Moon?  A Misconception Revealed
Site URL
Site Author
Veritasium
Suggested By
Virginia Malone
Description
This is a quick reminder of the importance of understanding scale in our studies of space.  Like the Private Universe this short clip shows how many people have a lack of understanding of certain concepts. Some of the people apparently have some background in physics, but still miss the concept of scale.

Environmental
Site Name
Chemistry of 9/11 Dust
Site URL
Site Author
DIY Chemistry
Suggested by
Christine Hunt
Description
A look at the chemistry of the 9/11 dust plume.  The video moves quickly so you’ll need to pause frequently to absorb relevant facts.
General
Site Name
Earth Revealed
Site URL
Site Author
Intelecom
Suggested by
Bill Dicks
Description
“A list of 26 videos which run approximately 28 minutes and provide information about what goes on inside the earth, including the physical processes and human activities that shape our planet. From earthquakes and volcanoes to the creation of sea-floor crusts and shifting river courses. The visuals explain plate tectonics and other geologic concepts and principles.”

Teaching
Site Name
Modeling Instruction
Site URL
Site Author
Jane Jackson
Suggested By
David Smith
Description
“Modeling Instruction is an instructional strategy built on Socratic dialog.  There are many resources at that site.  Modeling Instruction itself is primarily focused on physics and chemistry, but the technique has broad applicability.  The core of the approach is to take a phenomena, have students design investigations and collect data, then have students develop a model from the phenomenon.  The models are conceptual and also mathematical (both graphs and equations).  Students build their models on desktop whiteboards and then share them with the class.  This is where the Socratic part happens, in the way the instructor facilitates this sharing.”

Demo
Title
Radioactive Decay
Contributor
Teresa Lawrence
Description
“I use popsicle sticks.  On one side of the stick I write C-14, on the other N-14.  I begin with 16 sticks.  In one half-life 8 of the sticks are turned over, 5700 yrs has passed.  I have a chart for them to fill out that has them calculate the number of  years that pass, and the percent of C-14 decay and percent of N-14 formation.  After that, they graph the two lines to get that wonderful parent/daughter graph we all know and love.” 


Computer Tips
Site Name
Generation Yes Blog
Site URL
Site Author
Word Press Entries
Suggested by
David Smith
Description
“A blog filled with tons of posts with thoughts about empowering students with technology.”

Humor
Site Name
Watermelon Special Fruit Carving
Site URL
Site Author
Takashi Itoh
Suggested by
Tim Wozniak
Description
“Hundreds of photos of beautifully carved watermelon. Pictures can be enlarged to show great details.”

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