John Dickason Matt Jacobson Kerry Friend Koji Matsumori Evan Maughan Sean Mulkey

Kimio Oda Rad Royer Ruth Scherger Timothy W. Tharp Marilyn Tucker Gayle Weiss

 These extensions are looking good. If you are having trouble determining what constitutes a very good paper, take a look at Ruth's, Timothy's, or Marilyn's.  Please select the participants above to go to their bookmarked extension. Not all are here because they either came in too late or they came in a format that I had trouble converting to html. There may be some errors here and there, since extensions do not have to be in polished form and I did not take the time to edit them except for here and there for clarity and space requirements; if I changed the fundamental meaning of something you were trying to get across, please email me and let me know. Thanks! Jerry Nelson

John Dickason

Hypotheses-

In this extension, we will attempt to define the different types of cosmological and geological events that affect that determine the planet’s ability to sustain life. Choose one of the following research on the net, and in pertinent printed literature. Plan on giving some background information, layout a hypothesis, print some examples of current research from the net to your document, analyze it in terms of your theory. Present conclusions. Please document net addresses.

1. An exploration of cosmological and geological time and its relationship to the development of conditions essential to formation of life, and how this will play out as our geology changes and evolution continues. Ie cosmological time in terms of 20 billion years, geological earth time in terms of 4 billion years, and biological time in terms of 1 billion years. Geocontinental time spans of 100 million years. One question that really interested me was "When were the conditions right for the formation of water critical to life formation as we know it?"

2. Effects of Meteors- resultant fires, quakes, tsunamis and dust

3. Effects of Volcanism, Atmospheric dust, Tsunami, New Islands(Iceland) destruction of habitable areas, (Monserrat, Pinatubo, Mt. St. Helens, Krakatoa

4. Plate movement, Earthquakes, Mountain building, continental collision

5. Soil development and erosion, and mineral dynamism

6. Planetary mantle circulation, driving plates via a coriollis effect- Brown reader

7. Each of these could be researched by students on the net, perhaps taking a topic per individual, I will do a bit of research to find sites here. Encouraging students to take current information from on-line research and journals and attempting to find controversy will make the generation of scientific hypothesis much more exciting. Obviously, students are going to encounter significant amounts of information that they will need to back up and research just as I am doing, so the background section of their papers should be quite lengthy. The possibilities for enrichment are quite limitless and having High school students in on developing research strikes me as being particularly fertile ground.

One type of hands on project to start with might be to have students draw a map in Corel, or actually do a plate simulation in Bryce 2, and then create a movie in Adobe photoshop that would simulate the continents pushing apart in the Atlantic and gradually coming back together again in the pacific approximately 500 million years from now. Supposedly, the sun goes to a Red Giant stage in 5 Billion years, so it would be fun to try to ascertain what the geological conditions might be like then and try to conjecture a bit as to what forms of life might be around and thriving. How would this geological shift affect global weather patterns. What would the solar output be like?

Internet Resources:

1 Web crawler to Geophysics

2 WWW virtual library- World Geophysics org.

3 UC Santa Cruz- Geology, Geophysics, Mantle modeling, tomography

4 Dynamic Earth Systems-

5 Green Institute of Geology and Planetary Physics

6 Center for Wave Phenomenon- Colorado School of Mines

7 NASA Global Change Master Directory

8 USGS Eros Land Information system

9 Ridge Program- An analysis and grant program for study of mid-ocean geology

An area that I am interested in exploring is how to develop graphic models from mathematical data, and also how to make the movies of the changes on the continental drift so that you could make temporal and geophysical projections. I am hoping to spend a little more time with Adobe and Bryce 2 to see if I can get what I want out of them. Does anybody have any computer modeling texts or sites that are particularly good?

I enjoyed the process of starting to see geophysical changes as having an effect on carrying capacity as well as the short term ideas. It seems to be a much bigger picture, temporally and spatially.

The project seems doable if a bit overwhelming, as seems to be the case when you connect a large scale thinker with a limitless amount of data. There seems to be a border to the use of good science here. Just in terms of what we can physically test or model and temporally examine.

My directions are not totally clear at this point, because I am not totally clear about the outcome. I am fairly certain that this would be a god project for upper level high school students.

Clearly, the possibility of diving into the kind and type of data that are present in the geophysics realm will reinforce basic scope and sequence in earth science and physics and probably a fair amount of chemistry as well.

Matt Jacobson

Abstract: For this assignment students will be broken into four groups. Each group will be assigned one of the following mountain ranges: Rockies; Himalayas; Appalachians; and Hawaiians. These groups will be expected to do research and then present a report to the class. They will be expected to include: where, when,and how long it took to form these ranges; what type of material they're composed of; any unique features these mountains might contain; some historical events which took place within them; the major types of flora and fauna they contain; and the different types of uses people have for them(ex. logging, mining, recreational)*extra points will be awarded for the most creative( honey, berry products, jerky). A few pictures will also be required, preferably downloaded and displayed with an LCD, but at least they will be copied to a transparency. In addition, the students will create a demonstration as to how their mountain range was formed. Here, they will be encouraged to be as imaginative as possible(* again extra points for most creative). At the end of the presentation the students will be expected to turn in a list of references( each division should have at least one reference from the internet). This presentation will also be expected to be right around ten minutes in length.

The first day of this project I will introduce the plan, divide the class into groups(my preplanned choice), and assign the mountain ranges. The groups will then meet and organize who will take which segment( one to two people per area). I will then record who has what, and if there is enough time we will adjourn to the library to do some research. The next two days of this lesson will encompass research in the library. The fourth day will be used for preparation, and the fifth day will be used to present.

Objectives:

-Students will be exposed to group learning and management skills

-Students will gain an understanding of plate tectonics and mountain building

-Students will develop a feeling for the different types of flora and fauna in the mountain ecosystems

-Students will learn both some social history and the origin of the different areas

- Group learning is a common way to approach science

- Know landforms are created through combination of constructive and destructive forces

- Know effects of movement of crustal plates

- Will be introduced to methods of estimating geologic time

- Will show effects of evolution and ecology

Assessment: Number one students will be assessed on participation(30%). Their grade will also be broken down into a group grade(20%)[how smoothly did the whole presentation flow; was it well organized etc...] and on individual presentation(30%)[were all the requirements met]. In addition, 20% of their grade will be based on their ability to meet the reference requirement.

Kerry Friend

This extension is intended to start students thinking how volcanoes and earthquakes are related. It is an introduction to our unit on Plate Tectonics. After this lesson, I will introduce students into plate movements.

I think this lesson will work well. When I did this unit this year, we were not connected to the WEB. Now we are. Previously I gave students data of past earthquakes and volcanoes. Having recent volcanoes and earthquakes will be more interesting to students.

I plan to have students access the sites below at least three times during a given time period to plot the locations of earthquakes and volcanoes. Therefore, students will have plotted 30 earthquakes and 30 volcanoes.

Students will understand that earthquakes and volcanoes are related. They will do this by plotting recent earthquakes and volcanoes.

I expect students to discover the "Ring of Fire" which will lead into plate movements.

I have the Science Framework for California Public Schools: Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve. This lesson begins (is leading to understanding) to address the Geology and Natural Resourses section of Earth Science. The sub-sections are:

TO GET AN UPDATE ON CURRENT VOLCANIC ACTIVITY

3. If you need help with the meanings of words, visit the web site listed below for "Volcanic and Geologic Terms."

Koji Matsumori

Keywords: earthquake, earthquake prediction, fault , land liquidation ,tidal wave

1.Objectives

1) Learn about earthquakes and caused damage.

2) Point out how to cope with the earthquakes.

3) Explain how to predict earthquakes.

4) Improve concern about the earthquake disaster.

2.Target grades

8-10^th grade.

3.Class:

Earth Science Class (The literary course students)

4.Duration

2-4 hours

5.Preparation

About 2 earthquakes (1906 San Francisco,1995 Kobe), let the students to collect information about following.

・Place

・Date

・Time

・Magnitude

・Casualties

・The characteristics of the damage

・Earthquake prediction

Let the students to gather information about earthquakes through either method listed below.

1) Go to the school library and find books or newspapers concerning earthquakes.(do not forget to use Book reference system by PCs)

2) Use the internet to acquire the information about earthquakes.

Recommend them to access the sites as follows.

1. http://www.eqe.com/publications/kobe/escience.htm
2. http://quake.wr.usgs.gov/more/1906/

6.Procedures

1. discussion 1

Let the students discuss about the difference of damages between the two earthquakes ,focusing on following;

Structure of buildings

Faults

Land liquidation

Tidal waves

2) Discussion 2

Let the students discuss about the mechanism of seismic occurrence.

Let them discuss how to cope with earthquakes.

7.Evaluation

1) Evaluate about earthquake disaster of the following elements.

・Understanding about the scale of the earthquake disaster and the fearfulness.

・Point out a disaster such as the collapse of the building, fire and tidal wave.

・Point out the characteristics of the earthquakes in Japan.

2) Evaluate how to cope with earthquake disaster of the following elements

・Point out how to cope with the various kinds of disasters such as the collapse of the building ,fire and tidal wave.

3) About the earthquakes forecasting

• Understanding about the mechanism of earthquakes occurrence. Explain how to predict it through Scientific Method!
• Explain the accuracy of the prediction, or is it impossible?

1. How the students improve their concern about the earthquake disaster through the discussion.

class No. Name

1. Point out why such a huge damage occurred in the earthquake of Kobe.

2. Point out the characteristics of the disaster of the earthquake of Kobe and the San Franciscan earthquake respectively.

3. Which seismic shake is stronger at the place where the ground is soft or hard ?

4. Think about how to predict an earthquake scientifically.

5. Is there anything we can do for the preparation of earthquakes?

Evan Maughan

The following outline of a lesson that I did (still going actually, I underestimated the time it would take) mimics the learning extensions. One area that was not covered was volcano classification. I wanted the students to not only learn about the different types of volcanoes but to look for their cause (i.e. why is Mt. Rainer so different from the Hawaiian volcanoes?)

For the most part it went ok except that some groups had their thinking short-circuited because they found the answer to what causes different types of volcanoes. I'm not sure what the bast way to avoid this is. I do not want to give them ready-made references; gathering info is one of the skills that I want them to learn.

Due to popular demand I had students model some of the various types of lava. Be careful, this can be messy! Anyway, here it is:

Learner Outcomes:

The following are student outcomes upon completion of this assignment:

Using the Internet and other resources, students will gather information on three different classes of volcanoes.

Students will identify the conditions needed to form at least three classes of volcanoes.

Learners will be able to predict what type of volcano will form given a location on a world map.

Conceptualization through modeling of different forms of lava.

Exploration

Create an information sheet on each class of volcano investigated. This will need to include composition of lava, viscosity, shape of cone (if any), temperature of lava, water content, and location grid coordinates. Add a picture for each class studied.

Creating the class map of world volcanoes, make sure that the different types of volcanoes are clearly labeled. Everyone needs to agree on a common symbol/color for each class of volcano. Take a look at the map created by the class what pattern do you see with the location of various volcanic types compared to where they are found on the plates?

Model one of the volcano types and show how what is extruded helps determine the shape of the volcano.

*Bonus: make a hyper-linked map showing the various volcanoes found in class and the info on each one.

(HAVE YOU SEEN http://southport.jpl.nasa.gov/imagemaps/ THIS CAME FROM RUTH’S EXTENSION.)

Concept Application

Why is there not just one type of volcano?

What makes a shield volcano so different from a cinder cone?

If Denver, Colorado were suddenly have a volcano pop up in the center of downtown, what type of volcano would it be? Please explain your answer.

Would this increase the chances for the Seahawks to make it to the Super bowl?

Using the Internet, which sites did you find most useful in gathering information?

Sean Mulkey

Here is a week long unit for using quakes to find plate boundaries and leading into different plate boundary types. (this really didn't start out as a monster unit, but man did it grow)

PrePrep:

I do the earthquake unit before I teach Plate Tectonics. Students will know how to locate an epicenter given P-S wave data, and will have an understanding of the difference in power from a 5.0 to a 6.0 quake. They will be exposed to photos of the damage really big quakes do, and if we are feeling really cool we might construct a seismograph with a weight, pen, and string.

I always begin Plate Tectonics with the story of Al Wegener and his struggle to get legitimacy for his idea of continental drift, and how he was shut down and ruined. (there is an excellent NOVA special about the theory of tectonics that I show, but the name escapes me) You get good discussions about how he was trashed by the scientific community, but was eventually exonerated. It is also instructive to point out that Al tried to explain WHY they move (he suggested lunar gravitational effects) and since that was quickly calculated to be in error the whole idea was considered ridiculous. Good history tie in with discussing how WWII submarine warfare provided a wealth of sea floor data and the technology to acquire more.

Materials:

Students will be given a USGS listing of the Lat/Long of quakes with magnitude 2.0+ for the last 30 days, (www.neic.cr.usgs.gov ) and a large map of the world. Paper dots in many colors and glue will be available. Students will work in pairs, with one map being required of each team.

See attached file, this is an example of what the usgs epicenter downloads look like

Specific instructions are:

Don’t pile more than two quakes in the same place. If there are two dots there, we get the idea

Try and find quakes in a different places and in different regions around the world.

Don’t bother to look off other people’s maps, you will all have different sheets… (for the most part)

Objectives:

Students will create a color coded system to make the map easy to read and interpret i.e. red dots for 8.0+ quakes, orange for 7.0-7.9 quakes, yellow for 6.0-6.9, etc.

Students will become proficient at finding a point on the earth given Lat/Long

After placing 60-80 dots students should be able to see and trace the pattern of quakes. Once they do this they can compare it to the world map of plate boundaries.

Students will be exposed to the idea that most of the big world quakes do NOT happen in the US, and that different quake areas (such as Japan) have higher magnitude quakes than areas like the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. This leads into discussion of different types of plate boundaries.

Assessment

Students did a good clean job of dotting the world, and they are well dispersed_____/30

Students were able to trace out the obvious plate boundaries in pencil_____/10

Students complete the attached sheet of questions with good answers ____20

'Quakes-Day 2

On your map-

make sure that you have at least 30 Quakes less than 6.0 magnitude, and at least 20 quakes with a magnitude of 6.0 and above.

Answer the following questions

Where are the most Earthquakes located overall?

Did the really big 'quakes fall where the average quakes did?

Why did some quakes that were not so large do so much damage to people and property?

Look on the last 2 pages-in what regions are there the most deadly earthquakes? Why do they happen in this place? (Consider population, local building practices, etc.)

Look at the chart at the top of page 5, why do you think that there are more quakes every year?

How many of the big quakes of 1994 were attributed to atomic explosions?

How does California rank in having lots of big quakes compared to the rest of the world?

Why do California quakes to so much expensive damage?

What area of the world has the most quakes?

What area of the world has the most really big quakes?

Where are most of the big quakes in the USA located? Is this area heavily populated?

Look on page 3, how much more powerful is an 8.0 quake than a 6.0?

(give your answer in both ground motion change and energy change)

Kimio Oda

1. Grade level : High school ( 10-12)

2. Duration 2 hours.

3. Key vocabulary moving speed, hot spot, VLBI, GPS4. Introduction

Students well know continental drift but not know the mechanism and sped that moves the continents yet. This activity is obtained firsthand and up-to-date data from the Internet. It furthers understanding the plate tectonics.

5. Objectives

According to the plate tectonics theory, the crust is composed of about ten or more plates that crash into one another in titanic slow motion , and it is thought that the theory solves many questions about sources of earthquakes, volcanoes and drift of the continents. Here the students study whether the crust is moving or not using the past and present evidence.

6. Lesson plans

1. The evidence of the past.
2. (Principle)The Pacific Ocean crustal plate is moving northwest, however, so the plume has built a line of extinct volcanoes and underwater seamounts reaching all the way to the Aleutian Islands. Students calculate the moving speed ( cm/year ) the position by erupted period.

Make the graph of the table 1.

Draw a straight line which links as many spots (dots) as possible.

Calculate the moving speed of a year.

Table 1

name of volcano or seamount distance ( km) period ( *million years)

Kilauea 0 0

Mauna Loa 54 0.4

Haleakala 182 0.9

Maui 221 1.3

East Molokai 256 1.5

West Molokai 280 1.9

Waiaena 374 3.7

Kauai 519 5.8

Niihau 565 5.5

Nihoa 780 7.2

Necker 1058 10.3

La Perouse 1209 12.0

Midway 2432 27.7

Yuryaku 3520 43.4

KInmei 3668 39.9

Koukou 3758 48.1

Nintoku 4452 56.2

Suiko 4860 64.7

B The moving evidence of the present.

Collect the data baseline length changes between Japan(Kasima) and Hawaii(Kauai)by the geodetic VLBI(Very Long Baseline Interferometory) program.

URL http://vldb.gsi mc.go.jp/sokuchi/vlbi/java/graph2.html

I CANNOT GET THIS URL TO WORK, CAN YOU RE-SEND IT?

Furthermore, collect the data baseline length changes in Japan by GPS(Global Positioning System).URL http://163.42.5.4/pic nen/disp a.html

7. Consideration

Is there any changes of the moving direction between Hawaii-Midway Chain and Emperor Seamount Chain? What is the cause do you think?

Compare the moving speed of the past and the present.

Calculate the year when the Hawaii will reach Japan.

By using GPS how we can see the movement of Japan. Discuss the advantages of precise survey works using the GPS.

8. Evaluation

Try to find the evidence of the plate movement of the past.

Discuss whether the surveying method by the GPS is useful for a prediction of the occurrence of earthquakes.

Rad Royer

particular areas have so many earthquakes.

Ruth Scherger

This extension is aimed at 8^th graders taking earth science. I would like to do it at the beginning of the year, as part of the introduction of the course when we talk about the tools of science.

Goals:

1. Students will become familiar with this scientific tool of radar imaging.
2. Students will compare present and past structures as seen through radar imaging.
3. Students will gain a better appreciation for changes that have occurred to the Earth over time.
4. Students will gain knowledge of desert changes, impact craters, and volcanoes.

Science's Newest EYE on Earth - "Radar Remote Sensing"

I. To find out just what Earth looks like through radar "eyes", go to " A First Lesson" by clicking on "Lessons" and then "A First Lesson" at NASA.

1. What space shuttle took pictures in 1994?
2. Name four things radar can do that ordinary cameras can't.

Examine "Seeing Through Desert Sands"

3. What can be seen with radar that cannot be seen with the ordinary camera?

Look at "The Mountain Gorilla Habitats of Rwanda" for "How Radar Unmasks a Surface".

4. How do rough spots appear on radar images?
5. How do smooth spots appear on radar images?
6. What types of things are represented by color?

1. II. For a CLOSER LOOK at a desert drainage pattern access Yemen
2. What desert was this picture taken of? (hint: "one of the world's great sand seas")
3. What was the branching pattern caused by?
4. What does dendrites mean?
5. What were the Sahara and Rubh-al-Khali "when earth emerged from the last Ice Age"?
6. "This drainage pattern is clearly a _______."

III. A GIANT METEOROID hitting Earth may have been the cause for the end of the Dinosaur Age. Examine the radar image that gave rise to this theory at TERRESTRIAL IMPACT CRATERS

Read the Introduction. Answer the following:

1. What are impact craters?
2. Sketch a simple crater and a complex crater.

Scroll down to "Views of Terrestrial Craters." View "Chicxulub"

3. Where is this crater located?
4. What is the impact basin buried in?
5. What do NASA scientists believe made this impact crater? (Include size in your answer.)
6. A) How long may darkness have covered the earth?

1. How would this have affected temperature?

IV. Volcanoes are still changing the look of our planet. Access radar images of VOLCANOES.

Scroll down to Kilauea, Hawaii. Click on the caption for this picture.

1. What space shuttle took the picture?
2. "Ash deposits which erupted in_______ from the summit of the volcano show up as________ in the image.
3. In which two years of the 20^th century has the volcano erupted?
4. In which two years of the 19^th century did this volcano erupt?
5. How long has the volcano been continually active?
6. A moving lava flow was observed when this picture was taken. What possibility does this raise?

Click on the HOMEPAGE arrow at the bottom of this page.

JUST FOR FUN: Try your luck at "What is the above Image?

(How many did you get right?????(Be honest!)_____

Click on the blue "Images and Video" at the top of this page, then click on the "Click able Map of the World" or go directly there by accessing MAP.

Choose any 3 locations. List

1. What it is.
2. Where it is.
3. Give a brief description of the images you see there. (The more specific your description the more points you will receive! 5-20pts)
4. You may earn additional points for looking at more than 3 images.
5. Have fun!

DISCUSSION OF TEACHING STANDARDS

1. Develop a framework of yearlong and short-term goals for students.

Hopefully starting school with this type of unit would indicate to students the wealth of information and accessibility of this information via the Internet. I would like to implement such individual work on the Internet throughout the year.

2. Challenge students to accept and share responsibility for their own learning. This activity is done individually; answers are the responsibility of each student.
3. Use multiple methods and systematically gather data about student understanding and ability. This activity involves a number of skills including computer use, sketching, answering questions from the reading, paraphrasing.
4. Structure the time available so that students are able to engage in extended investigations. This activity requires time on the Internet which would have to be scheduled over time as I have only one computer in my room.
5. Make available science tools, materials, media, and technological resources accessible to students. This activity certainly involves the latest technological advances.

GENERAL DISCUSSION

I think this activity will work well in the setting I am in. The "upside" is involving the students in using Internet activities-something our school has not been able to do before. I was fascinated with the information on remote radar imaging, especially the impact craters. Possibly the news that an asteroid may come close to earth in 30 years piqued my curiosity.

The "downside" to the activity is that it would be much more quickly done with a computer lab, which we do not have as yet. Also there are no hands on activities presented, although I did find a good lab to demonstrate impact craters involving flour which is hard packed and sprinkled with colored powder paint unto which is dropped marbles of various sizes from various heights. I would do this as a demonstration; it could be done to model the scientific method. Also this activity is an individual one and does not depend on collaboration of other students which is always interesting.

However I feel it is very realistic and is one that should generate interest in earth science. I am scheduled to teach Earth Science next year and so would try it out at that time.

Timothy W. Tharp

Introduction--This time I'm going to target a lower level audience and have students explore earthquakes in Big Sky Country (Montana to y'all not living in the Treasure State) as well as earthquakes in general.

Grade level and course: 7-9 Geography/Social Studies

Subjects covered--Earth Science, Geography, Mathematics, Technology Education

Objectives--At the end of this activity, students will:

1. Be able do define many terms related to earthquakes.

2. Be familiar with the most common method of measuring earthquakes, the Richter scale.

3. Learn about earthquakes in Montana and be able to discuss the earthquake danger in Montana.

4. Plot points on a map using latitude and longitude.

Topics Covered--Earthquakes, Richter scale, latitude and longitude, creation of maps and tables, and percentage.

Materials--A map of Montana with portions of the surrounding states. This map must include latitude and longitude.

Lesson Plans:

This activity will probably take 2-3 class periods. Each student should be given a copy of the following worksheet and access to a computer wired to the Internet.

Beginning of WS

Montana, She is a Rumblin'! Name______________________

Go to web site http://mbmgsun.mtech.edu/pub/equake/ quake and print a copy of the locations of earthquakes occurring in or affecting Montana over the past two weeks. Using a Montana map with the surrounding states, plot the epicenter of each of the quake sites. Code your map so that you can use a key to differentiate the more intense earthquakes from the mild ones.

Visit and explore the following sites to prepare yourself to answer the following questions.

http://gldss7.cr.usgs.gov/neis/general/handouts/measure.html

http://gldss7.cr.usgs.gov/neis/general/handouts/richter.html

http://gldss7.cr.usgs.gov/neis/eqlists/eqstats.html

http://gldss7.cr.usgs.gov/neis/eqlists/100_chance.html

1. What is the USGS and what do they do?

2. Define earthquake.

3. Define fault.

4. Define epicenter.

5. Define seismograph.

6. Define Richter scale.

7. What is the Ring of Fire and where is it?

8. What kind of damage would you expect to see with a earthquake with an 8.0 rating on the Richter scale? 6.0? 4.0? 2.0?

9. Using the data from the Montana Tech website, do you think Montana has a lot to worry about from earthquakes? Why or why not?

10. Create a table which shows the percentage of earthquakes that occur that have a Richter scale measurement over 8, from 7 to 8, from 6 to 7, and so forth down to 0 to 1.

11. Based on your answers in 9 and 10, what do you think about the large number of earthquakes in Montana?

12. There is a free question and answer service provided by the USGS called "Ask a Geologist". Think about what else you would like to know about earthquakes and send your question to the following e-mail address: ask-a-geologist@usgs.gov; turn in your question and answer.

End of WS

National Standards Addressed

From the National Science Education Content Standards website,

"The eight categories of content standards are

1. Unifying concepts and processes in science.

2. Science as inquiry.

3. Physical science.

4. Life science. 5. Earth and space science. 6. Science and technology. 7. Science in personal and social perspectives. 8. History and nature of science."

I believe that this activity solidly addresses numbers 2, 3, and 6 with fringe relationships to the others.

NCTM Standards: I'm sure that this addresses some lower spectrum standards as far as connections to other curricular areas and working with graphical representations of data, but I am away from my copy of the Standards at this writing, and the NCTM web site only has information saying that the draft of our new standards will be ready for release by this fall.

National Geography Standards for Grades 5-8

Standard 1: Use maps and graphics to acquire, process, and report

information from a spatial perspective.

Standard 2: How to use mental maps to organize information about people, places, and environments.

Standard 3: How to analyze the spatial organization of people, places, and environments.

Standard 4: The physical and human characteristics of places and regions.

Standard 5: People create regions to make sense out of patterns.

Standard 6: How culture influences the perception of places.

Standard 7: The physical processes that shape the Earth's surface (erosion, tectonic movement, ocean currents, climate).

Standard 8: The characteristics and spatial distribution of ecosystems.

Standard 9: The characteristics, distribution, and migration of human populations.

Standard 10: The characteristics, distribution, and complexity of cultures.

Standard 11: Trade the patterns and networks of economic interdependence.

Standard 12: The processes, patterns, and functions of cities.

Standard 13: How cooperation and conflict influence the control of territory.

Standard 14: How people modify the environment.

Standard 15: How people adapt to the environment.

Standard 16: How people depend upon natural resources.

Standard 17: Use geography to interpret the past.

Standard 18: How to use geography to interpret the present and plan for the future.

This activity seems to address Standards 1, 7, and 15 and could easily have questions added that address other areas.

Extensions to this extension: One of the web sites had some pretty specific information on how the Richter scale is actually calculated. (http://gldss7.cr.usgs.gov/neis/general/handouts/measure.html ) One could go pretty in depth in an upper level math course playing with it.

Marilyn Tucker

Grade Level 8

Problem: With what frequency do earthquakes occur in a 100 mile radius of Jackson and what is their rating

on the Richter Scale?

Objectives: 1. The learner will define these terms: earthquake, focus, epicenter, seismograph, Richter Scale, fault. 2. The learner will develop an appreciation for the natural history of the area affected by seismic

activity along the New Madrid Fault.

3. The learner develop and use a table or graph to compare seismic activity along the New Madrid Fault

with activity along the San Andreas Fault.

4. The learner will apply and enhance personal knowledge of electronic research by using the Internet as

part of the problem solving process.

Rationale: This activity correlates with the Science Framework for the State of Tennessee as follows:

1. Tenessee Standard 2.5 b, Benchmark for grades 6-8: "Some changes in the earth's surface are

abrupt while other changes happen very slowly."

2. Tennessee Standard 3.4a, Benchmark for grades 6-8: "When similar investigations give

different results, the scientific challenge is to judge whether the differences are trivial or

significant."

3. Tennessee Standard 1.4a, Benchmark for grades 6-8: "Information is organized into simple

tables and graphs to identify relationships."

4. Tennessee Standard 1.1b, Benchmark for grades 6-8: "Scientific investigation is enhanced

through the use of technology."

Time: The time allotted for the activity will be approximately two weeks. The set and directions will take one

class period, an earthquake video another, one week for data accumulation, two period for organizing data

and preparing the table or graph, plus one period for a hands-on activity.

Set: The set for this activity will include reading to the class from letters of individuals who actually

experienced the New Madrid Earthquakes of 1811-12, and exerts from Davy Crockett's autobiography,

wherein he relates a colorful tale of hunting "bars" in the woods of western Tennessee and talks about the

crevices left by the earthquakes. (This provides local/Tennessee history as an interdisciplinary tie-in.)

Procedure: This will be a cooperative learning activity with students serving as either team chairperson,

scribe, or research technician. All roles will be alternated so students will have equal time at the

computer. Teams will be provided with study guides giving terms to be defined and guidelines for heading

in the right direction to find the information needed on the Internet.

Other correlating activities are noted in the "time" section above, and a brief presentation of tables and

graphs will conclude the activity.

Evaluation: Daily grades from this activity will include: self-evaluation; peer evaluation of participation and

cooperation; evidence of diligent Internet research (minimum number of web sites accessed and addresses

recorded); a lab grade for the hands on activity; and a quiz on the video.

A 'test' grade will be given for the table or graph completed by the group.

Assessment of table or graph:

10% completed on time

30% neatness, evidence of effort (must be in color)

30% appropriate data recorded

30% easily interpreted*

total 100%

*Each group will submit, along with the table or graph, a set of three questions based on the data in their graph or table, along with the correct answers to each question.

Advantages: This activity pulls in literature, local history, and math skills, along with creating tables or graphs and interpreting information from them. Due to the number of computers on line at USJ, cooperative learning projects are most efficient, and the students enjoy working that way. Students should be intrigued by the readings, especially by the notion that our area was a wilderness just two hundred years ago, and populated by "bars" and such.

(However, I realize you people in Montana and Wyoming will find this laughable, since you all live in an area that is still wilderness, to a large extent, and still populated by bears and such critters.) :-)

A really great advantage is that students are getting more hands on the computers and electronic research. Computer literacy and electronic research have become, overnight it seems, basic skills, as basic as writing, reading, and math. Extensions such as this one are time consuming but the students profit by learning in an alternative format and they come away with a more positive attitude about themselves and about science.

Disadvantages: Having just finished the Coriolis thing, time management for me is a problem when we do these

activities. The students have a grand time, but require constant supervision which means I get absolutely nothing else accomplished for several days in a row. That is quite frustrating. Even with the librarian helping to supervise, it is tiring. Also, to fully utilize the computers at our disposal, I need to let students use the one on line in my room, which means I have students spread all over the building who need assistance and supervision.

Also, my fifth period class cannot use the Gateway 2000 computers because there is a special upper school computer class in the room during that time. This is the group who have, overall, less computer and Internet knowledge than my other classes. They get restless and lose the incentive and momentum of the lesson sometimes. It took them almost two days longer to complete their research on the Coriolis project because of this.

Comments: If I actually do this extension, and I expect I will, I probably will ask our tech coordinator if there is any way he can let my fifth period class have time with the Gateway computers. Without those the class can only use four very slow Macs and that is discouraging to them.

Another thing I do like about this is using tables and graphs. Our science department is working to better prepare students for ACT Science Reasoning by working in more activities that require data interpretation.

Gayle Weiss

General discussion of Activity:

In the discussion of the vastness of scale in the geosphere, I thought about all the ranges of time spans for different geospheric events. My idea is to compare specific events in time - some which are familiar to the students and some which are yet to be studied. Below are descriptions of three topics that we have studied in Earth Science (9th and 10th grade) and an exercise to relate time and geospheric events.

I have not tried this activity yet - but as we start plate tectonics I believe that it will get the students thinking about the vastness of our geologic time and how to put the forces at work in some perspective.

A. Glaciers- ice advances and retreats in the vicinity of Cape CodB. Meteorology - World Climate fluctuationsC. Plate Tectonics - Movement of plates

A. GLACIERS

(see attachment CAPECOD.JPG)Cape Cod and the Sea

During the glaciation and for some time after the retreat of the ice from the vicinity of Cape Cod, the sea level was about 125 meters lower than it is today. Much of the continental shelf south of Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard was exposed. Mastodon, mammoth, an other extinct mammals of the Ice Age, and possibly man, roamed the forest and meadow beyond the ice. As more and more of the glacial ice melted, the sea level rose and the shelf area became progressively inundated. About 6,000 years ago the rising sea reached the glacial cape; since then, ocean waves have eroded the fragile land. Much of the eroded material is reworked, transported, and redeposited by waves to form new land. Most new land is composed of beach deposits in the form of spits and marsh.

1. Estimate the rate of the rise in sea level in meters per year and meters per 100 years. (Rate = distance/time) (show work below)

2. The rate of rising sea was not constant over the years. During what period of time do you think the rate of sea level rise was higher. Why?

The Ultimate Cape Cod

The forces of marine erosion will continue to attack Cape Cod and the land will eventually be worn away. New land built by waves and currents will not balance the loss of land to the sea because the source of material (glacial drift) is being used up with out being replaced. Estimate the rate of loss on the following facts.

Cape Cod has an area of approximate 500 square miles. We know that lower Cape Cod loses about 5 acres a year to marine erosion. New land constructed from this eroded material averages about 2 acres per year. Calculate, at this rate, how long it will take for Cape Cod to be nothing more than a few low sandy islands?

Show work below. Use the given relationships in your calculations

* 43,560 square feet per acre

* 5,280 feet per mile (27,878,400 square feet per square mile)

* 0.0015 square miles per acre

B. Meteorology and Climate Change

Global Warming (adapted from Ground Truth studies Teacher Handbook)

(See attachment)

Study the following graphs of global mean temperatures. There are 4 different sets of data: The 136 year graph, the 1,000 year temperature graph, the 10,000 year temperature graph, and the 1,000,000 year temperature graph.

1. What conclusions can you make about the global mean temperature by studying the 138 year sample?

2. What conclusions would you make in looking at the other three samples?

3. Perhaps the 138 year sample is but a blip on the larger time scale and is really too small a sample. (Compare it to the three bigger picture graphs). Why might the temperature in the 138 year sample not be a reliable source for the theory of Global Warming?

2. Might Global Warming be a concern for the time scale of human existence?

C. Plate Tectonics(See diagram of major lithospheric plates)

Deep under the surface of the earth's crust, constant changes are taking place. Continents are shifting at an infinitesimal rate. On the surface we go about our lives oblivious to the forces at work beneath the crust. Scientists had developed a new theory of plate tectonic that states that the Earth's crust and upper mantle are broken into sections. These sections, called plates, move around on the mantle. The plates can be thought of as rafts the float and move around on the mantle.

Suppose you were able to take a ride on one of these plates. Your departure is on the Nazca Plate at the Mid-pacific Rise (divergent boundary).

1. If plates on the average move at a rate of 3 centimeters per year, how long would it take you to ride this plate eastward to the subduction zone underneath the South American plate? (hint: time = distance /rate . Using the scale provided determine the distance in kilometers and convert to centimeters)

(Show work below)

2. If the distance from a point on the coast of Africa to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge is approximately 2400 km, calculate how long ago that point in Africa was at or near the mid-ocean ridge. Use the formula distance = rate X time.

Conclusion: Based on your answers (discoveries!!) to the previous exercises, what have you learned about geologic time and the vastness of scale? Think about the winters you have experienced and can remember - can you make a statement about any pattern of temperature changes? When you go to the beach this summer what can you conclude about the long stretches of familiar coastlines that you know and are used to being there? When you look at the globe or a map - what do you really see now?