Groton Earth Science

This blog has been moved...

2010-09-17T14:45:00.000-04:00

The Groton Earth Science blog has been moved to MrWiech.com.

Why Critical Thinking is an Important Skill

2009-09-25T06:16:00.006-04:00

Earlier this week we had a discussion on why becoming a critical thinker is an important life skill to always be developing. Whether you are asking a friend, adult, politician or even a teacher, like myself, to provide evidence that supports their convictions, critical thinking can help you become better informed and make good decisions as you grow into adulthood.

The problem we looked at was from the 1970's and how the local government dealt with the removal of a whale carcass from their beach. Students in all classes discussed burial, on land or sea, dissection, helicoptering it away as well as ideas I care not to discuss here, although they were creative. There were no students that suggested blowing it up with 1/2 ton of dynamite. That is, however, what the local government decided was the best option with questionable results. Check out the video above as well as the site TheExplodingWhale.com!

WHAT ARE SOME OTHER REASONS THINKING CRITICALLY IS IMPORTANT?

One of Our Class Pets

2009-09-18T14:59:00.003-04:00

Here is a photo of one of our class pets. This raspberry danish was purchased from our vending machine and soon became a class pet. Why a class pet and not eaten? It had a 12.1 cm hair included in its cellophane packaging! We had discussed nutrition and the fact this was not a good breakfast choice but one student still chose to eat it. The hair deterred her and we set it under glass to see what would happen. Well 18 months later and there is still nothing eating it. Mold chooses not to grow on it and it still smells like it did out of the package, which wasn't good in the first place. So if you have a chance stop down to room 223 and say hi!

Voyage of the PLASTIKI

2009-03-04T12:16:00.006-05:00

WOW!! Check this guy out! His name is David de Rothschild and he is planning on sailing 7,500 miles from Sydney, Australia to San Francisco, in a boat made of recycled bottles. A brief story was done on NPR, for your listening pleasure. This story revolves around the Great Pacific Garbage Patch which is a floating landfill half the size of Texas. This garbage dump is composed of plastics that to ocean currents is a collecting material that finds its way into the ocean. Read the articles to see how our world is being affected and check back to see what is happening with the "Plastiki".

Pileated Woodpecker

2009-03-02T12:35:00.004-05:00

We were fortunate today and saw not one but TWO pileated woodpeckers. Although their range is quite large they are usually heard and not seen. Here are some cool facts about the pileated woodpecker.

The Pileated Woodpecker digs characteristically rectangular holes in trees to find ants. These excavations can be so broad and deep that they can cause small trees to break in half.
A Pileated Woodpecker pair stays together on its territory all year round. It will defend the territory in all seasons, but will tolerate floaters during the winter.
The feeding excavations of a Pileated Woodpecker are so extensive that they often attract other birds. Other woodpeckers, as well as House Wrens, may come and feed there.
The Pileated Woodpecker prefers large trees for nesting. In young forests, it will use any large trees remaining from before the forest was cut. Because these trees are larger than the rest of the forest, they present a lightning hazard to the nesting birds.

What is TWITTER??

2009-02-25T20:04:00.011-05:00

Anyone who is paying attention to the changes in our world has heard about Twitter. It is being used by politicians to reach their constituents, people building networks of friends and even teachers as they continue conversations that started in the classroom. Twitter is a social networking site that can be used appropriately as well as for unacceptable interactions.

What does this mean for us at Groton? Currently Twitter is blocked on our computer system so the need to promote it in a positive manner is of the utmost importance. We all need to post thoughtful, polite and sometimes controversial tweets that cause us to discuss topics that we can't always address in class. We can also begin to use some of the additional tools such as Twitpic to share photos we take while outside checking out our world.

I think Twitter can expand our class and experiences as well as bring some additional fun to an already great class!

TWIT ON!

Crazy Volcano Cartoon

2009-01-26T10:31:00.003-05:00

While looking for video clips to show how igneous rocks differ when the cool in intrusive versus extrusive environments I came upon this funny AND informative video. Check it out and be sure to listen during basketball games for this song to be played.

Amazing Randomness of Nature

2008-12-19T06:53:00.003-05:00

WOW! Here is a great example of the beauty of nature as reported in New Scientist. These photos were taken by Kenneth Libbrecht of CalTech, using a specially-designed snowflake photomicroscope. They show real snow crystals that fell to earth in northern Ontario, Alaska, Vermont, the Michigan Upper Peninsula, and the Sierra Nevada mountains of California.

This snowflake has fern-like stellar dendrites - the branches of the stellar crystals have so many side branches that they look like ferns.

These are the largest snow crystals, often falling to earth with diameters of 5mm or more. Despite their large size, these are single crystals of ice - the water molecules are lined up from one end to the other.

The best powder snow, where you sink to your knees while skiing, is made of stellar dendrites. These crystals can be extremely thin and light, so they make a low-density snowpack.

Scientist are also creating a tool which shows how humidity and temperature effect the type of snowflake that is created. You can see this in the photo to the right.

First Snow Day?

2008-12-11T21:37:00.006-05:00

Here is a photo of the precipitation falling across the northeast today. Unfortunately our afterschool activities were cancelled and many were hopeful of a day off from school. You can check out a loop of the current radar at NOAA, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This is an awesome map and on this date you could see the counterclockwise flow around the low pressure system that was located in the south eastern states.

Soles4Souls at Groton Elementary

2008-12-09T12:33:00.003-05:00

Mr. D'Antonio class at Groton Elementary is collect footwear for Soles4Souls which will then send them to children who are in need of shoes. The students came to the High School and gave speeches to every class as they attempt to make this shoe drive super successful. We all wish them luck and remember to bring in your shoes. To see more about their work check out Mr. D's blog at the right.

Trip to MOST Museum

2008-12-09T09:17:00.004-05:00

On Friday the freshman Global Studies class traveled to Syracuse to tour the MOST Museum and watch the IMAX movie "Mystic India." After watching the very interesting movie we then headed out into the museum to explore and play! Here is bus 2 on our wonderful trip to Syracuse.

Dom, Kraig and Michael checking out the Rube Goldberg sculpture.

Ashlyn and Moose Dog using the funky mirror.

Taking photos of our shadows.

Finally playing a moving board game.

A special thanks to Mrs. Spallone for planning a great trip and the entire freshman class for behaving and representing Groton so well. Check out the whole album HERE!

Rube Goldberg Honda "COG" Commercial

2008-12-08T14:26:00.006-05:00

Here is the Honda Commercial showing how physics can be used in everyday life. This commercial, which was shown in England, took three months and 606 takes until it was finished. Reports have it costing 6 million dollars but I could not fine definite proof of this figure. The other video is here on You Tube and if viewing from hom I have also embedded it. Enjoy!

2008-12-03T13:52:00.004-05:00

Today we increased surface area of Lycopodium
while playing with fire! We originally attempted to light it when it was in a bowl. Our attempt to light it was unsuccessful. We then increased the surface area by blowing it through a plastic tube. The results can be seen in the video created by Rhys.

Story of Stuff and Walmart

2008-12-01T10:49:00.005-05:00

Last year I discovered this movie explaining the path that all of the "stuff" we consume travels. Over this Thanksgiving I was reminded again of how true the general message was behind it as I read about the Walmart stampede. I remembered to be thankful for family, friends, health and even the students I knew would be waiting for me on Monday. What was so important, at 5:03am, in that Long Island Walmart that caused a man to lose his life. Watch "The Story of Stuff" and see what you think.

Deforestation in Matto Grosso, Brazil!

2008-11-14T12:01:00.006-05:00

An inland state of central Brazil, deep in the Amazon interior, Mato Grosso was long isolated from the outside world. A railroad, followed by highways and airplanes, eventually connected this state with other regions in the twentieth century. By the early twenty-first century, modern technology had clearly reached Mato Grosso—and produced widespread change.
The Thematic Mapper on NASA’s Landsat 5 satellite captured the top image of part of Mato Grosso on August 6, 1992. The Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Relfection Radiometer on NASA’s Terra satellite captured the bottom image of the same area on July 28, 2006. In both of these false-color images, red indicates vegetation, and the brighter the red, the denser the vegetation. The Rio Peixoto de Azevedo appears pale blue, nearly white, in 1992, perhaps a combination of reflective sediment or sunlight glinting off the water.

The most conspicuous difference between the images is the widespread forest clearing—visible as rectangles of gray-beige—that had occurred by 2006. The most intense areas of clearing appear along roadways, such as road MT-419, which runs east to west north of the river. A 2006 study found that Brazil’s mechanized agriculture increased by more than 3.6 million hectares (8.9 million acres) between 2001 and 2004, growing more than 540,000 hectares (1.3 million acres) in Mato Grosso alone. Clearing for pasture was still the leading cause of deforestation at that time, but the contribution from large agricultural clearings, such as for soy plantations, was increasing.

INSANE Sunspot Lab!!!

2008-10-01T12:03:00.003-04:00

Yesterday we looked at data from 1961-2006 the showed the number of sunspots that occur each year. We wanted to be able to tell if sunspots occur in a cyclic and predictable pattern that would allow humans to be prepared for the negative effects that they can produce. We also saw video that showed the beauty of the Aurora Borealis which is caused by matter released during sunspot activity. The graphing was extremely difficult but all students managed to produce outstanding results. In the end we determined that, like many things in nature, sunspots are indeed cyclic and predicatable. We should see an increase in their numbers in the year 2011. Some students need special tools to assist in their graphing and looked quite silly while wearing the googles.

Very Stylish!!

Lab Safety Rules

2008-09-18T13:42:00.010-04:00

This week brought about another chance for students to show off their artistic abilities. We decided on five main rules for science lab including;

1. Conduct yourself in a responsible manner
at all times in the laboratory.

2. Follow all written and verbal instructions
carefully. If you do not understand
a direction or part of a procedure, ask the
instructor before proceeding.

5. Do not eat food, drink beverages, or
chew gum in the laboratory. Do not use
laboratory glassware as containers for
food or beverages.

25. Dress properly during a laboratory activity.
Long hair, dangling jewelry, and
loose or baggy clothing are a hazard in
the laboratory. Long hair must be tied
back and dangling jewelry and loose or
baggy clothing must be secured. Shoes
must completely cover the foot. No sandals
allowed.

43. Examine glassware before each use. Never use chipped or cracked glassware. Never use dirty glassware.

Mysterious Art Found on Folder

2008-09-10T12:31:00.000-04:00

During my collection of my students' folder I discovered this strange piece of art work that is supposed to represent someone's "Super Hero." My first hypothesis was Bugs Bunny after he ran into a wall. I am not sure if this is correct so feel free to leave a comment on what you believe it is.

2008-09-09T07:18:00.001-04:00

Yesterday in class we prepared our lab folders which will house finished labs. To brighten them up we added a list of favorite bands and movies as wel as drew pictures of food we would like at a party, what we do in our free time and our favorite superhero. We then shared each other's folders and got to know each other a little better. Here are some great examples.

Nice Spiderman!

Katie's superhero is SPIDERPIG!!!

Alen is a very complex individual!

Stay tuned for more adventures in Earth Science!!

First Days of School

2008-09-05T16:09:00.004-04:00

WHEW!!!!! The first days of school are here and gone and our first weekend has started. I have started my sixth year of teaching and my new class of freshman could be the best yet. We have spent the first days going over rules (boring!!) as well as taking some time to debate statements revolving around science. The students have been great drawing on past knowledge to argue their point when faced with a statement such as, "Humans may have caused the extinction of dinosaurs. True or False." or "Your loved ones' cremated remains can be turned into diamonds. True or False." This year's students debated each point long and hard as they attempted to prove their stance correct while disproving the other side. Hmmmmm, almost like real science......SWEEEEEEET!

Next week the work increases but if these two days are a sign of things to come we will have a great year!

Hiking in the Adirondacks

2008-09-02T12:20:00.010-04:00

Here are some photos from my backpacking trip, with my girlfriend Julie, to the ADK's. We started from an old mining town called the "Upper Works." We traveled a rocky and wet trail until we reached the "Flowed Lands." This area used to be flooded so that lumberjacks could transport cut timber to the mines. The first photo shows me standing looking out at the "Flowed Lands" with Colden Mountain the background.

Our trip continued as we hiked to Lake Colden and then along the Opalescent Creek. Our goal was to stay in a lean-to halfway to Mt. Marcy but they were all full. Thankfully we brought a tent which was probably more fun anyway.

The next morning we awoke with renewed energy and planned on summitting 3 of the biggest peaks in the ADK's. Marcy is the tallest in New York State with Skylight at 4 and Gray number 7. Our hike was short but strenuous as we climbed 1 1/2 miles to "Tear in Clouds", see photo, which is the highest source of water for the Hudson River! COOL! A little further on and we were at the "Crossroads" which is where 4 trails meet. We had decided earlier that Skylight would be our first and it did not let us down. The views from the top were amazing with cool and clear air. There was also no one else on top so we sat, snacked and enjoyed life. Wish you all could have been there. Julie snapped one photo of me celebrating with Marcy in the background.

After our break it was back down to the trail intersection and back to a longer climb as we slowly rose in elevation until we saw the top of Marcy. Once we reached the top we were treated to very cold weather and about 30 people! We only stayed a short while before heading down. I did happen to take this photo of the beautiful alpine grasses that are found in very few places on Earth. SWEET!

Great Race in Auburn

2008-08-22T11:00:00.006-04:00

On August 10th I took part in the Great Race in Auburn. I was part of a team that consisted of Mr. Crocker, a earth science teacher from Dryden and Mr. Begeal, a sixth grade science teacher from Trumansburg. We ran, biked and paddled our way to second place in our age division. I was on a great team and I paddled the 4 mile course on a white-capped Owasco Lake. Thanks to my teammates for sharing such an exciting day. Let me know what you did this summer.

Fresh Start to the New School Year

2008-08-09T20:35:00.003-04:00

Welcome new and some old students to Earth Science. This is the first blog entry of our new year and I am planning on sharing some of my personal experiences as well as information we discuss in class. Feel free to add comments and questions to the stories you read here.

My most recent experience was a trip to Cape Vincent, NY where we spent time camping, kayaking and biking with friends. On our first night there we were treated to a beautiful sunset as well as a serious thunderstorm that produced a lot of thunder and lightening but little rain so we stayed dry. Very cool!

Rain was a constant threat during our weekend but we still managed to cycle for 25 miles and I almost paddled into Canadian water. The second picture shows a lake freighter as in enters Lake Ontario. These "Lakers" as they are called reach lengths of over 1000 feet long. The right of the picture shows the rain that soon overtook our campsite. Overall it was a great weekend.

Start of "Dynamic Crust" Unit

2008-02-08T11:27:00.000-05:00

Today was the start of "Dynamic Crust as we look at the relationships between volcanoes, earthquakes, plate boundaries and age of oceanic rocks.

We also saw videos on another destructive affect of crustal movement as we watch a few tsunami videos. Check here for more info and videos on these daunting waves.

Lunar Eclipse on February 20

2008-02-06T11:24:00.001-05:00

On Wednesday, February 20 you'll have a chance to observe a total lunar eclipse. On the 7th of this month, the Moon will cross the plane of Earth's orbit (called the ecliptic) precisely when it is aligned with the Earth and Sun (at the New Moon phase) and a solar eclipse will be observed from parts of the southern hemisphere. On the night of February 20-21 - just 2 weeks after the solar eclipse - the Moon will once again cross the ecliptic, only this time in Earth's shadow at the Full Moon phase. Just before 9 PM EST, the Moon will enter the darkest part of shadow of Earth, called the umbra, and by 10 PM the Moon will be entirely within the umbra. The moon will appear an orangy-red color, a result of the red light of sunset being refracted into Earth's umbra as it passes through our atmosphere. The photo to the right, taken during the lunar eclipse of March 7, 2007, illustrates that nicely.The shadow will move from left to right across the Moon as the Moon moves eastward in it's orbit around the Earth.Make plans to get out to see the eclipse that night. Lunar eclipses are not all that rare, but they are definitely worth observing.Click here for a detailed diagram and observing times (also available in printable .pdf format)

The Story of Stuff

2008-01-24T12:53:00.000-05:00

Hey guys! Just before the winter break we watched "The Story of Stuff" with Annie Leonardand had a unfortunately brief conversation about her presentation.

I figured it would be worth a shot to place it on the blog and have you watch it again or show it to someone you know and get their perspective.

People may ask you what it is about and you can reply by telling them that everything we have is either extracted or grown and many times not in ways that promote environmental stewardship. Annie also discusses the fact that most of this "STUFF" is used and then quickly disposed of without many of us seeing the effects it has on us, our communites and the world.

Tell them it is only 20 minutes long and doesn't have irritating commercials!

GROTON SCIENCE NIGHT 2008

2008-01-24T08:46:00.000-05:00

May 8, 2008 will mark the launch of another Groton High/ Middle School event that will excite the masses. Students from 6 to 12 grades will be looking at issues that they and their children will be facing in the 21st Century.

Students will be finding an issue that interests them, determine how it may affect our future and give some examples on how these issues can be "fixed". The reforms they present should help the Earth and its populations find relief from many of the environmental stresses we are all feeling.

Shift Happens

2007-11-27T08:49:00.000-05:00

Today's class included an interesting video, Shift Happens/Did You Know?, that was created by Karl Fisch (see blog). Shift Happens deals with changes that are occurring in the world that include technology and education. The questions at the end are interesting and I am wondering if anyone has ever asked and answered then in Groton or elsewhere.

Ask your KIDS: Are you doing this in school?

Ask your PRINCIPAL: How are you helping my child become literate in the 21st century?

Ask your SCHOOL BOARD: Are you providing the resources and training necessary to prepare students to be successful in the 21st century society?

Sources for Shift Happens

2007-11-08T11:58:00.001-05:00

So while you guys relished the fact that I wasn't in school, I was at the Science Teachers Association of New York State (STANYS) Conference in Ellenville, NY with Mrs. Baxendall, Mr. DeVoe and Syracuse. I was able to attend multiple sessions which gave me information about teaching methods, vericomposting, the Finger Lakes and starting a turtle project. I also was able to assist DeVoe with his "School Wide Composting" session, which was awesome and very well received by the other teachers, as well as take part in presenting "GIS in the Classroom." One of the highlights was the keynote speaker, Dr. Ken Miller, who presented "God, Darwin and Design. America's New Battle Over Evolution." He explained his reasoning foe accepting evolution while being a religious person. He was extremely democratic presenting the facts for evolution while also explaining his belief in a higher power. I do not have video of his presentation but he did appear on the Colbert so here is the video. The photo is of tilted beds on the way to the conference.

The Great Benchmark Hunt

2007-10-18T11:17:00.000-04:00

I have found one benchmark since the start of our contest. Remember that five photos and the jpg or hard copy of benchmark gets your class refreshments. The one at the right is from Cascade Mountain in the Adirondacks.

On another note, here are links to info that may help you to decide which side of the upcoming debate you will choose to be on.

Read about U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse's ideas on global warming.

Brett Bozell makes claims in his Al Gore's Nobel Propaganda article.

What do YOU think......add a comment!

Gore Video and Global Warming

2007-10-17T16:02:00.000-04:00

Here is the reply to our first video of one persons perception of President Bush and global warming. Al Gore and his wife do their rendition of Grease that will probably not make Broadway.

After seeing both videos make a comment or at the very least answer the poll question. The worse thing we can do is have an opinion and not let it be heard...... SPEAK UP!

Gore/ Greenhouse Effect/ Global Warming Debate

2007-10-16T11:13:00.000-04:00

Hey guys! Here is our new class blog which will help us investigate our upcoming debate involving Al Gore, the Greenhouse Effect and Global Warming. We will debate pro and con, positives and negatives of what we are fed from the media, the internet and other sources as to who is giving us the most correct information or if there is enough info to decide at this point. FACTS! That is what we are looking for as we start to look at this charged debate.