NASA ScienceCasts - Good Stuff!

There are so many videos posted on YouTube and other sites that it can become overwhelming trying to sort through the junk and find the good ones. This week's resource is a collection of short, high-quality YouTube videos related to space science and astronomy produced by NASA. Called NASA ScienceCasts, many of them are related to current events - they are great for keeping you and your students up to date with what's going on. CLICK HERE to see what's available. Bookmark the site, and check it often. CLICK HERE to view the ScienceCast of the Venus Transit, which will take place on June 5. This definitely qualifies as "good stuff"!

Scale of the Universe 2

CLICK HERE to access one of the most interesting things that I've seen on the internet EVER. It's an interactive graphic that let's you (or students) compare the sizes of things ranging from sub-atomic particles to the known universe. The graphics are great and it is incredibly interesting . . . and educational!. Use the scroll bar to zoom in or out, or click on the object to learn about it. I guarantee you will want to share it with your students. It was created by ninth-grader, Cary Huang, with technical support his twin brother, Michael(www.htwins.net). CLICK HERE to read a short news story (ABC).

Also (unrelated to the "Scale of the Universe 2") there will be an annular eclipse on Sunday. CLICK HERE to see a good short video produced by NASA. The best viewing will be in the southwest, but much of the west will see a "partial". Spaceweather.com is another good source. Select "animated eclipse map" to find out what the eclipse will look like from your state.

To view a convenient list of all the resources that have been posted on this "Earth Science Guy" blog site, CLICK HERE.

World of Change

NASA's Earth Observatory provides a unique way to view changes in Earth systems. CLICK HERE to watch a satellite view of changes in the level of Lake Powell from 1999-2011. Once the page opens, click on the "play arrow" below the image to make the years go by. The menu on the right side of the page lists several other changes that can be viewed, including one that compares El Nino/La Nina to rainfall (1985-2008), another that shows a mountain-top mine in West Virginia from 1984-2010, and several others.

The Whipped Topping Ozone Demo

A hole in the ozone layer develops over Antarctica every September-November. But why care - nobody lives there? This week's resource is a demonstration that helps students understand how the hole affects the ozone layer over the rest of the world. All that you need is some whipped topping, a little red food coloring, a couple plastic lids, and some kitchen utensils.CLICK HERE to read the instructions and see the photos.

Snake Butte in North-Central Montana

This week's resource is a landmark in north-central Montana that serves as an example of how to make geology more interesting by providing real-world connections. The geology of Snake Butte is fascinating with its columnar jointing and unique "boulder train". But by showing students that it played a important role in a historical construction project, and explaining why it is important to a culture, Snake Butte becomes even more interesting and relevant to students. CLICK HERE to learn about Snake Butte's interesting connections to people.

This example will be more meaningful to those who have seen the butte and for those who live in Montana. However, this approach is something to think about as you teach students about geology in your area. I've tried to promote this strategy in Montana with a "picture of the week" web site. Teachers in Montana simply decide which picture (from the list) will be the "picture of the week" for their classes, they post the number in their classroom, and then students use the generic worksheet to complete the assignment. A copy of the worksheet can be printed from the web site: www.formontana.net

It would be very beneficial to Earth Science education in your state if your state had a similar resource. The development of such a site would be a great project for a state science teachers, or Earth science teachers, association.

Animations Help Students Understand Tides

CLICK HERE to see a series of tide animations provided by Coastal Carolina University. The first demonstrates that the Earth-Moon system has a center of gravity (called the barycenter), the second shows the inertial tide, and the final shows the gravitational tide.

The second is provided by NOVA (PBS). CLICK HERE and then select "Launch Interactive".

CLICK HERE to read about the day in our nation's history when tides and moon phases were crucial to what happened. Finally, CLICK HERE to see a related problem-solving activity.

Mesmerizing Wind Animation

This week's resource is a "real-time wind animation" provided by HINT.FM. The animation uses computer models to compile data on wind speed and direction in the US and then overlays the wind flow on a map. Google recommends using its Chrome web browser to get the best results. CLICK HERE to see the animation. Project it onto a large screen to have students look for patterns and determine the location of highs and lows based on wind direction. Check with a current weather map to find out if they've gotten it right. CLICK HERE to see a good surface map for comparison.

Here's another good current wind map: www.wunderground.com

To view a convenient list of all the resources that have been posted on this "Earth Science Guy" blog site, CLICK HERE.