Scary Geology Project Results in Impressive Visual

Yosemite Park is known for it beautiful granite. Recently, Roger Putman, a master's candidate at the University of North Carolina, used his climbing skills and fascination with geology to create a high resolution map of El Capitan. He also created this impressive "interactive" that compares the map with a photo of the iconic cliff. CLICK HERE to check it out.

To map the geology of the cliff, Roger spent up to three days at a time on the face, sleeping on a tiny platform at night. During the day, he took rock samples and wrote detailed field notes. The project was supported by the National Geographic Society.

Photo courtesy of the Alpinist.com.

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

Colorado Flooding: Before and After Pictures

This week's resource is a site that provides access to before-and-after of photos flood ravaged locations in Colorado. The "after" photos were taken by Denver Post photographers from helicopters and the before images are satellite images from Google Earth or Bing Maps. CLICK HERE to view a map and then select any of the camera icons to compare before and after.

Here is another before and after interactive provided NASA. CLICK HERE to view it. Scroll down and select "view image comparison".

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

60-Second Adventures in Astronomy

This series of twelve 60 second animations examines different scientific concepts from the big bang to relativity, from black holes to dark matter. It also explores the possibility of life beyond Earth and considers why David Bowie is still none the wiser about life on Mars. CLICK HERE to watch the videos. They're great for introducing topics and generating discussion.

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

Paleoclimate: A History of Change

This tutorial from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute includes several slides, with neat graphics, and videos embedded. It is VERY impressive! CLICK HERE to check it out.

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

Solar System Bracelet

Constructing a Solar System Bracelet is a GREAT activity for students in grades 6-9. My ninth graders loved it! Explain how to make them, and then allow 40 minutes for construction. To learn how to make the bracelets CLICK HERE - site may not open on some mobile devices.

There is no question that making the bracelet makes students much more interested in the solar system, however (like most diagrams and models of the solar system) the bracelet does not accurately depict the sizes AND distances. So, it's important to set aside time to help students understand these. Start by asking students why it is so difficult to make a model of the solar system that accurately shows BOTH sizes and distances. Next, use the following tips to help them understand.

Reality Check
If you could shrink everything in the galaxy so the Sun is 1 cm in diameter (as it is on the bracelet) . . .
1. Jupiter would have a diameter of 1 mm (.1 cm) and would be 18 feet 4 inches away!
2. Earth would be the size of a speck of dust and would be 5 feet 4 inches away!
3. Alpha Centauri would be 180 miles away!
4. Betelgeuse would be over 12 feet in diameter!
5. Go to BUILD A SOLAR SYSTEM web site and enter 10 mm for the diameter of the Sun to learn about other sizes and distances. If you could shrink everything so that the Earth is ~4 mm in diameter (as it is on the bracelet), enter 450 mm for the Sun's diameter to find out how big and far away things would be.
6. Students often want to whether or not the planets will ever line up. The answer is "no". To see the current position of the planets, go to the SOLAR SYSTEM VIEWER web site. Enter "800-1000" for the "size", and then select "update".
7. For another fun interactive, check out the SOLAR SYSTEM VISUALIZER.
This will be the last post of the school year. Have a great summer! To view a convenient list of all the resources that have been posted on this "Earth Science Guy" blog site, CLICK HERE.

Interactive Eclipse Animation

Check out this slick tool from McGraw-Hill. CLICK HERE to try it out. Be sure to check out the "Exercises".

To view NASA's Eclipse site, CLICK HERE.

Rock Cycle Tutorial

The Geological Society of London provides this simple, effective review of the rock cycle. CLICK HERE to see it.