• Sep232009
    First Test

    POSTED AT 04:13 PM

    Our first test is coming up this Friday and next Monday.  Please make sure that you study.  If you misplaced your study guide, check out the Handouts/Notes/Study Guides from my website to get a new copy. 
     
    Also, I will be holding a special review session Friday and Monday morning for any student who wants some additional help before the test.  Good luck!!
     
    What questions do you have about the review or the test?  Leave your questions in the comments section.
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    Sep212009
    Climate and Ecosystems

    POSTED AT 04:44 PM

    We are just wrapping up a major set of lessons over climate and ecosystems.  Students used PowerPoint and Excel to build their own climographs which show a city's precipitation and temperature for each month during the year.  We analyzed them to determine where on the globe they are located and compared the graphs with a table to determine the type of climate found in different cities.  Finally, we compared those climographs to the ecosystem so that students can learn about the relationship between climate and ecosystems.
     
    Home--School Connections
    • Ask your child what is different about a climograph for a city found in the Northern Hemisphere vs one found in the Southern Hemisphere.  What accounts for that difference?
    • Ask your child how proximity to water affects a climograph
    • Ask your child to tell you about the big, huge, ginormous ecosystem map we made!

    Post their answers to these questions in the comments section!

     
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    Sep142009
    Open House

    POSTED AT 08:23 PM

    I had a great time tonight meeting you parents!  I hope we can work together to have an awesome year for your child.  What are some things that you are most looking forward to this year?  Leave your responses in my comments section.
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    Sep022009
    Landforms with Google Earth

    POSTED AT 10:00 PM

    Today we used Google Earth to explore some of the earth's famous landforms such as Mt. Fuji in Japan and the Nile River in Egypt.  Students used the program to zoom in on the landform and describe what physical process created each one.  They also got to play around and check out their house, the school and other locations that interested them.
     
    Home--School Connections:
    • Ask your child what places they looked at on Google Earth
    • Ask them to tell you how certain landforms are created such as canyons, mountains, and deltas

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    Aug312009
    Maps as Stories

    POSTED AT 04:39 PM

    We just completed a two-day lesson about Maps as Stories.  We analyzed some historical maps from the 15th and 16th centuries to see how maps from that time period included more than just countries and cities.  These maps also included images such as sea monsters and sailing ships to symbolize the dangers involved in these overseas voyages.  Students used one particularly detailed image of Iceland to write their own story.  Finally, they drew a map of their bedroom and included images to tell a story about themselves.
     
    To complete the unit, students analyzed world maps showing the world from different angles than they are accustomed to seeing it.  They also had to discern the bias in how the cartographer chose to show the world.  Their final assignment was to write a paragraph answering the question: Why is it important to use a variety of sources when answering a geographic question?"
     
    Home--School Connection
    • Ask your child what their story was about when they used the old map of Iceland as a starting point.
    • Ask your child to describe their map of their bedroom.  What symbols did they use?
    • Ask your child to explain to you how maps can be biased.
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