Several weeks out: Between now and the next couple of weeks find at least 3
articles about "Global Warming"; from newspapers, magazines and research on
the internet. You might want to start with The Climate Conference in
Copenhagen Dec. 6-18, 2009. Then find articles that tell you what Global
Warming is and what our (the US's) position is on it, what the rest of the
world says about it etc. Key terms: COP 15, Kyoto Protocol, UNFCCC, IPCC -
(what do these terms/acronyms mean)
Nov. 30, 2009: Answer the following question: How does altitude effect the
boiling point of water and the cooking time of food?
Here's the rule to use to help you understand and answer the question. In
order for water to boil it must overcome the pressure or weight exherted by
the air. (14.7 lbs/sq. in at sea level) So, if you believe that water comes
to a boil sooner at higher elevations, then the temperature will be lower
than 212 F/or 100 C and the cooking time will be longer because the
temperature is lower. If you believe the water takes longer to boil at
higher elevations than the opposite is true of the length of time it takes
food to cook.
Think about the weight of air at different elevations and how you might
overcome lifting weight. Hint: The heavier the weight the harder it is to
lift or overcome the weight - the light the easier. So, now think what
happens to the weight of air as you go up? Does it increase-get heavier or
decrease-get lighter. Look at your Pressure Graph. So, to answer the question
you need to say whether water comes to a boil sooner or later at higher
elevations and then what this means to the length of time your food needs to
cook. (will it take longer to cook or less time to cook and why?)
Try this-with your parents: Boil water with and without the cover on the pan.
Which comes to a boil (time each) sooner-covered or uncovered? Why?
Nov. 21-23 weekend: Visit the weather Quia link (under links) for games and
activities to assist with your preparation for Tuesdays 11/24 quiz on clouds
and layers of the atmosphere.
Nov. 18, 2009: Label the layers of the atmosphere (Thermosphere has 2 layers
inside it) and answer the 8 questions on the back.
Nov. 17, 2009: The Atlantis Space Shuttle will dock with the ISS tomorrow
Wed. 11/18/09. You can try to catch it as it flies overhead. The following
link provides a schedule of when to look for it. Click your country, state
and town- (Worcester) to get the appropriate flyby schedule.
http://spaceflight1.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/ go to my link: ISS siting
Schedule.
Nov. 13, 2009. Friday the 13th. Over the weekend get the worksheet signed by
a parent confirming approval for and assistance with the experiment: "Making
a Cloud in a Bottle". You can print out the questions and the instructional
steps under Photos and Doc of my web site. Titled: Making a Cloud in a
Bottle. There are questions you need to answer. This will be due Tuesday Nov.
16th.
Nov. 12, 2009 Track Hurricane IDA's path. Go to weatherforyou.com and scroll
down the left hand side margin until you come to hurricanes; click on it and
see where this huuricane has been and the different descriptions of hurricane
categories. Just click the cursor over each category to read information
about that category. (wind speed,storm surge levels etc.)
Answer the following questions:
1. Where is IDA today
2. What category storm is it?
3. What is its wind speed?
4. Predict if IDA will come close to New England, when , and how much rain
will it bring if it does hit.
NOTE: Based on the current weather data you may not be able to get the
information you're looking for at this web site,.... so listen to the weather
report tonight and get as much information as you can from the weather
report. Also check out NOAA's web site to see if there's any information
there about IDA. Get what you can by listening to the weather report.
Nov. 10, 2009: Study for Weather Tools Quiz on Thursday. Your Weather
Tools/Instruments worksheet is your study guide: but there's a big focus on
how the barometer and Hygrometer work.
Nov. 6, 2009: Answer the 3 questions on your "Under Pressure" worksheet.
Answers are due in class Tuesday Nov. 10, 2009. Write your answers on a
separate piece of paper, if you need to; (computer) typed would even be
better.
NOV. 4, 2009: Using your barometers record the high or low pressure and the
kind of weather you observe.
Nov. 2, 2009: Making a home made aneroid barometer or a mercury type
barometer. Both are examples of the 2 types of baromters that measure air
pressure. In class on Monday I will hand out a worksheet that explains how to
make a home made aneroid barometer. You will need several materials. The
container is the most important item. Since you will not be bringing this
barometer into school you can select a jar made of glass or a coffee can
(size: 10cm/4" dia. can) works well too.
If you wish to make and see how a mercury type works using water instead of
mercury,go to photos and docs and print out the instructions for: "liter
bottle barometer."
Your task (using either or both barometers) will be to:
A. Make (keep at home) the barometer and
B. record the pressure at home once daily for 3 days* onto the data table of
the handout. * I'll tell you which days to record, while your in class and
more will be explained in class.
For a hard copy of this worksheet go to photos and docs. look for, "Working
under pressure_making a barometer".
If you have access to the online text, you can go to the weather book and
under air pressure, look for the activity to make a barometer with video and
worksheet.
Any parent who wishes to register (son or daughter) for online text may do so
by simply sending me an email with the name of your child and I'll forward
you the registration form, so you can sign them up.
Oct 26-28: Study for Quiz on Thurs. Quiz will be on Air Pressure. Your study
guides include: the online study guide, plus your Air Pressure Notes, plus
the Air Pressure - Questions sheet that has the 6 experiments/Demos we have
done in class -last week and today. Also the online quiz might give you an
idea of how well you know or don't know air pressure. (see Quiz challenge
below)
What you really need to know is WHY the experiments did what they did! Why
the can got crushed when we put it into the cold water after heating it? Why
the balloon inflated in hot water and deflated in cold? Why the liquid
wouldn't come up the straw when the lid was on the jar? Why the cap popped up
and down when you wrapped your hands around the bottle? Why the water
stopped coming out of the bottom of the coffee can that had 3 holes in it,
when I placed my finger over the hole in the lid. Why the water in the red
cup, with the CD/cardboard on it, stayed in the cup when we turned it over?
Why the
piece of paper straightened out when you blew air over the top of it?
Finally, be able to explain "How you know that air has mass and takes up
space?" Remember all of these have to do with changes in Air Pressure.
What is air pressure- Definition and how much does it weigh?
Oct.22, 2009: "A Sucker's Bet" - Due tomorrow: Fri.
Print out p.2 of this document. Read why you can't suck the fluid out of the
container/jar after just a little comes out. Do NOT change your
conclusion/answer after reading the reason. I want to see what you think the
reason/conclusion is!
Read notes and quiz challenge below.
NOTE: Anyone who has signed up for online access to the texts should check
out the Weather and Climate book online.
For any parent who has not registered your child and would like to, please
email me your request for a reg. form. State childs name on your email.
NOTE: Studying and preparing yourself for the Air/ Air Pressure Quiz. You
should be reading over the air pressure notes and be thinking about the
experiments we are doing in class. (i.e what happens to air that gets heated-
does it expand or contract?)
Weather Quiz Challenge:
Take the Quiz challenge: Go to the following web site:
http://assignments.discoveryeducation.com/ and enter the following code #
in the red box marked CODE: Q7461-EC6A (include the dash). Then enter your
name in the box asking for Name.
Click on the words: take Quiz. You can take the quiz as many times as you
wish.
Anyone who takes the quiz and gets a 100 and prints out proof of that (and
Brings me the proof) will get a small prize.
Note: this is for practice only and will not be graded or effect your grade
in any way.
This assignment is due Friday Oct.23rd. This should give you time to get your
materials and try figuring out the answer without reading it. Good Luck!!
and enter the following code
Wed: You have until thursday night to complete the Sucker's Bet HW. Worksheet
with your answers will be collected in class on Friday Oct 23rd.
Tuesday Oct 20, 2009: Try this experiment: "A sucker's bet." Try this at
home with Mom or Dad's help. There is a 2 page worksheet in photos and docs,
that tells you what you need to do and what materials you'll need to do it.
The second page has the answer; Have Mom or dad hold onto the answer sheet
until you try the experiment and have attempted to answer the conclusion.
If you really need help Mom and Dad can offer some. But I hope you'll be able
to figure it out first.
This assignment is due Friday Oct.23rd. This should give you time to get your
materials and try figuring out the answer without reading it. Good Luck!!
Monday Oct. 19, 2009: Print out (from Photos and docs) and read through the
air pressure notes page and have it for class on Tuesday.
Due Fri Oct 16, 2009: Look up (google SDO) the name of the sun satellite that
will launch in November, 2009. Abbreviation SDO. What does S.D.O. stand for
and what will it do/What's its mission?
This Tuesday (OCT.13,2009) We are starting Weather. In Photos and Docs I
have placed 5 files that will aid in your understanding of Weather. Please
take a moment to print these out and keep them in your Science Notebook.
Ther are titled:
*1. Weather Syllabus
*2. Weather Study Guide 2009_2010
3. Air Pressure Notes
4. Weather Glossary
5. Pre and Post test (print optional)
Must print for class Wed. Oct. 14, 2009. The rest are optional for Wed.
This Friday Oct. 9, 2009 LCROSS probe will deploy a probe that will crash
into the moon scattering debris to be analyzed for water content and volume.
Check it out on links - LCROSS video
QUIA study activities available at: http://www.quia.com/jg/1668660.html - use
this or go to links and click on the link to open it.
