Entry 26

Sunrise: 7:11 AM
Sunset: 4:07 PM
Daylight: 8h 55m

Winter Solstice - Shortest amount of daylight of the year, 3 seconds shorter than yesterday.  Tomorrow will be 1 second longer. Today is the first official day of winter in the northern hemisphere.

Eclipse
Eclipse

1. What layer would you find the International Space Station?

Entry 25

Sunrise 7:11 AM
Sunset 4:06 PM
Daylight 8h 55m

In August a father and son team from NY launched a balloon with an i-phone and a camera into Earth's Atmosphere.  It reached 40 Km (19 mi) above the Earth's surface. It had to survive 100 mi/hr winds, -51ºC temperatures, and speeds of up to 150 mi/hr.

video

1. What layer of the atmoshpere did the balloon reach?
            Was it higher than the Troposphere and way below the Thermosphere?

Ozone

We have started to talk about ozone in our atmosphere.  In some places in our atmosphere it is good and in some places in our atmosphere it is a bad thing.  Today we will investigate how the amount of ozone has changed over the last 40 years.

Use these Websites to complete the questions and drawings of the ozone.

Helpful Links:
EPA Kids
Air Quality
CFC graph
Ozone Images

Whats In Our Air?

What are the gases that make up our atmosphere?
What we call air is a mixture of different gases.  This mixture changes as we move higher in the atmosphere.  Some of these gases are heavier and will sink to the bottom of our atmosphere and some of these gases are very light and will "float" to the to of our atmosphere.

Click on the link to find out more about the major gases in our atmosphere.


How do these major gases cycle through our Planet?
Oxygen video,    
Oxygen Cycle 
Oxygen Cycle
Carbon cycle game
Carbon cycle,
Nitrogen
Nitrogen Cycle 

Once you have completed you questions, be creative and explain the life cycle of your element.
Add the information you found and make one of the following:
Draw a comic of your element
Create a poem of your element
Draw the cycle of your element

Entry 24

Sunrise: 7:07AM
Sunset: 4:04 PM
Daylight: 8h 57m

1. What gas takes up most of the atmosphere?
2. What is the thickest layer in the atmosphere
3. What layer contains the most gases?

Goldilocks' Atmosphere

The Goldilocks Principle (link) refers to a planet's size and location from its star. Is it too close or too far away? Is it too big or too small?

Different Planets have different atmospheres.  How does its distance from its star effect what kind of atmosphere it will have?  Planets can also be too small to have an atmosphere.  They do not have enough gravity to hold on to gases that would make up an atmosphere. Or so huge that their gravity would flatten us.  We want a planet that isn't too hot or cold.  It needs the right mix of Greenhouse Gases to keep us comfortable.

We will use the Goldilocks Principle to compare Earth's atmosphere with Mars, Venus, and Mercury.  What makes Earth's atmosphere "just right."

Students will investigate a planet - use these links to help you:
MERCURY
VENUS
EARTH
MARS

Test Today

Enter today's weather data onto you test.  Add the proper units for each.  Use today's and yesterday's data to answer the questions

Hi 26 __
Low 10 __
Air pressure: 1016 __
Humidity: 85 __
Dew Point 3 __

 When you have finished the test hand it in on the front table.  Then take out your laptop and choose one article to read answer the questions.

Eclipse Article 
When is the next lunar eclipse?
What part of the world can not see the next eclipse?


Ten Freaky Forces of Nature
Which of these forces could happen in Maine?
Which of these forces was the strangest to you?  Why?

Making Clouds with Lasers
How did scientists come up with this idea?
According to the article, why do scientists want to make clouds?

Another Winter of Extremes 
According to this article, what kind of weather should Maine expect this winter?

Review activity

Reform your groups from the jeopardy review.  Take 10 minutes to correct your homework with your group. 

- Pick out 3 questions that your group found difficult.
- When asked choose one member to write them on the board.


- with your group create three questions to stump the other groups

Entry 23

Dec 08, 2010

Sunrise: 7:02 AM
Sunset: 4:04 PM
Daylight: 9h 02m

Hi 29ºF
Low 12ºF
Humidity 58%
Dew Point 10ºF

Fact:  All weather occurs in the bottom 0.2% of Earth's Atmosphere called the Troposphere.

1.  Which can hold more water vapor in the air 34ºF or 87ºF air temperature?  Why?
2. What will form today if the air temperature drops to 10ºF?

Review Jeopardy

Today we are playing a game to study for Thursday's test.  Students will be assigned groups.  Students will take turns typing in the answers the questions.


Students will answer here poll every where

Entry 22

Dec. 6, 2010

Sunrise: 7:00 AM
Sunset: 4:10 PM
daylight: 9hr 4 min
Hi: 33F
Low: 22F
Humidity 69%
Pressure: 991 mb

Lightning

We will watch a video on PBS about lightning
Lightning

1. What did Benjamin Franklin's experiment teach us about lightning?
2. What causes lightning?
3. What direction does lightning travel?
4. How much energy does lightning have?
5. Do scientists know everything about how lightning is formed?
6. What is one method scientists are using to study lightning?

Lightning Types click on launch interactive
1. What are the 9 types of lightning?
2. Choose one to describe.

Weird Weather

Weird Weather Mini Presentation

You and your partner will take one class period to research an unusual weather event. You will describe how the six key factors of weather (temperature, humidity, pressure, wind, clouds, precipitation) interact to create this weather.  You also need to add facts about what it is, where and when it occurs and an image of the weird weather.

Once you have found your information and placed it on this sheet you will use a poster to show your findings.  Tomorrow you will use this poster to present your findings to the class. Each member of your group must present at least two key factors of weather.

Start with Wikipedia:

Start with Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_meteorological_phenomena

Moon Halo

Foehn Wind

Diamond Dust

Contrail

Tornado

Lake Effect Snow

Rainbow

Sundog

Virga

Dust Devil

Supercell

Water Spout

Squall

Interpret Data

Today you will use data you have collected in you journals to create 2 graphs and interpret the data.

Graph 1: Air Pressure

• Create a data table with 5 pressure reading and the dates they occurred

• On the X axis (bottom line) label the dates

• On the Y axis label the pressure readings. Start at 980 millibars and increase by 10 millibars unit you reach 1040 

Graph 1 Questions: 
1. On What date do you expect to have the nicest weather? 
2. On what date do you expect to have the stormiest weather?

Graph 2: Low Temperature

• Create a  data table with 5 low temps and the dates they occurred
• Create a line graph with this data
• Label your X and Y axis.  Don't forget UNITS

Graph 2:  Questions
1. How many days were below freezing, below 32 F?
 

Entry 21

Dec. 1, 2010

Sunrise: 6:54 AM
Sunset: 4:05 PM
Daylight: 9h 10m

High: 51 F
Low: 35 F
Air Pressure: 1025 millibars  30.19 inches
Humidity: 93%

Entry 20

Once you have this written in your journal you can raise your hand and get your jacket
 
Date: Nov. 30, 2010
Time:
Location:

6 Key Weather Conditions

Pressure, Humidity, Clouds, Winds, Temperature, Precipitation

Pressure: 1035 millibars   30.53 in

Humidity: 

Cloud Cover: circle one
Clear                    0-5%
Partly cloudy       6-50%
Mostly Cloudy    50-94%
Overcast              95-100%


Cloud Type:
Draw picture (leave a space for your picture)



Wind:
Speed:
Direction:

Precipitation:
type:

Temperature:
Hints:

Humidity

Work on this in class on Monday and Tuesday.  If you need more time complete it for homework and hand it in on Wednesday.

Part 1: Relative humidity Reading: you do not need make a graph, just answer these questions
1. What is a hygrometer? How could you make one?
2. What is the change in the state of matter during evaporation?
3. Can a gas evaporate?
4. Use the hygrometer and the wet/dry table to find the humidity.What is the humidity in the room?

 Part 2: State of matter change of water graph:Use the graph in the back of the packet to answer the following questions.
1. What state of matter is water most likely to be in?
2. At 20 C, what states of matter can water be?
3. At 40 C would you more likely find water as a gas or a solid?
4. At a given temperature what can determine the state of matter of water?

Part 3: Relative Humidity Website  link about relative humidity.
1. Can the dew point ever be higher than the temperature?
2. How does changing the outdoor temperature impact the dew point?
3. How does changing the dew point change the relative humidity?
4. How does the indoor relative humidity compare to the outdoor relative humidity?

Entry 19

Nov.  29, 2010

Sunrise: 6:52 AM
Sunset: 4:06 PM
Daylight: 9h 13m

High: 45 F
Low: 28 F
Pressure: 1033 millibars 30.51 in
Dewpoint: 18 F
Humidity: 93%

1. What are the two factors that determine the state of matter of a substance?  Think about how water changes from gas to liquid to solid.
2. What would form at 18 F?

Entry 18

Nov. 22, 2010

Sunrise: 6:44 AM
Sunset: 4:10 PM
Daylight: 9h 25m

Today's weather:
High: 47  F
Low: 45 F
Humidity:  81%

entry 17

Weather Journal

Date: Nov. 19, 2010
Time:
Location:

6 Key Weather Conditions

Pressure, Humidity, Clouds, Winds, Temperature, Precipitation

Pressure: 1019 milibars   30.11 in

Humidity: 75%

Cloud Cover: circle one
Clear                    0-5%
Partly cloudy       6-50%
Mostly Cloudy    50-94%
Overcast              95-100%

Cloud Type:
Draw picture (leave a space for your picture)










Wind:
Speed:
Direction:

Precipitation:
type:

Temperature:

Entry 16

Nov. 18, 2010

Sunrise: 6:39 AM
Sunset: 4:13 Pm
daylight: 9h 34m

High: 52 F
Low: 27 F

Today's Air pressure: 1007 millibars
Yesterday's air pressure: 997 millibars

1. What can the change in air pressure tell us about our weather?
2. Could there be frost tonight?

Weather Journal

Date: Nov. 16, 2010
Time:
Location:

6 Key Weather Conditions

Pressure, Humidity, Clouds, Winds, Temperature, Precipitation

Pressure: 1019 milibars   30.09 in

Humidity: 82%

Cloud Cover: circle one
Clear                    0-5%
Partly cloudy       6-50%
Mostly Cloudy    50-94%
Overcast              95-100%

Cloud Type:
Draw picture (leave a space for your picture)










Wind:
Speed:
Direction:

Precipitation:
type:

Temperature:

Water Cycle

Before we make clouds and discuss precipitation we are going to review the water cycle.

Complete the diagram of the water cycle.  State how water changes different states of matter during condensation, transpiration, and evaporation.  What are the four places water is stored on the Earth?  Where is water stored in the atmosphere? How is the water cycle powered? What are the 4 main types of precipitation?  How are they formed?

We will watch brainpop video together.
You will use the websites below to complete the diagram.

USGS

MGB

Entry 15

Nov. 15, 2010

Sunrise: 6:35 AM
Sunset: 4:16 PM
Daylight: 9h 40m


Barometric Pressure
Outside: 1020 millibars
Classroom: 1006 millibars



Use this link: NOAA
1.What is the high and low for today?
2. Could there be a frost tonight?
3. What is the percent humidity?
4. When is the next chance of rain?

Entry 14

 11-10-2010

Sunrise: 6:28 AM
Sunset: 4:21 PM
Daylight 9h 52m

Biddeford Weather
Use this link NOAA
1. Find today's high and low temp
2. Find Biddeford's latitude
3. What is the chance of rain today

Isobar

Eric Sloane's
Weather Book
Isobar
pg 29

Air Has Weight

Eric Sloane's
Weather Book

Entry 13

11-08-2010

Sunrise: 6:26 AM
Sunset: 4:26 PM
Daylight: 9h 57m

Biddeford weather
High 47 F
Low 37 F
Winds up to 25 mph

1. State three reasons the Earth heats unevenly.
2. What happens as air heats?
3. Describe how air acts in high pressure system.

Heating our Planet

This week we will be working with several labs that demonstrate how different parts of our planet heat at different rates.

Does the angle the sun hits the Earth affect how it is heated?

    SHINE A LIGHT ON EARTH LAB

Do land and water heat at different rates?

   HEATING LAND VS WATER LAB

Do dark colored surfaces heat differently than light colored surfaces?

   EARTH's AIR CONDITIONING LAB

We will incorporate graphing as a way to analyze our data.  What can the graphs show us?

Entry 12

11-05-2010

Sunrise 7:22 AM
Sunset 5:27 PM
Daylight 10h 04m

Hurricane Thomas is causing damage to Haiti with wind speeds of 85 mph.


10.4% of the Earth's surface is covered in ice.

Biddeford, ME
High 54 F
Low 38 F
90% chance of precipitation 

1. Will there be a frost tonight?

Entry 11 Land Vs Water

Nov. 2, 2010

Sunrise: 7:18 AM

Sunset: 5:30 PM

Daylight: 10h 12m

Weather:

Biddeford weather

High 48 

Low 28

1. Will there be a frost tonight?  How do you know?

Look at the graph below.  

2. What heats faster the land or water?

3. Which one keeps heat longer?

4. What month do you think the ocean is the warmest?

Land vs. Water

Does the Earth heat at the same rate?

We will use our mini suns to measure the temperature of different parts of the Earth.

Under Pressure

We have know about one aspect of weather, PRESSURE.  Now we will learn how Meteorologist map these pressure differences.  We will use the Surface Air Pressure Map to determine weather pattern in the US.

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/srh/jetstream/synoptic/ll_analyze_slp.htm

Entry 10

 Oct 28, 2010
Sunrise 7:11 AM
Sunset 5:37 PM
Daylight 10h 25m

Record low pressure in Midwest caused massive storms Tuesday and Wednesday

50-80 mph winds

4-10 inches of snow 

more then 12 tornadoes

This storm was caused by Jet Stream winds pulling 70 degree air from south and clashing with 30 degree air from the north.

Entry 9 Winter Weather

Use this web site to answer the questions about winter wheather.

Winter weather web

1. What is the name for the area where warm and cold air masses meet?
2. How is deposition related to snow?
3. What 3 things are needed for a blizzard?
4. When does frost occur?
5. What pushes a Nor'easter?
6. What causes wind chill?
7.  What activities do you like to do in winter?

Hurricane Test Notebook check

Below is all the work that we have done for this unit.  Look back at the Key Questions for Hurricanes.  Can you answer these questions?

In Class Activity

Getting Low Pressure
Hurricane Anatomy Drawing
Katrina Movie "Strom That Drowned a City"
9 Steps of Hurricane Formatiom Comic
Hurricane Webquest
Liquid Layer Lab
Density Lab
Katrina Tracking

Homework

State of Matter Vocab
Density Review 
Hurricane Vocab 1
Hurricane Vocab 2

Quiz
Density Quiz
Coriolis Effect
Hurricane Vocab 2

Entry 8

Oct 26, 2010

Sunrise: 7:08 AM
Sunset: 5:42 PM
Daylight: 10h 34m

Hurricane Richard made landfall with wind speeds of 90 mph late Sunday night in the country of Belize.  It has now been down graded to a Tropical Storm and is continuing over the countries of Gutemala and Hondurus. This is the 19th Tropical Cyclone in the 2010 hurricane season.

1. What catagory was Richard when it made landfall?

2. What are the possible wind speeds of Tropical Storm Richard?

3.  Why did the storm weaken after making landfall?

4. Is the center of this storm a high or low pressure system?

Hurricane Tracking

THE HURRICANE TRACKER PROJECT IS DUE ON FRIDAY!  ARE YOU PREPARED?

IF YOU ARE MISSING WORK HAND IT IN! 

Today we are going to track Hurricane Katrina as the storm moves west across the Atlantic.  We will track the intensity of the storm and well as were it will make landfall.  We must warn the communities where Katrina may hit by issuing Hurricane Warnings and/or Hurricane Watches.

STEP 1.   Use the websites below to find the definitions of these terms.

1. Hurricane Warning
2. Hurricane Watch
3. Landfall
4. Latitude
5. Longitude

 Lat and Long
NOAA Glossary

STEP 2: Track Hurricane Katrina.  Use the latitude and longitude coordinates to track the storm's movements.  Latitude coordinates are located on the right side of the map and longitude coordinates are on the bottom of the map.  We also need to represent the intensity of Katrina.  Use colored pencils to represent what category Katrina is at each location.

Blue Tropical Depression

Green Tropical Storm

Pink Category 1 and 2

Orange Category 3

Red Category 4 and 5

STEP 3: Issuing warnings and watches.  We must warn the people in the storm's path so that they are prepared.

1. Miami is near Katrina's path.  When would you issue a watch and when would you issue a warning for Miami?
2. When would you issue a watch and when would you issue a warning for New Orleans?
3. Which is more sever a Hurricane Warning or a Hurricane Watch, why?
4. Besides hurricane warnings and watches, describe at least 2 ways communities can be prepared for hurricanes.

Coriolis Effect

PART 1

http://www.helium.com/items/1371800-the-coriolis-effect-and-the-coriolis-force
This article explaining the Coriolis effect.  While we read the article answer these questions:

1.  The Coriolis effect is used to explain what two global systems?
2. What direction do current in the northern hemisphere spin?
3. Where on the Earth's surface is the Coriolis effect weakest?
4. Where on the Earth's surface do winds from the southern and northern hemisphere converge?
5. What weather pattern may the author be describing in the sentence below?

"Closer to the poles however, as the effect becomes stronger, vortices may form, producing strong anticyclonic and cyclonic winds"

PART 2

Watch what happens in this video made by MIT students in Boston.  The ball is going straight, but does it get to its target?   http://techtv.mit.edu/videos/3714-the-coriolis-effect

The Coriolis effect also impacts flying objects. Play this game by trying to land a plane.
 GAME

Entry 7

  Oct 18, 2010

Sunrise: 6:59 AM

Sunset: 5:53 PM
Daylight: 10 hrs 53m

A super typhoon has hit the northern Philippines. Super typhoon Megi has brought winds of up to 161 miles an hour and heavy rain. It's cut off power and forced more than a 100,000 people to evacuate. This is the strongest typhoon so far this year in the Philippines and the East Sea.

Entry 6

Oct 15, 2010

Sunrise: 6:55 AM
Sunset: 5:58 PM
Daylight: 11h 02m

Paula has been down graded to a Tropical Storm and is predicted to dump 10 inches of rain on Havana, the capital of Cuba.  Winds gusted up to 68 mph causing power outages and flooding.

Nor'easter could dump 1 to 2 inches of rain in Maine.  Winds could reach 40-50 mph causing power outages and branches and trees to fall.

Hurricane Anatomy

1. Draw the parts of a hurricane:
      Eye
      Eye Wall
      Rain Bands

2. Show how air and water flow inside the storm.
      Where does warm air rise?
      What happens as the air cools?
      Where does water rise?
      Where does most of the water fall?

3. On the back add two details about each part of a hurricane.


These websites will help you get started

http://www.cmghurricanecentral.com/hurricane_anatomy.jpg
http://library.thinkquest.org/05aug/00181/PARTS%20OF%20A%20HURRICANE_image007.jpg
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/Hurricanes/hurricanes_2.php

Getting Low Pressure

Things to remember 

• As air moves it becomes less dense
• Next to every low pressure area there is an area of high pressure
• When an area of un-contained air moves faster it has less pressure
• Air rushes into a low pressure system

Station 1: 

1. Place the ruler on the edge of the table with about 1/3 of it hanging off the edge
2. Gently tap the edge of the ruler that is hanging off the table

Is the air pressing down  on the ruler (air pressure) enough to  stop the ruler from falling?
    
     3. Place the ruler back on the table with 1/3 hanging off the edge
     4. Now place a sheet of newspaper on the ruler so that it cover the part that is on the table
     5. Gently tap the edge of the ruler that is hanging off the table

Was it easier or harder to make the ruler fall?
How does the newspaper  effect the amount of air pressure?
Which pressure system did you create, high pressure or low pressure?
Where did you create it?

Station 2:

1. Hold the paper by one of the short sides directly below your mouth
2. Blow across the top of the paper

Describe what happen to the paper.
Which pressure system did you create, high or low?
Where did you create it?

Station 3:

1.  Watch the air trapped inside the glass bowl.

Which system did we create, high or low?
What happened inside the bowl?
 
Station 4:

1. Go to http://www.usatoday.com/graphics/weather/gra/gsurge/flash.htm
2. Play flash video about storm surge

What does the movie compare the eye of a hurricane to?
What are the two causes of storm surges?
Why aren't storm surges a problem when the storms are out at sea?
Why do storm surges cause problems near shore?

Entry 5

Oct. 12, 2010


Sunrise: 6:51 am
Sunset: 6:03 pm
Daylight: 11h 11m


Hurricane Paula has reached category 1. Causing flooding in Honduras and along Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. It is forecast to swing west toward Cuba where it will dump up to 6 inches of rain. This is the 9th hurricane in the 2010 season.  This season was predicted to be bigger than average with 14 to 23 named storms and 8 to 14 hurricanes.


1. With what we learned from the video about increasing hurricane intensity; could Maine be at a greater risk of strong hurricanes?  Why?

Hurricane Tracker outline

Below is a useful outline for your specific Hurricane Tracker project. This will help you get all the information you need for the project.

Name and year of your hurricane:

I. Formation
     a. Where it formed (map)
     b. When it formed
     c. What number tropical depression
II. Landfall
     a. where (map)
     b. when
     c. Category at landfall
III. Track
     a. Did it change intensity?
     b. Did it hit land more than once?
IV. Damage
     a. How many homes destroyed?
     b. How many lives lost?
     c. How much did it cost?
     d. Cause of damage: flooding, storm surge, winds
V. Termination, Diminished, Finish
     a. where
     b. when



General Info:
I. How it forms
    a. nine steps (can include your comic)
II. Parts of a hurricane (can include class work)
    a. eye
    b. eyewall
    c. rainbands

Entry 4

Oct. 8, 2010

Sunrise: 6:47
Sunset: 6:10
Daylight: 11 hr 23 m

Tropical Storm Otto is named in the Atlantic. The storm is heading north and west.

What are 3 ways New Orleans is similar to Biddeford?

How can Maine prepare for natural disasters?

Hurricane Katrina

Why was it so devistating?
What happened in New Orleans and the surrounding areas?
What can New Orleans do to better prepare itself in the future?

Nova: The Storm that Drowned a City

Hurricane Tracker Project: Due Oct. 20th

Name:                                    Block:
Hurricane Tracker
Due Oct 20th

Name of Hurricane:     
Year:

A Hurricane forms somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean and is heading toward the east coast of the USA.  How did it form? Where will it strike?  How bad will the damage be? Should people evacuate?

Your job as a Hurricane Tracker is to follow a historic hurricane from where it forms in the Atlantic to where it makes landfall.  You must inform the public about all aspects of this potentially deadly storm.  You will create a 5 min presentation in either iMovie or Keynote. 


General hurricane info:
◊    How a hurricane forms
      o     Discuss high and low pressure systems
      o     Include the nine steps of hurricane formation
◊    Parts of a hurricane

Your historic hurricane:
◊    Track the path of the hurricane    
      o    Create a map with at least five points including origin, landfall, and termination (finished)
◊    Dates: formed, hit land, and finished
◊    Classification of hurricane when it hit land
◊    Damage it caused


You will choose from a list of hurricanes whose names have been retired.  Using internet sources and class work, you will collect information about your historic hurricane.  You must cite all your internet sources.  This will be in the form of a list of the site names or the URL. You must use at least 4 internet sites.  One of those can be Wikipeda. 

You can either type or record your voice to add information for the points above.  You can include your work with hurricane formation and hurricane anatomy that we will work on in class. Below is a list of internet sites to get you started.


http://csc-s-maps-q.csc.noaa.gov/hurricanes/reports.jsp

http://www.hurricaneville.com/historic.html

http://www.weather.com/encyclopedia/tropical/history.html

http://www.wmo.int/youth/tropic_en.html

Birth of a Hurricane

Today we will create a cartoon strip of the life cycle of a hurricane, from birth somewhere off the coast of Africa to its end in the Atlantic or over North America.We will start with the first 5 steps.



There are nine steps needed in order for a hurricane to form.

#1 - Thunderstorms form along the coast of Africa
#2 - Trade Winds blow the storm west.
#3 - Warm air over the ocean heats up, becoming less dense, and rises.
#4 - This create low pressure near the ocean's surface.
#5 - New air rushes into this low pressure area.
#6 - The new air warms up and rises, creating a cycle.
#7 - Moisture rich air near the top of this cycle cools down, creating storm clouds called rain bands.
#8 - Due to pressure, air flattens out and starts to spin.  The Coriolis Effect, caused by the spinning of the earth, causes storms to spin counterclockwise in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern hemisphere.
#9 - In the center of the storm there is an area of low pressure where it is very calm, this is called the eye.


Here are some photos to help you get started.

First 3 Journal Enteries

Entry 1

Date: 9/22/2010                   

Length of Daylight: 12h 10m
Sunrise: 6:28am
Sunset: 6:38pm

1. Water has a density of 1 g/mL at room temperature. Use your data from your lab to explain which item from the lab will float on water.  Discuss how the differences in density allow certain items to float on top of others.
 
Entry 2

9-29-2010


Length of Daylight: 11 hr 49 m
Sunrise: 6:36
Sunset: 6:26

Tropical Cyclone in the form of a Tropical Storm currently over Cuba heading toward southern Florida later today.  Wind speeds between 39-73 mph.


1.    Do these balloons have equal MASS? How do you know?
2.    Do these balloons have equal VOLUME?  How do you know?
3.    Do these balloons have equal DENSITY?  How do you know?
4.    Does the air inside the balloon have a greater DENSITY than the air outside the balloon? How do you know? 


Entry 3

9-30-2010


Length of Daylight: 11 hr 46 m
Sunrise: 6:37 am
Sunset: 6:24 pm

Tropical Storm Nicole has ended; it is now Tropical Depression 16. Eight people died in Jamaica due to flash floods.

(Stop Writing)

U.S. and Cuban meteorologists disagreed on whether it ever actually was a tropical storm at all.  Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center in Miami pegged its peak sustained winds at 40 miles per hour, just over the 39 mph threshold to become a named storm. Cuban forecasters put the top winds at 37 mph and disagreed that it was a tropical storm when it crossed the island.

Full of Hot Air

Air has mass, volume, and density.  

We compared  two balloons tied to a yard stick.

•  Did they have the same mass; amount of stuff in them?
•  Did they take up the same amount of space; have the same volume?
• If they have the same mass and volume then the balloons have the same density.

Then BOOM! One of the balloons changed the amount of mass and volume it contained. 

http://www.boston.com/news/health/blog/2010/09/_you_cant_make.html?rss_id=Top+Stories

Hurricane Formation

 

We will start our unit on hurricanes by learning how they are formed.  Density plays a key roll in hurricane formation.  As air is warmed it becomes less dense and rises higher in the sky.  If this warm air moves over warm water than the water will be pulled up into the weather system.  Warm air and warm water are the fuels that are needed to form a hurricane.

The first set of hurricane vocab is up on Quizlet link.  These terms deal with how a hurricane is formed.  The vocab is due on Friday, Oct. 1st.

Swirl Whirl Hurricane Web Quest

Use these link to answer the questions about hurricanes.  They are in the order that you will need them.  We will watch the first link together.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEPZOC6YHUc&feature=related

http://www.hurricanehunters.com/  

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/tcfaqHED.html

http://www.weather.com/newscenter/hurricanecentral/2010/igor.html

http://www.weather.com/outlook/videos/latest-forecast-for-severe-weather-365#18312

http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/weather-hurricane-storm/2010/09/16/another-tropical-oddity-three-hurricanes-at-once/

 
 

 

 

 

 

Density of Gases

On Wednedsay we will look at the power of air pressure.  This will get us ready to talk about how hurricanes function.

Quiz Fri on the states of matter, density, volume, and mass. Know your units for each and how to calculate density.

Check out these current articles about Hurricane Igor

http://www.onlykent.com/20100921/hurricane-igor-update-path-moving-quickly-to-canada/

http://www.myfoxmaine.com/news/Maine-Surfers-Enjoy-Huge-Waves-Thanks-to-Hurricane-Igor-103421219.html

Homework

Don't forget that your vocab homework is due on Tuesday.  Check the news for reports on hurricane Igor.

D=m/v

We have learned about how liquids with different densities react with each other.  Now we are going to learn how to calculate density. The units for density are either g/mL or g/cm3.

DENSITY Rules

Matter Matters

This week we will be reviewing States of Matter:  Solid, Liquid, Gas.  We will be working through a series of activities dealing with how matter can change into these different states.  We will also learn how to measure matter; mass, volume, and density.

Matter can change its state in two ways: Pressure and Temperature.

We can determine the density of matter by measuring its mass and volume 

• Vocabulary words are posted on the link to the right called quizlet.  Take some time to review the terms and play the flash card games.

Scientific Method

Today you will rotate through a series of station.  These station will get us familiar with the steps of the Scientific Method.  Remember to read through all the directions for each station before you start.  Don't be afraid to get your hands dirty!

Objectives

Welcome to Room 221!

We are going over objectives for the year, and grading policy.

Please bring a three ring binder with sections from vocabulary, notes, and handouts.

Earth Science

Welcome to Mr. Gebauer's 8th Grade Science Blog!

I am excited to start a new year at Biddeford Middle School. We will have a very engaging year with many projects, labs, and activities.  I believe that one of the best ways to learn is by doing.  Our job is to come to class with an open mind and be prepared to participate.

I will use this  blog to post class materials, links, and assignments.  This will make it easier for teachers, students, and parents to keep up with the class