Sunday, May 13, 2012


Team 8-2 Science
Week of May 28th
Last Blog of the School Year!


You knew I would have 1 more Aurora over Iceland picture for the last Blog! I have 3 questions for you about this picture:
1.  What is the name of the constellation hanging above this   Icelandic Observatory?
2.  What famous star will be in this picture somewhere?
3.  Based on your answers in 1 and 2 - what direction are the stone "henges" pointing to?

My Favorite Aurora Video 

Our Week

Tuesday: We will be leaving for the Museum Center as soon as Encore classes are finished at 9:55.  Our Schedule is as follows:
  • 11:00 - "Hubble" in Omnimax
  • Lunch - Make sure you bring your lunch!  (Snack bar will be busy!)
  • 12:30 - We will be going to the Pompeii Exhibit in 2 large groups - staggered about 15 minutes apart
  • 1:30 - Leave for Nagel  
Wednesday: Last school day! SHOWER TIME!
For the last Blog, I thought I would include a collection of some new and old pictures and video to remember our great year of science learning! 
Here we go!
1.  We spent a lot of time looking at the Sun!
The planet Mercury speeds around the Sun in 88 days - it is the fastest planet in our solar system! Pictured above is Mercury passing in front of the Sun.  Can you find little Mercury in each of the pictures, (it will be in different locations), and can you tell me what type of EMR each of these pictures were filmed in? (Hint: the orange are visible light) Why do we use different types of EMR to view objects in space?
2.  Volcanoes were a popular topic this year!
The is an erupting volcano in the Reunion Islands, with the Milky Way Galaxy seen above it!  Our Team 8-2 Mascot Star Sirius, (the brightest star) -  is up there somewhere, and so is Orion - can you find them?
 3.  We looked at a lot of Stars and Galaxies!
Meet Galaxy NGC 891 - probably the best example astronomers have found that resembles our own Milky Way.  It is 100,000 light years across, and 30 million light years away from the constellation Andromeda - which the Milky Way is also.  What is the Andromeda Galaxy doing again?  What type of galaxy is this...I know...this is a no-brainer, but I thought I would ask anyway1
4.  How long did we spend on IMPACT??
The KT Event! End of the Dinosaurs! They had their time on the Earth!


5.  Remember "Layers of the Earth" and Scrat's Continental Crackup?

Scrat's Continental Drift

6.  How many times did we fly in the space station at night?  You need to fly one more time!




7.  Extreme Motion and Forces!
Look in the distance - that's the shuttle Discovery flying on top of a 747 Jumbo Jet on its way to DC to retire.  Great pics of Liberty and the Empire State Building too!
 
8.  You all need to buy one of these to help you deal with the stress of high school!

Best Newton's Cradle Tricks! 

9.  Let's not forget our partners on this planet!
"Okay, Guys! I have to swim too far to find lunch these days! It is going to take too long for me to evolve and develop gills! You better start sending some boats!" 
Not only are these little Guys the cutest animals in the world, but they also belong to one of the mammal species that survived the KT Event.  What group would these adorable platypi belong to?

 10.  Meet Lonesome George - the last of his species of tortoise on the planet!  He's looking for a girlfriend!

11.  Remember brave little Comet Lovejoy who went through the Sun and lived to tell about it?!  What kind of ice are comets mostly made of?

12.   Can't forget about our Moon!
Do you remember all the ways the Moon helps us here on Planet Earth? 
 13.  Here are a couple of your favorite videos!

It's The End of the Earth As We Know It! 

Epic Journey through the Universe! (This is a new one - totally awesome)!

14.  Closing Thoughts

As you enter this next stage of your own journey through the Universe, remember to leave a mark on this planet that defines who you are, and why you were lucky enough to be here.
Mrs. Frick

Monday, May 7, 2012

Week of May 7th

Shark's With Lasers!
Pictured below is a lemon shark with a laser attached to its tail!
Okay, there is a saying in Science, "Just because we can do it does not mean we should do it."  What does this exactly mean related to this laser-powered shark?


Our Week:

Monday: 1.  Make sure p. 13 Lesson Review is complete  2.  Begin reading p. 14-24; do all questions 1- 21 - including #4 - you will need to research info for this one

Tuesday:  1. Finish p. 14-24  2. p. 38-48; do all questions except #13 - you will receive a rubric for "How has life on Earth changed over time" - project. 

Wednesday: 1. Evolving Planet Interactive and project begin


Thursday:  Evolving Planet Continues

Friday:  Evolving Planet Continues - tentatively due 5/15


Of course you needed 1 more question about the Moon!  On Sunday, May 6th, the only "Super Moon" of the year was visible.  This is when the Moon is at its perigee - what do you think perigee is?  My hint here is - many extinct organisms, (dinosaurs), would have looked at a Moon that looked this big.      One more hint - why do you think the Moon looks so big?

Super Moon over Paris or Kings Island?