Monday - Friday, May 5-9, 2008 
Topics:  The Lithosphere - Faults in California.  Fragile environments   

Hi students!  How are you doing with the work? There is a new Geo Quiz up for you today. 
Don't forget to add two comments to the blog this week!  I hope you can see all the 
pictures on Flicker.    ......M. Ellsworth
    
Each day this week... 
       1.  Write in your notebooks from the blog. 
       2. Create a Biogems report.  

  Follow the directions here.

Friday, May 2, 2008               
Topic:  The Lithosphere - The Geologic Timeline
 
  1. Finish the questions about the age of the Earth.  Due today.
 2. Make sure I have your notebook. 
 3. A science Article Summary is due today. 

Have a splendid weekend! 

Thursday, May 1, 2008                                                 Happy May Day!!   
Topic:  The Lithosphere - The Geologic Timeline
 1. Any questions about the sub work for next week?
 2.  Continue learning about the age of the Earth.  Answer these questions. 
 3. Give me your notebooks so I can grade them. 

  Homework: The Age of the Earth questions will be due tmw.
A science article summary is due tmw.

Wednesday, April 30, 2008        

The Lithosphere - The Geologic Timeline

 1. Fault review.   Pls meet at the tables.  
 2.  Explanation of sub work for next week.
 3.  Continue learning about the age of the Earth.  Answer these questions. 
 4. Give me your notebooks so I can grade them please. 



   5.  On this Sunday four students will go to California to study faults.
      You can follow their trip on Google Earth:
   	  Download this file and save it on your desktop.  
         Open Google Earth.   Open the file.  
           Click on the pushpin  to read about each day!  Zoom in and out to see what the four students will see.

Tuesday, April 29, 2008                                                                                         MARY IS ABSENT TODAY     

The Lithosphere - Plate Tectonics and Faults - Write a lab report

  1.  Finish your sandbox lab report.   Follow this checklist. 
       Include (pictures)  (Drawings)
Remember the kinds of faults:   
         For compression, reverse faults develop.  These can happen at convergent boundaries.
          also here. and here.  And  North Andes Mountains.   (also called THRUST FAULTS)

2.  Read about faults here. (2 pages)
      Video about tsunami -  a fault moves under water.

New Topic:  How old are the rocks?  The Geologic Timeline
3.  Read about the age of the Earth. Start answering these questions. (Continue tmw)

Friday, April 25, 2008                  

Topic: The Lithosphere - Plate Tectonics and Faults - Report Writing

    1. We will run an extension experiment today.  Get your notebooks and let's go!

  Homework: Write a summary for each observation page in your notebook.  Continue to work on the Lab report.  
You will have part of class time on Monday to work on the report.  Follow this checklist.  The report is due Tuesday, 4/29.

Have a delightful weekend!

Thursday, April 24, 2008                  

for your good work yesterday when Mr. Snyder was here. I was proud of you all ! 

Topic: The Lithosphere - Plate Tectonics and Faults
    1.   Look here at a pictures of Dr. Cooke working with her students.  Her sandbox is 
    designed for university research.\
    2.   Continue to work on your lab reports. (pictures)  (Drawings)
    3.   Prepare your lab notebook for an extension experiment tomorrow:
    Here are 3 research questions for an extention experiment. Add your own too (#3).
   	  Where do new faults form and what is the angle (dip), under extension?  
               						            (Are the angles the same as in compression?)
  						              How does the width of the depression change as the land masses pull apart?  
                                                                (your question)
Homework:  Read two pages and write the definitions for fault vocabulary.
    			  Plate tectonics
    			  Fault
                  

Wednesday, April 23, 2008                 Welcome to Mr. Will Snyder, University of Massachusetts Amherst  
The Lithosphere - Plate Tectonics and Faults

 1. Request for after school meeting, today, about 45 min. Volunteers please?
 2. We will finish the sandbox compression experiment today. 
 3. Continue to work on your lab reports - compression.  (pictures)

Homework: Take your notebooks with you.  Write a summary of your observations for the 
                         contraction experiment.
                         Include a discussion of the sources of errors. 
                         Include a generalization:  compare the results with the Earth's crust.

Tuesday, April 22, 2008                                       
The Lithosphere - Plate Tectonics and Faults

 1. We will run a compression experiment today.  First layer brown and blue layers 
   in the sandbox.  Then we will compress it.  Observe the results and record in
   your notebook.

Homework: Summarize what you observed.  Include a discussion of sources of error, and
                 generalizaion. 

Monday, April 21, 2008                                       
The Lithosphere - Plate Tectonics and Faults

 1. Click here to see a 'movie' showing how the Earth's crust has changed.
 2. Give me your homework - outlines.
 3. Tomorrow you will begin a conpression experiment on the sandbox.  
 4. Today, start your notebooks.  Title:  Our First Compression experiment
    Questions for investigation:  (can you create a 3rd question of your own?) 
      What kind of faults will develop?
      Where do the new faults start and what is their angle?
      
                     5. Write a hypothesis in your notebook and give your reasons.   
    6. Set up one new web page for a lab report on two sandbox experiments (compression & extension).
    7. Write the introduction (background information related to plate tectonics). Add your questions & hyp for 
        the first experiment (compression).

Friday, April 18, 2008                                      
The Lithosphere - Plate Tectonics

1.  Read and outline this article about drilling in the Earth's crust.
2. Give me your vocabulary words.Give me a science article summary, due today.
3. Sign out a new book: "Energy Flow".  Read and outline page 15-23.
     Write down 3 questions you have about the information.
     Finish this for homework.

Thursday, April 17, 2008                                        Mike & Breanna, go observe the Crab Apple buds
The Lithosphere - The Lithosphere

   1.  Please meet at the tables.  We will review the rock cycle.
    2.  Plate tectonics and Faults... How are mountains made?
   3.  Show me your vocabulary words: 
         extention, compression, normal fault, reverse fault, thrust fault, strike, dip.

   Help me start to set up the sandboxes.  

Wednesday, April 16, 2008                                        Mike & Breanna, go observe the Crab Apple buds
The Lithosphere - The Lithosphere

Take a Lithosphere test today... using Quizdom.  The first two questions are practice.

Review the Rock cycle.

Homework:  Plate tectonics and Faults... How are mountains made?
                    Take notes:  Make a quick sketch to explain the meaning of the following vocabulary words.  
                   On paper, Write the meaning in your own words.
                         extention, compression, normal fault, reverse fault, thrust fault, strike, dip. 
                     A science article summary is due on Friday

Tuesday, April 15, 2008                                        
The Lithosphere - The Lithosphere

Four students absent   

Monday, April 14, 2008                                                 Ram & Jo, go observe the Crab Apple buds
New Topic: The Lithosphere - Earth's Interior

 Study for the test tomorrow.