Saturday, May 30, 2015

June is here! - This will be the last post for the school year.

Monday
Students will make Solar System bracelets. Check out this Solar System Scale Model Calculator.

Tuesday
Benson will be gone. Students will watch a video called "NOVA Invisible Universe". If you missed class, print out this worksheet, watch the video here, and answer the questions on the WS.

Wednesday
Students will take notes as Benson explains several astronomy topics.

Thursday
Students will take notes as Benson explains the life cycles of stars. Gone? Read pages 707-714 (honors 693-699).

Friday
Benson will tell students about the test. A study guide will be provided. For other review resources, check out the links below.

CLICK HERE to print a copy of the study guide for the semester final (does not open on some mobile devices). - Benson will provide you with a copy next week.

Below: Links to IMPORTANT Review Resources

1. It is important that you understand the Rock Cycle (several questions). To review watch/listen to this PenCast. It does not work on all mobile devices.

2. This graph will be on the test - CLICK HERE

3. There will be several questions to check your understanding of this Moonphase Exercise

4. Make sure you understand the motion, varying speed, and tail of a comet. Watch this animation

5. There will be a diagram and questions to check your understanding of Giant Springs

6. Honors - One of your level 2 questions will be about the Bakken formation. Read this to review.

7. Honors - One of your level 2 questions will be about the Northern Lights. Read this to review.

Question of the Week
What can we see (Hubble Space Telescope) that indicates there is a supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy?

Monday, May 25, 2015

May 26-29

Tuesday
We correct the WS called "Earth Motions" - Benson will explain the concepts as we do this. Students will do a WS (periods 1, 3, 4: "The Solar System" . . . periods 5, 7: "The Planets").

Wednesday
Students will take notes on a handout as Benson explains comets, dwarf planets, asteroids, etc. If you miss this class - get a copy of the notes handout, copy the notes from a classmate, and read text pages 660-665 (honors 655-660).

Thursday
Students will watch a video called Asteroid - Doomsday or Payday. If you miss class, watch it online. There is no WS with this movie.

Friday
We will correct the WS from Tuesday as Benson explains the answers, etc.

CLICK HERE to print a copy of the study guide for the semester final (does not open on some mobile devices). - Benson will provide you with a copy next week.

Below: Important Links to Review (Be sure to check them out if you missed class.)

Wednesday: Animation of Halley's Comet
Wednesday: NASA announces next step on Asteroid Initiative (March 2015)
Wednesday: The Meteorite Man from Malta, MT
Wednesday: More about Meteorites
Wednesday: Daylight Fireball of 1972
Thursday: Meteor Explodes over Russia in 2013
Thursday: Impact Craters on Earth
Thursday: YouTube Video - How to identify a stony meteorite (8.5 minutes)
All Week: Solar System Animation

Question of the Week: Why does Mercury get so hot during the day and so cold at night?

Video of the Week

Sunday, May 17, 2015

May 18-22

Here are photos of the winning rockets. The winner gets 3 extra points, the others in each photo get 2 points for "honorable mention", and the overall winner gets 1 more point (and bragging rights): photos of the rockets

Information about the hike on Monday, May 25 (Site does not work on some mobile devices.

Monday
We will review some highlights of the space program and then students will do a WS (Earth Motions).

Tuesday
Students will take notes as Benson explains several concepts related to the Earth-Moon relationship, including tides, phases, and eclipses.

Wednesday
Weather-permitting we will launch rockets today.

Thursday
We will watch a video that explains why Pluto is no longer considered to be a planet.

Friday
Students will take notes as Benson explains solar activity, sunspots, northern lights, etc.

Interesting Links

NASA's YouTube Channel

Monday: Brief History of Animals in Space

Monday: Video of Probe Landing on Mars in 2004 (6-minute YouTube video)

Monday: Are we going to Mars?

Monday: History of Exploration of Mars

Tuesday: Moon phase animation

Tuesday: Another Moon phase animation

Tuesday: Moon phases this month

Tuesday: Online Moon Phase Exercise (very good)

Tuesday: Lunar Eclipse Animation

Tuesday: Lunar Eclipse Explained

Tuesday:Tides Animation

Tuesday:D-Day Moon

Tuesday: Tides - select "Launch Interactive"

Tuesday: Spring and Neap Tides

Tuesday: Bay of Fundy Tides Explained

Tuesday: Eclipse Animations

Tuesday: Various Moon Animations

Thursday: Space Weather

Thursday: Solar Max of 2013

Thursday: Northern Lights Explained

Thursday:Spaceweather.com

Thursday: Northern Lights Explained

Thursday: Northern Lights over Iceland

Question of the Week
Why is Pluto no longer considered to be a planet?

Video of the week:

Monday, May 11, 2015

May 11-15

Here are photos of the winning rockets. The winner gets 3 extra points, the others in each photo get 2 points for "honorable mention", and the overall winner gets 1 more point (and bragging rights): photos of the rockets

Monday - Tuesday
Students will be constructing rockets.

Wednesday
Students will begin watching a video about the "Space Race" and then be given time to put finishing touches on their rockets. If you miss this class, print out this worksheet and watch the first 65 minutes of the video below.

Thursday
We will finish watching the video and then Benson will explain the Apollo missions.

Friday
Students will take notes on a handout as Benson explains what NASA has been working on since Apollo.

Interesting Links

NASA's YouTube Channel

Thursday: Brief History of Animals in Space

Thursday: The 1972 Gold Medal Basketball Game - USA vs. USSR (16-minute YouTube video)

Friday: Space Shuttle Landing Sites (6-minute video)

Friday: Video of Probe Landing on Mars in 2004 (6-minute YouTube video)

Friday: Video of Probe Landing on Mars in 2012 (6-minute YouTube video)

Question of the Week
Why was it so important for the USA to land a man on the Moon before the USSR did?

Video of the week: