Here’s what’s going on at the NASA Earth Observatory, brought to you by Fred Beyer at EarthSciTeach.
World of Change: Yellow River Delta
Once free to wander up and down the coast of the North China Plain, the Yellow River Delta has been shaped by levees, canals, and jetties in recent decades.Water Watchers
In Idaho, NASA’s Landsat satellites are helping officials manage water resources and settle conflicts.
BY DAVID BARGER
As Mark Twain famously remarked, “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.” In today’s world of war and unrest, it is not hard to see that we all could use a little less of these things in our lives. Given the current economic climate, though, overseas travel is probably not making the cut in most family budgets. Although our wallets might be getting smaller, the world is not. It’s as big and wonderful as it has always been.
So how do we get out there and enjoy it? The folks at the EarthWatch Institute have a good idea. They have created fellowships for students, teachers, conservation professionals, and corporate employees to participate in research expeditions worldwide.
Ever since Charles Darwin published On the Origins of Species 150 years ago, the Galapagos Islands have always been of particular interests to scientist and environmentalist alike. Back then the diversity of species as they evolved in relative isolation formed some of the basis of Darwin’s ground-breaking and controversial scientific hypothesis.
Fast forward a century and a half and a new debate surrounds the famous archipelago and its renowned environmental treasure. Like the rest of the planet, the Galapagos is trying to deal with an ever increasing human population in relationship to a finite amount of resources locally available; it’s a delicate balancing act in an area with a fragile ecosystem.
In order to document and present the challenges the islands face, a website call Living Galapagos has been created with a wealth of information about the current situation in the Galapagos. (more…)
BY DAVID BARGER
If you live anywhere near me, you have probably heard the following during the last few weeks, “Yikes, is it cold out!” A month or so earlier, you probably heard “Yikes, is it wet out!” Preceded by “Yikes, is it hot and dry…” Okay, you get the picture.
Weather and climate conditions change constantly. Whether it’s global warming, el niño/la niña, or some other event causing climatic change (volcanic eruptions, for example), it would be helpful to find a reliable resource that covers the range of climate concerns and topics and synthesizes information from a variety of sources. This is exactly what Climate 1-Stop offers.
In light of the recent earthquake in Haiti, it seems appropriate to offer up tools for teaching about the possibilities of natural disasters and preparations that can be done locally in our schools which may better prepare students for coping with the situation should it occur. To that end, the Red Cross has assembled their Masters of Disaster curriculum focused for students K-8.
BY BILL FERRIS
The $1000 Planet Connect Environmental Grant deadline has been extended until November 15. If you read our post about last year’s grant, you know it’s awarded to the best solutions proposed by students to solve environmental problems.
BY BILL FERRIS
America runs on electricity. And coal, and wind power, and hydroelectric, and Dunkin Donuts. Powering a Nation, a multimedia project from the University of North Carolina School of Journalism and Mass Communication, looks at the cost of our current energy situation, the possible alternatives, as well as the consequences of making the sorts of wholesale changes that green energy would bring.
With the Health Care Reform debate in the forefront of national news, other major legislation, such as the Climate Change Bill, has been pushed aside. However, I have no doubt that the climate change issue will rise to the top again. As a teacher, I feel it is my responsibility to make scientifically literate students able to engage in reasonable and logical debate, using sound evidence as their basis. There are many tools available to help me with this, and the United States Global Change Research Program has recently come out with a new one, the Climate Change Wildlife and Wildlands Toolkit for Educators.
BY BILL FERRIS
Win a trip to Antarctica. Yes, that’s supposed to be an incentive.
PolarTREC will send 36 teachers to the Arctic or Antarctic to work with polar research teams. They’ll take a mittens-on approach to learning about atmospheric chemistry, biology, history and culture in the coldest places on earth. (more…)
If Friday’s post didn’t instill in you a healthy fear and respect for hurricanes, I don’t know what will. Okay, so maybe I’m inflating my writing skills, but I hope it was useful. I promise that this posting is going to be interesting and useful.
I’m a huge fan of the social media blog Mashable, and this posting about tracking Hurricane Bill through social media is another example of them just destroying the competition. Okay, so Hurricane Bill is yesterday’s news, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use their storm-tracking suggestions for future weather patterns.
We are currently right in the middle of the 2009 Atlantic hurricane season, having started on May 28th with Tropical Depression One and traditionally running until November 30th. All in all, it has been a pretty quiet season. Only one formation, Hurricane Bill, has achieved hurricane status, but even then it was relegated to messing up air travel schedules. Well, it almost managed to take out a magician, too. Almost…you win again, Blaine.
The US Geological Survey offers a comprehensive hurricane website where the public can access important storm information. (more…)
BY DAVID BARGER
Ahh, summer! Nothing brings out the desire to spend time outdoors like sunshine and long days. Cookouts, beach trips, amusement parks…there are plenty of ways to enjoy our summer days. But when the allergies and mosquitoes and 100-degree days inevitably arrive, some seek out more indoor pursuits. You can have the best of both worlds when you explore America’s National Parks from the comfort of your own home with the photos and multimedia collection at the National Park Service website.
BY BILL FERRIS
Summertime means fishing, camping trips, taking Junior to the zoo, and hitting the beach. All of those activities put you into contact with the wonders (or if you’re unlucky, the terrors) of the animal kingdom. July’s random roundup brings you the best Instructify posts that feature critters other than humans.
Tune in to The Great Turtle Race
The Great Turtle Race raises public awareness of leatherback turtle migration, plus threats to the creature’s survival, through the magic of sports. The site has lots of nifty race stats, such as how many hour-long dives each turtle makes. You can cheer on your favorite turtle, and elect to receive daily updates on how it’s doing in the field.
It being pretty early in the summer, I know you’re not really thinking about developing that perfect lesson plan. However, in mid-September, when you’re frazzled from start of school madness, parents’ night, and you realize you don’t have a lesson for tomorrow, you’ll want to refer back to this website, Science with NOAA Research.
Kids these days, you know? They don’t care about the state of the world. They don’t care about endangered species. They don’t care about the environment. If you’re a teacher, you’ve probably heard statements such as these (and maybe even thought them a few times yourself in moments of frustraction). It is up to us as educators to broaden our students’ horizons and give them a reason to care. Field Trip Earth is one place you can go to expose them to some world views, and hopefully inspire them to conserve.
moxie design studios
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