Poulsbo Middle School

Today we've started a multi-lesson investigating the Sun and it's motion and position in the sky at different times of the day, year, and season, as well as from different locations around the globe.  I shared with students the video clip below which shares a monument built by a group of people that are relatively unknown from 2500 years ago.  This is one of the earliest attempts (that we have evidence for) of a group constructing a way to track the Sun throughout the year.  Enjoy!

Keck in Motion from Andrew Cooper on Vimeo.

 From galaxy clusters to quantum foam and everything in between!  Check it out here.

Aurora 2012 from Christian Mülhauser on Vimeo.

 For an explanation, go here.

 This is apparently a harder question to answer than expected.  See here for the interesting story.

 What would the effects of an asteroid impact on Earth be like?  Control all of the parameters yourself using this neat calculator to see whether we would survive: Impact Earth!

Below is an amazing video taken by the astronauts on the International Space Station. Personally, I found Egypt and the Nile River at night to be especially telling.

Earth | Time Lapse View from Space, Fly Over | NASA, ISS from Michael König on Vimeo.

 On Friday, November 4th, will be a quiz on lessons 1-4.  Start studying!

For more amazing pictures, click here.

More amazing pictures from Iceland's volcano can be found here.

The current issue of National Geographic has an article looking at Mount St. Helen's 30 years later.  You can find the full feature here.

The Big Picture has some great new photos of the ongoing eruption in Iceland.  Check it out!

Scientists have discovered the deepest undersea volcano to date.  More info can be found here, including some great video of the discovery.

 Here's a great new photo from Astronomy Picture of the Day:

 Here's a great new site by the National Academies that hopes to raise interest among girls in the sciences.  Have a browse.

For the first time, paleontologists have unearthed fossils that provide evidence for a dinosaurs color.  You can find a 3D version here.

 Check this site to see a spectacular astronomy picture everyday until Christmas.

Here's a great video that is a perfect example of the scientific process.

 A very nice collection of images showing our solar systems planets and moons to scale.

 PBS Nova is airing a 3-part series on human evolution, which began last night and continues for the next two Tuesday.  Check it out here.

 I've posted some new websites under the Catastrophic Events Links page.  Go have a gander.

What would happen if Seattle were hit with a 7.0 earthquake. Check the video below for a possible scenario.

 Possible tsunami evacuation building that is being proposed for the west coast.

 Here are a couple of images to start off the weekend:

 Students have been asking me about 2012 and the end of the world.  Is it really going to happen.  In a word, no.  But, it makes for a great conspiracy theory.

 Tomorrow we begin our unit on Catastrophic Events (storms, earthquakes, and volcanoes).  Coincidentally, there have been a number of events in the last couple of days including a tsunami, earthquake, and typhoon. 

 Today students spent time examining a variety of illusions, attempting to identify how they were being fooled.  The point of the lesson was to demonstrate that perception is not always truth, and science is a tool to understand what lies beneath a seemingly strange reality.  Below are links to a variety of sites to boggle your mind.

Optical Illusions

M.C. Escher

Clever Stuff

 Tonight on the Discovery Channel begins a six episode series called Nature's Most Amazing Events.  A couple of the episodes focus on animals located in the Northwest and it looks pretty amazing. 

 Here's a great post from Bad Astonomy about a recent image taken by the Chandra Observatory.  The energies involved are mind boggling.

A pretty spectacular volcanic eruption occurred off the coast of Tonga  yesterday.  Go here for some great photos.

 NASA's new space telescope, Kepler, was launched over the weekend.  It's primary purpose is to search for planets similar to our own, i.e. smaller, rocky planets a similar distance from their own star.  Up until now, most planets discovered outside our solar system have been large, similar to Jupiter.  It would be extremely exciting to find how common Earth-like planets are in other solar systems.  Keep your eye on this Kepler website for any discoveries.

(The telescope was named after this guy.)

We started our new science unit today, Catastrophic Events.  We will be focusing on storms, earthquakes and volcanos.  I've added new links to the left side of the webpage, internet resources and copies of Student Sheets that we will be using in conjuction with our science notebooks.  Please talk to your child about what they are learning throughout the rest of the semester.  I especially encourage discussion about events in the news that may tie in to these topics.

 Robots galore!

Scientists have found the skeleton of the largest snake known, Titanoboa cerrejonensis.  It was about as long as a school bus and over 2000 pounds.  See here for a nice description.

NASA scientists presented some intriguing findings from Mars: methane.  Methane by itself may not sound particularly exciting, afterall, we have plenty of it here on eart too.  But, it's presence has raised scientists hopes that it could have been (or is being) produced by microorganisms.  There are other explanations as well, including a possible volcanic origin, but the type of methane does not seem to fit.

 CareerCast, an internet site that helps people find careers and jobs, conducted a study to find the 20 best jobs out there, based on factors like income, environement, health, job availability, and stress.  Number one job: mathematician.  You can find the whole list here.

 You might think this makes sense:

 NASA is sponsoring a contest to name the next Mars Rover, which will be launched in 2011.  All K-12 students are eligible.  The grand prize winner gets flown out to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California where they will tour the facility and sign their name on the actual rover that is to be sent to Mars.  Deadline is January 25,2009, so don't wait!  Follow the above links for rules and guidelines.

The Big Picture, a photographic series put on by the Boston Herald, is publishing a picture-a-day from the Hubble Telescope.  Check it out to get your daily dose of wonder.

 Since the kids seemed to think Assembler was too easy, here's Assembler 2, which is billed as being more challenging.  Give it a try.

 I've added a new game to the EMM Links page called Assembler that ties in nicely to our current science unit.  It's a simple game but incorporates all of the ideas of force, motion and simple machines that we will be studying.  Don't get addicted!

 Due to some behaviors that are interfering with classroom learning, I"ve revised my classrom expectations.  In addition, these behaviors are now graded on a weekly basis, which will make up 5% of their grade.  You can view them on Friday (or the weekend) on Skyward.  I've attached a copy of the guidelines in the Files section of my website.

 I've uploaded to my Files page, and am sending home, a copy of How to Help Your Child in Math.  This document  has info, tips, and strategies about how to support you child at home.

 For those of you with an interest in astronomy, there are a couple of new sites you might like.  One is the Worldwide Telescope, similar to Google Earth but for the Universe.  Very cool.  Another is a fantastic Flash Animation that looks at the 32 closest stars to our solar system.  You can zoom in and find all sorts of info about them.  Give it a try.

 Just a reminder, the Math & Science Club meets Monday's during lunch for interested students.  This is a great opportunity to perfom some cool experiments, solve puzzles and generally improve your ability to think mathematically and scientifically.  If you want more info, email Amy Roszak, the director, at jar2@localnet.com.

Just a reminder that if students decide to corret their tests (and they should) for either math or science, they need to use the specific guidelines that were addressed at the beginning of the year.  Students were given a copy of the format and you can find it under the Files section of my website.  Math corrections for the first test are due next Tuesday.  Students will be getting their Sound quiz back on Tuesday as well and will have a week to correct it.

 A contest for kids:

The VFW National programs and local Posts in Kingston, Bremerton, Silverdale, and Port Orchard are interested in providing opportunities to students in high, junior high, and elementary schools to compete for up to $30,000 as a grand prize for Voice of Democracy Audio Essay, up to $10,000 U.S. Savings Bond for Patriot's Pen Essay, and teachers in grades k-5, 6 through 8, and 9 through 12 each have a chance at $1000 prize to school and $1000 to the recommended teacher.  In addition to the grand prizes, there will be all expense paid trips to Washington, D.C. for each state winner in each category. 

The Voice of Democracy (VOD) is designed for students in grades 9 through 12.  Patriot's Pen is intended for students in grades 6 through 8, and Youth Essay contestants writing on the theme:  "My Thanks to America's Armed Forces" may be entered by students in grades 5 and below. 

The application deadline for these competitions is Nov. 1, 2008.

Additional details and application forms are available at:  http://www.vfw.org (click on "Programs").

Home schooled students are also eligible. Additionally those desiring to enter the VOD contest, but are hearing or speech impaired may contact National Headquarters VFW at (816)968-1117.

For additional information, contact:

Michael Johnson

Post 4992

9981 Central Valley Rd.

Silverdale, WA 98383 

(360) 692-4992 

From: APOD

 NK school district is one of the sponsors of a series of classes called Strengthening Families, which aims to help parents learn about adolescent children and students to learn about what they can expect from themselves and their peers in the next few years.  Sessions are on Wednesday nights, from 10/8 until 11/19 from 5pm to 8pm.  Dinner is provided and there is free childcare for kids 2 years or older.  Looks like a great opportunity for families to learn more about each other and head off common conflicts that occur during the teen years.  If you're interested, call Cindy Drover at: 598.4219 ext. 276.

 Students will be getting back their first math test on Monday.  Some grades are already posted on Skyward and the rest will be up this weekend.  As with any quiz or test, students will have the opportunity to correct their mistakes (using a specific format that has already been provided) for additional credit.  Students have one week to make these corrections.  Also, we begin our first unit in Connected Math on Monday.  Check out the Math Links page for additional information about the program, as well as helpful links.

In science, students need a small rock (1" diameter) for class on Monday and will be taking a quiz on Sound on Tuesday.

Have a great weekend!

Golden rays are migrating in massive numbers off the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico.  For more photos, go here.

 How many of these did you know already?

10 Things You Don't Know About Earth

10 Things You Don't Know About the Milky Way

 Tomorrow night the Large Hadron Collider turns on.  This is a giant particle accelerator in Europe that aims to discover a variety of interesting things about our Universe.  The History Channel is hosting a program Tuesday night, 8pm to mark its ignition.  To quote them:

I thought I'd start the year with a great photograph: an albino whale shark off the coast of Darwin, an island in the Galapagos.