What's the Redoubt Volcano up to lately?

No major eruptions lately. The Volcano is currently building a lava dome.

PHOTO: Summit crater of Redoubt Volcano showing the active lava dome and hot, roiling water ponded along the south and east margins of the dome. This view is from high over the south rim. Note the persistent fumaroles up on the west slope of the gorge.


Image courtesy of AVO/USGS: McGimsey, Game.

From Alaska Volcano Observatory:
2009-04-30 02:16:59

The Redoubt eruption continues. Seismic activity remains elevated. Darkness obscures webcam views.

Additional explosive events are possible with little or no warning. The volcano remains at ORANGE/WATCH and AVO is staffed 24/7.

A regional earthquake, preliminary magnitude of 4.8, occurred 40 mi S of Homer at 8:54 pm.

The Secret Lives of Snowflakes

Too good to pass up even if it is Spring most places!

Click here for a great story and video and more!

March 2009 Tenth Warmest On Record For Global Temperatures

The combined global land and ocean surface average temperature for March 2009 was the 10th warmest since records began in 1880, according to an analysis by NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C.

Click here to read more.
Click here for another article.
Click here for a slide show about signs of global warming.
Click here for a fun "How to Make Your Own Thermometer" Activity.
Click here for a good "Graphing the Week's Temperatures" Activity.

3-Part Video Series on Yellowstone Volcano

SETI is alive and well, thank you very much!

SETI: The New Search for ET


QUEST on KQED Public Media.

" 'Is anyone out there?' For over 40 years scientists have been searching for extraterrestrial intelligence, but they’ve found nothing. Now the new Allen Telescope Array, a string of 350 radio telescopes, is being built 300 miles north of San Francisco and is breathing new life into the search. Find out why SETI scientists now say we might be hearing from ET sooner than you think."

I have often had an ET Day. Show whatever good video you have. Have your students write the pros and cons for the question, "Are We Alone?"

I like this video because it's short (11 min.) and covers the subject from a scientific--not a Hollywood--point of view, which is important, I think.

Click here for SETI webpage.

Click here for SETI sample lesson plans - part of their "Life in the Universe" curriculum.

Click here for "Are We Alone?" Science Radio.

Sally Ride at MIT

On May 2, Sally Ride, America’s first woman in space, will touch down at MIT to inspire local girls at the Sally Ride Science Festival.

Presented by the MIT Department of Aeronautics & Astronautics and the Cambridge Science Festival, this unique event designed for 5th - 8th grade girls features an inspiring talk by Ride, discovery workshops, lunch, and a street fair with science activities, booths, and music.

The festival is free of charge, but advanced registration is required. Space is limited!

Visit www.SallyRideFestivals.com or call 1-800-561-5161

Slo-Mo Lightning!

Click on the image to see a great slow motion clip of lightning.
What fun!

State of the Planet 2009

From National Geographic:

Earth Day Photo Slide Show

Click here for:

EARTH DAY PICTURES: Quirky Ways to Mark the Day

from National Geographic!

Today is Earth Day!

If you are a teacher, I sincerely hope you have at least one activity planned for the day.

Put out a Bonus Puzzle.

Show a YouTube Video.



This video is especially nice. It makes a point with subtlety. Show as a bell and then have your students write a Science Journal response.

Or any of hundreds of other possibilities.

HAPPY EARTH DAY!

Earth Day Puzzles

1. Earth Day Crossword Puzzle
2. Earth Day Word Search
3. Earth Day Hidden Message Puzzle
   

Earth Day is tomorrow!

Here's a good link to the Wilderness Society. They have some nice activities you might consider.

Iron-Breathing Microbes

How KEWL is this? What a marvelous, diverse planet we live on!

Why Earth Science?!!

Watch with your students! Chat about it after you watch!

Show first week of a new semester!

Simply wonderful!

Earth Day is April 22, 2009

What do you have planned for your classroom that day?

Here are some resources to help you plan your Earth Day Celebration!

1. **The Science Spot - one of my favorite places!
2. Earth Day in a Box
3. NASA Earth Day Poster
   
4. NASA Earth Day Activity Booklet
5. No Idling Campaign
6. Earth Day Arts and Crafts
7. Earth Day Activities, including The Lorax
8. Scholastic.com Earth Day Ideas
9. National Geographic Ideas
   
10. Lesson Plans Page Ideas
11. The Story of Earth Day
12. EPA Earth Day
    

NASA Wants Your Input

Yesterday NASA issued an invitation to vote online for the most important contribution the space agency has made to exploring Earth and improving the way we live on our home planet.

NASA is conducting the survey as part of its celebration of Earth Day. Vote now - the poll closes next Tuesday, April 21.

NASA has selected 10 candidates for consideration as the greatest achievements about planet Earth, including diagnosing Earth's ozone layer, predicting food shortages, and tracking ecosystems worldwide. Poll results will be announced on NASA's website on Earth Day, April 22.

To cast your votes, click here.
For more information about Earth Day and NASA, click here.

Earth Science Week 2009 - Sun Shadows Project

Help your students become “citizen scientists” by taking part in an international research project. The Sun Shadows Project is looking for help in studying the relationship between the seasons and the length of shadows.

Beginning with a science experiment at James Monroe Middle School in Albuquerque, N.M., in October 2007, students hypothesized that their shadows would be longer in winter than in summer. The study has grown since then, using data from both of Earth’s poles and many locations in between. Last year, the project students presented initial results at the American Geophysical Union’s Annual Conference.

The Sun Shadows Project students are looking for fellow scientists to measure shadows and submit findings online. Click here.

Because the Sun Shadows Project offers a great way to begin “understanding climate,” this year’s Earth Science Week (Oct. 11-17) theme. Click here to learn more.

Can Earthquakes Be Predicted?

USGS has a new Podcast on their site titled, "Can We Predict Earthquakes?"
Click here to download the mp3.
Might be worth listening to with your class and having them write a response.




Here is their Podcast on the magnitude 6.3 earthquake in Italy last week.
(Click the above image to get info about this quake!)
Click here to download the mp3.





Also another neat USGS Podcast about the 2008 Illinois Earthquake.
(Click the above image to get info about this quake!)
Click here to download the mp3.

USGS VIDEO PODCASTS

What a great way to start the day! A video podcast from the USGS! Check out their podcast website and pick your topic.

Project on your BigScreen or Whiteboard. Run a week of these as Bellwork. They can be required to write five interesting facts down for Bellwork points.

USGS also produces Audio Podcasts covering great topics which would be worth using as well. On the same page.

And the BEST PART? They can be downloaded straight to your computer to be saved for future use. What fun!

Earth Science Week 2009

Earth Science Week this year will be October 12 - 18, 2009. Not too early to start planning!

“Understanding Climate,” the theme of Earth Science Week 2009, will promote scientific understanding of a timely, vital topic: Earth’s climate.

Click here to visit the Earth Science Week website. You can sign up for a newsletter, order materials to celebrate Earth Science Week, and even check out a great list of Teaching Climate links. NOTE: They don't have 2009 Materials up yet, but 2008 Materials might be worth check out, too!

Don't forget, Marcia's Science Teaching Ideas website also has some great ideas for Teaching Climate!