Earth and Environmental Blog Week 11

Monday or November 9, 2015 C.E.:

Today we took notes on Unit 4 Section 5. We learned about Earthquakes. We discussed the Richter Scale, and how it is a measure of an Earthquake's magnitude. We also talked about P-waves, S-waves, and surface waves. After this we started a new lab for Earthquakes. In it we have to design a building out of thirty toothpicks and thirty marshmallows. It was really cool. Our structure was a heptagon with a central core. It had double toothpick going from the core and all the marshmallows were interconnected. The only problem is the tension on the marshmallows that keeps the structure together. The marshmallows cannot fail!

Tuesday or November 10, 2015 C.E.:

Today our teacher had two trays of jello ready at the beginning of class. Each group laid their building in the jello tray for a couple seconds. The buildings were then tested. Two of my classmates then violently shook the tray to recreate an humongous earthquake. It was quite amusing to see peoples' hard work thoroughly rattled. Our design did not win, but it did well. After we created a new design to improve. It resembled a turtle, so we called it the turtle. The only problem with it is that it kept tipping over because its head made it too unstable, but that made it all the funnier.

Our design being shaken.

Wednesday or November 11, 2015 C.E.:

Today we had no school. Veterans Day!

Thursday or November 12, 2015 C.E.:

Today we reviewed for our upcoming test. We played my favorite review game. In this review game there are 20 questions of 5 points each. Mrs. Giacomelli shows us a slide of the question and we wrote the answer down on our paper. We work in small groups of three or four. We got 17 out of 20 of these correct. One of the answers we got wrong were because I didn't listen to one of my team mates, so I need to work on that. Then, there are 5 bonus questions of 1 point each. We got every one right. At the end there was a final question where we wagered 5 points. We got it correct. In the end we won the competition with 96 points! Not only was it fun, but it really helped me review for the test tomorrow.

Friday or November 13, 2015 C.E.:

 I took the Unit 4 Test today. It is about all the types of tectonic plate boundaries including the kinds of convergent boundaries, divergent boundaries, and transform boundaries. It also covers seismic waves, scales, and seismic activity in general. We also need to know a lot about mid-ocean ridges, how they drive Plate Tectonics and how they form new oceanic Lithosphere. We are even assessed on the last section concerning Volcanoes. I think the review from yesterday and the notes really helped me and I will do great on it.
Summary: This week was a good week. I finished my blog quite quickly and very early. I aced my test (yay!) and performed well in the review game. I need to improve my overall grade though. I plan to do this by making sure all labs are done well, and continuing to excel.

Earth and Environmental Blog Week 10

Monday or November 2, 2015 C.E.:

This week started out with a really fun game. We divided into two teams. We then drew targets of all sizes on the White Board. The bigger targets had smaller numbers than the small ones. Our teacher Mrs. Giacomelli then asked us multiple questions each and if we got them right, we would use her Nerf Gun to shoot at the targets. The number on the target determined the score won by your team. Although we lost, it was still quite fun. We kept missing problems related with sea-floor spreading, so I will have to study that for tomorrow's quiz.

Tuesday or November 3, 2015 C.E.:

Today we took our Unit 4 quiz. It covered divergent and convergent plate boundaries, and what they do. It also covered plate tectonics, and their driving forces. These driving forces include slab pull and ridge push. We were also quizzed about mid-ocean ridges and subduction zones. I think I will do excellent on this quiz both because I studied and multiple questions were on previous tests. I have also already mastered the vocabulary which will be a huge help for the outcome of this quiz.

Wednesday or November 4, 2015 C.E.:

I am really excited! We got back our quizzes and reviewed them today, and I got a 100%! This is really good for my currently horrendous Science Grade. After reviewing our quiz we did some post-quiz vocabulary. I did six vocabulary cards of eight. We will be learning a bit about Earthquakes in the next couple sections. I also learned more about transform boundaries (tectonic boundaries where tectonic plates move along eachother) and measurements for Earthquakes.

Thursday or November 5, 2015 C.E.:

Today we had a really fun lab. It was a tectonic plate boundaries lab. We created the asthenosphere with frosting which we put on a piece of wax paper. The oceanic crust was made up of fruit rollup pieces. The continental crust is made up of graham crackers. We then simulated them crashing into each other and documented what happened. We drew cross-section diagrams of the plates crashing into eachother. It was cool how it all fit in with what we have learned.  At the end, some of us ate the results. It was really fun.

Friday or November 6, 2015 C.E.:

Today we did our reflection questions for the tectonic plate boundaries lab.We wrote about the geologic features associated with each type of boundary. We then did a little bit of notes on rift valleys and ocean trenches. We discussed volcanic archs. After this we talked about how plate tectonics have influenced the world. They have influenced the climate, weather, and biodiversity. It was really interesting.
Summary: This week was a fun week. The lab was really funny, yet really interesting. We had a good time. I need to remember to do my blog the day of every time to make sure it is of better quality.
 

Earth and Environmental Blog Week 9

Monday or October 26, 2015 C.E.:

 Today we finished our Plate Tectonics. We did three stations. One was about the origin of the theory of plate tectonics. A German scientist by the name of Alfred Wegener developed it through out early 20th century. He observed the similarities in the mountain ranges the Scotland Highlands and the Appalachian. He also noticed similar composition of rocks on both sides of the Atlantic as well as the fossils inside them. I really liked these stations and I learned a lot. I liked learning a bit about the origin of the theory instead of just hearing about what it means all the time.

Tuesday or October 27, 2015 C.E.:

Today we took notes on Unit 4 Section 3. It talks about the reasons Tectonic Plates move. We learned how Sea-floor spreading happens in oceans when magma rushes out a mid-ocean ridges. This forms new oceanic lithosphere. It also causes two processes that make continents move. They are ridge-push and slab pull. Ridge-push happens when magma slides down from a mid-ocean ridge. Slab-pull happens when oceanic lithosphere sinks in subduction zones. We also started a new activity about the proof behind Pangaea. We cut out the different continents and looked at the similar land forms they share to assemble the supercontinent.

Wednesday or October 28, 2015 C.E.:

Today we finished assembling Pangaea. It was cool how everything fit perfectly. We created it based on Glacial scratches, rock types, mountain ranges, and fossils. Our teacher also created a fun Tectonic Plates demonstration. She put a big bowl of milk on a hot plate and sprinkled Hot Chocolate powder on the milk. As the milk heated, cracks formed. We then watched the tectonic plates. We also finished assembling our paper Pangaea. It was cool how they all fit together.

Thursday or October 29, 2015 C.E.: 

Today we finished the Pangaea reflection questions. We talked about all the different evidence that supports the existence of Pangaea. We also talked about the evidence behind Continental Drift.We talked about how we use GPS to track the movement of the continents. It was very interesting.
Summary: This week was very interesting. We learned about tectonic plates and other fun stuff. I still need to remember to do my blog right after class.
talked about evidence and cause behind continental drift