After completing the Melting Iceberg experiment I was reminded how important forming a hypothesis and comparing it to the actual results really is. My hypothesis was wrong and I was excited about it! I discovered that as icebergs melt they will (probably) not create world-wide flooding. Now as far as icecaps are concerned, I still think that as they melt they do cause inland flooding. A great example of this is happening right now in the area in which I live. Fortunately the river levees are holding so there has not been any flooding here, but because of the significant amount of rainfall that we have had this year, the mountain snow is melting more rapidly and raising the rivers.
While doing this experiment I discovered that there will always be differences of opinion or ideas about popular issues. I was surprised to find that the idea of the greenhouse effect is not accepted by everyone. There are some very interesting articles that challenge the idea. http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/ has some insightful ideas.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Melting Iceburgs Experiment
9.) What happens if the polar ice caps melt?
Global Warming will cause polar ice caps to melt. The water will decrease in the amount that is currently above sea level and enter the ocean, increasing the amount of water in the ocean, this will greatly contribute to rising sea levels around the globe. As the glacier melts, rivers and streams will overfill and flood. Chunks of the glacier may slide/fall off and cause significant erosion to the surrounding land.
If seventy five percent of the world's clean drinking water is contained within glaciers that water will enter the water cycle and may not be readily available for human consumption. The temperature of the Earth will increase and cause climate/weather patterns to change, affecting every place on earth. The effects will be enormous. I would ask my students to think about the impact of polar ice caps melting on all life and encourage them to think about ways that the devastation can be prevented or eased.
Global Warming will cause polar ice caps to melt. The water will decrease in the amount that is currently above sea level and enter the ocean, increasing the amount of water in the ocean, this will greatly contribute to rising sea levels around the globe. As the glacier melts, rivers and streams will overfill and flood. Chunks of the glacier may slide/fall off and cause significant erosion to the surrounding land.
If seventy five percent of the world's clean drinking water is contained within glaciers that water will enter the water cycle and may not be readily available for human consumption. The temperature of the Earth will increase and cause climate/weather patterns to change, affecting every place on earth. The effects will be enormous. I would ask my students to think about the impact of polar ice caps melting on all life and encourage them to think about ways that the devastation can be prevented or eased.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
STEM Lesson Plan Reflection
My lesson plan was designed for my students to use scientific inquiry skills, mathematical calculations, technological and engineering strategies to construct a bridge out of building manipulatives (K’NEX, Legos, craft sticks) to cross a “river” and be able to hold weight. Years ago, when I first started college I designed a similar lesson for my peers to try and it was very fun and successful, only at the time I used toothpicks and gumdrops.
Using hands-on materials is very beneficial in the classroom, it allows students to visualize, manipulate and even relay their ideas. For this lesson I did refer to the 5 E’s regularly and I think it was very helpful for me to focus on the most important aspects of the lesson. Yes, I want my lesson to align with all of the standards, but I really want my students to be engaged. The exploration, explanation, extension are critical for students to really be immersed in the learning process. Evaluation is equally important because I want to be sure that my students actually did understand what I wanted them to know. Using the 5 E’s is different from the way that I have been creating lesson plans but one way that I will be sure to use in the future.
The idea of this lesson came from a lesson plan I found on the website Hotchalk, it is a wonderful resource for planning. After reading the lesson plan I considered the students in my own classroom and formulated it more specifically to meet their needs and the way that I would teach it. If I were to implement this lesson I would use materials that I have the most access to. I would have to spend a little time reminding my students how to handle the materials in a proper way. This lesson focuses on providing the students with a scenario; the bridge must be at least one foot across and four inches tall, and they must calculate the costs associated with it (each piece of material is assigned a price). The lesson could easily be adapted to allow for much more creativity, questioning and problem solving.
Elizabeth
HotChalk (2011). Bridges. Retrieved from http://www.lessonplanspage.com/index.html
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