Starting out

Where it goes, pretty much everybody knows. Or can figure out...

Click on the following link for today's exercise, and asnwer the questions which follow the link:

Georgia Perimeter College Weathering and erosion

1. Briefly contrast weathering and erosion.
2. Contrast chemical and mechanical weathering.
3. List and describe the types of mechanical weathering.
4. List and describe the types of chemical weathering.
5. List the products resulting from the chemical weathering of Igneous rocks.
6. List and discuss the factors that influence the type and rate of rock weathering.

Weathering and Soil
#7 Define weathering, mass wasting, and erosion.
#8 Define mechanical weathering and explain the roles of frost wedging, unloading, thermal expansion, and organic activity.
#9 Define chemical weathering and explain dissolution, oxidation, hydrolysis, and alterations caused by chemical weathering.
#10 List and explain the factors that control the rate of weathering.
#11 Define soil and describe the factors that control soil formation.
#12 Describe the soil profile and list its horizons.

Click on the following link for a continuation to the next section...:

Erosion...

13. Explain erosion.
14. List the agents of erosion on the Earth's surface.
15. Explain how soil particle size and weight affect deposition.
16. List the forces that cause shoreline erosion.
17. List ways in which erosion can be controlled.
18. Tell how erosion can be reduced in high-risk areas.
19. Explain the problems that develop when people develop land prone to erosion.

Have a look at each of the animations found on the next link.
Click on the following link for the next section...:

Erosion...

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2/11/2011

I am now looking for 12 participants (2 teams, 5 members per team + 1 alternate per team) for the Indiana Envirothon Academic Competition. Participants will receive enough extra credit to potentially raise their grade by 1/2 letter grade. You will have to study material, and also you will have to attend a field trip during the school day to participate in the area competition on March 28th, 2011.
We will be leaving at the beginning of school, traveling to the Lawrence County Fairgrounds, and returning to BNL just before 2:50 the same day.

IF we place 3rd or higher, the SAME team members will also be required to attend the State competition at Vincennes University on April 20th, 2011. This would mean you would return to BNL later than the end of the school day - but your team would have to actually place high enough to participate in the State competition for this to happen.

Details and study information may be found on the following link:

Indiana Envirothon 2011
Note that details are found in the booklet.

Note: Commenting about a discussion in Moodle Social Forums will now be part of your grade - from zero points for no response, to 5 points for what I deem minimal participation - just a single response with a coherent thought (which means more than just "I agree") - to 15 points for multiple thoughtful replies, which may include links to other sources of information.

Note that this semester's responses will be limited to those articles posted ON OR AFTER Nov. 17th, 2010.

On to today's menagerie of links...

2/11/2011 - Weathering

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2/4/2011
Today....

I am now looking for 12 participants (2 teams, 5 members per team + 1 alternate per team) for the Indiana Envirothon Academic Competition. Participants will receive enough extra credit to potentially raise their grade by 1/2 letter grade. You will have to study material, and also you will have to attend a field trip during the school day to participate in the area competition on March 28th, 2011.
We will be leaving at the beginning of school, traveling to the Lawrence County Fairgrounds, and returning to BNL just before 2:50 the same day.

IF we place 3rd or higher, the SAME team members will also be required to attend the State competition at Vincennes University on April 20th, 2011. This would mean you would return to BNL later than the end of the school day - but your team would have to actually place high enough to participate in the State competition for this to happen.

Details and study information may be found on the following link:

Indiana Envirothon 2011
Note that details are found in the booklet.

Note: Commenting about a discussion in Moodle Social Forums will now be part of your grade - from zero points for no response, to 5 points for what I deem minimal participation - just a single response with a coherent thought (which means more than just "I agree") - to 15 points for multiple thoughtful replies, which may include links to other sources of information.

Note that this semester's responses will be limited to those articles posted ON OR AFTER Nov. 17th, 2010.

Onward to today's material:

WNS = White-Nose Syndrome

1) Read the following article, write a paragraph summary, and answer the questions below; e-mail it to me - DO NOT print it out.

Include the following in your paragraph:

A) Why this (WNS being found here in Southern Indiana) is important;

B) List at least 2 ways in which this discovery could affect YOU; More if you can think of them!

C) The number of U.S. States in which WNS has now been found;

D) How WNS is transmitted;

E) Explain the purpose of the DNR effort with WNS;

F) The physical signs of WNS;

G) Explain the reasons for the USFWS decontamination procedures for each step of the procedure (use the other links provided below the article to find these).

I am providing the link to the original press release, but in case the link doesn't work, the text follows:
Link: Try this FIRST! (it's formatted for easier reading...)

IDNR News Release 2/1/2011 Bat Disease Found in Washington County Cave
This news release may also be found by searching the Times-Mail website for 2/1/2011.

News release text follows:

DNR NEWS
Indiana Department of Natural Resources
402 W. Washington St. W255 B
Indianapolis, IN 46204-2748
Phone: (317) 232-4200
For immediate release: Feb. 1, 2011
Bat tests positive for white-nosed fungus
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have
received confirmation that a bat found in a southern Indiana cave has tested positive for the
fungus that causes white-nose syndrome. The case is the state�s first for the WNS fungus,
believed to be responsible for the deaths of more than one million bats in the eastern United
States.
Researchers doing biennial bat counts at Endless Cave in Washington County discovered two
little brown bats on Jan. 23 that exhibited the white fungus characteristic of WNS. One of the
bats was euthanized and sent to the U.S. Geological Survey�s National Wildlife Health Center in
Madison, Wisconsin, which later confirmed the presence of the WNS-associated fungus.
Additional bats with signs of WNS were discovered during routine bat count surveys at other
caves.
�We knew WNS was likely to reach Indiana caves this year, and we have been working closely
with biologists from the DNR to prepare for this as well as we could,� said Tom Melius, the
Service�s Midwest Regional Director. �Nonetheless, it is devastating to actually confirm the
presence of the fungus and witness the symptoms of WNS in bats. While there is currently no
cure and no treatment for this disease, we will put all our energies into contributing to the
ongoing efforts to understand and combat WNS.�
The fungus has been discovered in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri,
New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Vermont,
Virginia, West Virginia and the provinces of Ontario and Quebec, Canada.
Researchers associate WNS with a newly identified fungus, Geomyces destructans, which
thrives in the cold and humid conditions characteristic of caves and mines used by hibernating
bats.
Experts believe WNS is transmitted primarily from bat to bat, but they also caution it may be
transmitted by humans inadvertently carrying fungal spores from cave to cave on their clothing
and caving gear.
The DNR closed public access to all caves on state-managed properties two years ago, including
Endless Cave in the Cave River Valley Natural Area managed by the DNR Division of State
Parks & Reservoirs as part of Spring Mill State Park.
�We will continue to keep all of our caves closed, and we are urging private cave owners to
either not allow access to their caves or require visitors to follow USFWS decontamination
procedures,� DNR deputy director John Davis said. �The whole effort is to slow the spread and
have movement of the disease not be exacerbated by human interference.�
Physical signs associated with WNS are a white fungus on the bat�s nose, wings, ears or tail
membrane. Bats afflicted with WNS often exhibit unusual behavior in winter, including
clustering near hibernacula entrances. Affected bats also may leave their hibernacula during the
day and may be observed flying or clinging to rocks outside or on nearby buildings. Dead or
dying bats are often found on the ground near affected areas.

For more information about white-nose syndrome, visit

IDNR Bat Disease

and

USFWS White-Nose Syndrome

-30-
Media contact: Phil Bloom, DNR Division of Communications, 317-232-4003 or
pbloom@dnr.IN.gov
Georgia Parham, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 812-334-4261 x 1203 or
Georgia_Parham@fws.gov

USFWS Decontamination Protocol

White-Nose Syndrome Decontamination Protocol (v.3)U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Supporting Decontamination Documentation for Cavers

2) In the Supporting Decontamination Documentation for Cavers, one sentence say that "Adopting decontamination procedures requires acceptance of" what idea?

3) Again for cavers, You should not handle bats. However, if you should observe live or dead bats (5 or more individuals in a
single location) that potentially are exhibiting characteristic signs of WNS what should you do?

Use the following link to find the information to answer the questions below the link.

USGS Newsroom article

4) How is the WNS associated fungus Geomyces destructans unlike that of any known skin fungal pathogen in land mammals?

5) What is the prevailing hypothesis is that daytime winter flight of WNS affected bats?

6) What other reasons might be plausible explanations for daytime winter flight of WNS affected bats?

7) With your answer to #5 and #6 in mind, how would you go about determining the cause for daytime winter flight of WNS affected bats? (Set up the parameters for and define procedures for an experiment to determine the cause for this bat activity)

Read the article found by clicking the following link. Comment in the social forums on Moodle about this article, and the others to which you have not yet responded.

BMC online article

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2/3/2011
Today....

Explore the virtual soils lab on the following website to see what Architectural and civil engineers must do...

Virtual Soil Lab

Virtual Soil Lab welcome

Read through this material for soils classification.
Soils classification

Find out about soil horizon classification here:

Soil Horizons

This is an intro to

Soil Forming Factors

This will help you with the lab on using soil surveys.

Soil Surveys

2/2/2011

A bit of fun first...

Today's weather prediction from Phil...ABC

Today's weather prediction from Phil...

Today's exercise

Dishing Dirt

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1/27/2011

Click on each of the following links. Read through the material, then answer the questions below the link about the material.

Rock Cycle

1. The rock cycle is a general model that describes what?

2. What processes form igneous rocks?

3. What processes form sedimentary rocks

4. what processes form Metamorphic rock?

Igneous rocks

5. Through what processes is heat generated in the lower lithosphere?

6. List the 3 factors which control what rock type forms from magma.

7. Explain the difference between mafic and felsic igneous rocks.

8. In the Bowen Reaction Series, explain the difference between mineral formation in the Continuous Series and Discontinuous Series.

Sedimentary rocks

9. How are clastic sedimentary rocks formed? (generally)

10. How are nonclastic sedimentary rocks formed?(generally)

11. How are organic sedimentary rocks formed? (generally)

12. Define lithification, and list the three methods by which lithification may occur.

13. Look at Table 10f-1. What is the main difference between conglomerate and breccia?

14. Elements such as calcium, sodium, potassium, and magnesium are commonly released into the environment through what processes?

15. Chalk is composed of what?

16. Coal is composed of what?

Metamorphic rocks

17. Metamorphism involves the alteration of existing rocks by what processes?

18. By what two processes may heat be applied to rock?

19. Explain the difference between regional metamorphism and contact metamorphism.

20. Thought question. (Yes, you have to answer this one even though it's not specifically listed on the website.)
Using Figure 10g-6, explain what happens to the mineral grains as the rock is deformed by pressure. Sketch image B and add arrows indicating the direction pressure would have been exerted to cause that particular orientation of mineral grains.

Go to the following websites and watch the interactive rock cycle.

Interactive rock cycle

Interactive rock cycle 2

This website has an interactive quiz to complete after you read the material and watch the animation called "Complete the Cycle" (the link to it is found below the animation).

Interactive rock cycle 3

Watch all the interactives on this website:

Interactive rock cycle Carleton

Complete the following interactive on rock identification:

Interactive rock identification

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1/14/2011

Use the link below for your exercise today:

Plate Tectonics

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1/6/2011

For tomorrow, read pages 85 - 99 in your textbook.

Click on the following link, and read through the material . Answer level 3 question #1 through #9 (large questions only, not all the subtopic questions - but pay attention to the sub-topics too) and hand it in by the beginning of class tomorrow.

Ecosystem Change

For some fun - try to complete the food web using the following link:

Interactive Food Web
Complete the certificate and hand it in...

Amd here is another one. See how well you can do in the "Egg and Spawn" game:

Archive Images of Life on Earth

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11/23/2010

Here are a few links for you to take a look at; more below, including questions to be answered. Look at these first:

Some nice calculators for different purposes related to statistical analysis:

Calculators

Calculators 2

Answer the questions below using the following website:
p-value

1. Why do we need statistical calculations?

2. When are Statistical analyses most useful?

3. Explain the following aphorisms: "If you need statistics to analyze your experiment, then you've done the wrong experiment.If your data speak for themselves, don't interrupt!"

4. The logic of statistics assumes that your sample is randomly selected from the population, and that you only want to extrapolate to that population. This works perfectly for quality control. When you apply this logic to scientific data, you encounter two problems: What are they, and why are they problems?

5. Assumption of independence

It is not enough that your data are sampled from a population. Statistical tests are also based on the assumption that each subject (or each experimental unit) was sampled independently of the rest. Why, if you have 5 animals and measured each 3 times, do you not have 15 samples?

6. You sample 10 individuals of the same types of macroinvertebrates from pools in 2 different streams. Why do you NOT have independent samples from subjects from one population?

7. Consider an experiment where you've measured values in two samples, and the means are different. How sure are you that the population means are different as well? What are the two possibilities?

8. What is the differfence between one and two-tail p-values?

9. Why would you want to totally avoid the term "statistically significant"?

10. When is a result is said to be statistically significant?

11. What are the two possible explanations if a result is statistically significant?

12. What are the two possible explanations if a result is NOT statistically significant?

13. What is meant by the term "confidence interval"?

14. Statistically, chi-square tests are used for what purposes?

Chi-square values

15. Read through the following websites for information on how to perform some statistical tests for populations.
P-values

How to calculate p-values

P-values

How to calculate p-value in Excel

Calculate t Value In Excel, plus uses for it...

How to calculate t-value in Excel

How to calculate t-value in Excel

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10/26/2010
Click on the link below and read the page:

Ecosystems

After you have read the linked page above, continue with this link. Instead of typing your answers in the text boxes, type them in a word document, save them to your folder, then e-mail them to me as an attachment. This may take more than one day - you have been signed up for today only in the lab. Send me this activity by Friday at Midnight.

Objective Science?

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10/11/10
Now that you have a gaggle.net e-mail account, I expect for you to use it to correspond with me to ask questions, e-mail assignments to me, etc. and save some paper.

For the next part, click on the following link, then come back here and follow the directions which follow. One more thing: memorize this website so you can access it from home. This is a work in progress, so it will change fairly regularly.

http://moodle.nlcs.k12.in.us/

Instructions:
1. Once you are on the BNL Moodle site, click on "Moodle".

2. Click on High School Courses.

3. Click on Mr. Bailey's A.P. Environmental Science Class.

4. This course requires an enrolment key which is good for this hour only and will be written on the board at the front of the room.

5. Click on "New Account" and fill out the forms to get your Moodle account.

6. Once you have access, and are enrolled, complete the questionnaire.

7. Once this is completed, you may then work on the material from last time, if you didn't complete it.

This will be the place for class calendars to let you know about assignments, etc. from now on. You will still be directed to my website, until this site is fully functional.

LSB

10/8/2010
Work on getting your gaggle.net e-mail set up, then summarize 2 of the 3 linked articles found at the following locations and send them to me as attachments via e-mail.

Other instructions will be given in class.

New Species

Scallops

Germany and Green Energy

10/7/2010

Today you're going to get a gaggle e-mail account. If you already have one, then you may either finish what we were doing Tuesday, or anything else you need to do until further instructed.

Click the link to go to www.Gaggle.net.

gaggle e-mail

You should see a login page.

Near the bottom, you will see something like this:

New User Key

Did your teacher give you a 'new user key'? If so, click here to activate your account.

Click on the word "here".

On the following screen, fill in ALL the information in the blanks provided - for the user key, use the number I gave you on the slips of paper. Ignore the number - the key will start with BFCJC....

The Key MUST BE IN CAPITAL LETTERS.

Choose your user name wisely. Everything MUST be school appropriate.

For your password, make it something you won't forget - it is not easy getting the password reset. I would make it the same password as you use for a different account, but make it something you are unlikely to forget.

Once you have your account, Do the following: My e-mail is lsbailey74@gaggle.net.

Type a summary of the article "Toxic Sludge" to which I linked at the bottom of today's instructions, and save it to your folder - attach it to your e-mail, then send it to me.

That is your assignment for today.

Again, if you already have an account, then catch up on the assignment from Tuesday, or other - but you MUST ALSO send me the assignment using the Toxic Sludge link below as an attachment via your gaggle account.

Once you are finished, click the following link and read the material:

Toxic Sludge

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10/4/10

Go to the following website, follow the directions, and complete the research dealing with biomes.

biomes

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9/30/2010

Use the data collected during the Tragedy of the Commons simulation to write a lab report. Use the handout I gave you to determine the format.

The Title page should include the following:

Title - "Tragedy of the Commons Simulation"

Name
Date
Class

Follow the guide for the rest of it.

Each student must complete their own lab report. Much of the report will be similar (data, use of tables, procedures, etc.), and you may discuss the results among the members of each group. However, each report should reflect the inferences and analysis of each individual author, as each individual has their own unique literary ownership and style.

We will be back in lab tomorrow to work on this - take your time and produce a worthwhile report.

We will NOT be taking this long for every lab, this will be the only time. Most will be completed away from class time from now on, as we get into the course materials.

I would encourage you to e-mail the report to me, as opposed to printing it out. I realize that it may not always be possible - but I distinctly encourage it.

For now, until I have you get a Gaggle.com account (which will likely be next week) use BaileyL@NLCS.K12.IN.US as my e-mail address. This is also found at the bottom of my website (this page, just scroll all the way down to the bottom).

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9/20/2010

This activity is limited to the computers at BNL. On your desktop, find "Global City" and open the program. Do the activity called "Save The Species". Before you begin, since this is your first time looking at this program, read the Introduction, then explore the information you can find to do this activity. I would especially suggest taking a look at each of the areas of the program, particularly the areas found by clicking the buttons at the top of the page.

This assignment will take multiple days to complete, and we will be back tomorrow.

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9/16/2010

1) Hand in your storyboards for the video project - place them on the table at the back of the room.

2) Go to the following website for a tutorial on tree identification and click on "Click here to Launch the animation":

Arborday.org

3) Proceed through the exercise on tree identification which pops up when you click the link above. It's simple, but it may save you some grief when identifying your tree leaves. Taking notes would be good.

4) The link which follows has a nice online tree identification application. Click through it, and see what you can do with it using the following information: Broadleaf, with the leaves being rough on top; Red to Dark purple fruit; Simple; Alternate; Not fan shaped; Toothed; both lobed and unlobed on the same tree. What is your answer?

What Tree Is This?

5)Here is a different tree guide:

The Basics of Tree Identification
Click on each of the links listed under "Clues that you will need to examine", and review each. Make sure you click through each page for each link too - the leaf link has 5 pages. It would be a good idea to take notes on each characteristic while you are looking at the page - it may prove to be the difference between getting a leaf identified correctly, or incorrectly.

6) Answer the 3 simple questions at the page bottom.

7) Click on the "Leaf Key" link, and try to identify the tree I'm describing: Simple, lobed, pointed broadleaves with a finely cerrated margin are shaped like a 5 pointed star. It has long leaf stems, arranged alternately on the twigs. The fruit is a spiny ball, and the tree generally grows in low, wet woods.

Use the characteristics listed above with the following key. Did you get the same answer?

What Tree Is It?

Last, but certainly NOT least - here is one from Butler University - I think you will recognize it!

50 Trees of Indiana

Remember, the materials for the video project are also just below and you may reference them at any time - this IS the internet, after all!

If you finish with the material above, go to the following website to find out more information about STEM careers:

STEM Careers

What is STEM? Click the following link for resources!

What is STEM?

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9/14/2010

If you want to see the link for the contest rules, scroll down this page to 9/2 - the link is still there. Whenever you want to see the links from this website, just come back - I will leave them up all year.

Click on the following link for an introductory video about "Microsoft Moviemaker".

Microsoft Moviemaker Introduction

Rule of thumb: Unless you are somewhere other than BNL or have headphones, from this point, do not watch videos unless specifically told to do so.

Now click the following link under the heading "Add professional touches" and read through all the links found there:

Add professional touches

1) List the information which can be found on each link.

On the same page, under the heading "Projects to try" click on the link for "Create a vacation movie your friends will want to watch".

2) What is tip #2?

3) What is tip #3?

4) What is tip #7?

5) What do the tips say about the use of transitions?

6) What do the tips say about the use of mute?

Using the 2nd page link provided, under the heading of "Save and share your movies", click through each link to see how to save your video in different formats.

Another source for instructions on how to use "Moviemaker" can be found at atomiclearning.com:

Atomic Learning Moviemaker

One more source for instructions on how to edit video using moviemaker is at Mighty Coach.com:

Mighty Coach.com

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Here is a resource to help you study for your exams. This is the textbook publisher's page for your textbook. Remember, material covered in class NOT in the book will also show up on your tests.

Pearson Hall

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9/2/2010

For studying an area, the following quote seems appropriate:
�I�m going to look at a niche and see what�s there. For
starters, I�m going to select some of the large native
grasses that seem like potential hosts. I�m going to
begin with an assumption that something eats them,
and then I�m going to look and see what it is.� - �ERIC QUINTER

Remember, the storyboard is due 9/16/2010.

The leaf study is due 10/7/2010

Here is the link to the Indiana Recycling Coalition video contest:

IRC Video Contest

IF you think you will enter the contest, print out whatever forms you will need so you can gather signatures and send it in, otherwise read through the information. Once you've done that, go to the websites below and continue.

Rules for the contest may be found by clicking

here:IRC Video Contest RULES

On the following website you will find the simplest biodiversity formula - which is also the one you will use to calculate the biodiversity using your data collected yesterday.

Biodiversity formula

On this website, to get you in the habit of observing and not just seeing, read through the following website:

Describing and Understanding Organisms

Starting from the 1st area I assigned you to study, here are the length/width dimensions so you may find the total area of your study - then calculate the area covered by the hanger so you can finish the calculations.

Something to consider: this was measured by pacing - not using a tape measure.

Study area #/ dimensions

1) 50' x 6'

2) 23' x 6'

3) 30' x 12' x 6'

4) 30' x 12'

5) 35' x 9'

6) 45' x 6'

7) (between the trees) 25' x 30' x 25' triangle

Answer the following for each plant in your study area and hand them in tomorrow:
1) What was the total number of plants in your study area?

2) What was the total number of each plant you identified in your study area?

3)What is the biodiversity number for the area you studied?

4) What does the number mean, really?

5) Could this be easily applied to other areas?

6) What are the problems and limitations associated with this type of study?

7) List sources of possible error for your study, including assumptions you may have made.

This is a good place to start, if you are looking for anything related to the environment.

EnviroLink

You will need to become familiar with this material, in order to work with this phyla later.

Arthropod morphology

Parts are parts...read on, and become familiar with these!

Plant Morphology

For working with conifers...

Branching Key for Conifer Identification

Read material on this site, then click "go" at the far right side to continue.

Plant keys

Read through the material here too, it will help keep you out of the problem areas...IF you pay attention to what you are doing!

Poison Ivy

Perform the activity using the data provided in the table on the website, then read through the material to get an understanding of how and why this applet works.

Another biodiversity index

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8/26/2010

Careers exercise

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8/23/2010
1. Click on the following link for instructions to today's lab activity:

Tragedy of the Commons

2. Use the following links to learn about APES. (APES is an acronym which stands for what?)

A.P. Environmental Science Home

Quote of the moment: (Reload this page for a new quote)

If you'd like to suggest a quote, send e-mail.
Back Home