EnvironMENTALly speaking

School Calendar

Lunch Menu Calendar ...

Video Links

Planet Earth: Seasonal Forests Link

Planet in Peril video link

Lorax link

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Assignment for 11/18/2015

Click on the following link, and complete the exercise there, then go on to the next one. MAKE SURE YOU FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS CAREFULLY. All of this material will be on your next test.

1. Short test (click here), doesn't cover the entire test

Go through these until you know them.

2. Flash Cards that will help!

3. MORE flash cards that will help!

4. Scatter Game

5. Race Game

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Assignment for 11/11/2015

Click on the following link, and complete the exercise there, then go on to the next one. MAKE SURE YOU FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS CAREFULLY. All of this material will be on your next test.

You are to write a paragraph about your trip through the carbon cycle. Include information about (1) where you went, and (2) how you got to each destination.

Carbon Cycle

Use the "step" button to progress through the Nitrogen Cycle. Take notes over this, it will be on your next test. You are to write a paragraph about your trip through the nitrogen cycle. Include information about (1) where you went, and (2) how you got to each destination.

Nitrogen Cycle

For this one, click on "Go to animation", then choose "Step through."
Step through the 6 slides using the arrow buttons, take notes over the text about each slide. When you finish slide 6, click on the "Intro" button, and then click "Quiz" and answer the questions.

Phosphorus Cycle

Play this game, and record your score.

Phosphorus Cycle game

Nice graph of the Nitrogen Cycle. Be prepared to identify these on a test.

Nitrogen Cycle WTTU

Read through the resources listed over Biodiversity. Some of this will be on your next test.

Physical Geography Net

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Assignment for 11/4/2015

Click on the following link, and complete the exercise there. MAKE SURE YOU FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS CAREFULLY.

Natural Selection part 2 - simulation

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Assignment for 10/28/2015

Click on the following link and complete the exercise found there.

Laws and Treaties

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Assignment for 10/7/2015

Click on the following link, and complete the exercise there.

Energy Problems

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Assignment for 9/30/2015

Click on the following link and complete the exercise found there.

Timeline Exercise

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Assignment for 9/23/2015

Click on the following links and answer the questions below each link using information found on the link.

Ecosystem Valuation Basics

1) In YOUR OWN WORDS, Why Estimate Ecosystem Values?

2) In YOUR OWN WORDS, Why are estimates of ecosystem benefits needed?

Basic Concepts of Economic Value

3) Measures of economic value are based on what?

4) Economic value is measured by the most someone is willing to give up in other goods and services in order to obtain what?

5) In general, when the price of a good increases, what happens to the demand for that product?

6) It is often incorrectly assumed that a good�s market price measures its economic value. However, the market price only tells us the ________ amount that people who buy the good are willing to pay for it.

7) In order to make resource allocation decisions based on economic values, what we really want to measure is the _________.

8) The economic benefit to individuals, or consumer surplus, received from a good will change if ______ changes.

9) When measuring economic benefits of a policy or initiative that affects an ecosystem, economists measure the _______________________.

Dollar Based Ecosystem Valuation Methods

10) The market price method can be used to value changes in either the quantity or quality of ______________________.

11) The standard method for measuring the use value of resources traded in the marketplace is the estimation of consumer surplus and producer surplus using _________________ and quantity data.

12) Hypothetical Situation:
Water pollution has caused the closure of a commercial fishing area, and agency staff want to evaluate the benefits of cleanup. Why would a Market Price Method be used to evaluate the benefits?

13) What are the Advantages of the Market Price Method?

14) What are the issues and limitations of the Market Price Method?

Role of NRCS Benefit Estimation in USDA Conservation Programs

15) How is "Policy" developed?

16) The approach to indicator development outlined in subsequent sections treats a farm as a resource system that provides a mix of valuable _______________ as well as a mix of valuable agricultural products.

17) Investing in the environment (Natural Capital) in many ways is similar to investing in children (Human capital) or highways (Manufactured Capital). Each type of investment generates public benefits in many "roundabout" ways that are difficult to _______________.

Hand in this assignment using Google Classroom.

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Assignment for 9/22/2015

Click on the following links and answer the questions below each link using information found on the link.

Ecosystem Values Earth On Edge

1. Why is there no easy way to calculate the worth of an ecosystem good or service?

2. Decisionmakers and traditional economists simply ignore their value, essentially treating ecosystem goods and services as if they will always be what?

3. How is the value of pollinators estimated?

4. How is the value of the natural habitats in upper New York estimated?

5. What factor(s) is/are missing from the answer for #4?

6. What methods might be used to calculate the value of a lake or park?

7. What factors might be used to determine the values for the lake or park in #6?

8. When market data is not available, researchers resort to other means to assess the value of an ecosystem, such as what?

9. Until we fully understand what ecosystems are worth, we are handicapped in deciding what?

10. We are reminded of the value of the ecosystems most often when they are what?

11. Summarize the economic and environmental problem with the trees in Clayoquot Sound.

12. What was the solution to the problem in #11?

13. The problem with prices in the marketplace is that it frequently send the wrong signals. In most cases, they don't reflect the real costs to the environment of harvesting an ecosystem good or using an ecosystem service - such as what?

14. The entrance fee to a park probably fails to capture the true value that visitors place on the recreational opportunities the park provides. Why?

15. Capturing or using one item of value that an ecosystem like a forest provides � say, gold ore � can decrease the forest's value in other ways, like its value as a source of biodiversity. The gold ore might be worth a great deal of money . But if roads must be built to remove it, and the mining itself damages ecosystems. List the possible values that might be destroyed in this scenario.

The following link is used to answer the questions which follow the link.

Ecosystems

16. What are ecosystems?

17. What are agroecosystems?

18. What did Charlie Melander do that was drastically different than most farming? (Click "next" to continue after answering this question)

19. What percent of all crops and livestock which we consume are produced by agroecosystems?

20. How are agroecosystems unlike other ecosystems?

21. Agroecosystems are defined as what?

22. Agroecosystems cover approximately how much of Earth's land area?

23. What percent of Agroecosystems are used for cropland?

24. Irrigated agroecosystems comprise little more than 5% of the total, but produce what percent of the worlds crops?

25. Between 1966 and 1996, the total amount of agricultural land worldwide increased about 8%. But, in many industrialized regions � the United States, Canada, and Europe, for example � suburban sprawl and industrial development engulfed farm land, shrinking the area covered by agroecosystems in these areas by how much?

26. What is a Hectare? (define it)

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Assignment for 9/16/2015

If you have not yet used Google classroom, do the following:

1: Search for google classroom.

2. Click on the first entry.

3. Enter your BNL Student e-mail

4. Enter your BNL Student password

5. Click on the + sign to join the class.

6. Enter the code for YOUR class period written on the board.

7. Once you have joined, continue here for further instructions.

Answer the following questions about yesterday's lab:

1. Did anyone in your group take too many fish? What was the consequence?
2. How did it make you feel if anyone did take too many fish?
3. Did everyone in your group try to take as many as possible? Why or Why not?
4. Does our society reward those with the �most�?
5. Did anyone sacrifice the number of fish they caught for the good of the community? Why or why not?
6. Does society ever reward that type of person?
7. In Game 2, did you change your strategy? If so, what did you do differently and why?
8. Is it possible to maximize the number of fish caught per person AND the number of fish remaining in the lake?
Explain.
9. Think of a local �commons� that you are familiar with. (e.g. parking lots, public bathrooms, parks, the school cafeteria,
the hallway, etc.) Do similar situations arise? Explain.
10. How might those problems be solved? Be specific!
11. What are some natural resources that are common resources?
12. What are the global commons? Are these being used wisely? Explain.
13. What can people do to use these resources more wisely?

14. Go to the following site and follow the instructions found there:

The Fishing Game

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Assignment for 9/9/2015

Know these and follow the guidelines:
https://lsbailey.tripod.com/leafproject.html

(A) Read the instructions and follow them.

IF you do not finish with this today you must make other arrangements in order to do so. Today is the only day in the computer lab for this exercise, and it is likely you will not finish the exercise today if you want it to be quality work.

Go to the following website for an explanation of correlation and how it is used. Answer the questions which follow by reading the material found on the link.

Correlation explained...

Turn in your assignment by midnight Friday.

1. What is correlation?

2. What is the purpose of a correlation?

3. What is a positive correlation?

4. What is a negative correlation?

5. Positive correlations will be reported as what?

6. Negative correlations will be reported as what?

7. In the following sequence, which number has the strongest results? .3; -.6; .6; .8; -.9

8. What are the advantages of the correlation method?

9. What are the disadvantages of the correlation method?

Click on the link at the page bottom - "Read a correlation sample."

Read through the two samples.

10. Of the two samples, which had the stronger correlation?

To find out how the number is calculated, click here:

Correlation calculation explained...

(B) Use the link below to go to the following website:

Footprint calculator

Read the material, then find your carbon footprint by using the footprint calculator.

11) How many planets does it take to support YOUR lifestyle if everyone on Earth consumed as much as you?

I hope this opened your eyes to a few environmental problems which we face. One person makes choices which can affect everyone. Think about what you do before you act.

12) Read through the links on the website below. It will help explain galls. And if you don't know what that is, it will come in handy on your test next week.

Click HERE to see the website on Galls.

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Assignment for 9/2/2015

The Tragedy of the Commons

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Assignment for 8/26/2015

LEAF PROJECT INFORMATION
(Questions below!)

1) Your leaf project consists of the following:
A) Collect leaves from 20 different trees (there must be no two leaves from the same species of tree)

B) Press them: this may be done by placing a paper towel or newspaper onto a flat surface, laying the leaves on top, then placing something like magazines or books on top of the leaves for a couple of days. The leaf will dry out and will have been pressed flat.

C) Mount the leaves on paper, one leaf per sheet unless the leaves are small enough not to be crowded - construction paper or notebook paper will suffice - using tape. If the leaf happens to be too large or long for one sheet, tape two together and then mount the leaf onto the paper.

D) Your name and class period must be on the front of the folder/binder in which you hand in the collection. (you can print it on tape stuck to the front if you so desire)

Include the following on the sheet next to the leaf:
Name of the tree
Date collected
Location collected (address or lat/long coordinates)
List ALL the identifying characteristics you used to identify the tree.
Your Name

Go through the next 3 links and read about the leaf parts and familiarize yourself with them - well enough to be able to use the terminology. This is critical in identifying leaves you collect for your project. You will have a quiz (Identify the part when shown a picture or drawing of the part) over the parts listed below near the end of next week (Thursday or Friday):
(all of these may be found on the Butler University link)

A) Base
B)Stalk, or petiole
C) Lamina or leaf blade
D) Simple leaf
E) Compound leaf
F) Leafstalk
G) Bud
H) Stem
I) Leaflet
J) Leaf arrangement (Alternate or compound)
K) Margin (entire, singly-toothed, doubly toothed, lobed, leaf clasps)
L) Palmate, Pinnate, Doubly-compound
M) Fruits, berries, cones, catkins, pods, nuts, seeds with wings.

Tree Identification Links:
1.
Butler University article on tree parts.

2.
About.com article on tree parts

3.
Homestead.com Tree Tutorial.

4)

From this point - to be completed by the end of the period TODAY.

Go to the following website for a tutorial on tree identification; work your way through the exercise:

Arborday.org

5) 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.

6) 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?

7)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. Note that there is an app for smart phones available on this website.

8) 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?

Tree ID chart

Trees from the list found on the link below do not match the list in your packet - use ONLY the leaves listed in your packet, plus the Northern Catalpa, to collect specimens.

Indiana tree list (NOT the same as your packet

This is a useful site to use in identifying your leaves:

leafsnap.com

Drought effects on trees

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You are NOT to go to any website other than the ones found as links from this page!!!
Doing so may be cause for being removed from computer lab access.

IF you play games online OR are not working on class materials/projects/assignments I will give you a zero for this lab. This means that your grade will drop at least 1 letter grade.

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Assignment for 8/19/2015

You are NOT to go to any website other than the ones found as links from this page!!!
Doing so may be cause for being removed from computer lab access.

# 3-7 are due today.

1) The following assignment is due Friday morning by the start of period 1:

Careers exercise

2) New Assignment: Your leaf project consists of the following:
A) Collect leaves from 20 different trees (there must be no two leaves from the same species of tree)
B) Press them: this may be done by placing a paper towel or newspaper onto a flat surface, laying the leaves on top, then placing something like magazines or books on top of the leaves for a couple of days. The leaf will dry out and will have been pressed flat.
C) Mount the leaves on paper, one leaf per sheet unless the leaves are small enough not to be crowded - construction paper or notebook paper will suffice - using tape. If the leaf happens to be too large or long for one sheet, tape two together and then mount the leaf onto the paper.
D) Include the following next to the leaf:
Name
Date collected
Location collected (address or lat/long coordinates)
List ALL the identifying characteristics used to identify the tree.
Your Name

*You need to place them in a folder - NOT a binder, unless it just takes up too much room.

3) From this point - Due at the end of the period TODAY.

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

Arborday.org

4) 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.

5) 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?

6)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. Note that there is an app for smart phones available on this website.

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?

Here is one from Butler University -

50 Trees of Indiana

Tree Walk, Indiana University
Scroll to page 13...

Drought effects on trees

***Read through the rules for the following contest and start researching about the topic to get background for ideas to use in creating YOUR poster. You are NOT to use the logo for the contest, and material must be original work. (Originality is a plus - the more different your poster while addressing the topic, the better!) Posterboard will be supplied, and the poster handed in by early November; I would like a rough draft (on notebook paper is fine) of what you will be making by Friday, September 4th.

2016 Poster Contest

Poster project resources

Poster Contest resources

Poster Contest resources part 2

What makes a good Poster?

Go through the powerpoint here
Pay attention to the links near the page bottom.("Other Useful Tools and Information for participants to design their posters.) Read through the links for tips about how to draw your poster.

You are NOT to go to any website other than the ones found as links from this page!!!
Doing so may be cause for being removed from computer lab access.

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

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