Earth Day

Earth Day was last Friday, over our spring break.  We weren't here at school to talk about the many events that go on across the country to celebrate Earth day, so I thought  I would post this site.  Check it out and read about just a few of the things that are done to celebrate our Earth.  Did you know April 22 was Earth Day?  Did you do anything for Earth Day?
What is something you could do?  We need to remember that just because Earth day is recognized on one specific date, every day we need to take steps to care for our Earth!

earth day

Would you want to go to Space?

What if you were given the chance to board a shuttle and head into outer space?   Would this be something you would be interested in?  I find space to be such an amazing place of unanswered questions, however I don't know if I would be cut out for space travel.
Watch the following video and leave your thoughts, could you travel in space??

what's it like in space?

30 years of space travel

It seems like forever ago that we covered our unit on space, however it wasn't that long ago!  Check out the following link and listen to the milestones which have occurred in space travel during the lat 30 years.  Also listen to what the future holds for space travel.  

Leave a comment with what you learned and what you think should happen in the future.

30 years of space 

Flooding and Stationary Fronts

This week we saw an abundance of rain.  Lots of Easter egg hunts were done inside instead of outside this year!  I know my boys had to do 3 out of the 4 egg hunts this year inside.  We also spent our spring break trying to find inside activities to do, since my plans to go to the zoo and trips to the park had to be cancelled.  We have had more rain this April than any April in history.  So far we have already had over 10 inches of rain and it is supposed to rain almost every day this week.  How has the rain effected your plans? Did you have to miss sports games?  Did you have to move all of your spring break activities indoors?  The lengthy rain is due to a what is know as a stationary front.  This is an edge of an air mass that is not moving.  Therefore, we are getting trains of rain all along the Ohio valley.  Look at the link to see the symbol for a stationary front on the weather map.  Let me know how the rain effected you and find out how it effected other people from the 7th grade.


weather map

Ride along with storm chasers

Remember the city you chose to collect data about?  Well check on the weather map and see how it is faring.  Is it in line for a storm.  See where the real storm chasers are going.  How would you like to be with them?  Go to the link below and check out where the storms are.  Click on Video vortex and see real footage of a storm.  Comment about your city and what it would be like to chase storms.  Search on Twister Data for your chosen city and see how often tornadoes occur.


Weather Map

Clouds

What are clouds and how do they form?  What are the names of clouds and what do they mean.  How does lightning form?  How many amperes are in a return stroke of lightning?  Read this short article and watch the video and answer the above questions.


How do clouds work?

A celebration of 50 years

Tuesday marks the 50th anniversary of the first human in space.  Look at this article and read about all of the many 'space firsts' which have occurred over the past 50 years.  Which one do you find most exciting and why?

50th anniversary

Are you ready to be a storm chaser?

Read this article and see if you have what it takes to be a storm chaser.  What are some good reasons to be a storm chaser.  Read this article and go to the other links in the article such as Storm Chasers on the Hunt, The Basic Gear for a storm chaser, and Why Chase Storms.  Then play the video.  How long do chasers have to wait to get to see a storm?  Do they always get to see a storm?



How storm chasers work

A little weather fun

Check out this link.  Play the wild weather adventure.

Did you learn anything from this game?

wild weather adventure

Tornadoes

We have begun discussing sever weather.  Tornadoes are a form of sever weather and something we have the chance of experiencing right here in Cincinnati, Ohio.  Check out the following information on tornadoes.
What did you learn about tornadoes?  What is the cause, what types are there, what destruction can they leave, etc???  Tell me all you can about tornadoes.

tornadoes

How weather works

Check out the following link.
Go through step by step to see what it takes for different weather patterns to form.

how weather works

The home stretch ....

As we start the 4th quarter, think back over the year.  We have studied space,the rotation and revolution of the Earth, the phases of the moon, the sun, stars, plate tectonics, earthquakes, volcanoes, rocks and minerals.  What has been your favorite topic this year?  What was your favorite activity we did this year?  Is there another activity you wish we would have done?
What are you looking forward to doing as we study weather?  Any topic you hope that we cover?  Any specific activity you hope we do?
Hard to believe we are down to about 9 weeks of school!