Module VII Response

1. Explain:

The discussion and videos about how stars create elements was fascinating.  How the basics were made in the star and then when it is enough iron, it changes state, explodes and then all the other elements are made in the explosion of the star going super nova.

The core of the earth is pretty impressive as well.  When you consider the amount of energy that it would take to keep that much heat going for billions of years and how the earth hasn't really changed size for that long yet there is incredible energy not too far down.  How is it all contained?  How is it fed? Why hasn't it cooled off yet?  Things seem to be rather balanced.
I found a great article about current thought on the matter at:

Article from PHYSORG.COM

I wonder about what was there before the big bang happened.  I know the concept of the yo-yo effect and the theory that we are just in an expansion period and at some point the universe will turn to a contraction and it will come crashing down to bang again.  But I wonder about what started it all.  It doesn't seem logical that it has always been this way, with the concept of entropy and all.

2. Extend:

The discussion about ocean acidification is right on spot for me this week.  The 6th grade science classes at my school are engaged in a research project with our local Fisheries Research Lab.  We are looking at changes in pH in the presence of phytoplankton and microscopic animals.  We are measuring pH change under controlled conditions to observe what changes are happening in the water when there is only phytoplankton, only animals, and only sea-water (as a control).

We are setting up the tests each week with a different group of kids.  We test the pH from the week before, when another group set up the experiment, and then we set up another for the following week.  The kids are taking all of the data and setting everything up.  It is an awesome chance for the kids to get into real research in a very relevant topic and to have discussions about how ocean pH affects crab shell formation, among other things.

We are also having the kids blow bubbles in the water and measuring the change in the pH from the injected CO2.

My students creating carbonic acid!

3. Evaluate:

Our ability to impact our climate is a tough concept for our kids to connect with but they hear it often so we need to ground their understanding in the observable data.  Looking at the long-term impacts of these little changes and at the concept of a positive feedback loop will hopefully give them a basic understanding of some of these forces and bring the science to their minds rather than the politics.


3 Colleagues:

Matt's post was very interesting.  The video about Cannikin was a potent reminder of the power that we have to destroy.  Green Peace and their success with stopping the firecracker boys is a great reminder about the power we have to avoid destruction.

Alicia's post about the Mystery in Alaska was great as the video mentions and deals with Kodiak issues.  Our fishing fleet is so interesting and complex.
Talking with students about it is very interesting as so many of them are directly involved in the different fisheries.

Sabrina, talking about her grandfather's smokehouse that could handle 1000 fish was really cool.  What a neat thing to do for your community to build a place to process that much food.  And thinking about going down to the dock and seeing crabs climb the pilings is awesome.  I don't know anyone who catches king crab around here.  I know it is done but no one I know does it.  What a tragic example of mis-management as I am sure that the money made in the over-fishing has since been spent and those crabbers who made it big at the time have now fallen on harder times.