Locate the Earthquake

Problem: Where is the earthquake’s epicenter, and when did it happen?
Information: P Waves travel an average of 5000 m/s through North America. S Waves travel an average of 3000 m/s. You also have a record of earthquake activity from five different seismograph stations throughout the United States. The seismograms are visible on this map. (Open these seismograms in a new tab in order to get a good look - you will have to right-click on the seismogram to do this.)
View Locate the Earthquake in a larger map

After you figure out how far each station is away from the epicenter, use this mapping tool. It will allow you to draw measured circles around different locations to pinpoint this earthquake’s epicenter. Good luck!

In your comment below, answer these simple questions:

1. Where did this earthquake happen? (Where was the epicenter?)
2. When did this earthquake happen? (answer to the nearest second)
3. How did you figure it out?

Prizes for figuring out the answers to this problem include the following:

• 3 Bonus points on your Earthquakes Standard Check
• Mike & Ike's with Mr. Hoegh
• One game of H-O-R-S-E with Mr. Hoegh
• A Homemade Christmas Card from Mr. Hoegh's daughters
• One game of catch (football, baseball, softball, or frisbee) with Mr. Hoegh
• 15 Minutes of Pepper (volleyball) with Mr. Hoegh
• 2 Karaoke Songs by (or with) Mr. Hoegh

Earthquake Sampler

Earthquakes have had quite an impact on our society in the past, and they will continue to have that Earth-shattering (literally!) impact in the future. It is highly unlikely that any of us have physically experienced one of these natural disasters, and I hope that none of us ever will. What do you think it would be like to experience a Great Quake? What would you do? How would you feel about the total loss of control in the situation? You will learn about some of the Great Quakes in history. Through first-hand accounts of people who were fortunate to live through a large earthquake, you will get a chance to learn about what it was like to experience one of these historical natural disasters. The details for today's activity are found HERE.

In your blog response, remember to answer TWO of the three choices. As always, I look forward to reading what is written!

a. What was the most memorable story, image, or fact about the earthquake you researched? Why?
b. What do you think it was like to live through the earthquake you researched?
c. Have you ever experienced another natural disaster, such as a tornado, hurricane, severe thunderstorm, or flood? Create your own personal recollection of living through the destruction that event caused.

Identifying Minerals

In the past few days in science, your view of minerals has likely changed. You've discovered that there are many different classes/types of minerals -- each with a unique set of properties that allows us to identify one mineral from another.
In your comment, completely answer the following questions. If you don't want your comment to be published, that is fine! Just let me know in the comment you leave.

1. Minerals are identified by their properties. What are some of the properties you used to distinguish one mineral from another? Why is it best to use more than just one or two of these properties?
   
2. Did some of the properties "work" better than others? Which ones were the most effective? Which were the least effective? Explain.
   
3. What was the most difficult part of identifying minerals?
4. How many minerals (of the 17) did you identify correctly?
   

Our Weathering, Erosion, and Deposition Presentation

The Geology of the Black Hills

Image Courtesy of Beth Steinhauer, Black Hills National Forest
(Forest Service of US Department of Agriculture) under Public Domain

Many of you have been out to the Black Hills. If you haven't (or if you can't remember what it is like), visualize the following scenario:
As you drive west from Rapid City, you notice a jagged stretch of sandstone peaks called the Hogback Ridge. After a short descent from those sandtone peaks, you come to an area comprised of another sedimentary rock, red shale, which makes a "Racetrack" around the Black Hills. If you keep driving west, there is a gradual incline made of limestone. This limestone formed 100-500 million years ago, from the shells of ancient marine animals. (Yes, we are still in the Black Hills of South Dakota.) Keep driving still, past this limestone plateau, and you will see the Central Crystalline Core of the Black Hills. This area is made of schist (a metamorphic rock) and granite (an intrusive igneous rock) that have aged for up to 2.5 billion years. The apparent color of this Central Core and the groves of Ponderosa Pine gave this area its name, the Black Hills. You might want to get out of the car and take a hike up to Harney Peak, the highest peak in between the Rocky Mountains and the Alps of Switzerland.
What are the events that led to the formation of these Black Hills? Why does it look the way it does? Like geologists, we will explore these questions today.

1. Write a summary of how the Black Hills formed. What are the events that led to their formation?
2. Would the Badlands exist if weathering/erosion had not taken place? Why/Why not?
3. The major uplift of the Black Hills occurred 70 million years ago. What do you think that area of South Dakota looked like 40 million years ago? What do you think the Black Hills and Badlands will look like in another 40 million years?

Yosemite National Park

This quarter we will begin to learn about Geology; mainly how the Earth has changed in the past, and about the forces that continue to change our planet's landscape. The video below is one of my favorites. Check it out. I suggest you watch it fullscreen with high volume. A bunch of questions pop into my head as I watch it. Do you have any? As you watch the Yosemite National Park video, leave any questions/comments that you have in a blog comment.
Yosemite HD from Project Yosemite on Vimeo.

Your future is bright.

1. What happened?
2. Why?

Distillation Demo

After making observations of the Distillation demo, write a description of how it works. Use terms like vaporization, condensation, condensing tube, distillate, and thermometer to aid your recollection of what happens during the distillation process.

Static Electricity

Below is a picture of Clara (about 4 years ago). She briefly turned her soccer goal into a fort/tent with a blanket on top, and (as you can see) some serious static electricity was produced!




After watching the demos AND contemplating some of your own experiences with static electricity, answer the following questions in a comment on this blog post:

1. What was your favorite static electricity demo? Why?
2. What time of the year do you get "shocked" the most often? Why is that?
3. What is needed to produce static electricity? What is it caused by?
4. What does static electricity have to do with chemistry, atoms, and an atom's structure?

Atomic Model throughout History

Check it out. It's our class Google Map of the scientists and events that have impacted our view of the atom the most.
View Atomic Model throughout History in a larger map

Defining "Atom"

Answer the following question in your comment below:
An atom is the smallest particle into which an element can be divided and still be that element. Now that scientists have learned that an atom is made up of even smaller particles (like protons, neutrons, and electrons), is this definition still accurate? Why or why not?

Upon the completion of this blog response, go to Ediscio and complete the "Atoms" cardbox. That way, you shall ace the standard check on Atoms.

Grouping the Elements Jigsaw Project

1. Be sure to learn about your group's common characteristics. 
   • Read about your group of elements in Chapter 5 Section 2 of the blue book.
   • Research the group using any of the following resources:
   • PTable - it’s a great resource for groups AND the individual elements
   • Search tools such as InstaGrok, Qwiki, Wolfram Alpha, and Google
2. Go on the internet and do a search for some or all of the elements in your group and their uses.
3. List 3 everyday uses for at least 5 of the elements in your group.

Here is a list of websites that you may choose to use to find uses:
Web Elements: Click on the element from your group that you want to research. This will take you to a page that provides essential information on the element. Read this. Scroll down the page and you will find the "Uses" link. This page should have the info you need.
It's Elemental
Chemical Elements
Interactive Periodic Table
PTable
4. You should get a start to your group's Prezi. Be sure to include the following:

• • 5 characteristics of the whole group
• A simile/metaphor that compares your element group to a sport, musical artist, or celebrity   Describe the connection. Why does this simile/metaphor make sense?
• List 4 everyday uses for at least 5 of the elements in your group.
• Be sure to emphasize main points by changing size.
• Use pictures/videos to help explain what your group is like. There are a lot of things you can do to spruce up a creative presentation. Feel free to borrow any/all of my cameras, or one from the library.
• Set the Path for your Prezi.
• Rehearse your delivery. We want to learn a lot from you!
• ***don't just limit yourself to the above things. If you find something really cool and can find a way to include it in your presentation, do it. Help us learn about your group.

If you are nearing the completion of your Prezi, see if there's anything else that can make dynamic and creative. Be sure to set the path, and develop a plan with your group for how you will present.

2012 Chem Games

I am challenging all of you (and other Earthlings that have access to our blog) to achieve greatness in the 4th Annual Chem Games. Use the following links to earn (as many points possible) and learn (about the individual elements and their chemical symbols, subatomic particles, and placement on the periodic table). These websites can help reinforce your knowledge of atoms and the periodic table, concepts that we have started (and will continue) to learn about during our quarter of chemistry.

Here are the links:
Element Flash Cards (set up the game so that it tests you on the 33 elements you are supposed to know) Non-Crazy 8 visitors can view this link to find out what those elements are.
Element Math Games
Periodic Table Activities -- this one is unavailable on the Chromebook. Try it on the SmartBoard maybe.
Setting the Periodic Table
Element Matching Game
Fun Brain Periodic Table

Feel free to share your high scores, along with the game and its conditions, in the comments section of this post. Post your scores with honesty and integrity. As always, these are virtues required of Mustang 8ers and others that visit our blog. Gold medals in the 2012 Chem Games are at stake! Good luck! High scores will be posted HERE.

Periodic Table Formative Assessment

Intro to Chemistry

Check out the following resources with your Chromebook (or whatever you’re using). The first one is a video that attempts to describe just how small an atom is. The lesson was done by a Chemistry teacher from Colorado that I’ve met several times, and the folks at TEDed set his words with an animator to help you visualize what he’s talking about. See if you can follow it all.

Just How Small is an Atom?

Here is the second resource: Scale of the Universe 2 It is the second offering of “Scale of the Universe”. The site allows the reader to zoom in all the way to the smallest things we (theoretically) know of. We will study some of this tiny stuff during Chemistry. The site also zooms out to the largest things we know of, like galaxies. We won’t learn about that stuff until the 3rd quarter, but feel free to look at what interests you.

In your comment below, answer these questions:

1. From the video, which size comparison "blew your mind" the most? In other words, what do you think was the most shocking stat concerning the size of an atom, size of the nucleus, or density of the nucleus? Why?
2. There is a lot to take in from the interactive zooming website. I can't seem wrap my mind around the relative sizes of stars, galaxies, "strings", atoms, and quarks to the "everyday" things that I see and experience. What is your big takeaway from viewing the "Scale of the Universe"? 
3. Did you find any other interesting things on the Scale of the Universe website? Please share if you did.

3, 2, 1, Blast-off?

3-2-1 Activity: Please share your thoughts in a comment below. As it will always be, if you do not want your comment to be published just say so. Type "Please don't publish" or "PDP" at the end of your comment. Otherwise, I'll assume that it's okay to post what you write. I like showing off what my students can do!

• State 3 things you've learned about Mr. Hoegh or your classmates. 
• Name 2 traits about this class. If you need to, use the "Mastery Learning Prezi" to spur your memory.
• Name 1 thing that makes you excited/nervous about the upcoming school year. 

It was a pleasure to meet you all yesterday, by the way. It was a good first day. I am glad to have that speech done, but it was honestly really fun to speak to that many young people at one time. Thanks for listening!

Mastery Learning

What is "Mastery Learning"? on Prezi

Our Online Home

That's what this is for our accelerated science class -- our "home base". Come here for the latest posts and links that inform and assist in your learning.