Land Locked Ocean Science

Bay of Fundy Tides Time Lapse

2012-01-31T12:14:00.001-06:00

Great White

2011-11-22T21:23:00.004-06:00

OMG OMG OMG

Can you imagine being in the water with that animal???

Japan Earthquake Video

2011-10-26T12:56:00.003-05:00

Here is the link to the National Geographic film on the Japan earthquake.

All the Blue Planet Assignments

2011-10-07T10:19:00.002-05:00

There has been some confusion about what assignment goes with which video. Below is a list of blog posts that need to be completed for each video.

Open Ocean: Create a blog post describing a unique aspect of the ocean.

Frozen Seas: Choose one animal in the video. Discuss the biotic and abiotic adaptations that allow it to survive in the Arctic or Antarctic.

Seasonal Seas: Choose one organism in the video and discuss the food web it is a part of. What eats it? What does it eat?

The Deep: Choose one animal from each of the photic zones (aphotic, dysphotic and euphotic) and discuss each one's adaptations for life in that zone.

Coral Seas: Describe the relationship between two organisms in the video. Be sure to discuss how each benefits from the relationship.

Sea Surface Maps for Your Currents Lab

2011-10-06T07:30:00.003-05:00

When the lab asks you to look at the sea surface temperatures for January and July, use these pictures.

Windward On

2011-10-05T08:44:00.001-05:00

Today, get the Currents Lab finished up.

As your quiz, go here and get yourself sailed around the world.

Water, Water, Everywhere

2011-09-21T14:35:00.004-05:00

You have two blog posts over water. Keep in mind that these are assignments that should be telling me whether or not you understand the concepts involved.

1) Get (preferably take) a picture that shows the properties of cohesion, adhesion and surface tension. Write at least two good sentences for each picture describing how it exhibits these properties.

2) Answer the appropriate question from your handout.

The Amazing Octopus

2011-09-20T19:37:00.001-05:00

Okay, I can't help it. I am simultaneously fascinated and creeped out by the sight of an octopus. They are just so weird.

Wait a minute...a SIX HUNDRED POUND OCTOPUS??????

If you are having trouble viewing through here, go to the original National Geographic site.

Another As of Today

2011-09-15T12:17:00.001-05:00

The Awesome Ocean assignment has two parts.
1. The first one is the 3:10 to Earth that we did at the very beginning. You need three slides in a Google presentation about something new you learned while doing the worksheet. You also need to have a short description about each slide.
2. The second part is the Open Ocean blog post. What did you find most interesting about the video.

Plate Tectonics also has two parts to it.
1. We took a quiz.
2. You also created a map of the ocean floor along a certain latitude line. In a blog post, discuss the plates and the plate boundaries that your latitude line crosses. What type of geologic structures can you see?

The Frozen Seas blog post asked you to choose an animal in the video and discuss the biotic and abiotic adaptations the animal has that allow it to survive in the Arctic or Antarctic.

Here is how I am grading your blog posts. Remember that these are essentially writing assignments!

Blog Post Grading
4 – Exceptional
Post answers the question provided
Post is original, thoughtful and provides insight to your learning
Post refers to specific examples used in class or external sources (internet, video)
Post is thoughtful and coherent and well organized
Post uses examples, pictures, videos, research, and external links
Post uses correct grammar and spelling
Post is titled appropriately

3 – Satisfactory
Post is missing one or more of the above, but still shows understanding and a thoughtful response

2 – Underdeveloped
Post is more of a description, summary or bullet list of ideas
Enough errors in conventions that it is distracting from the writing

1 – Limited
Post is a legitimate attempt to answer the question, but does not show real evidence of learning
General description that could describe any situation

0 – No Credit
Post is missing or just a couple hurried sentences so you can say you got it done

As of Today

2011-08-22T14:13:00.004-05:00

Here are the things you need to have completed today:

1. Set up a working Google account.

2. Finish the Ocean Geography worksheet and share it back with me.

3. Create a blog.

4. Share your blog with me.

5. Create a 3:10 to Earth presentation about something you found interesting when you completed your worksheet.
You must have three slides that show for ten seconds each.
Each slide must have a picture. You may add up to five words, but no more.

6. Create a new blog post with a script of what you would say as you present the 3:10 presentation. Each slide should have a few sentences, but remember they only show for ten seconds!

7. Add Land Locked Ocean Science to your Google Reader and Follow this blog.

Antarctica Icebergs

2011-07-13T20:29:00.000-05:00

Icebergs in the Antarctic area sometimes have stripes, formed by layers of snow that react to different conditions.

Blue stripes are often created when a crevice in the ice sheet fills up with meltwater and freezes so quickly that no bubbles form.

When an iceberg falls into the sea, a layer of salty seawater can freeze to the underside. If this is rich in algae, it can form a green stripe.

Brown, black and yellow lines are caused by sediment, picked up when the ice sheet grinds downhill towards the sea.

These came to me in an e-mail, apparently taken by Norwegian sailor Oyvind Tangen from aboard a research vessel. The iceberg photographs were snapped in an area several hundred miles north of the Antarctic.

Don't Take Shiny Stuff Into the Ocean

2010-04-19T14:45:00.001-05:00

I Want This as a Screen Saver

2010-03-11T09:42:00.001-06:00

Drifters of the deep from Eugenia Loli-Queru on Vimeo.

You Should Be Sorry

2010-02-11T10:54:00.002-06:00

The Cephalopodcast is a really cool blog that helps me keep you up to date on various ocean related activities.

Today, I sat down at the beginning of Power Class and decided to quickly skim over my Reader posts.

Right.

This is the only post I got to. 50 Interesting Ocean Articles on Wikipedia. I got so engrossed in reading it, that when Kathy called my room looking for one of you, I had no memory of him going to the library (although every other person in the room swears I gave him permission).

So don't even open this if you don't have several hours to spend.

Enjoy!

Vampire Squid are Awesome

2010-02-05T10:17:00.004-06:00

Found at National Geographic, who got the video from the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Yes. The aquarium where I want to take you.

They live about half mile down in the ocean, so really aren't seen that much. I didn't know they existed. Of course, I have never been half mile down in the ocean, either.

Be sure to watch him go on the defensive and turn inside out.

Aren't they beautiful!

Watch Out They Spit!

2010-02-02T13:45:00.005-06:00

California is being invaded by squid! Hundreds have been caught off the coast of Orange County. Though at a loss as to how to explain this increase in number, fishermen are definitely taking advantage. But be careful, apparently squid ink contains a bacteria the is pretty hard on the tissues!

Back to the Octopus

2010-01-28T14:03:00.002-06:00

So last time, there was an octopus running away with a coconut. Deep Sea News posted another octopus video, this one showing one swimming in the deep sea.

Wow.
I am really becoming fascinated by these things. It's like a horrible accident. I just can't look away.

What You Won't See on the News About Haiti

2010-01-27T08:46:00.017-06:00

For some reason our news reporters don't like to portray the United States in ANY light that might make us look good. We have hundreds of hours of footage of victims of the Haiti earthquake crying for relief, but precious few of the people who are working around the clock to try to bring that relief. Don't get me wrong, there is real need, but the slant on the story is that we are not doing enough to help.

Want to know what the hold up is?

Yeah. Haiti is broken.

So we have to fix it first.

You can't dock a ship to a pier that is underwater (although apparently France tried), so you have to improvise. And our military is good at that.

We are awesome. Even if no one wants to admit it.

Prayers to all our military and those devastated in Haiti.

Thanks to the Bayou Renaissance Man for pointing it out. Check out his post for a much more detailed description of what our men and women are dealing with.

Pictures are from the US Navy Website.

US Navy Drill Team

2010-01-22T07:37:00.005-06:00

Okay, so this isn't exactly about the ocean. But the Navy spends time in the ocean, right? I think that counts.

US NAVY SILENT DRILL TEAM
About three years ago, our US Navy Ceremonial Guard Silent Drill Team was invited to compete in an International Tattoo in Norway. The Navy competed against military units from all over NATO and won first place.

Once you see the video you'll understand why they won.

This is amazing.

Need Some Extra Credit???

2010-01-20T08:46:00.003-06:00

The Deep Sea News blog, is insane. It's like up-to-date ocean information for those with ADD. You should follow it.

Knot Wednesday is your challenge. Every Wednesday, a new knot is posted. Learn the knot and bring it into class and you will receive extra credit. NOTE: the knot MUST be tied correctly for credit to be awarded!

Thieving Slugs

2010-01-15T08:40:00.003-06:00

In the salty marshes in New England and Canada, there are some pretty awesome slugs. And believe it, for me to refer to a slug as "awesome", it must have done something amazing.

These slugs have actually stolen the genes from algae they have eaten and incorporated those genes into their own. The algae, of course, are photosynthetic and contain the green pigment chlorophyll. And as I am sure you remember from your biology class, chlorophyll is what absorbs sunlight so the plant can make its own food. The chlorophyll itself is not enough, however, for the slugs to perform photosynthesis, so they have also developed a way to steal the chloroplasts from algae as well.

Scientists have isolated a few of these critters and observed them in tanks. Apparently, the genes for chlorophyll can be passed on to the youngins', (Can anyone say "evolution"?) but the chloroplasts cannot. Algae, for now, must be eaten by the young slug in order to get the chloroplasts to perform photosynthesis. But once that has been accomplished, not more searching for food!

How Do You Find an Octopus???

2009-12-14T15:23:00.005-06:00

Oh. My Gosh. This is sooo funny. I had no idea an octopus would commandeer a coconut shell to live in, let alone pick it up and run away with it!

Octopus snatches coconut and runs

Goin' Fishin'

2009-11-16T15:21:00.006-06:00

How cool is this?

These are the deepest fish we can find.

Do you know where the Santa Fe Trail ruts are out towards Wilsey? They are five miles from town. This is how far down in the ocean these fish live.

I Want to Go Here

2009-11-04T14:25:00.003-06:00

Feeling stressed out by finals?

Just need a break?

Really like to watch fish swim by?

This the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium in Japan. Well worth the four and a half minutes you will (repeatedly) watch this.

Incredible New Pictures from Across the Pacific

2009-10-29T11:29:00.003-05:00

The Daily Mail has a story and accompanying pictures of a pod of sperm whales chowing down on a giant squid. As you may or may not know, giant squid are rarely seen, so this is extremely exciting for the scientific community. That and they are just really cool pictures!

Moby Dick comes to life

The Water Cube

2009-10-13T13:02:00.004-05:00

The pool in Beijing's Olympic Water Cube is 50% deeper and 25% wider than other Olympic pools. How could this have contributed to the large number of broken records in 2008? Answer as a post in your own blog with references to yesterday's lecture.

When you have the time

2009-10-01T13:36:00.008-05:00

You can customize your blog in lots of ways. Here are some basic instructions as to how to do this.
1. Go to Google type in “Blogger templates.” You will get many, many sites that offer customized settings for your blog.
2. Choose one. Spend the next few minutes (or in my case, day and a half) and find a template that you love.
3. Select this template and find the button that allows you to download the file. Save it to the desktop. If it is saved as a zip file, unzip it.
4. It is ALWAYS a good idea to back up your blog before making any major changes like this.
5. Open Blogger Dashboard and choose “Layout”.
6. Click on the tab that says “Edit HTML.”
7. Browse for the template file and click on upload.
8. If all goes well, you should have a new look to your blog. Note that some widgets will not convert when you change your template, so you might have to go back and add them in again.

Since I'm Gone...

2009-10-01T12:23:00.009-05:00

Okay everyone. Time for a regroup.

Since I'm going out to run around the lake today, we are going to catch up and forge ahead. Each of you need to check your email for the blog sections that you need to finish. GET THESE DONE TODAY! If for some reason, you have not emailed me yet...um...do that first.

A couple things about your posts and comments. These are essentially writing assignments. And as such should contain a good amount of information. Be sure you are writing a minimum of one paragraph!

Once you get those items checked off, you need to do today's assignment. Go to one of the following sites and choose a current ocean event. Describe the news. This does NOT mean copy and paste the article. This means describe in your own words. Then, write a reaction to the news. Why is this newsworthy? How does this affect you? (Yes, it does.)

Underwater Times
The Ocean Channel
Sea Web

Good Luck and behave for Mrs. G. Or I will give her permission to come after you.

My Intelligences

2009-09-25T15:19:00.002-05:00

Oooookaaaaaayy...
So, I took the Multiple Intelligences test. My music smart was low. That was totally expected. I can't carry a tune to save my life. Linguistics was really high, a little higher than I thought. Logical, intrapersonal and naturalistic...right where I thought they might be.

The shocker came with the Interpersonal. This is how I interact with other people.

I scored lower on it than I did on the music.

I am a teacher.

With low interpersonal skills.

Any thoughts???

When You are Finished...

2009-09-24T12:03:00.008-05:00

Hey, great job everyone getting all set up in Google world. If you haven't heard, gmail is being cranky right now, so be patient. If you can't send me an email right away, you can do that later. The other applications in Google don't seem to be affected, so just keep plugging away with those assignments.

I am gone today for cross country, so you have Mrs. Tischauser as your sub. Obviously, if you are reading this in class, you know that you will be working in the library. Today you will finish all the Google stuff you started yesterday.

When you have finished your Multiple Intelligence test, add a new post to your blog. The last question on Tuesday's currents lab will be your text. This is a summary of what you have learned in this lab. A conclusion. It should be well thought out and show that you understand how ocean currents are related to global wind patterns.

Once you have that posted, you need start following your classmates' blogs. You will need to talk to them and locate their blog. Anyone who started following me yesterday is now being followed by me and that blog is posted on the right side of the class blog. You can get to those blogs from there. At the end of the hour, you should be following 13 blogs, plus any outside ones you found yesterday.

Your assignment today is to make a comment on two of your classmates' blogs about their conclusion. If the conclusion is perfect, write that. If it lacks a bit of information or draws the wrong conclusion, point that out. This is constructive criticism. Do not write anything in the comments that you would not want written in yours.

You will be graded on your original post as well as the two comments you have made on your classmates' blogs. Spelling, grammar and punctuation are a part of your grade, so pay attention to what you are doing.

Should you accomplish all of THAT. Mrs. Tischauser has a Nike Shoe Lab for you to do.

To Know Yourself...

2009-09-23T14:03:00.001-05:00

The Burning question that I would like you to answer in your blog is........

What type of learner are you ?

To answer this I would like you to take the Multiple Intelligences survey linked below. Record your scores in the different learning styles in a new post in your blog and write a short reaction to the results. Do you agree? How can this help you in your classwork?

Multiple Intelligences Test

Welcome

2009-09-23T13:50:00.001-05:00

Welcome

This is a test.

This is only a test.

I am writing out instructions on how to create a blog.

Please don't ask me why there is nothing here :)