If you enjoy rock tumbling a new book by Steve Hart titled “Modern Rock Tumbling” gives a great introduction to the hobby. It has good sections on vibratory tumblers and ceramic media that have not been well-covered in previous books about the subject.
The National Academies have prepared a report on science activities outside the classroom. Things like museums, parks, and television programs have shown to greatly bolster people’s interest in science. The report is available as a hardcover book, or can be read online for free.
Marks on a Tyrannosaurus rex skull indicate that the creature may have been fighting with its peers. The young dinosaur, “Jane”, was apparently bitten on the snout, causing the bones to heal asymmetrically.
This is a photo slideshow featuring Nantucket, Massachusetts, where 92% of the island’s waste is recycled. Residents of the island reuse, recycle, and compost almost everything. Their landfill, which is mined for aluminum and other materials, is shrinking.
COROT-7b is an exoplanet that orbits the star COROT-7. It it so close to the star that temperatures are thought to be high enough to vaporize silicate rocks. Above the surface the vapors can cool to produce a rain of igneous rocks.
The Joint Oceanographic Institutions for Deep Earth Sampling is sponsoring an Ocean Science Art contest. Students can submit a drawing, painting, or other artwork featuring the JOIDES Resolution scientific expeditions ship and its work. Winning classrooms and schools will be visited by JOIDES Resolution crew and staff.
Earth Science Week begins on October 11 and you can get their October Newsletter at the www.earthsciweek.org website. It contains lots of ideas for Earth Science Week, teaching resources and more.
Want to see yourself and your students on the Earth Science Week website? Simply send photos from your Earth Science Week celebrations and activities (along with any necessary signed permission forms). Earth Science Week staff will post selected images on the Earth Science Week Photo Gallery. Get information here.
Next week is Earth Science Week. You still have time to visit their website for teaching ideas, see what’s happening or to download their free calendar of events.
One of the highlights of last year’s Earth Science Week celebration was “No Child Left Inside” Day, an event that engaged hundreds of students in outdoor learning activities and received coverage by news media from NBC to NPR. This year, you’re invited to take part!
You can view a copy of Earth Science Week Update which contains lots of information about Earth Science Week Programs such as….
* ‘No Child Left Inside’ Day Comes to Your School
* Field Notebook for Students Featured in 2009 Toolkit
* One Month Left to Enter Earth Science Week Contests
* How to Put Your Event on the Map – Online!
* Shine a Media Spotlight on Your Great Activities
* Online Climate Change Conference by Smithsonian
* NASA Offers Educators ‘Eyes on the Earth’
* Women in the Geosciences Day Coming in October
* PolarTREC Now Accepting Applications for 2010-2011
* You’re Invited: Geoscience Outreach and Dinner
Here is a website where you can download and print an unlimited number of state maps for students. For all fifty US states there are county maps, cities maps and outline maps.
PBS has a new children’s series titled “Dinosaur Train”. The star of the show will be Buddy, an animated Tyrannosaurus rex. Paleontologist, Scott Sampson, research curator at the Utah Museum of Natural History will be featured in live-action segments within the show.
Employers say that they need more workers with a geoscience background but some public schools are dropping Earth science courses and some colleges are closing geoscience departments. The “Pulse of Earth Science” website offers detailed, up-to-date information on geoscience education in every state, as well as guidance for advocates.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently released a new free collection of resources to enhance middle school students’ understanding of climate change impacts on the United States’ wildlife and ecosystems.
“Climate Change” is the theme for this year’s Earth Science Week which will be celebrated October 11th through 17th, 2009.
A short article on the Utah Geological Survey blog explores the question… “Does Utah have the biggest natural arch in the world?” The answer depends how you define “biggest”. Does that mean tallest, longest, biggest? There is a more in-depth article in their May, 2009 issue of Survey Notes.
If you have not visited Arches National Park you should put it on your vacation list.
Here is an easy-to-print geologic time scale in Microsoft Word format that we offer as a reference for students and teachers.
Please feel free to print this time scale, place it on your website, bookmark it or link to it as it suits your purpose. It lists the eras and periods with a scale of years for easy reference.
The American Geological Institute sponsors the K-5 GeoSource website that serves as an online professional development tool for K-5 teachers. It contains content, activities, services and links to recommended resources on other websites.
Here’s where you can get a variety of free printable graph papers in easy to use .pdf files. Grid paper, axis paper, isometric paper, ternary paper, polar paper and more.
Jessica Ball has authored an article on the types of volcanic eruptions. It has descriptions and photos of Hawaiian, Strombolian, Vulcanian, Plinian, Surtseyan and lava dome eruptions. Check it out!
A flat of fine-grained limestone found in France has what are thought to be 140-million-year-old landing tracks of pterosaurs. This runway might provide interesting information about how these creatures flew, landed and walked.
“Scientists at Imperial College London have created detailed 3D computer models of two fossil spiders that lived about 300 million years ago. The study reveals some of the physical traits that helped them to hunt for prey and evade predators.” Quoted from the Imperial College London release.
Starting today, K-12 teachers can apply for one of Target’s field trip grants. They plan to award 5000 grants of $800 each for the upcoming school year. This is a great opportunity for Earth science teachers. Get your application in by November 3.
An experiment is being done at the State University of New York College at Oneonta. Their Earth Science Outreach Program enables high-school teachers to teach courses at their home high school that are equivalent to college courses in geology, meteorology, oceanography or astronomy. High-school students who complete them receive undergraduate credit through SUNY-Oneonta at a nominal fee. Students who enroll in the courses often select a geoscience major in college.
Between 1990 and 2007, the number of people seeking treatment for injuries related to rock climbing has gone up 63%, according to a study performed by the Nationwide Children’s Hospital. If you plan on going rock climbing this summer, make sure you are using the proper equipment, and consider taking classes if you are a beginner or climbing with children.
The shapes and colors that you see in an aerial fireworks display do not happen by chance. They are deliberately produced by clever people who apply principles of art, chemistry, physics and math.
Every year, thousands of people all around the world participate in Earth Science Week events and contests. You can view photos of these activities at the Earth Science Week Photo Gallery. If you have participated in an activity in the past or plan one for this year you can submit a photo for possible use in the gallery.
Welcome! Every day you can find links to several earth science news topics right here.
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Hobart King
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