ENVIRONMENTAL EARTH SCIENCE

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VOCABULARY
File created: Nov, 1996. Last modified: Wed Apr 8, 2008 (but remember: every day is Earth Day)

LEWIS MILLS HIGH SCHOOL - HARWINTON, BURLINGTON CT

Whats New

Wed Apr 24: Plate Boundary Features Charts One and Two

Tue Apr 21: Earth Day Pledge

Wed Apr 8: How We Know What Is Inside Our Planet Scrapbook, Research Questions and SEISMIC DISCOVERY INVESTIGATION assignments due after vacation

Thu Mar 26: Sample Questions and Objectives for the TEST on Tue (or Wed) for Period 1, Period 2, Period 4, Period 7, and Period 8

Tue Apr 7: Template for Coral Reef Poster

Wed Mar 4: Assignment Calendars updated for Period 1, Period 2, Period 4, Period 7 and Period 8

Sat Feb 28: Congratulations Berkshire League Champions!

Fri Feb 27: Test Objectives and Sample Questions for Period 1, Period 2, Period 4, Period 7 and Period 8

Mon Feb 23: Assignment Calendars updated for Per 1, Per 2, Per 4, Per 7 and Per 8

Feb 19: Notebook Check #11 for Period 4, Period 7

Feb 2: Draft Notebook Check for Per 2, Per 1, Per 8, Per 4 and Period 7

Jan 26: Draft Assignment Sheets for Period 1, Period 2, Period 4, Period 7 and Period 8

Jan 9: Sample Test Questions for Period 1

Dec 17: Notebook Check #8 for Period 2, Period 4 and Period 7

Dec 15: Assignment Calendars through Exams for Period 1, Period 2, Period 4, Period 7 and Period 8

Dec 3: Sample questions and objectives for the TEST for Period 1, Period 2, Period 4, Period 7, and for Period 8

Dec 2: Notebook Check #7 for Period 1, Period 2, Period 4, Period 7 and Period 8

Nov 17: Notebook Check #6 for Period 1, Period 2, Period 4, Period 7 and Period 8

Nov 7: Atmosphere Physics 1 Assignment Calendars for Period 1, Period 2, Period 4, Period 7 and Period 8

Oct 31: Sample Questions for next week's Test for Period 1, Period 2, Period 4, Period 7 and for Period 8. Check back over the weekend for additions and corrections.

Oct 30: Some Space Test Help

Oct 17: Notebook #5 for Period 2, Period 1 and Period 8

Oct 17: The Hydrogen spectrum should look something like this

Oct 15: Notebook #5 for Period 4 and Period 7

Oct 10: EM Spectrum Introduction

Oct 9: Space and Earth Section Assignment Calendars for Period 1, Period 2, Period 4, Period 7 and Period 8

Oct 9: Tremendous Telescopes updated

Oct 2: Animation of the Read-Aloud process used in class

Sep 22: Notebook #3 for Period 4 and Period 7

Sep 16: Finally! Assignment Calendars for Period 1, Period 2, Period 4, Period 7 and Period 8

Sep 15: Notebook Check #2 for Period 1, Period 2, Period 4 and Period 7 and Per 8

Sep 13: Notebook Check #1 for Period 1, Period 2, Period 4, Period 7 and Period 8

Sep 2: What's New from previous years
Course Essential Questions:
1. How is scientific method used to acquire knowledge about global issues?
2. What did John Muir mean when he wrote, "When one tugs on any one thing, he pulls on the whole world?"
3. What does it mean to "Think Globally and Act Locally" (Dubois)


THIS COURSE DESCRIPTION has Purpose and Premise statements aligned with the school's Mission Statement, then describes the 6 Course sections:  Foundations of Environmental Earth Science, Space and Earth, Atmospheric Physics, Atmospheric Chemistry, Oceans, Internal Earth Processes and Products, Land Processes and Products. Links to course materials can be found after each section description. Course expectations and additional information are at the end.

PURPOSE: Earth's population is increasing dramatically while its resources are being depleted. The present generation of students is caught in the middle, and make decisions on a daily basis that affect the way human beings live on this planet. This course will use management of natural resources as a basis for learning Physical Science, Chemistry and Earth Science principles and skills. Students will develop and apply their scientific literacy by studying the interrelationship of humans to Earth's interior, land, sea, air, and space. OUR PREMISE: The ATTITUDE of thinking globally and acting locally requires both KNOWLEDGE of Earth systems and the SKILLS to intelligently plan the use of its resources.

Photo courtesy NASA

 

World POPClockSection I. Foundations of Environmental Earth Science Section explores the role of science in management of the planet by connecting scientific method with the management cycle of inventory (acquiring knowledge), planning and implementation. After making the case for science as a valuable method to acquire the knowledge necessary to manage the planet, this section of the course strengthens some of the measurement techniques and principles required for Earth Science.

Section Essential Question: What are the roles of science in managing the Earth?

See Also: Index to Foundations files, Standard Class Outline.

Graphic courtesy US Census Bureau

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Section II. The Space/Earth section of the course examines the ways that Earthlings are affected by the Universe we live in, and how we learn about Space. Solar radiation, meteorite impact danger, orbital effects on days and seasons, and how we use space to study Earth are included.

Section Essential Question: How is life on Earth affected by the universe around it?

Available here: Index to Space/Earth files, Standard class Outline.

Graphic Courtesy NOAA SEC

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Section III. Atmospheric Physics Students learn how the atmosphere developed, how energy is transferred through the atmosphere, the formation of weather systems and weather prediction.

Section Essential Questions: How does the atmosphere work? How do we use our understanding of physical processes to manage our atmosphere?

Available here: Index of Atmosphere files , Standard class Outline.

 

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The Midterm Exam is a two hour comprehensive test of the content learned in the 1st semester. We will have two days of review for this exam (unless we get a snow day).

Available here: Some Questions and Answers about the Exam.

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Section IV. Atmospheric Chemistry Students learn about the air's components, how those components cycle and how we interfere with those cycles.

Section Essential Questions: What is in the air? How do we use our understanding of chemistry to manage our atmosphere?

Available here: Index of Atmosphere files , Standard class Outline.

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During the developing phase of the El Ni�o, the subsurface ocean structure is characterized by an abnormally deep layer of warm water and an increased depth of the thermocline across the eastern tropical Pacific. Thus, the slope of the thermocline is reduced across the basin. In very strong El Ni�o episodes, the thermocline can actually become flat across the entire tropical Pacific for periods of several months. Accompanying these conditions, the sea level height is higher than normal over the eastern Pacific, resulting in a decreased slope of the ocean surface height across the basin. There is also considerable evolution in the subsurface temperature and thermocline structure during both El Ni�o and La Ni�a episodes.

Section V. Oceans are studied for their physical and chemical processes such as coastal erosion, danger from hurricanes, formation and management of coastal features, the sea floor, and both surface and deep ocean currents.

Section Essential Question: How do the oceans shape our lives?

Available here: List of Ocean Section files,  Standard class Outline.

 

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Photo of Milky Quartz vein crossing Leadmine Brook near Swimming Hole Rd, Harwinton, CT.

Section V. In the Internal Earth Processes and Products section, students learn how we acquire knowledge of the interior of the planet, the structure that is revealed, the transfer of energy to the surface, plate tectonics, formation of plate boundary features, mineral and rock resources, and earthquakes.

Section Essential Question: How does the interior of the planet affect us?

Available here: Internal Earth P+P files, Standard class Outline.

 

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Section VI. Land Processes and Products, the last course section examines weathering of the land and the resources such as soil that are formed, the work of erosion agents such as wind gravity and glaciers, and the water systems of the land that create both resources and hazards.

Section Essential Questions: How are the Earth's land surfaces changing? How do we affect those changes? How do they affect us?

Available here: Land P and P files,  Standard class Outline.

(image courtesy Google Earth)

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The Final Exam is a two hour comprehensive test of the content learned in the 2nd semester. We will have two days of review for this exam.

 

GRADING::
Midterm and Final Exams each account for 10% of the final course grade, Marking Period grades each account for 20%.

Marking Period grade is:
1. One third Tests/Quizzes: There will be at least 2 tests per marking period.
2. One third Daily Work: Homework, class participation and notebook.
3. One third Lab work. Lab work grades will be based on lab reports and notebook work.
What're you working on? I don't want to study TOO much, so I'm calculating exactly what I need to get on the Exam to pass for the semester. Uh-Oh. What'd you get? 135%

MAJOR TEXT: Earth Science: Geology, the Environment, and the Universe. Glencoe 2002.

Much other reading will also be assigned.

TEACHERS:

Mr. Tony Mitchell (email mitchella "at" region10ct.org)
Mr. Tim Mischke (email mischket "at" region10ct.org)

HOMEWORK EXPECTATIONS:
Homework is assigned almost every night. Most homework is in preparation for class work and so stays as part of the students' notes, which are collected and graded regularly. Most assignments should take 20 - 60 minutes to complete.

CLASS PARTICIPATION is expected on a regular basis.

LABS examine course topics in depth, and if missed, should be made up before the end of that 5 day cycle, usually by arranging with the teacher to participate when a different class has that lab.

EXTRA HELP:
Teachers are available for extra help by appointment almost every day after school, and often when they have study halls and prep periods. Additionally, we encourage email help.

WEB SITE: www.EESciLSM.org
Although internet access at home is not required for this course, it would be very useful. All internet based assignments will allow enough time for students to access the school internet resources during study halls or after school.�

VOCABULARY: Double-click on any non-link word on this page (and on many other site pages) to look up a definition

Course Curriculum Map, Course Planning Info, Site Search

Some (old) Earth Science Links Used in this course

Co-curricular activities related to this course:

The EcoAction Team ----- The Envirothon Team

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Some Other Links
Town of Harwinton Web Site The Official Lewis Mills High School web site. The Lewis Mills Statement of Purpose, an unofficial Lewis Mills HS Email Directory, LSM Program of Studies booklet Science Department section (old), Commentsrelating to this site, the official Town of Harwinton web site, a commercial Town of Harwinton web site, the Town of Burlington official homepage, a commercial Town of Burlington Web site, the Region 10 Strategic (they require Adobe Reader), CAPT Science Test Student Objectives, the Lewis S. Mills National Honors Society Web page, an external site email directory for the Class of 97, links to local papers.

Town of Burlington Web Site, RECYCLING COMMON HOUSEHOLD ALKALINE BATTERIES AND BUTTON BATTERIES

  This site won recognition in December 1997 from Net Tech, and in October, 1998 a DEP Greencircle Award. There are more and more web sites linked to ours, and this site usually ranks pretty high when you search for the topic "environmental earth science".

 
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Go to the EcoAction Team page Go to the Envirothon Team page
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