Mr. Kuster

2/14/12
We are currently starting the DYNAMIC EARTH UNIT... Plate Tectonics... Earthquakes, Volcanos, Mountain Building etc.

This Dynamic Earth ~ this is an outstanding resource from the US Geologic Survey regarding the topic of Plate Tectonics and its consequence... USE IT!

For tonight... the students were given an article about Continental Drift and the work of Alfred Wegener... they should be reading / rereading that article tonight and try to make useful outline with the essay's subtopics as SUBHEADINGS... I've asked them to come in with at least 1 side of paper... could be up to two...

1/17/12
We have a Mineral and Rock Unit test on WEDNESDAY 1/18... this was announced in class a while back... students should review practice questions at various internet sites...

12/20
In class: continued our discussion and review of IGNEOUS ROCK...
went over INTERNET LAB ~ ES 0603~ Four Igneous Rocks
hwmk:
wksht ~ % of mineral composition in igneous rocks... using the ESRT to determine mineral composition...
FINISH LAB...
BOTH WILL BE checked on WED.

NOTE
THURSDAY ~ QUIZ ~ Regents Questions ~ Minerals and IGNEOUS rock.

12/16
In class ~ Introduction of Rocks... up to IGNEOUS ROCK
homework:
Re read chapter 4 and DO Chapter Review CRITICAL THINKING ALL

READ Chapter 5 IGNEOUS ROCKS… DO 6 of 8 in TOPIC REVIEW pg 68
Resources:

McGuire ~ Formation of Rocks
Igneous Rock Formation NOTES and LINKS

WebGeology ~ Rocks ~ Learning Module
WebGeology ~ Magmatic (IGNEOUS) and Volcanic Rock ~ Learning Module

Regents Review Video... Mineral / ROCK ID

12/12
In class:
Continued our discussion of MINERALS... specifically the "Blood Minerals" READING and GROUP WORK.
Handed back the MINERAL AA.
We reviewed the practice questions that were issued for homework as well.

Hmwk:
RE-read chapter 3 and 4... What questions do you have regarding the nature of minerals? Write them down and ask me tomorrow.

Complete the WORKSHEET ~ Minerals and the Earth Science Reference Table...

Make sure you understand the material that is presented in the ESRT regarding minerals... most of the exam questions are based on pages 1 and 16!

References:
McGuire ~ MINERALS
McGuire ~ Formation of Rocks
McGuire ~ Managing Natural Resources

Preparing for an exam:

Mr. Charles Burrows ~ test prep site.
12/7
In class:
Finish Landscape Discussion... review of homework
Introduction to Minerals ~
WEBGEOLOGY ~ Minerals concentrate on REVIEW of concepts ... don't try to memorize... look at the differenent structures and THINK about the interactions of the ATOMS of different minerals...
12/6
Review of LANDSCAPE concepts w/ packets...
Hwmk ~ re-read and re-evaluate answers from the previous assignment (ODDS of packets...)
12/5

UNIT III TEST ~ Weathering and Erosion

Hmwk: Introduction to Landscapes... McGuire Chapter 15 and Review Packet

SUPPLEMENT...
"Mr Wing" Earth Science ~ Looks like an awesome reference... use it!
12/1

McGuire ~ Oceans and Coastal Processes
McGuire ~ Landscapes

11/22
McGuire ~ Chapter 14 ~ Glaciers

11/14
McGuire ~ Chapter 13 ~ Groundwater

11/10
Links for exploration of Erosion and Deposition
Mass Movement ~ Learning Module
Weathering and Erosion ~ overview
Groundwater
Riverflood ~ Learning Module
Flood Clip ~ Video
Glaciers ~ Learning Module
Documenting Glacial Change
Shoreline Erosion ~ Learning Module

Teacher Domain: Grand Canyon Video

Starting Weathering and Erosion UNIT...

Here are some Textbook chapters to read and study.

McGuire Text ~ C 10 ~ Weathering and Soils
McGuire Text ~ Erosion and Deposition
McGuire Text ~ C 12 ~ River Systems

Wednesday, 10/26
We continue to work on topographic mapping.

hmwk:
Do Unit TEST 1 from 2008 for practice for FRIDAY's UNIT TEST...
here are the answers...
2008-Unit-I-TEST-Answer-sheet-for-use-as-prep.pdf

Thursday, 10/20

Hmwk:
Use topographic practice packets distributed in class today. DO the 1st two diagrams... ALL questions EXCEPT for Profiles...
THEN... write 2 original questions related to the map and answer them ~ FOR EACH of the two maps...
BRING to class on FRIDAY.

REVIEW your LAT / LONG and TIME QUIZZES... bring questions...

Tuesday, 10/18/11
hwmk:
McGuire Chapter 2 and 3 Chapter Review ODDS ONLY on separate sheet...

McGuire: Chapter 2 ~ The Earth's Dimensions and Navigation
McGuire ~ chapter 3 ~ Mapping

ALSO... prepare for AA / QUIZ on Navigation and TIME ZONES (McGuire ~ chapter 2)

Thursday, 10/13
Students have been working on their LATITUDE and LONGITUDE LAB the last few days.
Homework tonight was to review what they have been doing and spend 20-30 minutes reading the textbook or other resources to learn about TIME ZONES...

wouldn't you know it... I just located (here at 6:29 PM on Thursday) the following link from the BBC... looks FUN! check it out! BBC News: Time Zones Interactive
Brittanica.com ~ Clockworks (all about TIME)
Interactive Time Zone Map

Tuesday, 10/11
Students worked on ACTIVE READING of Latitude and Longitude LAB...
Hmwk:
Make sure that you lab has ALL "ACTIVE READING" done... for tomorrow... there will be a sub... Mr. Kuster will be at the District Science Council Meeting all day.
Here is a link that might help... you may want to explore the LINKS on the page after reading...

USGS ~ National Atlas ~ Latitude and Longitude

McGuire: Chapter 2 ~ The Earth's Dimensions and Navigation

Friday, 10/7
Today we introduced Latitude and Longtitude

Hmwk:
Students were given a sheet that has landmark coordinates for NYS.
They are to identify the landmarks using the coordinates and then PLOT them accurately on the grid on the backside of the sheet.

Background:
Here are two textbook chapters for the text that Ms. Dicorcia uses... it will provide a good overview and extra review questions for interested students.

McGuire: Chapter 1 ~ The Science of Earth Science
McGuire: Chapter 2 ~ The Earth's Dimensions and Navigation

Wednesday, 10/5
In class today we introduced the material in Chapter 7 of the Textbook... we will be doing Latitude/Longitude, Map Construction and Topopgraphic Mapping for the next 10 days or so...
Hmwk:
I asked the students to work for 1/2 hour reviewing an ONLINE LAB at classzone.com regarding the usefulness of differences in Latitude and Longitude when interpreting data...

Background:

Interactive Tutorial for Latitude and Longitude... very good! (Needs "Flash" to work)

Tuesday, 9/27
Hmwk:
Read and complete an ACTIVE READING exercise on the Packet given in class today about Changes in the Environment...

Wednesday, 9/14/2011
In class today... we reviewed the use of measuring equiptment needed to compete the density lab... we also took notes on the nature of density...

Hmwk:
Complete the Regents exam practice questions related to density 1-13
Complete page 1 and 2 of the Density wkst and the 2nd page graph...

Fr 9/10/2011
In class:

Discussion of Ob / Inf homework... self correcting work
Introduction of CLASSZONE website and the first lab...

Hmwk:

Use your computer to explore ES 0103 ~ The Earth System investigation. READ the material presented CAREFULLY and complete the questions on your sheet.
I am requiring 30 min of effort... if you want to do more, feel free.

GREAT 1st few days! Enjoy the weekend... the weather is supposed to be nice!

Th 9/9/2010
In class:

Introduction of Course... and the 1st concepts...
Observations, Instruments and Inferences

1st Lab...

"Milk and Soap" Lab

Homework:

Read handout with definitions of Ob / Inf... and answer the 10 questions that follow...
READ CAREFULLY the 2nd handout regarding the nature of science and the scientific method. You should be UNDERLINING the KEY CONCEPTS and CIRCLING the UNKNOWN WORDS... we will be discussing this throughout the next few days.

W 9/8/2010

In class: