News: Fires in San Diego County

Follow this link to the Sign On San Diego Breaking News page. You will find 3 articles about some fires that occurred in the San Diego area today, Sunday, April 27. The articles are titled "30 acres burned in Sorrento Valley area", "Fire burning in Sorrento Valley", and "Second Ramona fire extinguished."

Read the articles and then post comments about how these fires have the potential to affect global warming? What other effects do fires like these have (effects on the environment and humans/other animals)? How do fires like these relate to recent weather conditions? If you do not live in the San Diego area, use the Internet to research weather conditions in San Diego for this year. You might want to try looking up rainfall amounts.

Reference

San Diego Union-Tribune (2008). Newsblog: the latest news from the Union-Tribune's newsroom. Retrieved April 27, 2008 from http://weblog.signonsandiego.com/news/breaking/index.html

Lab Activity: Acid and pH Levels

Please view the video demonstration of this lab which can be found at the bottom of the post.

This is an easy lab you can do at home with minimal equipment! You will need some litmus paper or pH paper - you can get that at a teacher supply store or through a company who sells science equipment (such as Delta or Nasco).


If you have time, try to gather samples of rain water or pond water from your area.

Use the litmus or pH paper to measure the pH levels of common substances. This could include lemon juice, tap water, vinegar, soda, and liquid soap.

Create a simple chart on a piece of paper to record your results.


Which substances were most acidic? Most basic?

Reference

Spaulding, N.E. & Namowitz, S.N. (2005). Earth science. Evanston, IL: McDougal Littell.

Lab Video Demonstration:

It's Not Just Raining Cats and Dogs Anymore

Acid Rain

Acid rain is the result of a pollutant such as sulfur dioxide or nitrogen oxide reacting with water vapor in the Earth's atmosphere. This can then fall to the Earth as rain or snow (Spaulding & Namowitz, 2005).

As you may know, acidity is measured using a pH scale. Click here to see a pH scale. On the pH scale, substances are labeled with numbers to tell which are more acidic and which are more basic. The lower numbers mean a substance is more acidic. 7 is neutral, neither acidic or basic. Numbers higher than 7 indicate the substance is more basic (Spaulding & Namowitz, 2005).

Normal rain is just a little acidic - it has a pH of 6. This means it is 10 times more acidic than pure water. Scientists have discovered that acid rain that has fallen in the northeastern United States has a pH between 4 and 5. Since the pH scale is ten-fold, this means acid rain with a pH of 5 is 10 times more acidic than regular rain and the pH 4 acid rain is 100 times more acidic than regular rain or 1,000 times more acidic than neutral pure water (Spaulding & Namowitz, 2005).

Acid rain can damage plants and animals. Most life on Earth is pretty fragile and can only survive within a small range on the pH scale. This is the reason why lakes full of fish die due to acid rain. Acid rain also damages forests since it strips the nutrients from the soil. Remember, trees help absorb pollutants and greenhouse gases which lead to global climate change and acid rain. It is a vicious cycle. Acid rain can also eat away at marble and limestone structures (Spaulding & Namowitz, 2005). Check out these sites which will give you more information on the damaging effects of acid rain.

• The Environmental Protection Agency - Acid Rain
• For younger children, here is the EPA Acid Rain Kids' Page
• US Geological Society - What is Acid Rain? Take a look at the map on this page - which areas of the US have the most acidic rain? Why do you think that is? Please post your thoughts in the "Comments" section.
  
• Jump Start Earth Science - Acid Rain. This page has some photos and diagrams you may be interested in viewing.
• The Environmental Protection Agency - Effects of Acid Rain: Materials. This one has a simple lab experiment which demonstrates how acid rain attacks statues and animal bones.
  

References

Decelles, P. (2002). The pH scale. Retrieved April 24, 2008 from http://staff.jccc.net/PDECELL/chemistry/Phscale.html
Science Master (2008). Environmental effects of acid rain. Jump start earth science. Retrieved April 25, 2008 from http://www.sciencemaster.com/jump/earth/acid_rain.php

Spaulding, N.E. & Namowitz, S.N. (2005). Earth science. Evanston, IL: McDougal Littell.

United States Environmental Protection Agency (2008). Acid rain. Retrieved April 25, 2008 from http://www.epa.gov/acidrain/

United States Environmental Protection Agency (n.d.) Acid rain kids' site. Retrieved April 25, 2008 from http://www.epa.gov/acidrain/education/site_kids/index.htm

United States Environmental Protection Agency (2007). Effects of acid rain: materials. Retrieved April 25, 2008 from http://www.epa.gov/acidrain/effects/materials.html

United States Geological Society (1997). What is acid rain? Retrieved April 25, 2008 from http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/acidrain/2.html

Lab Activity: Temperature Inversion

This activity will show the effects of temperature inversion on pollutants.
If you are a classroom teacher, you could use this lab as a demonstration.
See the video below for an additional demonstration of this lab!

Materials:
1 clear wide-mouthed jar with a lid
1 frozen ice pack (you could also use a sealed bag of ice)
2 sealed zipper bags filled with hot tap water (sandwich size bags)
Duct tape
1 sheet of black paper
1 drinking straw
Matches


Procedure:
1. Tape the black paper to the outside of the jar so that it covers about half of the jar.

2. Place the ice pack on the bottom of the jar and tape the bags of hot water to the mouth of the jar so that the bags hang inside the jar.


3. Cover the jar with the lid and allow the layers of hot and cold air to form inside the jar. This will take about two minutes.


4. Insert the straw into the jar, being careful to keep the lid closed as much as possible. Keep one end of the straw outside the jar.

5. Quickly light two matches, blow them out, and then drop them into the jar through the straw. Observe the smoke from the matches against the jar's black background.

In which part of the jar does the smoke collect or remain? Why do you think this is?
Please submit your answers to the "Comments" section.

Reference

Spaulding, N.E. & Namowitz, S.N. (2005). Earth science. Evanston, IL: McDougal Littell.

Lab Demonstration Video:

It's Getting Harder and Harder to Breathe...

An air pollutant can be defined as an "airborne gas or particle that occurs at a concentration capable of harming humans and/or the environment" (Spaulding & Namowitz, 2005). There are several causes of air pollution including natural causes such as volcanoes. However, it is human activity that creates the pollutants which scientists are most worried about. Modern conveniences such as factories and automobiles spew all kinds of pollutants into the atmosphere. These pollutants can lead to problems such as health problems, acid rain, smog, the depletion of the ozone layer, and global warming (Spaulding & Namowitz, 2005).

The Clean Air Act of 1970 identified the following common air pollutants. Read on to learn about their sources and effects on the environment.

• Carbon monoxide from automobile exhaust. This pollutant reduces the amount of oxygen in the air so it cannot get to body tissues. Carbon monoxide also affects a person's vision and reflexes.
• Nitrogen dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels in power plants and cars. Nitrogen dioxide can irritate lungs. This substance also causes acid rain and smog.
• Sulfur dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels, oil refineries, and volcanoes. Sulfur dioxide irritates the respiratory system and can cause acid rain.
• Particulate matter such as dust, smoke, ash, and soot from factories, paper mills, oil refineries, power plants, and volcanoes. Particulate matter causes respiratory problems and has been linked to certain cancers.
• Lead from smelters and battery plants. Lead can damage the nervous and digestive systems.
• Ozone from the reaction of nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons in the presence of sunlight. Ozone reduces lung function.

Smog
Remember how I posted earlier about the Industrial Revolution in England and all the air pollution it caused since it led to lots of greenhouse gas emissions? Well, the term "smog" was created to describe the mix of smoke and fog that gathered in the air above London in the early 1900s. This smoke and particulate matter (see above) came from factories (Smaulding & Namowitz, 2005).

Today, what we call "smog" is actually photochemical smog. This smog forms in air that is polluted by automobile exhaust. The nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons in automobile emissions mix with radiation from the sun and cause the brown haze. This reaction also creates ozone and other harmful pollutants that can damage the environment and our health. The ozone in smog is also harmful to crops. So you aren't confused, the ozone that results from the pollutants that form smog is a powerful lung irritant while the ozone in the stratosphere is helpful to us since it provides a layer of protection from the sun's ultraviolet radiation (Smaulding & Namowitz, 2005).

Temperature inversion can also occur when smog is present. I'll post an interesting lab you can complete in the next blog entry. For now, here is some background information on temperature inversion.
Conditions in the atmosphere cause smog to be more or less severe. What usually happens is that the warm air that hovers near the Earth's surface mixes with the cooler air from higher above the Earth. This helps dilute the pollutants making the smog less severe. However, sometimes the air near the Earth's surface is cooler than the air above so convection does not occur and the air is not able to mix. This is what scientists refer to as temperature inversion. As you may have guessed, this causes more severe smog since the pollutants are not diluted. In this case, the warm air above is a sort of lid that traps the pollutants close to the ground which allows the smog to rise to dangerous levels (Spaulding & Namowitz, 2005).


The photo above shows temperature inversion (Wikipedia, 2005).

References

ClassroomClipart.com (n.d.). Smog clipart. Retrieved April 24, 2008 from http://classroomclipart.com/cgi-bin/kids/imageFolio.cgi?direct=Science/Environment&img=0

Spaulding, N.E. & Namowitz, S.N. (2005). Earth science. Evanston, IL: McDougal Littell.

Wikipedia (2005). Temperature inversion photo. Retrieved April 24, 2008 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Sha1993_smog_wkpd.jpg

Effects of Global Warming

While most models show that global warming is occurring, and will continue, it is difficult for scientists to predict to what extent as well as to predict the effects. Evidence shows these as possible effects:

• Rising sea levels due to melting polar ice caps.
• Increasing frequency and severity of storms and hurricanes.
• More frequent heat waves and droughts.
• Relocation of major crop-growing areas.

Activity: Now you get to practice thinking like a scientist! As stated above, the precise causes and effects of global warming or climate change still puzzle scientists. Due to this uncertainty, some governments are choosing to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, while some are resisting action to reduce emissions. What do you think are the benefits of reducing greenhouse gas emissions? What do you think are some risks of not reducing such emissions? Please post your ideas in the "Comments" section.

Reference

Spaulding, N.E. & Namowitz, S.N. (2005). Earth science. Evanston, IL: McDougal Littell.

Lab Activity: Observing Greenhouse Gases

Please be sure to check out the video demonstration of this blog below!

This lab is suitable for high school students.

Objectives for this lab:

• Model the greenhouse effect.
• Graph and compare the effectiveness of different naturally occurring greenhouse gases.

Materials:

• 3 1-quart glass jars
• 3 Celsius thermometers (available at teaching supply stores such as A-Plus or science supply vendors such as Nasco or Delta).
  
• Masking tape
• Marker
• Oven mitts
• Lab apron
• Dry ice (you can often find this at the grocery store)
• Tongs
• Steam (boil some water to get steam)
• Colored pencils
• Graph paper

Background information: The glass windows of a greenhouse allow light and heat from the sun to enter but do not allow infrared radiation to leave. This trapped radiation causes the air in the greenhouse to heat up. The greenhouse effect gets its name because the gases in the Earth's atmosphere are like the windows of the greenhouse. They trap or absorb the infrared radiation from the sun rather than allowing it to escape into space. Some gases are able to absorb more radiation than others and the greenhouse gases are especially good at absorbing it. In this lab, you will have the opportunity to work with three different gases - water vapor, air, and carbon dioxide. In this lab you will compare these gases to find out which one is the most effective greenhouse gas.

**Safety Notes:

• You should always use dry ice in a well-ventilated area. Since this is a lab you will complete at home, it is a good idea to complete this lab outside.
• Wear your apron and have oven mitts ready. Do not handle dry ice with your bare hands.
  

Lab Procedure:

1. Use the masking tape and a marker to label the three jars with the following: Air, Carbon dioxide, and Water vapor.
2. Tape a thermometer to each jar lid so the thermometer's bulb hangs suspended in the jar.
3. Leave the jar labeled Air open for a few moments and then seal the jar.
4. Put on your apron and oven mitts. Wear oven mitts when handling the jars labeled Carbon dioxide and Water vapor.
5. Drop a piece of dry ice (remember, do not touch this with your bare hands) into the jar labeled Carbon dioxide. The dry ice will sublimate (change from a solid to a gas with no liquid phase in between). Once all the dry ice has sublimated, seal the jar.
6. Hold the jar labeled Water vapor upside down over boiling water. Once steam has filled the jar, seal the jar.
7. Once all the jars are sealed, use a copy of the data table shown below to record the starting temperature of each jar.
8. Move the jars into direct sunlight. Record the temperature of each jar every 5 minutes for the next 30 minutes.
9. Move the jars into shade, away from any heat sources, and record the temperature of each jar every 5 minutes for an additional 30 minutes.
10. Use graph paper to graph your results with "Time (minutes)" on the x-axis and "Temperature (C)" on the y-axis. Use a different colored pencil for each jar

Analysis and Conclusions:
Feel free to use the "Comments" section to post your answers to these questions.

1. Which jar heated up the most in the sunlight? Which jar heated up the least?
2. To calculate the rate of cooling, subtract the final temperature from the temperature recorded for each jar just before it was moved into the shade; then divide by the number of minutes the jar cooled (30). Calculate the rate of cooling for each jar. Which jar cooled most quickly? Least quickly? How do these compare with your answers to Question 1?
3. Imagine an ideal greenhouse gas. How would it behave in terms of maximum temperature and rate of cooling? From your answers to Questions 1 and 2, identify the most effective greenhouse gas among the gases you tested.
   
4. Brainstorm ways that humans affect the amount of each gas that you studied in the atmosphere. Try to identify human activities that contribute to the increase of these gases in the atmosphere.
5. Brainstorm ways humans can decrease the amount of the greenhouse gas you identified in Question 3 that is released into the atmosphere.
6. What other gases in the atmosphere can you think of that might influence the greenhouse effect? How common are these gases? How might you collect them in jars for experimentation?
7. Describe what you think Earth might be like if the greenhouse gas did not exist. Describe what you think the Earth would be like if the greenhouse effect were much greater than it is today. Explain your answers.

Visit this website to learn more about greenhouse gases: ClassZone.

Reference:
Spaulding, N.E. and Namowitz, S.N. (2005). Earth Science. Evanston, IL: McDougal Littell.

Video Part 1:



Video Part 2:




Thank you! A huge thank you to my husband for playing "director" and video-taping this lab for us.

Let's Make Every Day Earth Day!

Happy Earth Day!

As I've mentioned previously, we don't have to limit our efforts to help the planet on just one day each year! It's easy to find things we can do to make a difference everyday. The important thing to remember is that you shouldn't feel like you have to fix everything. Nobody could do that. :) Start small - pick a few things and work on those. Once you have those as part of your routine, you can start adding new things.
Don't forget to encourage your parents and friends to help you out!

Simple things you can do everyday:
*Recycle - recycling is one of the simplest things you can do. Many things can be recycled but be sure to check that facilities exist in your area (your parents can help with this). Common things that should go in the recycle bin instead of the trash can include newspapers, aluminum cans, tin cans (soup, tuna, bean, etc. cans), and glass bottles. Plastics can be tricky so you may need to do some research to check the plastics you have are actually recyclable.


*Turn off lights, the TV, the stereo, and your computer when you are not using them. My husband really needs to work on this! Do you have any tips on how I can teach him? :)

*Ask your parents to use cold water when they run the washing machine. Also, when you're filling the dishwasher, make sure you have a full load before turning it on.

*Clean out your closet. Rather than throwing your old clothes away, donate the ones that are in decent condition to a local thrift shop or charity.

*Help save water - take shorter showers, turn off the faucet when you brush your teeth or lather your hands/face, and flush the toilet less often.

*Help pull weeds rather than spraying pesticides. This is also a great way to get some exercise (just be sure to wear plenty of sunscreen!)

*Walk or ride your bike instead of driving or asking your parents for a ride. Here's another good source of exercise!

*Ask your family or friends to help you clean up trash in a local park.

*Plant shrubs or trees in your backyard. Remember, trees help absorb greenhouse gases and other pollutants!

*Encourage your parents to use cloth bags at the grocery store. If they absolutely have to use plastic bags, ask them to re-use them (they can line small trash cans, you can use them to carry lunch to school, etc.)

*Use both sides of your paper.

*If you drink soda, snip the plastic 6-pack holders since these can harm animals.

Links:

• Justgive.org
• Environmental Protection Agency - Earth Day Network
• PBS Kids - How You Can Help
• Pew Center Global Climate Change

Activity:
Please use the Comments section to write some of your own ideas for simple things you can do to help make a difference.

Earth Day - April 22

Tomorrow, April 22, is Earth Day.
Earth Day began 38 years ago in 1970. It was founded by Senator Gaylord Nelson from Wisconsin who, in 1969, decided there needed to be a special day set aside to teach people about the state of the planet and some changes that needed to be made to preserve the Earth (Time for Kids, 2007).

The first Earth Day in 1970 led to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Protection Acts (Earth Day Network, n.d.)

Here are some interesting websites so you can learn more about this celebration of the Earth.

• Time For Kids - Earth Day Special
• Earth Day Network - Education Page/Teacher Corner
• The US Government's Earth Day for Kids Page (lots of cool links!)
• Kaboose - Earth Day crafts, games, and other activities
• Teacher Created Materials - Earth Day activities

But remember, we can (and should) celebrate the Earth every day! Find out how you can make a difference by reading the Let's Make Every Day Earth Day! post.

Some books you may enjoy: The Lorax by Dr. Seuss and The Great Kapok Tree by Lynne Cherry.

References

Earth Day Network (n.d.). Education. Retrieved April 21, 2008 from http://ww2.earthday.net/~earthday/node/12

Time for Kids (2007). Earth day. Retrieved April 21, 2008 from http://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/specials/articles/0,6709,611516,00.html

Human Impact and Climate Change

Unfortunately, humans have really taken our planet home for granted and our actions have really taken a toll. Students, ask your parents about leaded gasoline and aerosol hairspray cans that contained CFCs. Those are two things I remember from my childhood that were phased out due to the negative impact on the environment.

I'm sure you have all heard about the Industrial Revolution which began in England in the 18th-century. All those factories were great for manufacturing things quickly but where do you think all that smoke ended up? Fossil fuel burning as well as changes in the way we use land have been a large factor in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Remember, carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas which contributes to the greenhouse effect. Carbon dioxide levels in the earth's atmosphere have been increasing since the Industrial Revolution. I did some research and found out that 80% of the increase in carbon dioxide has occurred since 1900 (American Institute of Physics, 2008). The same article from the American Institute of Physics (2008) stated that all these carbon dioxide molecules that are floating around heating up the earth (remember, that can be good and bad), could be up there for hundreds to thousands of years. That's a really long time!

How many of you like trees? Trees are great, right? Sure, they sometimes drop those prickly seed pods on your head and, if you live in certain areas, create a mess of leaves that you have to rake but for the most part people like trees. They create shade, are pretty to look at (especially the flowering ones), and sometimes give fruit. Did you know trees can also help the environment? It's true! Trees actually help remove carbon dioxide and other pollutants from the atmosphere. See this article from Kathleen Alexander (n.d.) on the benefits of trees. Ms. Alexander shows how trees are constantly working to help clean up the air we breathe and help prevent the negative impacts of the greenhouse effect. Even though Ms. Alexander's article is about trees in urban parts of Colorado, those benefits of trees really do apply to the whole world.

Sadly, some people just don't share our respect and love for trees. Oftentimes, trees have to be removed to make way for new homes or places to raise cattle. This removal of trees is referred to as deforestation. Reasons for deforestation include the demand for fuel, wood and paper products, the need for land to use for cattle ranching and other farming projects, mining, and road construction (British Broadcasting Corporation, 2005). The BBC (2005) website went into more detail about these reasons. Here are some interesting, but alarming, facts:

• Half of the world's trees are cut down as fuel since no alternatives are available in developing countries. Unfortunately, these trees are not re-planted.
• Huge areas of rainforest must be cleared to make room for cattle ranches that support only a few hundred cows. This space is cleared by cutting down the trees and then burning them (which also releases carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere). Grass is grown on the cleared area and cattle graze until they are slaughtered for meat. The soil that remains is poor so the area can only be used for a short time before another section of forest must be cleared.
• As the world's population increases, so does the need for land. Forests are cleared to support increased needs for farming and homes.

Deforestation means fewer trees. I mentioned above that trees help absorb carbon dioxide. So, fewer trees means more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. This leads to increased greenhouse gas concentrations which then lead to global warming. Do you see how it all fits together?

Check out the BBC website for more information on deforestation.

References

Alexander, K. (n.d.). Benefits of trees in urban areas. Retrieved April 21, 2008 from http://www.coloradotrees.org/benefits.htm#carbon

American Institute of Physics (2008). Statement on human impacts on climate change. Retrieved April 21, 2008 from http://www.aip.org/gov/policy12.html

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (2005). Deforestation and the greenhouse effect. Retrieved April 21, 2008 from http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A3556848

Tree photos from Classroom Clip Art.

Causes of Climate Change

You may have heard of something that is referred to as "the greenhouse effect." The greenhouse effect is a natural process that helps the Earth warm its surface and atmosphere. According to Pidwirny (2008), the greenhouse effect occurs when greenhouse gases (such as carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane, chlorofluorocarbons [CFC's], and ozone) as well as water vapor absorb longwave, or infrared, radiation which is emitted from the Earth's surface.
The greenhouse effect is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, without it, life on Earth would probably not exist. Without the greenhouse effect, the temperature on Earth would average -18 degrees Celsius which is approximately -0.4 degrees Fahrenheit! Brrrr! The average temperature of the Earth currently is 15 degrees Celsius or 59 degrees Fahrenheit (Pidwirny, 2008).So, if the greenhouse effect is actually beneficial, how did it get such a bad reputation?
Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere have increased since the Industrial Revolution. Scientists predict that this increase will cause the greenhouse effect to be enhanced which will lead to the temperature on Earth to become warmer (Pidwirny, 2008). Pidwirny (2008) also pointed out that a doubling of the concentration of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide could cause an increase in temperature of 1-3 degrees Celsius (33.8-37.4 degrees Fahrenheit). This may not seem like much but even a small amount of warming could be devastating to the Earth.
The increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is due primarily to human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation (Spaulding & Namowitz, 2005). Read more about this in the post "Human Impact & Climate Change."
Watch this video from the Environmental Protection Agency (2006) which shows how the greenhouse effect probably contributes to global warming. **This video is from the EPA Kids' website so it is suitable for all ages.**

References:
Environmental Protection Agency (2006). The global warming movie. Retrieved April 20, 2008 from http://epa.gov/climatechange/kids/global_warming_version2.html

Pidwirny, M. PhD. (2008). Fundamentals of physical geography (2nd edition eBook). Retrieved April 20, 2008 from
http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/contents.html

Spaulding, N.E. & Namowitz, S.N. (2005). Earth science. Evanston, IL: McDougal Littell.

So, what's all this "Global Warming" talk about, anyway?

*The Merriam-Webster dictionary (1969) defined global warming as a noun meaning "an increase in the earth's atmospheric and oceanic temperatures widely predicted to occur due to an increase in the greenhouse effect resulting especially from pollution."

*The Time for Change website (n.d.) defined global warming as: "the observed and projected increases in the average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans."

Check out these graphs from the Time for Change (n.d.) website. They are great visuals of just how much the earth has warmed up in recent years!

Recently, there has been a switch from referring to this phenomena as "global warming" to referring to it as "global climate change."

References

Merriam-Webster (1969). Global warming definition. Retrieved April 20, 2008 from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/global+warming

Time for Change (n.d.). Definition for global warming: What is global warming? Retrieved April 20, 2008 from http://timeforchange.org/definition-for-global-warming-what-is-global-warming

Why a Global Warming Blog?

I started this blog to fulfill a requirement for my EDT 660 (multimedia and interactive technologies) course that I'm taking for my Master's degree.
The assignment I chose was to create a multimedia project (using video, audio, text, still visuals, etc.) that provides instructions to complete an at-home science experiment that could supplement a unit on global warming and weather patterns. The lab project was to be aimed at middle- or high school students with diverse learning styles.

I chose this project from the list because it is perfect for me! Science has always been one of my favorite subjects; I work with students who are home-schooled (an at-home lab is perfect for them); and I've been conscious of the issues with the environment since I was in elementary school so a project on global warming is right up my alley. :)

Rather than simply make a video or a PowerPoint presentation about this experiment, I decided to create a blog. While the other formats would have worked wonderfully, I wanted an easy way to share this experience with my students as well as students from around the world who stumble upon this blog. This method of delivery will also allow me to provide background information on topics such as global warming and climate change, the human impact on the earth, and simple things anyone can do to help reduce that impact. The blog format also allows me to link to other sites and to receive comments from those who stop by. I love feedback so please feel free to let me know what you think!

Enjoy and happy learning! :)