I finally heard something serious on the radio that was somewhat informative concerning the consequences of global warming. Several scientists have concluded that even if we ended all consumption of fossil fuels the seas will significantly rise primarily because of the expansion of water and less so due to the melting of continental ice caps. However the heating of the oceans and the rise in sea level will not be signficant for another 50 to 100 years. If I can play devil's advocate, aren't we going to use up all the fossil fuel anyway in the next 50 to 100 years?, and will the slower use of fossil fuel have a signficant effect on this process? Finally how does the economic cost of deciding to curtail fossil fuels compare to the economic costs of not doing anything?
David Lauter
George Washington High
>From: "Pinhole Listserv" <pinhole@exploratorium.edu>
>To: "Pinhole Listserv" <pinhole@exploratorium.edu>
>Subject: Pinhole Digest #1707 - 03/19/05
>Date: Sat, 19 Mar 2005 00:20:01 -0700
>
>Pinhole Digest #1707 - Saturday, March 19, 2005
>
> transition
> by "Treena Joi" <tjoi@pvsd.net>
> RE: science activity for the whole school?
> by "Black, Heidi" <BlackH@esuhsd.org>
> wave questions answered
> by "Paul Doherty" <pauld@exploratorium.edu>
>
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Subject: transition
>From: "Treena Joi" <tjoi@pvsd.net>
>Date: Fri, 18 Mar 2005 10:12:43 -0800
>
>In order to get students' attn
>
>I use an ocarina, (clay musical pipe), following finger notation rather
>than musical notation
>
>The music gives students time to finish what they are saying during the
>length of the tune and they enjoy the musical aside
>
>For differentiation, I am hoping to have the musically inclined S
>translate some music for me from conventional notes to the simplistic
>version I rely on (just the finger positions)
>
>A great method for gathering student attention that I observed once
>involved reminding students of non-verbal cues they are familiar with.
>I saw a teacher lead the class like an orchestra, acting like a
>conductor, during a playful exercise.
>He split the students up into thirds based on their seating and led the
>right, left, and middle of the room in a chorus of "yes, no, maybe"
>with just orchestral movements (in the light). After that intro, it
>was easy to quiet the class with just a look or a hand motion
>
>Other techniques that I am picking up from other colleagues:
>-Clap once if you can here me, clap twice, clap three times (that
>usually does it)
>-Intro a 'Quiet coyote-type' hand signal (with an associated shadow
>puppet sort of hand signal) and await student attn as they raise their
>quiet hand signal in response to yours
>-'elbow partner time' is really a great on the fly technique to allow S
>time to speak - talk to your elbow partner is the direction, then
>observe and prompt them on positive social body language and active
>listening
>
>For other major transitions, maybe break up the curriculum with a team
>building exercise, like a group game or puzzle.
>(wait .. I should do that! gotta go)
>
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Subject: RE: science activity for the whole school?
>From: "Black, Heidi" <BlackH@esuhsd.org>
>Date: Fri, 18 Mar 2005 11:25:08 -0800
>
>This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
>
>------_=_NextPart_001_01C52BF0.323EFC6C
>Content-Type: text/plain;
> charset="us-ascii"
>Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
>
>Jennifer, I have been putting out a monthly email "newsletter" I call
>Science@ home <mailto:Science@ home> that is intended to get parents to
>do activities with their kids. I have produced them on the following
>topics: Electricity/magnetism, snowflakes, growing pumpkins, matter,
>fall leaves, flowers, and wind. They are web based, but all include
>hands on. I'll send you any you'd like to see. Before long, they'll be
>on the web.
>=20
>=20
>
>Heidi Strahm Black
>
>Science Fair Coordinator
>
>East Side Union HSD
>
>408-347-6563
>
> I am writing hoping that someone can help me brainstorm an idea
>for a whole school science activity. Our middle school does an activity
>period once a month to help unify the school, give students a common
>experience, and possibly create a little friendly competition. =20
>
>
>------_=_NextPart_001_01C52BF0.323EFC6C
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> charset="us-ascii"
>Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
>
><!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
><HTML dir=3Dltr><HEAD><TITLE>Message</TITLE>
><META http-equiv=3DContent-Type content=3D"text/html; =
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><BODY>
><DIV><SPAN class=3D531311819-18032005><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff =
>
>size=3D2>Jennifer, I have been putting out a monthly email "newsletter" =
>I call=20
></FONT><A href=3D"mailto:Science@ home"><FONT face=3DArial =
>size=3D2>Science@=20
>home</FONT></A><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff =
>size=3D2> </FONT></SPAN><SPAN=20
>class=3D531311819-18032005><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff =
>size=3D2>that is intended=20
>to get parents to do activities with their kids. I have produced =
>them on=20
>the following topics: Electricity/magnetism, snowflakes, growing =
>pumpkins,=20
>matter, fall leaves, flowers, and wind. They are web based, =
>but all=20
>include hands on. I'll send you any you'd like to see. =
>Before long,=20
>they'll be on the web.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
><DIV> </DIV>
><DIV> </DIV>
><DIV class=3DSection1>
><P class=3DMsoNormal><SPAN=20
>style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 22pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Monotype Corsiva'">Heidi Strahm=20
>Black<?xml:namespace prefix =3D o ns =3D =
>"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"=20
>/><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
><P class=3DMsoNormal><SPAN style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: 'Bookman Old =
>Style'">Science Fair=20
>Coordinator<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
><P class=3DMsoNormal><SPAN style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: 'Bookman Old =
>Style'">East Side=20
>Union HSD<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
><P class=3DMsoNormal><SPAN=20
>style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: 'Bookman Old =
>Style'">408-347-6563<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
><P class=3DMsoNormal>
><DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT></DIV><FONT face=3DArial=20
>size=3D2></FONT></P></DIV>
><BLOCKQUOTE dir=3Dltr style=3D"MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I am writing hoping that someone can =
>help me=20
> brainstorm an idea for a whole school science activity. Our =
>middle=20
> school does an activity period once a month to help unify the school, =
>give=20
> students a common experience, and possibly create a =
>little friendly=20
> competition. </FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>
>=00
>------_=_NextPart_001_01C52BF0.323EFC6C--
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Subject: wave questions answered
>From: "Paul Doherty" <pauld@exploratorium.edu>
>Date: Fri, 18 Mar 2005 16:49:41 -0800
>
> Some of the questions that my students have asked are:
>
>
>
>Can you be killed by a sound wave? I haven't found a report of anyone
>killed by a sound wave (although pressure waves have killed people e.g.
>pressure waves from a nuclear blast)
>I'm considering a sound wave as a continuous pressure variation not a
>pulse.The maximum sound intensity in air is about 190 decibels. In a
>sound wave the pressure goes above and below atmospheric pressure. At
>190 decibels the lowest pressure part of the sound wave goes to 0.
>Above 190 dB you get a series of high pressure pulses rather than a
>wave.
>Acording to NASA
>
>• The shuttle produces acoustic levels of about 188 dB on the launch
>platform, 160 dB at the pad perimeter, and 120 dB at the VAB
>
>Sound intensities of 188 decibels have been predicted to be lethal to
>people.
>They are known to kill animals, small animals absorb sound and overheat
>and die. Cells are also disrupted.
>
>At 150 decibels the inner ear is damaged.
>
>Do the little hairs that you lose from loud noises re-grow or are you
>“bald” in the ear canals as you get older?
>
>Humans do not regrow hair cells in the inner ear.
>Recent studies have found that hair cells can be regenerated in animal
>experiments with chickens.
>
>How is it that we lost time off the calendar because of the tsunami?
>
>The surface of the earth changed its radius due to the Indonesian
>earthquake, like a rotating skater throwing out her arms changing the
>position of a mass in a rotating object changes its rate of rotation.
>(Conservation of angular momentum.) The change in rotation rate of the
>earth due to the Indonesian quake has been theoretically predicted but
>not yet experimentally measured. We should see the rotation change
>measured in a few more weeks. It's a tiny change. The change in
>rotation rate of the earth due to winds shifting speed as the seasons
>change is 30 times larger than the predicted change due to the quake.
>
>
>Why is it that some instruments cannot play their fundamental frequency?
>
>There are many complex reasons for this.
>In the corrugated plastic tube whirly which I play, the frequency
>played is proportional to the airspeed. The fundamental is low
>frequency and slowest airspeed. At the slowest airspeed the airflow is
>laminar and produces no noise to be amplified by resonance. At the
>second harmonic the airspeed is faster, the airflow goes turbulent ,
>becomes noisy and the resonance of the tube amplifies the sound. Thus
>the tube plays the second and higher harmonics but not the fundamental.
>
>
>Paul D
>
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>End of Pinhole Digest
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