Climate Webquest

This one is quite simple... take one of the vocab words from the lesson on climate and sift some searches for a solid link which explains your topic -- a webpage or a graphic, even a video. Webpages should be informative and offer direct learning about the topic. Graphics should be clear/high-res and match the topic directly. Videos should be very brief and not frivolous... if you find something that's just plain funny we can see it separately. Leave your results here as a comment and we'll composite them as a "webflow." Do it twice (get a second vocab word). Make your comments like this:

insolation
http://ithacasciencezone.com/earthzone/lessons/07meteor/insolation.htm
Enrico Studenti

Coastal Features Google Earth Quest

Using Google Earth, find 4 Coastal Landforms from our unit (e.g. tombolo, spit, arch, longshore drift, etc.). Use placemarks to locate, label, and describe them. Experiment with scale, tilt, and direction. Find 4 other landforms from our unit (e.g. barchand, cirque, meander, alluvial fan) and"placemark" them, too. Save your eight locations as a .kmz file (one of the menu options) and hand this in to Thielmann's Classwork folder. We'll play the best ones in class!

Found on YouTube

Calving glacier takes out unlucky tourists

The Action of Ice

The embedded video (from youtube) is playing tricks on the screen... here is the original link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U84BbIRDyOA

Cottonwood Island Field Trip feedback

What did you think? I haven't done that field trip before... what could I add next year to increase student involvement? Which of the unit vocab can be seen at Cottonwood Island Park?

Structure Links

As you complete your notes on the Earth's structure and study cards on tectonics, faults & folds, you might find some of these links useful. Surf a few of the links, see if it makes sense, and try the quiz on Plate Tectonics, and the quiz on Faults & Folds.

Let me know by leaving a comment of there are any broken links and which sites you found most useful. Reminder that leaving comments can be another way for you to contribute to class and work on "Social Responsibility."

Plate Tectonics
USGS site on Plate Tectonics
Private (business?) site with great resources
Animation of plate movement
Quia Plate Tectonics quizzes
Position of the continents over time
Diagram of Plate Tectonics
Seafloor spreading
Plate movement in our area
physicalgeography.net on Plate Tectonics

Faults & Folds
PhysGeog Online - Faults/Folds
Fault & Fold Quiz
Dictionary of geologic term
USGS database of faults & folds
PhysGeog Online - Glossary

Earthquakes and Seismic Activity
List of recent earthquakes in Canada
National Geographic earthquake simulator

Vulcanism and Volcanic Activity
National Geographic volcano simulator
Another volcano simulator

New class! Geog 12!

September 2006... welcome back for what will be (for most of you) your last year in high school! This blog is for extending what we do in class, providing a place for links and related ideas, and a chance to discuss or participate where we haven't had time to do so in class.

Field Trip Feedback

(picture coming!) Well... I had fun. Geomorphology & city history at MacMillan Creek, soil & surface analysis at the base of the cutbanks, and local history at Cottonwood Island. What did you think, find, learn or discover? What questions do you still have? Suggestions for next time?

Current Events Activity

What news strikes you as interesting and/or relevant to our course? Find a reputable news source (like the ones listed below, and come up with a one-page (max!) news review which a) identifies the source and title of article, b) highlights the main pionts of the news artcile, c) discusses how or why this article could be used to explore concepts in SS10 (course tie-in), and d) gives your response, reaction, opinion to the article and connected issue. Keep a hard copy of your one-pager in your binder as part of a current events log. Good places to start a current events search include:
Mainstream media:
CBC news
Global Canada news
BBC news (UK)
Guardian news (UK)
New York Times (USA)
Alternate media sources
Z mag news
OneWorld.net
Alternet
Internet news
Google news
Wikipedia front page
Yahoo News

Example Current Events log

SUMMARY
This article explores the issues(s) of dam construction in India. New dam construction at Narmada will force thousands to leave their homes, meanwhile old dams aren't providing the benefits they were supposed to, as the needed irrigation canals were never built. A Supreme Court decision has ordered a stop to dam changes, but it ay be too late. The author explores corruption, politics, greed, ecology, and rights in the context of the dam issue. The interview style allows the author to explain how the problem relates with global issues from a number of angles.

COURSE CONNECTION
Government & Economy Units -- power of people, development Issues, globalization, ecology & environment

RESPONSE
I am amazed at how short-sighted the planners seem to be in this part of India to allow the dam projects to destroy villages and mess with ecological balance for the sake of power and irrigation (which never actually materialized). I would like to think that we have a more rational system in Canada but there are plenty of examples of mega-project blunders, mining operations, dams, and developments (many in BC) which have been a disaster for land-users, Aboriginal peoples, ecological stability, and long-term economic viability. The problem in Narmada makes me cynical about government in general, and distrustful of corporate initiatives. For example, will our provincial government accelerate the lifting of key pieces of land from the ALR to allow development? Relevant past experience says yes... we will lose Agricultural land base, wild places will face more pressure, urban-accessable green space will become user-paid and out of the reach of ordinary citizens. I hope the activits in India can prevent a disaster for the people in Narmada.

Current Events activity

What news strikes you as interesting and/or relevant to our course? Find a reputable news source (like the ones listed below, and come up with a one-page (max!) news review which a) identifies the source and title of article, b) highlights the main pionts of the news artcile, c) discusses how or why this article could be used to explore concepts in SS11 (course tie-in), and d) gives your response, reaction, opinion to the article and connected issue. Keep a hard copy of your one-pager in your binder as part of a current events log. Good places to start a current events search include:
Mainstream media:
CBC news
Global Canada news
BBC news (UK)
Guardian news (UK)
New York Times (USA)
Alternate media sources
Z mag news
OneWorld.net
Alternet
Internet news
Google news
Wikipedia front page
Yahoo News

Scanning Landscapes

After spending many gruelling weeks figuring out landscapes... glacial, river, desert, coastal, etc... what have you learned? Do you think you are better able to "read" what you see around you in the world? Do you feel more connected to the landscapes or knowledgeable about the landforms around Prince George? I am curious to know what you got out of our Forces of Gradation unit.

The CPR

See if you can find out what actually happened to the last spike driven in by Smith at Craigelechie? Leave your "findings" as a comment. If you have some free time... try building your own railway at Railway Line Game

Landforms and You

What are your favorite landforms, the ones with personal connections? do you have a special hill? a riverbank you've fished from? a dune you've tumbled down? a creekbed you've splashed through? a muddy depression you've been stuck in? a beach you've explored? a mountain you've climbed? a cave? an outcrop? a canyon? If you think of a special one, I invite you to share it here.

Current Events Log example

SOURCE
Fury Building Up Across India
Arundhati Roy interviewed by Shoma Chaudhuri
http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?ItemID=10174A
ZNet article on ZMag online

SUMMARY
This article explores the issues(s) of dam construction in India. New dam construction at Narmada will force thousands to leave their homes, meanwhile old dams aren't providing the benefits they were supposed to, as the needed irrigation canals were never built. A Supreme Court decision has ordered a stop to dam changes, but it ay be too late. The author explores corruption, politics, greed, ecology, and rights in the context of the dam issue. The interview style allows the author to explain how the problem relates with global issues from a number of angles.

COURSE CONNECTION
Environment Unit -- Development Issues, globalization, ecology, population

RESPONSE
I am amazed at how short-sighted the planners seem to be in this part of India to allow the dam projects to destroy villages and mess with ecological balance for the sake of power and irrigation (which never actually materialized). I would like to think that we have a more rational system in Canada but there are plenty of examples of mega-project blunders, mining operations, dams, and developments (many in BC) which have been a disaster for land-users, Aboriginal peoples, ecological stability, and long-term economic viability. The problem in Narmada makes me cynical about government in general, and distrustful of corporate initiatives. For example, will our provincial government accelerate the lifting of key pieces of land from the ALR to allow development? Relevant past experience says yes... we will lose Agricultural land base, wild places will face more pressure, urban-accessable green space will become user-paid and out of the reach of ordinary citizens. I hope the activits in India can prevent a disaster for the people in Narmada.

Collage Websearch #2

Spend some time googling the time period from Unit 2 Canada between the Wars (1920 to 1939). Look at fashion, technology, sports, activities. Copy and paste these images as a graphics into a word, appleworks, or fireworks file and build a 8.5x11 collage. When you are done, print off one copy which you can use as a page divider in your binder for Unit 2. Alternately, find a good history webpage that fits the time period and look through their images.

Me & Continental Drift

When I about 9 or 10 years old, I used to look at a globe and wonder why South America and Africa looked like they should fit together jigsaw style. I began to become haunted with questions about the earth, how it's parts realted with one another, began forming maps in my head of structures and places. When I got to high school, but before I made the kinds of friends that got me running around and getting into trouble, I spent a few lonely lunch-hours in the library looking at filmstrips and reading Latin quotations (don't ask me why). I only remember one of the Latin quotes ("difficultatis patrocinia praeteximus seginitae" ...sp?). But, from the filmstrips on continental drift, I learned that some well-known geographers (Wegener, Tuzo Wilson) asked the same questions. I think my interest in the subject was one of the reasons I took Geography at university and one of the reasons I became a teacher. What powerful things motivate you? What things you've picked up along the way will influence your future?

Collage Websearch #1

Spend some time googling the time period from Unit 1 Canada to World War One (1900 to 1920). Look at fashion, technology, sports, activities. Copy and past these images as a graphics into a word, appleworks, or fireworks file and build a 8.5x11 collage. When you are done, print off one copy which you can use as a page divider in you binders for Unit 1. Some keywords might include ww1, fashion, victorian. Alternately, find a good history webpage that fits the time period and look through their images.

New Class!

Check out the history lessons and activites at Usborne's World War One site and type in 358 for a page number

Issues Results

If you are submitting your issues research in a written format, you may choose to leave it here as a comment. Don't forget your name somewhere so we know who's who. If you are submitting as an audio or video file, hand it in on the server's "Classwork" folder (look for Thielmann folder, then Hand-In folder).

Convergence

What do you think of your issues/podcast assignment? You've all written a hundred reports or essays or research summaries before, so I though we could try something different, something which engages yor senses a bit more in the creation process. Also makes it more avaialble for others in the class. I've put an intro podcast up on the course webpage. Do see audio & video casts as a valuable tool for learning about environmental issues?

Gaia

What do you think of Lovelock's Gaia Hypothesis? Read about it HERE if you need to. Do you think the Earth is a living system capable of managing its own survival? Do we have a duty to protect, respect, or restore the earth?

Global Citizens?

We are faced with a world that is very small and very big at the same time. One reason I think it is small is because technology has made everything available to us all the time. I also think that globalization has robbed many communities of their identity, making strip-malls out of towns and turning people into buyers, and threatening the environment. I think it the world is big because all of these changes make it harder for individuals to make meaningful connections to the people and places around them.

One idea tha comes up when we discuss Global Economy is "citizenship" -- What does it take to be a member of society? What does it matter whether Canada is influenced by the US or global culture & economics? Where does personal freedom and social responsibility begin? Do we "owe" anything to Canada?

I invite your comments on these questions or the topics of media awareness, globalization, citizenship, fast-food culture, or challenges to identity.