Saturday, 12/31! GRAIL reaches the moon, hopefully!

Happy New Years, almost!! Today, in about 15 minutes, actually, Grail A will make its burn to insert into orbit around the moon! Grail B will enter orbit at a little after 5 pm tomorrow.

I hope all of you have had a wonderful vacation. Don't forget that your Long Term Observation journal is due for the first check on January 11th. I will be looking for, at the minimum, your original proposal, a blank site map, and 3 observation sheets (completed with all biotic and abiotic information). I won't collect it. There only needs to be one Notebook for 2 team members.

Saturday, 12/24

Happy holidays all!!! Here's for a wonderful 2012 for us all! Remember, you need to have done 3 observations by January 11th! In your notebook, or section of one, you need to have at least 3 observation site-maps completed, a copy of your proposal and a blank site-map.

Sunday, 12/18 During the Pats-Denver game!

Wow, what a game!! By this time, all students are to have had their conference with Ms. Bowen and handed in their contracts and site maps in for copying. Some hadn't had a parent/guardian signature and will be bringing them in tomorrow for partial credit. Students have 9 weeks to make at least 6 observations.

The first checkpoint will be January 11th. At that time, students should have their notebook with at least 3 observation sheets, a copy of their proposal and site map. Don't forget to take photos, specimens, sketches, videos, etc!

Friday, 12/16/11

Go to one of the following sites and choose an article to share with the class. In your Noteshare journal, time stamp, write your source in MLA standards (title, date, etc.) and write a synopsis of the article and why you feel it is important to the field of astrobiology. You will be sharing your article with the class on Monday.

You are not to share with anyone else in class.

The websites are on the board.

Wednesday, 12/14

Tomorrow, the proposals, signed by student and parent/guardian are due. I will make copies for student Observation Journals and will keep a copy. The site-map is also due (in color) tomorrow. I will make 10 copies in color for each student or team of 2 for use for the observations. The deadline for both the signed proposal and site-map is Friday (for full credit). Students MUST conference with me before beginning their observations!

For an excellent free resource (if you have a smart phone) is an app "Backyard Scat & Tracks" I've also added some links for help in identifying tracks, scat, and burrows for use in the observations.

Tuesday, 12/13/11

Students had a little practice in choosing a site and making a site-map. They have a planning calendar so they can make sure they complete 6 observations within the 9-10 week period. We will begin the conferences only after students have talked with their parent/s/guardian/s. They will also need to produce a site-map for their observations. They need to turn in a color site-map with their proposal. I will make copies of the site-map so that they don't have to repeat this process every time they observe.

Sunday, 12/11

Wow! Can't believe that Pats game!! This week we will be preparing for our Long-Term Observations. Students will be working either alone or with one other student. This will take place over about 10 weeks. We will go on with other work in the course, but students will do observations at their site once a week and will be required to do at least six good observations within that time period.

Students will learn about observation techniques, qualitative vs quantitative, and biotic vs abiotic observations. Students will submit proposals for their study sites to be signed by students, parent/guardians and by Ms. Bowen. They will also produce a detailed site-map!

Wednesday, 12/7

Students are presenting their Ultimate Carbon Road Trip projects in class. They have had a lot of in-class time to complete these projects. I have some students who "weren't ready" for their presentation today. I will be issuing detentions tomorrow to some of these students who, obviously need "more time" to work on their projects. The detention will be Friday after school until 4 pm. If they present tomorrow in class, they will just lose the points for being a day late and, in that case, they can tear up the detentions.

Monday, 12-5

The Ultimate Carbon Road Trip presentations will begin on Wednesday (for periods 1 and 2) and Thursday (for periods 5 and 6). Students have had a lot of in-class time to work on this project and I'm excited to see their projects! The required items are on this blog!

Friday, 11-18 LUKE IS HERE!!!

Luke finally arrived! I can't believe he's here! I'll see if I can get another picture on. Life is good!!! :)

Monday, 11/14 (No Luke!)

You will need to describe what you found. Two students found olivine in their micrometeorites. Describe and attempt to classify your micrometeorites in your research journal. Include photos with your descriptions.

Sunday, 11/13 (and still, no LUKE!)

Remember to dress for going outside for micrometeorite collection! See you then!

Thursday, 11/10 Still no Luke!!

Today, student research groups read about 3 methods of micrometeorite collection (Activity 1 of Chapter 3) We have a unique opportunity to collect material from BEYOND our solar system as we are between 2 major meteor showers, the Taurids and the Leonids! We will be passing through the tail of a comet! The Taurids were last week, but the Leonids will be between the 16th and 18th. Students are planning to put some kind of pie pan out in the yards of their homes (the book suggests an aluminum pan, but a pie pan or other clean pan will do just fine.) Of course, this needs to be out of the wind and away from pets! :) We will collect during class on Monday as well, so all students should bring something warm to wear as we will be outside and I think the weather will be cooler than it's been! Have a great 3 day weekend!

Sunday, 11/6 (Patriots lost and NO LUKE!!)

The Location, Location, Location projects are due for presentation on Tuesday, 11/8. Students will have the whole period Monday to work on projects.

Wednesday, 11/3

Today, we classified stars by their brightness and temperature. This is called the HR-Diagram! We are working on our Chapter 2 challenge; "Location, Location, Location!" These are due on Tuesday of next week 11/9. On Friday, we will check out our Winogradsky Columns, looking for signs of life!

Sunday, 10/30 (no Luke, yet!!)

The star projects continue tomorrow. I'm hoping that students who said they had nothing for a project after so much in-class time, have their projects ready. A 0 will not be good for the grade and it will be difficult to recoup the grade so close to the end of the quarter!

Friday, 10/21

Star projects are due next Tuesday, 10/25. On Tuesday, students will insert their presentations into their Noteshare Journal. Presentations will begin on Wednesday!

Don't forget to set your vcr for "Finding Life Beyond Earth"Sunday morning at 9:30 am. This is a NOVA production and is on the PBS channel.

Does anyone out there know how to burn or tape this show?

Have a great weekend!

Tuesday, 10/18

We're testing now, but students are working on their High Mass/Low Mass Star projects. They have chosen one or the other or both! They are doing everything from iMovies, keynotes, posters, models, skits, songs, flip-books, and comic strips to present to the class. These projects are due on Tuesday.

Wednesday, 10/5

Today, we assembled our Winogradsky Columns (a classroom size "microbial mat.") We will study this column and document life found in them for the school year!" You can click on the Winogradsky Column to see what will be in the layers in about 3 weeks.

Sunday, 10/2 (During the Pats game!)

Remember, your research group's mud is due on Tuesday along with your 1-liter bottle! We will assemble our Winogradsky Columns on Wednesday. Make sure to bring clothes that you might get a little dirty. You might want to bring something to mix your mud, newspaper, and sulfur in.

Friday, 9/30

Don't forget, the mud is due on Tuesday. You should bring in about 3 cups with about a cup of water from the same site. Only 1 member of your group needs to bring in the mud and water.

The assembly day is Wednesday. Someone in your group needs to bring some shredded newspaper. I don't take the paper and I don't have a shredder! Also, whoever is doing the assembly for your group needs to bring a shirt, apron or something as you could get some dirt on you!

PS I've added my trained fish for your viewing pleasure, you can feed them!

Thursday, 9/29

In our next chapter, we will be working with the solar system. A good source of information about the planets is in the appendix of the textbook. An even more recent source of information can be found at http://nineplanets.org. You can get to this site by clicking on the solar system (either to the right or lower in this page).

Wednesday, 8/28

Today, you are going to get with your research group (5 to 6 students) and decide who is bringing the mud, the container, the 1-liter bottle, etc.

You will need 3-4 cups of mud. This can be salt water mud or fresh water mud. We want it nice and gooey! You will also need about 1-cup of the water from the area you chose.

You will put down the latitude and longitude of the place where you got the mud. This is a good time for Google Earth (you can take a screenshot of your mud location.

We will be adding things that are needed for life (calcium, carbon, sulfur, etc) and will then place in the window or under the plant light to research during this school year.

Let's aim for either Monday or Tuesday of next week. We only need one bottle per group.

TUESDAY, 5/27

Today, we are applying the Drake Equation. We will watch a few little videos and then will do the equation in groups of 4. To help you understand and for a site that does the math for you, click on the 1st photo of Frank Drake at the podium!

There is no right or wrong answer, but this equation (from 1981) is a place to start! You need to include the formula (inserted into your Noteshare journals and then the answer for your group! Each member needs to insert this!

Monday, 9/26

For tomorrow, you will first learn about the Drake Equation and then will apply it. The number you come up with may be a very small one! That's ok, there isn't a right or wrong answer. It is just a place to start.

Time stamp your Noteshare journal and write down the number your group came up with.

After you watch the video about the most important photo ever taken and the Carl Sagan video do you think your number would go up or down?

Thursday, 9/1

Today was the first full day of classes. I'm looking forward to this year! Next Wednesday is the launch of GRAIL! This is the mission that we'll be working with to photograph the moon from 2 satellites in orbit around Earth's moon, 30 miles above the surface!

Wednesday, 8/9

Hope you all are enjoying the summer! Keep your eyes peeled to the skies for the Perseid Meteorite showers! You might see more on the 9th and 10th at dawn as there will be a full moon! See you soon!

Wednesday, 6/1

Hi all and welcome to Team Chebeague and the wonderful world of Astrobiology. I'm very excited to begin this school year, my last at BJHS! Have a super summer and check in occasionally to check out my blog with any space news, etc.

See you in August!

Ms. Bowen

Astrobiology 2011-12