Week 4

Module IV

Explain: 

     I have to admit that learning about the origins of the Smoot unit of measure was fun.  I look forward to sharing it with my students.  You never know what impact a moment (or prank) can have… including being forever included as a unit of measure in Google Earth.  I enjoyed comparing  the distance from our home in WY to our home in AK ~ 2,280.34 miles as compared to 2,156,454.06 smoots. 

Wyoming to Alaska (Google Earth)

     I also noted a unit of measure in Google Earth entitled an Arcsecond… which led to further exploration.  The distance in Arcseconds (which is a unit of measure in degrees) from home to home is 118,813.45.  In case you are interested in finding out more about Arcsecond, here is a quick summary table.    

Unit	Value
Degree	1/360 circle
Arcminute	1/60 degree
Arcsecond	1/60 arcminute
Milliarcsecond	1/1000 arcsecond

     Another new concept was that of hotspot volcanoes.   Additional exploration led to another resource in Discovery Education:  Hot Spots:  The Formation of the Hawaiian Islands.

Source:  Google Images

Extend:

     Natural events can impact all aspects of our lives.  Alaska students are very cognizant of this, and many have experienced the impact first hand.  Depending on where an individual lives (urban or rural), the impact can be felt to varying degrees.  Even in the '64 Alaska earthquake, the impact in Anchorage varied greatly depending on whether you lived on the coast or a bit more inland within the city.  I lived 30 miles from Mt. St. Helen in Washington for many years (after moving there 10 days before the eruption), and we felt and observed the impact for many years after the initial eruption.  I bring in resources from the area to share with students.  

     I would like to use the Teacher Domain (hereinafter referred to in this post at TD) "Living on the Coast" to have students compare  some of the similarities as well as differences from the various regions.  I was struck initially by the differences in the potential impact of the Alaska and Hawaiian modes of fishing, as compared with the New Bedford "dragger"/"dredge" .  When they consider that 1/2 of Earth's population lives within 50 miles of a coast and its resources... the impact of a few on the lives of many could lead to some interesting debate/discussion.

     I was unfamiliar with the Lituya Bay tsunami.  The first hand account of the two survivors will be very useful in the classroom.  I did some further exploration and found some additional resources/simulations that will be helpful to use:

Simulations:

Lituya Bay simulation

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCn480_TUgY&feature=related

Lituya-pro.mov

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVLWLFMr8cw

Tsunami - Lituya Bay, Alaska (Google Images)

Evaluate:

    

     The resources in this Module (and the previous Modules) are very timely and fit very well into our curriculum.  Plus... I have to admit... they are very interesting and enriching for me personally.  I look forward to using many of the resources in Modules III and IV, along with the additional resources noted in this post.  I also look forward to resources "discovered" and shared by colleagues.

Three Colleagues:

     I agree with Dave’s statement that AK students face natural dangers on a higher level than other students.   I too have experienced a greater awareness of the "interconnectedness" here in AK, just as Alicia has ... life is far more "elemental"... and I embrace  the differences, blessings and challenges.  I appreciate her statement “I feel that until you experience the things you learn about they just become back knowledge.”   I sure did enjoy Dan’s “corny volcano song”… just what the middle school students I work with would love….