Hadron Collider Breakthrough as Beams Collide

The Hadron Collider in Europe is finally up and running. Learn all about it on CNN.com.

Halite Crystal Project Contest Winners!

Congratulations to the
winners of this year's
Halite Crystal Project Contest:
1st Place -
Joel F.
@ 113.0 grams,
2nd Place -
Breeahna P.
@ 81.7 grams,
& 3rd Place -
Lexi A.
@ 65.9 grams.

This Week in Earth Science: March 22-26

• Monday - Periodic Table Warm-up (Mon - Wed), Paleontology Vocab is due today, Inspection of Halite Crystals continues, 90% Nine Mineral Quiz (self-paced).
• Tuesday - Warm-up, Geology Time Quiz assigned, Fossil Types PowerPoint & Notes, 90% Nine Mineral Quiz (self-paced).
• Wednesday - Warm-up (Periodic Tables collected & graded today), Fossil Analysis Lab, & 90% Nine Mineral Quiz (self-paced).
• Thursday - Review last week's Geology Test, SuperCroc Video, 90% Nine Mineral Quiz (self-paced).
• Friday - SuperCroc Video continued, Last day of the 3rd Quarter.
• Disclaimer: The Honors Earth Science Class will follow a slightly different plan than what is presented above.

Mud Puppy (Necturus maculosus)

The live mud puppy in this photo was on display in our classroom for the past week. It had been caught in Crystal Lake by an ice fisherman and brought to school for us to study and observe. Mud puppies are a species of aquatic salamander that feature external gills throughout every stage of life. In contrast, most species of salamanders begin life underwater with external gills but later go through metamorphosis, transitioning from gills to lungs and emerging from their watery nursery as adults. This mud puppy measured approximately 13 inches long (the record is nineteen inches!). At week's end our Necturus maculosus was released back into Crystal Lake.

This Week in Earth Science: March 15-19

• Monday - Periodic Table Warm-up (all week), Spelunking Music, Speleothem Lab, 90% Nine Mineral Quiz (self-paced).
• Tuesday - Warm-up, Dow Brine Lab, Geology Review Questions assigned, 90% Nine Mineral Quiz (self-paced).
• Wednesday - Warm-up, Geology Review Questions due, Geology Review game, & 90% Nine Mineral Quiz (self-paced).
• Thursday - Warm-up, Geology Test, Paleontology Vocab assigned (due Monday), 90% Nine Mineral Quiz (self-paced).
• Friday - Warm-up, Crystal Project is due today!, 90% Nine Mineral Quiz.
• Disclaimer: The Honors Earth Science Class will follow a slightly different plan than what is presented above.