This Week in Earth Science: December 20-24

• Monday - Earthquake Record Sheet (collect & grade today), finish "The Day the Earth Shook" video, Talent Survey & form new Lab Groups (Honors Earth Science only - National Park Poster due today).
• Tuesday - Disaster Home Investigation Checklist due, California Earthquake Drill video clip, design & build Earthquake Building models.
• Wednesday - Christmas luncheon today (revised schedule in effect), Shake Table video clip, design & build Earthquake Building models.
• Thursday - Christmas Vacation ~ No school!
• Friday - Christmas Vacation ~ No school!
• Looking Ahead ~ Earthquake Buildings Shake Table testing after break • End of the Semester Friday January 21, 2011.
• Disclaimer: The Honors Earth Science Class will follow a slightly different plan than what is presented above.

Lunar Eclipse Falls on Winter Solsctice

The lunar eclipse of Dec. 21st falls on the same date as the northern winter solstice. Is this rare? It is indeed, according to Geoff Chester of the US Naval Observatory, who inspected a list of eclipses going back 2000 years. "Since Year 1, I can only find one previous instance of an eclipse matching the same calendar date as the solstice, and that is Dec. 21, 1638," says Chester. "Fortunately we won't have to wait 372 years for the next one...that will be on Dec. 21, 2094." [Source: NASA]

This Week in Earth Science: December 13-17

• Monday - Earthquake Record Sheet, Tsunami demos & DVD, Anatomy of a Tsunami internet activity.
• Tuesday - Earthquake Record Sheet, Seismic waves & faults demos & diagrams.
• Wednesday - Earthquake Record Sheet, Review waves & faults, Find the Epicenter Lab.
• Thursday - Earthquake Record Sheet (collect & grade today), Waves & Faults Quiz, Assign Disaster Home Investigation (due Tuesday), Earthquake video.
• Friday - National Park Ornament Project due, Earthquake video continued.
• Looking Ahead ~ Christmas Vacation begins at the end of Wednesday, December 22nd.
• Disclaimer: The Honors Earth Science Class will follow a slightly different plan than what is presented above.

Volcano known as the 'Throat of Fire' erupts!

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Ecuador's Tungurahua Volcano erupted Saturday, sending ash and lava spewing nearly a mile into the sky. Click here to read CNN's report! Tungurahua is a steep-sided stratovolcano (5,023 meters) that towers 3 kilometers above its northern base. Historical eruptions have originated from the summit crater and have included strong explosions and sometimes lava flows, lahars, and pyroclastic flows that reached populated areas at the volcano's base. The volcano's complex historical record includes sudden, violent eruptions.

This Week in Earth Science: December 6 - 10

• Monday - Earthquake Record Sheet, Review Tectonics Test, Richter Scale diagram & demos.
• Tuesday - Earthquake Record Sheet, New Madrid Mind Map.
• Wednesday - Earthquake Record Sheet, Richter Scale Quiz, Fault Types diagram & demos.
• Thursday - Earthquake Record Sheet, Fault Types review, Michigan Earthquake Timeline.
• Friday - Earthquake Record Sheet, Fault Types Quiz, Michigan Earthquake Timeline continued.
• Looking Ahead ~ National Park Project due next Friday, December 17th.
• Disclaimer: The Honors Earth Science Class will follow a slightly different plan than what is presented above.