Earth Day links

A terrific website for kids with lots of online geography (Earth Day) activities:


http://funschool.kaboose.com/globe-rider/earth-day/

National Park Week..free admission

All national parks free for a week - The Denver Post: "All national parks free for a week
By The Denver Post
Posted: 04/16/2010 05:18:18 PM MDT
Updated: 04/16/2010 05:21:15 PM MDT


Admission to all 392 national parks — including four in Colorado — is free April 17-25 during National Park Week.
Colorado's parks are the Great Sand Dunes National Park in the San Luis Valley, the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park in western Colorado, Rocky Mountain National Park along the Continental Divide, and southwest Colorado's Mesa Verde National Park.
The normal cost is $20 per vehicle in Rocky Mountain National Park, $15 per vehicle in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison park and $10 per vehicle in Mesa Verde. The regular cost in Great Sand Dunes is $3 per person.
Saturday, April 24, is National Junior Ranger Day, when kids can take part in special activities and earn an official Junior Ranger patch.
Most parks also are planning special volunteer events, giveaways and discounts during the week to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, April 22.
Mesa Verde, for example, is offering 40 percent off T-shirts made from recycled material, as well as a free pack of Colorado wild flower seeds to each visitor all week.
For more information visit www.nationalparkweek.org or www.nps.gov."

Earth Day links

From the Utah Geographic Alliance website:

40th Anniversary of Earth Day (April 22) Below are a few websites with resources that may be useful as you engage your students in the celebration of Earth Day.

http://earthday.net/greenschools http://earthday.wilderness.org/teachers/ http://earth911.com/for-students/ http://www.planetpals.com/earthday.html http://www.edhelper.com/EarthDay.htm http://www.epa.gov/kids/ http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/environment.html http://www.earthday.org/climaterally http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/18/g35/earthday.html http://www.ngslis.org/earth_current/20080229.html

Sun Size and Altitude - Earth Science Picture of the Day

Great article and example of why we build telescopes on high mt. tops.
From a Great Website:Earth Science Picture of the Day!



Sun Size and Altitude - Earth Science Picture of the Day: "Sun Size and Altitude
April 21, 2010


Photographer: Rob Ratkowski
Summary Author: Rob Ratkowski

Astronomers are frequently asked why we have our observatories on high mountain tops. A big part of looking into deep space has to do with atmospheric transparency and freedom of particulates along with heat that causes blurring. A simple but effective understanding of this 'seeing' is to put a finger at arm’s length in front of the Sun and observe the aureole that’s produced. Held at arm’s length, a finger tip subtends about one half of a degree of sky – nearly the same amount of space that both the Sun and Moon take up. At sea level, observing is often compromised by the build up of heat, dust, moisture, haze, pollution, and aerosols that include ash and even salt. Higher up, there’s less of this to deal with since there’s less atmosphere to peer through. These three photos were taken on the Hawaiian island of Maui at (left to right) Baldwin Beach, Kula and Haleakala Observatory, respectively. The disk of the Sun is completely hidden by my index fingertip at 10,000 ft (about 3,050 m). Note, I can positively verify that my finger didn’t increase in size as a result of the thinner air.
Coordinates:
Baldwin Beach: 20.913502,-156.394544
Kula: 20.79222, -156.32694
Haleakala Observatory: 20.70825, -156.256678

Geography of U.S.National Parks

CHECK THIS SITE OUT!
RACE TO THE MOMENT is a reality series were two families use their physical and geography skills to negotiate their way through Joshua Tree National Park. Watch the race, or design and map your own race in other U.S. National Parks!

1=25070#/show">http://racetothemoment.msn.com/?section=challenge&dataId=201&source=msn>1=25070#/show

Icelandic volcano eruption lesson plan

See One of my favorite blogs and teacher geography resource blogs:

http://www.geogalot.com/

This blog's author, Richard Allaway, produced a webpage of resource to help teach about the Eyjafjallajoekull Eruption and Ash Cloud - you can read all about the resources here:
http://www.geogalot.com/experiences/2010/4/19/eyjafjallajoekull-eruption-ash-cloud-lesson-resources.html

Check out his blog and sign up for his newsletter...I've found tons of fabulous lesson plans and teacher resources from his blog!!!

NASA Observes Ash Plume of Icelandic Volcano

NASA Observes Ash Plume of Icelandic Volcano

SkyWatch Friday

See other interesting sky views:

http://skyley.blogspot.com/


PAIRS OF PLUMP PIGEONS (MORNING DOVES) PERCHED IN ORNAMENTAL PEAR TREES...