Fwd: Caerus Summer News: Mini-class and More!

Hi folks,

I just wanted to reach out and say THANK YOU for being a part of my classes this year.   There are so many different options for science education and I really appreciate the fact that you chose me for your science teacher this year.  Thank you! 

I hope you all have wonderful summers and I hope to see all of you next year.  For those of you that I will not be seeing, my best of luck to all of you in everything you decide to pursue and accomplish.

By the way,  just in case you are interested or know of someone who might be interested, Caerus Academy (the organization I do classes with in Chapel Hill) will be having a free mini-class in a few weeks.  The idea is to give everyone a chance to meet our three teachers and to ask questions/get information.  More information is below.  Please don't hesitate to post this to Facebook or any groups you may be a part of.  

Again, thanks so much for being a part of the Science Jim universe this year!  

Warmly,

Jim Mueller

Caerus Summer News Welcome to summer! We at Caerus hope your summer is off to a brilliant start!   In Caerus news: 1. Summer Mini-Class Scheduled 2. Possible HS World History for next year 3. Classes are filling! Summer Mini-Class Scheduled Do you have a student who is potentially interested in taking classes at Caerus Academy this fall, but would like a chance to "get their feet wet" first? We have the perfect introduction for your student! Join Rob Rich, Jen Mueller, and Jim Mueller on Saturday, June 15, from 10:00-11:30 a.m. for our summer mini-class on Navigation: Exploration and Discovery. Spend a lively and entertaining hands-on morning with us as we cover the fascinating history, science, and math surrounding the topic of navigation. Learn about the discoveries that led to the Age of Exploration, and discover how sailors learned to reliably navigate the oceans. Learn how magnetism was crucial to navigation--and make your own working compass. Become your own Captain--learn to use the compass rose and the chart legend to plot a nautical course on your own full-sized coastline chart. This class is being offered free of charge, but space is limited.  If you are interested in signing up, please visit our website to register.   Potential HS World History Class A few have expressed interest in a HS World History class for the fall.  If there is enough interest, a possibility exists for running the class on Tuesday afternoons from 1:15-3:15.  You can read about the class here. If you are interested, please let us know!   Classes are Filling Registration is ongoing, and classes are filling.  Some classes are over half-full, and close to waitlisting. Visit our website to see our class offerings or to register.   Please help us spread the word--we encourage you to pass along this information to anyone you think may be interested.     Enthusiastically, The Caerus Team   Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

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5/9 Earth Science Class and recording

Hi folks,

This week we spend the day reviewing the year.  We covered a ton of stuff this year from atoms and molecules to suns and solar systems!  

Next week is the final exam so no homework this week other than studying for the final.  Let me know if you have any questions or need any help with any topics.

I couldn't get a video of today's class since my camera is acting up but here is a recording of similar material from a different Earth Science class.

https://youtu.be/mUm4F5VT61M

Best,

Jim Mueller

(919) 907-3217

5/7 Earth Science Recording - Review of the Year

https://youtu.be/T2_sZg5GrWg

4/30 Earth Science update and homework due 5/7

Hi folks,

This week we took some time to attempt to make a scale model of the solar system.  It turns out it's REALY big!

For homework this week:

Read pages 688-713 in the text.

Do questions on page 718 #'s 1 - 15

Extra credit.  Make a solar system model.  3 points extra credit if you make the solar system to scale (like we did today).  Another 3 points extra credit if you make the planets to scale.  AND another 5 POINTS extra credit if you make both the planets AND orbits to scale!   (You may want to not include the Sun for this.)  Feel free to take a picture of what you've created if it's too big to bring to class.  Your scale has to be at least 2 lengthwise sheets of paper long (you can barely see the differences in the inner planets if it's smaller than that).  This website will help you to calculate the sizes of the planets and sizes of the orbits. Remember, for extra credit you just need to turn it in before the end of the trimester so it doesn't need to be by next class session.   Have fun!!

https://thinkzone.wlonk.com/SS/SolarSystemModel.php?obj=Pluto&dist=50cm&table=y&map=n

Another try at the quizzes.

Apparently some folks can't get the quizzes to open so here's another attempt.  Here's hoping this one works.

Earth Science Quizzes

Whoops, these two guys hid on my desktop and didn't get into the folder.  Here you go.

Earth Science Quiz PDF's

Sorry folks.  I thought I had converted the last batch into .pdf's for you but it didn't work.

Hopefully this is a better batch.

Earth Science Quizzes

Hi folks,

Here are the quizzes from the past year so that you can look over them and study them for the final.  Let me know if you have any questions.

4/23 Earth Science class and homework due 4/30

Hi folks,

Today we reviewed a bit of the Moon phases and seasons and we also went outside to explore the scale of the Moon, Earth and Sun.  I'm afraid there is no recording this week since much of the content took place outside.

For homework this week, 

Read this webpage  http://www.planetsforkids.org/moon-moon.html

Answer the following questions.  If you missed class this week you may need to do an internet search to find a few of the answers.

1.  Why do we always see the same face of the Moon?

2.   How old is Moon?

3.  What does the Moon have to do with tides?

4.  How often do we have tides?

5. Who was the first person to really look at the Moon?  When did he do this?

6.   Who was the first person to walk on the Moon?  When did he do this?

7.  How far away is the Moon from the Earth?

8.  How far away is the Sun from the Earth?

9.  Draw a picture of the Earth and Moon to scale.  (Just the sizes, not the distance)

10.  Why am I not asking you to draw a picture of the Sun and Earth to scale?

11.  If you could drive to the Moon at 100 miles per hour, how many hours would it take you to get there.  If each day is 24 hours, how many days would that be?

12.  If you could drive to the Sun at 100 miles per hour, how many hours would that take you?  How many days would that be?

13.  Fill out the illustration included in the email. 

4/16 Earth Science Recording - Moon Phases

https://youtu.be/V61r4r5Usuo

4/16 Earth Science update and homework due 4/23 PLEASE LOOK AT THIS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!

Hi folks,

Today we continued talking a look at our nearest celestial body by exploring the moon and its phases.

Two things for homework this week:

1.   Each evening at about the same time (9:00 or so), go outside and stand in the same spot.  Use the same reference point each night (tree branch, chimney etc.) to see if the Moon is in a different part of the night sky.   Observe the Moon's position in the sky and observe the phase.  Take a picture if you can.  Notice if the Moon is in a different location each night, and, if so, how is that location changing.  Please write down the date, phase and how the Moon's position has changed from the night before.  The full moon will be on Friday!

For example:

4/16 9:00 - Waxing Gibbous - Just over the top of my neighbors chimney.

4/17 9:05 - Waxing Gibbous (almost full) A little higher and to the right than last night.

2.  Go to this website http://astro.unl.edu/naap/lps/lps.html  read each of the background pages on the site and then click on "Lunar Phase Simulator" towards the bottom of the page.

Use the simulator to complete pages 5/11 to 10/11 in the .pdf below.  By the time you are done with this you should have a very nice understanding for the relationship between the Moon, Sun, Earth and their interactions. 

4/9 Earth Science Recording - Seasons

https://youtu.be/MvZF0oYgQFs

4/9 Earth Science update and homework due 4/16

Hi folks,

Today we launched from the surface of the Earth into space as we took a look at the how the relationship between the Sun and the Earth create the seasons.

Next week we will take a look at the moon and its phases.

Homework for this week is to:

Read 660 - 665 in the text book.

Do questions on page 684 #'s 1-9

Do questions on page 685 #'s 16 - 18

Earth Science Recording - Weather Review

Hi folks,

Here is the recording from this week's class.  It is the recording from my Chapel Hill class.  The other recording did not turn out very well.  The content is the same as what we covered in class. Enjoy!

https://youtu.be/JHfWSn-M7Ok

4/2 Earth Science update and homework due 4/9

Hi folks,

This week in class we finished off our weather unit by doing a quick review of what we've learned in the past several weeks. To reinforce what we've been learning in a fun way we did a game show where the students came up with the questions by going through all their notes for the year. The teams were all quite close!

For homework this week do the following questions. These all come from quizzes, homework and notes so be sure to look over your materials for the answers. Work carefully on this because there's a very good chance all or most of these questions will be on next week's quiz.

1. Draw a picture and label the layers of the Earth and the layers of the atmosphere.



2. What three reasons is our atmosphere is so important?


3. What are the two major gasses in our atmosphere?


4. Use the words, hot, air, rise, dense to describe why hot air balloons rise.


5. Draw and label the water cycle.


6. What causes the Coriolis Effect?


7. Use the words (or variations of the words), pressure, low, rise, condense, water vapor to describe the process that makes clouds form.


8. If you take a look at your barometer and see that the "needle" is pointing up, how has the pressure changed? How will the weather change?


9. Describe what creates lightning.


10. What should you do if you are caught outside in a lightning storm?



11. What is the relationship between thunder and lightning.



12. Draw a picture of the Earth illustrating and labeling the…

a. Equator
b. Poles
c. convection cells (be careful here)
d. Path of the winds (be careful here too)
e. Spin direction of the Earth
f. Doldrums
g. westerlies
h. trade winds


13. What winds effect our weather here in the U.S.A.?


14. What direction does the weather tend to move across the U.S.A.?



15. Draw and label a convection current.


16. If there are cirrus clouds in the sky, what does that say about the weather?


17. If there are cumulus clouds in the sky, what does that say about the weather?


18. What are the 3 types of clouds in the highest part of the sky?


19. What are the 2 types of clouds in the middle part of the sky?


20. What are the 3 types of clouds that can be seen low in the sky?


21. What do you call a cloud on the ground?

Answers for Multiple Choice Questions

3/26 Earth Science Recordings - Weather and Lightning

Part 1

Part 2

3/26 Earth Science Class and Homework due 4/2

Hi folks,

This week we came close to wrapping up our weather unit by taking a look at how clouds can indicate what weather is coming and by looking at the very cool but dangerous phenomena of lightning.

For homework this week read pages 453 to 472

Answer questions 1 - 5 on page 461

Answer questions 1 - 5 on page 469

Answer questions 11 - 20 on page 478 (I've included answers so you can check yourself.)

Answer question 22  on page 479

Best,

Jim Mueller

(919) 907-3217

3/19 Earth Science Class update and homework due 3/26

Hi folks,

Sorry this is so late. I thought I sent this out on Thursday morning but apparently not.

This week we really took the time to learn how to identify different clouds.

Homework for this week is to take a look at the .pdf I've enclosed in this email.

Do the assignments on pages 3, 4, 6, and 7.

Also please take pictures of at least 5 different types of clouds on, at least, 3 different days. I'm looking for, at least 5 pictures so, for example, you could take 2 pictures on Friday, 2 on Saturday and 1 on Monday.

You can print them out or email them to me if you wish. Be sure to label them with the type of cloud that they are and be sure to indicate if it is a high or low pressure day.

3/19 Earth Science Recording

https://youtu.be/dTYpTQsZ-Cc

3/12 Earth Science - Coriolis Effect

https://youtu.be/mcBySugwu4w

3/12 Earth Science update and homework due 3/19

Hi folks,

Today we took a look at the very strange concept of the Coriolis effect.  This effect, along with convection currents cause the global winds and weather patterns that we see across the Earth.  We also took the time to create a small cloud in a bottle.

For homework this week please do the enclosed worksheet.  There are questions from lectures and from the book so feel free to use your notes and chapter 15.

I've also included the answers for you.  When you are done with the worksheet take a look at the answers.  Make sure your answers are correct and that you fully understand each one.  Study the answers because you can be pretty sure they will be on a quiz in the future.

Some outside time today for Earth Science

Hi folks,

We may get a chance to do some stuff outside today so be sure to dress for the weather.  Thanks to today's high pressure system it appears that we should have a cool but sunny day.

See you all soon!

Best,

Jim Mueller

(919) 907-3217

Spring Break!

Hi folks,

Just a reminder that this is spring break week for Science Jim classes.   No classes from March 4 to March 8.

Enjoy the break everyone!

Best,

Jim Mueller

(919) 907-3217

2/26 Earth Science update and homework due 3/12

Hi folks,

First off, NO CLASS next week!  It's spring break next week so we won't be having class.

This week we took our material on atmosphere, air and air pressure even farther.   To begin with we created a barometer which is an instrument to measure the pressure of the air.  We will be taking a look at how measuring air pressure can help predict the weather in more detail when we get back from break.

After making the barometer, we took a look at how convection currents, air pressure and the Coriolis effect combine to create global weather patterns.  Needless to say there's a lot of material here so we will come back to this in future classes.

For homework this week:

1. 

This video will show you what to do with your barometer now that you've gotten them home and just can't wait to use them.  :)  Any weather website or phone app should have information on barometric pressure.  You should see a number and an arrow.  The number isn't as important as the direction the pressure is going.  If the pressure is going up, your barometer should be pointing (or moving) in an upward direction.  If the pressure is going down, your straw should be moving down.  Compare what your barometer is doing to the actual barometric pressure at least 4 times.  Record the what the pressure is doing according the the website or app and record what your barometer is doing.  You need to take at least 2 hours between comparisons.  Lastly, record the sky, is it cloudy or clear.

2. 

Read 435 - 443 in the book.

Do the questions 1 - 24 on pages 450 and 451 in your book.

2/19 Earth Science class and homework due 2/26

Hi folks,

This week we did quite a few demos to deepen our understanding of air pressure and to understand why hot air rises.

For homework, answer the following questions.

1. Draw and label the 5 layers of the atmosphere.


2. What are three reasons our atmosphere is so important?





3. What are the two major gasses in our atmosphere?




4. Circle the right answer. When something gets hotter its molecules move (faster slower).


5. Circle the right answer. When something gets colder its molecules move (faster slower).



6. Circle the right answer. When something gets hotter its molecules get (closer farther) from one another.



7. Circle the right answer. When something gets colder its molecules get ( closer farther) from one another.



8. Circle the right answer. When something gets hotter it gets (more less) dense.




9. Circle the right answer. When something gets colder it gets (more less) dense.




10. Circle the right answers. Hot air (rises falls) because it is (more less) dense than cold air.




12. Circle the right answers. Cold air (rises falls) because it is (more less) dense than hot air.



13. Explain why the aluminum can got crushed




14. Explain why the balloon got larger in hot water and smaller in cold water.




15. Explain why the balloon went into the jar.

2/20 Earth Science Recording - Air pressure and density

Part 1

Part 2

Dress for some outside time for Earth Science today

Hi folks,

We are going to be spending some time outside today so please come dressed ready to go.

See you all soon!

Best,

Jim Mueller

(919) 907-3217

2/12 Earth Science Recording - Atmosphere

https://youtu.be/jDp74T4RJqE

2/12 Earth Science update and homework due 2/19

Hi folks,

Today we have moved on from our study of the Earth's layers and the rock cycle and have lifted off into the atmosphere.  We discussed the layers of the atmosphere and also took a look at air pressure.

For homework next week:

Read pages 426 - 432

Do questions 1 - 11 on page 448

1/5 Earth Science update and homework due 1/12

Hi folks,

Today we finished up the most recent Rock Cycle and Earth Layers block by doing our favorite "Review the Year" gameshow.  The students look through their notes, homework, and quizzes from the beginning of the year up to now and create five questions for the show.  Then each team gets a chance to answer the questions for points and fabulous prizes.  (Just kidding on the prizes.)  This makes for an excellent summary of the content we've covered so far and it's quite a bit of fun.

For homework please answer all the following questions.  They cover much of the year so please look through your notes and old quizzes for the answers.  As always, these are quite possibly going to be on an upcoming quiz so be sure to study them carefully.

1.  What is the definition of hypothesis?

2.  Give an example of a scientific hypothesis.

3.  List the 5 steps of the scientific method that we discussed in class.

4.  What is the definition of Earth Science?

5.  What is the definition of science that we used in class?

6.  What is the definition of independent variable?

7.  What is the definition of dependent variable?

8.  How many independent variables can you have in an experiment?

9.  What four things do all minerals have in common.

10.  What does an atom's mass number represent?

11.  What does the atomic number represent?

12.  What is the definition of an isotope?

13.  What is the definition of an ion?

14. Which geologic process can change any type of rock into sediment?

15.   What is the difference between extrusive and intrusive rocks?

16. .  What is the geologic process that changes sedimentary rock into metamorphic rock.

17. What does the atomic mass # represent?

18.  Why do atoms tend to have the same number of protons and electrons?

19.  Why do some atoms have decimals in their atomic mass number?  For example, carbon is 12.011?

20. What is the definition of an isotope?

21.  What is the definition of an ion?

22.  How many protons, neutrons and electrons do the following have?

a.  Na +1

b.  B -1

c.   St +2

23.  Draw the layers of the Earth.