Part III of NOVA’s Making Stuff. Class watches great episode on “Making Stuff Stronger.” There were truly some strange new discoveries like carbon nanotubes and goats that produced milk that had the protein for spider silk! Absent? Watch the video and take notes.
Residence time calculations. What is the residence time of a book in the YSHS library? What was the residence time of the water molecules in the soda bottle activity?
Introduction of residence time. Class calculates residence time for the water in the oceans and for water in the atmosphere. Smartboard notes
Continued discussion of the global water reservoirs and the flux of water in the global water systems. Smartboard notes 4-26-11
Using a systems approach, the class looked at the water cycle and figured out the basic inputs and outputs for each of the major reservoirs.
Watched the second in the “Making Stuff” series on NOVA. On Making Stuff Cleaner the emphasis was on biofuels, cleaner cars, and burning trash to make electricity. Great part about growing parts for cars from fungi and using vegetable oils (like soy) to make foam! Good mentions of closed systems (trash burning) and molecular structure of plastics (carbon chains and sheets). Absent? Watch the video online and take notes.
Class discussion of water use in the United States and the global water reservoirs.
Students investigated U.S. water usage (over 1200 gallons/person/day). How much comes from surface water vs groundwater?
The following represent the portions of the above that are (not in order) for domestic use, mining and industrial, thermoelectric, and agriculture and irrigation.
The following shows the total amounts used and the color gives an indication of the proportion that comes from surface water vs groundwater. Why the blue vs the green?
Systems Quiz. Students worked on water usage table (p.522) and calculations in preparation for a lab activity on 4-18-11.
Review for systems quiz on Friday 4-15-11 and students worked on activity in text on pp.520-522. Large table showing water usage in the US (p.522) needs to be in lab notebooks.