The Oregon 450 is a hand-held GPS unit made by Garmin. The Oregon series has a touch-screen and color display. The Oregon 450 accepts SD cards to load maps as needed. Topo maps are loaded onto the Oregon 450 via the SD card slot. Extra maps and 24k scale topo maps are available through Garmin on the SD cards. Because the SD card slot is behind the batteries in the battery housing, take the time to check your batteries and recharge them when adding new maps to the device.
Instructions
1. Open the battery panel on the back of the Oregon 450. Pull out the AA batteries to expose the metal plate that protects the SD card slot.
2. Pull the metal plate up and insert the Garmin SD topo map card into the SD card slot. Place the batteries back into the housing and close the panel. Flip the latch to lock the batteries and SD card into the 450.
3. Turn the device on and wait for the default menu screen to appear. Tap the "Maps" icon. Tap the particular topo maps from the SD card you wish to transfer to the Oregon.
4. Wait for the transfer to take place. Once complete, select and tap the map you wish to use.
Tags: card slot, card into, metal plate, topo maps
Civil engineers plan and supervise the construction of structures such as bridges.
Stateuniversity.com, a Web site providing information on various careers, notes that civil engineers are responsible for the planning and design of structures such as bridges, tunnels, skyscrapers and irrigation systems. They often specialize in an area such as hydraulics, transportation or environmental engineering. A bachelor's degree is a minimal requirement for obtaining work in the field. Degree programs train students in skills such as mechanics and structural design. Graduate study is recommended for career advancement or obtaining positions as teachers.
University of California Berkeley
First-year civil engineering students at the University of California Berkeley complete a common undergraduate curriculum that includes courses such as calculus, chemistry, physics and engineering geology. In subsequent years they pursue studies in elective areas including engineering project management, structural engineering and hydrology. Seniors take additional electives such as water chemistry, advanced materials mechanics and transportation systems engineering to round out the civil engineering curriculum. Admissions is based on review of high school transcripts, SAT scores and other factors such participation in extracurricular activities and community involvement.
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
760 Davis Hall
University of California, Berkeley,
Berkeley, CA 94720-1710
510-642-3261
ce.berkeley.edu
University of Illinois - Urbana Champaign
Undergraduate civil engineering students at the University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign complete 133 credits in order to earn a bachelor's degree. The first two years of the program are devoted to the study of physics, math, mechanics and general engineering courses. Juniors and seniors focus on civil and environmental engineering courses and select both a major and concentration within the discipline, such as environmental hydrology and hydraulics, construction engineering and management or structural engineering. Applicants to the undergraduate program need to submit high school transcripts, SAT scores and two personal essays for review by the university's admissions department.
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Newmark Civil Engineering Laboratory
205 North Mathews Avenue
Urbana, IL 61801
217-333-8038
cee.illinois.edu
Georgia Institute of Technology
Students interested in pursuing a graduate degree in civil engineering can earn an MSCE (Master of Science in Civil Engineering) degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology. To earn the MSCE degree, students must complete at least 30 credits in six years or less. The degree program offers a thesis or non-thesis option; students selecting the non-thesis option take 18 credits of major course work compared to the 12 required of students in the thesis track. Applicants submit three recommendation letters and a personal statement along with undergraduate transcripts and standardized test scores.
Georgia Institute of Technology
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
790 Atlantic Drive
Atlanta, GA 30332
404-894-2201
gradinfo.ce.gatech.edu
University of Texas
Doctoral students in civil engineering at the University of Texas enter formal candidacy for the degree by passing a qualifying exam, proving proficiency in English and having an application for candidacy approved by graduate school faculty members. Degree candidates focus their research in a specialty area such as construction engineering, geotechnical engineering, structural engineering or mechanics and materials. Applicants to the Ph.D program need to submit transcripts, standardized test scores and three recommendation letters to start the admissions process and be considered for available fellowships and teaching assistantships.
University of Texas
Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering
Cockrell School of Engineering
1 University Station, C1700 ECJ 4.200
Austin, TX 78712-0273
512-471-4921
ce.utexas.edu
Tags: civil engineering, Department Civil, California Berkeley, Civil Engineering, Civil Environmental
Hot springs therapy became a popular alternative form of healing in the US in the 19th century. While still available, the FDA forbids anyone to tout it as having medicinal value. But balneologists, scientists who study naturally occurring mineral waters, note there are legitimate reasons people still believe they can improve their health with hot springs.
Instructions
1. Understand that a hot springs facility can promote only the relaxation and rejuvenation factors. By law, they can't make any specific health claims.
2. Learn about the minerals found in hot springs, including sodium, which possibly stimulates the lymphatic system, and magnesium and bicarbonates, which can help the body eliminate toxins. Other minerals found in naturally occurring hot springs can include sulfur and arsenic.
3. Review scientific studies that show the importance of the hot water in any claims of physical improvements from hot-springs therapy. Damp heat is a popular method of relieving back, neck and knee pain. Research has shown symptoms of other conditions, such as fibromyalgia, improve when patients receive sulfur baths.
4. Ask your doctor's opinion of how a visit to hot springs could affect your health. The heat could help stimulate your elimination system or jump-start your metabolism, but only if your physician thinks it would be worth the time and money spent. If you do get medical permission, you'll want to spend at least a week at a hot springs to receive the maximum benefits.
Tags: Health With, Health With Springs, Improve Health, Improve Health With, minerals found, naturally occurring
Creating 3-D maps is useful for hiking trips or for work.
Creating 3-D maps is a useful skill that many professionals such as surveyors, scientists, engineers and military officers can use to help them perform their jobs better. Many applications are available in the market today that can help you create 3-D topographical maps in a few minutes.
Instructions
1. Go to Softree.com and try out their Terrain Tools 3-D program. The software provides features such as land development, mapping and terrain modeling. The versatility of this software is complemented by its ability to provide functions for coordinate geometry, site grading, design, report generation and many others. To try the software, go to the download section and choose application options such as civil, forestry and mapping.
2. Try Map Maker Pro by going to Mapmaker.com. Map Maker Pro is part of Map Maker Gratis, a free GIS (Geographical Information System). For simple needs, use Map Maker Gratis. For complex maps, you will need Map Maker Pro. Map Maker Pro is also an easy-to-se GIS software that is currently in use by more than 100 countries worldwide. The output from Map Maker Pro can be imported to other GIS, CAD and database programs
3. Create a 3-D map of any place on Earth by going to AnvilPrototype.com's Anvil 3D Mapping feature. The site provides the ease of creating a 3-D map by providing a video of step-by-step instructions. Before beginning to create a map, you are required to register and download the software.
4. Order a 3-D holographic map custom made for you by ZebraImaging.com. Zebra Imaging provides a digital print of 3-D maps of buildings and other structures. Their digital prints are used by the U.S. military, Department of Homeland Security and private corporations. These maps can cost as much as $500 per print.
Gold deposits are on the surface or deep in the ground.
Gold deposits are regions with rich concentrations of gold. Finding gold deposits allows mining companies to extract the gold for commercial use. Gold deposits, according to the Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College, are found in geological locations around the world -- from Connecticut to South Africa -- making the characteristics of gold deposits multitudinous.
Epithermal Vein Deposits
Epithermal vein deposits are gold deposits that are 1 km to 2 km underneath Earth's crust due to volcanic activity. The volcanic activity enables minerals to mix and oxidize, chemically altering the elements. This natural occurrence allows gold to form. As the result of all the volcanic activity deep in the crust, the gold tends to accumulate up toward the surface, allowing gold companies or government contractors to extract the gold. An example of this is gold found in or around Yellowstone National Park, where the gold comes to the surface thanks to the volcanic hot springs.
Greenstone-Hosted Deposits
Greenstone-hosted deposits are regions of surface crust where large amounts of greenstone, a type of metamorphic rock, accumulates along fault lines. These network of fault lines allow many types of metamorphic rocks and minerals to form, including quartz carbonate. The gold that forms in these fault lines is slowly created and accumulated over millions of years of fault line activity. Many of these greenstone-hosted deposits are also the home of large silver deposits as well. According to the Geological Survey of Canada, many of Canada's gold deposits come exclusively from these fault lines.
Skarn Deposits
Skarn is a metamorphic rock with a large amount of silicate. Typically, these deposits have tungsten and copper, but the deposits occasionally hold large amounts of gold deposits. Typically, a skarn is formed when carbon rich igneous rock is covered over by volcanic magma, especially under the ocean. This allows a high amount of chemicals to enter into the rock formation chemistry and may sometimes create gold deposits. Many skarn deposits are found in canyons or mountain ranges that used to be covered in ocean millions of years ago. Over that time span, the waters dissipated and eroded the rocks in these mountains and canyon ranges.
General Characteristics
Many, if not all, gold deposits seem to take millions of years to develop. Most gold deposits, whether they are deep in the earth crust or near the surface, tend to have developed as a result of metamorphic rock activity. This means that ocean water sedimentary deposits and volcanic activity helps chemically alter enough elements to create the gold deposits seen today. Most of these gold deposits are still found either near the volcanic activity that helps create them, such as near hot springs, or placed in old regions where volcanic, seismic, or erosion activities were commonplace.
Tags: gold deposits, volcanic activity, fault lines, metamorphic rock, millions years, create gold, create gold deposits
Get a High Paying Job in The Oil and Gas Well Drilling Industry
The oil and gas industry are booming right now and with worldwide demand for energy coming up against dwindling resources there is no end in sight. There are employment opportunities for people from all backgrounds with salaries from $50,000 to $200,000 and up even for people with no college degree.
Instructions
1. When you think of the oilfield you might think of guys covered with oil working the tongs and pulling pipe out of a hole in the ground. There is a lot more to it now and many opportunities for people from all walks of life to make a decent living. Oil rigs offshore need everything from cooks to welders to keep them going. Identify what skills you have and decide what area of the industry you might fit into. If you have technical and electronic skills then you might find work at a company like Pason that maintains the computers and monitoring systems and sensors that record the rigs progress and transmit data via satellite to company offices across the globe. If you have any trade skills such as welding there are many openings. If you are a licensed boat captain there are crew boat captain jobs out there. If you have an interest in geology then you might find work and on the job training as a Mud Logger, who catches, washes and inspects the rock cuttings coming up from the bit for sign of oil. If you are strong and energetic you might start as a roustabout, doing odd jobs on the rig, and work your way up to the rig floor crew. If you have a good work ethic, a high school education and a willingness to learn you could be making six figures after a couple of years as you work your way up the ladder and learn new skills. Salesmen are needed as well to sell drill bits and equipment, so if you have the gift of gab and like to travel there is work to be had.
2. Books such as "As Primer to Oilwell Drilling" are helpful to get a sense of what the industry is all about. You can find it in the links below.
Check sites like Rigzone.com and the websites of local newspapers in oil producing areas such as Casper Wyoming, Midland Texas, Houston and Oklahoma City.
3. Once you have found your niche start firing off resumes. Cold calling works too. It's how I got my job. I walked into an oil services company and asked if they were hiring.
For more oilfield employment resources and job postings see the sites in the resource section below.
Tags: boat captain, Drilling Industry, find work, High Paying, High Paying Well
Gypsum is an evaporite mineral, meaning it is formed from water-soluble minerals after the water has evaporated. The name comes from the Greek words "gyps" for "burned" and "selenite" for the pearl luster.
Identification
Gypsum is the most common sulfate mineral. It is common to find gypsum with calcite, sulfur, halite and anhydrite in layers of sedimentary deposits.
Color
Gypsum is a translucent or transparent mineral found in various colors: white, yellow, brown, red, gray or clear colorless.
Chemical Composition
The chemical composition of gypsum is CaSO4.2H2O. The mineral is composed of 55.76 percent oxygen, 23.28 percent calcium, 18.62 percent sulfur and 2.34 percent hydrogen.
Characteristics
Characteristics of gypsum include a low hardness level, perfect cleavage and a monoclinic crystal system of vectors with unequal lengths.
Geological Locations
Gypsum deposits are found in water marine evaporites, caves where the air is dry enough for deposits to form, areas where the Earth's crust has opened, and occasionally in oxidized areas of sulfide deposits.
Uses
Gypsum is used in the manufacturing of wallboard, plaster of Paris and cement. Some varieties are used for ornamental purposes.
An arrowhead's shape and base material offer identification keys.
Native populations created arrowheads and other stone projectiles from flint, obsidian and other rocks, and it's still common to find these artifacts in the areas where the natives lived and hunted. Look for flat pieces of rock that are pointed on their ends and clearly worked around the edges. You'll be able to tell an arrowhead and spearhead from a scraper, blade or other tool by looking for a few key features. Most arrowheads are small, thin points with notched bases. Arrowheads, projectiles and other stone tools were created through the process of flint knapping, a 4-million-year-old art that involves striking a stone to achieve specific shapes. For example, natives used a pointed tool such as a piece of a deer antler to hit the edge of a flint rock, gradually removing thin flakes to create notches and sharp edges.
Instructions
1. Examine the shape of the stone projectile. An arrowhead's shape is often a clue to its age. For example, archaeologists believe that most fluted spear tips found between the Rocky Mountains and the East Coast were created between 11,300 and 10,200 years ago. Arrowheads with side notches, meanwhile, were created thousands of years later. Nearly all Paleo-Indian cultures eventually adopted unnotched triangular tips, according to the Mississippi Valley Archaeology Center at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.
2. Examine the type of material used to make the arrowhead. Knowing the type of rock or base material can help pinpoint key identifiers. If you find an arrowhead made of chert, for example, you can assume it originated in areas with large deposits of the sedimentary rock. A little investigation into the geology of the area can possibly help you locate the arrowhead's point of origination, an insight that can lead to some enjoyable speculation about the culture that created it. Arrowheads in later times were created from an ever-broadening variety of materials, especially as cultures clashed in the 19th century. Hobbyist collectors who maintain the website WesternArtifacts.com list one example made from red railroad glass -- a giveaway that the arrowhead was created in more modern times.
3. Verify that both sides of the point show chiseled markings, as an indicator of authenticity. Arrowheads and stone projectiles that appear worked only on one side are often modern creations sold in gift shops.
4. Record your findings. Use a map or a journal to record the locations where the stone projectiles were found. As your records grow, you will find this helpful in identifying future findings.
Tags: were created, stone projectiles, arrowhead shape, base material, other stone
Mechanical weathering, according to the United States Geological Survey, is the process by which rocks break down into smaller pieces. This happens a number of ways, including landslides and tree root growth. It is one of the key aspects of the rock cycle, which involves the processes that change rocks and the earth's surface.
Impact from Other Rocks
One type of mechanical weathering is the breaking up of rock through impact from other falling rocks. During a landslide, rocks tumbling down a cliff face or a hill come apart, leaving behind smaller pieces. They also fall onto other rocks and break them apart. With enough impact over time, these rocks break down into smaller grains that can be picked up by the wind or washed away by rain.
Freeze and Thaw
When water seeps down into cracks in the rock and starts to freeze, its volume increases. As the water begins to form into ice crystals, it pushes with enough force to begin to fracture the rock. The ice then thaws during the warmth of the day, allowing the water to seep deeper into the crack. The next night, as it freezes again, the ice expands and pushes on the rock and finally begins to break it apart.
Abrasion
This aspect of mechanical weathering has a slightly different effect on the rocks on the Earth's surface. Rocks that have been broken into very small pieces, such as sand grains, can be easily moved by water or wind. Grains picked up by the wind come into contact with larger rocks, and scour the surface and begin to wear it down. The same can happen with larger rock fragments that are moved along with ice from a glacier. These fragments strike rocks below the water, breaking off pieces and at the same time damaging themselves.
Tree Root Growth
As tree roots grow and push down into the soil, they often come into contact with rocks. Many times the roots will actually grow into a crack in the rock, and as the root gets bigger it exerts a force on the rock. Over time the fracture in the rock will be pushed to the point that it can actually break the rock apart.
Tags: down into, rocks break, break down, break down into, come into, come into contact, contact with
Silver is a precious metal located throughout the world in geological deposits. Colorado's state nickname is the "Silver State" due to the large deposits of silver ore found there. Many areas within the Americas still seek out and extract silver ore from the earth. Silver is extracted from the ore by a smelting or leaching procedure. Here's identify silver ore.
Instructions
1. Find an area that has produced silver ore in the past. The best place to begin looking is an established geologic region whose environment was favorable to ancient silver deposits.
2. Look for deposits of lead. Lead usually contains traces of silver and can be a guide to identifying more silver in the area. Lead can be a dark gray to black colored ore.
3. Watch for areas of quartz deposits. Quartz is considered the host rock for many silver deposits. Quartz is a crystalline structure that has a white to clear appearance. Bright white quartz with streaks of gray are a good indicator of the presence of silver ore.
4. Inspect each rock carefully since some silver deposits will be barely visible. Some silver runs through its host rock as "spider veins" that streak the interior of the rock and terminate just at the surface.
5. Visit old silver ore mines and reevaluate the mine's waste piles. Many abandoned mines left massive piles of waste behind that may still contain silver ore.
Oil drilling is the foundation of the automotive fuel industry.
Start-up companies can turn to a number of funding sources for the money they need to get their companies off the ground. Personal savings or loans from friends and family can be the most cost-efficient and hassle-free forms of financing, but some industries include such a high cost of entry that personal income sources are rarely adequate. Oil and gas companies are examples of industry that can have exceptionally high costs of entry, especially the oil and gas exploration segment. To start an oil and gas company, entrepreneurs will likely have to look to external funding sources, such as private investment and loan funding.
Instructions
1. Consider seeking private investment from a venture capital firm. Private investment consists of cash infusions from individual or organizational investors. Investors do not require companies to pay back their invested capital the way lenders do. Instead, investors are more likely to require an ownership stake in the business, which they can sell as the business becomes more valuable. Private investment can be a solid option for oil and gas exploration companies, as the potential returns for investors can be many times their original investments. Companies like distributors and fueling stations may find it more difficult to secure private investment, but the option is still there.
2. Turn to business loans if venture capital is not a viable option. Loans are an option for virtually all businesses, depending on the owners' personal credit history and financial situation. The Small Business Administration insures specific small business loans to encourage banks and other lenders to take a chance on start-up companies. Ask a loan officer about SBA loan options to take advantage of this program. Loans can be a better option for oil and gas distributors and fueling stations than for exploration companies, as distributors and retailers can experience more predictable income patterns and growth in the early stages than exploration companies, who may not earn a dime for years.
3. Apply for industry-specific grants to take advantage of debt-free start-up capital. Grants can be an option for oil and gas exploration companies, since finding oil has geopolitical and economic implications for the nation. The federal government is likely to offer a number of grants to support natural resource exploration at any given time, depending on the current political and economic climate. Visit grants.gov to review government grant opportunities. Although specific grants are less likely to be offered to distributors, fueling stations and product sellers (such as motor oil brands), you may be able to find general business grant opportunities based on your ethnicity, gender, location or other factors.
4. Take advantage of business credit whenever possible. Business credit can afford opportunities to defer certain start-up costs until your business starts making money. Purchase equipment and vehicles on supplier credit, for example, with the obligation to either pay the invoice in full or begin making periodic payments at least several weeks after receiving the goods. Obtaining credit from suppliers can help to reduce costs in a number of areas, including office supplies, furniture and even inventory for fueling stations.
Igneous rocks are one form of rocks commonly found on the Earth. They are created when hot magma from deep within the Earth cools and hardens. The magma can cool below the Earth's crust, or erupt as lava and cool on the Earth's surface.
Formation
Igneous rocks are classified by where they are formed. Those that are formed under the earth's surface are known as intrusive rocks. Those formed above the earth's surface are extrusive rocks.
Cooling and Grain
Some igneous rocks cool quickly, in days or weeks, while others cool slowly over thousands to millions of years. Those that cool quickly tend to have a finer grain or a glassy texture. Examples include obsidian, pumice, scoria, andesite and rhyolite. Those that cool slower have larger crystals or a coarse grain. Examples include gabbro, diorite and granite.
Color & Composition
Igneous rocks are classified by three types of colors and composition. Those with light colors are known as feisic. Examples include granite, rhyolite, pumice and obsidian. Those with intermediate colors are known as intermediate and include diorite, andesite and scoria. Dark-colored rocks are known as mafic. These include gabbro, basalt and scoria.
Examples
Look around volcanoes, such as in Hawaii. The molten rock, or lava, has cooled to form igneous rocks. Mount Rushmore, where the Presidents' faces are carved in the mountainside, was chiseled out of granite, another igneous rock. Half Dome is an igneous rock formation in Yosemite National Park.
Related Rocks
Over time, pressure can cause many layers of igneous rocks to form one larger rock. These are known as sedimentary rocks. When these igneous or sedimentary rocks are changed by some kind of pressure or heat from deep within the earth, they become known as metamorphic rocks.
Tags: Examples include, igneous rock, igneous rocks, Igneous rocks, Those that
Topography gives students an entirely different perspective on the world in which they live.
Topography activities can be used in and outside the classroom to get young people excited about the world we live in. Topography studies the Earth's surface, and records the various elevations and specific landforms found in all regions of it. Contoured lines and relief shading is sometimes used to isolate certain topographic information. Using various topography activities that vary in difficulty can help students grasp the basic concepts of this science discipline.
Topography Hunt
An ideal activity for older grade schoolers or middle school students, a Topography Hunt involves looking at different topographic photographs and finding specific features, landmarks, and destinations. Some examples include locating a peninsula found on the east coast of the United States using an astronaut's aerial view of the earth. Using a computer-enhanced raised image of a mountain range, a student learns that the red portion of the raised image represents tree-covered areas, while the white represents stretches of snow. Using the various enhancements of topographic images, or just using aerial shots seen with the naked eye, students can locate various locations in the world that they might otherwise not recognize.
Design Your Own Topographic Map
You can use any variety of materials to make your own topographic map in the classroom, and one example of this would be the use of clay and fishing wire. The clay represents the contours and elevations of mountains, and the wire works to separate regions, bring deeper depressions to represent craters, etc. Encourage your students to be creative with their textures, while also reminding them of the importance of remaining consistent in how they represent different geographical features.
Printable Worksheets
There are many websites that offer printable worksheets focusing on topography. The Discovery Channel is host to a website that has free teaching tools. These include matching landforms, coloring pages of mountain ranges and oceans for younger children, and geography outline maps. Houghton-Mifflin also offers free printable maps and worksheets that include answer keys and color codes.
Tags: live Topography, raised image, Topography Hunt, Using various
Vacationing at a gold mine could yield valuable results.
If you are somewhat adventurous and like the idea of possibly finding a treasure while on vacation, looking for gems might be a good choice for you. Throughout America there are places where you can, for a fee, search for gems that you can keep.
Emerald Hollow Mine
Emerald Hollow Mine, in Hiddenite, North Carolina, is the only emerald mine in the world open to the public. Sluicing is the easiest method of prospecting for gemstones; you sit on a covered sluiceway and wash buckets of ore to find gemstones. Creeking involves walking through shallow creek beds, working with a screen or just your eyes. Digging is hard work, but may be profitable. Emerald Hollow Mine has digging tools available for rent. The Travel Channel named Emerald Hollow Mine one of America's top 10 treasure-hunting hot spots.
Crater of Diamonds State Park
Crater of Diamonds State Park, in Murfreesboro, Arkansas, is the only diamond-producing site in the world open to the public. You can keep any diamonds that you find. Surface searching involves looking for diamonds lying on top of the ground; after a hard rain, this is the most productive method. Searching through up to one foot of soil is a popular method; some people use a screen to sift the soil. Digging deep holes requires hard work; this method is usually preferred by experienced visitors.
Cherokee Ruby Mine
Cherokee Ruby Mine, in Franklin, North Carolina, is among the last native gemstone-only mines open to the public. Rubies, sapphires, garnets and moonstones -- all native to the area -- are found at the mine. Upon arriving, you receive a screen box and a seat cushion. You view samples of gemstones and receive tips for identifying them. After filling the screen box with dirt and washing the gravel, you sort through the gravel looking for signs of gemstones. Attendants are available to help you.
Juniper Ridge Opal Mine
At Juniper Ridge Opal Mine, in the mountains of southeastern Oregon, you can hunt for fire opals. The fee for digging, as of 2011, is $250 per person per day or per one-gallon bucket, whichever comes first. Since the mine is small, digging parties are limited to six or fewer, and reservations are required. The mine is in a remote wilderness area, so you will need to bring food and water. The Travel Channel named Juniper Ridge Opal Mine one of America's top 10 treasure-hunting hot spots.
Tags: Emerald Hollow, Emerald Hollow Mine, Hollow Mine, Juniper Ridge, Juniper Ridge Opal, Opal Mine, open public
A water bottle can be used to create super-cooled water
Supercooling is a phenomenon that allows for the instant cooling of a liquid past its freezing point, thus allowing it to be "super cooled." This is possible due to the formation of ice requiring nucleation points such as air, impurities in the liquid, or contact with a rough surface. In a closed plastic water bottle it is possible to create these environmental conditions due to pressure. The pressure inside a closed plastic water bottle prevents the air from saturating the water inside. A water bottle also provides a smooth plastic surface that will not prevent ice formation. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Instructions
1. Funnel purified water into a plastic water bottle or use the water already present.
2. Fill the plastic bottle up with purified water to a desired level and make sure that the plastic bottle has been already opened.
3. Seal the plastic bottle with its cap and place it inside a freezer or outside if the temperature is below freezing.
4. Remove the water from the freezer or outside carefully after it has cooled below freezing. If you move the water too much it may freeze.
5. Pour the super-cooled water out of the bottle to create a "pouring ice" effect or simply open the bottle or shake it to watch it turn from liquid into solid ice.
Tags: water bottle, plastic bottle, plastic water, plastic water bottle, below freezing, bottle with
Display the layers of Earth with a bulletin board for your classroom.
In the elementary grades, geology introduces students to the natural wonders of the Earth. Through the introduction of topics such as the Earth's layers, volcanoes and rocks, students begin to develop an understanding of the natural events that occur around them. A classroom bulletin board provides you with the opportunity to provide vivid visual displays to accompany your geology lessons as well as an opportunity for interaction by allowing the students to participate in its creation.
Layers of the Earth
Create an interactive geology bulletin board about the layers of the earth for your elementary classroom while studying geology. The bulletin board requires preparation on your part, including covering the board with a large piece of dark blue or black felt and placing a title and border up if you wish. You will also need to cut three circles, ranging from large to smaller, out of felt to represent the layers of the earth and cards to label each layer. Once all of the assembly is completed on your end, students can take turns placing the felt pieces and labeling cards onto the bulletin board, trying to place the earth's layers correctly. After the completion of the interactive activity, you will have a colorful representation of the Earth's layers on display.
Volcano Diagram
For a colorful classroom display, create a large diagram of volcano on your bulletin board, and place your students' work, such as their drawings of volcanoes around it. Creating the volcano diagram requires only some bulletin board paper, foil paper and cotton balls. After placing cutouts of volcano shape on the board, you create the appearance of lava by attaching streams of red and orange foil paper from the top and down the sides. To create ash plumes for the bulletin board, dip cotton balls into black or gray chalk dust and the glue them onto the bulletin board in various places. Once the design is complete, you may label the diagram or allow the students to pin on labels on themselves to make the board interactive.
Rock Cycle Cartoons
To go along with the "Ride the Rock Cycle" lesson plan from the Illinois State Museum, Geology Online, a classroom bulletin board may be turned into a display of rock cycle cartoons. After students learn about the rock cycle using this lesson plan, they play a classroom game that takes them to the different stages of the rock cycle. After the completion of the game, the students create a cartoon, consisting of 12 boxes on a piece of paper, describing their rock cycle adventure, using pictures and terminology. The colorful cartoons can make a lively addition to your geology bulletin board along with a border of various types of rocks. An alternative method for the display is to divide the bulletin board into 12 squares and instruct the students, placed in groups with each assigned a specific square, to draw their cartoons directly onto the paper-lined board.
Tags: bulletin board, geology bulletin, rock cycle, After completion, along with, bulletin board
There are many scholarships and grants available for students pursuing master's degrees.
While a master's degree can offer students a competitive edge when entering the professional world, earning one can potentially cost tens of thousands of dollars. With an advanced degree presenting such a significant expense, graduate students can't afford to miss out on the numerous scholarships and grants available.
Microsoft Graduate Women's Scholarship
Microsoft Corp. sponsors a scholarship program for women who are completing their first year of a master's degree program in computer science, electrical engineering or mathematics. To apply, you must be enrolled as a full-time student, and a member of your program's faculty must nominate you for the award. If selected, you will receive a nonrenewable scholarship award of $15,000 as well as a $2,000 stipend to be used for travel expenses to attend a professional conference in your area of study.
Microsoft Research
One Microsoft Way, 99/4123
Redmond, WA 98052
800-642-7676
microsoft.com
The Beinecke Scholarship
The Beinecke Scholarship is awarded to currently enrolled college juniors who plan to enroll in a master's degree program in the arts, humanities or social sciences. To be considered for an award, you must be nominated by your college or university and demonstrate outstanding academic achievement and potential for success as a graduate student. Selected students receive a $4,000 award prior to enrolling in a graduate program and an additional $30,000 over the course of their enrollment.
The Beinecke Scholarship
Box 125
Fogelsville, PA 18051
610-395-5560
foundationcenter.org
NBMBAA Graduate Scholarship
The National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA) provides scholarship awards to minority students who are completing a master's degree in business or a related field at an accredited college or university. To apply, you must be able to demonstrate academic achievement, strong leadership and communication skills and active participation in community service activities. Scholarship awards range from $1,000 to $15,000, and selected students are also granted membership in the NBMBAA.
National Black MBA Association Inc.
180 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 1400
Chicago, IL 60601
312-236-2622
nbmbaa.org
Geological Society of America Graduate Research Grants
The Geological Society of America (GSA) sponsors a grant program for graduate students who are pursuing a master's degree in the geological or earth sciences. You must be a current member of the GSA to apply, and all applications must be submitted online. Grant awards vary, and all funds must be used for research related to the completion of your degree. Women and minority students are strongly encouraged to apply.
Grants, Awards and Recognition
Geological Society of America
P.O. Box 9140
Boulder, CO 80301
303-357-1028
geosociety.org
TEACH Grant Program
The U.S. Department of Education sponsors the TEACH Grant Program, which provides tuition funding to students pursuing a master's degree in education. The program provides up to $4,000 per year to qualified students, and you must be enrolled in a participating college or university. In exchange for the grant, you must agree to teach full time for a period of four years in a public or private elementary or secondary school that serves primarily low-income students.
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Ave., SW
Washington, D.C. 20202
800-872-5327
2ed.gov
Tags: Beinecke Scholarship, college university, Geological Society, Geological Society America, master degree, master degree, pursuing master
The Richter scale is one way of measuring the magnitude of an earthquake. It was developed at the California Institute of Technology in 1935. Although the Richter scale indicates how strong an earthquake was, it doesn't measure how much damage an earthquake caused.
The Richter Scale
Charles Richter developed the scale that now bears his name while working at the California Institute of Technology. The Richter scale measures the amount of energy released by an earthquake. Geologists compare measurements recorded in a number of locations to calculate the exact location and magnitude of the tremor.
How Does the Richter Scale Work?
The scale is logarithmic, which means with every whole-number increase on the scale, the energy release increases tenfold. In other words, an earthquake with a magnitude of 4.3 on the Richter scale releases 10 times more energy than a quake with a magnitude of 3.3.
How Common Are Earthquakes?
Microquakes, which measure 2.5 or less on the RIchter scale, can't usually be felt by humans and happen around 9,000 times each year. Quakes measuring 5.5 to 6.0 happen about twice a day somewhere on Earth. These quakes may cause slight damage to nearby buildings. Tremors in the 6.0 to 6.9 range may cause significant damage to buildings; they happen about 100 times each year. Quakes in the 7.0 to 7.9 range happen about twice a month. Earthquakes with the power to destroy cities, usually with a magnitude of 8.0 or more, happen once every five to 10 years.
Magnitude and Intensity
Although the Richter scale measures the magnitude of an earthquake, or how much energy is released, another scale is used to measure the intensity of a quake. "Intensity" is a term used by scientists to measure the damage that an earthquake causes. To measure the intensity of an earthquake, the U.S. Geological Survey uses the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale, or MMIS. To evaluate an earthquake using the MMIS, the Geological Survey sends a survey form to all of the postal addresses in an earthquake-impacted area inquiring about the damage suffered and other effects of the quake.
Tags: Richter scale, happen about, with magnitude, about twice, Although Richter, Although Richter scale
Students will likely pay more attention when food is around.
When you are teaching a science lesson on geology, it can sometimes be difficult to get young students interested. One common geology lesson for middle school students explains the three different types of rocks: igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic. While you might think that showing students these rocks is enough to hold their interest, chances are you'll need to use something a little more engaging and something that always gets people's attention, no matter how young or old: food. Use various types of food to model rock types in the classroom.
Instructions
1. Gather excellent examples of the three different types of rocks. While you can use food to get the students' attention, you still need to have the real rock samples to show them the characteristics that the food demonstrates.
2. Explain the basic characteristics of the three types of rocks that you will demonstrate with food to start the lesson. Sedimentary rocks feature layers. Igneous rocks are formed from cooling magma, meaning they go from a liquid to a solid state. Metamorphic rocks form as a result of their environment; they become unstable from introduced environmental elements.
3. Bring a layered cake to class to model sedimentary rocks, which have a lot of layers. Be sure you bring a cake with at least three layers, but the more layers the cake has, the better the lesson will be. Slice the cake in half and show the class the layers of the cake next to the layers of your sedimentary rock example.
4. Melt wax to demonstrate the properties of igneous rocks. These rocks are formed from cooling magma. This means a hot liquid material cools and becomes a solid. Melted candle wax is also a hot liquid that will cool to become a solid. You can do a simple demonstration by lighting a candle and watching the top layer of wax melt, or you can melt a larger amount of wax for the class using a portable stove. Boil water in a pan on the stove. Place another pot with the hard wax inside into the boiling water. Once the wax is melted. Remove from heat and allow it to harden again.
5. Teach the change in state that occurs when a metamorphic rocks is created by baking bread with a portable bread maker. Metamorphic rocks change as a result of their environments. The bread dough will bake as a result of the introduction of heat and will rise due to the introduction of yeast. Showing this to your class can demonstrate how one state of matter can be altered into another simply by changing the environment.
Tags: types rocks, cooling magma, different types, different types rocks, formed from, formed from cooling, from cooling
Magnetic stripes on credit cards hold important data.
There are two different types of magnetic striping. One is a phenomenon that appears on the ocean floor; the other is a method of encrypting data on plastic cards.
Ocean Floor Phenomenon
The earth's magnetic field has reversed several times over the past few million years, and magnetic north became magnetic south. One way scientists chart reversals is through the magnetic striping on volcanic rocks on the ocean's floor. When a volcano erupts, the lava forms some rocks that are slightly magnetized. The rocks follow earth's prevailing magnetic field. During periods of magnetic reversal, the magnetization of volcanic rock also reverses. That creates magnetic striping.
Encrypted Data
Plastic cards and documents used for identification and account verification have a magnetic stripe on the back. The stripe is encrypted with data the issuer considers essential, like name and account number. While not absolutely secure, recent improvements in magnetic striping encryption make it exceedingly difficult to access the encrypted information illegally.
Magnetic Stripe Readers
Magnetic stripe card readers are everywhere.
Card readers are at most locations that accept credit cards. If the magnetic stripe becomes demagnetized, it can no longer be read and is useless for automated tasks.
Tags: magnetic striping, credit cards, magnetic field, ocean floor
Research technicians aid scientists in their experiments.
Research technicians aid scientists in their experiments by monitoring and recording their findings. They work in many labs and often have job titles related to the work they perform, such as biological or chemical technicians, agricultural technician or environmental science technician. Despite their titles, all research technicians have the same basic responsibilities. Most research technicians work in research facilities, industrial laboratories, and some are involved in fieldwork as well.
Education
Although research technicians have no formal educational requirements, most employers prefer applicants with a minimum of two years of specialized training. All research technicians receive some on-the-job training and high school applicants will require more training than certification holders or college graduates. Employment in biological research or forensic science laboratories usually requires a bachelor's degree. Chemical technicians working in research and development often need a bachelor’s degree, but chemical process technicians usually have an associate degree in process technology. Many programs at technical and community colleges can prepare an applicant for employment. Some schools offer internship-type programs in which students work part time and take classes on alternating schedules.
Job Duties
Research technicians clean, sanitize, maintain and operate lab equipment. They aid scientists with experiments and may perform some experiments or some parts of experiments themselves. They keep records, use computers and computerized equipment for research, and may assist with analysis of research data. Some research technicians work in the field collecting and analyzing air, water, soil and other materials.
Advancement
Research technicians often advance to become laboratory supervisors or mentors for beginning technicians. Research technicians may continue their education and become scientists, or enter a related field of work, such as sales or procurement.
Employment Opportunities
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the research technician field to grow about as fast as all other occupations. The BLS expects an overall employment growth of 12 percent from 2008 to 2018, but growth will vary by occupation. Environmental science and protection technicians will have the fastest growth rate with an expected rate of 29 percent, while chemical technicians will experience a much slower growth rate of less than 1 percent.
Potential Income
According to PayScale.com, as of July 2010, the annual salaries for research technicians ranged from $31,152 to $42,880, with bonuses added. Without bonuses, salaries for research technicians ranged from $27,511 to $40,782. Research technicians in the research and development of biotechnology earned the highest salaries of $32,208 to $42,619 annually, and those in the college and university education field earned the least with annual salaries of $29,326 to $39,077.
Tags: Research technicians, research technicians, annual salaries, chemical technicians, growth rate
Students can earn a mechanical engineering degree in college.
Successful engineering graduates often command high starting salaries, making engineering one of the most highly sought after college majors. Students who desire to become engineers must undertake a rigorous study of science, math and technology. Enrolling in a top-rated engineering university may open doors to a wide range of technical specialties, top-notch professors and coveted research programs. U.S. News & World Report ranks Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of California at Berkeley, Stanford University, and California Institute of Technology as the top four American engineering colleges.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
According to U.S. News & World Report, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has boasted the number one ranking college in engineering and technology fields year after year. The private East Coast university staffs professors and researchers on the cutting-edge of scientific discoveries. MIT offers future engineers opportunities to pursue degrees in chemical engineering, civil and environmental engineering, electrical engineering and computer science, biological engineering, materials science and engineering, nuclear science and engineering, mechanical engineering, mathematics and physics.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
77 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02142
617-253-1000
web.mit.edu/
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley (called UC Berkeley, Cal Berkeley or Cal) is one of the ten public campuses of the University of California system. UC Berkeley claims highly acclaimed staff, including Nobel Laureates, on its teaching roster. The large Northern California university hosts upwards of 25,000 undergraduates and 10,000 graduate students. Engineering degrees offered include biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, civil engineering, electrical and communications engineering, engineering physics, engineering science, environmental engineering, geological engineering, manufacturing engineering, materials science, mechanical engineering, nuclear engineering and operations research.
University of California, Berkeley
110 Sproul Hall
Berkeley, CA 94720
510-642-6000
berkeley.edu/
Stanford University
Top students across the country apply to Stanford University in hopes of entering its prestigious engineering program. Stanford is located in Northern California, and many consider its proximity to Silicon Valley’s high tech firms ideal for internship and job opportunities. Students may pursue one of nine degrees taught by world-renowned teaching faculty: chemical engineering, civil engineering, electrical and communications engineering, general engineering, environmental engineering, materials engineering, materials science, mechanical engineering and petroleum engineering.
Stanford University
Stanford, CA 94305
605-723-2300
stanford.edu/
California Institute of Technology
The California Institute of Technology (Caltech) is sometimes referred to as the "MIT of the West Coast," and many find the climate of the Pasadena, CA, campus more agreeable than that of MIT. Students find admissions to Caltech very competitive, with successful applicants boasting an SAT math score of 770 to 800. The small, private university is well known for its groundbreaking scientific research and rigorous core curriculum, which prepares its students well for engineering careers or graduate school. Caltech grants degrees in chemical engineering, computational neural systems, computer engineering, electrical and communications engineering, general engineering, engineering physics, environmental engineering, materials science and mechanical engineering.
Caltech
1200 East California Boulevard
Pasadena, CA 91125
626-395-6811
caltech.edu/
Tags: Institute Technology, University California, engineering materials, mechanical engineering, California Berkeley, chemical engineering
Specialized paleontologists, called paleobotanists, study the earliest days of South America, Antarctica, Australia, Africa, and India through bits of leaf and petal impressions trapped in ancient stone. The hunt for fossilized tropical plants produces data that documents the breakup of the Pangea land mass and the continental drift that resulted in today's continents. It also gives us valuable clues about climate change and how that affects living systems. The rich material from the past may help us to predict the future. Does this Spark an idea?
Ferns from Before the Dinosaurs
Geologists in St. Louis County, Missouri have collected numerous fossils that reveal the tropical climate of the area 300 million years ago. Shale deposits in the northern part of the county hold perfectly preserved fossils of seed ferns. They are so detailed that they could be used to cast sculptures of the plants. The seed ferns flourished in tropical swamps during the Pennsylvanian Period, at the very beginning of the emergence of reptiles. Scientists have uncovered plant fossils that are the source of shallow coal beds in northern and western Missouri. The prehistoric ferns discovered at various sites are now extinct.
Ancient Bananas
Fifty-eight million years ago, Colombia had a rainforest teeming with gargantuan turtles, titanic snakes and prehistoric crocodiles. (reference 3)The time was the Paleocene Age and life was brutish, nasty and short. But the flora managed to survive. Scientists have discovered thousands of plant fossils in a huge open-pit coal mine -- an extraordinary rarity in a persistently tropical climate where traces of the past vanish like the afternoon cloudbursts. The fossils of avocados, palms, legumes and bananas represent a chance to explore how climate change affects a biosphere. Study of the fossils reveals that the tropics have cooled somewhat since the fossils were formed and that there was 60 to 80 percent less diversity in the Colombian rainforest flora of the Paleocene Age. The ancestors of the plants that grow there today may have been the remnants of the great dinosaur extinction or the earliest stages of plant diversification that led to the rainforest we have now.
Out of Africa
Most of the flowering plants that grow in the tropics, sub tropics and temperate zones of the world today had their origins in Africa but, until recently, information about those origins was a mystery. A site near Chilga in northwestern Ethiopia, is rich in plant fossils from 28 to 27 million years ago. The highly detailed flowers, wood, seed casts and leaf litter preserved in volcanic ash at the site provide clues to the climate history of the continent and the evolution of its woodlands, forests and savannas. For example, larger leaves mean a wetter climate; leaf litter reveals which plants coexisted in proximity and what an ancient forest may have looked like. Paleobotanists are now looking for information about rainfall, plant distribution, volcanic eruptions over the millennia and the origins of contemporary tropical African botany. Concurrent with the research is the development of a paleo-tourism industry to support the local villagers.
Tags: million years, plant fossils, climate change, fossils that, information about, leaf litter
Middle schools serve students who are between childhood and adolescence.
Middle schools in the United States educate students aged 10 to 15, who are between childhood and adolescence. The schools, also called junior high schools, carry grades six to eight or seven to nine. While the schools were originally designed to better prepare students for high school, later curriculum focused on the emotional needs of the specific age group.
Early Beginnings
As the twentieth century opened, students attended eight years of graded school followed by four years of high school. Attitudes toward this style of schooling started to change around 1910 as middle schools opened in California and Ohio. In the 1930s, educators started pushing for schools that catered to the emotional needs of students in the middle school age group. By the 1960s, there were more than 7,000 junior high schools in the country.
First Middle School
The first junior high school in the United States was Indianola Junior High School in Columbus, Ohio, in 1909. At the time, 52 percent of students were dropping out of school before the tenth grade, and only seven percent of students graduated from high school. School officials hoped that the school separate from the elementary school would better prepare students for the academic rigors of high school. The building still stands and houses the Indianola Informal School.
1960s Changes
Around the 1960s, educators began to focus on the fact that children are dramatically changing physically and socially around the middle school years, and they are also better able to think abstractly. They recognized that curriculum needed to correlate with development and not only stress academic high school preparation. Methods such as teams, interdisciplinary curriculum and faculty advisory came into play to create a caring environment for the students and to try and mediate between the academic and social realms.
1980s Research
The 1980s brought in another wave of thinking concerning middle schools. Many researchers, advocates and educators were becoming concerned that young people were not being adequately served and that drug use and sex seemed to be on the rise. There was a push for middle schools in "at-risk" areas to be turned more into full-service centers for young teens. The transition into middle school from the more student-centric environment of elementary school also proved rough for many young people.
Tags: high school, junior high, better prepare, better prepare students, between childhood, between childhood adolescence
One definition of revision is reviewing for exams at the end of the school year. Depending on what grade level you teach, there are many different science revision activities you can use. Since your students will more than likely be hitting the books in a traditional way, you may get better results by reinforcing their knowledge in an entertaining way.
Science Jeopardy
Jeopardy is the stand-by of end-of year quiz show. The game has different categories of study and five questions of ascending difficulty and point (or money) value. Divide your classroom into three to five teams for the game. It works well because you can use an entire year's worth of material in forming the questions and answers. The Hardin School District website has many templates available. You can also create your own Jeopardy board, using a chalkboard or poster board.
Science Baseball
This game turns your classroom into a sporting event for reviewing terms and concepts. Science Baseball works like regular baseball, two teams attempting to score the most runs. You score runs is by answering questions correctly. Just like in regular baseball each player gets a turn (an at bat) to answer a question. If the player answers the question in three seconds or fewer, he gets a home run, if between three and six seconds he gets a double and between six and ten he gets a single. Use the blackboard to simulate the game and show players moving around the bases, or you can print out a sample board and make it into a transparency.
Twenty Questions
Twenty Questions is an effective end of the year review game because it helps jog student's memories for an entire year of terminology. You can set this game up so that you are always the person answering the questions, or you can choose a different student each time to answer the questions. The class has 20 yes-or-no questions to determine what science vocabulary term you, or the chosen student, has. A student can use one of his questions to guess, but too many guesses may get the class off-track. Once you get a correct answer, discuss how the class reached it, to reinforce the concept with the class.
Create a Game
While these games are effective, they are not the best use of time. Try creating a game from a web site like Review Game Zone. Students can take home a review and work on it themselves. The website lets them create a sports-themed or text-based review game. Games include questions that you have created, of any difficulty level that you choose. Students who enjoy playing computer games will enjoy this refreshing method of review for their exams.
Tags: answering questions, classroom into, entire year, like regular, like regular baseball
The movement of a car can help students visualize acceleration.
Acceleration is the change of speed over time. For many students, acceleration is a hard concept to grasp. Fortunately for the physical science teacher, many activities can help students visualize how acceleration affects objects. From using motion detectors to graphing an object's motion, these activities provide opportunities for students to comprehend the importance of acceleration.
Acceleration and Motion Detector Activities
You can design many activities around motion and acceleration detectors. Allow students to construct apparatuses that allow an object to move while simultaneously being measured, such as an inclined plane with a cart. Using the motion and acceleration detectors together, students can find the change of speed of the moving object. This change in speed is by definition that object's acceleration. One specific activity using a motion detector is to roll a cart along an inclined surface. By mounting the acceleration detector on the cart and mounting the motion detector at the top of the surface, you can monitor the acceleration of the cart as it moves.
Objects of Different Sizes
Activities examining the acceleration of objects of different sizes will teach students that gravity applies the same constant acceleration to all objects. Give students multiple objects of different sizes but with similar air resistance. In addition, give the students stopwatches. Tell the students to measure the time it takes for each object to fall from a given distance. They should soon discover that they all fall in the same amount of time. Ask them to interpret this result.
Graphs of Moving Objects
Because acceleration describes the relationship of speed versus time, you can display for students a moving object with varying speed during a fixed time period. Allow the students to watch the moving object while estimating the change in acceleration. For example, you can move a toy along a toy roller coaster track. After setting up the roller coaster track, draw axes for speed versus time on the board. Instruct one student to move the toy along the roller coaster track, while another student draws the corresponding curve on the axes you drew. Remind students that when the toy is accelerating, the slope of the curve will be positive; when the toy is not accelerating, the curve will reach a maximum or minimum; and when the toy is decelerating, the slope of the curve will be negative.
Galileo Experiments
In this activity, students will erect a ramp that allows objects to slide down. Give students a toy car, a block, a board and a stopwatch. Instruct the students to design a ramp with the objects so that they can measure the time it takes the car to descend from the top of the ramp. The students should use the stopwatch to time the car's decent and use that time to calculate the average acceleration of the car using the formula [(final speed - initial speed) / time].
Take your GIS education further with a master's degree.
Professionals in the GIS (geographic information system) field learn harness software, data and hardware to extract geographic information. This may be something as simple as plotting a destination on a map to as intricate as determining why some populations appear more concentrated in certain areas of the world as compared to others. Colleges across the country offer degree programs in GIS; if you've already completed a bachelor's degree and want to go further into the GIS field, your next step is to enroll in a GIS master's program.
University of Redlands
The University of Redlands offers a three-year GIS master's program, which provides topics in statistics and special analysis, introduction to image data, fundamentals of geographic information, project concept and scope, programming for GIS, creating and managing geodatabases, working with GIS, project execution and GIS for the web. Students complete a final project as their last task before graduation. While on campus, students get hands-on experience through the university's GIS lab, recording devices, plotter and specialty GIS software. The college also offers the Redlands Institute, a GIS and special technology research center.
Although students with a bachelor's degree in any major can apply, the school requires a minimum of two years' experience using GIS or two college courses in GIS plus a GIS internship of at least four months. Candidates must have a minimum grade point average of 3.0, two letters of recommendation and GRE scores.
University of Redlands
1200 East Colton Avenue
Redlands, CA 92373
909-748-8128
redlands.edu
Arizona State University
The Arizona State University's Master of Advanced Study in GIS degree (M.A.S.-GIS) is a one-year program that begins every August. Courses are held in the evening with topics on programming in the GIS environment, remote sensing and air photo interpretation, GIS for the Internet, GIS and business, GIS project management and GIS implementation in the corporate and public sectors. There is no thesis or research project required, but students complete an eight-week summer internship prior to graduation.
Applicants must have a bachelor's degree in any field with a minimum grade point average of 3.0. Two letters of reference from professionals in the GIS field (professors or supervisors also permitted) and a format written statement of the student's interest in GIS are also required. Students who do not meet the grade point average may be permitted if they have strong recommendations or can show a dedicated interest in GIS.
Arizona State University
School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning
975 South Myrtle Avenue
PO Box 875302
Tempe, AZ 85287-5302
480-965-7533
asu.edu
The Pennsylvania State University
Students who want to continue their GIS studies but who aren't near a college offering the master's major may be interested in a distance learning program such as the one offered by Penn State World Campus, the online learning division of the Pennsylvania State University. The college's master of geographical information degree includes course work in problem solving with GIS, the nature of geographic information, geographical information analysis, geospatial technology project management, cartography and visualization, environmental applications of GIS and open web mapping. Students complete an individual capstone project and present the results for peer and faculty review prior to graduation.
A bachelor's degree in any field is required, along with a statement of professional experience and goals, GRE scores and three letters of recommendation. Because the program is conducted online, students must have high-speed Internet access, a webcam, a head set, a microphone, 10 GB of free disk space, a DVD drive, Adobe Reader, Quicktime and a soundcard.
The Pennsylvania State University
Penn State World Campus
128 Outreach Building
University Park, PA 16802
800-252-3592
worldcampus.psu.edu
Tags: State University, bachelor degree, geographic information, Arizona State, Arizona State University, grade point, grade point average
Why Are General Education Courses Required in College?
General education courses in higher education are fundamental to a well-rounded college and university education. Courses across disciplines allow students to gain interdisciplinary understanding, attain a broad range of skills and make active and positive contributions to society and in their careers.
Key Components of General Education
A general education should facilitate students to become better at critical thinking, reflection and analysis, communication in various forms, problem solving and synthesizing what they have learned from a variety of disciplines.
Integrative Learning
General education fosters the development of integrative skills, such as seeing multiple perspectives and viewpoints. Considering multiple perspectives helps a person to form better-educated opinions and decisions based on a multi-disciplinary perspective, allowing better contributions to careers and to broader society.
Social and Behavioral Science
General education courses in social sciences include world regional geography, human or urban geography, world civilization and history, sociology, political science, government and civics, international relations, psychology and anthropology.
Natural Sciences and Mathematics
Natural science courses include astronomy, biology, chemistry, earth science, physical geography, geology, physics and environmental science. Mathematics courses based on skill level include general math, pre-calculus, trigonometry, calculus and statistics.
Humanities and Creative Arts
Humanities courses tend to include world civilization and world history, as well as various time period or region-specific histories, and literature. Creative arts courses often include music, art and theater appreciation.
Communication Arts and Foreign Language
Communication arts general education courses typically include writing, communication, speech, debate and composition. Some general education programs include a foreign language component, allowing students to gain exposure to a foreign language.
Tags: education courses, Courses Required, Courses Required College, Education Courses Required, foreign language, general education, General Education
Fossils are beautiful pieces of Earth's history that allow scientists and students to understand the inner workings of our planet and the evolution of life. Finding and collecting fossils is a family fun activity that can teach children about organisms that are no longer living today. Many collectors, amateur and professional, mistakenly collect pseudofossils in their quest to find the real items. Learning to differentiate a fossil from a rock will help you avoid false fossils.
Instructions
1. Use your rock and mineral guide to Identify the rock in which the fossil is encased. Fossils are found in a number of materials, including limestone, coal, shale and sandstone. The composition of the sediment allows the hard part of the animal (bones, shells and teeth) or plant to become compressed. Over time and under great pressure, these animal and plant remains are trapped in layers of sediment where they become fossilized, leaving an imprint on the rock. In metamorphic rocks like marble and slate, the crystallization process will cause the fossil to be consumed and destroyed by natural chemical reactions. Igneous rocks, such as granite and obsidian, are created at such high temperatures that it is impossible for organic material to survive. Sedimentary rock offers your best chance of finding a fossil.
2. Examine the fern-like markings that you find on many rocks. These aren't fossils. They're plant-like patterns called dendrites, which are largely credited with misleading collectors by appearing as plant imprints. Dendrites are caused by a chemical process in the rock and are found in metamorphic rocks. If your rock consists of layered bands of diverse colors, such as slate and gneiss, it is safe to call it metamorphic. If your rock is crystallized by a chemical process, such as marble and quartzite, it is unable to hold a true fossil. The markings you see on these types of rock may be discarded as false fossils.
3. If you're near a university or natural history museum, find out whether a carbon-dating test or an organic test can be performed on your rock specimen to determine its age and composition. Metamorphic and igneous rocks do not contain any carbon or organic material that can be tested. However, a sedimentary rock, such as limestone, will yield a conclusive result. The limestone can then be tapped against a hard surface, like concrete, to break apart the sediment. The fossil, however, will not break apart in various, mismatching pieces like the limestone.
4. Consult your local educational institution or a nearby United States Geological Society center for answers on fossils that you may not find on your own. A geologist or paleontologist will be able to identify the rock and determine whether it holds a true fossil.
Tags: your rock, break apart, chemical process, false fossils, metamorphic rocks
Hands-on earth science activities both teach and facilitate fun.
Earth science lends itself to hands-on activities, and they're the kinds of activities that kids just don't forget what they learned because they're intensely engaging, driven by curiosity and require practical application. Discovering the science behind volcanoes and measuring gravitational force can all be accomplished using kid-friendly activities and materials found right in their own back yards.
Folds, Faults and Tectonic Plates
Students can discover the art of folds in rocks as they result in layered effects. Using Play-Doh or modeling clay to represent layers of rock, examine folds as they occur naturally in certain rocks such as the colors found in granite. Layer four different colors of the dough, laying them out horizontally, placing the oldest layer on top. Combine flour, oil, salt, water, cream tarter and food coloring to make four different colors created by cooking the ingredients. Fold the resulting dough and then refrigerate it. Once it is cooled, shave the top off to examine its interior or "anticline" of layered dough, a blended fold of colors.
Gravity and Rocket Science
Gravitational forces that represent change in motion are hubs for gravity and rocketing science. G forces make your stomach flop when riding on a roller coaster. Students can make a simple accelerator to measure gravitational force as it changes direction and speed. Create a sinker and accelerator using a cardboard tube from a paper towel roll, rubber bands fish sinkers, cardboard, scissors, marker pens and masking tape. Students hold the accelerator out straight in front of themselves as they jump as high as they can in place and watch the sinker as it moves about, indicating on the accelerometer how much gravity occurred with each jump.
Volcanoes and Gelatin
Examine molten rock as it erupts to cause volcanoes and lava plains, along with its climb up from the ground to erupt. Watch how the lava travels -- in tubes or pipes -- and what it encounters along the climb up to the earth's planetary surface. Gelatin activity is loss of heat during a volcanic eruption as the magma cools and solidifies. The resulting magma after years of activity is what causes the volcano. Mold gelatin to model volcanic landforms using colored water for the dikes that form the magma. Create dikes by slicing through the gelatin as it reshapes itself to create resistance to the opening. This is much like a volcanic eruption with its narrowness providing less resistance to erupt at the end of each slice in the gelatin casts, spilling out into what would be volcanic lava. Be careful not to rush the water too quickly and cause a straight line of fluid void of a dike formation. Use colored water to imitate the dike's formation and resulting eruption as it forms magma. Students can observe its formation all the way to eruption. They'll also have fun eating the gelatin when finished.
Discovering and Describing Rocks and Minerals
Students study minerals while learning about identify and classify them. After a class discussion about describing and classifying minerals, students work in teams to apply the process to mineral samples. Using a minerals worksheet, they'll identify minerals using their team mineral set, filling in a description for each mineral in the set. Use a magnifying glass to get a close-up view of each mineral. Another discussion can ensue about luster, and looking for luster in the shininess of each rock. Nonmetallic luster is associated with terms like "glassy, brilliant and pearly." Students use their mineral sets to identify each type of luster and record the observations, as well as apply a scratch test using their fingernails and a penny. Scratching each rock will give them information about its degree of hardness ranking it from 1 to 10, with 1 being the softest and 10 being the hardest.
Tags: colored water, different colors, dike formation, each mineral, each rock, four different, four different colors
Making crystals with your kids can be a fun way to teach geology, or a great accompaniment to your earth science curriculum. Crystals can form from basic ingredients found in your kitchen. You can make sugar crystals into giant colorful crystals easily. All you need is a glass jar with a lid, sugar, food coloring, tape and a piece of twine.
Instructions
1. Find a glass jar with a lid. Canning jars make the perfect crystal-growing jars and come in many sizes. Make sure that you find a jar that you can see through easily, as you will not be opening the jar once the crystals start to form. Tape a piece of twine the length of your jar to the underside of the jar lid. Make sure that the twine is hanging down far enough to touch the bottom of the jar. Your twine can be any weight, but a thicker weight twine will yield thicker crystals.
2. Next, pour about 1 cup of granulated sugar into the jar, and mix 1 cup of water into it. Drop in 4 to 5 drops of food coloring, whatever color you like. Stir the mixture well until all of the ingredients are combined completely. Then, screw the cap onto the jar tightly and sit your jar on a countertop where it will not be disturbed.
3. Keep an eye on your jar. Over the next few weeks you will start to see colorful crystals forming on the twine. You can take pictures periodically of the crystal growth and make a chart showing the rate at which your crystals are growing. After the crystal start to form, you can even add a few drops of food coloring of a different color and watch crystals of that color form on top of the first color.
Whether you are seeking financing for a large project or a small venture, government grants are a great way to fund a project or program. Grants from the government are awarded in a number of fields and industries, such as geographical information systems (GIS). There are a number of GIS government grants available to the public today that are administered by numerous governmental agencies, such as the U.S. Geological Survey and the National Institutes of Health.
The NCDI Cooperative Agreements Program (CAP)
The Cooperative Agreements Program (CAP) is administered by the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC). The FGDC is a governmental agency that encourages the development and collection of geospatial data. Under the program called the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI), the FGDC funds projects that make data available to the general GIS seeking public. The CAP is a grant program that filters these funds to the GIS and geospatial data community. The grant is open to the private and public sectors, and is only to be used for areas that emphasize geographical information through outreach practices, such as metadata clearinghouses and other websites dedicated to geospatial-related services. Award amounts vary depending on the project extent and funding activity.
Federal Geographic Data Committee
590 National Center
Reston, VA 20192
703-648-5175
fgdc.gov/grants
National Land Remote Sensing Education, Outreach and Research Program
National Land Remote Sensing Education, Outreach and Research Program grant is managed and distributed by the Land Remote Sensing (LRS) program, a program operated by the U.S. Geological Survey. The grant is awarded to nonprofit and private or public academic institutions and all governmental agencies, both local and state. The grant is to be used for GIS research, promotion, education, outreach and analysis. Award amounts vary depending on the type of project.
Julie Gordon, Grant Specialist
U.S. Geological Survey
Office of Acquisition and Grants
National Center, Mail Stop 205
Reston, VA 20192
703-648-7483
Geographic and Contextual Influences on Energy Balance-Related Health Behaviors
The Geographic and Contextual Influences on Energy Balance-Related Health Behaviors grant is funded by the National Institutes of Health and is available to public or private academic institutions, nonprofit businesses and organizations, local or state governments, federally recognized tribal governments, and foreign agencies, organizations and institutions. Individuals are also eligible as long as they can demonstrate the proper resources, expertise and knowledge required for the proposed project. Applicants must be able to use GIS to conduct health studies and research on human populations, their health behaviors, how such behaviors affect their health and human health related interactions with the environment. Grant awards are based on project extent.
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
9000 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, Maryland 20892
301-435-0714
grants.nih.gov
Tags: Geological Survey, Institutes Health, Land Remote, Land Remote Sensing, National Institutes