Module 7, Climate change??

Explain

The ability of cyanobacteria to perform oxygenic photosynthesis is thought to have enabled biodiversity and let oxygen dependant organisms thrive.  The opening scenes from "Life before Oxygen" from Teachers Domain were just like the poster on the wall of Mr. Pointer and similar to this:



From Geo 130, U of Florida

 Stromatolites are produced by microbial assemblages, mostly dominated by blue-green algae, but the stromatolite is really a sedimentary deposit. In effect, they are trace fossils produced by the sediment-trapping character of the microbial mat. In my own teaching manuals I list stromatolites under Trace Fossils. If you want to indicate them as the products of blue-green algae (cyanobacteria), then list it under Kingdom Monera (for prokaryote microbes).
Dr. Tom E. Yancey


In the video "Soil Microbes and Global Warming" I learned the the very area we feel is most susceptible to Global Warming may be itself a leading contributor to Green house gases! Another great example of how all things are connected.

After learning about the creation of all elements withing stars again I gave pause.  Super Nova
Starting with hydrogen and helium using fusion to create all elements through Iron, then explode the star to create the rest.... wow!

From the BBC a supernovae in real time

Extend

While a student at Tumwater High I remember listening to Mr. Pointer and his rants on blue-green algae! (Cyanobacteria) "Do you realize you owe your life to bacteria", he would say. His enthusiasm was laughable at the time for young cool teenagers like myself...  Not long after doing my student teaching in Tumwater, I thanked him.  He didn't pay for a drink all night..... :-) And he swears his next fishing trip is to Juneau!

We are currently studying weather and climate in my class at F.D.  The last few modules have been great but, this one seems a little out of the range, for now. The question of how deep to go is a constant struggle. Every video reminds me of a months worth of study in college.  What do I share, what do I explore, what do I want them to learn, when do I just let it go and leave it for the next teacher....? My Principal gives me the impression that if it is on the SBA's then teach it, if not, touch on it and move on. (I will refrain from bashing standardized testing)

Is climate changing? Some things I know for sure:

• As I have looked out at mendenhall glacier since I move here in 1992, it has retreated.
• I took this photo today, that rock face on the left is somewhat new....as is my lovely wife! :-)

• Growing up I once drove my motorcycle across Black Lake in the winter to my buddies house, It hasn't frozen like that since I was 16.
• My brother built an 8 foot snowman in the road when I was a kid and the police stuck a flare in it and the Daily Olympian took a picture, now Tumwater struggles to get snow that lasts at all.
• I sat in the sun in shorts just over 2 months ago.  (okay, maybe El nino...)
• Watch the video of the Inuit people of Sachs Harbour

Evaluate

This module has so many great resources it is hard to imagine using even half of them. The carbon cycle is not as well known as the water or rock cycle but stay tuned.......

I have tried to secure compute lab time to share some of these but have run into trouble with the district and it's YouTube and internet policies so I just download them and show them from my PC.

The very idea if capturing and storing CO2 is amazing: store it here?

Classmates:

Konrad here are a couple links to help clear up the carbon cycle: or carbon cycle 2


Carbon cycle


Others coming soon!