Jordan C.

Class Portfolio

This is an activity that I did while participating in a Saturday science workshop. In my science class we did an activity called from Mountain to Monsoons. This is a computer program that deals with the causes of the formation of the Himalayan Mountains. I had the opportunity to go to Palomar Collage and learn background information that prepared me to teach the class this information. I had the chance to learn this material from college professors. This activity was a CD-ROM activity on the computer. It illustrated the whole process that scientists on an ocean core sample drilling ship use to analyze the core samples that they drill. We were given background information in the morning session of the workshop, which helped us understand the whole activity better. I used this activity worksheet to help me teach the class this information and prepare them for an exam that they had to take.

From Mountains to Monsoons Lab Activity

Paleomagnetic Lab:1. This lab was most like the magnetic activity lab that we did in the morning. The magnetic activity is an activity in which we took a bunch of small magnets, spread them out and then placed a large magnet on top. This demonstrated the magnetic field of the earth. This lab helped me to understand the computer lab because it gave me an idea of how the magnetic field works.

2. In this computer lab I had to match the core sample with its location in the magnetic field on the globe. I then graphed the results and watched the way the magnetic field moved throughout history.

3. To help the class, I will show them how India was once connected with Asia.

Micropaleontology Lab:1. This lab was most like the Ocean Sediments activity. In the Ocean Sediments activity we looked at core samples measured the different layers and determined their age by using their existing formulas. This helped me to understand the computer activity because it illustrated the way that scientists date core samples.

2. In this computer lab I looked at core samples, then connected them with the samples in the book. Then I plotted the age versus the latitude to see when India collided with Asia.

3. I will tell the class that India and Asia collided 45 million years ago. Mountains are created when continents collide.

Sedimentology Lab: 1.This lab was like the Sediments under the Microscope activity, which we did in the morning. It helped me to understand the computer activity because it provided me with background information on biogenic and terrigenic sediment samples. Biogenic sediment comes from any living things and consists of fossils. Terrigenic sediment comes from non- living things.

2. In this computer lab I looked at different sediments and figured out if the samples were biogenic or terrigenic.

3. I will demonstrate to the class how India was forced underneath Asia to cause the formation of the Himalayan Mountains.

Climatology Lab:1. This lab was most like the Monsoon Systems activity, because in this lab we looked at wind and weather patterns as they relate to monsoons.

2. We looked and learned about how monsoons are created in this computer lab and also about how the winds blow in the different seasons.

3. I will tell them that in the summer the winds blow from land to sea (land breeze) because the land is heated faster. In the winter the winds blow from the sea to the land, because the sea has a higher heat capacity and releases its heat towards the end of the year.

Micropaleontology Lab: 1. This lab is most like the Understanding the Coastal Zone Color Scanner (CZCS) Images in the Arabian Sea activity. In this lab, we looked at color images of the Arabian Sea, which illustrated upwelling and its various intensities. The intensity is determined by the presence of a monsoon season. We looked at the levels of intensity to locate the best spot for drilling the next core sample.

2. In this computer lab I looked at different fossil species and then figured out if they were warm water or cold water species. Warm water fossils are due to little upwelling and no monsoon activity. Cold water fossils are due to great degrees of upwelling and fierce monsoon storms.

3. I will tell the class that Upwelling in the Arabian Sea began about 7 million years ago, causing an intense low-pressure area to form over the Himalayan Mountains due to the heating of the suns rays. This would bring in moist air from the Indian Ocean causing this moisture to be released in the fierce Monsoon storms.