Don Bohm

Neil Clifford

Denise O’Toole

Ed San Nicolas

Building our foundation• What is heat?• What is temperature?• Does pressure influence the

temperature of air?• Does air pressure change with

altitude?• How does temperature affect

humidity?• How does humidity affect

temperature?

Earth Science ObjectivesMETEOROLOGY• 13.5 The student will determine the necessary

ingredients for the formation of clouds.• 13.6 the student will understand that the atmosphere

traps heat.• 13.7 the student will understand the relationship

between air pressure and air temperature.• 13.9 the student will understand the relationship

between relative humidity and dew point.• 13.10 the student will understand the factors that

affect weather patterns.• 13.13 the student will evaluate the factors that

influence the climate of Las Vegas.

Biology I Course Objectives

• 1.10 The student will identify and describe the characteristics that distinguish life from non-life.

• 2.1 The student will describe the characteristics of the major terrestrial and aquatic biomes.

• 2.8 The student will relate how various limiting factors affect population growth and carrying capacity.

• 2.9 The student will assess the impact of human activities of the biosphere.

Nevada State Standards

• N.12.B.1 Students know science, technology, and society influenced one another in both positive and negative ways. E/S

• E12.A.1 Students know the Sun is the major source of Earth’s energy, and provides the energy driving Earth’s weather and climate. E/S

• E.12.A.4 Students know convection and radiation play important roles in moving heat energy in the Earth system. E/S

• E.12.A.5 Students know Earth’s rotation affects winds and ocean currents. I/S

Nevada State Standards

• E.12.C.3 Students know elements exist in fixed amounts and move through solid earth, oceans, atmosphere and living things as part of biogeochemical cycles. E/S

• L.12.C.4 Students know the unique geologic, hydrologic, climatic, and biological characteristics of Nevada’s bioregions. E/S

• P.12.C.2 Students know energy forms can be converted.

• P.12.C.5 Students know the relationship between heat and temperature.

Student Conceptions and Misconceptions

• The closer you are to the sun, the hotter it is. We have a dry climate, so heat spreads.

• It is hot because Las Vegas is below sea level.• It is hot because we are close to the equator.• It is hot because there is nothing to absorb

heat.• It is hot because the ozone is detonating at a

fast rate.• Cars engines make it hot in Las Vegas.

Activities

• What does it mean to be hot?

• Short Opening Activities

• Laboratory Investigations

• Research

• Data Gathering

• Culminating Activity

How will our students showcase what they learned? • Culminating

Activity/Assessment:

• Project: The students will create a presentation to share their understanding of the unit objectives.– Formulate a rubric– Writing component– Creative and artistic component

Hook ‘em

1. What is the difference between hot and cold?

– Stand in the sun

2. What is the difference between heat and temperature.

a) Melt an ice cube in 100mL of hot water and 1000mL of hot water

b) Students will need to formulate their hypothesis and procedures.

3. How does temperature affect pressure?

a) frozen ballon

Exploring Temperature and Humidity

Create a cloud• It will help them learn

how clouds form in the atmosphere.

• Found at:

http://schoolscience.rice.edu/duker/homemade

Materials:

• One glass canning jar.

• 2 cm of tap water.

• One match

• One large round rubber balloon with the mouth end cut off.

• One rubber band that will fit the mouth of the jar.

• One flashlight.

Procedure:Step 1

• Cut the mouth end off of a large round rubber balloon.

• Place the balloon over the mouth of the canning jar to see if it fits.

• Attach it with a rubber band by stretching the rubber band around the top of the jar. Make sure it is snug.

Procedure:

Step 2 • Put 2 cm of water into the jar. • Light a match over the jar and blow it out. • Quickly place the balloon sheath back over the jar

mouth and secure it with the rubber band. • Let the jar stand undisturbed for 2 minutes. Step 3• The students should shine their flashlight through

the jar. • A student pushes down on the balloon sheath for a

few seconds and the quickly pulls it up. When they pull it up they should see a white cloud form.

Exploring Latitude• How does latitude

affect temperature?

• Students can explore with a heat lamp and a globe.

• Collect temperature data from various latitudes– Graph– Surf the web

Exploring Biomes

• abiotic factors influence biotic factors

• Moisture– Rain Shadow– Humidity

• Latitude• Altitude• Interactions • Interactions