9.15.2008 classroom reflection

[Sean Nash]

Post your reflections from class on Monday, the 15th. This is due before Monday, the 22nd.

Describe major "aha's" from our discussion, outline ways in which your prior assumptions changed as a result of our talk, summarize the main points of our lesson, etc.

[Chris Puett]

I could connect to class pretty easily last time because I learned about tides in Environmental Science this past school year. Although I did learn more than I originally knew because we learned how high tides and low tides occur. I also learned that there are extreme low tides and extreme high tides based on where the sun and the moon are located. Nothing really stood out to where I could have an "aha," but I imagine that is because I had previous knowledge on the subject. We also learned of spring and neap tides and the tidal ranges on each.

[Taylor Braby]

I have always been extremely confused when it came to anything that had to do with tides. When we started to discuss the gravitational force between the earth and the moon and why it happened it was really an "aha" moment because the way my teachers have explained it in the past was really confusing and it would get all scrambled up. Also something that was an EXTREME "aha" moment was when we talked about the bulge and inertia. I totally get why there are high tides in certain places and low tides in others.

[Torin McKinley]

i know i missied like the first 40 minutes of class but i think i got a ton out of class monday. i am a very abstract learner so the way Mr. Nash used the example of the globe and the little ball as the earth and moon really helped me put two and two together. another cool thing is that well i never knew anything at all about why tides happen so pretty much the entire night i was having "aha" moments. i even felt a little dumb not knowing some of the things, like how long is a luner day and stuff. I also thought it was crazy to think of how violent the currents can be when changing from high tide to low tide, how the boat needs two anchors really amazed me. Again all common sense stuff but until last monday none of these things ever crossed my mind. if Mr. Nash teaches like this all the time then i know that i am going to get a lot out of this class.

[Sean Nash]

i talked to mr. nash just this morning (the voices, you know...) and he said that yes, in fact, he does teach like that all the time.
;-)

glad it all seemed to come together for you. though, if monday's lesson seemed to particularly solidify things for you... with all of the 3D, handheld modeling, etc... then you are likely more of a concrete learner as opposed to abstract. fun things to think about for sure.

[Nick Straton]

My biggest "aha" moment was when I figured out the reason we only see the same side of the moon. It's revolution/rotation corresponds with the earth in a way that only allows us to see the same side so that's why we never see the dark side of the moon. The tides were simple and easy because last year I studied them in environmental science so that was really just review to me. Well except for the fact that high tide is happening at the same time as another place halfway around the world. I remember learning about salinity of the ocean water in there as well. I never really thought about the bottom of the ocean being underwater mountains. I remember learning about tectonic plates and new land forming and all that but never realized that what it is.

[Sean Nash]

weird.... that link won't take me to where you were wanting it to. all i takes me to (facebook sends me by default) to my "home" page. can you copy/paste the text you were speaking of perhaps?

[Dillon Brewer]

Since I wasn’t in class, I’m doing my reflection over hurricanes and tides video. I never really known a whole bunch of facts of hurricanes, except that there devastating. We all know that from hurricane Katrina. Hurricane can be the nearly the size of Texas and can reach height of 9 miles. If I saw something big, I’d just drop everything and run. Go to Alaska some where far. Hurricane Andrew is said to be the most expensive hurricane yet, causing over 25 billion dollars in damages. I don’t know how much damage Katrina did but it was probably more than that, this video was probably made before then.
I knew the moon had a great effect on tides. The full and new moon causes the most extreme tides. I did not know that sun also had an effect but if you think about the sun has effect on everything that is a part of the Earth.

[Sean Nash]

Andrew was a beast. I got to speak with several of the people at the tropical storm prediction center in Miami several years ago. That storm was very very little when it formed in the Bahamas, just east of Andros. It so quickly became a beast just off the coast of Florida. It moved so fast. By the time it hit Florida, it had spooled up to over 150mph winds. No one was ready for Andrew... and it wouldn't meant a lot more had they been.

[Korby Trautman]

I think this class discussion was a complete "aha" moment for me, mostly because this summer we have been talking ONLY about the reefs and the wild life that inhabit them. It was good to learn about different terms that most teachers in geography or other sciences haven't even touched on; I guess it's another one of those, "you don't live by the ocean, so why learn about it" topics. I thought the coolest thing I learned was about the bulge that is created with the water... It made me wonder when scientists actually figured it out (before or after going to space), and why er only just now learned it in school. I actually wish we lived closer to the ocean, because we are missing out on so many basic facts that most ocean-side inhabitants learn growing up, but then again, they miss out on alot that we learn too.

[Brett Baltezor]

The class on September 15, 2008 was a good sign. I found it extremely interesting for being so simple...and thats a good sign. Im glad Im taking such a liking to this class since Im paying a hefty price to take it.

From the contents of the sea to tides, currents, waves and even Kenyans filled the two hour class period. The most interesting thing to me was the power of the sea. Most people have no idea how great the sea is. I was very surprised that there was life at the bottom of the sea and that people have actually been down there.

Another interesting topic was the tides and waves. Image waking up one day and looking outside to find that there is no trees or grass. That the same thing that people experience in a very low tide.

Im excited for tonight!

[Terra Younger]

Last class period was full of “aha” moments for me. I’m just now taking Environmental science so I haven’t learned about tides, seawater, currents, waves or tropical storms. The more and more I get into this class the more ignorant and deprived I feel. Living smack dap in the middle of the continent really stinks. I seriously had no clue about lunar cycles and the tides. I know at night it was high tide because while in South Carolina mom wouldn’t let me swim, “the waves are too high Terra.” So I knew the moon’s gravitational pull caused the tides… I didn’t know about the bulge on the opposite side of the Earth, two high tides and two low tides at one time. I really got a lot out of the last class period, Nash’s way of teaching is superb.