Today you are to investigate one current news event.  For this you can either read an article from an online newspaper (links are below) or watch a video from a network news station.

Steps to complete your assignment:

1. Find an article
2. Read or watch the story
3. Summarize the story in 5-7 sentences
   
4. Write a 2 sentence response to your summary.  Include your reaction to reading the article. (this should be what you think...opinion!)
   
5. Post your article on the comment section of this blog post and include the link to your article or video.

Newspaper links:
http://www.ohio.com/
http://www.nytimes.com/
http://www.cleveland.com/plaindealer/
http://www.washingtonpost.com/?reload=true
http://www.usatoday.com/?refresh=1

Investigate 5 earthquakes that have occurred over the past 100 years.  Tell where they occurred, when they occurred, what kind of damage occurred and how it effected the landscape.  Make sure to include all of this info for each quake you investigate. 

***For one earthquake find a primary source describing the incident...This means you are to find a first hand description of what the earthquake was like.  (this would include a news report description of the event or an eyewitness account of the quake)***

Include references in your post describing where you found your info...a

Use the internet to look up earthquakes (link below)

List of earthquakes

This week you are to write a paragraph detailing the following...

Pretend you are making a Journey to the Center of the Earth.  Write a paragraph describing the different layers (there are five you should mention) you pass as you reach the center of Earth.  Make sure you use the scientific terms for each layer.  Refer to Study Island for information. 

Hint...use the Physical Properties

Remember to include what the composition of each layer is (whats its made up of).

Should be at least 6 sentences long

This week Answer the following questions in detailed, complete sentences.  These come right from the Study Island lesson.

1. Why is a year 365 days?
2. What effect does the moon have on ocean tides?
3. Why do we have night and day? 
   
4. What causes us to have seasons?
5. Name the 4 phases of the moon.

Please number each answer and submit them in the comment section.

Thanks,
Mr. Reese

Remember we are working in the 8th grade Study Island section. 

This week take a look at page 3 of this Lesson in Study Island or use the link below.  Click on the simulation for Gravity and Orbits.  Explore the different scenarios to learn how  size, velocity, and distance effect Gravity and the orbits of celestial bodies.

Link
http://phet.colorado.edu/sims/gravity-and-orbits/gravity-and-orbits_en.jnlp

Assignment...

1. On the simulation for the earth and the sun, what happens when you increase the size of the sun?  What happens when you decrease the size of the sun?
   
2. What happens when you increase the size of the earth and the sun stays the same size?
3. On the simulation for the earth and the moon, what happens when you decrease the size of the earth?  What happens when you increase the size of the earth?  What happens when you increase the size of the moon or decrease the size of the moon?
4. Give a quick summary of what these simulations show.