hope_elementary_guide by BEN CHIR

The Gottesman Hall of Planet Earth ELEMENTARY SCHOOL EDUCATORâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S GUIDE

See inside 2 3-4

Introduction Before Coming to the Museum

Prepare for the Tour

At the Museum

Related Museum Exhibits

5-6

Back in the Classroom

7-8

Exhibition Map

Introduction

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stromatolite: In 1998, Edmond Mathez and Heather Sloan of the American Museum of Natural History collected this 900-millionyear old stromatolite boulder in Mauritania, western Africa. Stromatolite boulders contain fossilized evidence of early marine life. The photosynthetic processes of these early life forms played a key role in increasing the oxygen in the atmosphere and oceans.

In Nepal, climbers at a base camp high in the Himalayas prepare to ascend Mount Everest, which, at 29,028 feet, is the world’s highest mountain. Two hundred miles off the coast of Seattle a researcher operates an underwater remote-control vehicle in an attempt to harvest a sulfide chimney from the ocean floor. In Arizona, a family stands on a promontory overlooking the magnificent Grand Canyon. In the South Pacific, children run along a beach as gentle waves lap the shore. All the Earth’s landscapes, rugged and tame, are the result of four and a half billion years of drifting continents, shifting seas, and crushing glaciers. While the earth underneath our feet appears to be stable, it was, and continues to be, shaped by powerful and dynamic forces. What are these dynamic forces and how did we learn about them? Scientists from the American Museum of Natural History are among those who hope to find the answers to these questions by looking at processes that are occurring on our planet today. They look at volcanic eruptions and earthquakes, they look at climate and climatic changes, they look at the water cycle, the carbon cycle, and the rock cycle. Most importantly, they study rocks, where Earth’s long history is recorded. From the data that has been gathered, geologists have pieced together an understanding of the formation of Earth, the interaction among physical, chemical, and biological processes throughout its history, and how Earth is capable of supporting life. They have learned that our planet’s workings are complex and sometimes fragile. Because Earth’s processes continue, geologists have an understanding not only of what has happened on our planet, but also of what is likely to happen in the future. With this knowledge we have found fossil fuels, metals, and other natural resources. We can anticipate earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, as well as analyze the carbon cycle, climatic changes, the greenhouse effect, and how our own actions might effect the future of our planet. The Gottesman Hall of Planet Earth provides a graphic demonstration of the processes that created our planet. It reveals Earth’s 4.5-billion-yearhistory, in which continents drift, mountains build, oceans form, glaciers grind through rock, rivers emerge, and the chemical building blocks of life cycle through the air, oceans, crust, and mantle to create the remarkable place in which we live. Over the course of two years more than twenty-eight expeditions from the Museum have traveled to twenty-five countries and five ocean-floor regions. Their aim was to bring back geological samples representing chapters in Earth’s history. In all, 86 tons of rock were transported back to the Museum. Among the 168 samples are a zircon crystal from Australia that is nearly 4.3 billion years old; and a sulfur sample, barely a year old, from an active volcano in Indonesia. These dramatic samples demonstrate how the Earth works and help us to understand the dynamic processes that make life on this planet possible. The Gottesman Hall of Planet Earth represents a major step in advancing and spreading that understanding. You and your students are a vital part of that effort.

Before Coming to the Museum We recommend that you visit the Gottesman Hall of Planet Earth prior to bringing your students so that you can familiarize yourself with its content and test some of the activities. Use the map of the Hall on panels 2–3 to help you with your planning. Prepare students for their visit by conducting one or more of the following activities. WHAT COVERS THE EARTH?

Unconformity at Jedburgh, Borders (Scotland). Engraving based on James Hutton’s studies.

Obtain four or five pictures showing Earth’s various features (a volcano, an ocean, a desert, a mountain, a river). Begin by displaying a globe. Have students examine the globe and identify hills, mountains, oceans, river, lakes, etc. Then display the pictures and call on students to describe what they see. Point out that all of Earth’s features are the result of its 4.5 billion year history. Ask students to name events that might have changed Earth’s features. Write their responses on the chalkboard. If students do not mention them, suggest shifting continents, rising waters, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and climatic changes. Point out that these changes continue to occur. Provide students with clip boards and drawing materials. Take them on a walk where they can observe various land formations and/or different bodies of water. Have them record their observations by drawing some of the land and water features and writing a hypothesis describing how these land features were formed. Discuss students’ observations and hypotheses back in the classroom. Explain to students that they will learn more about the processes that shaped and continue to shape our planet when they visit the Gottesman Hall of Planet Earth at the American Museum of Natural History. (Science Standard S4: The student produces evidence that demonstrates understanding of big ideas and unifying concepts, such as order and organization; models; form and function; change and constancy; and cause and ef fect.)

HOW DO GLACIERS SHAPE THE EARTH? sulfide chimneys: In the 1970s, researchers found a living world thriving in and around the sulfurous hot springs that erupt at midocean rifts. There, sulfide chimneys (called “black smokers”) build up when minerals leached from magma-heated rock beneath the Earth’s surface precipitate into the cold, 35 degree F. seawater. Researchers hypothesize that in these sunless places, geology meets biology—creating conditions for life to emerge on our planet. In 1998, scientists from the American Museum of Natural History and the University of Washington were the first to retrieve complete sulfide chimneys.

Display a picture of a glacier. Explain that glaciers are large masses of ice that cover areas of land. As glaciers move over the land, they change the land’s features. Tell students they will do an experiment to see what a glacier does to the land as it grinds and scrapes along. Have students work in groups. For each group, make a block of ice by freezing water in a rectangular or square container (approximately 6–8” long, 6” wide and 4–6” thick) Take these “glaciers” outdoors to a patch of bare ground (a sandbox or gravel dirt are good locations). Have each group find a spot. Call on each group to slowly and firmly push their glacier for a distance of a foot or two. Have them pick up their glacier and look at the path it made. Ask: Are there grooves in the ground? Where did they come from? Have students examine the bottom of their glaciers. Are there rocks or sand frozen into the bottom? (This is called the load.) Have students put the glacier back on the ground where it stopped and let it melt. Ask: What has happened to the load? (The glacier has moved it from its original location. The load that remains is called till) What has happened at the front of the glacier? (There is a ridge of dirt and rocks. This is called a moraine.) What evidence of the glacier remains? (an volcano

outline of its path and possibly small pools of water. When glaciers melt they leave behind ponds.). Discuss students’ findings. As a follow up to this activity, take your students to a location where they can identify and sketch features created by glaciers. Central Park is one good location. Another is the north shore of Long Island. The northern part of the island is the moraine created by the glacier that once covered North America. (Science Standards S6: The student acquires information from multiple sources, such as experimentation and print and non-print sources.)

FIVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE EARTH ice crystals

Obtain books and magazines on geology from the school or public library or have students bring in books from home. Write the following questions on the board. • How has the Ear th evolved? • How do scientists “read” the rocks? • Why are there ocean basins, mountains, and continents? • What causes climate and climate change? • Why is the Ear th habitable?

Have your students work in small groups. Using the books, magazines, and Internet resources (http://www.amnh.org/resources), have them find three or four pieces of information that they can use to help answer one or more of the questions. While students are doing research, create a K-W-L (what we Know, what we Want to know, what we Learned) chart. Record the five questions on the chart. Then call on groups to share their findings. Write their responses on the chart. Ask students if any additional questions came up as they were doing their research. Add these questions to the chart. Tell students they will continue to investigate and learn the answers to these questions when they visit the Gottesman Hall of Planet Earth. (Science Standards S5: The student asks questions about natural phenomena; objects and organisms; and events and discoveries.)

Prepare for the Tour Duplicate the Field Journal and distribute it to the students. Review the five questions that the Hall addresses. Read through the Field Journal to identify the tasks involved and the information students will be gathering at each exhibit. Point out that, besides written responses, they will be making drawings and diagrams. Students should bring along clip boards and additional sheets of blank paper for this purpose. Suggest that they also write down their own questions and look for the answers as they tour the Hall. Assign each student to a group.

At the

Museum

You may want to organize your class visit in the following manner to make the most of the time you have in the Hall. When you enter the Hall, go to the amphitheater with the globe suspended above it. Have the students observe the globe for 3–4 minutes. Have groups go to separate sections. It is not necessary to view the exhibitions in order. Make sure your students have an opportunity to experience the video stations, EarthBulletin, and computer stations. If time permits, suggest groups visit other Museum exhibitions related to the Gottesman Hall of Planet Earth.

Related Museum Exhibitions HARRY FRANK GUGGENHEIM HALL OF MINERALS JOHN PIERPONT MORGAN HALL OF GEMS 1ST FLOOR

This Hall displays hundreds of gems and minerals from around the world. Students can learn about minerals, their formation, occurrence, properties, composition, and classification. Watch the Forever Gold video in the room adjacent to the Morgan Memorial Hall of Gems. Have the students answer these questions: How do minerals form? How are minerals different from rocks? HALL OF NORTH AMERICAN MAMMALS

1ST FLOOR

The dioramas in this hall depict a variety of landscapes, e.g. glaciers, canyon, mountains. Have the students answer the following questions: How did these landscapes form? What types of rock are displayed? What role did weathering and erosion play in creating these different formations? AKELEY HALL OF AFRICAN MAMMALS

2ND FLOOR

The dioramas in this hall feature a variety of landscapes including grasslands, deserts, mountains, valleys, and volcanoes. Have the students, working in small groups, examine two of the land features displayed. Have them describe the land feature and the processes that helped to form it.

Back inthe Classroom

DISCUSS THE MUSEUM EXPERIENCE Have students share the experience they had in the Gottesman Hall of Planet Earth. Then, review with the class as a whole the information they recorded in their Field Journals. Ask students what they learned that they didn’t know before and what they learned that surprised them the most. Review the five questions addressed in the Hall. Chart students’ responses on the K-W-L chart you made earlier. Include any new questions that students may have. Use the chart as a reference point for further investigations. (Science Standard S3: The student produces evidence that demonstrates an understanding of changes in Ear th and sky, such as changes caused by weathering, volcanism, and ear thquakes, and the patterns of movements of objects in the sky. )

THE PROCESS OF VOLCANISM

Discuss with students how volcanoes, earthquakes, and plate tectonics have shaped the Earth. Have small groups of students prepare presentations on volcanoes for other classes in the school. Suggest that students draw diagrams and make models to illustrate their presentations. Model volcanoes can be made in the following manner.

Back inthe Classroom continued M AT E R I A L S : a baking pan, modeling clay (in natural colors such as tan, red, and green), a small round plastic container, 1/4 cup water, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1/4 cup vinegar, a few drops of liquid dishwashing detergent, a few drops of red food coloring. Have students model the clay to create a volcano in the baking pan. Fit the small round plastic container in the top of the volcano. Pour in the water. Stir in the baking soda, red food coloring, and dishwashing detergent. When you’re ready for an eruption, pour in the vinegar.

(Science Standards S7: The student demonstrates effective scientific communication by clearly describing aspects of the natural world using accurate data, graphs, or other appropriate media to convey depth of conceptual understanding in science.)

ROCK CONCERT The Gottesman Hall of Planet Earth was made possible through the generous support of David S. and Ruth L. Gottesman. Public support has been provided by the State of New York; the City of New York, New York City Deparment of Cultural Affairs; New York City Council; and the Office of the Manhattan Borough President. Significant programming and educational support has been provided by The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

For additional information regarding educational programs, please contact:

American Museum of Natural History Department of Education Central Park West at 79th Street New York, NY 10024-51092 And visit us on the world wide web at: http://www.amnh.org/education Christine Economos DESIGNER: Davidson Design, Inc. PHOTOGRAPHS: AMNH Photo Studio MAP ILLUSTRATION: Kascha Semon REVIEWERS: Rosamond Kinzler, Ph.D, Karen Kane and Donna Sethi WRITER AND EDITOR:

Printed in the United States of America

Obtain books about rocks and minerals from the school library or have students bring books from home. Also have each student bring in one or two rocks. Review with students what they learned about rocks at the Museum. Review or introduce them to the three types of rock: I G N E O U S R O C K : rock that cr ystallizes from magma, or molten rock, deep inside the ear th, or is spewed up as lava during volcanic eruptions. Some examples are granite and basalt. S E D I M E N TA R Y R O C K :

rock formed from tiny grains of smashed-up and g round-up rock or from broken and ground up shells, usually floating in water. These grains settled to the bottom and built up in layers that hardened into solid rock. Some examples are shale and limestone.

M E TA M O R P H I C R O C K :

rock that forms when igneous or sedimentar y rock is crushed and heated by movements in the Ear th. One example is marble.

Have students, working in small groups, complete the following activity. 1. What colors are the rocks? Group them according to color. 2. Do the rocks have dif ferent textures and sur faces, i.e. rough, smooth, shiny, dull? Group them according to texture. 3. Lift each rock. Are they all the same density? Group rocks according to density. 4. A re there any other characteristics that you see? Then, g roup rocks according to other characteristics that you identify. 5. Identify each rock using the books, computers, and other resources, and write a description of the rock on an index card. Descriptions should include: what type of rock it is; how the rock was formed; where the rock is found; and what information the rock can provide about the histor y of the Ear th.

Have one student from each group share the group’s findings with the rest of the class. Create a rock display in the classroom or school library. (Science Standard S5: The student uses evidence from reliable sources to construct explanations. The student works individually and in teams to collect and share information and ideas.)

THE GOTTESMAN HALL OF PLANET EARTH explores Ear th’s geologic histor y and the processes that have shaped and continue to shape our planet. The Hall addresses five impor tant questions:

• How has the Ear th evolved? • How do scientists “read” the rocks? • Why are there ocean basins, mountains, and continents? • What causes climate and climate change? • Why is the Ear th habitable?

HOW HAS THE EARTH EVOLVED? Conditions on Ear th seem per fect for animal and plant life. There is water, air, land, and food. But it was not always like this. Four and a half billion years ago, shor tly after the Ear th was formed, meteorite after meteorite smashed into Ear th’s barren crust, which was probably baking hot. There was no oxygen, no atmosphere, no oceans, no life anywhere. The exhibits in this section focus on early Ear th and its formation. They show how current conditions on Ear th are the result of our planet and its life-forms evolving simultaneously over long stretches of time.

WHY ARE THERE OCEAN BASINS, MOUNTAINS, AND CONTINENTS? If you look at a globe or world map, you will see that the west coast of Africa and the east coast of South America seem to fit together like pieces of a giant jigsaw puzzle. In 1915, Alfred Wegener, a meteorologist, put for th the theor y of plate tectonics. Wegener believed that the continents had once been joined together, and that, over millions of years, had drifted apar t. At the time it seemed like a wild idea, but about for ty years ago the evidence began to build in Wegener’s favor. In the space of ten years the entire science of geology was transformed and Ear th scientists evolved the theor y of plate tectonics. Today, plate tectonics is central to our understanding of the Ear th. Geologists believe that heat produced by radioactive decay inside the Ear th is powering convection currents within our planet. This results in the Ear th’s crust being created, moved around, and destroyed constantly, albeit at an extremely slow rate. The theor y helps to explain why there are ocean basins and continents, and how mountain ranges have formed. It helps us understand ever ything from ear thquakes to geochemical cycles, and where we might best look for minerals and energy resources. Models at the center of this exhibit illustrate convection in the Ear th’s core and mantle, and lead up to an exposition of the theor y of plate tectonics. Four suppor ting displays—explosive volcanism, ef fusive volcanism, ear thquakes, and mountain building— surround a central display.

Video Stations throughout the Hall illustrate how scientists develop computer models and visualizations based upon vast amounts of data. These help them study processes such as ocean circulation, storm formation, and the churning of the Ear th’s interior. Other videos show American Museum of Natural Histor y scientists and their colleagues in the field as they collected specimens for the Hall.

EarthBulletin provides a large video screen and computer kiosks where recent global events such as ear thquakes, volcanic eruptions, and major storms are repor ted; as well as recent advances in our ef for ts to understand how the Ear th works. This information can also be found at: http://sciencebulletins.amnh.org/ear th. Computer Stations enable visitors to investigate ear th processes such as oceanic and atmospheric circulation, the carbon cycle, and plate tectonics.

HOW WE READ THE ROCKS?

OUR DYNAMIC EARTH

Ever y rock has a stor y to tell. A layer of shale containing mollusk shells tells us that the area was once a sea. A layer of dark igneous rock full of little bubbles indicates that a volcanic eruption happened somewhere in the area, spreading molten lava over the ground. The exhibits in this section focus on how geologists have learned to “read” the rocks, how they study the Ear th’s crust, and how they calculate a rock’s age. The Grand Canyon, which is a superb example of many geological processes, forms the central exhibit in this section.

Suspended above a thir ty seat amphitheater, an eightfoot half-globe with an internal projection system recreates an awe-inspiring view of Ear th from space. Visitors can obser ve the various sur faces of our planet, as the layers of clouds, life, ice, and ocean are successively peeled away, revealing the underlying rocky sur face.

<< WHY IS THE EARTH HABITABLE? Until fairly recently, many people assumed that it was a lucky coincidence that Ear th is habitable and that organisms had evolved to fit various niches. Today we know there is much more to the stor y. The Ear th and its lifeforms have evolved together over time, and that has had a profound effect on the composition of the oceans, atmosphere, and soils. Oxygen in the air to breathe, an ozone layer to block out ultraviolet radiation, and a sur face

temperature that is lower than it other wise would be are some of the results of this co-evolution. This section explores the origin of life, the possibility of life on other planets, and the features that make our planet unique, at least in our solar system. A suppor ting exhibit examines three biogeochemical cycles: the rock cycle, the carbon cycle, and the water cycle. Highlighted in this exhibit are sulfide chimneys from the deep sea floor. Sulfide chimneys are biologically

WHAT CAUSES CLIMATE AND CLIMATE CHANGE? Eighteen thousand years ago, the New York City area was buried under a sheet of ice as tall as the Empire State Building. The ice sheet covered most of Canada and much of the nor thern United States. Nor thern Europe and Asia were covered by a similar ice sheet, while the Sahara region was a wet, green, tropical forest populated by antelope, rhinoceros, lion, and groups of early humans. At this time, the Ear th’s average global temperature was about 5 degrees C. (9 degrees F.) lower than it is today. Today, scientists and others are concerned about the warming of our planet, so understanding climate and climate change is ver y impor tant. We need to know about the movement of energy and materials around the planet’s sur face, about the behavior of the atmosphere and the oceans, and about the past histor y of our climate. Geologists have devised a number of ingenious ways of finding out about past climates. The size of a fossil leaf and the shape of its tip help tell us about the climate and temperatures millions of years ago. Little bubbles of air in polar ice provide clues about the carbon dioxide levels of the past. This exhibit explores how heat travels from the equator to the poles, the structure, composition, and circulation of the atmosphere and the oceans, and the El Niño phenomenon. The exhibit looks at how scientists have gathered evidence about climate change from deep-sea sediments, ice cores, and tree rings, and proposes possible causes for climate change in the past.

isolated, and the energy source for the life around them is ver y dif ferent from that for most organisms. Studying sulfide chimneys helps us to think in a dif ferent way about the habitability of the Ear th and about the evolution of life.

To learn more about how the Gottesman Hall of Planet Ear th was built, visit our website: www.amnh.org/rose/hope/creatinghope