Ms J brought us to Bukit Timah Nature Reserve to do some field work. As this was our first time going outside the school as a class, we were very excited. However, the aim of the trip was to find out more about a tropical rainforest so we had to focus on it. Bukit Timah Nature Reserve is a tropical rainforest, unlike Temperate coniferous rainforest or the temperate deciduous rainforests, there were many varieties and layers of plants! What's more, tropical rainforests have a rather surprising thick amount of leaf litter. Here is a question we have in our head: Is there soil far far below the leaf litter?
In a temperate coniferous rainforest, there is only one type of tree, the christmas tree. Guess what is it shape? Yes, it is a cone-shaped tree. That is why the forest is called a coniferous tree! As there are four seasons, the trees must adapt to the climate. So how do they adapt to the cold weather in winter? Unlike deciduous forests, they do not drop their leaves. Instead, they have flexible branches that can bend when snow falls on them. This will cause the snow to fall off the branches.What's more, the trees have needle-like leaves so that there will be minimum water loss as during winter, water will freesh into either snow or ice. Then, the big question on our minds is: How does their cone-shape help?
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Friday, July 8, 2011
Weather and Climate
We are back from the long June Holidays and we learnt about the weather and climate on the first Geography lesson of Term 3.The difference between weather and climate is thatclimate talks about long term changes while weather talks about short term changes.
Elements of Weather- Temperature
There are two factors that affect the temperature and they are the location and the rotation of the Earth. An important thing to note is 'where you are located on Earth will affect how you experience weather and climate'.The part of the Earth that are between the latitude of 10 degrees North and 10 degrees South (including the Equator, which have a latitude of 0 degrees) is known as Tropical Equatorial and it receives the most amount of sunlight. It receives more heat than other parts of the Earth as it is nearer to the Sun and the heat rays travel less therefore the heat is more intense. The part of the Earth that is have a latitude of 23.5 degrees North and South is known as the Tropical Monsoon. The part that is 60 degrees North and South is known as Temperate region, where the countries located there will experience the four seasons.Finally, the North and South poles are known as Polar.
Tropical regions rain more than temperate regions.
Why do the radiation from the ground affect the temperature that is taken from a thermometer?
Elements of Weather- Temperature
There are two factors that affect the temperature and they are the location and the rotation of the Earth. An important thing to note is 'where you are located on Earth will affect how you experience weather and climate'.The part of the Earth that are between the latitude of 10 degrees North and 10 degrees South (including the Equator, which have a latitude of 0 degrees) is known as Tropical Equatorial and it receives the most amount of sunlight. It receives more heat than other parts of the Earth as it is nearer to the Sun and the heat rays travel less therefore the heat is more intense. The part of the Earth that is have a latitude of 23.5 degrees North and South is known as the Tropical Monsoon. The part that is 60 degrees North and South is known as Temperate region, where the countries located there will experience the four seasons.Finally, the North and South poles are known as Polar.
Tropical regions rain more than temperate regions.
Why do the radiation from the ground affect the temperature that is taken from a thermometer?
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Volcanoes
It's already term 2 and we learnt about volcanoes. We(Esther and Jessica) were told to present about the factors and conditions affecting a volcano eruption.
What is a volcano?
A volcano is an opening in the Earth's crust which magma and gases can escape through it when pressure in the mantle forces magma to the surface.
What is magma?
Magma is also known as molten mantle.Molten mantle is caused when the temperature beneath the Earth's crust is so great that it causes parts of the mantle to melt.
Basic structure of the volcano
A volcano consists of a vent, crater, pipe and cone. The vent is an opening in the Earth's surface while the pipe is a channel which allows the magma to rise to the top of the volcano. The crater is a bowl-shaped opening on top of the volcano and the cone refers to the shape of the volcano.
Where can volcanoes be found?
Volcanoes can be found on the "Ring of Fire".
Active volcanoes:
A volcano which have erupted from time to time and is likely to do so again in the future.
Dormant volcanoes:
A volcano which is presently inactive but may erupt again.
Extinct volcanoes:
A volcano which scientists consider unlikely to erupt again.
Acknowledgements:
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Earthquake in Japan
An Eartquake recently erupted in Japan.It was said to be the eartquake with the 7th highest magnitude.
An article about it can be found at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/11/japan-earthquake-tsunami_n_834380.html
I have summarised the article and it says that a ferocious tsunami spawned by one the largest eartquakes ever recorded hit Japan's eastern coast last Friday.It killed hundreds of people.
The magnitude-8.9 offshore quake unleashed a 23-foot (seven-meter) tsunami and was followed by more than 50 aftershocks for hours, many of them of more than magnitude 6.0.NHK said more than 4 million buildings were without power in Tokyo and its suburbs. Some nuclear plants were also said to be affected.
This is a real-life example of how the physical environment affects the human environment in a bad way.The result of it is leaving the people in Japan homeless,injured and even dead.
Some nuclear plants were said to be affected and this could then lead to another resulting effect on the people in Japan.The people in Japan maybe might have to look for natural resources like maybe cutting more trees.This cycle will then continue.
This is the end of today's post.We should keep the people in Japan in our prayers and try to help them in whatever we can do.
An article about it can be found at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/11/japan-earthquake-tsunami_n_834380.html
I have summarised the article and it says that a ferocious tsunami spawned by one the largest eartquakes ever recorded hit Japan's eastern coast last Friday.It killed hundreds of people.
The magnitude-8.9 offshore quake unleashed a 23-foot (seven-meter) tsunami and was followed by more than 50 aftershocks for hours, many of them of more than magnitude 6.0.NHK said more than 4 million buildings were without power in Tokyo and its suburbs. Some nuclear plants were also said to be affected.
This is a real-life example of how the physical environment affects the human environment in a bad way.The result of it is leaving the people in Japan homeless,injured and even dead.
Some nuclear plants were said to be affected and this could then lead to another resulting effect on the people in Japan.The people in Japan maybe might have to look for natural resources like maybe cutting more trees.This cycle will then continue.
This is the end of today's post.We should keep the people in Japan in our prayers and try to help them in whatever we can do.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
The rock cycle
What is the rock cycle?
The rock cycle is the recycling of rocks and it shows how rocks are turned into different forms of rock.
Here is a diagram on how the rock cycle works:
The rock cycle is the recycling of rocks and it shows how rocks are turned into different forms of rock.
Here is a diagram on how the rock cycle works:
Sediments come together to form sedimentary rocks.The sedimentary rock then becomes a metamorphic rock under pressure.The metamorphic rock then turns into a igneous rock when it melts and cools.
*Note: The rock cycle does not alsawys follow the same pattern.
To conclude we have added a video on the rock cycle to explain more about it.
Picture and video taken from:
Friday, February 25, 2011
Are they rocks?
Ms J has asked us to think out of the box and post them.On my way home,I was thinking jow to do that when I noticed two things which looked like rocks.Are they rocks?I took photos of it with my i phone from different perspectives so you can get a clearer view of it.
Please tell me whether these are rocks.:)Esther
Earth
Layers of the Earth
The Earth is made up of three layers, the crust, mantle and core.
The Earth is made up of three layers, the crust, mantle and core.
The crust is the solid outermost layer. It is separated into pieces called plates. Rocks are solid materials that are made up of minerals and they are on the Earth's crust. The crust floats on the Earth's mantle. The mantle is liquid and is more than 200 degrees celcuis. And right in the center of the Earth, there is the core, which is solid. The core is 5150-6370 kilometers below the Earth's surface and mainly consists of iron, nickel and some lighter elements. The core's temperature is about 5000-6000 degrees celcuis.
Credits:www.google.com and http://mediatheek.thinkquest.nl/~ll125/en/core.htm
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Rocks
Igneous rocks
Think about it, do you know how Igneous rocks form? They are formed when the magma inside a volcano cools down and hardens quickly outside the Earth. There are two type of Igneous rocks that we know of, and they are the...
Granite
Granite are coarse-grained(big visible grains)
Basalt
Basalt are fine-grained (very small grains)
Sedimentary rocks
Sendimentary rocks are formed when rocks break down into smaller pieces through weathering and erosion such as wind, rain, flowing river water. Small pieces of sediments (rocks+sand+clay+silt) get carried by wind and water into rivers. The sediments are then deposited and pile up in layers ,with the weight of more layers piling up, the sediments cement together and harden. And that is how Sedimentary rocks are formed!
Shale
Shale have distinctive layers and are fine-grained.
Conglomerate
Conglomerate have distinctive layers and are coarse-grained.
Limestone
Limestones are made up of hardened remains of animals and plants.
Metamorphic rocks
Metamorphic rocks are formed when Igneous and Sedimentary rocks comes into contact with intense heat and pressure. When plates move, one plate can slide underneath another plate, Metamorphism occurs; metamorphic rocks are then form inside the Earth. All Metamorphic rocks(Gneiss,Slate, Marble) have bands, foliated texture(minerals aligned in parallel layers) and are fine-grained.
Credits: http://www.google.com/
Credits: http://www.google.com/
Friday, February 11, 2011
Open a new summary chapter about atlas's right now....
Important points about the atlas:
What is an atlas?An Atlas is a book of maps.
Why do we need a atlas?
To find a location.
What does the atlas contain?
It contains major physical features and human features.
The 7 continents:
Asia,Europe,Africa,South America,North America,Australia and Antarctica.
Scales
/ /
Large scales Small scales
Land scale from large to small
Region
7 Continents
Countries
Cities
Towns
Community/Village
Individual
Oceans
The 5 oceans are the Pacific,Arctic,Indian,Atlantic and Southern ocean.
Pacific ocean-located between America and Asia
Arctic ocean-located above Europe
Atlantic ocean-located between South America and Africa
Indian ocean-located below Asia
Southern ocean-located above Antarctica
What is a :
Country?
-The territory of a nation or state
City?
-A large settlement
Capital?
-A chief major city
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Questions
1.Why are the oceans named as what they are?(e.g. why is the pacific ocean called the pacific ocean etc.)
2.Why is Europe and Africa not part of Asia even though thy seemed to be connected on the map?
Here is a song on how to remember the 5 oceans and the 7 continents
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Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Longitudes and Latitude
Longitudes
Longitudes are imaginary vertical lines that run in a north-south direction from the North Pole to the South Pole. It is also the angular distance from a point's meridian from the Greenwich Meridian, also known as the Prime Meridian. It is usually expressed in degrees and minutes. Lines of longitude are often referred to as meridians. The Greenwich Meridian is the zero degree longitude.
The measurement of longitude is important to both cartography and to provide safe ocean navigation. Mariners and explorers for most of history struggled to determine precise longitude. Longitude is given as an angular ranging from zero degrees at the Prime Meridian to +180° eastward and −180° westward. The Greek letter λ( lambda), is used to denote the location of a place on Earth east or west of the Greenwich Meridian.
Longitude at a point may be determined by calculating the time difference between that and its location and Coordinated Universal Time( UTC). Since there are 24 hours in a day and three hundred and sixty degrees in a circle, the sun moves across the sky at a rate of fifteen degrees per hour.
Latitude
Latitudes are imaginary horizontal lines that run in an east-west direction round the Earth. The latitude is an angle and is usually measured in degrees. The Equator, the longest line of latitude which divides the Earth into two equal halves, has a latitude of zero degrees. The North Pole have a degree of ninety degree north and the South Pole have a degree of ninety degree south. The Tropic of Cancer have a degree of twenty three point five degree north while the Tropic of Capricorn have a degree of twenty three point five degree south. The Arctic Circle have a degree of sixty six point five north and the Antarctic Circle have a degree of sixty six point five south.
A region's latitude has a great effect on its climate and weather. Latitude more loosely determines prevailing winds, and other physical characteristics of geographic locations. Auroral activity is common at high geomagnetic latitudes.
Click here to watch a video on latitude and longitude: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swKBi6hHHMA
Longitudes are imaginary vertical lines that run in a north-south direction from the North Pole to the South Pole. It is also the angular distance from a point's meridian from the Greenwich Meridian, also known as the Prime Meridian. It is usually expressed in degrees and minutes. Lines of longitude are often referred to as meridians. The Greenwich Meridian is the zero degree longitude.
The measurement of longitude is important to both cartography and to provide safe ocean navigation. Mariners and explorers for most of history struggled to determine precise longitude. Longitude is given as an angular ranging from zero degrees at the Prime Meridian to +180° eastward and −180° westward. The Greek letter λ( lambda), is used to denote the location of a place on Earth east or west of the Greenwich Meridian.
Longitude at a point may be determined by calculating the time difference between that and its location and Coordinated Universal Time( UTC). Since there are 24 hours in a day and three hundred and sixty degrees in a circle, the sun moves across the sky at a rate of fifteen degrees per hour.
Latitude
Latitudes are imaginary horizontal lines that run in an east-west direction round the Earth. The latitude is an angle and is usually measured in degrees. The Equator, the longest line of latitude which divides the Earth into two equal halves, has a latitude of zero degrees. The North Pole have a degree of ninety degree north and the South Pole have a degree of ninety degree south. The Tropic of Cancer have a degree of twenty three point five degree north while the Tropic of Capricorn have a degree of twenty three point five degree south. The Arctic Circle have a degree of sixty six point five north and the Antarctic Circle have a degree of sixty six point five south.
A region's latitude has a great effect on its climate and weather. Latitude more loosely determines prevailing winds, and other physical characteristics of geographic locations. Auroral activity is common at high geomagnetic latitudes.
Click here to watch a video on latitude and longitude: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swKBi6hHHMA
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