Tides

Readings

http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/tutorial_tides/welcome.html

http://oceanmotion.org/html/background/tides-forces.htm

http://www.eoearth.org/article/Tide

Powerpoint Presentation

http://www.slideshare.net/MarkMcGinley/tides-14203963

Expected Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course a fully engaged student should be able to

- discuss the effect the size and distance on gravitational pull
- describe role that the sun and the moon play in causing tides
- explain the cause of the daily, monthly, and annual patterns of tides

Groupers and Eels Teaming Up to Hunt

Here is an interesting article about a fascinating ecological relationship between a grouper and an eel who work together to catch their prey.  It appears that there is communication going on between the two species and that they are able to remember which individuals are good partners and which are not.  Pretty cool!!!

http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2014/09/08/groupers-eels-animals-science-oceans-teamwork-hunting-prey/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Social&utm_content=link_fb20140908ngnw-eelsgroup&utm_campaign=Content&sf4540429=1

Waves

Readings

http://www.seafriends.org.nz/oceano/waves.htm

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/waves/watwav2.html

http://geography.about.com/od/physicalgeography/a/waves.htm

http://www.ehow.com/info_8785171_difference-between-currents-waves-tides.html

http://oceana.org/en/explore/marine-science/ocean-waves


Powerpoint Presentation

http://www.slideshare.net/MarkMcGinley/waves-14235223

Videos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXWpmY86lHk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQrj0DNXjMY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8y1MkFZSwIs&feature=related


Expected Learning Outcomes

By the end of this class a fully engaged student should be able to

- define characteristics of an ocean waves
- discuss the causes of ocean waves
- describe the movement of energy, surface water, and subsurface water in an open ocean wave
- describe what happens in a breaking wave
- discuss possible uses of waves as a source of renewable energy.

Mantis Shrimp

As promised, here is some info about mantis shrimp.

This article, from Sept. 7th, 2014 contains a video showing a mantis shrimp cracking open a clam and a photo of a giant mantis shrimp that someone caught in Florida last week.

http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/mantis-shrimp-warm-waters-lurk-video/33498799

This longish video (over 7 minutes long) discusses many interesting aspects of  how the mantis shrimp uses its claws.  Pretty interesting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXrxCT0NpHo


Why the mantis shrimp is my new favorite animal (also pretty cool)

http://theoatmeal.com/comics/mantis_shrimp

Some Things to Think About While Writing Your Papers

I am sure that you are all trying to figure out exactly what I, and your other professors, expect on your written assignments.  Some professors will supply you with a detailed "rubric" outlining exactly what you are expected to do and how points will be allocated for the assignment.  I do not supply rubrics.  Instead, I grade on the "gestalt" basis assigning an A for work that does an excellent job meeting the requirements of the assignment, a B for work that does a good job, etc.  The main reason that I do not provide a detailed rubric is that I think that can limit and inhibit your creativity on how you complete an assignment.

However, I do think that it would be useful for me to provide you with some more explicit guidelines about what I am looking for.  The Association of American Colleges and Universities has developed suggested rubrics on how to evaluate a college level work.  I will post links to two of these rubrics, Written Communication and Critical Thinking, which might be helpful as you begin preparing your assignments for this and other classes.

Written Communication- https://apir.wisc.edu/assessment/Rubric_WrittenCommunication.pdf

Critical Thinking- http://assessment.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/CriticalThinking.pdf

Peacock Spiders

Cool Video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_yYC5r8xMI

Bird Sounds From the Lyrebird

Here is link to a short video, narrated by David Attenborough, showing the amazing mimicry ability of the lyrebird.  This video is one of my all-time favorites.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjE0Kdfos4Y

Lyrebirds, are medium-sized, ground-nesting birds found in Australia.  These birds are well know for (1) their ability to mimic the sounds of other birds (and other sounds in their environment) and the elaborate mating display of the male (shown above).  When I was about 12 or 13 years old I was living in Melbourne, Australia.  One Saturday my Dad and I drove to a forest area where lyrebirds live hoping to see one.  After hiking around for less than an hour we discovered a male and after following him for just a short while we were lucky enough to see the full display.  We were joined by an Australian wildlife photographer who said he had been exploring the forest for the last two weeks and this was the first display he saw.  I sure got lucky that day! (by now it should be clear that my biology-nerdom started at a young age)