20 September 2014 Earth Science Sites of the Week
Francek, Mark
Hello Everyone,
This week’s 20 September 2014 Earth Science Sites of the Week feature the following resources:
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Editor’s Picks: 1) Video on the Difference Between Wet and Dry Quicksand (Shows Liquefaction),
2) Massive Landslide in the French Alps, 3) Death Valley Video by Day and Night,
*****3) Environmental Data & Analysis with Google Earth, 4)
The Water Cycle for Kids and Students: Advanced Students , 5) Interactive Tool for Identifying Plankton, ***6)
Astronomy Interactives , 7) Ted Talk: The Moon Illusion,
*****8) Who is the Most Typical Person on Earth from National Geographic, *9) Amazing Time Lapse Video on the Atmosphere, 10) 112 Bill Nye The Science Guy Video Worksheets.
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Geology and Geography
1. 38 Maps You Never Knew You Needed
2. Earth Viewer App
3. Interactive Mineral Identification Site
4. Video on the Difference Between Wet and Dry Quicksand (Shows Liquefaction)
5. Massive Landslide in the French Alps
6. Death Valley Video by Day and Night
7. Environmental Data & Analysis with Google Earth
Water
1. NOAA Ocean and Coast Education Resources
2. The Water Cycle for Kids and Students: Advanced Students
3. Interactive Tool for Identifying Plankton
Weather
1. Yakutsk: The Coldest City on Earth
2. The Polar Vortex Explained
3. Amazing Time Lapse Video on the Atmosphere
Space
1. Astronomy Interactives
2. Voyager Probe 'Leaves Solar System'
3. Ted Talk: The Moon Illusion
Environmental
1. Ted Talk: A Reality Check on Renewables Can They Meet Demand?
2. Who is the Most Typical Person on Earth from National Geographic
General
1. The Incredible Science Behind Starling Flocking Behaviors
Teaching
1. Assessment Using Popular Game Shows
2. A Guide for Using Cornell Notes
3. 112 Bill Nye Worksheets
4. Starting Point: Teaching Entry Level Geoscience
Demo
1. Phases of the Moon, Or Any Round Thing, Really...
Humor
1. SpinChill: Cool Down that Brew
Geology and Geography
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Site Name |
38 Maps You Never Knew You Needed |
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Site URL |
http://www.buzzfeed.com/awesomer/maps-you-never-knew-you-needed |
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Site Author |
Tanner Ringerud |
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Suggested by |
Liann Yates |
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Description |
“A whimsical romp through 38 maps ranging from the fascinating to trivial. ” |
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Site Name |
Earth Viewer App |
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Site URL |
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Site Author |
BioInteractive |
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Suggested by |
EarthSciTeach |
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Description |
“What did Earth look like 250 million years ago? Or 1 billion years ago? Or 4.5 billion years ago? EarthViewer is an interactive tool for tablet computers that allows you to explore the science of Earth's deep history.” Get the App for your tablet. |
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Site Name |
Interactive Mineral Identification Site |
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Site URL |
http://facweb.bhc.edu/academics/science/harwoodr/geol101/labs/minerals/ |
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Site Author |
Richard Harwood |
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Suggested by |
Justin Forrest |
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Description |
“On each of the following pages you will find an image of a mineral and a series of physical properties tests. Identify the physical properties that are present. Once this is done, identify the mineral. It is recommended that you use your lab manual during these exercises as detailed identification information is not given in these web pages. Click each answer, then check to see if you have correctly identified the mineral sample.” |
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Site Name |
Video on the Difference Between Wet and Dry Quicksand (Shows Liquefaction) |
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Site URL |
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Site Author |
Wimp.com |
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Suggested by |
Phil Medina |
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Description |
“Neat video demonstrating dry and wet quicksand. It give pretty good insight into liquefaction during an earthquake.” |
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Site Name |
Massive Landslide in the French Alps |
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Site URL |
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Site Author |
Wimp.com |
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Suggested by |
Phil Medina |
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Description |
“Here's a nice video of a landslide taped by some rock climbers. It makes a nice alluvial fan at the bottom. Although I'm not sure if it has the same name if it comes from a rapid deposit rather than the accumulation over years.” |
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Site Name |
Death Valley Video by Day and Night
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Site URL |
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/death-valley-dreamlapse-2-knock-socks-off-173150515.html |
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Site Author |
Mike Krumboltz |
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Suggested by |
CB |
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Description |
“A new time-lapse video, Death Valley Dreamlapse 2 from Sunchaser Pictures, takes viewers on another virtual trip to beautiful and mysterious Death Valley.” |
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Site Name |
Environmental Data & Analysis with Google Earth |
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Site URL |
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Site Author |
Google Earth |
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Suggested by |
Randall Schaetzl |
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Description |
“Google Earth Engine brings together the world's satellite imagery — trillions of scientific measurements dating back almost 40 years — and makes it available online with tools for scientists, independent researchers, and nations to mine this massive warehouse of data to detect changes, map trends and quantify differences on the Earth's surface. Applications include: detecting deforestation, classifying land cover, estimating forest biomass and carbon, and mapping the world’s roadless areas.” |
Water
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Site Name |
NOAA Ocean and Coast Education Resources |
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Site URL |
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Site Author |
NOAA Educators |
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Suggested by |
Lindsay Knippenberg |
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Description |
“Education resources are distributed across many websites and program offices at NOAA and on NOAA partner websites. This portal is designed to assist educators in accessing these materials from one centralized interface. The content here is a sampling of NOAA's education resources and more can be found at each linked location.” |
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Site Name |
The Water Cycle for Kids and Students: Advanced Students |
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Site URL |
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Site Author |
Howard Perlman |
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Suggested by |
Bill Dicks |
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Description |
“There is a new tool that the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has just released about the Water Cycle (for kids/students) that they hope can be useful as a teaching tool. It is their Interactive on-line version of the water cycle - with versions for three age levels. You view the water cycle diagram on the web and then hover your mouse over components to see pop up information, pictures, and further links.” |
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Site Name |
Interactive Tool for Identifying Plankton |
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Site URL |
http://www.planktonportal.org/?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=PlanktonLaunch |
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Site Author |
Plankton Portal Staff |
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Suggested by |
Rob and the Zooniverse Team |
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Description |
“Plankton Portal allows you to explore the open ocean from the comfort of your own home. You can dive hundreds of feet deep, and observe the unperturbed ocean and the myriad animals that inhabit the earth’s last frontier. The goal of the site is to classify underwater images in order to study plankton. We’ve teamed up with researchers at the University of Miami and Oregon State University who want to understand the distribution and behavior of plankton in the open ocean.” |
Weather
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Site Name |
Yakutsk: The Coldest City on Earth |
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Site URL |
http://lightbox.time.com/2013/04/10/yakutsk-the-coldest-city-on-earth/#ixzz2pRx22vJW |
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Site Author |
Steeve Luncker |
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Suggested by |
EarthSciTeach |
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Description |
“Yakutsk, a remote city in Eastern Siberia along the Lena River, is the coldest city in the world. Located 1840 km away from Irkoustk and 5000 km away from Moscow, this city founded in 1632 by the Cossacks imposes upon its inhabitants an extreme way of life.” |
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Site Name |
The Polar Vortex |
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Site URL |
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Site Author |
Lee Grenci |
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Suggested by |
Ryan P. Shadbolt |
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Description |
“Site explains the polar vortex” |
Space
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Site Name |
Astronomy Interactives |
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Site URL |
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Site Author |
David Hudgins |
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Suggested by |
John D. Hulsmann IV |
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Description |
“This site provides ranking tasks for teaching introductory astronomy. Pencil-and-paper versions as well as computer-based versions are available grouped by topic. New materials will be added as the computer-based versions are completed. It is anticipated that the pencil-and-paper versions will be photocopied for students and either used in the classroom or assigned as homework. The computer-based versions are intended as formative assessment tools to be used by students outside of class and have considerable utility in distance education courses.” |
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Site Name |
Voyager Probe 'Leaves Solar System' |
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Site URL |
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Site Author |
Jonathan Amos |
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Suggested by |
Earth Science Teachers Committee |
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Description |
“The Voyager-1 spacecraft has become the first manmade object to leave the Solar System. Scientists say the probe's instruments indicate it has moved beyond the bubble of hot gas from our Sun and is now moving in the space between the stars.” |
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Site Name |
Ted Talk: The Moon Illusion |
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Site URL |
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Site Author |
Andrew Vanden Heuvel |
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Suggested by |
Pete Saracino |
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Description |
“Have you noticed how the full moon looks bigger on the horizon than high overhead? Actually, the two images are exactly the same size -- so why do we perceive them differently? Scientists aren't sure, but there are plenty of intriguing theories. Andrew Vanden Heuvel unravels the details of focus, distance and proportion that contribute to this mystifying optical illusion.” |
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Site Name |
Space Place Prime |
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Site URL |
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=gov.nasa.jpl.spaceplaceprime |
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Site Author |
NASA |
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Suggested by |
Nancy Leon |
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Description |
“Space Place Prime is now available on Android! A spinoff of NASA’s popular kids’ Space Place website (spaceplace.nasa.gov), Space Place Prime has timely, educational, and easy-to-read articles and activities from the Space Place and other science websites, the latest and most impressive NASA space and Earth imagery, and a wide array of informational movies. There is plenty to keep everyone occupied and informed. Content is updated daily.” |
Environmental
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Site Name |
Ted Talk: A Reality Check on Renewables Can They Meet Demand? |
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Site URL |
http://www.ted.com/talks/david_mackay_a_reality_check_on_renewables |
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Site Author |
David MacKay |
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Suggested by |
Malcolm Pringle |
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Description |
“How much land mass would renewables need to power a nation like the UK? An entire country's worth. In this pragmatic talk, David MacKay tours the basic mathematics that show worrying limitations on our sustainable energy options and explains why we should pursue them anyway.” |
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Site Name |
Who is the Most Typical Person on Earth from National Geographic |
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Site URL |
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Site Author |
National Geographic |
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Suggested by |
JHC from Earth Science Teachers Community |
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Description |
“Video clip informing on the world’s population facts and statistics” |
General
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Site Name |
Amazing Time Lapse Video on the Atmosphere |
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Site URL |
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Site Author |
Russell McLendon |
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Suggested by |
Mike Nolan |
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Description |
“Titled "Into the Atmosphere," it's a 224-second tour of California scenery that quickly struck a chord online, surpassing 300,000 views within two weeks of its mid-December release. It has emerged as one of the year's best time-lapse films despite the late debut, earning a Vimeo "Staff Pick" award and even causing a veteran astronomy writer to choke up.” |
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Site Name |
The Incredible Science Behind Starling Flocking Behaviors |
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Site URL |
http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/stories/the-incredible-science-behind-starling-murmurations |
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Site Author |
Jaymi Heimbuch |
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Suggested by |
Mike Nolan |
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Description |
“The aerial ballet the birds perform while flocking is mesmerizing to watch. But even more fascinating is the science behind how they are capable of such coordinated movement.” |
Teaching
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Site Name |
Assessment Using Popular Game Shows |
|
Site URL |
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Site Author |
Dianne Jones |
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Suggested by |
Cathy Loomis |
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Description |
“The parade of games web site was created to provide educators and trainers with easy-to- assemble educational games in a technology- enhanced environment to support key learning points. The site demonstrates the creative use of popular game shows and other familiar games to reinforce learning.” |
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Site Name |
A Guide for Using Cornell Notes |
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Site URL |
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Site Author |
Fontana Middle School |
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Suggested by |
Romy Friedman |
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Description |
“The Cornell method provides a systematic format for condensing and organizing notes.” |
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Site Name |
112 Bill Nye The Science Guy Video Worksheets |
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Site URL |
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Site Author |
Movie Sheets |
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Suggested by |
Marla White |
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Description |
“Showing science videos and the occasional Hollywood film in the classroom is an innovative way to demonstrate science concepts and expose common misconceptions while providing a thought provoking change of pace for students. Below is a catalog of science movie worksheets and video guides. Site has many video worksheets and movie guides that go along with popular science movies on DVD/VHS. The collection was generously contributed by other teachers.” This link just looks at old Bill Nye Videos. |
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Site Name |
Starting Point: Teaching Entry Level Geoscience |
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Site URL |
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Site Author |
NSDL |
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Suggested by |
Mike Gallagher |
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Description |
“Learn about instructional methods that work with entry-level geoscience students. This site is designed for faculty and graduate students teaching undergraduate entry-level geoscience, environmental science, or related courses. Each section describes a teaching method, why/when it is useful, how it can be implemented, and a set of examples spanning the Earth system that can be used in your class.” |
Demo
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Site Name |
An Easy Way to Demonstrate the Phases of the Moon, |
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Site URL |
http://prezi.com/_6tazwh7rxzq/phases-of-the-moon-or-any-round-thing-really/ |
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Site Author |
Don Duggan-Haas |
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Suggested by |
Don Duggan-Haas |
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Description |
“Prezi presentation of the phases of the moon” |
Humor
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Site Name |
SpinChill: Cool Down that Brew |
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Site URL |
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Site Author |
Spin Chill |
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Suggested by |
T. Wozniak |
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Description |
“Spinning device that chills your canned beverage in 60 seconds without it foaming or exploding when you open it” |
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Mark Francek
Professor
Geography
Dow 285
Central Michigan University
Mt. Pleasant, MI 48859
E-Mail: Mark.F...@cmich.edu
Phone: 989 774-7617
Fax: 989 774-2907
Resource Page: http://webs.cmich.edu/resgi
Office hours: T Th 11-1:30 or by appt.
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