More on Longitude

The discovery of how to figure out longitude while out in the ocean changed the world. Suddenly countries could have a powerful navy that didnt get lost in the ocean and trade became much more reliable. Here is the first of a film about how the problem of navigating the ocean was solved. It's the first of six parts.

Longitude also tells us about time zones. Let's figure out the time zones for Tracy and Mariola in Washington DC; you in Boulder; Ben in the Yucatan; Gill in Austrialia; Your dad and JoeJoeLilyand Little Ray Ray in LA; and Godzilla in Japan.

Everything starts in Greenwich England (the prime meridian) -- that's just becuase the brits were the ones to document all this. Here is a website that shows all the time zones. Australia has three so we need to look up Kingscliff where Gill lives.

Here is a really good video about the history of telling time

Latitude and Longitude Games

Hi Joe -- When you mentioned latitude and longitude I realized I couldn't remember anything about it. So I looked it up on the internet. Here are some cool sites I found.

Songs
I love this song -- it makes it easier for me to remember longitude and latitude
And here is another song. it's helpful but not as good a song.

Video Review
Here is a video of how to use google maps to find longitude and latitude of a place. 
Here is a great review of latitude and longitude. 
And a short movie. You have to answer a question and then it starts.


I like this one. It is a a  teacher from australia using google earth to teach about latitude and longitude

This reviews the topic and shows a lot of the math behind it

Games
And here are some games to practice:

• KidsGeo.com
• Treasure Hunt
•  And this site has a whole bunch of games

Other Websites about using maps
You were so good at using the map in washington dc. everytime i would get turned around you could find us on the map. Here are a lot of websites about learning to use maps

Let's Do Together
Let's see if we can figure out the longitude and latitude of places we have been to. Here is a video of how to use google maps to find longitude and latitude of a place. 

• Crystal Lake?
• Washington DC
• Isla Holbox (where the whale sharks are)
• Boulder
• Santa Fe

Maybe we can draw a map with the longtitude and latitude with all these wonderful places? We can draw a picture for each place to -- an icon. 

I'm going to try to find something that explains who invited latitude and longitude and why it is important.

Where oh Where?

Where oh where should we go? There are so many incredible places to go in the world...and just in the U.S. states!

Here are some websites for places to go in the US and the world? What is your top ten places you would like to go to someday?

In the US 

• Here are 100 places to go visit in the US  (macinac island is on the list but not sleeping bear) --and the same website with a slide show
• Best hikes in national parks
•  This is a great list for the US and for the World
• This is a odd website where people show where they have been and vote for the best places to go.

In the World

This is top 100 travel experiences
National geographic has the best info -- here are lots of countries and cities and you can click to learn about them and see beautiful pictures.

Going Back in Time

Wherever we go on our travels I am sure we are going to see things that make us think about the past. 

It might be the geology we see. Remember in the Yucatan we were walking on limestone made from shells. 

Or it might be walking the same paths at Calakmul that people did in 600 A.D.  In fact, there was a structure there from sometime between 400 and 200 BCE (isn't it weird how the numbers get bigger the farther back we go in BCE).

Or it could be creatures that have been around for a long time like horseshoe crabs.

If we go to California, Alaska or Peru -- what are the things we might see that remind us of past times?  Can you imagine if you were pulled into the past what it might be like?

And here is a cool tv show where kids get to help on archeological sites. You can watch the episodes from this link.

The Wild Life

Here is a site about alaska that tells you a bit about the natural history, the social history and about the people.

Here is a site on the wildlife in the Sierras.

Here are a lot of pictures from Peru

Photos of Alaskan Wildlife

Hi all -- So let's start learning about our three options -- the  Sierra Mountains, Alaska and Peru. And then in early 2013 I'll figure out which one we are doing. You all have to start doing some research as well.

In the comments section you can write something or add a web link. Then we can see what all of us are learning or the questions we have.

Here are photos on Alaskan wildlife

Here is some information on the Sierras.

Here is info on Machu Picchu in Peru. It is from the Incan civilization...not Mayan.

I bet you can train rosie and dash to do this

Jordan does parkour -- it is urban gymnastics where people leap over roofs, through windows, and flip over walls.  but I've never seen a dog do it!