tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14180330377221801332024-02-07T22:14:56.263-05:00Learning in ScienceUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1418033037722180133.post-63709949839833365092011-01-29T23:46:00.012-05:002011-01-30T12:11:04.163-05:00Assessment in the Inquiry Classroom<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: right;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Assessment is defined as the process of evaluating the quality of learning and it is imperative that inquiry give teachers the opportunity to determine what students are learning, recognize when they need help, and identify appropriate next steps to take (Harlen, p. 87).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">There are two key forms of assessment: <b style="color: #0b5394;">formative assessment</b> (assessment is carried out for the purpose of helping teaching and learning) and <b style="color: #0b5394;">summative assessment</b> (assessment is carried out in order to provide a report after a specific time period).<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinIUz3KEhhf6ZN9O3ewTbG0vBTQq_BIbE0Ov1jis849aTSiL2NIEMG6SfdU-F5h6L6-CjhVgc1RJtXAuE3jQR_8R3h4IANJAWBF1neUuaX5BiGiytKxoWiaCh67qwcPzsrCgAxDlmFGWlL/s1600/screen_formativeBadDog_4.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinIUz3KEhhf6ZN9O3ewTbG0vBTQq_BIbE0Ov1jis849aTSiL2NIEMG6SfdU-F5h6L6-CjhVgc1RJtXAuE3jQR_8R3h4IANJAWBF1neUuaX5BiGiytKxoWiaCh67qwcPzsrCgAxDlmFGWlL/s1600/screen_formativeBadDog_4.gif" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><u><b>Formative Assessment</b></u><br />
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Inquiry teaching specifically warrants formative assessment as the teacher must understand the skills and knowledge that the students have developed prior to deciding what is required to help the progress of the student. It is a necessity that the teacher consistently gathers data to determine the next learning steps for their students. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><u><b>Methods of Gathering Information</b></u><br />
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There are four primary methods in which teachers gather information from their students: <br />
<ol><li><b style="color: #0b5394;">Observing students engaged in inquiry</b> (e.g., using a mental or written checklist)</li>
<li><b style="color: #0b5394;">Asking questions designed to probe reasons and understanding</b> (e.g., ask open-end or person-centred questions demonstrates whether students understand concepts)</li>
<li><b><span style="color: #0b5394;">Looking closely at the evidence from class work</span></b> (e.g., drawings, constructions, or written work illustrate students' thinking and/or understanding of ideas) </li>
<li><b style="color: #0b5394;">Setting special tasks or assignments</b> (e.g., hands-on activities and written assignments increase assessment opportunities)</li>
</ol>Students are ultimately responsible for their own learning (Harlen, p.94). However, in an inquiry-based classroom, it is the responsibility of the teacher to maintain open lines of communication with each student. Specifically, teachers assist students in setting learning goals and how they will improve their work. Teacher feedback may either have a positive effect or negative effect. A <b style="color: #0b5394;">positive effect</b> occurs when feedback relates to each student's individual progress rather than being compared to others. A <b style="color: #0b5394;">negative effect</b> occurs when emphasis is placed on obtaining a reward or winning a competition to complete assignments. <br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqOv3IiBaNU7lQ1WeTeJ1A-G1tnTBaLtU4Fz_JLcCkLYZtBFkM8y6vocxcWHCPP4mhuTzr28SyjP1gMueSY2JfMv9WnjQQd2a-9rrx5rqgNhc0meAZP54XnApN8VQNDpVMf-d5mipaUE8R/s1600/Calvin%2526Hobbes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqOv3IiBaNU7lQ1WeTeJ1A-G1tnTBaLtU4Fz_JLcCkLYZtBFkM8y6vocxcWHCPP4mhuTzr28SyjP1gMueSY2JfMv9WnjQQd2a-9rrx5rqgNhc0meAZP54XnApN8VQNDpVMf-d5mipaUE8R/s400/Calvin%2526Hobbes.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
All methods of information gathering may be used as evidence for summative purposes. The main difference between formative and summative assessment is how it is used. Formative assessment is used for immediate feedback into teaching and learning, while summative assessment is used to give others information about the students' progress regarding their development (Harlen, p. 96). Although both assessments are significant methods of measuring student achievement, when considerable emphasis is placed upon grades, it can obscure assessment for formative purposes.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Source:</b> Chapter 11: Assessment in the Inquiry Classroom (pp. 87-97) written by Wynne Harlen in <i>Foundations Vol. 2: An Introduction to Inquiry: Thoughts, Views, and Strategies for the K-5 Classroom</i> published by the National Science Foundation (2000).</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1418033037722180133.post-43059733431960242892011-01-27T00:31:00.006-05:002011-01-27T14:34:06.310-05:00What Does Science Mean to You?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP04F1fYvEmlNz9ArQSKLmQJH485O7P5TSg9bGK8H8vDMD1gaGfDySZtRcii2SQKpiGd3gNZrpblG9ZTLY9ywla5qrIffcuiVqtv8ZpIh93Ebo50QgbgHOIs_0JBXrHFcTscNC5pwlSCwP/s1600/scienceClass_1410723c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP04F1fYvEmlNz9ArQSKLmQJH485O7P5TSg9bGK8H8vDMD1gaGfDySZtRcii2SQKpiGd3gNZrpblG9ZTLY9ywla5qrIffcuiVqtv8ZpIh93Ebo50QgbgHOIs_0JBXrHFcTscNC5pwlSCwP/s400/scienceClass_1410723c.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="caption">In Britain, research shows that boys significantly outperform girls in Science at school.</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ9f2j9pJP2diOBXI1SDq3JhysoeGiAde0OK58u94bn2lpt98EKPeJOGB-PbNMKKVr9Va4CFyu-QOgDGgLQvXfWzh31MiCC83hF9qmmO7JIsy_xGVdgQAyYat_H0DDPLT9zv7VZWrWqUsX/s1600/Science-in-Childrens-300x168.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ9f2j9pJP2diOBXI1SDq3JhysoeGiAde0OK58u94bn2lpt98EKPeJOGB-PbNMKKVr9Va4CFyu-QOgDGgLQvXfWzh31MiCC83hF9qmmO7JIsy_xGVdgQAyYat_H0DDPLT9zv7VZWrWqUsX/s400/Science-in-Childrens-300x168.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Earth Science</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJq4whTUm8KVX0ZoKxjTO0cyvJUt4MEd2fv3LFFm1EeCsQhRlYUJo0CPM3bX0VzSEnTQ3dKl4Ad0pZr3OmIzr72Bvpk-006ZGsC70mpVDX37IGvNx-IXknRMZ5WE37slvSdYJ43vc-VlGB/s1600/s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJq4whTUm8KVX0ZoKxjTO0cyvJUt4MEd2fv3LFFm1EeCsQhRlYUJo0CPM3bX0VzSEnTQ3dKl4Ad0pZr3OmIzr72Bvpk-006ZGsC70mpVDX37IGvNx-IXknRMZ5WE37slvSdYJ43vc-VlGB/s400/s.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Black Swallowtail Butterfly</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ328_TJjnFvseBuzLHY-w30RxTeqXlKEgRwaYqj1oESmpZW81HNaeUsLPxwcqjc3fbXFHK8xac01wPUfk2PQhSzLA-Ayw_3o98JoPI7oKte2T3IBshcd5dFMLfDd0RegmeocPjTVTSBXu/s1600/passionate-about-science.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ328_TJjnFvseBuzLHY-w30RxTeqXlKEgRwaYqj1oESmpZW81HNaeUsLPxwcqjc3fbXFHK8xac01wPUfk2PQhSzLA-Ayw_3o98JoPI7oKte2T3IBshcd5dFMLfDd0RegmeocPjTVTSBXu/s400/passionate-about-science.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Jeremy Rock: Passionate About Science </span></span><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">"Now that I’ve discovered my love of science, it keeps me up at night. I can’t stop thinking about it. My hope is that by serving my own intellectual curiosity, I am also serving others. Being a scientist is hard. It’s long hours and a lot of sacrifice. It’s an extremely engrossing experience, but when you find a problem that pulls you in, it’s just thrilling.” </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvrvTNoMDVMQ4jL7qLkpzuNLQvf0pkz5kzDF9jE2EJFi4UAkZ36Ii4ACWKObbvuZ636vaW9OIVQP1fTWHFSMzOmSTCGBrH1c-8Bz0MAsE6i4CvayPNFRen7aKemT3vCfZGjA3tho5DXKKe/s1600/2008-12-05+Chemistry+Set+01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvrvTNoMDVMQ4jL7qLkpzuNLQvf0pkz5kzDF9jE2EJFi4UAkZ36Ii4ACWKObbvuZ636vaW9OIVQP1fTWHFSMzOmSTCGBrH1c-8Bz0MAsE6i4CvayPNFRen7aKemT3vCfZGjA3tho5DXKKe/s400/2008-12-05+Chemistry+Set+01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> DIY Chemistry Set</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqGdWdlOecTGRLtQ3MmZTYU8nOJxKP9K_U_HyInsRas2aqP9bOhxmDW2lljvGtIfpYF9QEVsS9F1BT_Ofju7_1F71588_Q_adISNYIU1QvDk3JiJOMGlEVx0r_3KtoBCifEGuQepoKML30/s1600/science.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqGdWdlOecTGRLtQ3MmZTYU8nOJxKP9K_U_HyInsRas2aqP9bOhxmDW2lljvGtIfpYF9QEVsS9F1BT_Ofju7_1F71588_Q_adISNYIU1QvDk3JiJOMGlEVx0r_3KtoBCifEGuQepoKML30/s400/science.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> A study in 2008 revealed that 14 % of females are interested in a career in Science.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1418033037722180133.post-1109146765904187562011-01-26T22:02:00.002-05:002011-01-26T22:25:13.578-05:00The Development of the Sciences<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #660099;"><span style="color: black;">According to Glen S. Aikenhead (2005) in his book entitled, "<i>Science Education for Everyday Life</i>,"</span><b><span style="color: black;"> </span></b><span style="color: black;">the history of today's Western science curriculum is grounded in the historical processes and cultural conventions that have evolved since the 19th century. </span></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #660099;"><span style="color: black;">In ancient science cultures (i.e., Babylonia, Egypt, India, China, Greece, Islam), the term "<b>science</b>" was defined as the systematic knowledge of nature. During the Paleolithic and Neolithic times, <b>indigenous science</b> explained the phenomena of nature. </span></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><u><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #660099;"><span style="color: black;">Neolithic Cultures</span></span></span></u></b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #660099;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #660099;"><span style="color: black;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Approximately 10,000 years ago in Asia Minor, the agricultural revolution began and, as a result, two cultures developed - <i>Takers</i> and <i>Leavers</i> - terms coined by Quinn (1992).</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>1) Takers</b></div><ul style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><li>Cultural stories place humans above nature in hierarchical importance</li>
<li>Takers take from nature as the world is a human life-support system designed to sustain human life</li>
<li>Communicate their culture-based stories in written tradition</li>
<li>e.g., Babylonian, Egyptian, Greek cultures </li>
</ul><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>2) Leavers</b></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><ul style="color: black;"><li style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: small;">Cultural stories tend to place humans equal to or below nature in hierarchical importance</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Leavers leave nature or give back to nature in a way that disturbs nature as little as possible</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Harmony with nature will sustain human life</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Communicate their culture-based stories by teaching their youth in oral tradition emphasizing the value of harmony with nature (focusing on survival sense)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Influenced 21st-century indigenous sciences and Western science</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">e.g., Native Americans, First Nations of Canada, Indian nations of South America, the Saami of Europe </span></span></li>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbLoiD8kQZJbWNNpOWz5aumlZXDwjRo0kR8kJAvTyZxGXZp2zUZfZLtmbn4cR9OPKrdI77VecCM6iTqKF_fCBJegMZPU1z0nLl0grA22m9R8xGn4mh_sDuZO-wqUnYl6WITvzhDvmyAd0K/s1600/introduction.map.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbLoiD8kQZJbWNNpOWz5aumlZXDwjRo0kR8kJAvTyZxGXZp2zUZfZLtmbn4cR9OPKrdI77VecCM6iTqKF_fCBJegMZPU1z0nLl0grA22m9R8xGn4mh_sDuZO-wqUnYl6WITvzhDvmyAd0K/s320/introduction.map.gif" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Asia Minor (aka Anatolia)</span></td></tr>
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<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1418033037722180133.post-41643406991278857202011-01-24T18:08:00.006-05:002011-02-02T16:00:00.533-05:00The Science-Technology-Society Movement<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Educationalists Dewey (1916) and Benjamin (1939) inspired science educators to develop students' capacities to function as responsible, savvy participants in a world increasingly affected by science and technology (Aikenhead, 2005). This current thought originally led to teaching the history and philosophy of science in schools (Fensham, 1992; Matthews, 1994). However, when science educators embraced social responsibility, engendered by environmentalism and by the emergent sociology of science, humanistic science became identified with a movement called, "science-technology-society," STS (Ziman, 1980).</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1WEDoB3Y8sX-2wwHlSdH4dyAF8_zH44DCSOinZY5SX-lBUx4Rm1lUuEIzHg5YO947kCo0AXR5hK4RUb3YaQjnGZLwk_CIUmCqnlW8VSpi-wmvuBTukm2IOrC613uX-ys2FHVztLHGItbs/s1600/images+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1WEDoB3Y8sX-2wwHlSdH4dyAF8_zH44DCSOinZY5SX-lBUx4Rm1lUuEIzHg5YO947kCo0AXR5hK4RUb3YaQjnGZLwk_CIUmCqnlW8VSpi-wmvuBTukm2IOrC613uX-ys2FHVztLHGItbs/s1600/images+2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Calvin & Hobbes</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Conceptual Framework for STS</b></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A conceptual framework for STS was achieved through the integration of two broad academic fields:</div><ol style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><li>The interactions of science and scientists with social issues and institutions external to the scientific community, and</li>
<li>The social interactions of scientists and their communal, epistemic, and ontological values internal to the scientific community</li>
</ol><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A humanistic perspective incorporates both of the above fields.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1418033037722180133.post-18428328284161220832011-01-23T15:50:00.001-05:002011-01-23T19:00:24.735-05:00How Science Changed Our World<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">BBC 23 December 2010<br />
<br />
Professor Robert Winston presents his top ten scientific breakthroughs of the past 50 years. Tracing these momentous and wide-ranging discoveries, he meets a real-life bionic woman, one of the first couples to test the male contraceptive pill, and even some of his early IVF patients. He explores the origins of the universe, probes the inner workings of the human mind and sees the most powerful laser in the world. To finish, Professor Winston reveals the breakthrough he thinks is most significant.<br />
<br />
<u>The Top Ten Scientific Breakthroughs of the Past 50 Years</u>:<br />
<ol><li>Stem cell research</li>
<li>Bio-mechanics</li>
<li>The Contraceptive Pill</li>
<li>Decoding the Human Genome</li>
<li>The Internet</li>
<li>In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF)</li>
<li>The laser</li>
<li>The microchip</li>
<li>MRI scanning</li>
<li>Increasing Evidence for the Big Bang</li>
</ol><br />
Vote here: <a class="yt-uix-redirect-link" dir="ltr" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/science" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="http://www.bbc.co.uk/science">http://www.bbc.co.uk/science</a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/3oH6apmb6sY?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1418033037722180133.post-5122951489636930772011-01-17T15:06:00.002-05:002011-01-17T15:15:15.982-05:00Challenges Educators FaceTeachers face a myriad of challenges in teaching climate change. These challenges may include:<br /><br />1) Making the content relevant to the students;<br /><br />2) Convincing the students that their actions can make a difference;<br /><br />3) Inspiring the students to make eco friendly choices.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1418033037722180133.post-65177230257546428572011-01-16T14:49:00.008-05:002011-01-19T16:26:34.766-05:00Impacts of Climate Change<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_lfMoSsR2Tkg/TTNMN2m-iII/AAAAAAAAAAk/FQpujtueP3I/s1600/3.affectsonhumans.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 362px; height: 257px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_lfMoSsR2Tkg/TTNMN2m-iII/AAAAAAAAAAk/FQpujtueP3I/s200/3.affectsonhumans.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562873765613701250" border="0" /></a>1. Affect on humans - food scarcities, heat stress, increased air pollution.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_lfMoSsR2Tkg/TTNMNsZUY6I/AAAAAAAAAAc/HzwkmTcrD00/s1600/1.polarbear.png"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 373px; height: 266px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_lfMoSsR2Tkg/TTNMNsZUY6I/AAAAAAAAAAc/HzwkmTcrD00/s200/1.polarbear.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562873762872058786" border="0" /></a>2. Decreased arctic sea ice cover.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_lfMoSsR2Tkg/TTNMNoNY9EI/AAAAAAAAAAU/tCqOCTDxBjE/s1600/2.floodedcoastalareas.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 324px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_lfMoSsR2Tkg/TTNMNoNY9EI/AAAAAAAAAAU/tCqOCTDxBjE/s200/2.floodedcoastalareas.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562873761748284482" border="0" /></a>3. Projected flooding in coastal regions.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_lfMoSsR2Tkg/TTNN_xNm0oI/AAAAAAAAAAs/42KKgsbcvmw/s1600/4.plantinsnow.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 388px; height: 290px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_lfMoSsR2Tkg/TTNN_xNm0oI/AAAAAAAAAAs/42KKgsbcvmw/s200/4.plantinsnow.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562875722670199426" border="0" /></a>4. Ecosystem changes - e.g., plants flowering earlier during the year.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_lfMoSsR2Tkg/TTNQrvUBXJI/AAAAAAAAAA8/MJGkTEek4VU/s1600/largegrowingseason.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 421px; height: 301px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_lfMoSsR2Tkg/TTNQrvUBXJI/AAAAAAAAAA8/MJGkTEek4VU/s200/largegrowingseason.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562878677097733266" border="0" /></a>5. Longer growing seasons - could harm native<br /></div>plant and animal species.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_lfMoSsR2Tkg/TTNPFB8QObI/AAAAAAAAAA0/cw19WvVIa_U/s1600/dried-river-bed-hydropower.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 449px; height: 280px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_lfMoSsR2Tkg/TTNPFB8QObI/AAAAAAAAAA0/cw19WvVIa_U/s200/dried-river-bed-hydropower.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562876912571791794" border="0" /></a>6. Snow pack decreases on mountain ranges - affects fish populations,<br />hydropower, and water availability.<br /></div>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1418033037722180133.post-58835690895247524612011-01-16T14:48:00.013-05:002011-01-19T16:47:58.616-05:00Climate Change FactsThe article <span style="font-style: italic;">Understanding and Responding to Climate Change</span> (The National Academies, 2008), presented considerable evidence for the existence of climate change. These facts include:<br /><ul><li>Temperatures have risen by 1.4 degrees fahrenheit since the start of the 20th century, much of which has occurred in the last 30 years.</li></ul><ul><li>Global mean surface temperatures are higher during the last few decades of the 20th century than during any comparable period since at least AD 1600.</li></ul><br />Most scientists agree that this warming is primarily caused by human activities that have increased the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere (H2O, CO2, CH4, N2O, O3). In fact, CO2 levels are at their highest in at least 650,000 years and continue to rise.<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_lfMoSsR2Tkg/TTdbTyWjx_I/AAAAAAAAAB8/RzFMiToUgJM/s1600/aaa_greenhouse_effect.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 476px; height: 350px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_lfMoSsR2Tkg/TTdbTyWjx_I/AAAAAAAAAB8/RzFMiToUgJM/s200/aaa_greenhouse_effect.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564016260131571698" border="0" /></a>How do we know that human activities are changing the Earth's climate?<br /><ul><li>There is a concurrent increase in surface temperature with CO2 and other greenhouse gases during the past century.</li></ul><ul><li> Geographical pattern of observed warming with greater temperature increases over land and in polar regions than over the oceans.</li></ul><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_lfMoSsR2Tkg/TTSsqpZvRCI/AAAAAAAAAB0/iRuEid1vqk8/s1600/dv197018.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 389px; height: 257px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_lfMoSsR2Tkg/TTSsqpZvRCI/AAAAAAAAAB0/iRuEid1vqk8/s200/dv197018.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5563261288377697314" border="0" /></a><br /><img src="file:///C:/Users/Blaze/AppData/Local/Temp/moz-screenshot.png" alt="" />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1418033037722180133.post-57108123262741387662011-01-16T14:19:00.004-05:002011-01-20T10:25:42.463-05:00Dr. Jane Goodall: A Reason for Hope<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">On September 25, 2006, I attended a lecture entitled, “A Reason for Hope” where primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall discussed the power of the individual. I was inspired by her message:<br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> <b>Every individual matters</b></span><b><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;"> Every individual has a role to play</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;"> Every individual makes a difference</span></b><span style="font-family: arial;"><b> </b></span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9ippM0Q0CxFxEv3o4EqTGm3-J9yEcGBVt3XyUdGHC-hGdl9RkFLkdnWEEFyXpcnK9CmSHOKLdLo-tFjVYcLUQm7783UJK_Wa6BqsBNTQ7A6TWwqilQcWm7B4D-fpSXn0iuEh8KdIKur3b/s1600/jane_goodall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9ippM0Q0CxFxEv3o4EqTGm3-J9yEcGBVt3XyUdGHC-hGdl9RkFLkdnWEEFyXpcnK9CmSHOKLdLo-tFjVYcLUQm7783UJK_Wa6BqsBNTQ7A6TWwqilQcWm7B4D-fpSXn0iuEh8KdIKur3b/s400/jane_goodall.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Dr. Goodall stated that one person who independently attempts to make a difference faces obstacles but if each person works collectively making a difference becomes possible. That is, if teachers work mutually toward change, then change becomes easily accessible. In other words, change is greater in numbers.</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1418033037722180133.post-70813927404264082792011-01-16T10:52:00.006-05:002011-01-22T11:24:09.980-05:00What Warms and Cools the Earth?<div style="text-align: justify;">There are three critical elements that affect the Earth's temperature change - greenhouse gases that warm the planet, human activities, and natural processes. <b style="color: black;"> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: black;">Climate forcings</b> (i.e., something that is imposed externally on the climate system by either human activities or natural processes) or <b style="color: black;">climate feedbacks</b> (i.e., an energy change that is produced within the climate system itself in response to a climate forcing).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><u><b><span style="color: black;">Greeenhouse Gases Warm the Planet</span></b></u></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4rAJ60OD1UDMQriYsVPuibvbVFPpoxTpdHqBCp8_n52QxM40ww-kifSx3JYytov0dSJ9x77sytmxMDfgfSTqf-IF_-Xv82z0GnRs8ruTFrcOHSwbQq_Mdc-usrchYteguBa78KCauJ-zu/s1600/causes02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4rAJ60OD1UDMQriYsVPuibvbVFPpoxTpdHqBCp8_n52QxM40ww-kifSx3JYytov0dSJ9x77sytmxMDfgfSTqf-IF_-Xv82z0GnRs8ruTFrcOHSwbQq_Mdc-usrchYteguBa78KCauJ-zu/s200/causes02.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Greenhouse Effect</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"><b>Carbon dioxide </b></span><b><span style="color: black;">(CO<sub>2</sub>)</span></b> <span style="color: black;">can be </span>emitted naturally through the carbon cycle and through human activities<span style="color: black;">. Since the Industrial Revolution in the 1700's, carbon dioxide concentration levels are increasing primarily due to the </span>burning of oil, coal and gas, and deforestation.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: black;">Methane (CH<sub>4</sub>)</b> is a greenhouse gas that remains in the atmosphere for approximately 9-15 years. Methane is over 20 times more effective in trapping heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>) over a 100-year period and is emitted from a variety of natural and human-influenced sources (e.g., raising livestock, growing rice, filling landfills, natural gas and petroleum systems, wastewater treatment).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: black;">Nitrous oxide <span class="chemf" style="white-space: nowrap;">(N<sub>2</sub>O)</span></b>, commonly known as the laughing gas, is a colourless, non-flammable gas with a slightly sweet taste and odour. Agricultural activities and land use changes have contributed to the increasing concentration levels.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: black;">Ozone (O<sub>3</sub>)</b> forms naturally in the upper atmosphere, where it creates a protective shield that intercepts damaging ultraviolet radiation from the Sun. However, when ozone forms in the lower atmosphere, it becomes an air pollutant that has harmful effects on the respiratory systems of animals and will burn sensitive plants.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: black;">Halocarbons</b><b><span style="color: black;"> and </span></b><b style="color: black;">chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)</b> are chemicals that have specialized uses in industries, such as refrigerants, fire retardants, adhesives, and pesticides. They have contributed to the damage of the ozone layer and as a result, most production of CFSs has been banned and concentrations levels are beginning to decline.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="color: black; text-align: left;"><u><b><br />
</b></u></div><div style="color: black; text-align: left;"><u><b>Human Activities Affect the Earth's Temperature</b></u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLnpo6yW016IqN0J6YMvn0DvNLTwzsKu1VPxZLEYn1QbNxwtblAQO9khK9NhREhuCC8IAKnKlkpyZvcLlALc4tmL7xspwelDD-_qi6A6FqV1uhU-lNZ6MqiA0u5frIc60YcOdYCKfciLEw/s1600/deforestation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><b><span style="color: black;">Most aerosols</span></b>, such as sulfate<span class="chemf" style="white-space: nowrap;"> (SO<sub>4</sub></span>), cool the planet by reflecting sunlight back to space. Human activities, such as industrial processes, produce many different kinds of aerosols and the cooling of these aerosols produce one of the greatest remaining uncertainties in understanding present and future climate change.<br />
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<b style="color: black;"></b> </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLnpo6yW016IqN0J6YMvn0DvNLTwzsKu1VPxZLEYn1QbNxwtblAQO9khK9NhREhuCC8IAKnKlkpyZvcLlALc4tmL7xspwelDD-_qi6A6FqV1uhU-lNZ6MqiA0u5frIc60YcOdYCKfciLEw/s1600/deforestation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLnpo6yW016IqN0J6YMvn0DvNLTwzsKu1VPxZLEYn1QbNxwtblAQO9khK9NhREhuCC8IAKnKlkpyZvcLlALc4tmL7xspwelDD-_qi6A6FqV1uhU-lNZ6MqiA0u5frIc60YcOdYCKfciLEw/s200/deforestation.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deforestation</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"><b style="color: black;">Deforestation and other changes in land use</b> modify the amount of sunlight reflected back to space from the Earth's surface. Changes in land use can lead to positive and negative climate forcing locally, but the net global effect is a slight cooling.</div><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"><b><u></u></b></div><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"><b><u></u></b></div><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"><b><u><br />
</u></b></div><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"><b style="color: black;">Black carbon particles or "soot,"</b>is produced when fossil fuels or vegetation are burned, generally have a warming effect because they absorb incoming solar radiation.</div><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="color: black; text-align: left;"><b><u></u></b><br />
<b><u>Natural Processes Affect the Earth's Temperature</u></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><u><b><br />
</b></u></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju24l7mPa0XkMDfJZvHKpwmjtSThqTh7QS5HPqjqdK2Hht8zvevdoL4GbJy_BO5wtlVsld71vOfrvdjfPhcvhX8fJo0Om6V6mXiYBOsMS5Ni1EDcVulA02azLZl-u2nCG0AODqgGhf-iU3/s1600/puuoo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju24l7mPa0XkMDfJZvHKpwmjtSThqTh7QS5HPqjqdK2Hht8zvevdoL4GbJy_BO5wtlVsld71vOfrvdjfPhcvhX8fJo0Om6V6mXiYBOsMS5Ni1EDcVulA02azLZl-u2nCG0AODqgGhf-iU3/s200/puuoo.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Volcanic Eruption</td></tr>
</tbody></table><b style="color: black;">The Sun</b> is Earth's main energy source. The Sun's output is nearly constant, but small changes over an extended period of time can lead to climate changes.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: black;">Volcanic eruptions</span></b> emit many gases. One of the most important of these is sulfur dioxide (<span class="chemf" style="white-space: nowrap;">SO<sub>2</sub></span>), which, once in the atmosphere, forms sulfate aerosol <span class="chemf" style="white-space: nowrap;">(SO<sub>4</sub></span>). Large volcanic eruptions can cool the Earth slightly for several years, until the sulfate particles settle out of the atmosphere.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1418033037722180133.post-41332699659405893962011-01-15T14:03:00.025-05:002011-01-20T13:13:59.437-05:00Preventing Climate Change in Windsor<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><div style="color: black;"><b><span id="goog_1020976850">The Green Movement in Denmark </span></b></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">This clip is from the climate change documentary Survivng Earth. In Malmo and Vaxjo Sweden we interview city planners, power plant operators and power plant owners, and professors at universities to learn what they are doing to mitigate the impacts of their communities on climate change, as well as to create sustainable communities and at the same time create new jobs in new sectors. The theme of this clip is to show how to create a better environment for citizens of a community, be a good steward to the planet by reducing pollution, and showing how innovative design can be used to create a comfortable and sustainable home. Foremost we show how human ingenuity has helped these communities create jobs while making the world a cleaner and better place for humanity. <b><span id="goog_1020976850"></span></b><br />
<b><span id="goog_1020976850"><br />
</span></b></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/BT4Pce0gIzw?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
<div style="color: black;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Inspiring Future Generations</span></b><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Understanding and responding to climate change will require strong national and international commitments, technological innovation, and human willpower. Current scientific research on climate change has illustrated that it has affected humans and the ecosystems on which they depend. The future of our planet will primarily rely on human actions that are taken today to gradually reduce greenhouse gas emissions. </span><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></b></div></div><ol><li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Would this pilot project to create a carbon dioxide neutral environment be attainable in our communities?</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Would elementary and secondary students be receptive to changing their daily life styles to prevent the increasing amounts of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere?</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Are incentives required to motivate citizens as agents of change? </span></li>
</ol><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></div><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Exploring Earth and Space Science (Climate Change) in our Classrooms</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">According to the Ontario Curriculum Grades 9 and 10 (Revised 2008), the impact of Science, Technology, Society, and Environment (STSE) will continue to grow. The goal of Ontario secondary schools is to provide a high level of scientific literacy to develop specific knowledge and skills that may be applied to various occupations in the workforce. In grade 10 academic classes, students study Earth and Space Science: Climate Change to understand the effects and address the issues of climate change and how natural and human factors influence the Earth's climate.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Assignment</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Students will work collaboratively in a group of 3 to design and explain how we can live in an environment that is carbon dioxide neutral. Some issues that will be addressed include: smog, extreme weather events, governmental initiatives, and recycling programs. Students will create a 3-dimensional structure to illustrate the effects of climate change and write a 10 page research report on the environmental issues that societies are dealing with and the possible solutions that are helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0