Consider the following questions:
1. Look at your home and work. Discuss any minerals that you use on a regular basis (what minerals and how you use them). If you cannot find any that you do use, look up and discuss some everyday uses for minerals.
2. The hydrologic system purifies water in nature. Find way that humans mimic this system to purify the water that we use.
3. We hear a lot about climate change and global warming. Do some research on how global warming is affecting the glaciers present today and how that can affect us now and in the future.
4. How could scientist have found similar life forms from the same Mesozoic era on different continents?
5.What is the Ring of Fire? Where is it located and why is it the way it is?
6. A volcano is a natural occurrence and generally thought of as a disaster. How can volcanos be good for people?
7. Catastrophism was the prevailing theory as to why the earth looked like it did in the 1600's and 1700's. Talk about what the theory was, why it was popular and why we know better today
8. Why is global warming affecting the salinity of the world's oceans and why is this important. What effects does this have?
9. Humans, including myself, love the beach. Most people dream of having a house right on the water. However with the shore being such a dynamic, changing environment this isn't always such a great idea. Talk about some of the lengths humans go to to preserve their costal properties and communities.
10. Please discuss the depletion of our ozone layer. Why we should care, what is causing it and what can we do to stop it?
11. Water is a huge part of our atmosphere and the cause all of our precipitation. Describe the weather in your area today or in this season and describe the science behind the weather and what is happening in the atmosphere around you. Example: humid, dry, raining, snowing, sleet, freezing rain, fog, hail.
12. Your book says that air pressure exerted on top of a small desk exceeds 11,000 pounds. Talk about air pressure, what it is, how it is measured, what factors affect it, and why it isn't crushing everything.
13. Is your area prone to thunder storms, hurricanes, or tornados? Explain why or why not.
14. Pick a planet as your favorite. Justify your opinion using facts about the planet and its characteristics.
15. Looking at the characteristics of planets in our solar system and other galaxies, do you believe aliens could exist? Do research on why some believe and others do not and formulate your own opinion on life beyond our planet.