MAY 9, 2011 TEACHER’S EDITIONSupplement to Science World

ISSUE DATES 9/6 9/27 10/18 11/8-22 12/6 1/3 1/24 2/14 3/7 3/21 4/4-18 5/9

Vol. 67, no. 14 ISSn 1041-1410

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Content and Summary

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tHe PerFeCt PitCHp. 8

PHySiCS: ForCeS and motionHow technology is aiding ballpark pitchers.

Grades 5-8:motions and forcesGrades 9-12:motions and forces

test your students’ reading comprehension with the Check for understanding online reproducible.

StunninG SPeCieSp. 10

BioloGy: SPeCieSAround the world, scientists are discovering new species at an amazing rate.

Grades 5-8:populations and ecosystemsGrades 9-12:Interdependence of organisms

How well did your students understand the science in this story? Find out with the Check for understanding online reproducible.

diSaSter in JaPanp. 14

eartH: natural diSaSterSone of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded recently struck Japan and devastated the country.

Grades 5-8:natural hazardsGrades 9-12:energy in the earth system

Freed From roCKp. 18

eartH: FoSSilSHow do scientists extract precious fossils?

Grades 5-8:earth’s historyGrades 9-12:energy in the earth system

Check your students’ new vocabulary with the Check for understanding online reproducible.

FeatureS

Watch a video about earthquake and tsunami

formation at: WWW.SchOlASTIc.cOm

/ScIENcEWORlD

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maureen Van Ackooy, science teacher at union Vale middle School in laGrangeville, new York, contributed to this issue’s teacher’s edition.

te 2 l Science world l may 9, 2011

POSTAl INFORmATION: Science World (ISSn 1041-1410; in Canada, 2-c no. 55948) is published biweekly during the school year, 14 issues, by Scholastic Inc., 2931 east mcCarty St., p.o. Box 3710 Jefferson City, mo 65102-3710. periodical postage paid at Jefferson City, mo 65102 and at additional mailing offices. poStmASteRS: Send notice of address changes to Science World, 2931 east mcCarty St., p.o. Box 3710 Jefferson City, mo 65102-3710.

PaGe 8PHYSICS: FORCES AND MOTION

The Perfect Pitch

reSourCeS You can access these Web links at www.scholastic.com/scienceworld.■ VIDEO EXTRA: View the results of a pitcher’s motion analysis

at: www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/10/03 /sports/20101003-mocap.html.

■ Discovery news has a video about the motion-capture technology used to make Avatar: http://news.discovery.com/videos /tech-avatar-motion-capture-mirrors-emotions.html.

■ Check out this video at the History Channel about how motion-capture technology works: www.history.com /shows/thc-classroom-archived/videos /motion-capture-technology.

reSourCeS You can access these Web links at www.scholastic.com/scienceworld.■ VIDEO EXTRA: Watch videos of Conservation International’s

species-gathering expedition to ecuador at: www.conservation.org/explore/south_america /ecuador/nangaritza/pages/dispatches.aspx.

■ Check out WWF’s Biodiversity 911 Web site that has resources and games: www.biodiversity911.org.

■ For beautiful images and videos on some of earth’s amazing creatures, visit ARKive’s Web site: www.arkive.org.

Pre-readinG PromPtS:• What is motion-capture technology?• Do you think that a pitcher can improve performance by

viewing his or her pitch in slow motion?• Where is a pitcher’s center of mass when he or she winds

up for a pitch?

did you Know?• Professional pitchers often injure the ulnar collateral

ligament in their elbows and require surgery. It’s called “Tommy John surgery,” after a pitcher on the Los Angeles Dodgers who first underwent the surgery in 1974.

• Left-handed people are sometimes called southpaws, and it’s believed that this term originated in baseball. Most early baseball parks were built so batters face east and the afternoon sun doesn’t shine in their eyes when they’re at bat. So, a left-handed pitcher’s throwing arm faces south—hence “southpaw.”

CritiCal tHinKinG:• A major-league pitcher throws about 110 pitches during

a game. Although no rules about pitch counts exist in the major leagues, the Little League has set maximum daily pitch counts based on age to keep young athletes from damaging their arms. Pitchers age 10 and under can throw as many as 75 pitches. At 17, the limit is 105. What do you think the advantages and disadvantages are to having a maximum pitch count? Do you think there should be a limit on how many pitches a major-league player throws?

ProJeCt-BaSed learninG:ART: Create a “slow-motion analysis” of your own. Make a flipbook starring a character doing a simple task, like walking or sitting. Then analyze where the character’s center of mass would be and apply Newton’s Laws in each frame of the flipbook.

Pre-readinG PromPtS:• What is biodiversity and why is it important?• Where on Earth do you think you could discover new

species of plants or animals?• How would you know if you discovered a new species?

did you Know?• The WWF has more than 1,300 ongoing conservation

projects around the world, where they work in a variety of ways to encourage biodiversity.

• In 1758, Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus outlined the binomial nomenclature system of naming species in the 10th edition of his book Systema Naturae. In this book, Linnaeus classified about 4,400 species of animals and 7,700 species of plants. He devised this system so that all scientists could communicate about specific species, no matter what their language.

CritiCal tHinKinG:• In the article, scientists mention that we are losing

habitats at an alarming rate. They fear that we may be losing species before we even discover them. However, the article also states that deforestation has helped scientists identify some new species. Do you think deforestation is beneficial overall, or not? Explain your reasoning.

ProJeCt-BaSed learninG:MATH/LOGIC: Have students create a dichotomous key to identify their backpacks. Put students into groups and have them create the key based on the properties of their backpacks. Have them start with five properties (size, shape, color, weight, and accessories). Divide those properties into subgroups. Continue that process until a specific backpack can be identified. They could even come up with a scientific name for their backpack. When each group has completed its key, switch groups and have each group use the key to identify another group’s backpacks.

editorial offices: Science World, 557 Broadway, new York, nY 10012-3999. Canadian address: Scholastic Canada ltd., 175 Hillmount Road, markham, on, Canada l6C 1Z7. original contributions to Science World magazine or to contests, projects, and special features sponsored by Science World magazine become the property of Scholastic Inc. Contributions cannot be acknowledged and cannot be returned. please send to editor, Science World, Scholastic Inc., 557 Broadway, new York, nY 10012-3999.

leSSon PlanSPaGe 10

BIOLOGY: SPECIES

Stunning Species

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reSourCeS You can access these Web links at www.scholastic.com/scienceworld.■ VIDEO EXTRA: Watch a video by Woods Hole oceanographic

Institution on how tsunamis are created at: www.youtube.com /watch?v=StdqGoezNrY.

■ View an interactive map with images and information on damage caused by Japan’s earthquake and tsunami: www.nytimes.com/packages/flash/newsgraphics /2011/0311-japan-earthquake-map/index.html?hp.

■ test your tsunami knowledge by visiting the “Student Corner” of the pacific tsunami museum’s Web site: www.tsunami.org/students.html.

Pre-readinG PromPtS:• What have you heard about

the earthquake in Japan?• What is a tsunami?• What might be some of the

dangers of a giant ocean wave striking a country?

did you Know?• An underwater earthquake, landslide, volcanic eruption,

or—more rarely—a large meteorite impact in the ocean can generate a tsunami. A giant asteroid collision about 3.5 billion years ago is thought to have created a giant tsunami that swept around Earth several times.

• The Richter scale was the first method used to measure earthquakes. It was based on the amplitude of the waves registered on a seismograph. But it wasn’t very accurate for larger earthquakes. The USGS now uses the moment magnitude scale, which describes how much energy is released during an earthquake.

• The theory of plate tectonics—that the continents are drifting around Earth’s surface—is based on an idea proposed by meteorologist Alfred Wegener in 1912.

• The largest recorded earthquake in the United States was a magnitude 9.2 quake that struck Prince William Sound, Alaska, on March 28, 1964.

CritiCal tHinKinG:• In the article, Bozidar Stojadinovic said that the buildings

in earthquake zones should bend like a fishing rod and then spring back to their original shape. If you were making an earthquake-proof building, what sort of materials would you use? Explain your reasoning.

ProJeCt-BaSed learninG:ART/LANGUAGE ARTS: Imagine that you are a member of Tokyo’s city council. Create a tri-fold brochure about what to do in the event of a tsunami. Here’s a good place to start your research: www.whoi.edu/home/interactive/tsunami.

NATURAL DISASTERS

Disaster in Japan

Watch a video about earthquake and tsunami

formation at: WWW.SchOlASTIc.cOm

/ScIENcEWORlD

PaGe 14

reSourCeS You can access these Web links at www.scholastic.com/scienceworld.■ WEB EXTRA: explore the biological features of giant

sauropods by visiting the American museum of natural History’s “The World’s largest dinosaurs” at www.amnh.org.

■ Visit the university of California museum of paleontology’s online exhibits at: www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits.

■ Check out these whiteboard-ready interactive lessons and games about dinosaurs at: http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/dinosaurs.

Pre-readinG PromPtS:• Have you ever found a fossil?• Do you think rocks can be fragile?• How would you remove fossils from their surrounding

rock? What tools would you use?

did you Know?• Since 1922, the American Museum of Natural History in

New York City has been sending expeditions to the Gobi Desert to look for fossils. They had originally hoped to find the remains of early humans but instead found the remains of dinosaurs. The early expeditions were the first to find fossils of intact dinosaur eggs.

• Scientists believe that during the time of dinosaurs the Gobi Desert was covered in trees and scattered brush. It was home to a variety of dinosaurs such as velociraptors, prenocephale, tarbosaurus, and many types of armored and duck-billed dinosaurs.

• In 1859, the first dinosaur eggshell fossils were found in southern France. It was later determined that the eggs came from a hypselosaurus, whose eggs typically measured about 0.3 meters (1 foot) in length.

CritiCal tHinKinG:• The job of a museum preparator is just one of several that

are involved in discovering and putting fossils on display. What are some other jobs involved in this process? Which job(s) would you prefer to do? Explain your reasoning.

ProJeCt-BaSed learninG:LANGUAGE ARTS: In the article, Amy Davidson had a fossil named after her. Imagine that you are a paleontologist and just discovered a fossil of a new dinosaur on a dig. Write a journal entry about the discovery of your new fossil. Describe how tall it was, what you think it ate, and what you think you will name it.

EARTH: FOSSILS

Freed From Rock

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DIREcTIONS: Read the “Science News” section on pages 2 to 7.Then test your knowledge, filling in the letters of the correct answers below.

1. Why are scientists trying to reach Antarctica’s lake Vostok?A To determine the lake’s size.B To measure the temperature of

its water.C To find out if the lake contains

fresh water or salt water.D To discover whether any

organisms live there.

2. What does the word “subglacial” mean?A buried under iceB located near the South PoleC frozen at subzero

temperaturesD found underground

3. A water-treatment plant in Russia has recruited snails to monitor _____ pollution.A waterB airC soilD pesticide

4. Which type of dog is NOT one of the main breeds used as lifeguards in Italy?A LabradorsB NewfoundlandsC poodlesD golden retrievers

Permission granted by Science World to reproduce for classroom use only. copyright © 2011 by Scholastic Inc.

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5. New hybrid airships are a cross between _____ and _____.A hot-air balloons, jetsB airplanes, blimpsC rockets, hang glidersD cars, helicopters

6. At which game did a computer system named Watson recently beat two human opponents? A chessB Jeopardy! C Are You Smarter Than a 5th

Grader?D Monopoly

7. What type of machine have scientists NOT yet created?A a computer that can

understand human languageB a computer with artificial

intelligenceC a robot that can answer trivia

questionsD a computer with its own

independent mind

8. Which woodpecker ability prompted scientists to study the animal?A The birds’ skulls can

withstand sudden impacts.B Woodpeckers can flap their

wings 22 times per second.C The birds can find bugs inside

wood just by listening.D The birds have backward-

facing toes to grip tree trunks.

9. A newly designed shock absorber could help protect things such as ____.A airplanes’ black boxes B Formula 1 race carsC sensitive electronicsD all of the above

10. Which type of musical instrument recently traveled to the International Space Station? A tambourineB trumpetC fluteD violin89

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BASEBALL TECHNOLOGY

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Permission granted by Science World to reproduce for classroom use only. Copyright © 2011 by Scholastic Inc.

READING-COMPREHENSION SKILLSAn

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In “The Perfect Pitch” (p. 8), you read about how baseball pitchers are using motion-capture technology to fine-tune their pitches. Read the passage below to learn more about another technology that’s changing how people are watching baseball on television, and then answer the questions that follow.

Ball TrackerThat famous home run call, “It’s going, going, gone!” could be history, thanks to new ball-tracking technology that premiered during 2009’s All-Star Game Home Run Derby. During the derby, viewers were able to see a red trail—the projected path of hit balls—on their TV sets and the stadium’s JumboTron. The fans knew where each ball would go 400 milliseconds after it left the bat, without an announcer’s play-by-play.

The new baseball-tracking system is adapted from radar technology that was originally designed by the Army. Radar works by bouncing a type of electromagnetic radiation called microwaves off an object. The reflected waves provide information about a ball’s speed and location. A computer then uses this data to calculate the exact trajectory of the ball. The system even takes into account weather conditions and the ball’s spin.

According to Dave Casamona, the principal innovation engineer at the sports network ESPN, future broadcasts will replace the glowing streak with a computer-generated shadow indicating where the ball will land.

1. which of the following BeST summarizes the passage above? A A new technology can show viewers at home and on

the park’s JumboTron screen, where a ball is headed moments after it’s hit.

B Predicting the path of a pitcher’s throw is possible with new Army-developed technology.

C Scientists are close to developing a way to predict where baseballs are headed after being hit.

D Viewers didn’t like the new technology showing the path of a hit ball in red, so ESPN is switching to a shadow to indicate where the ball will land.

2. How long after the bat hits a ball do fans know where the ball will go?A 80 millisecondsB 200 millisecondsC 400 millisecondsD 800 milliseconds

3. what’s the purpose of the second paragraph?A to describe what viewers will see on their screensB to introduce ESPN’s principal innovation engineer,

Dave CasamonaC to debate whether displaying a red streak or a shadow

is betterD to describe how the technology predicts the ball’s

trajectory

4. which is noT a characteristic that the tracker takes into account while predicting the ball’s path?A the ball’s speed C the ball’s color B the weather D the ball’s spin

5. what is the BeST alternate title for the passage? A Predicting Home Runs C Where Did My Ball Go?B The Path Pitches Take D Killer Curveballs

6. Do you think that knowing where a ball will land is a good development for viewers? explain.

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GRAPHING SKILLS

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In “Stunning Species” (p. 10), you read about how scientists are discovering thousands of new species every year. In 2008, researchers discovered 18,228 new species. Use the information in the chart below to find out more about this bounty of new species.

Spotting new Species

GRAPH IT1. Use the circle (above, right) to make a circle graph from the data in the table. Each wedge will start from the center point marked on the circle.2. Convert the data from percents to angle degrees by multiplying the percentage by 360. For example: 12 percent of the new species were plants, so the pie wedge for that group would be 12 percent of the 360°circle, or 43° (360 x 0.12 = 43.2, rounded to 43). Position a protractor at the center point of the circle. Mark 0° and 43° angles with points on the edge of the circle. Draw a line from these points to the center of the circle.3. Label the wedge (include its percent).4. Measure your next wedge from the edge of the first. When you are finished, the entire circle should be filled and the wedges should add up to 360°.5. Don’t forget to give your graph a title!

ANALYZE IT1. of the species discovered in 2008, the greatest number were part of which taxonomic group?

2. what percent of the organisms discovered are mollusks? what percent are plants?

3. If a total of 18,228 species were discovered in 2008, about how many of those were fungi?

4. why do you think that vertebrates were such a small percentage of the new species identified in 2008?

Taxonomic Group Percent

Insects 48

Mollusks (squid, snails) 5

Plants (including algae) 12

Crustaceans (crabs, shrimp) 10

Fungi (molds, mushrooms) 7

Arachnids (spiders, mites) 7

Vertebrates (mammals, birds, reptiles, fish) 5

Other (sponges, worms, bacteria, protists) 6

New Species Discovered in 2008

SOURCE: INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR SPECIES EXPLORATION

title: _____________________________

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mapping skills

In “Disaster In Japan” (p. 14), you read about the earthquake and tsunami that recently devastated parts of Japan. This earthquake occurred on a fault between the North American plate and the Pacific plate. Study the map below to learn more about tectonic plates. Then answer the questions that follow.

MOVING PLATES

ANALYZE IT1. on which tectonic plate do you live?

2. on which plate is France located?

3. which plate(s) touch the Antarctic plate?

4. Describe where the Juan de Fuca plate is located.

5. Mark on your map the fault that caused the February earthquake in new Zealand. Along which two plates does the fault lie?

6. You learned that stress is released in the form of an earthquake where plates are pressing against each other. what do you think happens when plates move away from each other?

EQUATOR

Pacific

Plate

Philippine

Plate

Eurasian

Plate

African

Plate

Arabian

Plate

Australian

Plate

Major tectonic plate

Indian

Plate

Antarctic

Plate

Scotia

Plate

Nazca

Plate

Cocos

Plate

Juan de Fuca

Plate

Caribbean

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North

American

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South

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