Alfred Wegener

"Some truly revolutionary scientific theories may take years or decades to win general acceptance among scientists. This is certainly true of plate tectonics, one of the most important and far-ranging geological theories of all time; when first proposed, it was ridiculed, but steadily accumulating evidence finally prompted its acceptance, with immense consequences for geology, geophysics, oceanography, and paleontology. And the man who first proposed this theory was a brilliant interdisciplinary scientist, Alfred Wegener." -The Origins of Continents and Oceans (4th edition) 




If you were a scientist during the early 1900's would you have supported Wegener and his theories. Why or why not? Explain.
 

Geologist R. Thomas Chamberlain said, "If we are to believe in Wegener's hypothesis we must forget everything which has been learned in the past 70 years and start all over again." 
 

See the links below for more information on the topic.
http://www.scientus.org/Wegener-Continental-Drift.html
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/history/wegener.html

Write a paragraph response to the question posed above including a quote from one of the resources provided or one of your own to use as support for your statements. Then respond in an additional paragraph to two other students. Please include your first name only and the period.

The Dam Debate

Where does our water come from? The Hetch Hetchy Water System transports Tuolumne River water 156 miles from the Central Sierra to the San Francisco Bay. While another water system, The East Bay Municipal Utility District, supplies cities on the east side of San Francisco Bay with Mokelumne River water. Check out the interactive map to explore our watershed.

Our Local Watershed Interactive Map

There is a debate between environmentalists and city officials about whether the O'Shaughnessy Dam, part of the Hetch Hetchy water system, should be removed or not. Research more about the dam using the sites below.

Suggested resources:

http://www.hetchhetchy.org/

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/environme…

http://www.evergreenlodge.com/hetchhetchy.html



Which side are you on? Should they restore the dam or tear it out? Examine the pros and cons of each and support your stance on the issue with evidence from your research.

Respond in a minimum of one paragraph to the post above. You MUST include a quote from the resources to support your statement. Then comment on two other students responses. Please sign your first name only and period to your post. Posts must be approved by the teacher and therefore may take some time to post.