The Wonderful Ways of MikeC

Phish – 12/31/99 – After Midnight from Phish on Vimeo.

Shock waves were sent through Western NY yesterday from a 5.0 Mag Earthquake near Ottawa Canada. It was pretty cool to be in Carlson Library with some other GRS members when the shaking started. The fact that it was our last time doing work for Warner (tomorrow is our last class) in Carlson as a group added to the excitement. It was very symbolic. We ran over to the seismograph in Hutch Hall to check out how those pesky P and S waves looked on paper! Really cool stuff.

Here is a video of John Tarduno (UR Geophysicist and Rock star) talking about the earthquake:

Picture of UR Seismograph

Here is a map of shaking:

More information can be found on the USGS website

So, this is it! Last week of classes at Warner for the summer. It is crazy that all of our master’s programs are coming to an end (some of y’all have another fun filled semester though! LUCKY!). I am definitely ready and eager to move on to the next portion of my life but it reflection. Looking back I have made some real connections with you folks in the program and we really have been through many up’s and down’s together. I hope that these connections stay strong throughout the years to come.

Phish summer tour is finally underway. Bringing the fire to Saratoga Springs this weekend

So, this past weekend was quite a crazy one for me. Saturday, we (myself, my fiance, her mother and sister) left Rochester early in the morning for Lake Placid for a half marathon on Sunday. Being the geology enthusiast that I am, I suggested that we eat lunch at Heart Lake because of how nice it is there (my hidden motive was that its a major trail head for the high peaks region of the Adirondacks). The plan for the day was to go shopping, which needless to say is not really my cup of joe. So, after lunch I suggested that I go for a stroll in the woods and try to hike up Phelps Mnt (a mountain that I have always just hiked past for some reason) while the girls went shopping.

This was my first time hiking in the high peaks by myself and it was nice for a couple of reasons. First, I could go at my own pace and not have to worry about leaving other people behind so I made really great time. Second it was a very introspective experience. It was a great time and place to think about the “big things” (such as our role in the world). Those of you who have been in the high peaks would probably agree with me in saying that once you pass those “Now Entering a Wilderness Area” signs that you go through a dramatic change in perspective. This is, as Robert Goulet would say, “why I come out here”.

View from Marcy Dam (pretty cloudy/rainy day)

It got me thinking about how our students need to experience this type of perspective shift. We get so caught up in our day to day responsibilities that we loose sight of our place in the world. This is especially true of students from urban areas who rarely are able to remove themselves from the human construction dominated world. I have been thinking for a while about how to get students out there. It would really have to be a “club” type activity because logistically (and safety wise) it is not possible to even bring a class sized group of kids out there. I am excited to offer such an activity to my students next year at the school I am teaching at to potentially take place over a break.

In the clouds at the top of Phelps

After the 9 mile hike, I called my fiance and had her pick me up. I found the most awesome granite (metanorthosite for those geoscientists out there) with beautiful plagioclase feldspar crystals. It was a pain in the rear to hike out (it weighs nearly 20lbs) but looks great in my apartment!

The half marathon was also a good time.

So, I am currently sitting on my porch on Park Ave. writing for my current (and last) Warner class and have come to the realization that I LOVE lazy summer days! When I say lazy, I don’t mean that I am not busy with school/wedding stuff (portfolio, classwork, NSF presentation, picking out music, etc.) but that I can do all of it outside with a nice, delicious cup of coffee while all of my housemates are busy at work.

Since graduation, things have really begun to pick up and life has entered into a transitional stage towards me becoming a married educator. I am literally basking in this transitional period. I love it. While I am anxious to get started teaching this fall and married later this summer, I am enjoying this opportunity to relax with friends and family, do some work, and enjoy the beautiful weather.

PLUS…….Summer=Phish Tour. T-MINUS 11 DAYS and half marathon in Lake Placid this weekend.

For those of you who do not know, I somewhat recently got offered a job at an expeditionary charter school in the City. We already have several projects (or expeditions) lined up for next year. I am really excited to work at this school as there is a strong emphasis on an inquiry based, integrated curriculum that contextualizes content for our students. In addition to this I have the opportunity to work with some great teachers and administrators from the RCSD and one who is also a famed GRS grad. I recently worked with the instructional director and math teacher in creating an authentic archaeological experience that also supported NYS stadards. This was a great experience and it was the most “alive” i have ever felt teaching. The students totally embraced this type of learning and ran with it. I would post pictures but have been told that it is not advisable.

Anyways, here’s a jam for the summer

So, this past weekend I met with the same group of teachers and my programmatic mentor to finalize plans for the archaeological field study in early May. As a group, we polished up an stations for “Archaeological Boot Camp” that will prepare students for what they are about to experience in the field. We decided that this will help streamline the field study when we get to Dixon Hollow and allow students to spend the majority of time digging.

The stations are really cool and incorporate a bunch of different technologies and areas of study. There is a math station where students need to set up a perfect 1X1 meter unit utilizing protractors, measuring tape and the Pythagorean Theorem. There is one station highlighting the uses of GPS and its importance as well as one demonstrating probeware’s ability to measure temperature and pH. There will be 8 stations in all as well as a group discussion/skit on the types of clothes that are appropriate to wear on an archaeological dig where there is series potential to get dirty.

This should be a really sweet opportunity for the students as well as myself. I am pumped that I have the chance to collaborate with such great teachers from the area on this project.