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Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Orion Launch


PARAMUS, NJ – To infinity and beyond!  Connecting space travel to the next frontier Tracy Glock, a Life Skills Education and Achievement Program Teacher at Paramus High School, has been chosen as part of a select group of participants to attend the initial flight of the Orion Spacecraft at the Langley Research Center in Hamilton, Virginia on December 3rd and 4th.  Tracy Glock was invited to participate in NASA Social, a program that provides opportunities for NASA's social media followers to learn and share information about NASA's missions, people, programs and discoveries.

NASA Social is the next evolution in the agency's social media efforts. The program includes both special in-person events and social media credentials for individuals who share news in a significant way. Over 3,000 applicants applied to participate, with only 150 chosen to receive clearance and credentials.

To be chosen, Mrs. Glock had to meet specific social media engagement criteria, and as a result of being selected, she will have the same credentials and access to the event as news media,
will get behind-the-scenes access to NASA's first field center and a briefing on Orion's first flight test. Langley's massive Landing and Impact Research Facility and Hydro Impact Basin will be showcased. In the 1960s, this is where Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin learned how to land on the moon. Guests will also tour Langley labs, where NASA is evaluating asteroid grappling, developing lunar habitat technologies and testing an Orion mockup. On Dec. 4, participants will be offered a special opportunity to watch Orion's launch and splashdown at the nearby Virginia Air & Space Center, NASA’s official visitor center.

NASA's Orion spacecraft is built to take humans farther than they've ever gone before. More powerful than any rocket ever built, it will be capable of sending humans to deep space destinations such as an asteroid and eventually Mars. Orion will serve as the exploration vehicle that will carry the crew to space, provide emergency abort capability, sustain the crew during the space travel, and provide safe  re-entry from deep space.

Orion will launch atop a Delta IV Heavy rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Space Launch Complex.  Concluding a two-orbit, four-hour flight that will test many of the systems most critical to safety Orion will splashdown at the
nearby Virginia Air & Space Center.

Mrs. Glock will be documenting the events leading up to the launch and the launch itself over the course of two days on December 3 and December 4, utilizing social media.  Twitter followers experience this historic launch using #Orion or by following her tweets @TicTockMrsGlock




Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Hello Weather Friends!
     Today our high temperature reached 21 degrees. Our average high temperature for this time of year is 39 degrees. We learned that our current high temperature today was 18 degrees colder than average!
     As of 11AM our low temperature is 7 degrees. Our average low temperature for this time of year is 24 degrees. We learned that today's low temperature was 17 degrees colder than average! Bundle up folks.  It sure is cold!  
     Winter Storm Pax has left our East Coast southern states without power.  Ice has covered the tree limbs and power lines. Check out the link to a video on the Weather Channel at:
http://www.weather.com/news/weather-winter/winter-storm-pax-latest-news-20140210

     Winter storm names enable simpler and more focused communications around forecasts and preparedness information on The Weather Channel and in other media outlets, and during the big storms like Nemo, the names became a handy way for the public to receive and exchange information.”
     This year the storm names for 2013-2014 are derived from lists created by students at Bozeman High School in Bozeman, MT, as an assignment in Latin class and are primarily from Greek and Roman mythology. Pax is the name of this winter storm.  Pax is the Roman Goddess of peace.  She urges us to keep harmony among one another as a sacred commodity throughout the year. We will keep you monitor Pax as it moves closer to our area.
The New Jersey Weather Service has posted the following weather information about Pax:

WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 6 AM
EST FRIDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN NEW YORK HAS ISSUED A WINTER
STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT
TONIGHT TO 6 AM EST FRIDAY. THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS NO LONGER IN
EFFECT.

* LOCATIONS...WESTERN PASSAIC...EASTERN PASSAIC...WESTERN
  BERGEN...EASTERN BERGEN...WESTERN ESSEX...EASTERN
  ESSEX...WESTERN UNION...EASTERN UNION.

* HAZARD TYPES...SNOW.

* ACCUMULATIONS...10 TO 14 INCHES.

* WINDS...NORTH 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 25 MPH.

* TEMPERATURES...IN THE UPPER 20S.

* VISIBILITIES...ONE QUARTER MILE OR LESS AT TIMES.

* TIMING...SNOW WILL DEVELOP LATE TONIGHT AND CONTINUE DURING THE
  DAY THURSDAY BEFORE TAPERING OFF THURSDAY NIGHT. SOME SLEET MAY
  MIX WITH THE SNOW ON THURSDAY.

* IMPACTS...SNOWFALL WILL MAKE TRAVEL TREACHEROUS IN
  ADDITION...HEAVY...WET SNOW MAY CAUSE SOME WEAK...FLAT ROOF
  STRUCTURES TO COLLAPSE AND TREES WILL BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO FALLING.


PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER
CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW
ARE FORECAST THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS. ONLY TRAVEL IN AN
EMERGENCY. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL...KEEP AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT...FOOD...
AND WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Hello Weather Friends!
     Today our high temperature reached 26 degrees. Our average high temperature for this time of year is 39 degrees.  We learned that our current high temperature today was 13 degrees colder than average!  
     Today our low temperature was 16 degrees. Our average low temperature for this time of year is 24 degrees.  We learned that today's low temperature was 8  degrees colder than average!   Brrrr!!!  
       Winter Storm Pax is on its way to our area.  So far the storm has hit many of the southern states on the east coast such as Georgia and South Carolina.  Because these areas typically do not receive snow or ice they are not prepared for this type of weather.  Two weeks ago schools in Georgia we taken by such surprise that many of the students and staff members had to sleep at the school.  The local towns did not have plows or salt to prepare for the storm.  In preparation for Pax many of these schools are already closed.  Up north we giggle about schools closing for an inch of snow.  Our schools do not typically close unless the weather reports say the snow will last all day. 
     We will keep you posted on the impact of Pax in our area as it moves closer to our area.  Below is map of the areas that will be impacted by winter storm Pax. 

Monday, February 10, 2014

This weekend our weather was relatively mild with an inch of snow falling last night. Our class continues to blog with a school in Washington State.  We were very excited to learn that they received snow this past weekend.  Today it was sunny with a high temperature of 28 degrees.  Our class determined that today was 11 degrees colder than the average high temperature for this time of year.

On Wednesday into Thursday the meteorologists have predicted a snowstorm called Pax.  We have learned that Pax is the Roman Goddess of peace; She urges us to keep harmony among one another as a sacred commodity throughout the year. On coins, Pax appears youthful and often bears an olive branch to extend the hand of truce or a cornucopia, indicating that there is an abundance of peace for those who truly seek it. 

The snowstorm names this year have not provided our class with many snow sculpting opportunities.  Over the next six weeks we plan to come up with our own list of names for next years snowstorms to send to the Weather Channel! 

Friday, February 7, 2014

Hello Weather Friends!
     We have seen some pretty wild weather this week.  School was closed on Monday and Wednesday for snow.  My son and I went food shopping Tuesday night for milk.  See the photo of the store shelves below! 

On Tuesday night it began to snow and did not stop until Wednesday morning.  We received 5 inches of snow and ice as you can see on my bedazzled weather ruler :)
 
Once the storm ended we measured 10 inches on the ground! Attached are a few pictures of my puppy and my son playing in the snow and our street two days after the storm. There are also two silly videos of my son playing in the snow.  Does your area receive this much snow?
 
 
 
Below you will find the high and low temperatures for Paramus, NJ this week.  Next week we plan to track the weather in Sochi, Russia while we learn about the Olympics.  We love to watch Curling in our class.  Does your class have a favorite Olympic sport to watch?  
3Snow
Actual: 42 | 28
Precip:0.80
Average: 38 | 24
Precip:0.08
4Fog
Actual: 36 | 21
Precip:0.00
Average: 39 | 24
Precip:0.08
5Snow
Actual: 35 | 30
Precip:1.58
Average: 39 | 24
Precip:0.08
6Scattered Clouds
Actual: 32 | 21
Precip:0.00
Average: 39 | 24
Precip:0.08
7Clear
Actual: 34 | 23
Precip:0.00
Average: 39 | 24
Precip:0.08
Originally the meteorologists predicted a HUGE blizzard for our area this weekend of 30 plus inches of snow and ice.  They have since retracted their predictions.  We might receive a dusting to an inch if any snow at all!  Our class finds it amazing how quickly the weather forecast can change.  Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Glock's Class

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Happy Groundhog Day!!! 
It is 34 degrees and sunny here in Paramus today but tonight they are predicting 6-8 inches of snow and 1 inch of ice!  Our electric companies have called in extra coverage just in chase the power goes out from the weight of the snow and ice.  We will keep you posted on the weather tomorrow to see if the meteorologists accurately for our area. 
Sincerely,
Mrs. Glock's Class
 
Did you know there are 18 famous groundhogs predicting the weather?
Here are their prognostications:
Punxsutawney Phil in PA: 6 More Weeks of Winter
Poor Richard, York, PA: 6 More Weeks of Winter

Susquehanna Sherman, Mount Wolf, PA
Staten Island Chuck in NY: 6 More Weeks of Winter
Sir Walter Wally in Raleigh, North Carolina: 6 more Weeks of Winter
Queen Charlotte in North Carolina: 6 More Weeks of Winter
Dover Doug, Dover PA: 6 More Weeks of Winter
Chattanooga Chuck in Tennessee: 6 More Weeks of Winter
Jimmy the Groundhog in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin: 6 More Weeks of Winter
Woody in Howell, Michigan: 6 More Weeks of Winter

Stormy Marmot, Aurora, Colorado: 6 More Weeks of Winter
Flatiron Freddy, Boulder, Colorado: 6 More Weeks of Winter
Buckeye Chuck in Ohio: Early Spring
General Beauregard Lee in Georgia: Early Spring
Dunkirk Dave in NY: Early Spring
Malverne Mel in New York: Early Spring
Holtsville Hal, Long Island, NY: Early Spring

Dundas, Donna, Toronto: Ontario: 6 More Weeks of Winter: Early Spring

We also looked up Snohomish the Groundfrog you taught us about last year. 
Snohomish also predicted 6 More Weeks of Winter!