We are now studying volcanoes.  There are 3 different types of volcanoes: shield, cinder cone, and composite.  It is a common misconception that all volcanoes erupt explosively.  Shield volcanoes actually involve very slow lava flows.  Cinder cone volcanoes involve explosive eruptions, and composite volcanoes are a combination of the two. 

Here in Hawaii, our volancoes are shield volcanoes, and so their activity involves very slow lava flows.  All 132 of the Hawaiian islands were formed in the exact same spot!  There is a "hot spot" or gap in the Earth's crust that allows magma to escape.  Once magma exits the Earth's crust, it becomes lava.  As the lava cooled, it continued to build on itslef and formed the islands.  There are so many islands because of the shifting of the Pacific plate.  The Pacific plate moves about 3 cm every year, in the NW direction.  So, the NW Hawaiian islands are the oldest islands, and the Big Island of Hawaii in the SE is the youngest!  Technically Loihi is the youngest, but it is what is called a seamount because it has not yet risen above the surface of the ocean.

The island of Maui was actually formed by 2 different volcanoes (that erupted at different times).  The volcano that formed the west side of Maui is called Kahalawai, though most people call it the West Maui Mountains now.  This is because that volcano is considered to be extinct, meaning it can no longer erupt (because it has moved too far away from the "hot spot").  After years of extinction, this is what Kahalawai looks like:

The east side of Maui was formed by a volcano called Haleakala.  This volcano is still considered to be dormant, though it is long overdue for an eruption.  At the top of the volcano, is a large crater.  This is where we went today.  The highest point of Haleakala is an area called Pu'u'ula'ula (Red Hill), and its elevation is 10,023 feet!  To get an idea of what the volcanic crater looks like, you can view the following video:

...or visit the Haleakala National Park website for more information: http://www.nps.gov/hale/index.htm

We are currently studying oceanography.  We spent the day on a boat so that we could collect data in several different areas.  We measured the visibility of the water with a secchi disk.  We also measured the salinity of the water.  And, we used a current meter to measure the current of the water.  We compared several different study sites to investigate the differences between them.  We were able to observe the tidal changes while we were out on the boat as well; the tide was high when we left (we had to step up onto the boat) and the tide was very low when we returned (we had to step up to exit the boat).

It happens to be the time of year that humpback whales are here around the Hawaiian islands.  They migrate to this area for their breeding season, and many of them are found in the shallow areas surrounding Maui.  As a bonus while we were on the water, we were able to observe the surface behavior of some humpback whales (they have to come up to the surface at least once an hour to breathe, and often display social behaviors at the surface).  The boat also had a hydrophone on board, which is an underwater microphone.  We took some time to drop the hydrophone into the water so that we could listen to some of the humpback whale's "song."  The whales sing this "song" during the breeding season, though scientists do not know why or what it communicates.  All of the whales in the area sing the same song, though they may be at different points in the song (like a round).  If you would like to hear the "song" of the humpback whale, and see what they look like, you can view the video below:

You can also visit www.whalesong.net to listen to a live feed of humpback whale song!

Aloha!  E komo mai (welcome) to our blog!

At Kihei Charter School, our mission is: To conceptualize, organize, and build innovative learning environments with custom designed educational programs that will prepare students for a satisfying and productive life in the 21st Century.

To learn more about our innovative program, you may visit our website at: www.kiheicharter.org
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Throughout the school year, as we learn about physical science and earth science topics, we will participate in a number of field research projects.  You may follow our research through our field notes, which will be posted here.