March 6: Our Moon Around the Earth

The moon may seem not seem very exciting to learn about but it benefits and influences life on Earth in many ways, from the moonlight it sheds to the tides it creates. 

It has also influenced human culture, featuring in mythology and helping humans keep track of time. Humans and many other forms of life depend on the moon. 

10 Interesting Facts about the Moon

1. The moon probably formed in a giant collision

The most widely accepted explanation for how the moon was formed is called the giant-impact theory, which says that a Mars-size planet collided with the early Earth, forming a cloud of debris that eventually blended into the moon. Much of the debris would have come from the colliding planet, but some would have originated from Earth and been ejected into space during the collision, according to the Natural History Museum in London England. 

Evidence of this impact can be found in the moon samples taken during the Apollo missions, which show that the moon’s composition has similarities to and differences from Earth’s geological composition.

2. The Phases of the Moon Depend on Its Position

The phases of the moon are determined by where the moon is in relation to Earth and the sun. If Earth is directly between the sun and the moon, the side of the moon facing Earth is fully lit up and is very bright and we see a full moon. But if the moon is between Earth and the sun, the illuminated side faces away from us and it is a new moon, meaning we don’t see the moon at all. 

In between a new moon and a full moon, different portions of the part of the moon the sun illuminates are visible from Earth, creating the moon’s phases. When the moon appears to increase in size until it is full, it is said to be waxing; when it is decreasing, it is waning.

3. The Dark Side of the Moon Is Not Actually Dark

Even though we see only one side of the moon, half of it is always lightened up by the sun, and it’s not usually the portion we can see (except during the full moon). Therefore, the “dark” side of the moon is dark only from our perspective on Earth.

Instead, it’s more accurate to call it the far side of the moon. Even though we can’t see that side from Earth, several missions have photographed and studied the far side of the moon, with the first photos of the lunar far side taken by the Soviet Union’s Luna 3 space probe in 1959. 

4. The Moon Produces and Changes the Tides

You probably already know that the moon’s gravity is the main cause of the tides on Earth. This gravitational pull causes two huge waves in Earth’s oceans that represent high tides: one in the part of the ocean on the side closest to the moon, and one on the opposite side. The area of high tide opposite the moon is caused by the moon pulling the planet and not the ocean toward it. Between these two huge waves of high tide are areas of low tide.

Though the moon’s gravity is the strongest cause of tides on Earth, our planet’s rotation and the gravitational force of the sun also contribute. The strength of the tides and the water level have varied widely throughout Earth’s history, but this is mostly caused by changes in climate and sea level, the shifting of Earth’s continents and several other factors.

5. The Earth’s Gravity Also Affects the Moon

In the same way as the moon’s gravity causes the tides, Earth also affects the moon — and not just by keeping it in orbit. We can see this effect every night in the familiar “man in the moon” theory. The pattern on the moon that we can see is always the same because the same side of the moon always faces Earth. This is called Tidal Locking” and it is caused by the gradual impact of Earth’s gravity on the moon. Our planet uses a much stronger pull on the moon than it does on us. 

6. Did You Know the Moon Is Slowly Moving Away from Us?

The gravitational impacts that caused the moon to become tidally locked with Earth were complicated, according to NASA, and as they took effect, they released energy. It was that energy caused the moon to begin slowly drifting away from Earth even as it was still forming. Eventually, the processes of formation and tidal locking stopped changing the moon’s orbit around Earth, but the moon is still drifting away from our planet by about 1.5 inches (4 centimeters) per year. While this isn’t much, it will cause the moon to become notably more distant from Earth over millions of years. 

7. The Moon Has Moonquakes

Most of us probably think the moon as a cold, dead rock in space, and for the most part, we’d be right. However, it’s not entirely still and motionless. Just as areas of our planet are rocked by earthquakes, there are “moonquakes” and they are usually weaker and last longer than the ones on Earth. Several factors can cause moonquakes, including impacts from meteors, changes in temperature, Earth’s gravity, and structural weaknesses in the moon’s interior. Though some of these quakes would barely be noticeable to any future humans on the moon, others could pose significant hazards.

8. Solar Eclipses Are Cosmic Coincidences

A solar eclipse happens when the moon is aligned directly between the sun and Earth. During a total solar eclipse, the dark silhouette of the moon appears to block out the sun so perfectly that, during the few minutes that the dark silhouette of the moon covers the sun’s circle of light, or outer atmosphere, is still visible. There is no reason that this effect should happen with the precision it does, or that the two bodies should appear so close in size. In reality, tens of millions of our moons could fit in the sun if it were hollowed out. Still, when the alignment of the sun, moon and Earth is perfect, people in a few areas can observe the marvel of this cosmic coincidence in our skies.

9. The Moon’s Appearance Can Be Affected by “Earthshine”

On a clear night, you might notice that although only part of the moon is bright and lit up, you can also see the faint circle of the rest of the moon. This is caused by a phenomenon called Earthshine. Just as moonlight is caused by the moon reflecting light from the sun, Earth also reflects that light. This means that part of Earth would appear bright if you were to stand on the moon, and it also causes Earth to cast some of that light back onto the moon. So, even when no sunlight is cast on a portion of the moon, Earthshine can faintly illuminate its dark regions. 

10. The Moon Has a Different and Unique Kind of Smell

The moon has no substan

tial atmosphere and, therefore, no air. However, the Apollo 11 astronauts were surprised to discover that the moon has a smell, which clung to their spacesuits, equipment and the lunar samples they collected and was detectable once they were in an environment with air again. Apollo astronauts described the smell as metallic, similar to burnt gunpowder or the smell in the air after a firecracker goes off. The smell was likely caused by a chemical reaction between something in lunar dust and the oxygen in the air. However, lunar samples on Earth do not smell, so it must be due to a temporary reaction. 

March 4: Earth Hour

Electricity has become a huge part of our lives and it’s become very difficult for us to think of a life without it. Can you really imagine life without a cell phone, your TV or refrigerator? What if you had to wash all your clothes by hand or start a fire just to get some hot water or imagine having to go to bed when it gets dark because candlelight didn’t provide us with as much light as we need. We may take electricity for granted but if we think about it, it wasn’t that long ago that these types of situations was the normal part of life for people all over the world. It is becoming very clear that the price of all our lives being made easier by electricity can only happen if we take care of our planet. That’s why a movement like Earth hour was created. It helps us all give our planet some thought even if it is only for a small amount of time.

How to Celebrate Earth Hour

Take an Hour Without Electricity

The best way you can celebrate Earth Hour is to participate and learn all we can about it. It is important to remember also that Earth hour is not just about an hour of time once a year, but also about caring about our planet every hour of every day during the rest of the year. The amount of energy that we save worldwide during Earth hour doesn’t mean anything if we don’t continue to care about the environment after. It is important to think about what you do on a daily basis to save energy. It’s little things like changing your regular light bulbs for a more power saving one that can make a huge difference. If everyone does this and makes a habit of it all this will become natural and we won’t even know the difference. We can also make sure everyone knows about Earth Day. The more people we can tell about it and help them understand the difference that it makes, more energy will be saved. Imagine what would happen if we let one hour of Earth Day inspire us to make the world a better place for the rest of the 8760 hours left in the year.

The History of Earth Hour

• In 2004 Australia’s Worldwide Fund for Nature decided to meet with an advertising agency to discuss some ideas to help Australians realize the important issue of climate change.
• They worked together and came up with the idea of switching off the lights in 2006 and they called it The Big Flick.
• The mayor of Sydney was convinced that it was very important to raise awareness about the amount of electricity being used and wasted and how it affected the planet.

• The First Ever Earth Hour was held on March 31 in Sydney Australia At 7:30 PM. News of this important initiative began to spread.
• San Francisco was the next major city to start a Lights Out program in October 2007. The event was an extreme success and received a lot of positive media coverage and by 2008, 35 countries around the world were participating. Between 8 and 9 PM hundreds of cities in 35 countries turned off their lights.
• Even some of the most famous landmarks participated including the Sydney Opera House, the Empire State building, the National Monument, the Golden Gate Bridge.
• By 2016 the number of countries participating in the initiative was 170.
• Many celebrities gave their support to the events as well including Lionel Messi, Al Gore, Yoko Ono and Nelson Mandela.

Some Interesting Facts About Earth Day

How Did Earth Hour Inspire Lights out Events Globally?

Earth Hour started Lights Out events even beyond the original hour. Some examples as stated before are the Eiffel Tower, Sydney Opera House, and the Empire State building dim their lights annually for this important cause. India also created their own version. It’s called Earth Hour Delhi to try to encourage long-term environmental actions. This important cause brings landmarks worldwide together to work towards this important cause. Inspired by Earth Hour some towns even hold something called Dark Nights throughout the year to reconnect with the night sky and enjoy the stars and reduce light pollution.

Did Any Myths or Urban Legends Grow Because of Earth Hour?

Yes! Some people thought Earth Hour could cause power grids to overload when the light switch back on which would cause blackouts. However, experts explained that power systems can handle such changes easily. Another myth claimed that turning off lights for just one hour could dramatically reverse climate change. However, Earth Hour tries to inspire lasting habits and awareness not just solve everything in one hour.

Are There Any Unusual Ways Countries Celebrate Earth Hour?

Yes! There are some countries that take Earth Hour to heart with very creative ideas. In Sweden, some cities encourage Light Parades where people carry solar lanterns. In the Philippines, some communities hold Global Bike Rides where the bikers decorate their bikes with eco-friendly LED lights. In the country Greece people gather in ancient sites like the Acropolis and enjoy the historic architecture under starlight. These unique events bring people together in meaningful and memorable ways.

How Does Earth Hour Affect Wildlife?

Earth Hour is a brief form of relief of the artificial lighting on wildlife especially nocturnal animals. Excessive lighting, as we talked about last week, confuses animals like birds and sea turtles. Dimming the lights can help baby sea turtles navigate towards the ocean. In some places scientists have noticed changes in bird behaviour because of Earth Hour because the birds rely heavily on natural light cues.

Why Do Astronomers Support Earth Hour?

They support Earth Hour because it briefly reduces light pollution which allows people to see clearer views of the stars and enjoy them. Many observatories use this event to hold night sky viewing parties. In fact, observatories in California and Chile have documented the much improved visibility of Earth Hour which helps prove the impact of urban lighting on stargazing.

What Unexpected Places Participate in Earth Hour?

Remote villages in Bhutan and isolated research locations in Antarctica participate in Earth hour. In Bhutan, a country that is known for its environmental policies, villagers light candles and hold talks on sustainability. In Antarctica, research stations observe Earth Hour by switching only to emergency lighting which creates a surreal experience under polar stars.

Are There Unusual Earth Hour Traditions in Certain Cities?

Yes! Tokyo and other Japanese cities hold something called Earth Hour Moonlight Runs. They are done in near darkness with limited lighting and they help to highlight the importance of reducing energy use. Some communities in New Zealand come together for Glow Worm Walks through forests and they take advantage of bioluminescent insects like worms and fireflies. These traditions help to blend local culture and environmental awareness together while creating memorable earth our experiences.

I thought we could finish class by watching James Corden fill in for one of the Backstreet Boys.

Feb 27: Earth Day

• More than 8 billion people live on this earth, and we use Earth Day to remind us all of the need to take care of our home earth.
• Earth Day takes place on April 22 and dates back to 1970. This is when US-based organizers hoped to bring an awareness to the environment and the damage we are doing to the earth.
• The damage that they witnessed while they travelled across the country bothered them so they decided to make a difference. After that Earth Day began.
• Since we started to recognize Earth Day as a special day it has expanded to more than 190 countries.
• This day is a difficult reminder of the work that must be done and the celebration of the progress that has been made when it comes to climate change efforts.
• It’s also been a catalyst for action and the creation of international Climate Agreements and Environmental Agencies.
• This year’s theme is Planet versus Plastic. This calls on all government leaders, businesses, and people to reduce plastic production by 2% by 2040.
• It calls for the full elimination of all single use plastics by the end of this decade.

• “The word environment means what surrounds you. In the case of plastics, we have become the product itself. It flows through our bloodstream, adheres to our internal organs, and carries with it heavy metals known to cause cancer and disease” said Kathleen Rogers, President of Earth Day.org. “The planet versus plastics campaign is a call to arms, a demand that we Act now to end this use of plastics and safeguard the health of every living being upon our planet.”

10 Interesting Facts about Earth Day

• 1. Earth Day Was Created by a Senator
• Gaylord Nelson was a Democratic senator from Wisconsin.
• He was getting more and more concerned over the state of US environment in the 1960s.
• After a huge oil spill in Santa Barbara, California in January 1969 he had the idea to launch a nationwide environmentally focused class on college campuses.
• He got inspiration from the antiwar movements against the Vietnam War that were happening on campuses around the country.
• He recruited Denis Hayes who was a young activist. He was hired to help bring the idea to the public.
• 2. The Idea for Earth Day Came after a Series of Environmental Catastrophes
• Dennis told Time magazine that the idea of Earth Day came because of a number of events that drew the attention to the environment, including the release of Rachel Carson’s book called silent Spring in 1962, and the 1969 Cuyahoga River fire.

• He said that even though there was a number of in the US working on different environmental issues like trying to reduce air pollution, bringing attention to the impact of pesticides on farm workers and a lot more, they had never worked on these causes together.
• He said “what we did was take all of those issues including wildlife protection issues and brought them all together. It sounds strange today, but back then the folks involved with each of the various causes, didn’t think of themselves as having anything in common with one another,” he told Time magazine in 2019. “No one was asking this question At the end of the 1970s.”
• 3. More Than 20 Million People Participated in the First Earth Day
• Millions of people participated in the first Earth Day celebration on April 22, 1970.
• It even shut down Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue and people demonstrated and participated in street cleanups.
• “The holiday mood on Fifth Avenue was exemplified by members of the architectural firm of Warner, Burns, Toan and Lunde, who spread a yellow and white quilt on the asphalt near 57^th Street put a tulip in a wine bottle for the centerpiece and enjoyed a picnic in the sun. A laughing crowd gathered around them and sang, “Happy Earth Day to You,” the New York Times reported that day.

• 4. Earth Day is on April 22 Because of College Schedules
• The date for Earth Day was set because of the schedules of the college students that Hayes and Nelson were hoping to attract.
• April 22 fell on a weekday during the school year right between spring break and final exams, when the weather was mild enough to allow people to be outside and help clean up.
• 5. The Environmental Protection Agency Was Created after the First Earth Day
• The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which regulates mechanisms to protect the environment, was created on December 2, 1970, in a direct response to the first Earth Day. It was formed by Congress after witnessing the huge participation in Earth Day demonstration across the country. When it first began some said they would never be another Earth Day. Some people even saw the concern for our environment as a fad.

How does the EPA help the environment?

How does the EPA fight against environmental inequality?

• 6. Earth Day Went Global in 1990
• Because there were millions of people that participated in the first Earth Day movement, there were many laws that were passed. They included the National Environmental Education Act, The Occupational Safety and Health Act, and the Clean Air Act in the US later that year.
• Earth Day in 1970 is said to have achieved a rare political alignment that causes people that would Not normally work together to come together to fight to clean up our environment.
• Earth Day went global in 1990 after a group of environmental leaders approached Hayes to organize another major campaign to help clean up the planet.
• It brought 200 million people in 141 countries together to achieve the goal of cleaning up our earth. In the new millennium this movement changed its focus to campaign against global warming and in 2020 over 1 billion people worldwide participated in Earth Day activities and actions.
• 7. The Paris Agreement Opened for Signature on Earth Day
• The Paris agreement is the most significant international climate agreement in history. It was open for signature on Earth Day in 2016. The treaty has more than 190 signatures and all of the people that signed agreed to reduce the carbon emissions and carry out other actions to reduce climate change.
• 8. United Automobile Workers Union Played a Role in Making Earth Day Possible
• The former head of the United Automobile Workers Union was one of the biggest contributors to the original Earth Day.
• They donated $2000 in the year 1970 Earth Day. Today that amount would be close to $15,000.
• The United Automobile Workers Union was the largest contributor to the first Earth Day and its support was beyond financial. It helped to print and mail all the materials at its expense. Union workers turned out in every city where there was a United Auto Workers Union to help in the cause.
• 9. Organizers Are Trying to Have the Biggest Earth Day Cleanup Events in History in 2024
• For this year’s Earth Day celebrations, Earth Day.org is working with Malaysian organizations to help host the largest cleanup and Earth Day history.
• Penang Island, the country’s main island, has been very impacted by plastic pollution due to tourism there. At least 100,000 volunteers will be helping to clean up the beaches and forests in the country. They also will plan more than 1 million trees.

I thought we could look at this Earth Day quiz for 2025 and see how many we can get the answers for.

• 10. Tens of Millions of Trees Have Been Planted on Earth Day
• It is believed that 18 million acres of forest are lost every year due to deforestation according to the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization. To fight against this, Earth Day.org founded the Canopy Project in 2010 and says it has since planted tens of millions of trees around the world.

Happy Earth Day 2025!

I thought we could in class by watching another funny video by James Corden visiting Ellen.

February 20: Chuck Berry

Chuck Berry was one of the most influential rock ‘n’ roll performance in music history. He’s known for songs like Maybellene and Johnny B. Goode.

Who Was Chuck Berry?

• Most people think of him as “father of rock ‘n’ roll”.
• He had early exposure to music at school and church.
• When he was a teenager he was sent to prison for three years for armed robbery.
• He started producing hits in the 1950s including the song called Johnny B. Goode.
• He had his first number one hit in 1972 called My Ding-a-Ling.
• It was because of his clever lyrics and distinctive sounds that he became one of the most influential figures in the history of rock music.

Early Life In St. Louis

• Chuck Berry’s full name was Charles Edward Anderson Berry and he was born on October 18, 1926 in St. Louis Missouri.
• His parents were Martha and Henry Berry.
• They were the grandchildren of people used in slavery and are among the many African-Americans who migrated to rural St. Louis trying to find employment during the World War I era.
• His mother Martha was one of the few black woman of her generation to get a college education and Henry his father was a carpenter as well as he can at the Antioich Baptist Church.
• At the time of birth, St. Louis was mostly a segregated city. Chuck grew up in a north St. Louis neighbourhood called the Ville. It was a self-contained middle-class black community and was full of black-owned businesses and institutions.
• The neighbourhood was so segregated that he had never seen a white person until the age of three when he saw several white firemen putting out a fire. “I thought they were so frightened that their faces were whitened from fear of going near the big fire.”
• His dad explained to him that they were white people and their skin was always white whether it was day or night.
• He was the fourth of six children and had a variety of interests and hobbies as a child. He liked doing carpentry work with his father and learning photography from his uncle.
• He had an early talent for music and began singing in the church choir at the age of six. He went to Summer High School. It was a prestigious private institution that was the first all-black high school west of the Mississippi.
• For the schools talent show Chuck sang Jay McShann’s song called Confessin’ the Blues. It was this performance that sparked his interest in learning the guitar.

• He started guitar lessons and studied with local jazz legend Ira Harris.
• Chuck also became a little bit of a troublemaker in high school he wasn’t interested in his studies and felt held back by the strict ideals and discipline of the school.
• In 1944 when he was 17, Chuck and friends dropped out of high school and set off on an impromptu road trip to California.
• They didn’t make it further than Kansas City because they came across a pistol that was abandoned in the parking lot and even though they knew it was bad judgement they decided to go on a robbery spree.
• They robbed a bakery, clothing store and a barbershop and then stole a car before they were arrested. They received the maximum penalty which was 10 years in jail even though they were first-time offenders and minors.
• He served three years in the Intermediate Reformatory For Young Man outside of Jefferson, Missouri before he got released on good behaviour on October 18, 1947 which coincidentally was his 21^st birthday.
• He went Back to St. Louis and worked for his father’s construction business and part time as a photographer and a janitor at a local auto plant.
• In 1948 he married Themetta “Toddy” Suggs and had four children with her.
• He decided to take up guitar again in 1951 with his former high school classmate Tommy Stevens. He invited him to join his band. They played at local black nightclubs in St. Louis and Chuck quickly developed a reputation for his lively showmanship.
• At the end of 1952, he met Johnnie Johnson who was a local jazz pianist and joined his band called Sir John’s Trio. Chuck introduced the band to upbeat country numbers and they performed country, jazz and pop music. They played at the Cosmopolitan which was an upscale black nightclub in East St. Louis. They were so good that the club began attracting white patrons.

Birth of Rock ‘n’ Roll

• in the mid-1950s, he began taking road trips to Chicago, this was known as the Midwest capital of black music, searching for a record contract.
• Early in 1955, he met the legendary blues musician Muddy Waters and he suggested that Chuck meet with Chess Records. A few weeks later he wrote and recorded a song called Maybellene and took it to the executives at Chess.
• They immediately offered him a contract. Within 2 months Maybellene reached, #1 on the R&B charts at number five on the pop charts. It had a unique blend of rhythm and blues beat, country guitar licks and the mixture of Chicago blues. It also had narrative storytelling.

• Many music historians consider Maybelline the first true rock ‘n’ roll song.
• Chuck quickly followed with a number of unique singles that continued to create the new genre of rock ‘n’ roll. They were Roll Over Beethoven, Too Much Monkey Business, and Brown Eyed Handsome Man.

• He was able to achieve crossover success with white youths. He did this without alienating his black fans by mixing blues and R&B sounds with the storytelling that spoke to the universal themes of youth.
• In the late 1950s songs such as Johnny B. Goode, Sweet Little 16, and Carol were all able to crack the top 10 of the pop charts because they had equal popularity with black and white youths.

• His career changed again when he was convicted under the Mann Act of illegally transporting a woman across state lines for immoral purposes in 1961.
• In 1958 he opened Club Bandstand in the white business district of downtown St. Louis.
• The next year what he was travelling in Mexico he met a 14-year-old waitress and sometimes prostitute and he decided to bring her back to St. Louis to work at his club. He had to fire her only weeks later when she was arrested for prostitution and charges were put against Chuck that ended with him spending another 20 months in jail. In 1963 when he was released he wrote and recorded popular and thoughtful songs called Nadine, You Can Never Tell, Promised Land, and Dear Dad.

• He was Not the same man after his second time in prison. Chuck released one of his last albums of original music. It was called Rock It. It received generally positive reviews in 1979.
• He continued to perform into the 1990’s but he would never have the same magnetic energy and originality that brought him his fame during the 50s and 60s.

Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall Of Fame

• Chuck is still one of the genres most influential musicians.
• In 1985 he received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
• In 1986 he became The Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame’s first inductee.

• One of the best ways to see how much Chuck influenced people with his music is the amount of times other artists have copied his work. The Beach Boys, the Rolling Stones and the Beatles have all covered various Chuck Berry songs.
• On his 90^th birthday Chuck announced that he had plans to release a new album that was going to be dedicated to Themeta, he called her Toddy, she was his wife of 68 years.

Death and Legacy

• Chuck died on March 18, 2017 when he was 90 years old. He is remembered as a founding father of Rock ‘n’ Roll with a pioneering career that influenced generations of musicians.

I thought we could finish class by watching everyone’s favourite a funny video with James Corden.

Feb 13: Light Pollution

Have you ever seen the Milky Way in the night sky? If not, don’t worry. You’re not alone! Over 30% of people in the world can’t see it because of light produced by humans. This is called light pollution. 

Light pollution is a waste of energy and money. It can also harm human health, animal health, and ecosystems.

What Is Light Pollution?

Light pollution is the excessive and disruptive use of artificial light. Most light pollution comes from outdoor lighting, advertisements and streetlights. Another major source is indoor light from large buildings like office towers. The three main forms of light pollution are glare, skyglow, and light trespass.

Imagine walking down the street on a really bright day. Suddenly, the windshield of a car reflects sunlight right into your eyes. This is called glare. Glare can make it difficult to see and can even be painful.

At night, glare can be caused by streetlights. Light trespass is when light shines outside of the area it’s supposed to brighten. Streetlights should only light the street, to make walking and driving safer. But sometimes streetlights can shine into your bedroom. This is an example of light trespass.

Skyglow is a form of light pollution that makes the night sky brighter. It often looks like a yellow halo around a city. Skyglow happens when too much light shines up into the atmosphere. The light scatters and reflects back down to the ground. When there are more clouds, more light is reflected. 

How Does Light Pollution Harm Humans?

Photoreceptors are light-sensitive cells in the retina. The retina is found at the back of your eye. Photoreceptors are responsible for converting light into signals. Our brain interprets these signals as images of the world around us. There are three types of photoreceptors – rods, cones and intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells. Rods help us see light and dark. They are very sensitive to light. Cones help us to see colours. Glare can hurt your eyes because it can damage or kill rods and cones. This can lead to vision loss or impairment. Scientists believe that intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells also help rods respond to light at many different brightness levels. They may also help to regulate circadian rhythms. Circadian rhythms are like an internal clock that our bodies follow every day. They are controlled by light signals around us so light pollution can disrupt our circadian rhythms. One type of circadian rhythm is when we sleep. Our bodies can decide when we should be tired based on the amount of light around us. But light pollution, especially skyglow can make the day seem even longer. This can mean that our normal sleep patterns are disrupted. There are many consequences of Not sleeping properly. You may be irritable or anxious, have a hard time concentrating and if you don’t sleep properly for a long time you may develop some health problems. These can include depression, a weakened immune system, diabetes or even a higher chance of getting certain cancers.

How Does Light Pollution Harm Animals?

Circadian rhythms aren’t just important for humans. Light also controls animal behaviours like sleeping, breeding, migrating and hunting. Light pollution makes migration difficult for many birds. Most of them depend on stars to find their way from Ontario to the Gulf of Mexico when it’s time to migrate south for the winter. Also light from tall buildings and outdoor advertisements can hide the birds view from the night sky. This means fewer birds survive to reach the areas where they breed or find food during the winter.

What About Plants and Light Pollution?

Plants are also affected by light pollution. Some plants survive winter by staying dormant when the days are shorter and darker. Artificial daylight from light pollution can change this cycle. This puts the plant’s survival at risk. Light pollution can also affect the behaviour and survival of pollinators like bees.

Let’s watch a video that outlines the problem with light pollution and shows us it might be worse than we think.

How Can We Reduce Light Pollution?

One way is you can turn off your lights at night or close the curtain. Indoor light can cause glare outdoors. Then you can look at the lights outside your house and decide whether they can be turned off or can you use motion sensors so they come on only when needed. Glare from the outdoor lighting can be reduced by shielding light fixtures. LED lights are often used outdoors but LED lights can harm humans and animals. They have high energy blue light that reaches far into the high. This over stimulates photoreceptors and can lead to vision loss. It’s much safer to use lights and filters that are coloured red or yellow instead of blue.

A town in Colorado shows us what it would be like if we lessened light pollution.

Let’s finish class by watching a video of the death Valley at night. It shows how beautiful the night sky would be without light pollution.

Feb 11: Cher Part Two

• Also in 1966, she released a self-titled album that featured the song called Alfie which she recorded to promote the movie of the same name.

• In 1967 her fourth album came out called With Love, Cher. It included the number nine hit You Better Sit Down Kids. It was about a father explaining the realities of a marital split to his children.

Grammy Nod For Gypsies, Tramps, and Thieves

• In September 1971, Cher released Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves. The title song was about a travelling show family and teen pregnancy. She got her first number one single as a solo artist as well as her first solo Grammy nomination which she received for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.
• The album also had the top 10 hit called The Way of Love. She reached the top of the charts again with the title track from her 1974 album called Half-Breed which was about the ongoing persecution of a partially Native American person stuck between two worlds.

• Immediately after her divorce from Sonny in 1975, Cher was unable to work as a performer because of contractual disagreements from their business relationships and she decided to take on some jobs as a model instead.
• That same year she decided to host her own variety show on CBS for a year which earned her an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Comedy Variety or Music Series.

• After it was cancelled in 1976 Cher teamed up with her ex-husband Sonny again to cohost the short-lived Sonny and Cher show.
• By 1979 Cher reached the top 10 pop chart with the disco song called Take Me Home from the album of the same name.
• In November 1987, she released another self-titled album which featured the pop rock top 10 comeback song called I Found Someone. It was an emotional testimony to new love.

• In 1989, she released the album called Heart of Stone which gave her to more hits. They were called Just Like Jesse James and If I Could Turn Back Time which reached number 3 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart.

• The music video for If I Could Turn Back Time caused at a public stir when she appeared in a leather jacket and shear bodystocking and was serenading a crowd of sailors on a military carrier. This outfit was deemed so controversial that MTV would only air the video at night.

Grammy Win for Believe

• In the 80s and early 90s Cher was best known for her rock songs.
• She scored another top 40 it with her mainstream pop cover of The Shoop Shoop Song (It’s in His Kiss). It was off the soundtrack for the 1990 comedy drama called Mermaids.
• Her presence was known in the dance clubs with her song called One by One from her 1995 album called It’s a Man’s World.
• 3.56In November 1998, she released the dance and electronic music album called Believe. It debuted at number 4 on the Billboard 200 chart.
• Believe became a huge global hit and sold millions of copies.
• The song Strong Enough from the same album was on the dance charts as well.
• Believe won Cher her first Grammy award in 2000 when she took home the trophy for Best Dance Recording. She was also nominated for Record of the Year and the album received a nomination for Best Pop Album.

• In November 2000, Cher released her next studio album called Not Commercial. This album was sold exclusively online so she didn’t consider it a follow-up to the previous album. She was also already working on what she called “Son of Believe”.
• In 2002 Living Proof came out in the United States and it was released in Europe in November 2001. This album featured the song called A Song for the Lonely which did very well on the dance charts and was written to honour those affected by the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

• Other tracks on the album included Alive Again and A Different Kind of Love Song.

The Farewell Tour

• After Living Proof’s release Cher said goodbye to live performing with 325 date farewell tour. It ran from June 2002 to April 2005.
• One of her live performances aired on NBC in April 2003. The program was called Cher: The Farewell Tour and it was nominated for six Emmy’s. It was 3 for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special; Outstanding Camerawork Video for Ministries, Movie or Special; and Outstanding Costumes for A Variety or Music Program.
• In 2006, Cher auctioned off furniture, paintings and decorative objects from her home in Malibu California as well as a number of personal items that included memorabilia, jewelry and stage costumes.
• The auction brought in $3.5 million with a portion of the proceeds going to the Cher Charitable Foundation.
• Even though Cher said she wasn’t going to tour anymore she decided to do a show called Cher at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas in May 2008. She did 192 shows by the time it ended in February 2011.
• She released her first album in 12 Years in September 2013. It was called Closer To the Truth and she thought it was her best efforts ever.
• She had more dance chart success with singles called Women’s World, Take It like a Man and I Walk Alone.
• She started touring again in March 2014 to promote that album. She did have to cancel dates due to a kidney infection.
• She made another comeback five years later with an ABBA inspired cover album called Dancing Queen in September 2018 and immediately started her Here We Go Again tour which ended in March 2020 due to the COVID 19 pandemic.

• In October 2023 she decided to release the first holiday album called Christmas which had original songs for the first time in 10 years.
• In 2024 she was inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame. It took 35 years.

Acting Work

Silkwood and Mask

• Cher seriously worked on her acting career in the 1980’s.
• She appeared on Broadway in the plays Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean in 1982 and reprised the role of Sissy in its film adaptation for which received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
• She continued to earn the respect of critics and fans by giving a series of strong performances. She took on the role of Meryl Streep’s lesbian roommate Dolly Pelliker in the 1983 drama Silkwood. She won a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress and earned an Academy award nomination for the same category.
• In 1985 she starred in the film Mask as the defiant, emotionally struggling mother of the son with a condition which radically alters the shape of the space. She got a Golden Globe nomination for Best actress in a Drama for the role.

The Witches of Eastwick and Moonstruck

• 1987 was a great year for Cher because she starred in three major films. They were the thriller called Suspect, The Witches of Eastwick, and the romantic comedy Moonstruck. Cher won her first Oscar for Best Leading Actress for this movie she also got another Golden Globe for Best Actress.

Mermaids

• By the end of the 1980s Cher began to struggle with symptoms that looked like chronic fatigue syndrome.
• In 1990 she worked on the drama comedy called Mermaids.
• In 1996 Cher played a woman dealing with an unplanned pregnancy in the HBO film called If These Walls Could Talk. She got a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
• Three years later she played a young widow in the historical comedy drama called Tea With Mussolini.
• In 2010 she starred in Burlesque with Christina Aguilera. But the movie did not do very well. And Cher criticized the final product and her own performance in the movie as well.

Classic Cher

• In February 2017 Cher returned to the stage and launched her Classic Cher show at the Park Theatre at the Monte Carlo Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.
• Her performance included some of her greatest hits and her costumes were designed by Bob Mackie.
• Later in May she received the Billboard Icon Award after she performed Believe and If I Could Turn Back Time.

Mama Mia and The Cher Show

• In 2018 Cher returned to the big screen for the movie Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again!. It was the sequel to the 2008 Broadway production adaptation.
• She acted with her costar Meryl Streep again. She released a tribute album called Dancing Queen and then went on her Here We Go Again Tour in September that year.
• That same year Cher debuted the musical The Cher Show which premiered in Chicago before going to Broadway.
• In the beginning Cher gave a mixed review of the production saying that it needed work. But by the following April she was pleased enough with it to perform with the show’s cast on The Tonight Show.

Cher’s Style

• Over the years Cher has pushed boundaries with her music but also when she wears her extravagant, unusual costumes with barely there costumes.
• Her fashion designer Bob Mackie created a series of outfits for her that were theatrical and fun.
• Cher has sometimes tried to make a point with her costumes. This happened especially with what she wore to the 1986 Academy Awards ceremony. She wore a black chain-link halter and matching feather headdress to protest over not receiving a nomination for her work in Mask.
• For the 1989 Oscars Cher had her outfit designed again by Bob Mackie but it was more understated. She wore a streamlined minidress with frills.
• But her fashion still stuns her fans. During her farewell tour in 2002 she wore a tattoo bodysuit with a cape and large headdress.
• For her Las Vegas residency At the Monte Carlo resort beginning in 2007 she wore the Virgin Mary in a sparkly gold caped gown complete with a golden halo.

Relationships: Boyfriend and Ex-Husbands

• When she was a teenager she dated actor and director Warren Beatty, who was 10 years older than she was.
• She was even romantically linked to Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer and musician Richie Sambora. She has been married twice. She got married to Sonny Bono in an official ceremony in October 1964. But they didn’t make it legal until after their son Chaz was born in March 1969. They were divorced in June 1975.
• Just days later he married musician Gregg Allman of the Allman Brothers band. But days later she filed for divorce because of his substance abuse problems but the reconciled. Their relationship was strained again however she told Her husband that she was pregnant but he was very jealous when she reunited with Sonny professionally for their Variety Show.
• Their marriage continued and their son Elijah Blue was born in July 1976.
• In 1977, the couple released the album Two the Hard Way and went on a 21 show tour which ended abruptly when they split over his drug abuse. Their divorce was finalized in January 1979. Allman died decades later.
• In May 2007. Cher is now 78 years old and is in a relationship with 38-year-old music executive Alexander AE Edwards. They started dating in November 2022.

Children

• She has two children. In 2009 Chaz came out as a transgender man and he made a documentary about his transition. It was called Becoming Chaz, which was released two years later.
• She is very accepting of her son’s gender identity and Cher and Chaz teamed Up to executive produce the 2024 horror film Little Bites which Chaz also starred in.
• Elijah who is a musician, revealed in February 2014 that he is struggling with substance and drug abuse and has been using drugs since he was a young boarding school student.
• Cher spoke out about her son’s drug abuse problems in October 2023. In 2022 Cher filed for a conservatorship for Elijah.
• Court documents claimed that he was unable to manage his finances due to mental health and substance abuse issues. However, in January 2024 she was denied a conservatorship due to insufficient evidence and eight months later she voluntarily dropped the bid to be Elijah’s conservator.

Net Worth

• As of June 2024, Cher has an estimated net worth of $360 million according to Celebrity Net Worth. In addition to her music and acting work she has launched fragrances. They are called Cher Eau de Couture and Uninhibited and starred in a variety of infomercials and fashion campaigns.

I thought we could end our class today by watching Cher in a TV show that we all know.

Jan 28: Happy Birthday Irene and Kerr!

I was reminded that Irene’s birthday was yesterday and Kerr’s birthday is on Thursday so I thought we should have class and celebrate with them.

We all know how much Irene love the Muppets so here is a video just for you!

I even found a video of I Nsync wishing happy birthday. I know how much you all enjoy listening to them.

Let’s Look at some cute animals celebrating their birthday with both of you because I know it will make Irene smile too.

We know that one of Kerr’s favourite singers is Sarah McLachlan so I found a video of her singing happy birthday and Dancing Queen by ABBA.

I realize that this is a long video but it is a combination of Kerr’s favourite show and a funny video because I know Irene enjoys them.

Jan 23: Cher

Cher News: Music Icon Releases New Memoir

• She is Not leaving out any details in her new tell all memoir. It’s called Cher: The Memoir, Part One. It came out on November 19, 2024. It goes into the first of her life.

• It lists details about her difficult childhood and the start of her very successful music and acting career and ends in the early 1980s.
• It also explores her marriage with ex-husband Sonny Bono who she said was controlling and unfaithful.
• In the book, she revealed that she felt trapped in her loveless marriage and she turned to Lucille Ball for advice after discovering Sonny had rewritten her business contracts so she wouldn’t get paid for her work.

Who Is Cher?

• She is a Grammy-winning music icon that is best known for hits like Believe and If I Could Turn Back Time.
• She rose to stardom in a singing act with husband Sonny Bono in the 1960s. They hit number one with the single called I Got You Babe.

• After that they began working on a show together called The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour.
• Cher established a solo career of her own with hits like Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves, Half-Breed and Dark Lady.

• She earned an Academy award for her performance in the movie Called Moonstruck.
• Cher also found even more musical success with rock oriented tracks in the 1980s and the global dance hit called Believe.
• After she finished her concert series at Caesar’s Palace in Vegas in 2013 she released Closer to the Truth. It was her first solo album in 12 years.
• In 2018, she returned to the big screen in Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again!

Where Is Cher From?

• Her full name is Cherilyn Sarkisian and she was born on May 20, 1946, in El Centro California.
• Her mother Georgia was a model and actress and her father John Paul was a truck driver and horse breeder. Cher’s father had a gambling problem and was seldom home. He dropped her off at a Pennsylvania orphanage when she was a small baby without her mother knowing before he left town.
• Her mother struggled financially but paid for her care until she was able to retrieve her and they moved to Reno Nevada and her mother got a divorce. Eventually they relocated to Los Angeles where her mother remarried several times and had her half-sister named Georgeann.
• Cher knew from a very young age that arts and entertainment were very important to her and she took up acting as part of her extracurricular activities.
• In grade 5 she was in charge of her school’s production of the musical Oklahoma! She played all the roles that were meant for men when the boys in the class refused to participate. It helped her discover that she had a distinct range in her voice.
• She very much enjoyed showing off her talents at school but she did struggle with undiagnosed dyslexia making her studies very difficult.
• When she was 16 she dropped out of high school and moved to Hollywood to pursue a career in the entertainment industry and started taking classes and performing in clubs.

Sonny and Cher

• Cher met Salvatore Sonny Bono at a Los Angeles coffee shop in 1962. Sonny was 11 years older than Cher who was almost 17 at the time.
• He hired her as a live-in housekeeper before introducing her to his producer Phil Spector. She began singing backup on famous songs like the Ronettes Be My Baby.

• Even though Sonny thought she should have a solo career, she suffered from stage fright and felt more comfortable performing with him on stage.
• They started singing together in 1962 under the stage names of Cesar and Cleo. They performed cover songs but they didn’t end up being very popular.
• After that they began performing as Sonny and Cher. They eventually became romantically involved and got married in an official wedding ceremony in October 1964.
• That same year they had success with the first single called Baby Don’t Go. They signed on to Atco records in the United States and Atlantic records in the United Kingdom and Europe.
• Under the Atco label they released their debut album called Look at Us in August 1965 and topped the charts with the very popular song called I Got You Babe.

 They had a distinctive Bohemian style and continued to release popular singles called The Beat Goes on, Little Man, and What Now My Love.

• In 1966 they were nominated for best new artist at the 8th Grammy awards but they lost to Tom Jones. Also, in that year they released their second album called The Wondrous World of Sonny and Cher.
• By the end of the decade, they weren’t coming up with any successful hits and the faced major financial difficulties because of an IRS debt.
• They decided to develop a cabaret act and their show was full of comedy and they began filming for the summer on CBS.
• Then they launched their own variety show. It was called The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour in 1971. The show earned several Emmy nominations including one when for Outstanding Directorial Achievement and won Cher a Golden Globe for Best TV Actress. The show helped to revitalize their careers and more top 10 hits came in the form of A Cowboy’s Work Is Never Done and All I Ever Need Is You. This earned them a 1972 Grammy nomination for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo.

• Unfortunately, tensions were high behind the scenes and Cher later described Sonny as very rigid and controlling when it came to business. They went their separate ways following the release of their fifth and final studio album called Mama Was a Rock ‘n’ Roll Singer, Papa Used to Write All Her Songs in 1973 and they divorced in 1975.

Songs and Albums

• Cher started to establish yourself as a solo artist just when her career as a duo was taking off.
• In 1964 she signed with Impartial Records and hired Sonny as her producer.
• Cher became known for songs that were more provocative and spoke to her feelings of being an outsider which she became to embrace and understand over time.
• In August 1965, she released her first solo studio album called All I Really Want to Do which was a collection of cover songs and three songs that Sonny wrote.
• The title record was a cover song of the Bob Dylan song of the same name. Bob Dylan’s rendition of the song All I Really Want to Do didn’t reach the charts but Cher’s version of the same song reached number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100.

• She released her second album called The Sonny Side of Cher only 7 Months later in March 1966 and got her first number two singles with her cover version of Nancy Sinatra’s song called Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down).

• She also got another hit with the original song called Where Do You Go.

I thought we could end part one of Cher by watching a TV appearance she did.

January 16: Famous People Players

Famous People Players

• Famous People Players is a black light puppetry theatre company. They are based in Toronto, Ontario and the company tour’s worldwide.
• It is a nonprofit organization that employs people with physical and intellectual disabilities. They work in the dining room management, arts administration and theatrical and visual arts performances.
• Since they started the company has paid homage to the works of famous people within its own theatre. That is why it’s called Famous People Players.

History

• The Famous People Players was founded on June 1, 1974, by Diane Dupuy of Hamilton, Ontario.
• When it started the company only had Diane, an assistant for Diane and 11 performers. Diane’s mother Mary Thorton designed and built the costumes and props.

 The company’s first piece was called Aruba Liberace. A life-size character of Liberace played the piano. Even today it’s the company’s signature performance. Liberace attended a showing of and was so impressed that he invited them form with him in Las Vegas. They debuted in Las Vegas in October 1975 and over the next 10 years they performed with Liberace both in Las Vegas and internationally.

• Because of their increasing popularity the Famous People Players was featured as regulars on CBCs television 1976 to 1977 variety series called The Wolfman Jack Show.
• The network also produced and aired the Carnival of the Animals.
• In 1980, Sorcerer Apprentice premiered at Radio City Music Hall in New York.
• In 1982 Famous People Players were invited to perform in the People’s Republic of China.
• Their first Broadway show called A Little Like Magic opened at the Lyceum Theatre in New York City and ran for 49 performances in 1985.
• In 1994 they returned to New York City for a four week run being sponsored by Phil Collins and Paul Newman and they performed the show A Little More Magic for inner-city kids so that they can learn to dream big.

Dine and Dream Theatre

• in 1994, the company opened the Dine and Dream Theatre. Paul Newman funded the restaurants development from some of the proceeds of Newman’s Own products and Phil Collins funded the theatre sound system.
• In 2009, because of the demolition of its 25 year location, they moved further west to a new location. Despite damage caused by storms and unexpected costs from the city of Toronto, the company survived and opened its first show in its new location on October 23, 2009.
• The Dine and Dream Theatre is located in Toronto at the West end headquarters. Guests arrive to the restaurant for dinner and are served by individuals who also perform in Famous People Players Productions.
• After they finish the dinner the guests are led to the Phil Collins theatre where they enjoy the main production.
• The theatre is named after Phil Collins because he became a source of inspiration for the actors when he viewed their performance interpretation of his music. Right now, it is the only theatre in Canada exclusively devoted to puppetry performances.

Recognition

• They have been the subject of many talk shows, specials and documentaries.

They were even on jerry Lewis’s Muscular Dystrophy Telethon.

• In 1984 a CBS movie of the week called Special People was based on the company’s early history.
• A Little like Magic which was about the company’s operation and success was an Emmy award-winning documentary.
• They were also featured in the pilot of an episode of the popular US television drama called 7th Heaven in 2002.
• The founder Diane Dupuy has been inducted as a member of the Order of Canada to recognize her for her contributions to Canadian society through the company.
• Her mother Mary C. Thorton has also won many awards most recently she received honourable mentions through the Toastmasters as Woman of the Year.

Productions

• Famous People Players has created many productions during its 45 year history.

• Leave the Porch Light on was the company’s first original full-length musical production and was created for the company’s 25^th anniversary. The first performance was attended by a number of celebrities and well-known such as the Governor of Canada at the time. The production was very successful and is still occasionally performed at the company’s theatre in Toronto and on tour.
• The sequel followed two years later and it was called Hide and Seek: A Game of Human Spirit.

As promised here is tiny Tim celebrating his birthday at the world’s rudest restaurant. I apologize in advance for all the swearing but I know it makes you laugh.

January 14: Let’s Celebrate Kerr!

His favourite song is blackbird by Sarah McLachlan. It is a cover song of the original by the Beatles.

Why did Paul McCartney write the song Blackbird and where did the idea come from?

Thinking back, I remember that one of his favourite shows is the show called Ridiculousness. Here is a compilation of the best of the show.

His favourite movie is on Netflix called Will and Harper. Where did the idea for the movie come from? Let’s see.

His favourite memory is going to karaoke bars and clubbing with friends in Toronto.

He enjoys listening to his favourite podcast called Stuff You Should Know. Let’s listen.

Here’s an example of a podcast of Stuff You Should Know. I thought this topic would be rather timely considering the cold weather.

I thought we could end class by watching a tiny Tim video.