Introducing Mystery Class #5

Aloha to All!

We are a 5th Grade Class located in Hilo, Hawaii.  We live
in  extremely unique environment with endemic plants and
animals that have evolved here on our eight main islands
for thousands of years.  Did you  know that we have the only
"Happy Face Spider" in the world?

We felt an earthquake on 3 of the main islands a couple of
days ago.   It registered 4.5 on the R.S.  It was centered
on the lower east side of  the Big Island called Hawaii.
The volcanologists say it was due to the  shifting of rocks
under the surface that are strained by the weight of  the
island.

We have 5 volcanoes.  One is extinct (Kohala Mtns.), one is
dormant (Mauna Kea, and three are active (Mauna Loa, Kilauea,
and  Hualalai).  Kilauea has been the most active.  In fact
it has continued  sending lava flows into the ocean for the
past 11 year.  The eruption  site is called Pu'u o'o Cone.
It is composed of cinder and ash and is  collasping into
itself.  Lake Kupaianaha is really a lake of molten lava
that is constantly rising and falling as Pu'u o'o flows into
it through  underground conduits.  There are many outlets
from this lake that send  molten lava downhill toward the
ocean.  Sometimes the lava flows  underground and doesn't
damage property and sometimes it flows along the  surface
and covers homes, ancient Hawaiian grounds and destroys
native  rainforest and or dryland forests.

I hope that you all had fun and learned a lot from the
Journey North  Project.  It was an incredible endeavor for
all who reported to the net and for the coordinators.

Mahalo for your very special kokua (work effort),

Marcy Frenz
marcyf@kalama.doe.hawaii.edu