Well, here is time two at trying to post this blog. Sorry, I copied the blog for the class, but then went back to post some Jeopardy games for the kids to study for their midterms and found that it wasn't there. It says at the top of my printed blog, "Could not connect to Blogger.com. Saving and publishing may fail" I should have checked the printed blog pages.

Here's what I had:'

Can you believe that we are half way through the year?! this year, as every year seems to, is going quickly. The class took their assessment on Waves on Friday to end the Physical Science section of science. Scores were put into the computer on Friday. Overall, students did pretty well.

If your child has received an "I" on their report card, it means that there was something "big" that they did not turn in. They have until February 7, to turn it in completed. Students who were absent on Friday have an "I" so that they can complete their test on Monday of this week to receive their grade. I have any work that they may need to complete in the same spot as always, the shelf by the door.

This week, we will be reviewing for the midterm which will be on Friday, and getting ready for the Science Fair/Literacy night. All 8th graders will be required to complete something for the Science Fair which will be March 10th.

Here's the schedule:

Science

Monday, January 28th

Students will be receiving their assessment back on waves and we will go over them in class. Assessments will be returned to the teacher. Then, students will take a science interest survey to begin to narrow down what they would be interested in exploring for the Science Fair. These surveys will be kept in the classroom.

Tuesday, January 29th

In class, we will begin to review for the midterm by looking over what we learned, asking any questions to clarify and then playing a class review game. This will be over the first assessment. The other portion of class will be used to work on the computers to find research and/or get ideas for the students' Science Fair projects.

site: http://www.sciencebuddies.org/

review games:
Jeopardy%20assessment%201%20physics2.ppt

Jeopardy%20assessment%201%20physics3.ppt

Wednesday, January 30th

In class, we will continue with the model for review from yesterday for Assessment 2. We will be looking at also who has their Science Fair Ideas.

Homework: Complete the Science Fair topic sheet. A parent signature on the sheet is required.

Thursday, January 31st

In class, we will continue with this week's review model for assessment 3. All Science Fair ideas should be solid and turned in for a grade with a parent signature.

Homework:

Science%20Fair%20%2708%20problem%20and%20question%20sheet.doc

Science Fair Timeline:

Science%20Fair%20Timeline.doc

Friday, February 1st

Science Midterm.

Global Warming

Tuesday, January 29

Complete the lab from Thursday on Finding Carbon Dioxide.

Homework: Surprising Increase in Atmosphere's CO2 worksheet

Lesson:

Global_Warming_Lab_Instructions.ppt

Thursday, January 31st

We will begin session 5 on Sources of Carbon Dioxide in the Atmosphere. This activity will take more than one class period.

Students will:

1) Improve their abilities to apply a chemical testing technique in conducting an experiment.

2) Practice sampling and testing procedures like those used in scientific studies of the atmosphere.

3) Draw out the distinction between "natural" and "industrial" sources of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

4) Communicate the relative contributions of the industrialized and developing nations to the global warming

Science%20Fair%20%2708%20problem%20and%20question%20sheet.doc
Science%20Fair%20Timeline.doc

Jeopardy Review Game

Waves_JeopardyR1Revised.ppt


Waves_jeopardyR2Revised.ppt

Last week we started using center learning in the classroom. It seems to have gone over fairly well. We have our assessment on Waves coming up on Thursday so you should see your child preparing.

Remember that Friday is records day so there is no school.

Students were all made aware that late work for class was due on Friday, January 18th. If they took any extra credit work, it is due on Monday, January 21st. Each marking period, your child may complete extra credit that is posted in the classroom.

Have a great week!


Science

Monday, January 21st

2nd hour will be finishing lesson 19.4 today. The other classes will be working at their tables on the study guide for Thursday's test.


Tuesday, January 22nd

Students will work in centers and will work with the teacher in small groups to review the test.



Wednesday, January 23rd
Students will work in teams to play a Jeopardy Review game to prepare for the test. The review will be posted on line after classes today.


Thursday, January 24th

Wave Assessment. Please bring reading materials to class or other work in case you finish early.


Friday, January 25th

NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS!


Global Warming

Tuesday, January 22nd

Students will be using a lab to detect carbon dioxide. This lab will be in the classroom and take both days this week.


Thursday, January 24th

See Tuesday.

Well, it sounds like the classes had a good week. I am so glad. Thank you for communicating with your child your expectations while a Guest Teacher is here.



It looks like students are really grasping the concepts on electromagnetic waves. Hooray! We will be working on wave behavior and color and light this week. Let's have another great week!



Science



Monday, January 14th

Mr. Musser will begin the class period with a short activity to introduce himself to the class. Then, we will complete a webquest on Wave Properties of Light. We will look at these over the next two days working with a partner or partners. Students will be graded using a rubric that is attached to the webquest. There are 11 points possible that are worth a quiz grade.

http://www.webquest.hawaii.edu/webquests/webquest6/

State Benchmarks

P4.8A Draw ray diagrams to indicate how light reflects off objects or refracts into transparent media.

P4.B Predict the path of reflected light from flat, curved, or rough surfaces.

Tuesday, January 15th

See Monday's lesson.

Wednesday, January 16th

Students will learn about the Law of Reflection and explain how diffraction and interference patterns demonstrate the wave behavior of light. Students will read 19.4 and put their notes in their journal.

Homework:
19.4%20Wave%20Prop.%20of%20light.doc

Notes:
19.2%20Wave%20Properties%20of%20Light.doc



Thursday, January 17th

Students will be introduced to Centers in the classroom. They will be responsible to complete all of the centers by the end of Friday.

Centers will give students another opportunity to review their understanding of Waves and to enrich their understanding by exploring further.

The centers will include the following state standards:
P4.4 Wave Characteristics
P4.5 Mechanical Wave Propagation
P4.6 Electromagnetic Waves
P4.8 Wave Behavior-Reflection and Refraction
P4.9 Nature of Light

Today will be critical for students to learn the routines and procedures for completing the centers, how they will be assessed, how to get help, etc. Whatever class time is left we will begin the centers.

Friday, January 18th

Thursday's centers continued.


Global Warming

Monday, January 14th

Students will act out the interaction between photons and molecules and discuss. We will then go over the rules for the Global Warming Game. Students will then begin play.


Wednesday, January 16th

Students will play round 2 and 3 of the Global Warming Game today.


Friday, January 18th

Students will discuss the results of the Global Warming Game and complete a worksheet, "Global Temperatures and Carbon Dioxide During the Past 160,000 Years".

Welcome Back from Winter Break! I hope everyone is rested up and ready to learn. I will be out during the mornings this week and all day on Friday, please review with your child what you expect of them when a Guest Teacher is here. While I am out, I have planned lessons for them that are, as always, meaningful and not busy work. The learning must continue even though there is a Guest Teacher here. Thank you for your support.

We have a new intern teacher beginning this week, Mr. Musser. He is a science major from Western Michigan University. He will be with Ms. Washington in the mornings during my absence and in science with me during the PM schedule. I will let Mr. Musser tell you more about himself in an upcoming blog.

Let's have a great week!

Schedule:
Science

Monday, January 7th

P4.6A Identify the different regions on the electromagnetic spectrum and compare them in terms of wavelength, frequency, and energy.
P4.6B Explain why radio waves can travel through space, but sound waves cannot.

Students will begin their lesson on Electromagnetic Radiation 19.1 with a teacher led explore activity using prisms, light, bubbles, and a compact disk. They will then read the information from 19.1 and put important notes into their science journal. Throughout this lesson, their are short videos and websites to help explain concepts.

19.1%20notes%20electromagnetism.doc

http://www.brainpop.com/science/energy/electromagneticspectrum/

http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/cordless-telephone1.htm

http://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/cosmic_kids/learn_ir/

Tuesday, January 8th

Students will finish yesterday's lesson and then complete the following questions from page 535 from the book to turn in tomorrow. Question should be answered in complete sentences.

Questions:
2) Using figure 19-2 (Students put this in their science journal) rank the six main types of electromagnetic radiation by wavelength, from shortest to longest.

3) Describe at least one helpful use for each of the six main types of electromagnetic radiation.

Wednesday, January 9th

P4.9A Identify the principle involved when you see a transparent object.
P4.9B Explain how various materials reflect, absorb, or transmit light in different ways.
Students should correct yesterday's homework in class and turn in. Today, they will learn about light and color using lesson 19.2 as a guide. Students will read in A/B Pairs at their tables decide what they feel are important notes from that section that they just read and then share with the class as the teacher writes the notes on the overhead for everyone.

The teacher will demo an investigation on how the color of light strikes an object and what color the object appears p. 539.

Students will then work with their A/B partner and Use Rally Coach to answer the following questions.
1) _____________ objects reflect or absorb nearly all light.

2) The three primary light colors are ______________.

3) The three primary pigment colors are ______________.

4) The three primary pigment colors mixed together form _______.

Contrast, opaque, transparent, and translucent materials. Give an example of each.

Thursday, January 10th





8A Draw ray diagrams to indicate how light reflects off objects or refracts into transparent media.
P4.8B Predict the path of reflected light from flat, curved, or rough surfaces.

Students will look at the Wave Properties of Light 19.4. They will put important notes into their Science journals and participate in class discussions. There will be a mini lab on how water bends light.


19.2%20Wave%20Properties%20of%20Light.doc

Friday, January 11th

Students will take a short quiz over this week's objectives.

The rest of today's lesson will be determined after observing student learning with the help of the Guest Teacher.

Global Warming

Tuesday, January 8th

Students will analyze the data from their greenhouse lab. There will be a class discussion on how this lab relates to the greenhouse effect on the Earth.

Thursday, January 10th

Students will review the Greenhouse Experiment and apply it to today's lesson and over the next few days. Students will also make their Global Warming Game.