Well here we are about done with our first unit on Atoms. I think the students should do pretty well. The assessment for this unit will be on Friday, October 3. Next week students will be given a study guide to help them prepare for the test. Our main job next week is to be reading our part of the Uglies and then each day we will be doing some review. I can't wait to read with the class.

Please remember that progress reports went home Friday, September 26 and need to be signed and returned with any late work on Monday.

Here's the schedule:

Monday, September 29

Science
The Uglies page 136-146. Teach class routines for a class read. Read pages 136- 146.
Mr. Allie will then teach a short lesson on covalent and ionic bonding.

Science Connections
Mr. Allie will be using an article on Nanotechnology to use a reading strategy to help students become better readers.

Tuesday, September 30

Science
The Uglies page 147-155. We will have a mini lesson on strong forces and electromagnetic forces. We will also review the states of matter and some very basic pieces that 8th graders already were taught. Students will also receive their Review sheet. Please be sure it comes back to class each day.

Wednesday, October 1

Science
The Uglies page 156-163. Students will be working in pairs to use the Review sheet for the test on Friday.

Science Connections
Mr. Allie will be using an article on Nanotechnology to use a reading strategy to help students become better readers.

Thursday, October 2

Science
The Uglies page 164- 171. Students will use the class Jeopardy game to help review for their assessment tomorrow.

Friday, October 3

Science
Unit 1 Assessment. Students should bring some reading material with them for after the test.

Science Connections
Mr. Allie will be using an article on Nanotechnology to use a reading strategy to help students become better readers.

We are making lots of progress learning about Atoms. We are hoping to wrap this unit up this week and have the assessment on October 3rd. This week, we will be looking at organic elements, reviewing atomic mass and isotopes, talking about compounds and elements and the Periodic Table. Learning this week is very important since our class will be reading from Uglies the following week and then having the assessment on Friday.

Very Important Information: Pinnacle has been down since Friday, September 19th. Progress Reports will now go home on Friday, September 26th.

Monday, September 22

Science
C1.2C Develop an understanding of a scientific concept using information from several sources.
Students will be completing the Vocabulary activity from last Friday.

Word Boxes are due today at the end of class.

Tuesday, September 23

Science

B2.2B Recognize the six most common elements in organic molecules (C,H,N,O,P,S).

Mr. Allie has created this lesson. It will be a PowerPoint containing short video clips on the organic compounds. Lancer Notes will be used.


Science Connections

Students will read an article on Nanotechnology and use a reading strategy to gather information from the non-fiction piece. Mr. Allie will begin teaching the connections class today.

Wednesday, September 24

Science
C4.8A Identify the location, relative mass, and charge for electrons, protons, and neutrons.

Students, by request, will review the concepts of atomic mass and isotopes. This should be a very fun lesson and I don't want to give away the surprises. Please ask your child about this after school today.

Thursday, September 25

Science
C4.9A Identify elements with similar chemical and physical properties using the periodic table.
C4.2A Name simple binary compounds using their formula.
C4.2B Given the name, write the formula of simple binary compounds.

Students will use a mind map to help grasp the idea of atoms, elements, molecules, and compounds. Material will be presented on a PowerPoint. Students will take Lancer Notes.

Science Connections
Students will read an article on Nanotechnology and use a reading strategy to help them gather information from the non-fiction piece. Mr. Allie will again be taking over the Connections class for the rest of the rest of the semester.

Friday, September 26

Science
Mr. Allie and myself will be putting a review together for students that should address any areas that we feel need to be reviewed. This is also a day to catch up on any lessons that have not been finished.

Well, week one has come and gone, and things went well. We learned about the structure of an atom and how to use Lancer Notes. There really hasn't been any formal homework yet, but we will be getting more into the curriculum next week. This week, we have also been working on putting together our Science Binder. We will be keeping all our work in the binder and notes. The Science Binder will then be used for your child to show you their learning for the marking period during their Student-Led Conference.

Remember that September 19th there is no school for students. Open House is Thursday night September 18th 6:30 to 8:00.

Here's the schedule for this week:

Monday, September 15

Science
C4.8B Describe the atom as mostly empty space with an extremely small, dense nucleus consisting of the protons and neutrons and an electron cloud surrounding the nucleus.
C4.8C Recognize that protons repel each other and that a strong force needs to be present to keep the nucleus intact.
There are a few hours that need to finish up lesson 10.2 this week, they are 1st and 5th hour. The other classes will be working on lesson 10.2 on Masses of Atoms.

Tuesday, September 16

Science
C4.9A Identify elements with similar chemical and physical properties using the periodic table.
C4.8C Recognize that protons repel each other and that a strong force needs to be present to keep the nucleus intact.

1st and 5th hour will be completing the lesson on the Masses of Atoms (10.2). Lesson 10.4 on the Periodic Table of Elements will be taught in 2nd, 6th and 7th hours.

Current Events in Science (Connections)
Students will continue to work on the Nanotechnology reading from Friday and make a few of their important facts into quiz questions for their peers. Bring the Uglies to class.

Wednesday, September 14

Science
C4.9A Identify elements with similar chemical and physical properties using the periodic table.

Students in 1st and 5th hours will be working on lesson 10.4 on the Periodic Table. 2nd, 6th and 7th will be working in teams on an activity to create their own Periodic Table of Elements.

Thursday, September 15

Science
All classes will be working on a vocabulary activity, Word Boxes, which will be turned in at the end of the hour.

Current Events in Science (Connections)
Students will be reading an article on fashion and beauty and how it is connected to Nanotechnology. We will be working on pre-, during, and post reading activities.


Friday, September 16

No School for Students, Teacher Professional Development.

Welcome Back Everyone! It should be a great first full week of school. Our team's syllabus should be going home this week, so I will not spend the time on that here. I can't wait to begin the exciting work with Biotechnology and Student-Led Conferences. More information will arrive about those things later. Let me get to this week's schedule.



Monday, September 8



Science

MI Content Standard: C4.8A Identify the location, relative mass, and charge for electrons, protons and neutrons.

Students will be working on an activity called, The Atoms Family that will assist them in learning the parts of an atom. We will use story, drawing and a song to help with the lesson. There will be a short video to help students connect The Atoms Family lesson with the science.



Science Connections

Students will be adding to their list of science ideas they would like to research or learn about. We will begin today with reading about Nanotechnology from the middle school magazine, Nanooze. We will be working on discussing the reading and using reading strategies to assist in reading comprehension.



Tuesday, September 9



Science

MI Content Standard: C4.8A Identify the location, relative mass, and charge for electrons, neutrons and protons.



During the first half of the period, students will be getting their pictures taken for photo IDs. During the second half, we will be setting up our Science Notebooks and creating the mind maps for the overall unit.



Wednesday, September 10

Science
MI Content Standard: C4.8B Describe the atom as mostly empty space with an extremely small, dense nucleus consisting of the protons and neutrons and an electron cloud surrounding the nucleus. C4.8C Recognize that protons repel each other and that a strong force needs to be present to keep the nucleus intact.

Students will begin gathering reading information from lesson 10.1 in the Glencoe Physical Science Book. Lancer Notes will be introduced and they will be put into their notebook. A PowerPoint will also be used to help with student understanding. Kagan Cooperative Learning Strategies will be used to allow students to demonstrate their learning throughout the lesson.

Science Connections
Students will continue to work on their list for science research. We will continue to use reading strategies to read our Nanooze magazine. During the last 15 minutes of class, we will read our assigned reading for the week from, Uglies.

Thursday, September 11

Science
MI Content Standard: C4.8B Describe the atom as mostly empty space with an extremely small, dense nucleus consisting of the protons and neutrons and an electron cloud surrounding the nucleus. C4.8C Recognize that protons repel each other and that a strong force needs to be present to keep the nucleus intact.

Students will be reading about lesson 10.2 Smaller Particles of Matter. They will use Lancer Notes and put them into their notebook. A PowerPoint will also be used to help with student understanding. Kagan Cooperative Learning Strategies will be used to allow students to demonstrate their learning throughout the lesson.


Friday, September 12

Science
MI Content Standard: C4.8B Describe the atom as mostly empty space with an extremely small, dense nucleus consisting of the protons and neutrons and an electron cloud surrounding the nucleus. C4.8C Recognize that protons repel each other and that a strong force needs to be present to keep the nucleus intact.

Students will use their Lancer Notes and use PowerPoint lesson 10.3 on Masses of Atoms. They will use the Glencoe Physical Science Book. Kagan Cooperative Learning Strategies will be used to allow students to demonstrate their learning throughout the lesson.

Science Connections
Students will continue to add to the science research list. Today, students will determine what type of science they would like to research. If there is any Nanooze to finish, that will be done today and any reading that needs to be done with Uglies, will be done also.