Memorial Day Week so we have a short one. Also, students were given progress reports last week to share with you. We are going to back that up by sending progress reports home on Tuesday, May 26th also.

Just a reminder also that the team project is due June 4th. We will be discussing this week how they will be turned in. Students have all been told in Science class that all projects must be done on Microsoft Word and only an electric copy since the unit is on sustainability. Paper is obviously not sustainable. We are also in the process of packing our rooms for construction and they want teachers out right away to get in here so we will not be accepting any projects that are not electronic.

Last week, we worked on a comic book about carbon. We began the project on Wednesday and turned it in at the end of class on Friday. Please remind your child how important it is to turn their work in on time. We won't be able to keep grading work past the due dates, due to the end of the year work, 8th grade awards ceremony and dance, final exams and construction.

Here's the schedule:

Science
Tuesday, May 26
We will be using the next two days to create a foldable that will help us to understand the Spheres of the Earth and the movement of carbon dioxide through them. Tuesday is the day we will create the foldable. On Wednesday, we will be putting in any notes needed.

Wednesday, May 27
See Tuesday.

Thursday, May 28
We will be learning about Global Warming and its connection to carbon. We will be moving students around the room to physically re-enact how the greenhouse gases affect carbon and thus global warming. Students will draw a representation of how this occurs.

Friday, May 29
(Mrs. Kahler will be out today)
We will be working on an activity that goes along with global warming.

Well back to the magnet theme this week. I have given students the rubric that explains what GLCE's that are to be taught that will meet the state standards. All students received this on Friday. Extra copies will be put in the file cabinet for students to get as needed. All students already know that the project is due June 4th. We have explained that due to everything that is going on at the end of the year, there will not be an opportunity to turn in any projects late.

This week, we are going to be getting most of the science portion of Sustainable Systems unit. We will be talking about the different spheres of the earth, carbon, and climate change. Students will be keeping all the materials from class in their binder to use as their class resource.

Here's the schedule:

Science
Monday, May 18
Lesson on Climate Change. Students will be working on some key vocabulary and then reading an article on climate change. We will look at our posters on climate change and circle any information that we found in the article. We will also answer some questions about the article.

Tuesday, May 19
Today's lesson is on Carbon. Students will be gathering information on carbon from a united streaming video and putting it into a worksheet for their own information. This piece is very important for their project.

Wednesday, May 20
Today we will be going to the computer lab. We will be using a site from the Miami Science Museum. This site tells us about the atmosphere, the geosphere (lithosphere), the hydrosphere, and the biosphere. We will be creating a foldable while we are there to demonstrate our knowledge that will also help us with another of the GLCEs.

http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/kids/carbon_cycle_version2.html
Thursday, May 21
Salamander Points.

Here I am again writing up the lessons for the next two weeks and it seems like I just did this last week. The last 6 weeks always go so quickly. You all should have received the 5th period report cards by now. If you haven't, please contact the school office.
We are still continuing for two more weeks with Reproductive Health, but we have taken a few minutes at the beginning of class to talk about this marking period's project. ALL PROJECTS MUST BE DONE ELECTRONICALLY! We have all the equipment students need at school and we give after school time Tuesday through Thursday and often can find computers for students during their lunch time. This unit is on Sustainability and using paper is not sustainable, so we are going to practice what we have been learning and use a word document that students will store in Ms. Washington's file. Projects are due on June 4th during their social studies hour. We will not be able to accept late projects due to all the end of the year activities (moving class materials and furniture for construction, 8th Grade Awards Assembly and Dance, exams, report cards, etc.).

Here's the schedule for the next two weeks:
Monday, May 11th
Science
Lesson #14 "Abstinence, Drinking and Drugs". We will be viewing a video called, "The Choice Game". This video allows students to make choices throughout the video and then view the consequences to their choice. We will also be incorporating a class discussion throughout the hour along with the video.

Tuesday, May 12
Science
Lesson #15 "Safer Choices: Using Protection-Part 1". We will be discussing methods of protection. Then we will be clarifying Unsafe, Safer and the Safest Methods of protection. Students will be looking at condoms, vaginal spermicides and birth control pills.

Wednesday, May 13
Science
Lesson #16 "Safer Choices: Using Protection-Part 2". We will be describing the steps for the proper use of condoms and demonstrating this in class. Then we will be working on refusal skills for real life role play situations.

Thursday, May 14
Science
Lesson #17 "Knowing What you Can Do". Students will be discussing their views on when having sex is okay and the homework that they completed at home last week with their parent/guardian. Students will be working on role play situations about what they can do in different situations.

Friday, May 15
Science
Lesson #18 "Review". Students will be working in groups to make an ABC review poster for reproductive health.