Bonus opportunity due 1/20/15

This bonus will count toward second semester's grade.
It is worth up to 25 points.
This project is optional. You are not required to create a project.

• Effort, creativity, neatness and overall effectiveness as a teaching tool are required to eaern the 25 points. 
• Partial credit can be earned for a completed project that follows the guidelines but lacks creativity, neatness, or effectiveness as a teaching tool.

We created a paper model in class of a leaf to demonstrate photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is part of a biological cycle with cellular respiration. For this bonus, you are creating another model.

• Create a physical 3D model to demonstrate how photosynthesis & cellular respiration are part of the same cycle. (This cannot be computer generated.) 
• The purpose of the model is to teach the processes of both cellular respiration and photosynthesis.
• Your model must show the products of photosynthesis, the reactants of photosynthesis, the products of cellular respiration, the reactants of cellular respiration, the location of photosynthesis, the location of cellular respiration, the energy used, and the energy created.
• Your model must show how these two processes are connected. 
• You can use whatever materials you see fit for this project. It must be three dimensional (so no flat paper models or posters will be accepted).

This is due on January 20 by 8AM. Late projects cannot earn full credit.

Week of Jan 12

During our three days of class this week, we will

• Finish creating a model of photosynthesis
• Describe the steps of cellular respiration
• Recognize how cellular respiration and photosynthesis are related

Kids have the opportunity to utilize quizlet as a practice tool for photosynthesis terms. Note the link in the right side bar. Students are welcome to utilize any of the photosynthesis files, regardless of class period.

For those of you who plan ahead, I am planning for a test next week!

For Students: How to complete tonight's Quizlet.com assignment

Your assignment is to add one term/definition relevant to photosynthesis to your hour's quizlet file on quizlet.com

Go to quizlet.com
Click LOG IN
Username: harriswcsks
Password: Spartans


What to do:

1. Click on the file that belongs to your science class hour
2. Click ADD OR REMOVE TERMS 
3. Read through the terms & definitions already posted. Do NOT delete/change/alter anyone's term or definition, even if you think something is wrong with it. It is not your job to correct someone else's work. Just make sure what YOU enter is correct.
4. Click +.
5. Type in your term. It must be singular, not plural. It should have no capital letter in it. You cannot repeat a term, even if your definition would be different. Spelling counts. 
6. Remember your term can only be a 1-2 word term, not a phrase.
7. Tab to the next section. Type in your definition. It should have no capital letter in it. Spelling counts. This does not need to be a sentence.
8. At the end of your definition, type your first name in parentheses. Yes, you capitalize the first letter of your name. DUH!
9. Remember your definition can only be 15 words or less.
10. Click DONE. 
11. Click PRINT in the quizlet toolbar.
12. Click GLOSSARY. 
13. You should see your term & definition on this list. If not, you need to go back to step 2.
14. You should see your science hour in the title. If not, you need to go back to step 2.
15. Click OPEN PDF.
16. Click PRINT.

** Edited on 2/4 with helpful hints from Jack: If you can't print at home, then open the PDF to print, click SAVE AS. Save on to your computer and then you can come to school early and print that saved file at the help desk.

You will submit that sheet of paper tomorrow for a homework grade. 

• Be sure your term & definition is printed. 
• Be sure you added to the correct science hour. 
• Be sure your name is in parentheses.

Week of Jan 5

Well those two weeks just flew by ...
Welcome back.

Thank you to those who helped me "stock the classroom" with supplies. Bonus points for that have been posted on Power School.

If you haven't heard already, science is the exam that is out of the exam rotation for first semester. That means no student will take a science exam this semester.

So, since I am not taking to time to review to prepare students for an exam, I am continuing on to the next unit. I will not have tests or quizzes this week, but we will cover new information. For the most part, the grade you see on Power School will be your child's science grade for the semester. There will be no major grades in the next week.

Topic for Unit 5: Photosynthesis & Cellular Respiration

• We will practice the skill of outlining during nonfiction reading.
• We will use diagrams to organize the steps of a process.

This week I expect to cover photosynthesis - the reactants, the products, the reaction, the location.

New this week:

• We will use quizlet.com as a class assignment. There will be a homework assignment where the kids will add to a quizlet file that will be accessed by the entire class.

This is an alternate study tool that can be used similarly to flash cards. (In fact, if you and/or your child prefer paper flash cards, once the list is complete, there is a way to create "old school" flash cards on quizlet.com with the information posted.)

As always, thank you for what you do at home to support what I'm doing in the classroom. If you have questions or concerns, please email or call!

Happy Holidays!

Capturing one of those great Kansas sunsets

From my family to yours come wishes for a blessed and relaxing break, filled with family time spent making memories to cherish for always!

On the right side bar, please note a way to sign up to be notified by email when the blog is updated. This is managed by blogger, so you can unsubscribe at any time.

Also, if you would like to be added to the phone text reminder list, please scroll down and look at the right side bar for directions as to how to sign up for that free service.

Several grades posted this week:

• The Unit 4 tests taken today have been graded and will be returned to students before the holiday break. These need to be in the pronged folders, signed & dated by a parent/guardian, by January 5. Overall, students did well mastering the topics of passive transport (diffusion, osmosis with different solutions, & facilitated diffusion with channel proteins) and active transport (exocytosis & endocytosis). The class average (with 45 kids having taken the test) was 86.5, with three kids earning a perfect score.
• Notebooks were checked for Unit 3 organization, which I meant to do last week. I apologize for the delay. The rubric for this assessment will be attached to yesterday's test paper.
• Class preparation points have been posted. These are points earned for coming to class with all required materials. Those who come to class unprepared (including those who go to lockers to retrieve forgotten items) do not earn daily points. It's an easy way to earn points!
• If you participated in the PlayDoh bonus opportunity, I just posted those points as well.

Extra Credit Opportunity: You must sign up to participate in this extra credit opportunity. Keep reading for details. ** In order to participate, you must sign up and bring the needed item - on a first come, first served basis. Click here for the link to signupgenius.com where I've posted the details and the sign up list. (To find the sign up sheet, you need to know my email address which is mharris@wcsks.com. All sign ups are at the given link, so please do NOT email me to sign up.) Once the spots are filled, my need has been met and only those who are first to sign up can earn the points. (Don't worry! We will have more needs as the year progresses!)

Week of December 15

We have finished all notes for the upcoming test. Our test is Wednesday, December 17.

It covers passive transport (diffusion, osmosis & facilitated diffusion) and active transport (endocytosis & exocytosis). With osmosis, there are the three different types of solutions.

I will be available for tutorials on Tuesday, if your child would like some test studying help.

Week of December 8

What a busy week we had in science!

This was Microscope Week, starting with an introduction to microscope anatomy and ending with creating a wet mount slide to view.

Kids should have flash cards of parts and functions, which they hopefully are flipping through to learn. This week we will add more to the stack as we learn about processes cells undergo when taking in nutrients and getting rid of wastes.

We are starting our study of Cells In Action. This will cover the processes of diffusion and osmosis as well as endocytosis and exocytosis. We will continue to use flash cards to facilitate learning facts. We will also use diagramming with illustrations and we will build and/or use models of these processes as well.

For those who plan ahead, the test over Unit 4 is scheduled for Wednesday, December 17.

Extra Credit Opportunity: You must sign up to participate in this extra credit opportunity. Keep reading for details. ** In order to participate, you must sign up and bring the needed item - on a first come, first served basis. Click here for the link to signupgenius.com where I've posted the details and the sign up list. (To find the sign up sheet, you need to know my email address which is mharris@wcsks.com and the password is Spartans. All sign ups are at the given link, so please do NOT email me to sign up.) Once the spots are filled, my need has been met and only those who are first to sign up can earn the points. (Don't worry! We will have more needs as the year progresses!)