Week of Sept 29

This week we will present our Characteristics of Life posters that we worked on last week. The kids worked well last week, flipping through magazines finding acceptable and relevant pictures for their posters. In addition to the "science kowledge" part of the project, we also discussed what makes a poster presentation effective. I am eager to hear their presentations and how they have realized the similarities among living things.

This week we will do our first "real" science lab as we analyze the content of foods. If at all possible, please try not to be absent Thursday or Friday. This will be a lab that is difficult to complete at a later date without a group.

Plan for a test over this unit early next week. Some students need to begin the studying process now. There is a lot of information in this unit. Remember, the objective list (in each student's OneNote file) functions as the review sheet.

Week of Sept 22

For those of you wondering, I had a fabulous time visiting my son in New York. We were able to see him "race" a sailboat that his team created from pieces of wood, a tarp, and 200 zip ties. I will post pictures when I get a chance. There were seven boats that competed; no one sank. It was an entertaining race, and a great way to see my son's work transformed into something tangible.

Back to WCS ...
Thank you to Mrs. Egan for subbing for me while I was gone. The kids were able to stay on track with what I had planned, and (hopefully) everything ran smoothly. Those kids who were absent on Friday or Monday are supposed to come visit me during tutorials on Tuesday. If your child was unable to do so, I need him/her to come see me Wednesday or Thursday during tutorials to complete missed class work.

For this week:

• The kids will quiz on Wednesday over fifteen element symbols & names. This list was given to kids (and the quiz announced) on Friday 9/19/14.
• Project supplies are due today 9/23/14. Look at last week's blog post for the list of those items required.
• In class project work will begin on Wednesday. This is a 100% in class project. Kids will be given directions on work day #1 as a One Note file.
• Expect a quiz early next week over Characteristics of Life.
• Expect a test over this unit during the week of Oct 6.

Week of Sept 15

This week is a week of firsts:
(1) Our first unit test is Monday.
(2) Our first notebook check is Monday.
(3) Mrs. Harris's first absence will be Friday. (If you're wondering, I'm going to visit my son at College Family Weekend in New York.)

We will be starting unit two this week - It's Alive!
We will be studying characteristics of living things, compounds found in living things, and nutrition.

By next Tuesday, Sept 23, you need to have the following for an in-class project:
(1) a standard size piece of poster board (approximately 56 cm by 71 cm) - either white or some light color (You'll be writing on it with markers, so don't choose dark blue or black.)
(2) a colored (not black) sharpie pen (to use when you write on the poster) - Just bring one. We'll share with others.
(3) 2-3 appropriate magazine(s) that you will be cutting up -- Examples: Better Homes & Gardens, Sports Illustrated, National Geographic, etc. Hollywood or teen gossip magazines such as Us, People, etc are NOT acceptable.
(4) a glue stick

(If you have all four things, you may bring them on Thursday 9/18. Do not give supplies to the substitute teacher! If you don't have them this week, just bring them on Tuesday 9/23.)

Preparing for the test

If you're wondering about test format, there is a short answer/sentence answer section of the test, as well as multiple choice questions.

Your objectives list is your review sheet.

Some things you might want to review are:
(This is not a complete list ... just a starting list ...)

- prefixes & meanings -- chart, worksheet
- steps of the scientific method (can you list them, in order?)
- identify parts of the experiment (remember all those stories?)
- unit, tool, and measurement -- chart
- metric system inquiry worksheet

Bellwork would be good practice ...
Homework would be good review ...
Everything should be nicely organized in your OneNote notebook. "Click" through and review!

If you wanted to play the "matching" game, you could print out cards from the FILE CABINET (look to the right side bar), cut them out, and "play" like we did in class.

If you wanted to fill in charts to practice, blank charts are in the FILE CABINET. Fill them in and use the ones we corrected in class as your "key".

Good luck studying! See you Monday!

Practice for the test

Below are two practice questions. As you're reading, look for errors with the scientific method. There are bulleted questions below the story. Answers follow the questions. (Don't look at the answers until you try!)

I play volleyball at my school using a Mikasa ball. Other ball brands are Mizuno, Spalding, and Tachikara.  I will stand from behind the serving line, in the right back. Melissa will serve the Mizuno ball, Lucy will serve the Spalding ball, Quincy will serve the Tachikara ball, and Vanessa will serve the Mikasa ball. We will see who serves the best.

• What is the question?
• What is the hypothesis?
• What is the IV?
• Name two errors in this experiment.
• Why is this an error?
• How could you fix it?

I want to get soccer cleats that give me the best trap (stop) when a ball is kicked to me. I go to the store and buy Adidas, Nike, and Umbro soccer cleats for me and two of my friends. I will also buy three identical new soccer balls to use. Sydney will test the Adidas. Caroline will test the Nikes. Alexa will test the Umbro. Whoever can kick the furthest will be what I buy.

• What is the question?
• What is the hypothesis?
• What is the IV?
• Name two errors in this experiment.
• Why is this an error?
• How could you fix it?

Answers:

With which ball can I serve the best?        **Do you see a problem here? 
If I serve with the [fill in the blank with a brand name] ball, then I will serve the best.
IV: brand of volleyball (Mikasa, Spalding, Tachikara)
Error #1: "the best" is not a specific enough direction. She should have said, "We will see with which ball I can serve the deepest into the back court."

Error #2: too many IVs - The only IV should be the ball brand, but by having different girls serve the different balls, the person serving is now a variable. The person serving should be constant.

Which soccer cleat brand give me the best trap?

If I buy Nikes, then I will be able to trap the ball the best.

IV: brand of soccer cleat (Nike, Adidas, Umbro)

Error #1: She wants to buy the cleats that have the best trap, but she's saying she'll buy the ones she can kick the furthest are the ones she'll buy. She can't test for two things. Choose one.

Error #2: Too many people kicking balls. Since there are different people, you have too many IVs. There can only be one IV. Choose one person to do the kicking in each of the different soccer cleats.

Preparing for the first notebook check

Remember, your notebook will be spot checked. You do not know which paper I'm checking or what I'm looking for ... so you have to be sure the entire notebook is set up/complete/correct (which it should be if you've been paying attention in class.)

I am spot checking. This means I could either be looking for:

• the titled paper in your table of contents
  See below for what should be included, how it should be titled (although some of the titles were longer than the picture is wide), under what page (subpage), and in what order. 
• a complete/corrected homework or classwork activity
  I would be looking for correct and complete answers. Since we've reviewed the homework or classwork activity in class, my expectation is that you should've made corrections/additions at that time.
• returned graded papers
  You are supposed to claim your graded papers and place them in your notebook. These are papers that Mrs. Harris has graded in green.

Notebooks will be checked on Monday, September 15. This notebook check is worth 50 points.

*** Please note: The following snippets are posted on 9/10/14. Anything done in class on 9/11 or 9/12 will not be pictured in the snippet, BUT that work is expected to be part of a complete OneNote notebook for this unit.

Being sure you have a complete notebook will help you prepare better for the test. Everything in your notebook has some study value as you review objectives and concepts for this unit.

Week of Sept 9

This week we are going to practice, practice, practice in order to be prepared for the unit test at the end of the week. (Expect the test to be Friday, Sept 12.) Look at your objectives, as that serves as your review sheet for the test. Begin studying early in the week, so that you can plan to attend tutorials if you need to. Click on the tab above to see this week's homework calendar.