Thursday, 16 February, 2012

This is the front of the lab sheet. Be sure to use scientific notation to record the distance from the sun and the diameter.

This is HL 9. Answers only on ONE sheet of correctly headed loose leaf paper.

Students will be able to:
use the information from virtual activities, textbooks, and classroom discussions to
-compare and contrast the characteristics of objects in the solar system.
-compare the characteristics of objects in the Solar System with Earth's characteristics.

Students worked on the lab Solar System, which can be done online. You can find the handouts above, along with tonight's home learning 9. The graph paper is not online. You can get a copy from me or I will upload it tomorrow.

The site you need to complete the chart can be found at:

http://amazing-space.stsci.edu/resources/explorations/trading/game.htm

Thursday, 9 February, 2012

This is HL 8. Be sure to do both on the same sheet of loose leaf paper. Answers only. Do them in the correct order.

Students will be able to:
use the information from handouts and classroom discussions to
-explain the process of natural selection.
-explain that natural selection can change the charactaeristics of a population.
-explain how an organism's adaptations help it to survive and the inability to adapt may contribute to the extinction of that species.

Students reviewed crunch time information from the seventh grade by reviewing natural selection. Students read a selection on natural selection in class and answered questions.

Students are reminded that HL 8 is due in class on Thursday. Both handouts (Earth's Moon and Small Solar System Objects) should be answered on only one sheet of loose leaf paper. Answers only. You can find the handouts at the top of this blog.

Monday and Tuesday, 13 and 14 February, 2012

This is HL 7. Read pages 137-141 to answer the questions. All answers on your own paper. Answers only.

Students will be able to:
use the information from virtual activities, textbooks, and classroom discussions to
-compare and contrast the characteristics of objects in the solar system.
-compare the characteristics of objects in the Solar System with Earth's characteristics.

Students worked for two days on their remediation of the sixth grade life science benchmarks. They should visit the Pearson site (myscienceonline.com), use their ID number as user name and password, and complete all the interventions dealing with the cell, the body, classification, and organization of living things.

They should also complete the other exercises listed on the remediation handout:

Remediation Week of 2/13/12

SC.6.L.14.2 Investigate and explain the components of the scientific theory of cells (cell theory); all organisms are composed of cells (single-celled or multi-celllular, all cells come form pre-existing cells, and cells are the basic unit of life.
If you got questions 8, 15, and/or 18 wrong:
Do the Pearson assigned activities:
What is the cell theory?
Then, Google fact monster cell theory and read the passage.

SC.6.L.15.1 Analyze and describe how and why organisms are classified according to shared characteristics with emphasis on the Linnaean system combined with the concept of Domains.
If you got questions 2, 13, 20, 26, and/or 29 wrong:
Do the Pearson assigned activities:
How are organisms classified into Domains and Kingdoms?
What are the levels of classification?
Why do biologists classify organisms?
Then, go to ylearn.co.uk and type in your name access code SC6L151 and complete the activity.
*
SC.6.L.14.4 Compare and contrast the structure and function of major organelles of plant and animal cells, including cell wall, cell membrane, nucleus, cytoplasm, chloroplasts, mitochondria, and vacuoles.
If you got questions 1, 10, 12, and/or 25 wrong:
Do the Pearson assigned activities
How do the parts of a cell work?
What are cells?
Then, go to Dr. Gayden’s science zone (drgcdms.podomatic.com) and click the first link. This will lead to a Discovery Education activity. Type in your first and last name, enter, and click the exploration. Complete the accompanying handout.
*
SC.6.L.14.1 Describe and identify patterns in the hierarchical organization of organisms from atoms to molecules and cells to tissues to organs to organ systems to organisms.
If you got questions 3, 5, 11, and/or 28 wrong:
Do the Pearson assigned activities:
How is your body organized?
What are the levels of organization in an organism?
Then, go to Dr. Gayden’s science zone (drgcdms.podomatic.com) and click the second and third links. Read the pages to learn about the organization of living things. Record the information in your notes
*
SC.6.L.14.5 Identify and investigate the general functions of the major systems of the human body (digestive, respiratory, circulatory, reproductive, excretory, immune, nervous, and musculoskeletal) and describe ways these systems interact with each other to maintain homeostasis.
If you got questions 4, 7, 9 14, 17, 21, and/or 24 wrong:
Do the Pearson assigned activities:
Body systems in action.
How does your body stay in balance?
What is the role of the excretory system?
What systems control body functions?
Then, go to Dr. Gayden’s science zone (drgcdms.podomatic.com) and click the fourth link. This will lead to a Discovery Education activity. Type in your first and last name, enter, and click the The Human Body Game. Follow the directions.

Also:
Complete the GIZMO activity Solar System. This will be placed in your notebook with this week’s notes.

In addition, HL 7 can be found at the top of this blog. It is due in class on Tuesday. Students have the remainder of the home learning pack. HL 8 is due on Thursday, and HL 9 is due on Friday.

Friday, 10 February, 2012

Students will be able to:
use science bowl questions to
-review evolution, natural selection, and heredity.

Students competed in the second Science Bowl. Students in my class competed with those in Ms. Wingate's class on topics such as the Cell Theory, cell structure and function, and Classification.

Those classes not involved with the bowl played Jeopardy by team in the classroom.

There was no nightly home learning assigned.

Thursday, 9 February, 2012

Students will be able to:
use the information from virtual activites and classroom discussions to
-describe the structure of the sun.
-recognize the features of the sun.

Students took notes today on the features of the sun.

However, before adding these notes to their interactive journal, students updated the journal with the notes from 1/31. The benchmark was SC.8.E.5.4 and the topic was Gravity and Motion. Be sure to add this information to your table of contents. In addition, set up a Cornell notes page with the date and topic. Be sure to draw something to remind you of gravity. Then, on the next page, paste in the three pages of notes via graphic organizers. Next, paste in the three home learnings (1, 2, and 3). Finally, paste in the GIZMO Gravity Pitch. All this should take four pages. Don't forget to write your three leveled questions, use your highlighters to find the answers to the questions in your notes, and to write your summary at the bottom of the Cornell notes page.

For today's lesson, write this information in the table of contents: Date 2/9 Benchmark: SC.8.E.5.5. Topic: The Sun. After skipping the four pages you saved for the notes on Gravity, begin a new Cornell notes page. Draw and label the sun or something that reminds you of the essential questions for the section on the sun (pages 123-127). Also, paste in home learnings 4, 5, and 6 after these notes. Then, place the GIZMO handout on Star Spectra in your notebook. Make sure that you draw a two column notes section on the page directly adjourning the input page for this topic. Make sure you write notes on: The three layers of the sun, the layers of the Sun's atmosphere, and on the features seen on the sun.

There was no nightly home learning.

Wednesday, 8 February, 2012

This is HL 6. Answers only on your own correctly headed loose leaf paper.

Students will be able to:
use the information from virtual activites and classroom discussions to
-describe the structure of the sun.
-recognize the features of the sun.
-determine how density relates to mass.

Students watched a BrainPop movie on the Sun.

Students then performed a laboratory exercise entitled Density mystery, where they determined how scientists can learn about the interior structure of the sun. Students used balloon models with and without marbles to simulate how the density of a sun may be different depending on what its core is made of. Students are to turn in the completed lab activity tomorrow.

Students also must turn in HL 6, which can be found at the top of this blog.

Monday and Tuesday, 6 and 7 February, 2012

This is HL 4. Answers only on your own paper. It is due on Tuesday.

This is HL 5. It is due on Wednesday. Complete sentences on your own paper.

Students will be able to:
use the information from virtual activites and classroom discussions to
-describe the structure of the sun.
-recognize the features of the sun.

Students submitted lab 23 and short story three.

Students will use the next two days to work on the GIZMO Star Spectra and to review the secondary benchmarks on classification, the cell theory, energy transformation, and the the sun's energy.

To those ends, students took diagnostic tests from the sixth and seventh grade texts. Areas not at mastery are automatically remediated via the Person online program myscienceonline.com. Use your student ID number as your username and password to access the program.

Students should also complete the following:
SC.6.L.14.2 Investigate and explain the components of the scientific theory of cells (cell theory); all organisms are composed of cells (single-celled or multi-celllular, all cells come form pre-existing cells, and cells are the basic unit of life.

If you go questions 8, 15, and/or 18 wrong:
What is the cell theory?
Then, Google fact monster cell theory and read the passage.

SC.6.L.15.1 Analyze and describe how and why organisms are classified according to shared characteristics with emphasis on the Linnaean system combined with the concept of Domains.

If you got questions 2, 13, 20, 26, and/or 29 wrong:
How are organisms classified into Domains and Kingdoms?
What ore the levels of classification?
Why do biologists classify organisms?
Then, go to ylearn.co.uk and type in your name access code SC6L151 and complete the activity.

SC.7.P.11.2 Investigate and describe the transformation of energy form one form to another.

If you got questions 7, 9, 11, and/or 23 wrong:
Go to www.explorelearning.com and complete the GIZMO Energy Conversions.

SC.7.P.10.1 Illustrate that the sun’s energy arrives as radiation with a wide range of wavelengths, including infrared, visible, and ultraviolet, and that white light is made up of a spectrum of many different colors.

If you got questions 1, 2, 4, 20, 24 and/or 30 wrong:
How do electromagnetic waves compare?
How des the sun’s energy arrive on earth?
What is the electromagnetic spectrum?
Then, go to ylearn.co.uk and type in your name access code SC7P101 and complete the activity.

Home learnings 4 and 5 can be found at the top of this blog. Home learning 4 is due on Tuesday and home learning 5 is due on Wednesday.

Thursday, 2 February, 2012

Students will be able to:
use the information from hands on activities and classroom discussions to
-undertstand the relationship between mass and gravitational force.
-remediate benchmarks not at sufficient.

Students reviewed how to graph the information and write the conclusions for the lab on mass and gravitational force.

Students then worked on mastering topics for which they needed help. Students individually did readings and hands-on activities from the four reporting categories to boost their knowledge in those areas in which they performed poorly.

Remember, the lab and the short story are due on Monday.

Wednesday, 1 February, 2012

These are the directions for short story 3. Be sure to follow them and turn your story in on time!

Students will be able to:
use the information from hands on activities and classroom discussions to
-understand the relationship between mass and gravitational force.

Students received the instructions and rubrics for short story 3. They can be found at the top of this blog. The short story is due in class on Monday.

Today was Digital Day! Students participated with other students around the Nation by using technology in the classroom. Today, students used the Vernier Dual Force probe to investigate the relationship between mass and force. The lab write up is due in class on Monday.

Tuesday, 31 January, 2012

This is HL #3. Answers only, on your own paper. Be sure to write only true or only the word that makes the sentence true for questions 1-5.

Students will be able to:
use the information from the textbook and classroom discussions to
-understand what determines gravity.
-describe the role of inertia in keeping objecs in motion.
-determine how gravity helps form objects.

Students took notes from chapter 3, section 3 in their texts (pages 104-109) on the effects of gravity and planets, stars, and solar systems.

Home learning 3 can be found at the top of this blog.

Monday, 30 January, 2012

This is HL #2. Copy the chart and complete. Answer the questions using complete sentences.

Students will be able to:
use the information from virtual activities and classroom discussions to
-observe that gravity causes objects to fall toward the center of Earth.
-Use controlled experiments to discover that gravity becomes stronger as a planet's mass increases and weaker as a planet's radius increases.

Students completed Activities A and C for the GIZMO Gravity Pitch.

Home learning 2 can be found at the top of this blog. Be sure to copy the chart and answer the questions using complete sentences.

Friday, 27 January, 2012

Students will be able to:
use the information from previous studies and classroom discussions to
-review plant and animal cells.
-review the body systems.

Students had a competition between Ms. Wingates's classes for periods 2, and 4-6. Periods 1 and 3 played Jeopardy! in order to review the topics cells and body systems. This will be done every other Friday to prepare for the science FCAT 2.0.

There was no home learning.

Thursday, 15 January, 2012

Students will be able to:
use the information from individual reading assignments, group discussions, hands-on activites and teacher discussions to
-review the lowest reporting category information from the Winter interim assessment.

Students reviewed questions one through four from the Winter Interim Assessment.

Students then were placed in differentiated instruction groups to review the area on the exam for which they scored the lowest.

Students read passages on the reporting category, and will also complete a hands-on activity associated with that category.

Those low in the Nature of Science read about experimental set ups and will graph data from an experiment to determine conclusions.

Those low in Physical Science read about gravity and air resistance and will measure how friction affects gravity.

Those low in Life Science read about genetics and heredity and will determine how predicting inherited traits occurs.

Those low in Earth and Space Science read about factors that alter the Earth's crust and will determine how sea floor spreading occurs.

There was no home learning assigned.

Wednesday, 25 January, 2012

This is HL 1. You received two copies. Complete them both. Keep one copy for yourself. Turn in one copy to me tomorrow.

Students will be able to:
use the information from laboratoary activities and classroom discussions to
-compare and contrast inertia and motion.
-determine the effect of gravity on the motion of an object.

Students watched a BrainPop video on gravity.

Students then did a laboratory experiment to determine what forces act on an object. They spun a ping pong ball, attached to a string, around over their heads and recorded the forces that acted on the ball.

Students also received HL 1, which can be found at the top of this blog.

Tuesday , 24 January, 2012

Students will be able to:
use the information from handouts and classroom discussions to
-read a science passage and determine the main idea.

Students read several passages on objects in outerspace, using the reading action plan to find the main idea and answer questions based on the passage.

There was no home learning assigned.

Friday, 20 January, 2012

Students will be able to:
use the information from handouts, group interactions, or texts to
-explain the processes that occur in the circulatory, respiratory, and digestive systems which work together to maintain life in an organism.

Students reviewed the sixth grade benchmark dealing with the human body, specifically, the respiratory system. Students completed a packet after watching a BBC activity. They also answered questions.

There was no home learning assignment.

Thursday, 19 January, 2012

Students will be able to:
use the information from handouts, group interactions, or texts to
-review and relearn information relating to the four bodies of knowledge.

Students worked in differentiated learning groups to review information such as:
the properties of matter, food webs and chains, the scientific method, and using math in science.

Home learning 18, from page 107 in the text, is to answer questions 1-4 of Do The Math! on properly headed loose leaf paper.

Students also submitted notebooks.

Tuesday and Wednesday, 17/18 January, 2012

Students will be able to:
use the information fromthe textbook, articles, and classroom discussions to
-describe how astronomers measure distance.
-describe objects in space.
-distinguish between star systems and galaxies.

Due to testing, classes will meet on a different schedule.

Students watched BrainPop movies on The Life Cycle Of Stars, Galaxies, The Milky Way, and The Solar System.

Students completed the group presentations on the objects in space.

Students read the article What's Out There?

Students in some classes completed the GIZMO on the H-R Diagram.

Students read chapter 3 on astronomical units.

Home learning 17 can be found in the text, page 129 #s 1, 3, 4 and page 131 #s 1, 3. It is due next class meeting.

Notebooks will be collected on Thursday.

Friday, 13 January, 2012

Students will be able to:
use the information from online sites and classroom discussions to
-describe the functions of cell organelles.
-identify organelles of plant and animal cells.
-explain how plant and animal cells differ.

Students interacted with the BBC Cells to Systems activity, found at the site http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks3bitesize/science/organisms_behaviour_health/cells_systems/activity.shtml

Students then read for understanding the handout on cells and systems and answered questions on the topic.

There was no home learning assigned.

Wednesday and Thursday, 11 and 12 January, 2012

Students will be able to:
use the information from hands on laboratory experiments and classroom discussions to
-visualize that the universe is expanding.
-calclulate how galaxy positions change as the universe expands.

Students performed a lab that modeled the expansion of the universe and the effect of this expansion on the galaxies in the universe.

Students received HL 16, which is from page 129 in their text. Students are to answer questions 10 and 11 on a sheet of correctly headed loose leaf paper. Be sure to place the name of the stars on your paper.

Students watched a BrainPop movie on the life cycle of stars.

Students also used the reading action plan to read a passage about the objects found in outer space.

Students completed the GIZMO on the H-R diagram.

Monday and Tuesday, 9/10 January, 2012

Students will be able to:
use the information from virtual activities and classroom discussions to
-classify stars based on their color, temperature, luminosity, radius, and mass.
-identify relationships between different star characteristics.
-explain the relationships illustradd by an H-R diagram.

Students began a GIZMO on the H-R Diagram. Since the activity was not completed, it will be completed in class during this week.

Students have home learning 15, which is due in class next class meeting. It should be done on loose leaf paper, properly headed. Students should answer both do the math questions found on page 96. From page 115, they should also write the star types for stars A, B, and C,using the H-R diagram found on page 114.

On Tuesday, as some classes complete the lab, others will use test taking skills to complete a reading passage about objects in outer space.

Thursday, 5 January and Friday, 6 January, 2012

Students will be able to:
use the information from the textbooks and classroom discussions to
-discover and describe the objects that exist in the universe.

Students were assigned information to present to their classmates on Thursday and Friday about the objects found in space. Each group was assigned a category to research, including planets, stars, comets and other bodies, galaxies, the solar system, and black holes.

On Friday, students took mini-assessment 4 based on photosynthesis and cellular respiration.

Remember, short story 2 is due in class on Friday, along with your laboratory write-up for Measuring Parallax.

Wednesday, 4 January, 2012

Students will be able to:
use the information from hands on laboratory activites and classroom discussions to
-construct a model to measure parallax.
-describe how parallax can be used to find the distance between a star and Earth.

Students did a lab that demonstrated how parallax is used to determine the distance between the earth and the nearest stars. The completed lab sheet is due in class tomorrow.

The short story is due on Friday.

Students are also reminded that the winter packet MUST be turned in tomorrow (Thursday) in order to receive extra credit.

Tuesday, 3 January, 2012

These are the directions for short story two, which is due in class on Friday.

Students will be able to:
use the information from the textbooks and classroom discussions to
-discover and describe the objects that exist in the universe.

Students who have not submitted their Winter package MUST do so on or before Thursday. In order to receive full credit, BOTH activities must be completed and correct. Extra credit will be given for each assignment in the package. However, if you receive a grade of less than a C, no extra credit will be given.

Students received the directions for Short Story 2, which can be found at the top of this blog.

Students were assigned information to present to their classmates on Thursday about the objects found in space. Each group was assigned a category to research, including planets, stars, comets and other bodies, galaxies, the solar system, and black holes.

Friday, 16 December, 2011

Students will be able to:
use the information from the textbook and classroom discussions to
-review photosynthesis and cellular respiration via a Jeopardy game.

Students played a Jeopardy! game to review the concepts of photosynthesis and cellular respiration.

Home learning is to complete the winter packet.

Have a Merry Christmas!

Thursday, 15 December, 2011

Students will be able to:
use the information from the textbook and classroom discussions to
-review/remediate sphysical science information.

Students received their Science Winter Packets in homeroom and the information was reviewed. Be sure to write a conclusion page, following the same format as used in lab.

Students then reviewed information on physical science. As a team, students answered questions via the CPS clicker system. The review covered chapters 7-12 of the text.

There is no separate homework. The Winter Packet is due by Thursday, 5 January.

Wednesday, 14 December, 2011

Students will be able to:
use the information from the textbook and classroom discussions to
-construct a model to show chemical reactions and conservation of mass.

Students explored the law of conservation of mass and energy by modeling the processes of photosynthesis and cellular respiration. Students used colored blocks to represent atoms of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.

Home learning 14 can be found on page 168. Students are to do the Do The Math problems on their own paper.

Tuesday, 13 December, 2011

This is HL 13. Answers only on your own correctly headed loose leaf paper.

Students will be able to:
use the information from the textbook and classroom discussions to
-idetermine the processes involved in the water cycle.
-explain how carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen are recycled.
-give examples of how living systems conserve matter and energy.

Students watched BrainPop movies on The Water Cycle, The Carbon Cycle, and The Nitrogen Cycle.

Students also (where necessary) completed the Science Interactives activity on the plant problem. The completed paper is to be placed in the science notebook.

Students reviewed HL 12 and received HL 13, which can be found at the top of this blog.

Students then read and took notes on Cycles of Matter. Be sure to make a Cornell notes page (include in the table of contents; Date 12/13 Benchmark: SC.8.L.18.3; Topic Cycles of Matter). Be sure to write your three Costa's leveled questions, draw or write something to remind you of the lesson (color preferable), and summarize the lesson on the bottom of the page. All notes should be done on the next page. This includes main ideas and supporting details of the information from pages 462-471.

Also be sure to place home learning handouts behind these notes.

Monday, 12 December, 2011

This is HL 12. Answers only on your own correctly headed loose leaf paper.

Students will be able to:
use the information from virtual activities, the textbook and classroom discussions to
-investigate how the levels of dissolved oxygen in pond vary throughout the day.
-learn the source of dissolved oxygen in a pond.

Students did a GIZMO entitled Pond Ecosystem, to determine how the levels of Oxygen change during a day. This ties in with the cycles of nature, including the carbon/oxygen cycle.

The activity is to be placed in the interactive notebook. Be sure that the table of contents includes: Date 12/12 Benchmark SC.8.L.18.3 Topic Pond Ecosystem and the page number.

Turn to a new page in your notebook (be sure to record this page in your table of contents). At the top of the page, write the date and the topic. Make a Cornell notes (six lines from the bottom; column on the left). The left column is to write three questions from the lab activity.
The bottom lines are to record something new you learned while doing this activity. The center box is to draw something that reinforces the lab.

Home learning 12 can be found at the top of this blog. Be sure to answer the questions on your own paper!

Thursday/Friday, 8/9 December, 2011

Students will be able to:
use the information from virtual activities, the textbook and classroom discussions to
-write a RAFT about cellular respiration or photosynthesis.
-plan and implement a controlled experiment.
-determine the conditions necessary for plant growth.

Due to technical difficulties with internet access and that Thursday was early release:
-all students will receive the same remediation, which uses the virtual lab activities from Science Plus Interactives.
-students will complete the activities on Friday, if they have not been completed on Thursday.

All classes will write a RAFT on cellular respiration. The RAFT is due prior to leaving the class.

Lab papers will all be collected on Friday.

Home learning 11, due on Monday, is answer questions 1-6 on page 475, answers only.

Wednesday, 7 December, 2011

Students will be able to:
use the information from hands on activities, the textbook and classroom discussions to
-determine the effect of sugar on the cellular respiration of yeast.

Students completed a lab which helped them understand how yeast react during cellular respiration. Students placed yeast in warm water, with and without sugar to see which would produce carbon dioxide, measured by finding the circumference of a balloon placed over the plastic bottle.

Students are reminded that their data must be compared to that of other groups. The lab is due tomorrow.

Tuesday, 6 December, 2011

Students will be able to:
use the information from the textbook and classroom discussions to
-define cellular respiration.
-compare and contrast cellular respiration and photosynthesis.
-describe the process of fermentation.

Students viewed a BrainPop movie on cellular respiration. They then previewed the lab for tomorrow, by completing information on the problem, hypothesis, etc.

Students were not assigned a home learning activity, but should read pages 456-461 to prepare for the lab.

Monday, 5 December, 2011

Students will be able to:
use the information from virtual actities, the textbook and classroom discussions to
-design controlled experiments to test hypotheses.
-discover what gases are used and produced by animals.
-discover what gases are used and produced by plants (in light and dark).

Students worked independently on a GIZMO entitled Plants and Snails. Students proposed a problem, formed a hypothesis, and listed their variables based on the things they observed in the GIZMO. Students then performed their virtual experiment and summarized the experiment in their conclusions. This activity helped them to understand the interdependence of plants and animals and how photosynthesis and cellular respiration are linked.

There was no home learning except to read section 2 of Chapter 13 (pages 451-456) on cellular respiration. Be sure to complete all the activities and questions contained in those pages.

Friday, 2 December, 2011

Students will be able to:
use the information from student presentations, online sites, and classroom discussions to
-present science fair presentations.
-review matter and changes in matter via Jeopardy game.

Students presented their science fair projects to their classmates.

Students then played a game of online Jeopardy, using the theme matter. Students were grouped and answered the questions as a team. This served as a review for matter.

Home learning, to be done on your own paper, is to write, answers only, p 473 questions 1, 2, 6, 7, 8.

Thursday, 1 December, 2011

Students will be able to:
use the information from computer sites, the textbook and classroom discussions to
-remediate benchmarks which tested not proficient.

Students were grouped for differentiated instruction. Based on the results of the fall interim assessment, students studied one of the following four topics:
-states of matter and mixtures and solutions
-the nature of science/scientific theory and scientific law
-atoms and the periodic table
-properties of matter

There was no home learning assigned, except to update the notebook.

Wednesday, 30 November, 2011

Students will be able to:
use the information from laboratory experiments, the textbook and classroom discussions to
-determine how cellular respiration is affected by exercise.

Students reviewed HL 9.

Students then performed a lab to measure the effect of exercise on the production of carbon dioxide. Students measured the time it took to change the color of bromothymol blue from blue to green. This indicator changes color in the presence of carbon dioxide. The more cellular respiration that occurs in the body, the less time it takes to note a color change.

Students should complete the lab write up at home. It is due in class tomorrow.

Tuesday, 29 November, 2011

This is HL 9. Answers only on properly headed loose leaf paper.

Students will be able to:
use the information from virtual activities, the textbook and classroom discussions to
-determine how temperature, light intensity, and carbon dioxide levels affect rates of photosynthesis.
-discover what plants need for photosynthesis to occur.

Students presented science fair projects to their classmates.

Students then read and answered the corresponding questions in their text, pages 450-455 about photosynthesis.

Home learning 9 can be found at the top of this blog. Be sure to use properly headed loose leaf paper to record only the answers.

Monday, 28 November, 2011

Students will be able to:
use the information from virtual activities, the textbook and classroom discussions to
-determine how temperature, light intensity, and carbon dioxide levels affect rates of photosynthesis.
-discover what plants need for photosynthesis to occur.

Students completed the GIZMO entitled Photosynthesis. The handouts will be placed in your notebook. Be sure to set up a Cornell Notes page with today's date. The benchmark is SC.8.L.18.1 The topic is Photosynthesis. Be sure to use the space within the box to write or draw something to remind you of the virtual lab experience. Make sure you ask 3 leveled questions that can be answered directly from the handout. Also, in the summary section, be sure to write something you learned from the activity.

There was no home learning assigned.

Wednesday, 23 November, 2011

Students will be able to:
use the information from the video Changing Nature and classroom discussions to
-describe how humans interact with the environment and other species.
-determine how food chains and food webs are affected by other species.

Students watched a video, Changing Nature to determine how humankind may affects the environment around them and other living species. Some of the questions that should be answered from the video are:

1. Draw the food chain mentioned in the video.
2. What role does the bunch beetle play in the food chain?
3. What role does the cider poppy play in the food chain?
4. What caused the death of the bunch beetles?
5. How did the dominant species cause a change in the food chain? List the steps.
6. What role did the destruction of the bunch beetle’s habitat play in destroying the food chain?
7. What is the effect of spraying defoliant on all plants? What would ultimately happen to the food web because of this?
8. Earl makes the statement “After all, dinosaurs have been on this Earth for over 150 million years. And it’s not like we’re just going to disappear.” How does this foreshadow what we know happened to the dinosaurs? Could the destruction of the global food web be a probable cause in the extinction of any species?


Remember:

Science Fair Projects Are Due In Class, On the Board, On Monday!!!!!

Tuesday, 22 November, 2011

Be sure answers only are placed on a sheet of correctly headed loose leaf paper.

Students will be able to:
use the information from the textbook and classroom discussions to
-explain how living things use the sun's energy.
-describe the process of photosynthesis.

Students reviewed HL 7 and received HL 8, which can be found at the top of this blog.

Students reviewed the requirements for the Science Fair project, which is due in class on Monday, 28 November.

Students took notes on Photosynthesis, pages 451-455.

Monday, 21 November, 2011

Use the reading section to review the functions of the cell organelles. Then choose the correct answer and write only the correct cell analogy next to the numbers on your loose leaf correctly headed paper.

Students will be able to:
use the information from computer sites, the textbook and classroom discussions to
-compare and contrast plant and animal cells.
-review the basic organelles of cells and their functions.

Students completed a GIZMO on Cell Structure. The handout should be completed in placed in the interactive notebook. Be sure to place the Date: 11/21; the Benchmark: SC.8.L.18.1; and the Topic: Plant and Animal Cells in your table of contents. Then, find the next available page and set up a Cornell Notes. Remember to put the date and topic at the top of the page. Use the lab sheet to write three Costa leveled question, to which the answers are already on the handout. Also, use the bottom portion of the page to write something you learned from doing the GIZMO. Finally, draw something to remind you of the lab in the box section.

Home learning 7 can be found at the top of this blog. Be sure to answer on your own paper. You can read the supplemental information to review the functions of the cell organelles. Remember, you are to write the analogy that best describes the organelle.

Friday, 18 November, 2011

Students will be able to:
use the information from computer sites, the textbook and classroom discussions to
-take a mini-assessment on current topics.
-review past topics.

Students took mini-assessment three on information covered during the last three weeks of class.

Students then were grouped to review past topics which were not mastered. If you wish to continue any unfinished work, log on to the Pearson site at:

www.pearsonsuccessnet.com. Use your ID number as both your username and password. Once on the site, click the explore button to review by chapter. You should be able to master ALL the information from chapters: 1-2, and 7-12.

Alternately, you can click the to do button from your home page and complete the assigned tasks. Be sure to click the I'm done button once each task is completed in order to get credit for the assignment.

For those of you were given a word poster to create, please do so at home. All students should continue to work on your Science Fair project.

Thursday, 17 November, 2011

This is HL 6. BE sure to place answers only on your own sheet of correctly headed loose leaf paper.

Students will be able to:
use the information from computer sites, the textbook and classroom discussions to
-compare and contrast chemical and physical changes.
-determine the properties of a chemical change.

Students reviewed HL 5 and received HL 6, which can be found at the top of this blog.

Students reviewed the lab on the Law of Conservation of Mass. The handout is due in class tomorrow. Be sure to complete the conclusions, using three paragraphs as directed.

Wednesday, 16 November, 2011

This is HL 5. Answers only on your won loose leaf paper.

Students will be able to:
use the information from hands-on activities, the textbook and classroom discussions to
-determine that matter is not created or destroyed in a chemical change.
-make a polymer (chemical change) from household ingredients.

Students reviewed HL 4 and received HL 5, which can be found at the top of this blog.

Students completed a lab on measuring the reactants and products of a chemical change. They determined that matter is not gained or lost during a chemical change, but are conserved. Students took the product (Slime) home. Remember, if you wish to keep it in its pristine condition, you need to keep it in the plastic ziplock bag when not in use.

Tuesday, 15 November, 2011

This is HL #4. Answers only on a sheet of correctly labeled loose leaf paper.

Students will be able to:
use the information from virtual activities, the textbook and classroom discussions to
-classify changes in matter as chemical or physical.
-identify characteristics o physical and chemical changes.

Students received HL #4, which can be found at the top of this blog. Remember, this sheet should be completed and placed in your notebook. You will submit the answers only on correctly headed loose leaf paper.

Students also received the page for the inside back cover of their notebook. This page should be used to record all user names and passwords for the various websites used in class.

Students watched an Untamed Science video about chemical changes.

Students then took notes on physical and chemical changes, from pages 416-421 in their text.

Monday, 14 November, 2011

Students will be able to:
use the information from virtual activities, the textbook and classroom discussions to
-classify changes in matter as chemical or physical.
-identify characteristics o physical and chemical changes.

Students worked on virtual activities dealing with physical and chemical changes of matter. Students should visit the GIZMO site (www.explorelearning.com) and sign in using your user name and password. Launch the Phase Changes GIZMO and complete the handout. Once you complete the GIZMO, visit Dr. Gayden's Science Zone (drgcdms.podomatic.com) to complete the other portion of the lab. Click the first link under 8th grade students. You will enter a Glencoe virtual lab. Listen to and watch the videos for the events. Be sure to complete the table, writing yes if that property is true or occurred or no if it did not occur. You should be able to answer the conclusion questions after competing the activity.

Continue work on your Science Fair project, which is due on November 28.

Thursday, 10 November, 2011

Students will be able to:
use the information from the textbook and classroom discussions to
-identify substances as mixtures or pure substances.
-differentiate between the two types of mixtures and their properties.
-describe how mixtures can be separated.

Students took notes on mixtures and their properties. Be sure to make a Venn diagram to compare mixtures and pure substances. Also, make a idea map to describe the methods used to separate mixtures. All notes will come from the text, pages 391-395.

Continue to work on your science fair project, which is due November 28.

Wednesday, 9 November, 2011

Students will be able to:
use the information from inquiry activities, the textbook and classroom discussions to
-identify substances as mixtures or pure substances.
-differentiate between the two types of mixtures and their properties.
-describe how mixtures can be separated.

Students used various methods to separate mixtures. They had to separate a sand/iron filings mixture; a salt water mixtures; and a soil and water mixture. Students were to write out their procedures and record their observations as they did each procedure.

The lab sheet is due in class tomorrow.

Monday/Tuesday, 7/8 November, 2011

Students will be able to:
use the information from inquiry activities, the textbook and classroom discussions to
-identify substances as mixtures or pure substances.
-differentiate between the two types of mixtures and their properties.
-describe how mixtures can be separated.
-use observations to explain ways concentrations of a solute can change.

Students performed a virtual lab on mixtures and on solutions.

We did not complete the activity, and will complete it as a whole class tomorrow in class.

Home learning for Tuesday is(HL 3) is:
page 392 1a, b, and c. page 398 copy the first two columns and complete. page 399 a, b, and c, and p 401 1-3

Thursday/Friday, 3/4 November, 2011

This is HL 2. Answers only on a correctly headed sheet of loose leaf paper.

Students will be able to:
use the information from inquiry activities, the textbook and classroom discussions to
-identify substances as acids or bases.
-differentiate between the properties of acids and bases and their properties.
-describe what happends during a neutralization reaction.

Students read and took notes on acids, bases, and salts from the text, pages 378-381.

Be sure to place the Discovery Ed handout in the notebook after these notes.

Remember, the science fair plan is due on Friday.

Friday's home learning can be found at the top of this blog. Be sure to answer the questions (answers only) on loose leaf paper, correctly headed. The original handout should be completed and placed in your notebook directly after the notes.

Wednesday, 2 November, 2011

Students will be able to:
use the information from inquiry activities, the textbook and classroom discussions to
-identify substances as acids or bases.

Students performed an inquiry based lab on acids and bases. They were asked to formulate a question and hypothesis, devise a procedure to test the hypothesis, and gather data. They were then asked to draw conclusions from the experiment. They used distilled water, lime juice, vinegar, ammonia and a baking soda solution in the laboratory. Students also had to list the safety precautions prior to beginning the lab.

Home learning is to complete the lab handout sheet and to work on the science fair package.

Tuesday, 1 November, 2011

Students will be able to:
use the information from virtual activities, the textbook and classroom discussions to
-identify substances as acids or bases.
-describe how acids and bases react during a neutralization reaction.
-explain why the proudct of a neutralization reaction is water and a salt.

HL #1 can be found on page 384. Do numbers 10-13 on loose leaf, correctly headed paper.

Students watched a BrainPop movie on Acids and Bases. They then completed a Discovery Education exploration entitled Acids and Bases. You can access the activity by going to Dr. Gayden's Science Zone (drgcdms.podomatic.com) and clicking the second link for today's date. Type in your name to access the link to the activity.

Students should also complete the title, purpose, problem, hypothesis, materials and procedures portions of the science fair plan by Friday, November 4.

Wednesday-Monday, 26-31 October, 2011

Students will review the Fall Interim Assessment exam during class period. There will be no new work assigned until the review is completed.

Students should, however, continue working on their science fair projects.

Remember, there is no school on Friday!

Monday/Tuesday, 24/25 October, 2011

Students will be able to:
use the information from virtual activities, the textbook and classroom discussions to
-construct models of atoms showing the number of protons, neutrons, and electrons for each element
-for each element, arrange electrons in energy levels around the atomic
-predict and determine whether or not elements will form chemical bonds in order to become more stable.

Students are taking the science Fall Interim assessment, so therefore, classes are changed, with alternating periods seen each of the two days of the exam.

Students worked on the virtual lab from the Glencoe website to determine how elements form chemical bonds. Students were not actually able to complete the online activity, as the site was malfunctioning, but did complete the activity using a periodic table.

Students should continue to work on their science fair projects as home learning.

Wednesday-Friday, 19-21 October, 2011

This is HL 18. Answers only on your own paper.

Students will be able to:
use the information from the textbook and classroom discussions to
-remediate and individually study information presented during class.

Students will work on the handouts as a group in order to find the answers and review for the fall interim assessment on Monday/Tuesday of next week. On Friday, there will be a contest to see which group gets the most correct answers.

Students will also be called to review their science fair project topics.

Home learning 18 can be found at the top of this blog.

Monday/Tuesday, 17/18 October, 2011

Students will be able to:
use the information from virtual activiteis, the textbook and classroom discussions to
-describe the periodic table of elements and use it to find information about elements.
-conpare selected elements fromt eh priodic table.
-explore families and periods on the peridic table.

Due to testing, some classes will only be seen every other day. For this reason, this site is being updated every other day until normal classes resume (Friday).

Students reviewed HL 16 after the bell ringer and submitted any late labs.

Students will do HL 17 tonight, which is due on Tuesday for Period 3 but on Wednesday or Thursday for all other periods. HL 17 is to complete page 353 questions # 1-6. Be sure to submit answers only on your own paper and write in the book to check your answers.

Students worked on the virtual lab Periodic Table. You can visit Dr. Gayden's Science Zone to do the activity at home (drgcdms.podomatic.com). Copy the table and complete. Answer all the journal questions. The lab is due the next class meeting.

Don't forget that your science fair topics are due on Oct 17 (or the next day you are in class closest to that date).

Students in Period 3 will work on science fair topics and individualized instruction on Tuesday.

Friday, 14 October, 2011

Students will be able to:
use the information from the textbook and classroom discussions to
-describe the development of the current model of the atom.
-compare and contrast protons, neutrons, and electrons and their properties.

Students received the science fair package. Students are to choose a science fair topic by Tuesday, 18 October.

Students completed notes on the atom. They also did individualized study on the atom.

Home learning 16 is to complete questions on page 352 # 12-16. Remember to write the answers on a correctly labeled sheet of loose leaf paper.

Thursday, 13 October, 2011

This is the lab report format write up. Be sure you use it, especially to write your conclusions.

Students will be able to:
use the information from hands-on activies, the textbook and classroom discussions to
-determine that the formula for a compound indicates the elemetns that make up the compoun and the number of atoms of each element present in teh compound.
-distinguish between the atoms in a compound.

Students completed a hands-on lab about modeling compounds from atoms after completing the bell ringer. The lab handout sheet is due in class tomorrow. Be sure to complete the Data Analysis, Results, and Conclusions sections.

The data analysis should include information about which compounds are polyatomic ions. You should also write the section of the molecule that is a polyatomic ion.

For the results, for each compound containing polyatomic ions, write the number of polyatomic ions contained in the compound and the number of atoms of each element found in the compound.

Your conclusions should follow the lab format plan. I've included it at the top of this blog in case you've lost your copy.

Wednesday, 12 October, 2011

Students will be able to:
use the information from the textbook and classroom discussions to
-describe the development of the current model of the atom.
-compare and contrast protons, neutrons, and electrons and their properties.

Students reviewed home learning 15 after completing the bell ringer.

Students viewed BrainPop movies on The Atom and on The Atomic Model.

Students continued notes on the atom.

There was no nightly home learning assigned.

Tuesday, 11 October, 2011

These are the instructions for the First Grading Period Project. Follow them carefully.

This is HL 15. Answers only on a correctly headed loose leaf sheet of paper.

Students will be able to:
use the information from the textbook and classroom discussions to
-describe the development of the current model of the atom.
-compare and contrast protons, neutrons, and electrons and their properties.

Students reviewed HL 14 and submitted the Element Builder GIZMO lab after completing the bell ringer.

Students received the instructions for the First Grading Period Project, which can be found at the top of this blog.

Home learning 15 can also be found at the top of this blog.

Students read and took notes on the history of the atomic theory and the parts of an atom.

Monday, 10 October, 2011

Students will be able to:
use the information from virtual activities, the textbook and classroom discussions to
-compare the sizes, charges, and relative positions of the subatomic particles: protons, neutrons, and electrons.
-relate an atom’s number of protons to its charge, name, and atomic number.
-calculate the mass number of an atom by summing the protons and neutrons.

Students reviewed HL 13 after completing the bell ringer.

Home learning 14 is to answer the following on your own sheet of correctly labeled loose leaf paper: page 318 define the words proton, neutron, nucleus, electron, page 319 # 1 and 2, page 321 2a and 2b.

Students then did the GIZMO Element Builder. The paper is due in class tomorrow.

Friday, 7 October, 2011

Students will be able to:
use the information from the textbook and classroom discussions to
-describe the properties of matter.

Students submitted the Melting Ice lab and reviewed HL 12 after completing the bell ringer.

Students then worked in groups; either with the interventionist or me; taking notes using the reciprocal teaching method and selective underlining, or online tutorial.

Home learning 13 is page 285 1-6.

Thursday, 6 October, 2011

Use this to help write up your lab in the correct format.

Students will be able to:
use the information from the textbook and classroom discussions to
-describe the motion of particles in a solid.
-describe the motion of particles in a liquid.
-describe the motion of particles in a gas.

Students reviewed HL 11 after completing the bell ringer.

Students reviewed the lab on The Effect of Temperature on the Melting of Ice, reviewing how to make the line graph. Students should complete the lab sheet at home, using the lab format assessment sheet you were given. If you lost yours, you can use the one found at the top of this blog.

Home learning 12 is from page 283 #5-9. Be sure to write the answers on a separate sheet of loose leaf paper, properly headed.

Wednesday, 5 October, 2011

Students will be able to:
use the information from hands-on investigations, the textbook and classroom discussions to
-explore energy changes that occur when a substance absorbs energy from its surroundings.
-imply that absorbing energy causes the temperature of teh surroundings to decrease.

Students reviewed HL 10 after completing the bell ringer.

HL 11 comes from the text, page 274 #1 a and b, page 276 #2 a and b, page 278 #1-3, and page 281 #3 a-c. This should be done on a properly headed sheet of loose leaf paper. Answers only.

Students then completed experimentation on a lab: melting ice to determine how energy changes occur. They melted ice in two temperatures of water and observed how the energy of the sytem changed by measuring the temperature.

We will review the graph tomorrow in class.

Tuesday, 4 October, 2011

This is HL 10. Answers only on a sheet of correctly headed loose leaf paper.

Students will be able to:
use the information from the textbook and classroom discussions to
-describe the motion of particles in a solid.
-describe the motion of particles in a liquid.
-describe the motion of particles in a gas.

Students submitted lab 5 on Chemical Change after reviewing the bell ringer for the day.

Students received HL 10, which can be found at the top of this blog. Be sure to record answers only on a correctly headed sheet of loose leaf paper.

Students began taking notes from Chapters 7 and 8, using the information they have previously selectively underlines. Each lesson should be a new entry into the table of contents. Use the title of the lesson, along with the supplied benchmark. For EACH lesson, set up a Cornell Notes page, on which you should have the date and title of the lesson. You will use this page to write or draw something to remind you of the GIST of the lesson. The next page should be a two column notes page, where you write down the main ideas and supporting details for the lesson.

We will review Costa's questions and the summary on Thursday or Friday.

Monday, 3 October, 2011

Students will be able to:
use the information from virtual activities, the textbook, and classroom discussions to
-label and identify all the states of matter.
-observe and compare different states of matter
-recall arrangement and motion of particles in matter as it relates to the states of matter.

Students reviewed the lab on chemical change after the bell ringer.

Students then completed the web quest on Matter. Visit Dr. Gayden's Science Zone (drgcdms.podomatic.com) to complete the tasks at home. The handouts can be found at:
http://sciencespot.net/Media/statesofmatter.pdf

The home learning is to complete the lab handout.

Wednesday, 28 September, 2011

Students will be able to:
use the information from hands-on experimentation, the textbook, and classroom discussions to
-observe the properties of a chemical change.
-identify a change as a chemical change.

Students reviewed HL 9 after the bell ringer.

Students then began the hands-on lab on chemical changes. Students mixed chemicals to observe what happens when a chemical change occurs. Students recorded such observations as: change in temperature, change in color, odor production, production of a gas, and production of a precipitate (solid).

Students are to complete the handout at home and bring in on Monday.

Tuesday, 27 September, 2011

Students will be able to:
use the information from virtual activities, the textbook, and classroom discussions to
-label and identify all the states of matter.
-observe and compare different states of matter
-recall arrangement and motion of particles in matter as it relates to the states of matter.

Students submitted the Mystery Powder Analysis lab handout.

Students watched BrainPop movies on The States of Matter and Matter Changing States.

Students then participated in a web quest on matter and its states.

You can find the web quest, with the tasks, linked to Dr. Gayden's Science Zone
(http://drgcdms.podomatic.com). You can find the handouts at http://sciencespot.net/Media/statesofmatter.pdf

Home learning 9 (HL9) is to write the answers for the following on loose leaf paper: HL 9 p 266a-c, p268 a-c, p271 a-b

Monday, 26 September, 2011

Students will be able to:
use the information from virtual activities, the textbook, and classroom discussions to
-determine the properties and composition of subtances.
-identify unkown substances by their properties.

Students submitted and reviewed HL 8 after the bell ringer.

Students completed the GIZMO on Mystery Powder Analysis. If you took your paper home to complete it, use the user name and password given to you in class. The website is:
www.explorelearning.com

Click the link for the Mystery Powder Analysis. If you need another handout, click he link that says Lesson Materials to find the handout. Print out a copy and complete it prior to handing in tomorrow. All papers are due tomorrow.

Friday, 23 September, 2011

This is HL 8. You received two of these sheets: turn in one to me and keep the other for your notebook.

Students will be able to:
use the information from virtual activities, the textbook, and classroom discussions to
-determine the properties and composition of subtances.
-identify unkown substances by their properties.

Students took mini assessment 2.

Students also received HL 8, which can be found at the top of this blog.

Students began working on the GIZMO Mystery Powder. Since we did not complete the activity, we will complete it on Monday.

Thursday, 22 September, 2011

Students will be able to:
use the information from the internet, the textbook, and classroom discussions to
-compare and contrast physical and chemical changes.

Students remediated any information from the past four weeks by visiting the Pearson online text site. You can access the site at home by visiting:

http://www.pearsonsuccess.net

Once on the site, use your student ID number as both your user name AND your password. If you have difficulty accessing the site, you can email me at DrGCDMS@dadeschools.net.

Be sure to go to the explore tab. Do ALL the tabs (in orange), including the evaluate tab!

Wednesday, 21 September, 2011

Students will be able to:
use the information from virtual explorations, the textbook, and classroom discussions to
-compare and contrast physical and chemical changes.

Students watched a demonstration that emphasized both physical and chemical changes after completing the bell ringer.

Students then viewed a virtual tutorial on physical and chemical changes.

Students used their text to further instruction by selectively underlining main ideas about physical and chemical changes, found in the text on pages 302-305.

The home learning is to complete all question on pages 302-305 in the text.

Wednesday, 21 September, 2011

Students, use the link below to find out more about physical and chemical changes.

Tuesday, 20 September, 2011

Students will be able to:
use the information from hands on explorations and classroom discussions to
-explore and describe the densities of various materials through measurement of their masses and volumes.

Students completed the lab density of rocks, where they find the density of several rocks.

As the home learning assignment, students are to complete the lab format handout for the lab. Use the lab format handout you were given as a guide.

Monday, 19 September, 2011

Students will be able to:
use the information from hands on explorations and classroom discussions to
-explore and describe the densities of various materials through measurement of their masses and volumes.

Students began working on the lab density of rocks, where they find the density of several rocks.

Home learning 7 (HL7) is to submit, on loose leaf paper, properly headed, the answers to questions 5-9 on page 307 of the text.

Friday, 16 September, 2011

Students will be able to:
use the information from the text and classroom discussions to
-explore and describe the densities of various materials through measurement of their masses and volumes.
-classify and compare substances on the basis of characteristic physical properties that can be demonstrated or measured; for example, density, thermal or electrical conductivity, solubility, magnetic properties, melting and boiling points, and know that these properties are independent of the amount of the sample.

After completing the bell ringer, students updated assignment sheet 1 in their notebooks.

Notebooks were collected to be graded.

Students then completed the GIZMO density lab.

Home learning is to read and complete pages 302-305 in the work text.

Thursday, 15 September, 2011

Students will be able to:
use the information from the text and classroom discussions to
-explore and describe the densities of various materials through measurement of their masses and volumes.
-classify and compare substances on the basis of characteristic physical properties that can be demonstrated or measured; for example, density, thermal or electrical conductivity, solubility, magnetic properties, melting and boiling points, and know that these properties are independent of the amount of the sample.

STudents viewed BrainPop movies on Properties of Matter and The Law of Conservation of Mass.

Students then began the GIZMO Density Lab. Because there were major problems with connecting to the internet or getting the laptop computers to work, many students shared computers. We also did not complete the activity, but will do so tomorrow.

There will be a notebook check on Friday, so the home learning is to get the notebook ready for grading.

Wednesday, 14 September, 2011

Students will be able to:
use the information from the text and classroom discussions to
-explore and describe the densities of various materials through measurement of their masses and volumes.
-classify and compare substances on the basis of characteristic physical properties that can be demonstrated or measured; for example, density, thermal or electrical conductivity, solubility, magnetic properties, melting and boiling points, and know that these properties are independent of the amount of the sample.

Students worked in their texts (pages 296-301) while I conducted data chats. Make sure you do all problems in the inclusive pages and selectively underline main ideas.

Since there is a notebook check this Friday, home learning is cancelled. Be sure all home learnings are pasted in your notebook, and that all pages (1-12) are pasted in. On Friday, we will review how to complete page 1.

Tuesday, 13 September, 2011

This is HL 6. Answers only on your own loose leaf paper. Keep this sheet to check you answres in class. Period 6 will submit the answers on Thursday.

Students will be able to:
use the information from the text and classroom discussions to
-explore and describe the densities of various materials through measurement of their masses and volumes.
-classify and compare substances on the basis of characteristic physical properties that can be demonstrated or measured; for example, density, thermal or electrical conductivity, solubility, magnetic properties, melting and boiling points, and know that these properties are independent of the amount of the sample.

After the bell ringer, students completed any notes on measuring matter, including completing the Cornell notes, with Costa's leveled questions, highlighting the answers and questions, and summarizing the notes.

Students then worked in their texts, reading and selectively underlining pages from chapter 8 lesson 2 on physical and chemical properties of matter.

Home learning 6 can be found at the top of this blog.

Monday, 12 September, 2011

Students will be able to:
use the information from the text and classroom discussions to
-differentiate betwen weight and mass.
-callculate density, mass and volume, given two of the quantities.

Students completed notes on matter from their text, pages 291-295. These were two column notes made from the information they selectively underlined.

Students completed the Cornell notes by writing Costa's leveled questions from the notes and using highlighters to find the answers in their notes. They also summarized the main ideas of the notes.

Students are to read and do pages 296-301 in their texts, answering all questions on these pages.

Friday, 9 September, 2011

Students will be able to:
use the information from the text and classroom discussions to
-differentiate betwen weight and mass.
-callculate density, mass and volume, given two of the quantities.

Students took the first mini assessment today.

After the mini assessment, students worked in their texts, pages 191-195, selectively underlining the main ideas. These will be incorporated into two column notes on Monday.

Remember, short story one is due on Monday.

Thursday, 8 September, 2011

This is short story one. Be sure to follow all written directions.

Students will be able to:
use the information from the text and a virtual experiment to
-use the laboratory write-up to record an experiment.
-differentiate betwen weight and mass.
-callculate density, mass and volume, given two of the quantities.

Students submitted home learning and received the rubrics for the short story. It can be found at the top of this blog.

Those classes that needed to complete the "we do" lab report format did so.

Students then used the CRISS strategy of selective underlining in their texts, pages 291-295.
Tomorrow we will the underlining to compose two column notes.

Wednesday, 7 September, 2011

This is HL 5. Be sure to copy the table and complete it on loose leaf paper.

Students will be able to:
use the information from the text and a virtual experiment to
-use the laboratory write-up to record an experiment.
-differentiate betwen weight and mass.
-callculate density, mass and volume, given two of the quantities.

Students continued to explore how to correctly write up an experiment using the lab report format. Using data from a weight and mass, GIZMO, students wrote the lab according to the format. Classes that did not complete the activity will do so tomorrow. Students should also draw something to remind them that mass and weight are different entities on the student input page (where the bell ringers for this week are located).

Home learning 5 can be found at the top of this blog.

Tuesday, 6 September, 2011

Students will be able to:
use the information from the text and a virtual experiment to
-use the laboratory write-up to record an experiment.
-differentiate betwen weight and mass.
-callculate density, mass and volume, given two of the quantities.

Students received HL 4, which is a practice density sheet. Students are to do the problems on their own paper, being sure to show their work. The handout should be placed in the notebook when completed. HL 4 can be found at the top of this blog.

Students continued to practice the "we do" activity of writing a laboratory report. The activity deals with the current topic of the nature and properties of matter.

Friday, 2 September, 2011

Students will be able to:
use the information from the text and a hands on experiment to
-explain the necessary parts of a laboratory write-up.
-use the laboratory write-up to record an experiment.
-continue construction on interactive notebook.

Students worked on learning the lab write up format by participating in a "we do" activity. Students used the information from a GIZMO on weight and mass to write up a lab. We will complete this activity next week.

Students received their textbooks. Textbooks are to be brought to school every day. Students should read pages 288-301, and answer, in the book, the questions on pages 288 and 290.

Thursday, 1 September, 2011

Students will be able to:
use the information from the text and a hands on experiment to
-explain the necessary parts of a laboratory write-up.
-use the laboratory write-up to record an experiment.
-continue construction on interactive notebook.

Students first completed their bell ringer, which dealt with Punnett Squares. They reviwed the agenda for the day.

Home learning was collected and reviewed.

Classes that needed to complete the lab format exercise did so (except for period 6, which attended the Grade Level Orientation, and did not complete the lab).

Students also completed the self-interaction by drawing something to remind them of the lab and writing a RAFT about the lab.

Period 3 also received and began their notebook update. All other classes will begin the update tomorrow.

Wednesday, 31 August, 2010

This is HL 3. Follow all written directions.

Students will be able to:
use the information from the laboratory activities to
-explain the necessary parts of a laboratory write-up.
-use the laboratory write-up to record an experiment.

Students completed the lab write up for the Mexican Jumping bean and the effects of heat experiment.

Home learning 3 can be found at the top of this blog. Follow all written instructions.

Tuesday, 20 August, 2011

This is HL 2. Answer on your own paper to submit, but write on this sheet to check your work and place in your notebook.

Students will be able to:
use the information from the text and a hands on experiment to
-explain the necessary parts of a laboratory write-up.
-use the laboratory write-up to record an experiment.

Students learned how to write up a laboratory report. You will place a copy of the lab format in your interactive notebook, so that you can refer to it as you complete your lab write-ups.

The experiment detailed discovering how heat affected the movement of a Mexican Jumping Bean.

Home learning 3 can be found at the top of this blog.

Thursday, 25 August, 2011

This is HL 1. Be sure to follow all written directions.

Students will be able to:
use the information from the text to
-differentiate between the steps of a scientific process.

Students do not yet have textbooks, so for right now, we are reading and studying the text via the overhead LCD projector.

Students have been learning about the skills necessary for scientists to make discoveries. The notes include:

What skills do scientists use?

Science is a way of learning abut the natural world.

Scientists use skills such as observing, inferring, predicting, classifying, evaluating, and making models to study the world.

Observing means using one or more of your senses to gather information. It also means using tools, such as a microscope to help your senses. Observations can be either quantitative which deals with numbers or amounts, or qualitative, which deals with descriptions that cannot be expressed in numbers.

Inferring is when you explain or interpet the thing you observe. It is not guessing. Inferences are based on reasoning from what you already know or based on assumptions you make about your observations.

Predicting means making a statement or a claim about what will happen in the future based on past experience or evidence.

Classifying is the grouping together of items that are alike in some way.

Evaluating involves comparing observations and data to reach a conclusion about them.

Making models nvolves creating representations of complex objects or processes. Some models can be touches, such as a map. OThers are in the form of mathematical equations or computer programs. Models help people study things that can’t be observed directly.

Home learning 1, due tomorrow, can be found at the top of this blog. Be sure to follow directions!

Thursday, 25 August, 2011

Monday, 22 August, 2011

Welcome to Dr. Gayden's Eighth Grade Science Class!

Come to this site to find out what we do daily (or almost daily). Come here to find your home learning assignments or to see if you need to visit the podomatic site for a make-up lab.

Have a great and successful year!