Thursday and Friday, April 26 and 27, 2012

This is Short Story 4. Follow instructions and submit on time.

Students will be able to:

use the information from  videos and classroom discussions to

-analyze the structure, fuction, and regulation of the endocrine system.

Students watched a BrainPop movie on the endocrine system.

Students began notes on the endocrine system. Because this information is not in their texts, students must be present. Alternately, you can go online and find information. One such site is: Kids Health.

Students have short story 4 to complete and submit by Monday, April 30. The grading rubrics can be found at the top of this blog.

Wednesday, 25 April, 2012

Students will be able to:

use information from the movie The Day After Tomorrow and the series Planet Earth to

-understand humankind's role in the biosphere as it relates to Earth.

Students in the first and second period classes viewed the movie The Day After Tomorrow.

Students in later periods viewed episodes from Planet Earth to understand how humankind has changed the Earth and affected the lives of other living things on Earth.

Home learning 7 is to find a current event article from either the newspaper or online that discusses an environmental issue. The article must not be more than two weeks old. You are to summarize the article, explain the science in the article and  discuss humankind's involvement or actions in causing or participating in the event.

Tuesday, 24 April, 2012

Students will be able to: use information from past classes, lessons, and assignments to take the Science FCAT 2.0.

 Because of the FCAT, normal lessons are suspended. Good luck!

Monday, 16 April Through Monday, 23 April, 2012

Students will be able to:
use the information from handouts and classroom discussions to
-review for the science FCAT 2.0.

Since the Science FCAT 2.0 will be given on Tuesday, April 24, we will use all class time up to that date to review ALL past benchmarks. We will use the Saturday Success Academy document to review facts and tips for taking the science FCAT.

We will also review topics using BrainPop movies.

Your home learning is to review all notes (including 6th and 7th grade) to get ready for the exam.

Friday, 13 April, 2012

Students will be able to:
use the information from textbooks, the CPS clicker system and classroom discussions to
-review baseline exam.

Students continued reviewing the baseline exam. Using the CPS clicker system, students reviewed several questions from the exam. Students should use selective underlining and test taking skills to help find the answers prior to selecting and entering an answer with the CPS system.

Students DO NOT have to bring in texts for FCAT week. However, students SHOULD study ALL notes and handouts nightly in preparation for the Science FCAT on Tuesday, April 24.

Thursday, 12 April, 2012

Students will be able to:
use the information from hands-on activities and classroom discussions to
-review for the science FCAT 2.0.

Students did three lab activities today to review for the science FCAT. The activities centered on reviewing earth and space science science concepts.

Students identified and matched pictures to the phases of the moon.

Students also determined how heat energy is absorbed by dark materials by measuring the change in temperature on a regular surface and a dark surface.

Finally, students identified both the internal structure of the earth and how convergent and divergent plates change the Earth's surface using a Snickers bar.

Students should study all notes, including those taken in 6th and 7th grade in preparation for the FCAT.

Wednesday, 11 April, 2012

Students will be able to:
use the information from hands-on activities and classroom discussions to
-review for the science FCAT 2.0.

Students did three lab activities to day to review for the science FCAT. The activities centered on reviewing physical science science concepts.

Students crushed chalk and added acid to it to observe physical and chemical changes.

Students also used slinkys to compare and contrast transverse and longitudinal waves.

Finally, students determined that the density of a fluid affects the speed of a wave by counting the waves formed in a bottle of water vs a bottle of oil.

Students should study all notes, including those taken in 6th and 7th grade in preparation for the FCAT.

Tuesday, 10 April, 2012

This is HL 6. Answers only on your own paper.

Students will be able to:
use the information from hands-on activities and classroom discussions to
-review for the science FCAT 2.0.

The home learning due tomorrow is HL 6. You can find it at the top of this blog.

Students did three lab activities to day to review for the science FCAT. The activities centered on reviewing life science science concepts.

Students sorted cards on the organelles found in both plant and animal cells, and matched them with their function.

Students also use comics to learn the components of the cell theory.

Finally, students reviewed variation in living things by observing the traits of several sunflower seeds and noticing the similarities and differences between them.

Monday, 9 April, 2012

This is HL 5. Answers only on your own paper.

Students will be able to:
use the information from textbooks, the CPS clicker system and classroom discussions to
-review baseline exam.

Students are responsible for HL 5, which can be found at the top of this blog.

Students continued reviewing the baseline exam. Using the CPS clicker system, students reviewed several questions from the exam. Students should use selective underlining and test taking skills to help find the answers prior to selecting and entering an answer with the CPS system.

Students DO NOT have to bring texts to class on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, due to Science Boot Camp lab activities.

Thursday, 5 April, 2912

This is HL 4. Answers only on your own paper.

Students will be able to:
use the information from hands-on activities and classroom discussions to
-review for the science FCAT 2.0.

HL 4 is due in class on Monday. You can find it at the top of this blog.

Students did three lab activities to day to review for the science FCAT. The activities centered on reviewing earth and space science concepts.

Students viewed a photograph and determined each of the spheres of the earth and how the spheres interrelated.

Students also used a poster with many small holes, viewed up close and at a distance to demonstrate how distance makes things blurry, as does distance when viewing the stars of the Milky Way galaxy.

Finally, students used connecting cubes to demonstrate that new sedimentary rock can form during the process of weathering and compaction/cementation by connecting the blocks, breaking them apart, and reassembling them in a different arrangement.

Wednesday, 4 April, 2012

This is HL 3. Answers only on your own paper.

Students will be able to:
use the information from hands-on activities and classroom discussions to
-review for the science FCAT 2.0.

HL 3 is due in class tomorrow. You can find it at the top of this blog.

Students did three lab activities to day to review for the science FCAT. The activities centered on reviewing physical science concepts.

Students use a card and a rubber band to demonstrate that energy can change forms.

Students also looked at the physical properties of a pure substance, such as water.

Finally, students use spring scales to show that an object will move in the direction of the largest force exerted on it.

Tuesday, 3 April, 2012

This is HL 2. Answers only on your own paper.

Students will be able to:
use the information from hands-on activities and classroom discussions to
-review for the science FCAT 2.0

HL 2 is due in class tomorrow. You can find it at the top of this blog.

Students did three lab activities to day to review for the science FCAT.

Students determined that mass is conserved during a chemical change by finding the mass of objects representing molecules of a chemical reaction, such as hydrogen and oxygen in water.

Students also competed with each other to obtain "food". This activity illustrated the competition between species.

Finally, student grouped the cards from a deck of playing cards, to demonstrate that living things can be classified and grouped based on properties they have in common.

Monday, 2 April 2012

This is HL 1. Answers only on your own paper. Read the indicated pages prior to answering the questions.

Students will be able to:
use the information from textbooks, the CPS clicker system, hands-on activities, and classroom discussions to
-define eclipse.
-determine how eclipses occur.
-review genetics and inheritance using the Punnett square
-review baseline exam.

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

Students completed notes from the text (p 193-194) on eclipses. They should have two column notes. Also, be sure to complete the notes with color, leveled questions, summary, and paste in HL 17 and HL 18, and the completed GIZMO on eclipses.

Students reviewed genetics by using coin tosses to construct a baby.

Students also began reviewing the baseline exam. Using the CPS clicker system, students reviewed several questions from the exam. Students should use selective underlining and test taking skills to help find the answers prior to selecting and entering an answer with the CPS system.