| Week of September 21 - 25, 2009 |
| · 6th and 7th Graders: Test on variables, experimental design and scientific method on Friday! To prepare for your test, go over your web quizzes and classwork. Write down any questions you are still struggling with. We will go over any student questions on Thursday. If no one asks questions, I will assume you are ready for the test. The test will NOT be exactly like our past quizzes, but WILL test similar concepts. · Science Fair: As was discussed early last week, students should acquire a log book immediately if they do not have one already. All research should be recorded in your logbook. Log books will be checked each Friday. First logbook check this Friday. |
| | 6th Grade | 7th Grade | 8th Grade |
| Monday, September 21, 2009 Computer Lab Day |
| Daily Launch | Visit the Web Quizzes section of our class website and take the Independent and Dependent Variables practice quiz. Your results will be shown instantly. This quiz is NOT for a grade! | Print out your FCAT Explorer report. Custom Report dates: 08/21/2009-09/18/2009 |
| Daily Mission | Science Fair: Students will continue to research and document sources in NoodleBib. Mrs. Flynt will be available to meet with any students as necessary. All Others: If you did not print your Ammonia Factory results on Friday, do that as soon as you finish your Variables practice quiz. Read and get started on today’s assignment: Writing a Scientific Hypothesis. | Science Fair: students will continue to research and document sources in NoodleBib. All others: Complete Interactives: Dynamic Earth Assignment. Take final quiz. Follow directions on assignment page about printing directions. If you did not take notes while you were going through the tutorial, go back and create classnotes for your Portfolio. Document key ideas and concepts presented in the tutorial. If/when you finish all the rest, visit: This Dynamic Planet/USGS. Read “Historical Perspective” and view all four “sidebar” sections. |
| Handouts | Writing a Scientific Hypothesis | Interactives: Dynamic Earth Assignment |
| Homework | Science Fair: Continue research. Add at least one additional NoodleBib source today. Be prepared to hand in revised Status Form with additional info by Wednesday. All others: Make sure Ammonia Factory and Hypotheses assignments are completed. | Science Fair: Continue research. Add at least one additional NoodleBib source today. Be prepared to hand in revised Status Form with additional info by Wednesday. All Others: Finish tutorial, take quiz, create classnotes for Portfolio. Classnotes due Wednesday. |
| Tuesday, September 22, 2009 |
| Daily Launch | Turn in Ammonia Factory to INBOX if you have not done so already! | Non-Sci Fair: Turn in quiz grades from Interactives: Dynamic Earth Assignment. Retakes will be averaged with first attempt. |
| Daily Mission | Introduce/review/discuss the two techniques that can be used to create scientific, testable, measurable hypotheses (Writing a Scientific Hypothesis). Review independent and dependant variables and show the different ways they can be represented in hypothetical statements. Students who began sentences yesterday were asked to share their hypotheses with their groups. Groups worked together to revise and write new hypotheses using both of the formats for constructing scientific hypotheses. Many examples were shared with the class for all students. | Finish graphing profiles for bathymetry boxes. Begin working on contour maps for bathymetry boxes. |
| Handouts | Writing a Scientific Hypothesis | |
| Homework | All: Finish revising your “Writing Hypotheses” sentences (you should have 10 hypotheses total when you are done). Then retake your IV/DV Practice Quiz (online web quiz). Science Fair: Status Forms with revisions, updates, additional info are due again tomorrow. | Quake Plotters: Start plotting last data set (9/18-9/21). Quake maps due Friday (should have all data from 9/5-9/21). Science Fair: Status Forms with revisions, updates, additional info are due again tomorrow. |
| Wednesday, September 23, 2009 |
| Daily Launch | All: Turn in “Writing Hypotheses” Assignment to INBOX. Make sure paper has correct heading and title. Science Fair: Turn in Status Forms with additional info, details, revisions, etc. (attach notes to Status Form w/ paper clip). | All: Make sure all bathymetry box profiles are labeled and complete. Boxes should be prepared for swapping tomorrow. Science Fair: Turn in Status Forms with additional info, details, revisions, etc. (attach notes to Status Form w/ paper clip). |
| Daily Mission | Current Events Assignment: Most students began working on a science-related current events reading and research assignment (follow link for details). Some students met with Mrs. Flynt for Small Group Review Session for Friday’s Test. (All students will participate in tomorrow’s review session.) Mrs. Flynt also met with Science Fair folks to review use of log books, discuss log book checks (first one is Friday), and introduce requirements for the Research Plan. | Pass back papers, calculate grades, and organize Portfolios (add first 5 Portfolio entries and fill out TOC). Review Cornell Notes format and allow students time to go back and add “quiz yourself” questions in margin notes of Mapping the Ocean Floor Classnotes and Ocean Bathymetry Classnotes. Students will also complete summaries for these notes. Introduce and investigate hypsographic curves and what type of information these graphs convey. |
| Handouts | Current Events Assignment | |
| Homework | Study assignments in your portfolio. Study quizzes online. Come prepared with questions or topics you want to review for Friday’s Test. Science Fair: Log Book check on Friday! | Study quizzes online and assignments in WIP section. Come prepared with questions or topics you want to review for Friday’s Test. Science Fair: Log Book check on Friday! | Quake Plotters: Quake maps due Friday w/ all data from 9/5-9/21!!! Science Fair: Log Book check on Friday! |
| Thursday, September 24, 2009 |
| Daily Launch | Organize caddies, clean tables, check mailboxes, organize binders. | Pass back papers in outbox and calculate grades. Organize Portfolio section of binder. | Set up notebook paper in Cornell format to begin taking notes. |
| Daily Mission | Students will finish reading and discussing What Is Science Packet. Main topics include the importance of replication and verification, using data to support rather than prove a hypothesis is true, and how weak hypotheses and anecdotal evidence can lead to pseudoscience. Instruct students in Cornell Notes format and allow time for them to write quiz questions in the margin of their notes and complete the summary on the last page. Marker Wars Review Session. Students will ask and answer questions on dry erase boards about topics related to tomorrow’s test. | Review session on the scientific method, variables, control groups and experimental groups, experimental design, and writing hypotheses. Thank you to 3rd period for the high-level, thoughtful questions that you asked today! We had an outstanding, engaging review session that covered a wide range of topics. No one in 2nd period had a prepared list of questions or topics that they wished to review. | Class will begin with opening scenes of Faces of Earth: Shaping the Planet (Science channel documentary). Pause video every few minutes to discuss content. Topics include East African Rift System (EARS) in the Afar Region of Ethiopia (and extends through Kenya-Uganda-Tanzania region), rift valley, triple junction, divergent plate boundary, fault scarp, benchmark, GPS triangulation. |
| Handouts | What Is Science Packet | | |
| Homework | Meet in Computer Lab 109 tomorrow. Study for test tomorrow. Science Fair logbook check tomorrow. | Meet in Computer Lab 109 tomorrow. Science Fair logbook check tomorrow. | Meet in Computer Lab 109 tomorrow. Quake Maps due tomorrow. Science Fair logbook check tomorrow. |
| Friday, September 25, 2009 Computer Lab Day |
| Daily Launch | Write homework in your agenda and then turn it into Mrs. Flynt. Make sure your name is CLEARLY indicated on the first page of your agenda. Then spend the first few minutes of class quizzing the person next to you and studying for your test today. Mrs. Flynt will tell you when to begin your test. | Write homework in your agenda and then turn it into Mrs. Flynt. Make sure your name is CLEARLY indicated on the first page of your agenda. Turn in quake maps to folder on back table. |
| Daily Mission | Science Fair: Research your project and start working on your Research Plan, including materials and procedures. Make sure you are documenting sources in NoodleBib and printing copies of sources for your reprint file. As you research, write all research notes directly in your logbook. |
| See Mrs. Flynt when done with quiz. You may be required to neatly re-type your 10 hypotheses and use color and different lines to identify the independent and dependent variables. When you have submitted your improved hypotheses assignment (if required), you may start working on your Environmental Science Binder Cover Page. | See Mrs. Flynt when done with quiz. You may be required to neatly re-type your 10 hypotheses and use color and different lines to identify the independent and dependent variables. When you have submitted your improved hypotheses assignment (if required), you may then start on History of Rocketry Research Questions. | Take progress monitoring quiz on Plate Tectonics. Review your instructions for Great Quake Shake-Up. Obtain quake map and begin work on letter to Secretary of State about earthquake patterns. |
| Handouts | | |
| Homework | All: Have a phenomenal extra-long weekend! |
| Science Fair: Write your problem and hypothesis in your log book. Try to identify your independent, dependent and controlled variables. Begin making lists of materials that you will need. |
