Something to Ponder

I know that it may seem months away but when you return in January, it will be time to start Science Fair! I tend to get a bit excited about this event because it is really all about you - what you want to research; what experiment you want to do; what your plan of action will be! Remember that we have changed the essence of the Science Fair to also include Engineering and Technology!

So, over the two weeks of break, please think about narrowing your topics down to 3 - 5 possible choices. You may NOT do anything related to chewing gum, stretchiness of mozzarella cheese, paper towels, learning to music test, taste testing, plants growing to music tests and batteries. Try to avoid social science experiments as there are a significant number of dependent variables in those types of testing situations. Also, any type of experiment with seeds is difficult in the winter months in CNY!

If you find something really neat, e-mail me! Merry Christmas to those of you who will be celebrating and have a great vacation.

Changes

An early gift from me to you!

I took out the 3-5 page paper on the "Value of a Species". You have enough to do next week as it is!

Homework Day 6, Day 1

1. Read pages 97 - 101.
2. Write definitions for the Key Terms on page 97.
3. Read the "Case Study - Darwin's Finches" page 98-99. Answer questions 1, 2.

Homework

Make sure that you finish the assignments that the sub gave you in my absence.

Day 4 and Day 5

Work on the full lab write-up for Detergents and Fertilizers as Pollutants.

Homework - Day 2, 3

Quiz - Section 3, Chapter 11

Homework - Days 4/6 and 5/1

1. Study the key terms in Section 2, Chapter 11 for a quiz next class.

2. For 10/21 (Even) and 10/22 (Odd), you need to turn in the following for your lab on Water Budgets:

a. Tables - 1 table for City Alpha and 1 table for City Beta. Make sure that you are producing those tables in Word. Do NOT use Excel for this lab.
b. Graphs - On graph paper, you need to produce 1 graph for City Alpha and 1 graph for City Beta. Those graphs should have two lines (one for precipitation, one for evapotranspiration). Use a different sheet for each graph!
c. Answer all the Analysis and Conclusion questions. Use COMPLETE sentences and make sure that your answers are reflective of your results.

Homework - Day 2/3

1. Please carefully read the lab packet! We will do this lab in class on Thursday and Friday. You will need to make your own tables and graphs in a word document as well as answer all the questions in that document. And yes, I do expect thoughtful, complete sentences!

2. Read Section 3 in Chapter 11 and write definitions for the key terms.

Homework - Day 6, 1

1. Craft a definition for the key terms in Chapter 11, Sections 1 and 2.
2. Read Section 2.
3. Page 283 - Section 2 "Review Questions". Please do questions 1 and 2.

Homework - Day 3/4

Read Section 1 in Chapter 11!
Even Day Classes - Mrs. Stewart's Alter Ego has appeared at MPH!!
Her name is Spammie and she has been known, on occasion, to use subliminal messaging with Mrs. Stewart. Mrs. Stewart thinks that Spammie may have suggested a POP quiz on the class notes. Hmmmmmm!

Homework Day 6 and Day 1

Test on Chapter 19 during next class. We will finish the Packaging Lab after you take the test.

Homework Day 4 and Day 5

End of Chapter Review

Please do questions 1 - 17 on page 501.

Chapter Test on Thursday for Odd Day class and Friday for Even Day class.

Homework-Day 2, 3

Please read Section 3, pg. 493 - 500. Write an explanation for the 3 key terms.

Homework

1. Read pages 481 - 492.
2. In your own words, write a definition for the 8 key terms for Section 1 and Section 2.

Assignment for Next Class

Please read pages 31 - 37 in your textbook.

Your First Set of Assignments

Welcome Back!

1. You need to get goggles - your own - and bring them to class by Monday, September 21 (even day) or Tuesday, September 22 (odd day).

2. Please review the handouts with your parent(s) or guardian.

3. Complete the 3 Observation Exercises handout that you received in class.

4. Read Part A and B handouts for next class - Wednesday, September 16 (odd day); Monday, September 21 (even day).

May and June Assignments

For the next four weeks, we will be working on activities in class.

May 11 - 14 - Build Power Houses and additional power devices to go with the houses.
May 18 - 19 - Calculating Calories from Sunlight
May 20 - 21 - Practicum Test
May 22 - 29 - Converting Water Power into Electricity
June 1 - 2 - Blowing in the Wind
June 3 - 4 - Mysterious Liquid from Area 51

LAB WRITE-UP

Black Can, Shiny Can

Full lab write-up. Make sure that you have a table, a graph and the analysis is in paragraph form!

Energy Unit

"The law of conservation of energy tells us that we can't get something for nothing, but we refuse to believe it." Isaac Asimov

What does Asimov mean when he says this? Check out the links to do a bit of pre-search before class.

www.energy.gov/forstudentsandkids.htm
www.iptv.org/exploremore/energy/energy_in_depth/sections/potential.cfm

Can you describe yourself using the meaning of the terms potential energy, kinetic energy and activation energy? Try it.

Science Fair

Be There or Be Square
7:00 p.m.
Remember that you need to stay in the gym, with your board, for the evening.

Homework

1. Read Chapter 10.
2. Quiz on Chapter 10 will be on March 19/20.

An important note on Science Fair Assignment #7 - I will NOT accept any more rough drafts for proofing. The deadline has passed!

This Week

Some great things are happening this week! We move into the study of populations in Chapters 8, 9, and 10. With those chapters, you will perform three labs - The Fox and Mouse lab, Yeast Growth, and Population Growth lab (graphing lab). If you have class on Tuesday or Thursday mornings, Ms. Benevento will be teaching your class.

Be sure to pick up your folders and Assignment #6. I don't have too many folders so I hope that many of you have played catch-up this past week. You need to have your experiment finished by March 2/3!

Coming up this week!

Don't for get to start your experiment! You can pick up your Science Fair folders this week along with the sign-off sheet for Assignment #4.

Plate Tectonics packet - You need to make sure that you have read Hand-outs #1, #2, #3 by the next class. Quiz on Wegener and Continental Drift notes is on February 4/5 (change from original dates due to snow day).

Science Fair #3

You need to write your project plan. You can only do this if you have had your topic approved and you have adequate research. It should include your purpose, hypothesis, materials list, procedure list, control, variable, and ideas about data charts and graphs. It has to be word processed. Remember that your materials and procedure may change as you work through your experiment.

Due - January 27-28

Reading

Please read pages 58 - 66 in your textbook.

Science Fair #2

Science Fair #2 is due on January 20, 21. You need three topic proposals that you have researched as possible topics for your project. You also need to remember to have a parent/guardian sign off on the timeline and your proposals.

Remember that you need to have only completed one proposal if I have previously approved your topic and have signed off on it.

Homework

For next class, please be sure that in addition to your new Science Fair folder, that you also have completed your chart and organized the data in that chart. Please begin to write your interpretation of your results. Remember that while this in considered "informal", you still need to use complete sentences and express yourself using scientific reasoning. You should be able to complete a few paragraphs.

New Assignments for a New Year!

Make sure that you have your info for the lab ready for Monday. What does this mean? You need to have one of three things - a printout of all the data that was collected on both days; or everything on a flash drive or e-mailed to you; or a hand-written chart.

YOU DO NOT NEED A GRAPH. The only assignment on Wednesday and Thursday was the quick one to get the info that you were given into the chart. Don't have all the info? E-mail me at pstewart54@gmail.com and I will send it to you so that you can add it to your chart.

For Thursday/Friday, please bring in a 3 clip, 2 pocket folder for the first assignment for Science Fair! Yes, it begins. If you have any ideas about a lab or project, we will conference about those ideas the week that we return. We will research in class and out of class for the week so that you can begin to formulate ideas.