Tuesday Pictures, hangers, sundials, scientist reports

There is a lot going on right now. Student need to get their pictures in, they were due last week. Sundials were due today. If they are not turned in today, they will lose points. Hangers are for a project in May. The scientist report rough draft is due on Thursday. I will keep any student who wants to stay for study hall on Wednesday to help them get it done.

Today was ISATs again. Tomorrow will be the last day for 6th graders except for make-ups.

Monday ISATs

Students took their Language ISAT today. For those who had science today we learned about the rock cycle and handled and described the different types of rocks. We reviewed the properties of rocks and Mohs hardness scale.

Sundials are due tomorrow. They were assigned five weeks ago and we have had plenty of sunny week-ends to get them done. Please, get them in at the start of class. The rough draft on the scientist report is also due this week, on Thursday. Please staple your rubric to your report so I can grade it appropriately. Finally, we need wire hangers. Please bring one for yourself and one for a friend.

Sleep early and eat well to prepare for tomorrow's ISAT.

Thursday

The school had their three screen assembly today. It is used to encourage kids to stay away from drugs and alcohol. It also encourages the students to take care of each other.

Sundials are due on Tuesday, scientist reports are due on Thursday. Please get them in on time or the score will be 60% of your earned grade. Please get them in.

Today we talked about different soil types and how to take care of our water. Students then drew a picture showing the water-table, horizons, and how pollution can damage what we drink.

Wednesday - pictures are late

We learned about how mountains and soil are made. We learned about fold mountains, fault mountains and plateaus. The students took clay and built all three types of mountains. Finally, we had a glacier exhibit so students could identify the names of the debris left by glaciers.

Tuesday - pictures or picture money is now past due

We are learning about rocks. This is an interesting unit as we can look around us and see exactly what we are talking about, no field trip needed. (Although that would be even more interesting) I am encouraging students to look around them and see how soil is being eroded and deposited by our spring runoff. It is easy to see that the faster moving water can carry larger particles.

Today we watched a ppp about erosion and deposition. We learned about four different ways sediments move. We learned about young and old rivers and about glaciers.

Students will be working on their scientist reports as homework. Remember the rough draft is due April 28th. The earlier you get it in, the sooner you get it back. The sooner you get it back the faster you can fix your report and then all the pressure is gone. Please, do not wait until the last minute.

The 6 weeks you have had to do your sundial are nearly up. Get it done, should be sunny on Friday!

Monday

We took the day to work on our scientist reports. Students used the Internet, encyclopedias and books to find their information. Three rough drafts were turned in this morning. Please, get these done as correctly and quickly as possible. Putting them off to the last minute usually brings a lot of frustration.

Quite a few more sundials were turned in. Make sure you mark to the end of the line and write each hour so I can check them. If the shadow goes past your paper, tape another piece on and go to the end of the shadow.

Thursday sundials and scientist reports - parent signature paper

Please get your sundial done this week-end. You have one more week, but that will be all. We have had many turned in, but time is running out.

Today we started on our scientist reports. Students chose their scientist and we went to the library to find information. Those who could not find enough either chose a new scientist or will look online. I did find a few sources for those who could find nothing in the library.

Parent signature papers also went home. These are to help parents understand this paper and what needs to happen. Please make sure your parents read and sign and that you return that paper. I need to know that parents will understand how to help appropriately. The rough draft must be in on Thursday April 28th. The final draft must be in May 12th. As my daughter is getting married that week-end, I doubt they will be graded until the following week. But they must be in the box on the 12th.

Wednesday

We built buildings today to see what types of structures could withstand an earthquake. The buildings were made of three different types of material and then we shook the desks to see which stayed together the best. The shaking started small and then increased.

We discussed P and S waves. We learned why scientists think the earth has different layers, it has to do with P and S waves. We also watched a clip of a Bill Nye video on earthquake waves and also a short youtube video on earthquake waves. Students learned about the Mercalli and Richter scale for measuring earthquakes. The Mercalli scale measures earthquake damage while the Richter scale measures the magnitude of the quake. This is interesting information and the students are really enjoying themselves.

Tuesday - Sundials are due April 26th - Time to get them done

Students started class today with a quiz on last night's reading. It should be in powerschool by tomorrow. Today we learned about the makeup of the earth. First we covered the crust, mantle and core. We talked about how big 5 kilometers are. Then we added the words lithosphere and athenosphere. Last we watched a short youtube on earthquakes which showed the plates and talked about how the mantle, volcanoes and earthquakes affect us for good.

Students received their spring pictures today. We had a discussion about why scanning their pictures and then giving the pictures back to the studio is dishonest. We also discussed that is just like stealing to either copy or keep the pictures without paying for them. We likened it to buying a prom dress, wearing it to the prom, and then returning it. Please make sure that the pictures are returned promptly if you are not going to keep them, or that the money is paid quickly so we can get everything sent back to those who did the work.

Monday -quiz on tonight's reading will be tomorrow

We began studying about volcanoes today. We reviewed the three types of volcanoes and discussed the parts of volcanoes, the vent, crater, magma chamber and lava. Then each team received clay and made all three types of volcanoes. They included the four parts of the volcano and then teams exhibited their volcanoes to the class.

Next, we moved to Youtube and watched a National Geographic film on how volcanoes are made. Then we watched three short youtube films on shield, composite, and cinder cone volcanoes.

Finally, students have homework tonight, they are to ready D28-D38. Instead of having written homework, we will have a quiz on their reading at the start of class.

Wednesday and Thursday

On Wednesday and Thursday I was sent to meetings in Pocatello teaching us the aspects of TIA, Total Instructional Alignment. It has to do with the new common core standards and is an effort to make sure students are learning the appropriate information at the appropriate grade level.


Students had a substitute who took care of things nicely. On Wednesday they watched Plato on Earthquakes. It is a very good instructional site. On Thursday students worked on their posters.

Tuesday after Spring Break

Spring break was lovely and mostly sunny. Many students are turning in their sun dials after our lovely break. Today we saw the ring of fire and how scientist think Pagaea looked. Then we watched all the continents move around into their current places. It is kind of fun. We talked about the reasons that Alfred Wagener came up with the theory of continental drift. We learned the words divergent and convergent boundaries. We also learned that subduction is when a heavier plate goes under a lighter plate often causing volcanic activity. Weed essays need to be in their finished condition, typed and ready by Thursday.

I will be gone to meetings in Pocatello on Wednesday and Thursday. Students have been reminded that good behavior for a substitute is the only acceptable behavior. They have also been reminded that bad behavior will result in their participation grade being dropped dramatically. We are teaching more than science, we are teaching acceptable behavior.

Wednesday and now . . . Spring Break

We finished our movie today and discussed how to be prepared. We discussed the different catastrophes that could happen here and talked about the fact that if we are prepared we do not need to be afraid. Students told of different things they could do so their families would be prepared. It was a good discussion. We also cut out the continents of a world map. We will use those next week when we talk about continental drift and Pangaea.

Spring Break is upon us. We will be out Thursday and Monday. Remember to do your sundial when it is sunny. Anchor a paper to the ground or other stationery object. Anchor a stick or pencil oo the paper. (clay works good - or just stick it in the ground) Every hour draw the line your stick makes. Make sure to draw to the end of the shadow. Label the hours. It must have five markings on it. Remember, this might be the last good weather we have so get it done now.

Have a great break!

Tuesday - fix tests due tomorrow

We watched a movie today that teaches about earthquakes. Students took notes writing down the names of the scientists and what their jobs were. We recorded four different earthquakes and their magnitudes. We discussed how an earthquake in California would affect people in Idaho. We will finish the last few minutes of the movie tomorrow.

The tests from last week were returned today. Students that want to fix their tests will be required to hand them in at the start of class tomorrow. All the sentences must be complete sentences, (even on the a-b-c-d questions) The reason for this is to teach the student the information they did not know. Correct spelling is also required. The test must be stapled to the new answer sheet or I cannot correct it fairly. Students will receive 1/2 points on each incorrect answer. Students will lose 1/2 point for each misspelled word. Remember, the answers need to be correct.

Monday - started Weed Essay

Today, after taking notes on D1-D17, students began working on their Weed Essay. The final essay is due on April 7th at the start of class. The essay must be five paragraphs and discussing what students have experienced with weeds, how to know more about weeds, how to get rid of weeds, and how weeds affect the world we live in. Spelling, punctuations, originality will all be judged. Then, the ten best essays will be sent off to be judged. There is a class grade for the essay. Any essays not in on time will not be eligible for the judging and will be graded at 60% or less.

Reading to be finished this week includes D1-D27. We are studying earthquakes.

I hope to send home the tests tomorrow. It will depend if one student finishes his test today.

Thursday

This morning the people from Bear Lake Soil and Water Conservation came to teach our students about animals and taking care of our planet. They had people from Soda and maybe Preston come too. The students get to make paw prints and learn some important information about nature.

This afternoon we will have a speaker telling students about a weed essay that will be required for them to write. We will take one day in class to work on it, after that, it is homework. They are also to make a poster. The poster will be done only in class. Please be cautious while working on your essay. Plagiarism will earn a zero.

Wednesday

We took our test today. We prepared for it yesterday so if the students took notes and studied the information from yesterday's class, they should do well Tomorrow the students will have a class taught by the Bear Lake Soil and Water Conservation District. They will have a weed paper to write and a poster to draw. They should also have a lot of fun.

Remember to do your sundial - it is due April 26th.

Tuesday - test tomorrow

It was picture day today and we were just fortunate, with all the snow, that the photographers arrived. And even better, we were done with first hour test prep before they called the 6th grade. We did review for the test today. Students were given every test questions, in their teams, they had to decide on the answer, write it down, and get it into the bucket before time ran our. Then I read the correct answers and the teams received points.

The purpose of a test is to determine if a student learned all that is required. Knowing this information is much more important than the grade. The grade just shows if they learned the information completely enough. This information will help them as they progress to the different years of science. The more they learn now, the easier life will be in their future science classes. It just takes time and effort, as do all worthwhile things.

Monday - pictures tomorrow

We reviewed what we have learned about Newton's three laws of motion and the simple machines. Tomorrow we will review the information that will be on the test. Wednesday is the test and on Thursday we have the people from Bear Lake Soil and Conservation coming to teach the students. The only homework we have this week is to study for the test so make sure you bring your books and notes home so that you can study.

Thursday - sundial assigned

Students received their instructions for the sundial. The sundial is not due until April 26 so that we can find a few good sunny week-ends. This Friday is supposed to be good and that is why I assigned it so early.

Basically the instructions are: Put a short stick, pencil or other straight object in the bottom of a paper. Turn the paper so that the straight object makes a shadow on the paper. Mark North South East and West Set a timer and every hour go and mark the shadow - mark from the stick to the end of the shadow and write the time down. Five markings are required. Make sure the paper is in a safe place and anchored so it doesn't blow away or is not attacked by the family pet.

In class we corrected last night's homework. Then we did a review of simple machines on Edhead.

Wednesday - homework due tomorrow - at the start of class

The rain is really making the snow melt fast, but we are learning about Newton's laws and simple machines. Today we finished the last on Newton's laws on Plato. We also began studying about simple machines. We discussed levers, incline planes, screws, wheel and axle, gears, pulleys, and wedges. Tomorrow we will go more into depth on these simple machines.

We watched a short clip on a mechanical engineer who works for NASA. This is an effort to show students different types of work that a good science background can lead to.

Students had about twenty minutes of class time to start their homework. The homework is F 46 1-15 and F 92 1-15. All answers must have complete sentences and the words must be spelled correctly. This is due at the start of class tomorrow. Any student who does not have their homework completed will call home so that parents are a part of this learning process.

Tuesday

Students watched Plato today to review Newton's laws. We only managed to review two of the three laws of motion. We learned how to calculate momentum and more about inertia. I will put this plato page up for students to access.

Spring pictures are coming next week. Students do not have to pay for these before hand. A paper will be sent home today or tomorrow.

Monday

Today we talked about the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Then we began our work on Newton's laws of motion. Each team was to come up with an example of each of the three laws and then act them out in front of the class. The students did quite well. Then students finished their graphing of the motion of the cars.

Wednesday - homework due tomorrow!!

Today we got a lot of checking done. Students checked their test/activity from last week and Monday's homework assignment. We did it this way as the school play is this afternoon and we will be missing some students.

Don't forget the work sheet on Force and Motion that is due tomorrow. You also need to have read from F1-F31.

Spelling does count. The first tri-mester you were warned to spell words correctly. In the second trimester you lost 1/4 point for each misspelled word. This trimester you will lose 1/2 point for each misspelled word. The words are right there in the book, take the time to spell them correctly. You are always thanked when you ask how to spell a word. Take the time and the trouble to do it right.

Tuesday - homework due Thursday -Force and Motion worksheet

We covered a lot of ground today. Students were handed homework that will be due on Thursday. Many students are in the play and will not be in class tomorrow, so I gave them the homework today so they will have time to finish it. We did a tug-o-war and learned about net forces, balanced forces and unbalanced forces. Then we started the first part of a two part assignment. We raced cars down a track. Students took the time of where the cars were at different distances from the start. The information was written on the back of their graph. Tomorrow we will plot this information on a graph. Students that will be gone tomorrow will need to make this up during study hall.

Monday - homework due tomorrow

This week will be a little confusing. Today many students are out working on the play. Wednesday those same students will be gone all day and our classes will be shortened so the students can watch the play. The play does look quite good, in the little bit that I have seen.

Today we watched a "touch table" online. It was created to help students learn geography, but it is also helping in defense, medicine and many other areas. The students were quite impressed with the touch table.

In class we reviewed finding speed, velocity and acceleration. Next we went to the lab and demonstrated the effects of gravity and force on a little toy car. We could see that although the law of inertia tells us that an object in motion will stay in motion unless acted upon by another force, there are many unseen "other forces."

Homework tonight is to read F5-15 and do 1-5. If your student needs help, please guide them, but make sure they are doing the actual work. Check their spelling, check for complete sentences and legible handwriting, but they need to do the work.

Thursday

We finished our activity test today. Monday we will be going ahead on speed, distance, acceleration and velocity. We are also starting to talk about the different jobs people who learn science might want to do. I want students to know that there is a reason to learn, a reason other than grades. Grades just measure what we were supposed to learn, but what we actually learn is what matters.

Wednesday

We are ending one unit and starting a new one today. Students joined with their team to answer 25 questions concerning the areas of physical science that we have covered so far. The questions ranged from pH levels, to electricity, heat and magnets. We are continuing to cover atoms in class with our notes.

While the students were working I took one team at a time into the hallway to teach them about calculating average speed. Students predicted how long it would take them to walk, and then run, 20 meters. Then with two team members at the end of the 20 meters timing them, the students first walked and then ran the 20 meters. In class tomorrow we will determine the average.

Tuesday - end of unit

This is the end of the unit on matter, mass and energy. Today we will review the electricity side of the unit. We will not have a test on this unit, instead, tomorrow we will do a team investigation on electricity and magnetism. We will also start the new unit on motion, work and machines.

Students do have homework tonight. They are to read F6 - F15 and be able to verbally answer the questions at the top of each page. They also are to understand the yellow words, it will come in handy tomorrow as they participate in an activity.

Monday

After notes we corrected 140-141. Then we learned about why it is important to first, stay away from drugs and alcohol and why. We stay off of drugs and alcohol because we have important work to do in our lives. It is harder to do that work if our minds aren't learning what they need to when they are young. Then we saw a story about a little boy, who through no fault of his own, developed leukemia. We watched his progress and talked about those who had gone to school, earned a good education, and were able to help this sweet little boy and his mother fight to overcome the disease. We do not go to school to get good grades. We go to school to get a good education, grades are designed to show if we are doing that. I hope the students took away the idea that they can make a difference in other people's lives if they will just stay with their education and work hard.

Thursday

Today is the last day of the trimester. Grades should be coming out Wednesday or Thursday. You will get the grade that you have worked for. Today is a little unusual. The last basketball game of the year starts at one so the students will have shorter classes today so they can go to the games.

In science we had a homework assignment due today. We will correct it on Monday. It will go on next trimester's grades. Students also were to turn it the paper that tells us when to contact a parent when the student hasn't finished their homework. This is an effort to keep parents notified about what is going on.

Today we are doing a bit of a review about the past year's learning. It was a long time ago that we studied invertebrates and cells, but we want the students to remember the most important aspects of what they have learned.

Wednesday - homework

Today we learned about the magnetic field around the earth. We learned that the aurora borealis or northern lights, come from solar winds hitting the earth's magnetic field. Then we went to Youtube and watched what the aurora borealis can look like. It is beautiful. The students had the choice of finishing their periodic tables and biomes, which they have been working on all trimester, or doing their homework, 140-141 complete sentences (c.s.) and correct spelling (sp) are required. The handwriting needs to be neat enough for me to read it without working hard.

I also sent home a paper that requires signing by a parent or guardian. Parents have voiced concern that they do not know how their child is doing. When a student does not turn in their work I will have them call their parent right then. I hope that this immediate response will encourage them to get their work in and done on time. I am asking for a name and a number to call. If it is a bad time, let me know when a better time would be and I will have the student come in, either during lunch, during study hall or after school. I sincerely hope that this reduces the number of times that work is not turned in. Students in fifth hour did not receive the note, they will tomorrow.

Tuesday after President's Day

We are turning a nail into a magnet by using a battery and a coil of wire. We are also using a battery, a couple of safety pins and two magnets to make a motor. Then students got to experiment at their desks feeling the force of magnets. Finally they filled out a paper to find out how much they have learned about magnets.

It is at this time of year students come asking for extra credit. It is really too late for that. Students had the chance to correct every test they took home. Those test could bring their grades up dramatically. They had in-class work to help their grades and homework assignments with time in study hall to complete the work. The important question students need to ask themselves, have I done the work I needed to do to LEARN the material. The grade matters, but what is more important is did the student learn the material. A few extra points will not help the learning process and that is why they are here in school. I hope they learn that they need to get their work done well and in on time.

Thursday - no school on Monday

Good morning, remember that Monday is President's Day. I hope that you will do something to honor those who have served in that office. Did you know that George Washington didn't even want to be president. After he had run the army for all those years he just wanted to stay home and run his plantation. He said to the men that came to encourage him to run, "Haven't I given enough for my country?" And then he went and did what needed to be done. We could learn quite a lesson from him.

Today we corrected the homework from Wednesday. Then we started to learn about magnets. We talked about some of their properties, which elements are magnetic, and why some items respond to magnets and some do not.

Wednesday

Today we reviewed circuits and then watched the explanation on Plato to check to make sure that everyone understands the concepts. Students then drew a four stage cartoon to show electricity safety.

Homework was handed in by most of the students. However, we will not grade it until everyone hands their paper in. Those that are late will only get 60% credit of their correct answers.

Tuesday homework

We learned about circuits today and turned in the stories. Homework was page E113 1-5. Remember to use complete sentences, start all sentences with capital letters and end with the correct punctuation. Stories will be turned back shortly.

Monday finish your story

Today is the Valentine's Dance. We are using study hall and five minutes off of each class so students can have their dance. Students also will be allowed to participate in an activity if dancing is not something they like.

Students wrote a story today indicating what would happen after one day, one week and then one month without electricity. The three paragraphs are due tomorrow.

Thursday

Today was our last Project Northland. Mrs. Bloxham showed a movie about the effects of tobacco. The movie shows the faster aging process, the dangers of smokeless tobacco, and the effect of emphysema on those who smoke. The goal is to encourage students to choose not to smoke and lead a healthier life by making that choice. There was also a brief discussion about drinking and driving and the effects that can have on many lives. Last week-end a Utah teen was found dead in a field after a night of drinking. Another teen had noticed his wallet was missing and went to the field where he had been drinking with his friends. He discovered the body of one of his friends and another friend was also there suffering from hypothermia. Fortunately the hypothermia victim is recovering. Our goal is to teach these students, while they are young, that they have choices, but those choices do not just affect them.

Wednesday

All the students who fixed their tests turned them in today. It is getting close to the end of the tri-mester and every bit helps.

We learned about static electricity today, how lightning works and how electrons jump across to meet with the protons. Then we played the lightning game where each student had a card positive or negative. Then they played the part of electrons and protons during a lightning storm. It was fun and hopefully the students learned about the law of electric charge.

Project Northland is due tomorrow.

Tuesday -Fixed tests are due tomorrow at the start of class

Today we are learning about how electricity works and how electricity moves through different materials. We practiced finding the difference between insulators and conductors. Then we watched the Plato section on Electricity Circuits and Power. We will finish the electricity section tomorrow. If you want to watch this go to Plato.blsd.net Then for your Plato name put in your last name and first name with no space between them. In the group name put 2017, and in the password, type in your student number.
Remember, Plato only works on Internet Explorer. It will not work on Google Chrome or Firefox
Plato name: smithsamuel (your last name first name all lower case)
Group name: 2017 ( this is the group name for 6th graders)
Password: 217000 (use your regular school password)

If this is not working, please contact me here and I will try and fix it.

Tests were returned today. They must be returned tomorrow at the start of class or they will not be accepted. All questions, that includes multiple choice, matching, completion and short answer. All must have complete sentences. The words also must be spelled correctly. Students only do the questions they got wrong.

Monday

Students corrected their tests today, I will look over them and make sure they are accurate, then they will take the tests home and, for 1/2 credit, fix their mistakes. That should be Tuesday or Wednesday depending on how well they corrected the tests.

We learned about static electricity today by pulling two pieces of tape off of the desk and then holding them close to each other. The tape pieces were repelled by each other indicating that they had the same charge. Then we put one piece of tape on top of the other and pulled those apart. The pieces of tape moved together indicating that the pieces of tape had opposite charges.

If you were absent and have not taken your test it is your responsibility to come in and get it done as quickly as possible. The tests are available and I will remind students, but they must come in.

Project Northland is due on Thursday. It is required and worth 5 points, please get it in early.

Thursday

It is still pretty cold outside, but fortunately we got to come to school today. It was Project Northland and a group of 8th graders taught the students about the dangers of tobacco. They also brought in pig lungs. One was healthy, you could see it move when the air was blown into it. But the tobacco damaged lung did not move. The students had the opportunity to feel both lungs (they wore gloves) and feel for themselves what smoking does to your lungs. Then Mrs. Bloxham went over their Slick Tracy book with them. It is homework and will be due next Thursday. Finally I told them about my dad and the suffering he went through after 50 years of smoking.

We are trying to teach the students to make healthy choices, choices that you will never have to regret. We want them to get a good education, and that includes both mind and body.

Wednesday Brrr -28 was the low!

We aren't having school today because it was too cold. Did you try and start your car? Did it work? Mine wasn't happy about starting. Remember to do your reading and finish Project Northland so it can be turned in on Thursday. Stay warm!

Tuesday

Students took the test today. We will correct it tomorrow and then move on to electricity. Those who finished early could have finished the homework during class. They were to read E94-105 and know the answers to the questions in red at the top of each section and those at the end of the chapter. Students are not required to write the answers at this time. It will depend on how well they know the answers when we discuss it in class tomorrow.

Monday - test tomorrow

On Friday our Project Northland instructor came in and talked to the students about ways to be smart and avoid drugs and alcohol abuse.

Today we did a worksheet and lab to study for the test. Students went to different stations and answered questions that corresponded to the test they will take tomorrow.

Wednesday - homework - test next Tuesday

Students did their notes this morning, the questions made them really stop and think. Then we finished the project from yesterday. The teams circulated and discussed and wrote what they had learned for the last month. Next they started their homework assignment E92-93. They were reminded to answer all of the questions, even 11-15, in complete sentences. Spelling must be accurate. Students will loose 1/4 point for each mis-spelled word. Finally we checked on our hot tub model to discover if putting black paper and a reflective piece on it would make the temperature rise more than just the reflective piece did yesterday.

We had a fire drill second hour today.

Tuesday

After correcting last night's homework and seeing the alternative energy projects, we proceeded to study for Tuesday's test. Different names, words and concepts were scattered throughout the room. Each team went around to write how much they already know about the words. Then we reviewed this as a class.

Make sure you get your Slick Tracy comic book finished, signed and returned in the box by Thursday.

Monday Homework

Students brought in a variety of devises to show models of alternative forms of energy. We had water powered generators and windmills. We had solar power used to heat a hot tub. After making and demonstrating their models the students worked on the their homework which is pg E91 1-5. Students are to have complete sentences and words are to be spelled correctly or they will lose points.

There will be a test on E1-91 on Tuesday, we will review on Monday.

Thursday bring project supplies on Monday

Today students attended Project Northland. They learned how to plan activities that are fun and have healthy refreshments.

Monday is the day our project is due. Students planned it out in class on Wednesday. Make sure you bring your supplies to make this work. Call the people on your team so they remember too.

Wednesday and project for Monday

After reviewing the difference between types of energy; kinetic and potential, heat energy transfers; conduction, convection, and radiation and sources of energy such as biomass, fossil fuels, nuclear, water, and solar, we learned how power gets to our homes.

Then we started our alternative energy project. The teams got together and decided what they would make a model of and who would bring the different parts. The project is to be a model of uses of alternative energies. Students sounded like they had some great ideas and were ready to go.

Students may start bringing supplies for their projects on Thursday so they will remember.

Tuesday

Students were asked to consider the different sources of energy that they use in their homes. We then discussed fossil fuels, biomass fuels, hydroelectric energy, nuclear energy, and solar energy including wind power.

We watched some short videos showing how these different sources of energy work.

Monday

We were half-way over the mountain when we finally were able to get KVSI and listened as Mr. Walters warned everyone to stay home as many of the back-roads were like sheets of ice and that buses were sliding off of the road. Our lessons this week will be about different sources of energy. Look around today and see if you can find what energy type is running your house.

Thursday and Project Northland

Today the students listened and participated in Project Northland, a project designed to encourage the students to stay away from unhealthy addictive substances.

The homework is to take home the Slick Tracy comic book and do the assignments with your family. This will receive a grade.

Wednesday

Students corrected their homework. Then we watched the cold fall from colored ice cubes and discussed pressure and changes in states of matter. We wrote down what the different changes were called and watched as liquid formed from boiling water.

Tomorrow we will be having our anti-drug and alcohol class.

Tuesday

Students have homework tonight and it is the same homework they had last week, E63 1-5. The goal is that students will understand the questions better and improve their grade by demonstrating that they have learned the material. The homework is due at the start of class in the morning.

Today we reviewed heat energy transfer and kinetic and potential energy by watching on Youtube; Eureka 24, 27 and 29 and then a clip of Hoodwinked which shows potential and kinetic energy. We also studied thermal expansion by placing a balloon in cold water. We observed that the balloon shrunk. Then the students came forward and placed the cold balloon in warm water. They could feel the balloon expand as it warmed up. Students were told that this is called thermal expansion.

Monday

After reviewing kinetic and potential energy on a youtube called Eureka 9 and Eureka 10, we went into the lab to learn about how heat energy can be transferred. We learned that electromagnetic radiation is the heat we feel from the sun. We learned the conductive energy transfers due to direct contact. Students felt a spoon placed in boiling water and noticed that the spoon became warmer. We also used a lava lamp to show convection. Students were asked about other types of convection in our homes and some realized that many furnaces uses convection to move heat around in our homes. Students also learned that the water cycle is based on convection. To study more about these three types of energy transfer read pages E 58-E59.

Thursday

Today students took the survey about drugs. We discussed different types of addictions. We also touched on pornography and bullying using cell phones and computers. We warned how important it is not to get involved in either of these issues.

Wednesday

Our new area of study has to do with work, energy and heat. Students are learning the difference between kinetic and potential energy. We discussed what a variable is and students were reminded to use their index and glossary so they can become learners. We learned about the properties of tin, a metal and a conductor of heat and foam, an insulator, which does not conduct heat. We discussed temperature, heat and radiation.

There is no homework tonight.

Tomorrow we will fill out the drug survey. This survey is to find out what students know about drug and alcohol abuse. We will talk briefly about avoiding things that can become addictions.

Tuesday

We learned about measuring volume today. Students were given different objects, a meter stick, a graduated cylinder and water. They were to find the volume of each object. Regularly shaped objects were measured length x height x width. The irregularly shaped objects were placed in a graduated cylinder that had water in it. Students recorded the height of the water before the irregularly shaped were placed in the graduated cylinder. Then they subtracted the first number of the water from the second number. The answers for volume were recorded in cubic centimeters.

There is homework tonight. Students are to read pages E50-E63 and, in complete sentences and correct spelling, answer the questions 1-5. This should prepare the students for our discussion in the next few days.

On Thursday we will begin with our unit on drugs. All students who have handed in the parent permission slip will take a survey to determine how much they know about the effects of drug abuse. They will take the same survey at the end of the unit to discover how much they have learned.

Monday

It is certainly a cold day to come back to classes. But it is nice to get things moving along. We are working on finishing our biomes and periodic tables today. Students are checking to make sure their work passes muster and then turning it in. We will be starting on E50.

Wednesday Merry Christmas

Hope you all have a Merry Christmas and a wonderful time with family. Merry Christmas!

Tuesday

Those students who have not had their parents sign the permission slip for Project Northland need to get it signed and turned in.

Today we corrected E48-E49. Students then worked on finishing their biomes and started on the periodic table.

Tomorrow students will have a movie and a dance. It will cost $1.50 for any student who would like pop and a candy bar.

Monday

We are working on finishing up a few things. First, we went to Plato and finished the presentation and worksheet. Next students worked on pg E48-49. When that is done they were to finish their Biomes. And finally, students started working on their periodic table. They are coloring it to show the different properties of each section.

The final decision for activities on Wednesday has not been made yet. I will post that as soon as we are sure. School on Wednesday will get out at 1:00 p.m.

Thursday

Students began working on answering questions on pg 48-49. Complete sentences are required. This is NOT homework as I am sure everyone will be too busy this week-end. We will complete it on Monday. We also went to askteacher.blogspot.com and reviewed the songs; A Mole is a Unit, Acids and Bases, and Something Called S.I.

The only homework is for students to notice physical and chemical changes happening around them. Physical changes, as I am sure you remember, are when the substance keeps its identity. But a chemical change is when a new substance is formed. Be ready to discuss this on Monday.

Tuesday and Wednesday

On Tuesday the substitute showed the student a Plato lesson on Atoms Elements Compounds and Mixtures. On Wednesday she helped the students make an atom and, if there was time, they should have started on coloring in their periodic table of elements. They also watched the high school play on Wednesday.

Monday

Today students had the chance to show what they knew about atoms. We discussed the parts of an atom, energy levels, how to draw an atom, and reviewed covent, ionic and metallic bonding. Then we reviewed acids and bases in the song and S.I. measurements.

I will be gone for two day. Students will study tomorrow using Plato and a worksheet. And, if I can find enough pipe cleaners, they will be making atoms and making a periodic table of elements on Wednesday.

Check out my links. A Mole is a Unit, Something Called S.I., and Acids and Bases are good songs to review your knowledge,

Thursday - bring back parent signed paper on Monday

We covered a lot of ground today. We lost the fight with the Internet and so went through the song, "Acids and Bases," by talking through it. Then we went and looked at our acid and bases experiment from yesterday. We observed chemical changes including color change and a precipitate was formed.
Then we came back to the class and learned about the parts of an atom, electron clouds and their energy levels. Then we talked about valences, which led into covelent bonding, ionic bonding and just a brief minute on metallic bonding. We will review this information on Monday.
Students have an opportunity to earn 10 points of extra credit on Monday only. They were all given a paper asking permission of the parent to allow them to participate in a survey. If it is returned on Monday 10 points, Tuesday 5 points, Wednesday 3 points Thursday 1 point. We really need the permission slips back.

Wednesday

We learned about Acids and Bases today. We watched a video on youtube to teach about acids and bases. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RF40cI2O16U
We learned that acids turn blue litmus paper red, acids are sour and they neutralize bases. Bases turn red litmus paper to blue, is slippery and bitter to the taste.

Then we went into the lab. We had a pH solution made of the water from boiled red cabbage. We poured different substances into the pH solution to see if they were acids, bases or neutral. It was especially interesting to watch Tide detergent change the purple liquid to yellow and orange juice changed the purple liquid red. Students would guess which color the pH solution would turn. They filled out a sheet to help them learn to recognize the pH scale.

Tuesday

We reviewed physical properties and physical changes today by correcting the assignment from class yesterday. Then we finished the ppp on atoms and elements.

Tomorrow we will be doing a rather interesting experiment on acids and bases.

Please remember to contact your family and friends to sign up for the school fund raiser. It is a nice way to do it just before Christmas as people will be shopping anyway.

Monday

We spent today reviewing the physical and chemical changes and physical properties of matter. Students completed a worksheet reviewing these concepts. Most of the students finished them in class. If they did not, the homework should be written in their planner.

Students also started a power point presentation on Atoms and Elements. We will finish that tomorrow and begin on pages E16-E27. This should take until Wednesday.

Students will be watching a play today, "The Christmas Carol."

Thursday

We discussed physical properties of objects. Physical properties are properties observed through the use of our senses. Some physical properties are color, hardness, luster, density, odor, conduction of electricity and sensitivity to magnets. We played a game, "I spy with my little eye," using the physical properties of objects.

Next we went into the lab and studied the difference between physical changes and chemical changes. Physical changes mean that the object does not lose its identity. Ice cubes melting, water boiling into steam, water freezing, tearing paper, drawing on paper, all of these are physical changes because the object is still paper or is still water.

Chemical changes create a new identity. Metal rusting, rust has different properties than metal, it is less dense and it changes color. We put baking soda in a bottle and vinegar in a balloon and then attached the balloon to the bottle. It was fun to see the balloon grow as a gas was given off. Then we answered the question, Why is the gas given off by boiling water not a chemical change, but gas given off by the baking soda and vinegar was a chemical change. Go to My Links on the right side and review the links of physical and chemical changes.

Please remember to get your fund raiser emails done. All people have to do is shop at the places listed and the school will earn money. It is so much safer than going door to door selling wrapping paper!

Wednesday

Today students were to bring in their fixed test. If you were ill yesterday, it is due tomorrow. Students whose grades were below a C came in during study academy to start work on their paper to assure they were doing it correctly.

Today we began studying on mixtures. We saw different mixtures and how they interacted with each other. Students then read in their teams about the physical properties of matter.

Report cards were handed out today. Students will also be taking home information on a fund raiser. I believe it is the one where you can register at specific sites and they will give money to the school.

Tuesday - homework - fix test

Students received their corrected tests back today. Those who are not pleased with their grades may correct each wrong answer to earn back half of their points. However, the answer must be correct, it must be a complete sentence, (a, b, c, d, t, f are not complete sentences) The sentence must be very specific. The work must be on a new sheet of paper and stapled to the test. Spelling must be correct. These rules help the student remember the material that they did not learn for the test.

Today we corrected homework, handed out oops cards and then played with the density of liquids. To see what we did you can go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3kodeQnQvU and watch a similar experiment. We also discussed mass, weight, density and volume.

Homework for tonight will be to fix your test. The fixed test must be turned in at the start of class Wednesday to receive credit.

Monday - test and homework - Good grief!

As students came into class today we began to review for our test. We went over all the vocabulary words and did the actions to help with any memory loss that occurred over the Thanksgiving Holidays. Students then took the test. We corrected the tests in class. I will review them and then hand the tests back to the students tomorrow.

On Tuesday students will take the tests home and fix them using correct spelling, correct answers and, as always, they must have complete sentences. True and false will not work. A B C D will not work. Each answer must have a complete sentence. The purpose of this is to teach the student the answer they did not know.

Homework tonight is reading E 2 - 15 and doing, in complete sentences, 1-5 on E 15. This is due at the start of class tomorrow.

Happy Thanksgiving

Since school was cancelled yesterday due to the blizzard, I wanted to let you know that we will be having the test on Monday after a review session. Grades had to be in by this Saturday so the test will be on next trimester's grades. I spent yesterday finishing the grades so the grade that is posted is your grade for the trimester. If you like it, remember next trimester to work just as hard. If you are unhappy with your grade, please make sure that next trimester you study more and come in for our study sessions. It is your life, and your future is determined by your actions today. Have a Happy Thanksgiving.

Monday - Cells and Biomes test tomorrow

We reviewed for the test today by having a matching game, one with the cells and one with biomes. Then students finished drawing their biomes. The test will be tomorrow. Students that have told me that they will be gone have been allowed to take the test early.

Thursday - test on Tuesday

Today we reviewed yesterday's information on a power point presentation. To review this read through pages B 71 - 128. This information is not on the test, but it is really interesting and good information to know.

We also reviewed the cells and biomes in preparation for the test. On Monday we will do a complete review for the test. Then the test will be on Tuesday.

Students will be out of school for Thanksgiving break starting on Wednesday next week. Go and do something kind for the people who take care of you everyday.

Wednesday + Homework

Students took home a paper tonight to check with family members of different genetic characteristics. They are to write down how many family members participate in seeing how many can roll their tongue or have a short first toe. There are ten or eleven things to test.

We discussed genetics today. We filled out the punnett squares and learned about genes, alleles on chromosomes.

The test on cells and biomes will be on Tuesday Nov. 23rd.

Tuesday - test in one week

Today we learned about mitosis and meiosis. Mitosis is when the nucleus of the body cells divide creating two daughter cells exactly like their parent cell. The daughter cells, in humans, have 46 chromosomes. Meiosis is when the nucleus of sex cells divide. But, since they can only have 23 chromosomes, they must divide twice leaving each with 23 chromosomes. To read about this go to pages B58-64.

We also broke open one of the eggs in each class. We could see the membrane and the nucleus.

Please work on knowing the parts of your biomes and cell organelles. These will be on the test.

Monday

The upcoming test will be on Tuesday, November 23rd. It will cover B1-B66.

Today we checked out our eggs. On Thursday we exchanged the corn syrup egg with the salt egg to see what would happen. The salt egg was down to 44 grams from 100 and the corn syrup egg was up to 99 from 38. Tomorrow we will break open one egg in each class just to see what the inside is like.

When we returned to class students began making charts to graph the progress of each egg in color.

Wednesday

We reviewed population, community, ecosystem, living and nonliving things today. Then we check our eggs to see if equilibrium had been attained or if diffusion was still occurring. Last the students took a quiz on the organelles they studied last night.

Tomorrow at 2:30 we will be having a Veteran's day assembly. Please remember this assembly is to honor those that fought to protect our beliefs and our country. We need to behave in the way we have learned to show support and honor to our veterans.

Tuesday

We checked on our eggs today. We have been studying diffusion and we are weighing the shell-less eggs to see if they are losing or gaining liquid. The egg in corn syrup lost almost 40 grams of liquid. The salt water egg gained 6 grams and the green water egg turned green and gained 4 grams. The shelled egg that we put in vinegar has lost its shell and is at 67 grams. We will weigh all the eggs daily and see what happens to them.

Today we discussed that living and dead things have cells, but non-living are things that never lived and so they do not have cells. However, living, dead and non-living things all have elements. We discussed the elements in the human body and the contents of the human cell. (B42-45)

We watched a Youtube on photosynthesis "Photosynthesis" by mediasemantics. Many students understand this concept so it was a review, but for some it was their first time through.

Monday

We went into the lab and started an experiment to learn about osmosis and diffusion. We take shell-less eggs and put them in water, corn syrup and a salt water concentrate. We will record the eggs weights starting and then every day. The students will also put a shelled egg in vinegar water to observe that.

Diffusion is when molecules move from an area of high concentration to lower concentration. Osmosis is the diffusion of water molecules.

We also reviewed the jobs of cell organelles. Students then were asked to write the cells jobs without looking. This will help prepare them for their test.

Thursday

There is no homework tonight. We corrected our homework, nearly every student got it done. That is good news. Then I handed out cards to each team. The cards had a cell's organelle listed on it. Each team had to figure out how to act out the function of the organelle and then we played charades. Some of the students were very good at this. Last we reviewed the parts of the organelles on Plato activities.

The student fixed tests and animal papers are corrected and the students should get those back on Monday. Two animal papers were not corrected as I am still waiting for the rubrics and first paper. The students have been reminded again to get those to me.

Wednesday + Homework

Today we looked at anatomy tissues and saw the differences. Then we went to Plato and learned about the organelles in the cell. If you want to go to your Plato account and review it, I will set it up.

Remember, your Plato name is your first and last name as one word with capitals on the first letter of your first and last name. Your group name is 2017 and your password is your student number. If it asks for the site ID it is 1002 Hope that helps.

There is homework tonight, read B1-B15 and answer the questions on B15 1-5 in complete sentences.

A reminder Plato only works on Internet Explorer.

Tuesday - computer mix-up

I apologize for missing the blog the last few days, apparently I signed in on my personal blog and that is where the updates went. For this I am sorry. I am sure that puzzled those who follow my blog.

Thursday I was gone to meetings in Boise, students watched a movie about reptiles and amphibians. We corrected that on Monday.

On Monday we reviewed the metric system, finished the Biome notes and finished watching the movie on amphibians and reptiles.

Today we are learning about cells. We reviewed the cell system, from cells > tissues > organs > organ systems > organisms. We watched a power point presentation on cells and started to look at tissue slices of hair, blood, and other slides that show the different make-up of our tissues.

Wednesday - tests may be fixed tonight

The tests were returned today. All students have the opportunity to fix their test. However, the test must be rewritten on a separate piece of paper. The paper must be stapled to the original test. ALL ANSWERS (even the matching) MUST BE IN COMPLETE SENTENCES or it will not be graded. The students know all of this.

Tonight at 7 p.m. there will be a fighting drug meeting at the school. The speaker talked to the students today and it was excellent. Please come tonight and bring your student with you. There will be prizes, but more importantly you will learn what is happening in Bear Lake. Please come.

In class today we practiced measuring using metrics.

All fixed tests are due at the beginning of class tomorrow. None will be accepted late unless the student is ill.

Tuesday

Today we took and corrected the tests in class. Students will receive the tests back tomorrow and will be allowed to correct their errors using ONLY complete sentences. Any answers not written in complete sentences will not be given any credit. The students will receive half credit for every corrected question.

There is no homework tonight. Tomorrow students are asked to wear school colors for drug free week. Thursday is costume day, no masks please.

Picture retakes will be November 2nd.

Monday test tomorrow

We played a game to review for the test tomorrow. Each table in the lab had cards on it to match. Each student was supposed to match the words to make certain they knew which invertebrate was a platyhelminthesis and that platyhemintheses are flatworms, planaria and tapeworms and that their main characteristic is that they are very very flat.
When we went back to the classroom we reviewed the words on the wall-paper. The students have prepared well for this test.

This is drug prevention red ribbon week. Today all students were allowed to wear hats to "Put a lid on drugs." Tomorrow to help them, "Live up to their dreams," students are allowed to wear sweats or pajamas that cover them. On Wednesday students will wear school colors to support the idea that, "our school is drug free." On Thursday they may dress in Halloween costumes that are school appropriate - no masks please. The theme on Thursdays is "Mash out drugs," and there will be a monster mash at the end of the day.

Thursday

Students gave their animal oral reports today, turned in posters and finished final draft. All who gave their report did very well, even though some were pretty nervous about the experience.

Monday we will begin reviewing for our test and Tuesday will be the test.

Monday starts red ribbon week to remind our students to stay away from drugs. On Monday students will be allowed to wear hats to school. On Tuesday sweats or modest pajamas are the accepted clothing. Wednesday students are to wear school colors and on Thursday students may dress in appropriate Halloween costumes with no masks. Classes will be cut by 4 minutes each and that will be added to our study hall time for either a dance or an activity.

Wednesday parent teacher conf/ Final draft tomorrow

Today we did a little reviewing for our test. We discussed the invertebrates, their classes, an animal that belonged in that class and the characteristics of the animal. Then we returned to the class and students began working on drawing the eight biomes.

Parent-teacher conferences are tonight from 4:30-7:30. Please invite your parents to attend.

The final animal report and poster are due tomorrow. We will spend the day doing oral reports.

Tuesday Final draft Thursday

We are learning about biomes so we went to the Youtube on biomes and using a chart we made in class, we listed all of the biomes and any information it had. Then we got ready to draw the biomes. The students also have biome information in their books B20-B29. Remember test on Tuesday of next week, final draft of the animal report is due Thursday Oct 21st. Please include your rough draft and your rubric.

Monday

The students were handed back their rough drafts today so they can have the final copy finished on Thursday when they will turn in their final report and poster. On Thursday the students will give oral reports of between 1-2 minutes.

We learned about cells today. We looked at onion skin and tomato skin through the microscope. We saw models of nerve cells, blood cells and muscle cells. Then we drew an animal and plant cell as seen in the book on pg B-39.

Remember

Thursday rough drafts in final due Oct 21

Today students are turning in their rough draft. If it is not in today students will lose half of their points. Any student that has plagiarized will lose all of their points. Hopefully they will do well on their final report and be able to bring their grade up. The final copy and poster are due on October 21st at the start of class.

We covered birds and mammals today. We watched a Lyre bird copy all sorts of sounds and a platypus swimming. Youtube can be a great learning tool if you are careful and screen everything first!

Next we covered metamorphosis. Students drew pictures of the stages of metamorphosis in a frog's life and that of a ladybug.

October 25th we will be studying for our test and October 26th we will take it. It will cover A36-A80.

Wednesday- rough draft due tomorrow

We took a little side turn today to watch the Chilean miners being saved after 69 days underground. We discussed the science necessary to drill down to the miners and build a working escape capsule. We also practiced note-taking again to avoid plagiarism on the reports. We have done this before, but after correcting some reports I decided we should practice a little more.

We discussed life spans and life expectancy and learned the difference. We learned that house flies live can live for 79 days while human's life span is 122 years while their life expectancy in the United States is 84 years.

The rough draft is due tomorrow. It will be returned on Monday and the final report will be due that Thursday, the 21st of October.

Tuesday

Hope you all enjoyed your day off yesterday!

Today we began working on characteristics of vertebrates. Teams used a handout and filled out the information they were sure of. Then we watched a few youtube short videos which showed different vertebrates in their natural habitat. We will finish this tomorrow.

Parent teacher conferences will be on Wednesday, October 20th. Please plan on having your parents attend.

Thursday - no school on Monday

Our topic today was endangered species. We discussed that people are really stewards of the earth. We need to take care of what we have without hurting mankind. We discussed the main reasons animals go extinct is predators, poaching, pollution, and disease. It is our responsibility to make sure that animals do not go extinct. Each team was given an animal that is in danger of extinction. They read about the animal and then came up with how we could take care that these animals are protected while being reasonable about it. We discussed that as stewards we must be wise in our decisions. We also discussed the story of the golden goose. Killing off any species might harm other species so we must learn all we can to help protect our stewardship. Each team then gave a report explaining how their particular animal might be protected.

Rough drafts are being turned in. Please get yours in early!

Parent Teacher conferences have been moved to Wed Oct 20th. Please calendar that.

Wednesday

Today the students practiced how to take notes for their report. I wrote a short paragraph on the board and the students pulled out the important information without copying the paragraph. Then we went to the library so they could find information for their animal report. Any student who has not found enough information must let me know tomorrow so I can help him/her find something.

Rough Draft Thursday Oct 14 or before - handwritten - double spaced - following the requirements on the rubric.

No school on Monday.

Tuesday 1st report

We had a busy day today. All papers have been handed back. Students were given the rubric for their animal report. The rough draft is due October 14th and the final draft is due Oct. 21. Both can be turned in earlier. I explained how to read information on the animal and outline that information so that the student is not plagiarizing. The report is to be a minimum of three paragraphs with approximately 8-10 sentences in each paragraph. The rough draft must be written in best handwriting. If I can see that the student can write clearly, then their final draft, and all other reports, may be typed. If they need practice handwriting, then they are not to type.

Parent-teacher conference will be October 14th. Please encourage your parents to attend.

Remember, there is no school on October 11th.

Monday

We are learning about vertebrates this week. Each team was given a specific animal model and was required to write down the information about the animal. Then the team presented that information to the class.

Students will be receiving their animal report rubric tomorrow. Parents, please look at it so that you know what is expected. Please allow them to do their own work, beware of plagiarism, check it over and make suggestions, but it must be their paper.