Thursday

I was in Salt Lake yesterday and so missed the blog. The students watched a movie and filled out a worksheet. The movie was on Reptiles and Amphibians.

Bacteria and Fungi were the topics of discussion today. We learned about the shapes of bacteria and the foods that are made from it. Then we learned about fungus and that it can be helpful and harmful. Then we went into the lab and tasted some foods made with fungus and bacteria. We grew some yeast, tasted sour dough, feta and blue cheese, yogurt, mushrooms and saw some kefir grains. The students could choose which foods they preferred to taste. Then we watched some youtubes seeing bacteria and fungus grow.

On Monday we will be starting on vertebrates. There will be an animal kingdom report paper coming home sometime next week. Please check that out.

Picture day is October 7th so make sure you are prepared for that.

Tuesday

Today did not go as planned, but we just changed plans a little. The goal was to practice measuring using the metric system and then correct our invertebrate chart. However, the measuring took longer than I had anticipated, which is fine, but we will not grade the chart until Thursday. I am having the student put the chart in their notebook so it will be safe. This is an advantage to those who didn't get the chart finished.

We are measuring using the Standard English system and the S.I. system. We have pictures of different invertebrates to measure. Since S.I. is used in Science, it is important that the students are as comfortable with S.I. as they are with the Standard English system. We will be doing this all year long.

I will be gone tomorrow afternoon and so the students will be watching a movie about Reptiles and Amphibians, as that is our next unit. Students will have a sheet to answer questions about the movie. On Thursday we will grade the invertebrate chart and finish up on Bacteria and Fungi. There are lots of food made from these two kingdoms and we will be doing some tasting.

Monday

Many students turned in their make-up test today. I should have those graded and in the system by Tuesday.

In class the students filled out a chart while studying about invertebrates. Those who did not finish the chart in class have it as homework tonight. Not all of the information is in the book, but what is there, they are expected to add to the chart. I will help them fill in the blanks tomorrow as we learn more about symmetry and circulation. Anyone who is is worried about their chart can see me before school, during SSR, during lunch or after school today for a little help.

I will be gone in the afternoon on Wednesday. The students will have a movie and a quiz to take during the movie. I am not worried about behavior, but just in case someone decides to be unkind to my substitute, they will receive a zero for the day. I am not worried about any of the students, just a word to the wise.

Thursday

The test is over, graded and handed back. The students received a paper attached to their test for parents to read, sign, date and return no later than Monday. (if it comes in Monday the student gets 10 points.) The paper explains how to fix their test and receive half credit for every question they fix. The questions must be in a complete sentence. Punctuation and spelling must be accurate. I must be able to read it, and most importantly, the answers must be correct. I will re-grade the papers and hopefully the grade will improve.

If this paper is not to me at the beginning of class on Monday, then I will not take it. This is an opportunity for the student to learn some things he/she didn't learn the first time around. The purpose is for learning. The extra points are for encouragement.

Today we learned about protists and how they move. Take a look at the links on the right for a few youtube videos on Protists.

Wednesday

We took our first test today. Yesterday I begged the students to write down any questions or answers that they didn't know. It is clear which students did that and which did not. Some did very well, others did not.

However, there is an escape from a poor grade. Students will be allowed to take their tests home tomorrow. Then, for every question that they missed, they must write a complete sentence with the correct answer. They will receive half of the ponts they missed and that will be added to their score. If the paper is returned without complete sentences, they will receive no points. If the answers are wrong, they will receive no points. This plan enables the student to learn the material he did not get at first and to improve their score. This paper will be due on Monday - no excuses.

Tuesday - test tomorrow

Today we finished the movie on seeds and handed in the seed movie paper. Students had their Six Characteristics of Life rubrick returned to them and their pre-test. You may notice a lot of spelling, punctuation, capitalization and handwriting corrections on each page. Science requires exactness and I hope to help the students learn to be precise in their work.

We spent the last half of the period reviewing for the test. Students were told to write down the question and answer of any of the test questions that they did not know immediately. They were also encouraged to take their book and notebook home tonight to study.

Monday

We corrected Thursday's work and then immediately began watching a movie about seeds. The movie shows the many different ways seeds are transferred from place to place. We will finish the movie tomorrow and then begin to prepare for our test on Plants and Seeds A1-A35. The students have been encouraged to take their notes and books home so they can study for the test.

For the review, we will go over every question of the test. The student will be allowed to take notes on the review. The test will be on Wednesday.

Thursday

Today each team worked together to answer the questions on pgs A34-A35. They were allowed to work with their book opened and talk about the answers. Anyone who did not complete the assignment must finish it at home. Now, a warning, questions 16-20 are difficult. If the student does their best to complete these with thought out answers, they will receive full points. They might have to explain to me where they are coming from, but if it makes any sense at all, it will get full points. This has been explained to the students.

This paper will be corrected first thing Monday morning. After that we will watch a movie on seeds that will last into part of Tuesday. We will then review for the test. The test on A1-A35 will be given on Wednesday unless something interferes. So plan on a test on Wednesday. We will review every question on Tuesday and the students will be allowed to write the questions and answers down to study.

Wednesday

Today we reviewed the last plant division, gymnosperms. These include conifers, cycads, gingko biloba and gnetophytes. We then took apart a pine cone to find the seeds inside.

Homework tonight is to read A22-A33.

Tuesday

Today we reviewed bryophytes and learned about ferns and horsetails. Did you know the pioneers used horsetails to scrub their pots and pans? We learned about sporophytes and gametophytes which are how plants reproduce. We did an experiment, one with moss and one with celery. This allowed us to observe how non-vascular and vascular plants transfer water and nutrients in different ways.

There is no homework tonight although if any student has any pine cones that we could dissect, they could bring those tomorrow.

Monday

Today we learned about angiosperms, plants with enclosed seeds. Angiosperms are the only plants with flowers. The angiosperm breaks into two groups, dicots and monocots. After learning about the differences we went to the lab and tried to identify the differences.

There was no homework tonight.

Thursday

We are ending the week by learning about the classification system. Did you know that there only used to be two kingdoms, Plants and Animals? Now there are five, or six depending on the author. We have Animals, Plants, Monera (which sometimes is divided into two kingdoms, eubactera and archaebacteria) Protist and Fungus.

Today we learned the differences between the plant and animal kingdom. The students looked at different pictures and the captions from the book and, as a team, decided what characteristics the animals and plants had. Then we made patterns from monocot and dicot leaves so the students could tell the difference. We also drew pictures of a moss plant.

Homework: each student is to bring a leaf for Monday (if they forget till they arrive at school, the school grounds have many plants with leaves :))

Wednesday

Welcome to Back to school night. Today we made our Six Characteristics of Life poster. The students worked hard and we got them done by the end of class. They have homework tonight. They are to ready A6-A18. They need to pay special attention to the pictures and the captions. Hope you have a good evening.

September 8th

Welcome to my blog. This is a place for students and parents to find out what is going on in school. I write daily, unless the Internet is down at school or something goes haywire. Hope you enjoy the site.

Homework for tonight is getting a picture or two for our Six Characteristics of Life Poster. This is a team project and the teams assigned out the pictures.

Wednesday

Today we went discussed the importance of an education. Students in other countries often walk miles to get to school. They know that a good education will open many doors. Some of our students are often apathetic about their education. It has been handed to them and they don't understand its importance. I hope that today's presentation will help them to understand the world is not just about them. It is getting all the learning they can so that they can reach out and help those who are not blessed with so much.

Tuesday

We had our final test today. Most of the students did quite well on it. Then we learned a bit about clouds and how they help you foretell the weather. Tomorrow we will discuss why education is important.

Wednesday is the award's assembly.

Thursday is our day at Downetta. Students need to dress according to the school dress code. They will change into swim suits at Downetta. The cost is $6.50. If your child wants to buy lunch there, they will need more money. They are allowed to bring a lunch from home. Please make sure your daughter's suit covers her stomach or has a t-shirt to wear over their swim suit. Also make sure the boys are appropriately dressed. We will be at the school by 3:45.

Friday is a time for signing year books and a dance.

Thursday

Today was odd. The power went out, but the classrooms were light enough to function. It made it a little difficult remembering that the overhead and the computer weren't working, but we did fine. We took a pre-test to prepare for the final. The questions might not be exactly the same as those that will be on the test, but they are close. The students were to take the pre-tests home to study over the week-end. The final will be Tuesday. We will also check the Science Journals and turn in books. If your student's book is in bad shape, you might want to send money so they can pay for the damage.

On Wednesday we will learn about children in other countries and the struggles they have to get a good education. I will encourage the students to use their time this summer to conquer their educational weaknesses. I will also have handouts for any student that wants some Internet sites to practice their school work.

Wednesday

We learned about fold mountains and fault block mountains today. We also went over some of the final test questions. We will review tomorrow and again on the day of the test. The test will be Tuesday. It will have ten questions worth ten points each. The questions cover some important information that the students should know and have covered all year. This test could save a bad grade. But if the student chooses not to study, well, that is their choice.

Tuesday

We learned about different types of rocks today. We got out a rock collection and the students were able to compare granite and gneiss, pumice and obsidian, sandstone and marble. We learned that the rock cycle can go many different ways and that what really makes rocks are other rocks. Then the students used the streak test on the rocks.

Tomorrow we will review Mohs hardness scale. Please make sure your student realizes that school doesn't end until the 29th of May. We still have a lot to do and books, paper and pencils are all required.

Tomorrow morning is the school talent show. Homework is to finish reading section D.

Monday

The students gave their oral report today. They went quite well. The homework this week is to read to the end of the chapter. Students that have not returned their pictures or their registrations need to get that taken care of immediately.

The school sent home information on the end of year field trip. 6th graders will go to Downata. They can have no Fs this trimester and not more than 6 detentions for the entire school year. The cost of the activity is $6.50. Students that wish to buy lunch there need to bring money. They can also bring their own lunch and any snacks or drinks they need. We will leave Thursday May 28th at 8 a.m. and return at 3:45.

Thursday

Today the sundials are due. Students who didn't finish their sundial can turn it in Monday for no more than 90% credit.

Registrations and pictures are also due today. They will be accepted on Monday, but the opportunity of getting the classes desired are lowered everyday the students are late.

Today we learned about volcanoes and tsunamis. We discussed cinder cone, shield and composite volcanoes. We learned about active, dormant and extinct volcanoes. We watched some short videos on both volcanoes and tsunamis.

Monday the students will report on their scientists.

Wednesday

With nearly half of the 6th grade gone on the band and music trip, we watched a movie on Earthquakes. The movie warns of the dangers of earthquakes and also warns of ways to be prepared.

Tomorrow we will cover volcanos and tsunamis. On Monday the students will give their oral reports.

Student registration for next year need to be in tomorrow. Also the spring pictures, or money for spring pictures needs to be in tomorrow.

Please check your students grades.

Tuesday

We learned about continental drift and the evidences that Alfred Wegener based his theory on. We watched a short movie about seafloor spreading.

Tests were returned. Students can fix their tests with complete sentences and corrected spelling. They must turn the tests in tomorrow. Those students who are going with the band and choir must have their fixed tests turned in before school. I will be in the classroom by 7:30. They have all been told this.

7th grade registration and Spring pictures went home yesterday. The registrations need to be returned by Thursday, but the earlier the better. Either the pictures or the money paying for the pictures need to be returned by Thursday.

Monday

Today the students corrected their tests. Then we began to study about Earthquakes and Pangaea. We also got to watch the high school band and Bear Essentials.

Sundials are due on Thursday and we are reading from D1-D42.

Thursday

The test is over, we will grade it on Monday. Students who were absent today will need to make up the test before school, after school or during lunch.

The scientist reports were due today. Any student who was here today but did not turn a report in can turn the reports in on Monday, but they will only get half points, which is a lot better than a zero. They should make sure they have corrected any errors as they do not want to miss any more points.

Homework is to finish the sundial and begin reading Unit D.

Wednesday - test tomorrow

Today we reviewed for our test. Some important things to know are the rotations and revolutions of the Earth and moon, what causes seasons, the order and correct spelling of all the planets, the order, drawing and correct spelling of the eight moon phases, definitions for mass and hypothesis and understanding and knowing the vocabulary of eclipses. Know why the Jovian planets have more moons than the terrestrial planets and why they are so cold. That isn't everything, but it is most of it.

We also did a project in the hall to help the students visualize how far the Jovian planets are from the sun and how close the terrestrial planets are together.

Tuesday

Today we used our hangers and made our solar system. Those who worked hard and fast were able to help others finish.

Coming on Friday we will have a test covering the entire C unit. We will review tomorrow for that test.

Also on Friday the final scientist report is due. Any reports turned in a day late will only receive half of the points. Please make sure you get these in at the beginning of class. Students need to turn them in when class starts so do not leave them in your lockers and then ask to go and get them. The reports are due at the start of class.

Thursday

Our classes were very different today. First hour did the worksheet the other classes did yesterday. The worksheet was on the phases of the moon. Fourth hour was supposed to take ISAT tests, but the testing got behind and so we studied about stars. Fifth hour went to testing.

The important information is that the Scientist Reports are due on Thursday at the start of class. Most students turned in their rough drafts on time and so for them it will be easy. They just need to fix the mistakes and hand their paper in as soon as possible. For those who did not turn in their rough draft they need to get this paper written and turned in as soon as possible.

Sundials need to be done by May 14th as long as the weather is good.

All students should have finished the reading assignment by now, we will likely have a test on C 1-C92 on Thursday May 7.

Tuesday

The scientist report rough draft was due today. Anyone who didn't turn it in will earn half points tomorrow. We started learning about the planets today. We will continue this for the rest of the week.

ISAT tests are tomorrow. Make sure you get a good night's sleep and eat a healthy dinner and breakfast.

Monday

The scientist report's rough draft is due tomorrow. Today we learned about tides and eclipses and the moon phases. Tomorrow, after the reports are handed in, we will learn about the planets. The ISATs will be Wednesday, Thursday and Monday. During that time we will work on making our own solar systems

Students need to bring a hanger tomorrow.

Thursday

Today the students were given the class period to work on their rough draft. The scientist report rough draft is due on Tuesday. Some of the rough drafts were completed and handed in today. Students were given a rubric wherein they can check off all the requirements. They were also given a paper showing them how the references are to be done. The students were allowed to go to the library to find information. They also found some information on the Internet. If they cannot find some of the information for their references they can leave it off. But I want to be able to check their sources.

If it is sunny this week-end students should do their sun-dials. Also, for those who forgot, we need wire coat hangers by Tuesday.

Wednesday

A couple of things are coming up that students and parents need to be aware of. First, the rough draft of our scientist report is due on Tuesday, April 28th. Students will have tomorrow to work on their rough draft but they need to bring their information to class so they can spend their time writing.

Next, the sundial papers went out today. The due date on those is May 14th. This gives the students a couple of weeks to get them done and, hopefully, the weather will cooperate.

Last, we will be making planets next week. Each student needs to bring a wire coat hanger. If anyone has extras, please bring those because some students don't have any wire coat hangers.

Today we learned about the sun and the moon. We watched a power point presentation and a you tube short on the sun. Then we looked at pictures of the moon and Venus this morning. We talked about the difference between rotations and revolutions, and we learned about season. It was a busy day and quite fun.

Tuesday

Today we watched Bill Nye the Science Guy 51 on waves. We learned more about wavelength, frequency, amplitude and the different types of waves. The class then moved on to the next unit and wrote, in their teams, what is needed for survival on Earth and what is needed for survival in space. We will discuss the answers tomorrow. Posters were due today. No one came in at lunchtime to work on their poster so I will assume that everyone is as done as they want to be.

We discussed the upcoming sun-dial assignment. The information page will go home tomorrow. Some students still haven't turned in their parent information signature concerning the scientist reports. We will be working on the report in class on Thursday so any information that the student has should be brought in.

Next week we will be making the solar system. All students will need a wire hanger that can be destroyed.

Monday

We are beginning the last six weeks of school. The goal is to keep the students on task and learning. The soil posters are due tomorrow, Tuesday. Students have had time in class to work on these and many are done. The students were also reminded in a school-wide announcement at the end of the day.

We are starting Unit C, observing the sky. Today we discussed visible and invisible waves and discussed why light is knowledge. By the end of the week the students will have the assignment to make a sundial. They will have two week-ends to complete it because it isn't always possible to be home every week-end. Scientist reports need to be in progress.

Thursday

Science was very busy today. The students that had not finished their graphs rushed to get them done. Most of them were successful. The students were given time to work on their posters. We checked science journals to make sure the students had all their notes completed. Then most of the students chose their scientist. We are starting our scientist reports. Each student was given a paper for parents to read and sign. This way the parents know what is expected in the paper. The rough draft is due April 28th, the final copy is due May 7th. The minimum length is one page double spaced for typed reports and two pages double-spaced for hand written reports. All of the necessary information is on the hand-out. Students that return the bottom of the hand out signed and dated by Monday's class will receive 10 extra credit points. Reading is now in section C. By next Thursday all students should have read pages C1-C41.

Wednesday

We finished the movie, "Beyond the Big Bang." Then the students had different activities to do. Some worked on their graphs, some worked on their posters and those who were finished with both began working on their reports. The reports are about a scientist of the student's choosing. They will be bringing a paper home on Friday for the parent or guardian to read and sign so everyone understands what is expected. The rough draft will be due April 28th and the paper will be due May 7th. More information with be forth coming.

Tuesday

We are nearly done with the movie, "Beyond the Big Bang." Today we learned how different scientists worked for many years to come up with the theory. We learned that Albert Einstein didn't like the theory even though it was his work with relativity that helped prove it to be true. We learned about Fred Hoyle's steady state theory of the universe and that Father George Lemaitre's Big Bang Theory was nearly rejected because he was a religious man. We learned that Arno Penzias and
Robert Wilson found proof of the big bang when they couldn't avoid the static noise of radiation. Tomorrow we will finish the movie and have a little time left to work on our posters and choose our scientists for the next report.

Monday

We are starting a new section this week. We will begin by three days of the movie, "Beynond the Big Bang." Today we learned about heliocentrism, the effect of the fall of Rome on scientific discovery, ancient calendars, and how scientific theory changed over the years due to better technology. We just finished with Galileo. Tomorrow we will start with Sir Isaac Newton.

Thursday

We were able to complete our lesson on Friction today. We also learned about Newton's three laws of motion. Then we went into the lab and practiced the three law of motion. We used a glass, card and a quarter, a slinky and a metal ball. For the second law of motion we raced a car and figured out what the force would be by multiplying the mass times the acceleration. The last law we crashed cars into each other and then repeated it with balls so we could observe that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Students were treated to a National School Assembly today and watched Skip the Magic Man. He used some of the laws of Science to perform his magic tricks.

Wednesday

With the school Internet down, this post is a little late. Today we finished our study of simple machines and then, in the first two classes we started on friction. The students in 5th hour worked on their posters as the Internet was down.

Students are still trying to finish their graphs. They will have until next Thursday to get them turned in. They must be correct.

Reading covers F-1 / F-92, this will allow us to finish this section. We will begin on the Big Bang Theory on Monday.

Tuesday

Today the students started working on their posters for Bear Lake Soil and Water Conservation. Only a few students finished the posters, so we will try to get them done a little here and a little there. The posters are worth 50 points.

Reading should be done to finish the chapter. So all students need to finish to F-92 by the end of this week.

Monday

Today we began learning about simple machines. We discussed the incline plane, the wedge and began on the lever. Tomorrow we will work on our posters for Bear Lake Soil and Conservation. Students will have one day in class to work on the poster. If they do not finish in class they will have to take the posters home and finish there. Posters are due April 21st.

Thursday

There is a meeting tonight at the middle school for any parents who want to meet with the State of Idaho Superintendent of Schools, Tom Luna. The meetings will be held from 5-6 p.m. in the auditorium. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss education issues.

In class today we figured out some acceleration problems. Students were able to understand that to find the velocity they need to know the formula for speed and know the direction the object is traveling. Then the realized that if you can find velocity you can also find acceleration.

We will be working on our posters on Tuesday. A good site for ideas is //forces.si.edu/soils/ The theme for the poster is Digging It - The Secret of Soil.

Those students who did not pass their graphs will have another chance. They took their papers home and they will be due again on Monday. We will keep at it till they are successful.

Wednesday

We re-did our graphs today, a few will need to take them home for homework over the week-end and try again. Then we reviewed on Plato the formulas that deal with speed, velocity and acceleration. We are now reading to page F-45. We hope to finish the entire chapter next week.

Tuesday a little late

Today we used the data that we gathered on the 19th. To review, we raced two cars down a track and recorded the time and distance. Today we plotted that data on a graph. We also reviewed the dangers of drinking and driving and texting and driving due to an accident I saw in California. Two small children were placed on stretchers while the policeman retrieved a teddy bear from the car and gave it to one of the children. The driver of the car that hit them was texting while driving. We speak so much about not driving drunk, we forget there are other ways that drivers can be distracted.

Monday

We had the people from Bear Lake Soil & Water Conservation come today to teach the students about soils and animals. It was a nice transition from vacation to learning. The students tried to identify different animal pelts. They learned about the uses of soil in our lives. Then they made molds of different animal tracks. Then it was topped off by making our own soil out of some very delicious substitutes.

Thursday Welcome to Spring Break

Today we practiced what we have been learning. We used a huge floor map of Fredonia Arizona to discuss position, motion, speed, velocity and acceleration. Then we went into the lab and race cars down a track. We timed them at different positions. When we come back to school we will graph the information and learn how to plot the positions and read the graph.

Wednesday

Today we worked with the formula for speed. The students went out front and timed each other walking and running for 20 meters. Then we came back into the classroom, and with the formula, figured out at what speed they moved. Students are to be reading F17-F29.

Tuesday

Today was a little depressing. We took most of an entire class time to learn how to find the answers for the review. We did half of them during that time. Imagine my sadness when a few students did nothing more than we did during classtime. Those students who got less than a 75% will be taking the paper home for a parent to sign and then return it to me. Perhaps this will encourage them to do their homework. Those few that didn't bring their work to class got a zero. One girl realized she left hers at home and sat down and got right to work and redid most of it before class started.
We are learning about motion, velocity, speed and acceleration. We watched a Plato section on these today. Tomorrow, after we finish, we will go outside and learn more about these things.
Tomorrow is school colors day, blue, white and black.

Monday - tomorrow is pajama day and St.Patrick's

In first and fourth hour the class displayed their cartoons. They worked on their homework E-140-141 1-20 and took some time to read F1-F15. The review is due tomorrow.

In fifth hour we went ahead and practiced on how to do the review properly. The review is also due tomorrow in fifth hour.

The attire for the second day in spirit week is to wear pajamas. As it is also St. Patrick's day, a touch of green would also be a wise choice.

Thursday - next week is spirit week - wear a jersey

The Energy Hog paper was due with a parent signature. Today was a little different. 1st and 4th hour we opened our Science book and re-learned how to do the review on E140-141. I was a little concerned after the last review that the students were in too big of a hurry to get done. Today we learned how a little extra effort and a few extra minutes could help them get the answers correct.
In 5th hour almost 1/3 of the class was gone so I didn't want to do the teaching. We will try it again on Monday. Instead the students displayed their cartoons on electricity and lightning safety. Then we talked about how reflector ovens are saving lives in some parts of the world.
We do have an assignment, but it isn't due until Tuesday and the students will be given a little time in class on Monday to complete it. It is E140-141. All the answers must be in complete sentences and handwriting must be legible.
We had the hypnotist assembly today.

Wednesday

The reports were due today. Most of the students turned them in on time, a few got zeros. Tomorrow the energy hog paper is due. It must be signed by a parent or guardian. Today in class we made a water magnet. We saw how the magnetic force moved around the iron shavings and we had a dilmena about a needle that was repelled by a magnet. Students then finished their cartoons on electricity and lightning safety. The cartoons will be displayed tomorrow and we will finish the chapter. All students should have read through page 140.

Tuesday

Today was a split kind of day. The students who needed to finish typing their weed essay were allowed to go to the computer lab and get that done. The other students in the class watched five short videos on lightning and electricity safety. Then they created their own cartoons to encourage safety.

The weed essays are due tomorrow.

Monday

Today we talked about how to determine how many watts and energy different appliances use. The students went through the classroom and wrote down, from the appliances how much wattage each thing uses. On Wednesday we will use that information in figuring out how to save energy.

Tomorrow students without a working computer or printer will be given time to go to the computer lab to finish their paper. All students have been strongly cautioned, if at all possible, to turn their papers in on Tuesday. This will prevent the panic of, "My printer ran out of ink!" or whatever else happens to the printers. They will be able to type tomorrow, but not on Wednesday as the papers are due at the start of class.

Thursday

We had the weed assembly on Wednesday February 25th and I told all of the classes on Wednesday that we would be doing the weed essay. We put up a brainstorming chart on the board on Thursday, February 26th and came up with many different ideas for the essay. On Monday, March 2nd students were told to have their outline ready by Tuesday, the next day, so they could go and type the essay. On Tuesday, March 3rd we again took class time to work on the essay. The assignment was on the homework board and also on the Internet.

Today many students were gone because of the play. Those left in class joined me at www.energyhog.org where they learned different ways to conserve energy at home. The students in class got a paper to do with their families about energy. Those who were gone will get the paper on Monday. The paper needs to be signed by the parents and turned in by March 12th.

Wednesday

The weed essay rough draft and outline were due today. You might check with your student to see if he or she remembered. In one class only five were turned in. The other classes did much better. We did some experiments today. We turned a nail into a magnet. We also did a magnetic experiment with a balloon, a piece of paper and a paper clip. It was quite fun. We discussed the magnetic field around the Earth and then saw a few short youtube videos on the Aurora Borealis. If you want to see that, go into youtube and type Aurora Borealis into the search. There are some beautiful pictures. We learned that it is caused by the sun particles being caught in the Earth's magnetic field and then interacting with our atmosphere. It is possible to see these in our longitude during the summer months. The website www.gedds.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast/ has some good information about seeing these spectacular lights. Or click on the link in my list under Aurora Borealis (The Northern Lights)

Homework: begin reading E94-E115.

Tuesday outline- rough draft due tomorrow

After spending some time watching a short video on electricity, the students were allowed to use the remainder of the class time to type their essays, write their outlines or get help if they felt stumped. The students have been told that they can come to the computer lab after school, during SSR time, or during lunch if they make an appointment with me. The rough draft and outline are due tomorrow at the start of class. I will get them read this week-end so the students have time to fix any errors before the papers are due on March 11th.

For students who were absent today, check out Bill Nye the Science Guy Electricity on You tube, there are three sections. If that isn't possible read E94-E113

Monday

We learned where lightning comes from and why we get shocked when we touch certain things. We also learned about circuits and currents. Student's rough draft and outline are due on Wednesday at the beginning of class. The essay is to be 5 paragraphs, and less than 750 words. The title is "Spread the Word Not the Weed." Students, make sure you read your rough draft outloud to someone to make sure that your sentences make sense and that the essay flows. I will correct the rough draft over the week-end, get them back to the students on Monday. That will give them Monday and Tuesday to make any corrections. The final copy must be turned in on Wednesday March 11. Mr. Belnap requested that the essays be in before the 12th.

Thursday end of the trimester

We graded last night's homework. A number of the students lost it, or left it at home, or it was in another backpack, or it was in their locker. Unfortunately it was due at the start of class. Some students didn't write complete sentences. That has been a requirement since August. They lost points. We had a lively discussion with some of the questions. Then we moved into the next project. We talked about the five paragraph essay that would be due on March 12th. The subject is "Spread the Word Not the Weed." The first paragraph is the introduction, then three paragraphs talking about the subject, then a concluding paragraph. The outline and rough draft are due on Wednesday March 4th. I will correct them over the week-end and then the students will have the opportunity to fix any errors. There will be a prized for the best three essays.

Tuesday

Today we discussed renewable and non-renewable energy sources. We talked about the positive and negative aspects of nuclear, fossil fuel, hydroelectric, solar and wind power. Then we watched some short clips about wind power and nuclear power.

The students have a homework assignment that is due on Thursday at the beginning of class. They are to do all of the problems on pages 92-93. The students are to write complete sentences to answer their questions. All words in the book must be spelled correctly. Some of the questions require some real thinking. The idea is for the student to come up with some logical ideas. Maybe the ideas aren't perfect, but were they well thought out and do they have some logical merit.

Monday homework error

The students are to read to E91.

Monday

I was shopping when I realized that I didn't get this done. My regular time was taken up by students. So sorry. Anyway, today we talked about different forms of energy, solar, wind, fossil fuel, nuclear, food, muscular and hydroelectric. We watched a few short videos on how solar power works. I challenged the students to think of ways they could make solar energy work. It just isn't that hard, once you understand the concepts. We also watched a short clip on a hydroelectric dam in Canada. Students should be done reading through E77.

Thursday

Tobacco use was the focus of today's lesson. The students discussed why people would ever start smoking with all the information available today. We watched a movie about the effects of cigarette smoke and the difficulty of quitting. The movie also discussed chewing tobacco. The students cannot imagine why anyone would begin to smoke, drink or do drugs. We can all hope they can maintain that attitude.

Wednesday

Today we learned a little more about pressure. Students were asked to recall the two types of energy and the three types of energy transfer and give examples. We watched the transfer of energy as dominoes fell. We watched a youtube of Bill Nye the Science Guy on Pressure.

Tuesday

We did an experiment about pressure today. We blew up two balloons. We used one as a control. The other balloon we put into a bucket of very hot water and then quickly moved it to a bucket of very cold water. You could actually feel the balloon expand in the hot water and contract in the cold water. The students quite enjoyed that. We talked about pressure and thermal expansion. Then we reviewed the three types of energy heat transfer. Students should be reading to E77.

Thursday

Mrs. Bloxham came in to our class today and presented another part of Project Northland. We learned about what can happen to people who chew tobacco and smoke. It was not pretty. We also discussed how much money people could save if they don't smoke or drink. One pack of cigarettes per day at $5.00 would cost $1825 per year. The students were amazed at how much they could save up for college if they didn't smoke or drink.
Monday is President's Day and there will be no school.

Wednesday - fixed test in tomorrow

Today the students had their tests returned to them. The students who want to improve their grade should take the tests home, get a new sheet of paper, and correct their mistakes by:
1. Writing down the number of the incorrect answer.
2. Write down the correct letter next to the number.
3. In a complete sentence, answer the question - do not write the question - write the answer. An example would be.

18. b Vinegar is an acid.

If the answers are not as required, the student will receive no points for their work. The handwriting must be legible. These assignments are to help the student learn material that they didn't get the first time. They must follow the rules.

Today we covered potential and kinetic energy. We played with little cars to determine when the cars were using kinetic or potential energy. We blew the top off a film canister to see that force x distance = work. We learned about conduction, radiation and convection. We watched a couple of youtube short films on potential and kinetic energy. Tomorrow will be our last Project Northland. It will also be the only dress-up dance for the year. Students who wish to attend the dance must be dressed in their very best clothes. Those who do not wish to participate in the dance will be able to watch a movie or play games.

Tuesday

Today was the test. The students checked it and I will have it back to them tomorrow. They are to be reading in the next section.

Monday

We reviewed for our test today. We covered converting meters to centimeters etc. We went over SI units of measurement. We covered acids and bases and a lot of questions about atoms, weight, mass, volume and what is an hypothesis. The test will be tomorrow. Students who do not do as well as they had hoped will be able to take the test home on Wednesday night. It will have to be back on Thursday. The answers must be in complete sentence form. The kids know the drill.

Thursday

Mrs. Bloxham came in today to talk to the students about techniques other kids might use to encourage them to do something wrong. The students practiced ways to say no.

We will be reviewing for our test on Monday, the test will take place on Tuesday. It will come directly from their notes and the book. They should study E1-E49 and read their notes to prepare.

Wednesday

We covered acids and bases in class today. Last night I bought a head of red cabbage. Then I chopped it up into little pieces, put it in a pan, covered the cabbage with water. The water boiled for ten minutes. I removed the pan from the heat and let it cool down a little bit. Then I strained out the cabbage and was left with a lovely blue liquid. When you add a drop or two of the liquid to different materials you can tell if the other materials are a base, acid, or anywhere in between. Acids come with a redder color - tonic water is an acid. Neutral is blue and a base is more of a greenish yellow color. We experimented with soap, cranberry juice, perfume, rubbing alcohol, and many other substances to find out if they were an acid or a base. We also did a short experiment with boiling water and very cold water. The students made an hypothesis; which temperature of water would have food coloring integrate the fastest. We dropped in the food coloring and the result was dramatic. Good experiment to try at home.

Tuesday

Today we learned more about chemical changes. We went into the lab and saw how boiling and melting water are physical changes. Then we added vinegar to baking soda and saw the release of carbon dioxide. Next we covered a piece of potato with hydrogen peroxide. Again, we saw the release of a gas, oxygen. The next experiment showed another sign of a chemical reaction, a powdery substance that sinks to the bottom of the container.

We then did a density experiment. We poured colored corn syrup, water, glycerin, corn oil and rubbing alcohol into a container. We could easily distinguish which of the liquids had a higher density as they sunk to the bottom, while the less dense liquids moved up.

Monday

Today we checked the homework that was assigned on Wednesday. Most of the students did get it turned in. Then we had a mock test about the atom, molecule, compounds and mixtures. Today we also had an interesting change of pace. The Special Olympics torch was brought to our school. The students were very receptive and enjoyed the event.

Thursday

Mrs. Bloxham came in today and showed the students a movie about the dangers of teen-age drinking. The movie showed a young person's brain image before drinking and after drinking. It was scary to see the changes. The students were told that drinking causes the brain to get old before its time. The movie took the students into a prison as the kids in the movie talked to a young man who, while drinking and driving, was in a serious car accident. His three best friends were killed. It was a sobering movie. In Science, the students are to finish yesterday's assignment. It is due on Monday. E48-E49 1-15, 17, 19, 20.

Wednesday

It appears that we will be ready for our test over E1-E45 on Tuesday February 10th. Students have been assigned E48-E49 1-15, 17, 19, 20 as homework. It will be due on Monday Feb 2nd. Today we finished Atoms, Molecules, Compounds, and Mixtures. We discussed heterogeneous mixtures and homogeneous mixtures. Students also learned how to figure out a formula. We practiced metric conversions again, I hope they are starting to comprehend that process. It isn't hard, just takes some work to learn.

Tuesday

Our Internet was down for much of the afternoon so this is coming from home. We corrected our measuring paper today, yick! That was really bad. We will try again and see if we can get it right. The measuring wasn't good, and the metric conversions were, well, interesting. We have been practicing in class, but some students are not getting it. We will see what we can do. We probably will have a test in two weeks. It will cover E1-E45 and all of the notes covering that time period.

Monday

I was not here on Thursday. Mrs. Bloxham worked on Project Northland with the students. Today we practiced measuring. We emphasized exactness. Tomorrow we will grade the page. Then we will finish the Plato lesson on atoms.

Wednesday

Students have homework if they haven't finished reading their assignment. The pages are E1-E45. We studied the atom today and discussed the periodic table. Tomorrow will be project Northland.

Tuesday

Report cards were passed out today. Students in typing were curious what "P" meant, it means pass. In Science we began a Plato unit on Atoms molecules compounds and mixtures. We also reviewed our Metrics song. This week we will finish the Plato unit.

Monday

Today was a clean up day. Students had the papers from last week returned to them. We fixed any problems with our atoms and hung them up. Then students were given time to start on the next reading assignment. We are reading to E45. Tomorrow we will be learning more about the atom, molecule and chemical changes.

Thursday

Mrs. Bloxham came into the class today to teach the students about the dangers of drug abuse. The students talked about what addiction is. They also talked about healthy things they could do instead of drugs.

Wednesday

Today we made atoms. The students were to choose and atom, find out how many protons, neutrons and electrons were in each atom. Then, using pipe cleaners, beads, fruit loops and fishing line, they made atoms. We will be reviewing this process by drawing atoms to reinforce this concept. We also learned that the reason we feel solid things when atoms are mostly empty space is that the electrons from the atoms repel each other. Now that is an interesting scientific theory. Tomorrow Mrs. Bloxham will be presenting a lesson on drug abuse.

Monday and Tuesday

So sorry that there was no message for you yesterday, the school's Internet was down. We are learning about atoms. Yesterday and today we watched a power point presentation on atoms, discussed the parts of an atom and learned about different scientific theories concerning the atom. Science journals were finished and turned in today and wil be graded. These are notes and work that they do in class. Tomorrow we will be making an atom out of pipe cleaners, fruit loops, beads and fish line.

Thursday

Today the students took the drug survey - it is completely anonymous. We also learned about the S.I. unit called moles. We watched a You tube video called, "A Mole is a unit." We also reviewed our SI song on youtube called, "Something called SI" The students worked to finish their lab worksheets. There is homework,
E-15 1-5. The answers must be in complete sentences and are due on Monday.

Wednesday

After reviewing SI measurement units, we went into the lab and began meassuring volume, length, mass, and weight. The students worked in their teams, but each student was required to do their own measuring. We will continue using the metric system through the year so that the students become comfortable with it.

Tuesday

We started learning a new song today. I found it on Youtube under, "Something Called SI" It teaches the units used for measuring in the metric system. We attemped converting 64 meters into kilometers, hectometers, dekameters, decimeters, centimeters and millimeters. A lot of students had the right ideas, just did it backwards. We will continue to work on this. We watched a video clip about measuring accurately then we went to the lab and practiced finding mass using the triple balance scale. Tomorrow we will be doing a lab on measuring and weighing.

Monday January 5th

In Science today we got right to work remembering the prefixes in the metric system.We also reviewed the units used to measure weight, mass, temperature, volume, and time. We discussed the difference between mass and weight. Mass is how much matter an object has while weight deals with the gravitational pull between an object and the planet the object is on. Last we watched a short segment of Bill Nye the Science Guy on measuring.

Monday

We learned about the ear today and then took a hearing test on Youtube. It was interesting to see the different sounds that some students could and some could not. Then we measured our music chimes and then changed the centimeter measurement into millimeters and dekameters

Then we learned about sound as we used the chimes to play Christmas carols.

Tomorrow is a half day. The students will come at the regular time. We have the dance and a movie. School is out at 1:00.

We will see you on January 5th! Have a Merry Christmas!

Thursday

We viewed a power point presentation that reviewed chapter 9 lesson 1. We reviewed matter, mass volume, density, physical properties, physical changes, mixtures, solutes and solvents. We also learned about buoyancy.

Monday will be a regular school day. Tuesday dismissal will be at 1:00.

Wednesday

We learned more about the metric system today. We converted millimeters to centimeters and on to kilometers. Then we measured the hallway downstairs so we could visulize what a dekameter and half of a hectometer look like. We returned to the classroom and converted the measurements into centimeters and millimeters.

We determined the mass of a diet soda compared to a regular soda. The volume was the same but the mass was different. We concluded that the difference was that the sugar in the regular soda was heavier than the aspartame in the diet soda.

We started a power point presentation covering the chapter.

We will finish the power point tomorrow, finish drawing our biomes, our metric chart, and take home things that students have brought to show the other students.

Tuesday

Our classes were shortened today so our students could watch the High School play, "Oklahoma."

In Science we took notes concerning the experiments we did yesterday. The students were asked to describe the process for finding the volume of irregularly shaped objects. They were asked to define volume. Lastly they were asked how to find the volume of regularly shaped objects. We discussed the answers.

Last the students made a metric chart. From now till the end of the year we will be using metrics exclusively in the classroom.

Monday

We checked out out corn syrup egg today. On Thursday it weighed 52 grams after four days in the corn syrup. Today it weighed 95 after four days in water. That was the highest weight of any of the other eggs. We concluded that some of the sugar must have entered the egg.

We learned how to measure the volume of irregularly shaped objects. The students used a graduated beaker and water and then measured the volume of four or five different objects. We also measured some regularly shaped objects using the meter stick.

Students have a permission slip to return tomorrow. If it is back on Tuesday they will receive ten points of extra credit!!!!

Thursday

Today we ended our unit on Life Science and actually began our new unit on Physical Science. We weighed and measured our eggs and learned that the egg in the corn syrup lost liquid, the egg in the plain water gained liquid and the egg in the salt water was 5 grams heavier than the egg in the plain water. We ended up with the salt water egg weighing 91 grams, the plain water egg weighing 85-86 grams and the corn syrup egg weighing 52 grams. In 5th hour we placed the corn syrup egg back in water to see if the osmosis would work again, or if the egg was just too covered with corn syrup to allow osmosis to occur.

Then we started working on the metric system. We watched four short you tube videos, one funny one about the fear of the metric system and then the others introduced the students to measuring, how it came about and why metrics is so convenient.

The only homework would be if a student hadn't finished their reading on E1-E15.

Wednesday

The tests and essays were handed back today. We discussed the importance of accuracy in scientific writing. Students were reminded that spelling, handwriting and capitalization do matter. We also discussed the importance of doing your own work.

We observed our eggs today. The egg in the corn syrup is getting much smaller, while the eggs in the salt water and plain water continue to grow. Tomorrow we will weigh all three eggs to see if there is any difference. We used our rejuvenated celery stalk to compare to the eggs and learned a little more about osmosis.

We are starting the unit on Physical Science. Students should have read and be familiar with E1-E15.

Students can fix their tests. The fixed information must be on a clean sheet of paper and stapled to the test. All answers must be in complete sentences, legible and have correct spelling. Students can get half credit for every correct answer.

Tuesday

After observing and taking notes on our osmosis experiment, the students got right to their tests. They will take them home tomorrow. Any student who is not pleased with their grade will have the opportunity to make up the test at home. The students must follow specific instructions on how to redo the test. They will get half credit on each question they answer correctly.

Homework tonight is to read E1-E15.

Monday test tomorrow

We worked on our osmosis experiment today. The shells had come off of the eggs leaving them feeling like a water balloon. In 5th hour we covered one egg with water, one egg with corn syrup and one egg with salt water. We will observe the eggs for the rest of the week and see what happens to them.

The students reviewed for the test today. Each team received a test question and worked to come up with the answer. They would ask the question and allow the other classmates think before the team would give the answer. Only one or two questions were missed all day.

The test will be tomorrow. Any student who does poorly on the test will be allowed to make it up for half credit on each question answered correctly using the format I have taught them.

Thursday

Today we were supposed to do an experiment on osmosis. But we learned that when you microwave a stalk of celery, you damage the cells so much that you cannot do the experiment on osmosis. It still was interesting. We also began the steps for another experiment on osmosis. We are using vinegar to remove the shell from and egg. Then, on Monday, each student will make an hypothesis on what will happen to an egg surrounded only by a membrane, one put in water, the other put in corn syrup which has less water in it.

We also talked about the cell cycle and watched a short video showing the different stages of body cell division, mitosis.

Wednesday

In our first hour classes the students took the Direct Math Assessment. We reviewed the organelles in the cell by having each team find something to compare it to. For example, since the mitochondria make energy for the cell some students compared it to a wind turbine, a battery, or electricity. When this activity was finished students were asked to work on the drawing of the eight biomes.

The test will be Tuesday December 9th. It will cover all of the notes from November 10th till December 4th. It also includes the reading from B1-B70.

Tuesday

Our reports are done. Only two people didn't have them and one of them has been sick for two weeks. The students were a bit apprehensive about standing up and talking in front of the class, but they did fine. This is good practice for all of them.

Tomorrow are the direct math assessments for all of the 6th graders. Thursday we will be covering material from B49-B63. The test review will be Monday and Tuesday will be the test.

Monday and changes

Students who do not have a computer to type on at home were allowed to go to the computer lab and type their reports today. The rest of the class worked on their biome pictures.

Tomorrow the reports, written and oral, are due at the beginning of class. The students will make an oral presentation about their animal at that time. The oral report will be approximately two minutes long. Late reports will only be accepted from students who are absent from all of their classes on Tuesday. This report was assigned a month ago and so being absent today shouldn't disqualify anyone from having their report done on time.

The test will have to be moved to December 9th. The students have their direct math assessment on Wednesday. This will not allow us enough time to review for the test. We will review Monday and test Tuesday. The test covers cells, biomes, and the human body.