Wednesday and Thursday bring wire hangers.

Wednesday was another testing day, students took ISAT tests in reading. For science we played a rock cycle game. Each team had a ball or yarn and then moved to different stations in the rock cycle depending on the roll of the dice. The object of the game was to help them understand the rock cycle better. Then we returned to class and observed rocks and their different properties.

Today students were to turn in their scientist report rough draft. I am calling the parents of any student who does not have theirs turned in. This report teaches students a lot about different fields of science, about different people, and how to do research. This report can also save their grade. But if it is not turned in, it will crush their grades. They have been reminded everyday for the past two weeks to get it in early.

In class we are beginning to learn about the eras and periods of the Earth. Next week we will learn about the big bang theory and then look to the sky. Students need to get their wire hangers turned in ASAP. If you have extra hangers, please donate them to the cause.

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.