The information below shows what will be happening in Mr. Willsea's science class through the year. I will update this information weekly to reflect what we will do in the coming week. If you will be absent on a certain day, you can look ahead (through the current week) to see what you will miss. New information will be shown at the top, old information at the bottom. And thus we end Quarter 2: Week 8: December 14 - 18, 2009 There are no new warm ups this week, though there will be a warm-up final on Friday. Students will need to draw three questions from the bucket and write their answers down. No re-draws are allowed for the final. IF YOU ARE LEAVING TOWN EARLY, IT IS UP TO YOU (STUDENTS) to come in at lunch, or draw your warm-ups during class. All science grades that are posted are current (with the exception of period 7, and I will have those final papers and summaries graded by Tuesday morning.) Please double check to make sure the grades entered are correct. Papers will be returned Monday morning. The final science paper will be re-collected by me during class on Monday. It is one of only a couple documents that I keep as an example of student work. No late work will be accepted beyond Wednesday. If you need to make up a test, it will have to be done by then. This week will be flexible in all classes. There will be reviews built in and at least 20 minutes a day for me to grade binders. Binders are due by Friday, and can be graded at any time from Mon - Fri. This will be a first come first served arrangement. This time will be ideal for reviewing warm-ups, so it is recommended that students bring their copies to class. I will have a few copies for those who need it. In this study hall environment review of material for other classes is permitted. __________________________________________________________________________________________________ Week 7: December 7 - 11, 2009 There are no new warm-ups this week. Both 7th and 8th grade will be presenting their posters in class. This means students will be listening to their classmates present all week. I will collect summary pages from each student on Friday. They are to summarize the project of 20 of their classmates. No warm-up will be drawn on Friday, contrary to what was posted earlier. Final papers will be collected on Monday as well. __________________________________________________________________________________________________ Week 6: November 30 - December 4, 2009 All Grades: Storyboards collected on Monday. The FINAL paper and PRESENTATION are due on Monday of next week. 7th grade: M - Going over safety issues e-mail, and what to expect for the presentations next week. We will look at a couple examples of posters from previous years. T - Reading about Mendeleev and Periodic table. Can you survive the 4th grade test in chemistry? See http://www.quia.com/jg/1252078.html for the activities. W - Awesome notes over the types of bonds in atoms. tri-fold pages Th - 10 question review challenge. F - Warm Up draw, and last minute questions on the Sci project. 8th Grade: M - Going over safety issues e-mail, and what to expect for the presentations next week. We will look at a couple examples of posters from previous years. T - Creating a Quia page with the remaining electricity terms to know for the final (Last week of December. W - Intro to Magnets with Mr. Nye. Th - Notes and review of all concepts for Magnetism and Electricity. F - Warm Up Draw, and answering any last minute questions on the Project. __________________________________________________________________________________________________ Week 5: November 23 & 24, 2009 All grades: Rough drafts will be returned Monday. These will need to be stapled (or clipped) to their final copies. NEXT PART OF THE SCIENCE PROJECT DUE MONDAY NOVEMBER 30. The storyboards are explained on the documents page, under the project due dates. There are no new warm-ups this week. All classes: Monday: Rough drafts returned today. We'll look at the next assignment that is due, and some of the common missteps in the rough draft. Investigating the partial knowledge that comes from investigating science. Tuesday: Students will practice the storyboards, which is the next part of the science project that is due. Two students from each class will earn a perfect score on the next assignment based on the work they do in class today. Can anyone catch defending champs Gabi, or Becca? __________________________________________________________________________________________________ WEEK 4 November 16 - 20, 2009 For all classes, Rough drafts due this Friday 7th grade: M - We will talk about the rough draft, and hand out a checklist that will help the students write it more clearly. Reviewing the student grades. Practicing the number of P, N, E in atoms. Tu - Taking last year's quiz, answers will be gone over in class. This will come home, and is a good study guide. W- A puzzle to see if the kids know their atom arrangements. Th - A chance to work on rough drafts, or have Mr. W. proofread them. Study hall or elements review before the atoms quiz tomorrow. F - Small quiz over the number of atoms in atoms, ions and isotopes. 8th grade: M - We will also look at a checklist to see what is expected for the paper, due Friday. A grade check will be done in class, and students will make an outline of the chapter on Electrical Current. Tu - Modelling Ohm's Law. Students will make a tutorial for little kids so they can understand the concepts of electricity W - Students work on tutorial. Th - A chance to work on final drafts, or have them proofread by Mr. W. Study hall, and additions to the Electricity timeline. F - Warm up and playing with electro squares. __________________________________________________________________________________________________ Week 3: November 9-13, 2009 All classes: The next part of the science project is the rough draft of the paper. This is due November 20. 7th grade M - Defining element, compound, solution, mixture, Physical change, chemical change, conservation of mass, heterogeneous and homogeneous mixtures. T - The periodic table's history and how the table is arranged W - What each square of the table tells you, and how to identify elements by their P,N, and E. Th - Practice Identifying P(rotons), N(eutrons), and E(lectrons) F - Warm Up draw (aloud) 8th grade M - What are conductors, insulators and resistors. Making "wires" for the next part of our experiment. T - Creating a complete circuit W - Talking amps, volts, and ohms. What these mean, and creating an analogy using water. Th - Ohm's Law F - Warm up draw. (aloud) __________________________________________________________________________________________________ Week 2: November 2 - 6, 2009 Catching up from last week. Experimental designs are due Monday November 2, 2009 Experimental log is due this Friday November 6, 2009 7th grade: M - converting units practice. Explaining the experimental log. Creating a grade sheet. T - Practice converting units. A question on conversions will appear on every test through the rest of the year (school year) Examples. How many feet in 22 miles. Show the fraction canceling to earn full credit. W - In class worksheet for conversions, collected for points. Th - Bill Nye States of matter F - Notes on states of matter. Warm up draw, Experimental log collected. 8th grade: M - converting units practice. Explaining the experimental log. Creating a grade sheet. T - Practice converting units. A question on conversions will appear on every test through the rest of the year (school year) Examples. How many feet in 22 miles. Show the fraction canceling to earn full credit. A worksheet will be collected today in class. W - Most electrifying student of the class competition. Notes on static electricity. Th - Making a Leyden Jar in class. F - Experimental log collected, week 2 warm up draw. Bill Nye Static electricity (worksheet collected.) Week 1: Oct. 26 - 30, 2009 Both classes will work on conversions and becoming familiar with lab equipment. Science project: The experimental Design is due this Friday. Class time will be given to talk about it and look at examples on Tuesday. 7th and 8th grade: M - Making sure the grades I have are right. T - Looking at the next part of the experiment, the experimental design W - Using the cross-canceling method of unit conversion. Check out the Documents page for the sheet we are using in class to learn this. It might help to have it. You will get a hard copy in school. Th- looking at lab equipment and making unit conversions (see http://www.quia.com/mc/65602.html for a matching game) F - lots of practice with conversions, warm up draw (includes questions from quarter 1 and 2) _________________________________________________________________________________________________ Week 10: October 12 - 15, 2009 Assignments due this week (all grades): >Notebook (student's choice as to when to turn it in: Mon, Tues, or Wed.) >Warm Up Final, Thursday (see the Documents page for the sheet that will be handed out, draw three from the bucket) > Notecards due (16 cards due with 3 pieces of info each) on Thursday. 7th and 8th grades: M - W: class time devoted to working on notecards. My books will be available. If you are done with notecards and your binder, you make take the warm-up final early. I ask kindly that if you are done with your work, you not distract others from doing their own. Th: The warm-up final is done in class. Extra note for those who are interested (7th only): The cloud test was less than spectacular. I can tell that several people neglected to look over their notes. In an attempt to help some of you learn this material, I give you this chance to recover some of your points. You may create a set of notes on the computer that shows a perfect example of each type of cloud, something new you have learned about this cloud, and a description IN YOUR OWN WORDS. How you present these are up to you, provided it has a picture, new info you learned and a description. If this is done before Thursday, I'll bump your test grade to a 20/23. Please include cumulus, stratus, nimbostratus, cumulonimbus, and cirrus. END OF FIRST QUARTER __________________________________________________________________________________________________ Week 9: October 5 - 9, 2009 All classes: next part of the project is the notecards. Sixteen note cards are due on October 15. We will have classtime devoted to this on Monday, October 12 - Wednesday, October 14. If you are finished at that time, you will need to bring a book to class. If you are a distraction to others, work will be found for you to do. 8th grade: Key upcoming dates: Cycles final on Friday (see checklist on the documents page), Notecards done in class M - W of next week, during that time, notebooks collected (students choose what day). Notecards collected Thursday Oct. 15. Warm up final Thursday October 15, draw 3 questions. This week: M - Finish the practice exam in class over the first 30 minutes of class. In the last half, we will determine the checklist for the binder. T - How do you study? Taking a look at the successful practices of your classmates, and a few on- line resources. We'll peruse the web for some study suggestions. A one-minute search brought me to http://www.wikihow.com/Study-for-a-Test, a pretty good site with suggestions. W - One class period will be allotted to organizing the science binder. Students who were absent for class will be given sheets they missed, students who lost sheets will need to recopy them by hand. This is also a time to review for the drawing on Friday and prep for the warm-up final. Th - Boys vs. Girls challenge as a review for the final. F - Draw all of the cycles on a large sheet of paper in class. This is the same thing we did with notes in class on Friday. Written warm-up draw. 7th grade: Key upcoming dates: Mini-quiz on clouds and weather symbols on Friday. Notecards done in class M - W of next week, during that time, notebooks collected (students choose what day). Notecards collected Thursday Oct. 15. Warm up final Thursday October 15, draw 3 questions. M - First half of class, determining what should be on the checklist for the first binder check next week (due M, T or W.) Second half of class will be to double check grades and hand back papers. T - How do you study? Taking a look at the successful practices of your classmates, and a few on- line resources. We'll peruse the web for some study suggestions. A one-minute search brought me to http://www.wikihow.com/Study-for-a-Test, a pretty good site with suggestions. W - Coloring fronts, both isotherms, and isobars. Bring colored pencils. We wll also have 30 minutes devoted to organizing the binder in class. Th - Like the BINGO day last week, I will have a slide presentation to review for the test. F - An easy little test over clouds and weather symbols. __________________________________________________________________________________________________ Week 8: September 28 - October 2, 2009 All classes: next part of the project is the notecards. Sixteen note cards are due on October 15. We will have class time devoted to this on Monday, October 12 - Wednesday, October 14. 7th grade: M - Weather symbols notes. These can be found at the website: http://www.ametsoc.org/amsedu/dstreme/extras/wxsym2.html T - Weather symbol practice W - Coloring a weather map based on isotherm readings or isobar readings. Th - Clouds drawing and notes on the types of clouds. F - Cloud bingo. Warm Up draw. 8th grade: M - Trophic levels (producer, primary consumer, etc.) notes and photosynthesis terms (http://www.quia.com/jg/942499.html) T - Notes on symbiosis and life cycle, and coloring energy pyramid. Check the documents page for an advanced copy. W - Last year's carbon/photosynthesis test taken in class. Open notes, not open neighbor. A copy of the test is available on the documents page. Th - Checklist for the final (next week Thursday... do not wait to study for this, you have been given a week to prepare.) Bill Nye Life cycle F- Warm Up draw, cycles review. Deciding what will be on the checklist for the binder check (checked on Monday, Tuesday or Wed. , the 12th, 13th or 14th, during the time we do notecards in class.) __________________________________________________________________________________________________ Week 7: September 21 - 24, 2009 All Classes: Bibliographies are due this Thursday. This means that 8 resources will need to be presented in proper format, including no more than 2 internet and 2 encyclopedias. Mr. Willsea will make his library of science books available for students on Tuesday It is recommended that you save your books, because the notecards will be collected on October 15. 7th grade: M - Practice writing bibliographies. A 14-station practice run. Students who missed the exam on Friday will have to make this up today in class. T - Students are invited to bring in their books today to write their bibliographies using class time. Mr.Willsea will make his books available for use at this time. W - Bill Nye Atmosphere Th - Bibliographies collected. Warm Up draw. Thanks for checking in, but there are no freebies this week. Weather review bingo. 8th grade: M - Brief review of the process of writing a bibliography. The project bibliography is due Thursday. Introducing the Oxygen / Carbon dioxide cycle...aka photosynthesis T - Students will work on writing bibliographies, and Mr. Willsea will make his book available for students to use in class. Less than 20 minutes will be allotted for work on the water cycle lesson. W - Photosynthesis lab. Data check in class for 5 points Th - Bibliographies collected, warm up draw. Thanks for checking in, but there are no freebie here this week. __________________________________________________________________________________________________ Week 6: Week of Sept. 14 - 18, 2009 Everyone: The bibliography is due in two Thursdays. Don't wait until the last minute. Mom and dad don't like surprise "emergency" trips to the library. ALSO: Midterm grades will be handed out by individual teachers on Wednesday. 7th grade: M - Quiz your neighbor on the 6 elements of weather (a chance to review), while students discuss with Mr. W their grades. Types of precipitation handed out. T - creating review questions and flashcards using the Quia site. The site address is: http://www.quia.com/jg/1715015.html W - Mini-lab for air pressure. Precipitation logic puzzle. Convection currents lab Th -Review for the test F - Quiz over Elements of weather. Warm Up draw. 8th grade: Everyone: The bibliography is due in two Thursdays. Don't wait until the last minute. Mom and dad don't like surprise "emergency" trips to the library. ALSO: Midterm grades will be handed out by individual teachers on Wednesday. M - Notes on the Nitrogen cycle. T - Science NWEA W - Reviewing the nitrogen cycle with a class challenge. Website for this activity: http://www.quia.com/cb/490123.html Hey lucky reader, if you practice this at home and are able to get every answer correct, you will be able to earn 10 free points on Friday's quiz. You will still need to take the test, but by printing off a sheet that shows a score of 7500, you will get up to 10 free points to raise your test score up to 100. If you get 100, I'll add 5 extra credit points. Th - Review for quiz F - Nitrogen cycle quiz. Warm up draw. Week 5: Week of Sept. 8 - 11, 2009 EVERYONE: Science Project proposal is due this Friday. 7th grade: This week the students will be starting their studies of weather. T - Powerpoint presentation on the elements of weather. This is available on the documents page. W - Studying seeding clouds. Students will be given a list of court cases, and will need to decide as a group what their argument will be for each case. Groups will be student chosen from within the same half of the alphabet as their last name. Th - Class time to prepare arguments. F - The big debate. Students will EACH turn in their court cases and explanations at the end of class. Students will be graded on their participation and how well thought-out their arguments are. Warm up draw and proposals collected today too. 8th grade: This week students will be beginning a unit on the water cycle. This unit will end with a presentation to the 2nd grade class, where the students will need to teach the little ones the main steps of evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and collection. T - Powerpoint presentation on the Water cycle. It is available on the documents page. Wed and Thurs - Students prepare to teach the second grade students the water cycle this Friday. F - The students will have 30 minutes to teach their topic to the second graders. Warm-up draw and proposals done today too. ______________________________________________________________________________ ____________________ Week 4: 7th grade: M - Last year's climate exam. This will be ungraded, but will will give the kids a chance to see what a Willsea test is like. I will have the kids take this for the first 20 minutes of class, then we will review the answers. Real test on Friday. T - Climographs will be compared, and students will make their own. W - Those who had science yesterday, will have NWEA today, but not both. Th - Bill Nye Climate F** - Climate exam. This will be similar to last year's, but will not be identical. Students should know all terms from the notes taken last week (see document page). Warm up questions will be drawn during the test (see document page for all warm ups and answers). For the students who read this, you can earn a perfect score on your warm ups, by writing the following phrase (exactly) on your test: "Look at me!! I earned full credit by reading Teacher Web!" 8th grade: M- What are the major time periods in Earth's formation. The problems for Friday's quiz are handed out today, and are on the documents page. T - Superposition and radioactive decay. W - Identifying rocks. Making our own dichotomous keys for rocks. Th** - Stations with a practice exam for Friday F** - Rock cycle exam. This will include both written parts and identification parts. The only notes allowed are your dichotomous keys. Warm up questions will be drawn during the test (see document page for all warm ups and answers). For the students who read this, you can earn a perfect score on your warm ups, by writing the following phrase (exactly) on your test: "Look at me!! I earned full credit by reading Teacher Web!" ** Mr. Willsea will be absent for these periods, but the expectations are that you will continue to work under his normal class expectations. ______________________________________________________________________________ ____________________ Week 3: August 24 - 28, 2009 7th grade: M - Students will take notes on 5 major cases of climate T - Lab on the difference between land and water heating W - Graphing yesterday's data, graphs collected for 10 points. Th - Climate quiz (ungraded) with atlases F - Bill Nye climate! 8th grade: M - Students will take picture notes on the Rock Cycle. T - How the Earth was made video W - Continued Th -Finishing video. F - Using Multiple Intelligences to learn the rock cycle Week 2 - August 17 - 21, 2009 8th grade and 7th grade will be the same for most of the week as we review lab procedure and lab write-ups. M- Introducing how to write a lab (marble ramp experiment reviewed) T - 7th - Rainbows in milk (quantitative) T- 8th - Candle flicker lab W - Introducing Variables, accuracy, precision (pencil drop lab) Th- Introducing conclusions and end analysis F- Quiz over labs, First Warm Up draw. Week 1 - August 12 - 14, 2009 8th grade and 7t grade will be the same this week: W - Class rules given out. Students will watch a presentation on Multiple Intelligences. Quiz tomorrow on the 8 intelligences, and one way to study using each. Th - Ten minutes given to take a quiz on Multiple Intelligences, group photos will be taken outside, and the due dates for the science project will be given out. Students must bring in their planners. F - Students will take an assessment to measure their understanding of lab procedure and experimental design. Marble ramp experiment. Students given a checklist without explanation of terms.