On the 14th and 15th we took our safety quiz, then reviewed our lab activity by sharing and comparing our data. Finally we experimented with our film cannister cannon.
On the 16th and 17th we began to work in chapter one of the "Sound and Light" book. We looked at examples of transverse and ocean waves, and diagrammed a transverse wave. We defined crest, trough, wavelength and amplitude.
We also practiced using the sq3r reading method as we started to read chapter one, section one.
Finally, we did a human wave, and pointed out crests, troughs and wavelength, then we switched gears and worked on the helium hoop activity.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Thursday, September 10, 2009
September 10th-11th--our first lab
Today we received our textbooks (Sound and Light), read pages 138-139 about the scientific method, and then worked on a lab that investigated pendulums. We looked at the effects on the period of vibration of a pendulum when we changed 1) the mass on the pendulum, 2) the arc length we swung the pendulum and 3) the length of the pendulum itself.
The lab will be due on Monday for A day classes, Tuesday for B day classes and it must be in our class lab format.
The lab will be due on Monday for A day classes, Tuesday for B day classes and it must be in our class lab format.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Welcome to the new year
Welcome students and parents of the class of 2010. I'm looking forward to the start of this year as I have planned many new and interesting activities that I learned about at Space Camp this summer.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
June3-4 Environmental science
We've been busy doing activities centered around environmental science.
In the last week we have explored food chains and webs, and have seen how animals high on the food webs need many more food items lower than them --else they don't survive for long. We have seen how toxins get concentrated in higher order animals (such as ourselves).
We have also completed a lab that modeled wolf survival both with and without human intervention.
Most recently we discussed the importance of clean, safe drinking water and then worked as epidemiologists to discuss factors that affect diseases in populations. We learned that 80% of all diseases are waterborne, that is they spread by the contamination of water. We also learned that less than 100 years ago, many households in the US did not have piped in drinking water--they had to gather water from wells and carry it to their houses.
On Friday we will use the game pandemic 2 to look at disease vectors and how people try to combat the spread of infectious diseases.
In the last week we have explored food chains and webs, and have seen how animals high on the food webs need many more food items lower than them --else they don't survive for long. We have seen how toxins get concentrated in higher order animals (such as ourselves).
We have also completed a lab that modeled wolf survival both with and without human intervention.
Most recently we discussed the importance of clean, safe drinking water and then worked as epidemiologists to discuss factors that affect diseases in populations. We learned that 80% of all diseases are waterborne, that is they spread by the contamination of water. We also learned that less than 100 years ago, many households in the US did not have piped in drinking water--they had to gather water from wells and carry it to their houses.
On Friday we will use the game pandemic 2 to look at disease vectors and how people try to combat the spread of infectious diseases.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
May 18-22--Build a better building (out of spaghetti?)
This week we have started the construction of our earthquake resistant spaghetti buildings. On the 18th and 19th we formed our companies and began to research and design.
Please check the website for the details of the spaghetti webquest. There is also some extra credit available--due by friday the 22nd.
To get some practice in building structures, play the game "Cargo Bridge" at http://onemorelevel.com/game/cargo_bridge
Be sure to check out the advantages of triangles over squares and rectangles.
Please check the website for the details of the spaghetti webquest. There is also some extra credit available--due by friday the 22nd.
To get some practice in building structures, play the game "Cargo Bridge" at http://onemorelevel.com/game/cargo_bridge
Be sure to check out the advantages of triangles over squares and rectangles.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
May 5/6 Starting our projects
Today starts several days of research and project writing. We will be in the media center/computer lab and working on our poster and digital story. Both will be due on Wednesday May 13th for B classes, Thursday May 14th for A classes.
Don't forget your thumbdrives--we'll need them for the next two weeks.
Don't forget your thumbdrives--we'll need them for the next two weeks.
Monday, May 4, 2009
May 4 Welcome back from Ask Testing
We are back into the game after the previous week of testing. We are starting our earthquake project--please check out the earthquake project webpage on my class website.
Today in class we used the earthquake shaker table to explore how buildings fail during earthquakes--remember, for extra credit you can build a model of a building with earthquake resistant technology, then test it on our shaker table. Please be prepared to explain how the technology works!
Today in class we used the earthquake shaker table to explore how buildings fail during earthquakes--remember, for extra credit you can build a model of a building with earthquake resistant technology, then test it on our shaker table. Please be prepared to explain how the technology works!
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