Science News 12-15 - 12/19

Blogs: All 5th, 6th and 7th grade students are concluding projects this week, so your blog is a project reflection. 8th grade students have a regular blog due.

5th Grade: Weather

• MS-ESS2-5. Collect data to provide evidence for how the motions and complex interactions of air masses results in changes in weather conditions.
• MS-ESS2-6 Develop and use a model to describe how unequal heating and rotation of the Earth cause patterns of atmospheric and oceanic circulation that determine regional climates.
• MS-ESS3-5.Ask questions to clarify evidence of the factors that have caused the rise in global temperatures over the past century.

Severe weather project is due on December 19. You can choose to present this or any other artifact  from the weather unit on Student Exhibition night.


6th Grade: Dirt on Soil 

• MS-ESS2-1. Develop a model to describe the cycling of Earth's materials and the flow of energy that drives this process.
• MS-ESS2-2. Construct an explanation based on evidence for how geoscience processes have changed Earth's surface at varying time and spatial scales.

Dirt on soil project is due December 19. Also, your Shark Tank Genius Hour presentation is due on December 18 during SEN.

7th Grade: Human Body Redesign

• MS-LS1-3. Use argument supported by evidence for how the body is a system of interacting subsystems composed of groups of cells. 
• MS-LS1-7. Develop a model to describe how food is rearranged through chemical reactions forming new molecules that support growth and/or release energy as this matter moves through an organism.
• MS-LS1-8. Gather and synthesize information that sensory receptors respond to stimuli by sending messages to the brain for immediate behavior or storage as memories.

   

Your Human Body 2.0 project is due December 19. Only extensions for redesign projects will be considered and might be granted on a case by case basis. Feedback on the essay drafts was published. Look for yours!

8th Grade: Chemistry-Bonding

• MS-PS1-1 Develop models to describe the atomic composition of simple molecules and extended structures.
• MS-PS1-2 Analyze and interpret data on the properties of substances before and after the substances interact to determine if a chemical reaction has occurred.
• MS-PS1-3. Gather and make sense of information to describe that synthetic materials come from natural resources and impact society.
• MS-PS1-4. Develop a model that predicts and describes changes in particle motion, temperature, and state of a pure substance when thermal energy is added or removed.
• MS-PS1-5. Develop and use a model to describe how the total number of atoms does not change in a chemical reaction and thus mass is conserved

Genius Hour Shark Tank presentations are due on December 18th during SEN. Because of this we will discuss what we want this week to look like in class. We will prepare to come back from break to "THE SPILL"

Science News 12/8-12/12

Blogs: All students will need to complete a weekly blog. Don't forget!

5th Grade: Weather

• MS-ESS2-5. Collect data to provide evidence for how the motions and complex interactions of air masses results in changes in weather conditions.
• MS-ESS2-6 Develop and use a model to describe how unequal heating and rotation of the Earth cause patterns of atmospheric and oceanic circulation that determine regional climates.
• MS-ESS3-5.Ask questions to clarify evidence of the factors that have caused the rise in global temperatures over the past century.

After we predict the weather using the EdHeads interactive you will take a quick quiz. From there we will move on to the severe weather project. What will you choose to do?

6th Grade: Dirt on Soil 

• MS-ESS2-1. Develop a model to describe the cycling of Earth's materials and the flow of energy that drives this process.
• MS-ESS2-2. Construct an explanation based on evidence for how geoscience processes have changed Earth's surface at varying time and spatial scales.

This week will be devoted mostly to the background research for your case study analysis. You will discover the value of soil and the different ways to avoid/control soil erosion.

7th Grade: Human Body Redesign

• MS-LS1-3. Use argument supported by evidence for how the body is a system of interacting subsystems composed of groups of cells. 
• MS-LS1-7. Develop a model to describe how food is rearranged through chemical reactions forming new molecules that support growth and/or release energy as this matter moves through an organism.
• MS-LS1-8. Gather and synthesize information that sensory receptors respond to stimuli by sending messages to the brain for immediate behavior or storage as memories.

   

You will receive your project assignments and meet with your team to develop a Human Body Redesign brief. Together we will create a time table for the project and you will be responsible for keeping yourself on track.

8th Grade: Chemistry-Bonding

• MS-PS1-1 Develop models to describe the atomic composition of simple molecules and extended structures.
• MS-PS1-2 Analyze and interpret data on the properties of substances before and after the substances interact to determine if a chemical reaction has occurred.
• MS-PS1-3. Gather and make sense of information to describe that synthetic materials come from natural resources and impact society.
• MS-PS1-4. Develop a model that predicts and describes changes in particle motion, temperature, and state of a pure substance when thermal energy is added or removed.
• MS-PS1-5. Develop and use a model to describe how the total number of atoms does not change in a chemical reaction and thus mass is conserved

This week will learn the meaning of chemical equations, and uncover the Law of Conservation of Matter. On lab days we will try to control a chemical reaction, and determine the relationship between reactants and products.

Science News 12/1-12/5

AdVENTURE Science

Blogs: Weekly blogs resume this week. Remember, they are worth 30% of your final grade, so don't forget to do them.

5th Grade: Weather

• MS-ESS2-5. Collect data to provide evidence for how the motions and complex interactions of air masses results in changes in weather conditions.
• MS-ESS2-6 Develop and use a model to describe how unequal heating and rotation of the Earth cause patterns of atmospheric and oceanic circulation that determine regional climates.
• MS-ESS3-5.Ask questions to clarify evidence of the factors that have caused the rise in global temperatures over the past century.

We begin the week exploring the water cycle and play a fun game. The information we gather will be used to create a water cycle story. Once we know how water moves, we turn our attention to how weather is created and how it is different from climate.

6th Grade: Dirt on Soil 

• MS-ESS2-1. Develop a model to describe the cycling of Earth's materials and the flow of energy that drives this process.
• MS-ESS2-2. Construct an explanation based on evidence for how geoscience processes have changed Earth's surface at varying time and spatial scales.

We begin the week discovering the difference between weathering and erosion and provide evidence of the interaction between acid rain and several materials. Building on that background information we begin to examine the importance and value of soil as a renewable resource

7th Grade: Human Body Redesign

• MS-LS1-3. Use argument supported by evidence for how the body is a system of interacting subsystems composed of groups of cells. 
• MS-LS1-7. Develop a model to describe how food is rearranged through chemical reactions forming new molecules that support growth and/or release energy as this matter moves through an organism.
• MS-LS1-8. Gather and synthesize information that sensory receptors respond to stimuli by sending messages to the brain for immediate behavior or storage as memories.

We begin our human body exploration in earnest. For each of the body systems you study, you will be required to write a blogpost and suggest an area of redesign. Because of all this writing your class will not have a weekly blog due. What wonderful ideas will you come up with?

8th Grade: Chemistry-Bonding

• MS-PS1-1 Develop models to describe the atomic composition of simple molecules and extended structures.
• MS-PS1-2 Analyze and interpret data on the properties of substances before and after the substances interact to determine if a chemical reaction has occurred.
• MS-PS1-3. Gather and make sense of information to describe that synthetic materials come from natural resources and impact society.
• MS-PS1-4. Develop a model that predicts and describes changes in particle motion, temperature, and state of a pure substance when thermal energy is added or removed.
• MS-PS1-5. Develop and use a model to describe how the total number of atoms does not change in a chemical reaction and thus mass is conserved

This week will be primarily devoted to your investigation of a hazardous material. The chemical you choose will be the backbone of your final project, so choose wisely. What physical and chemical properties will you be able to uncover?

Science News Nov 17-21

AdVENTURE Science

Blogs: No blogs this week.

5th Grade: Weather

• MS-ESS2-5. Collect data to provide evidence for how the motions and complex interactions of air masses results in changes in weather conditions.
• MS-ESS2-6 Develop and use a model to describe how unequal heating and rotation of the Earth cause patterns of atmospheric and oceanic circulation that determine regional climates.
• MS-ESS3-5.Ask questions to clarify evidence of the factors that have caused the rise in global temperatures over the past century.

Letters to Mr. Cuttatree will be delivered on Monday, after which we will take a short quiz. We are moving right along and begin our explorations in weather patterns. We will start by providing evidence that air is all around us and figure out how scientists determine the layers of the atmosphere. Towards the end of the week we will explore the water cycle and play a fun game.

6th Grade: Natural Disasters - Safest Place in America

• MS-ESS2-5. Collect data to provide evidence for how the motions and complex interactions of air masses results in changes in weather conditions. 
• MS-ESS2-6. Develop and use a model to describe how unequal heating and rotation of the Earth cause patterns of atmospheric and oceanic circulation that determine regional climates. 

After all that hard work, you will present your "Safest place in America" ad campaign. I am looking forward to seeing what you decided. We will conclude our week with an introduction to the Genius Hour project. 

7th Grade: Cells 'R Us 

• MS-LS1-2. Develop and use a model to describe the function of a cell as a whole and ways parts of cells contribute to the function.
• MS-LS1-3. Use argument supported by evidence for how the body is a system of interacting subsystems composed of groups of cells. 

We will conclude our exploration of mitosis by finding a possible cure for cancer. What will you decide? On Thursday you will receive new briefs as we begin to explore human body systems and are introduced to the Human Body 2.0 project.

8th Grade: Chemistry-Bonding

• MS-PS1-1 Develop models to describe the atomic composition of simple molecules and extended structures.
• MS-PS1-2 Analyze and interpret data on the properties of substances before and after the substances interact to determine if a chemical reaction has occurred.
• MS-PS1-3. Gather and make sense of information to describe that synthetic materials come from natural resources and impact society.
• MS-PS1-4. Develop a model that predicts and describes changes in particle motion, temperature, and state of a pure substance when thermal energy is added or removed.
• MS-PS1-5. Develop and use a model to describe how the total number of atoms does not change in a chemical reaction and thus mass is conserved

We will continue to explore how atoms bond together in preparation to develop a hazardous material infographic. On Wednesday you will have the formal introduction to the Genius Hour project, and discuss how to make this an awesome experience.

Science News Nov 10-14

AdVENTURE Science

Blogs: 

Students that reach the 250 XP milestone may switch to Article Blogs, with the understanding that the articles must have been published within the last month AND that one out of every 4 blogs must still be a reflective blog. Make sure you check the requirements in your class page! 

If you have not reached this milestone you are expected to continue writing reflective blogs. 

5th Grade: Interdependence of Organisms 

• 5-PS3-1. Use models to describe that that energy in animals’ food  was once energy from the sun. 
• 5-LS1-1. Support an argument that plants get the materials they need for growth chiefly from air and water.
• 5-LS2-1. Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment.

We will begin writing our letters to Mr. Cuttatree. Gather all your evidence and prepare to brainstorm the most compelling arguments!

6th Grade: Natural Disasters - Safest Place in America

• MS-ESS2-5. Collect data to provide evidence for how the motions and complex interactions of air masses results in changes in weather conditions. 
• MS-ESS2-6. Develop and use a model to describe how unequal heating and rotation of the Earth cause patterns of atmospheric and oceanic circulation that determine regional climates. 

You will work on your advertising campaign this week. Have you chosen "The Safest Place in America?"

7th Grade: Cells 'R Us - How do cells transport materials?

• MS-LS1-2. Develop and use a model to describe the function of a cell as a whole and ways parts of cells contribute to the function.
• MS-LS1-3. Use argument supported by evidence for how the body is a system of interacting subsystems composed of groups of cells. 

You will present the Cells 'R Us project on Wednesday. It is time to celebrate! To conclude our studies in this unit, you will research a cure for cancer as we study mitosis. Now isn't that exciting?

8th Grade: Periodic Table

• MS-PS1-1. Develop models to describe the atomic composition of simple molecules and extended structures.
• MS-PS1-4. Develop a model that predicts and describes changes in particle motion, temperature, and state of a pure substance when thermal energy is added or removed. 

Building on the "Build a Molecule" work, we will explore physical and chemical changes. Will you be able to open the "Covalent World"? 

Science News Nov 3-7

AdVENTURE Science

Blogs: 

Students that reach the 250 XP milestone may switch to Article Blogs, with the understanding that the articles must have been published within the last month AND that one out of every 4 blogs must still be a reflective blog. Make sure you check the requirements in your class page! 

If you have not reached this milestone you are expected to continue writing reflective blogs. 

5th Grade: Interdependence of Organisms 

• 5-PS3-1. Use models to describe that that energy in animals’ food  was once energy from the sun. 
• 5-LS1-1. Support an argument that plants get the materials they need for growth chiefly from air and water.
• 5-LS2-1. Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment.

Students will conclude their animal research report and prepare to share it as we create a class food web. Towards the end of the week, we will study the devastating effects of deforestation on the Costa Rican rainforest and discuss possible solutions. Watch out Mr. Cuttatree, we have most of our evidence!

6th Grade: Natural Disasters - Safest Place in America

• MS-ESS2-5. Collect data to provide evidence for how the motions and complex interactions of air masses results in changes in weather conditions. 
• MS-ESS2-6. Develop and use a model to describe how unequal heating and rotation of the Earth cause patterns of atmospheric and oceanic circulation that determine regional climates. 

This week we will conclude our research into the different types of natural disasters. Stay tuned to learn which city is the "Safest Place in America"! 

7th Grade: Cells 'R Us - How do cells transport materials?

• MS-LS1-2. Develop and use a model to describe the function of a cell as a whole and ways parts of cells contribute to the function.
• MS-LS1-3. Use argument supported by evidence for how the body is a system of interacting subsystems composed of groups of cells. 

We will conclude our exploration on how materials are transported into and out of cells. You will have the rest of the week to build your model and prepare the accompanying documents. The Cells 'R Us project is due for presentations on Friday.

8th Grade: Periodic Table

• MS-PS1-1. Develop models to describe the atomic composition of simple molecules and extended structures.
• MS-PS1-4. Develop a model that predicts and describes changes in particle motion, temperature, and state of a pure substance when thermal energy is added or removed. 

Students will finish their periodic table of ___, and be ready to share during parent exhibition night on Wednesday. The new project will be introduced on Thursday as we learn how to count atoms, with the help of who else... Count von Count.

Science News October 27-31

AdVENTURE Science

All students are still on Reflective Blogs.

5th Grade: Interdependence of Organisms 

• 5-PS3-1. Use models to describe that that energy in animals’ food  was once energy from the sun. 
• 5-LS1-1. Support an argument that plants get the materials they need for growth chiefly from air and water.
• 5-LS2-1. Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment.

Students will continue their investigations into how plants and animals interact with one another in order to gather evidence to present to Mr. Cuttatree. We will discover how energy flows within an ecosystem and introduce symbiotic relationships. Towards the end of the week, we will travel to the Costa Rican Rainforest where each student will pick an animal to investigate and use his/her research to create a class food web.

6th Grade: Natural Disasters - Safest Place in America

• MS-ESS2-5. Collect data to provide evidence for how the motions and complex interactions of air masses results in changes in weather conditions. 
• MS-ESS2-6. Develop and use a model to describe how unequal heating and rotation of the Earth cause patterns of atmospheric and oceanic circulation that determine regional climates. 

We are finishing up our Tectonic Convention. Students will end their presentations on Monday, and we will move on to the Natural Disasters Unit, where we will explore how changing weather patterns lead to different types of severe weather. This week our focus will be on wildfires and thunderstorms. 

7th Grade: Cells 'R Us - How do cells transport materials?

• MS-LS1-2. Develop and use a model to describe the function of a cell as a whole and ways parts of cells contribute to the function.
• MS-LS1-3. Use argument supported by evidence for how the body is a system of interacting subsystems composed of groups of cells. 

Monday we will finish our photosynthesis and cell respiration mini unit. We will then move on to how materials are transported into and out of cells, as we continue to study cell processes. We will use "naked" eggs to visualize the process, and the students will get a chance to develop their own investigations. The end of the Cells 'R Us project is in sight!

8th Grade: Periodic Table

• MS-PS1-1. Develop models to describe the atomic composition of simple molecules and extended structures.
• MS-PS1-4. Develop a model that predicts and describes changes in particle motion, temperature, and state of a pure substance when thermal energy is added or removed. 

Students will continue to delve deeply into Mendeleev's contributions to the development of the periodic table as they learn just how much information is at their fingertips. Students will take a "voyage through thought and imagination" as they explore Mendeleev's castle, before getting started on developing their very own periodic table of ___ !

E-portfolios

Purpose

The purpose of creating and maintaining an electronic portfolio is for students to reflect on your education. The portfolio should include a statement of your goals, and files which showcase your  best work. The work you select should be organized and reflected upon.

Reflections

The electronic portfolio shows examples of different kinds of work, such as links to specific blog posts, presentations, files, and pictures. Each example is accompanied by a reflection, and includes the subject for which the artifact was created, a brief description of why the file has been included in the e-portfolio, and an explanation as to why this file shows what you learned.

You can work on your e-portfolio any time that you have finished classwork.

You may use Google sites or Wix to create your e-portfolio.

What to include:

Home page: This is where your readers will land. A homepage is the introduction for the rest of your portfolio and provides general information about you and the purpose of the site. In addition, a homepage provides links to the other pages within your portfolio. Above all, your homepage should be inviting to its viewers so that they will want to see and read more of your portfolio. The overall design of your homepage will vary depending on the purpose, the needs of the site users, the aesthetic and design goals for the site as well as the complexity of your portfolio. Ask yourself these questions to help form ideas about building your homepage.
DO NOT INCLUDE ANY INFORMATION, such as pictures, e-mail  or real address, phone number, Google+ account, etc.

Do tell us what it means to be an AdVENTURE student. This is a 5 paragraph reflection.


Create a table of contents: This links your homepage to all other pages in your portfolio:
Science
Core
Math
Elective
Tech tools you learned to use.

Each subpage:
Choose at least one artifact from each class. Embed it into your site and/or include a link to the document/site/presentation/post.
Select the item(s) that you believe showcase your best work. For each item you present, you must include a reflection (1-2 paragraphs) that explain why you chose that item and how does it show your achievement. Avoid phrases such as "I chose this becauseI have always been interested in _____".
For tech tools, include the name of the tool (Glogster, Edmodo, Kahoot, etc.), with a link to the home page. Briefly describe what the tool is, how/when you used it and how it impacted your learning.

In case you need examples: http://www.hightechhigh.org/digital_portfolios.php

Your rubric: http://bit.ly/SDOVVC