Sunday, December 14, 2014

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"


Sunday, December 7, 2014

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.