Happy Halloween and Last Day of the Quarter

Congratulations on making through the 1st quarter of your 8th grade year.  Be safe tonight and this weekend and we will see you back next week when we will be starting on Chemistry.  Just a little chemistry to help understand Earth Science better.

IPad Funding Opportunity

Check the Funding Opportunity Link for more info!  Share the link with your friends via email and Facebook!  Any donations are TREMENDOUSLY appreciated!

Helicopter Lab and Conclusions

First of all, the students are doing amazing studying for their conclusion quizzes and getting A's!  Remember students will continue to take the conclusion quiz until they "master" it by getting an A.  I have all the review materials on my blog for students to access to study. 

For the rest of the week we will be designing paper "helicopters" - students will work in teams to design helicopters using 3x5 index cards.  On Thursday, students will enter their helicopters into four competitions - slowest descent, fastest descent, most accurate, and farthest lateral distance.

You can access the link to the lab paperwork by clicking here!

Conclusions...Labs and More

It's been a few days since I have posted.  I as well as a few colleagues were lucky enough to attend the NSTA conference in Portland thanks to the PTSA.  Today we finished up our gum lab and the data that went along with it.  We also took the conclusion quiz over for anyone with a B or below.  We are working towards mastery with the concept so students will continue to take the quiz all week or until mastery, whatever comes first.  This week, we have great review lessons using the scientific method and applying it to engineering helicopters.  On Thursday, anyone with a C or above will get to watch a movie and others will work on make-up work.  End of the quarter is Friday and NO SCHOOL FRIDAY!

QUIZ Review

Thursday there will be a quiz over Investigative Plans and Conclusion writing.  Below, you will find links to an example of each with the requirements for each.  You will need to know this by memory, no notes will be allowed for the quiz.  Study hard!  I will see you all on Monday.  Also, be prepared to take a conclusion quiz each day next week that will be different each time until you get an A.

Investigative Plan
Conclusion Writing-How To

Gummi Bear Results

So, we have completed the actual Gummi Bear Lab and have all this data.  What do we do with it?  We graph it!  We write conclusions with it!  Then, we can discuss it and any patterns we may have seen.  So, that's what we did today.  It is due by Wednesday if not completed in class.  Each student is responsible for a data table, an investigative plan, a conclusion and a graph each.  We are heading into our next lab which is the bubble gum lab!  Remember, I need gum for the class to make it a go!

All Gummi Bears Into the Pool

Today was the first day of the Gummi Bear Lab.  We had to measure the volume and mass of the gummi bears and then calculate density.  Then the gummi bears were placed in a cup of water for different amounts of time.  Once the given time has elapsed that each group decided upon, they will then calculate the density of the gummi bears again and see what change, if any there was for the gummi bears.