Change is what we do.

Change has brought me outside of the classroom, yet still in the world of education. My "students" are now teachers themselves, and thus, until I once again have a classroom, the pages of this blog will remain blank...

February 21-24, 2012

The end of the 2nd Trimester will be here as of next week. Be sure you are keeping up with in class work and make up activities, as the grade book will close at the end of the day on Wednesday February 29th.

Activities and Objectives for the week of February 21st include:

Tuesday Feb 21st
Objective: To distinguish sedimentary rock samples from other rocks based on their characteristics
In class: Identify the sedimentary rocks and complete their descriptions. Practice the rock placemat with the sedimentary samples. Begin discussion on the rock cycle.
Homework: none
**Notebooks for 5th hour were turned in and corrected today.

Wednesday Feb 22nd
Objective: To distinguish metamorphic rock samples from other rocks based on their characteristics
In class: Identify the metamorphic rock samples and complete their descriptions. Complete the rock cycle discussion and diagram. Participate in the rock cycle "game
Homework: Complete your 1 paragraph description of your journey through the rock cycle. Be sure to include specific details such as locations where you might be found or the amount of time that you are spending at any one place in the cycle.
**Notebooks for 1st, 2nd, and 6th hour were turned in and corrected today.

Thursday and Friday February 23rd and 24th
MCA Math testing...


Students will have two class hours to complete four levels of activities. They must complete each level before moving on.
Level 1 - Complete any missing work from the Rock unit.
Level 2 - Sort, define, and complete a word web using the rocks vocabulary terms
Level 3 - Revisit rock section questions, revising answers to each question based on new knowledge learned
Level 4 - Complete a "Wanted" poster for a chosen rock - Due Tuesday 02/28
Level 5 -Enrichment** Find a mineral/rock gravel exploration. Students are allowed to keep any rock or mineral that they can identify (up to 5 samples).

All students must complete the Level 4 activity-Rock "Wanted" poster, either in class or as HOMEWORK for Tuesday 2/28.

The Rock exam will be on Wednesday 02/29!

The Week of Valentine's day.

Announcement: Many of you may have heard rumors, and yes, they are true, I will be moving at the end of the 2nd trimester. My six years in North Branch have been a wonderful experience,  and I thank each and every one of you for the ways in which you have impacted my life. I look back with fondness and look forward with excitement as I begin a new journey in a new place.

Activities for the week of February 14th include:

Tuesday Feb. 14th
In class - Metamorphic rocks notes
Homework - Rocks Vocabulary Review activity - Due Wednesday

Wednesday Feb. 15th
In class - Metamorphic rocks video
Rock investigation - describing each of the rock samples and determining the characteristics that are most effective in identifying them.
Homework - None

Thursday Feb. 16th
In class - Rock investigation continued
Homework - Read through rocks notebook one time this week for 10 minutes to review.

Friday Feb. 17th
In class - Read Chapter 4 Sections 2-5, add notes to general "Rocks notes" pages in notebook.
Homework: Complete reading and section assessment questions for each section. Due Tuesday 02/21

February 7-10

Activities and objectives for this week include:

Tuesday: Objective - Use evidence to back up the story that you create
In Class - Label rock placemat
Homework - Bring a rock to class tomorrow

Wednesday: Objective - to classify objects based on their properties
In Class - Classification activities, Rocks I notice, I wonder notebook entries,
Homework - None

Thursday: Objective - know the distinguishing characteristics of Igneous rocks
In Class - Rock sample I notice/I wonder investigation,. Read Chapter 4 Section 1 to answer the questions 1. What is a rock? and How do we tell them apart? - Igneous rocks Notes
Homework - None

Friday: Objective - to know the distinguishing characteristics of Sedimentary rocks
In Class - Sedimentary rocks notes, Sedimentary rocks video, Rock sample investigation
Homework Rocks Vocabulary Activity - Due Wednesday - Some questions are about Metamorphic rocks, which we will be studying in class on Tuesday - you can fill in those questions after we learn about them.

Hello February...

Activities and learning objectives for the week of January 31st include:

 Tuesday:
Learning objective: Students should understand the process of and conditions favorable for mineral formation.
In Class: Rock candy making, Giant Crystal Cave video clip
Homework: None

Wednesday:
Learning objective: Students should be able to explain the impact that mining has on land and the difficulties in making a profit when mining.
In Class: Cookie Mining activity Homework: Summarize questions from lab for Thursday. 

Thursday:
Learning objective: Apply what you have learned about the mineral samples in class to new "unknown" minerals. Explain the definition of a mineral. Describe how each of the properties of minerals is tested. In Class: Team review game - Minerals
Homework: Study for Minerals Exam on Friday


Friday:
Learning Objective: Demonstrate thorough knowledge of minerals through successful completion of the mineral exam. In Class: Minerals Exam
Homework: Find a (small) rock and bring to class on Tuesday.

January 24-27

This week is all about minerals!

Tuesday:
In class - mineral  identities revealed, discussion of common products that use the minerals that we've been studying.

Homework: Complete the Minerals vocabulary activity #1 describing the seven mineral properties - due Tuesday

If you wish to make rock candy, you need to bring a glass jar and two cups of sugar from home by Tuesday Jan. 31st

Wednesday:
In Class - Review minerals, practice identifying them based on properties.
Read Chapter 3 Section 2  - and complete the target reading activity in your notebook.

Homework: begin the mineral vocabulary review activity due on Friday

Thursday:
In Class - Minerals web quest - investigation of many things mineral - due at the end of the hour.

Homework: Mineral vocabulary review activity due Tomorrow.

Friday: In Class - Minerals timeline, - investigation on mining and refining to turn materials from the earth into products you use.

1st students begin the mineral identification test.

Homework: Bring materials for rock candy on Tuesday.

Notes: The Minerals exam will be on Friday February 3rd.

January flies by with gusto!

My apologies in not keeping up with the blog the past couple of weeks, as I have been away from my classroom for a variety of other job-related duties. 

Activities etc. for the week of January 17th include:

Tuesday January 17th In Class - Tessellations investigation - make three different tessellating shapes. Click here for a cool web-based tessellation maker, a bit fancier than what we did in class.
Homework - Create a 3-dimensional version of one of the six crystal systems.
 For an A you need to attempt either the hexagonal, triclinic, or monoclinic crystal shape
For a B you need to attempt either the tetragonal or orthorhombic crystal shape
For a C you need to attempt the cubic crystal.
Click here to see a sample of each of the crystal shapes.

Wednesday January 18th
In Class - Introduction to Minerals, mineral identification lab day 1
Science Notebooks collected for hours 5&6
Homework - None!

Thursday January 19th
Middle school conferences are tonight and next Monday from 12-7. All students are scheduled to meet with their homeroom teacher for conferences.
In class - Mineral identification lab day 2
Science Notebooks collected for hours 1&2
Homework- None!

Friday January 20th
In Class - Mineral identification lab day 3
Homework - Review key characteristics of each of the 12 required minerals
Mineral Vocabulary activity - due Wednesday January 25th