We are getting close to the home stretch!

Monday - Final day of testing.

Tuesday - Begin activities on Octover Sky.

Wednesday - Given the Newton's Three Law's Children's book assignment (written for 3rd graders, 9 year olds).

Thursday - Quiz over Forces and Motion. Continue watching October Sky and answering the movie questions.

Friday - Finish the movie, discuss the questions, and take a movie quiz. Newton's Three Law's childrens book due, Friday, April 28th.

We begin Milestones testing this week.

Monday - Review for the science milestones (students were given a concept guide two weeks ago to use to study and review for the milestones.

Tuesday - Thursday - Review for milestones. Science Milestones is on Friday!!!

Friday - Science milestones.

Have a great spring break!!!

Milestone quizzes #1-12 are due for summative grades.

Unit Test week!!!

Monday - Finish up newton's law, acceleration, and balanced/unbalanced forces.

Tuesday - Poster Reivew Rounds - Poster Review Answer Key

Wednesday - Additional Reviews

Thursday - UNIT TEST (forces and motion, and simple machines)

Friday - Milestones Review: Matter, Electricity, Waves

USA Test Prep: Milestone Quizzes #10-16 - Due Sunday night

Science Milestones is Friday, April 14th.

Monday - We will be working on distance vs time graphs using the story of the Tortoise and the Hare (Adv) and story cards and graphs (OL). Students will turn in the Tortoise and the Hare graph on Tuesday for a formative check. 

Tuesday - We will be working on the STEM activity RUN! Students will need to wear tennis shoes, and be prepared to go outside. Tortoise and Hare graphs are due today, and OL will present their stores and graphs to the class. We will also take brief notes on Newton's Three Laws (see assignments and files page for ppt and notes page).

Wednesday - We will summarize the difference between the distance-time, speed-time, and acceleration-time graphs.

Thursday - We will learn about acceleration and factors that affect acceleration of an object. QUIZ today over distance-time, speed-time, speed calculations, acceleration, and forces. 

Friday - Summary notes for the week, and learn about gravitational force. 

Forces and Motion unit test is March 30th

Monday - Simple Machines Anchor Chart (formative grade) - student partners will work on their anchor charts. They will be turned in and graded. Notes on Speed, acceleration, and velocity.

Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday - We will work on the balloon car lab activity. They will race their cars on Thursday, and complete a graphing activity. Quiz on Thursday if time allows, otherwise will be moved to Monday, March 20th.

USA Test Prep Milestones Quiz #1-8 due Thursday!! The top four quiz scores will be averaged for a summative grade. Students were assigned these on March 7th, and had until March 16th to complete the assignments. Students have been given daily reminders and remind messages have been sent out as reminders and to communicate with parents.

Friday - No School, Teacher Workday

This week we will being our unit for forces and motion! Can't wait!!!

Monday - Electricity and Magnetism Test corrections; Forces and Motion (including simple machines) vocabulary will be given out, and working towards completing (due filled in on Thursday, March 9th), and we will begin notes of simple machines. Students many utilize these quizlets to study their vocabulary terms: https://quizlet.com/121871191/8th-grade-physical-science-vocab-flash-cards/, https://quizlet.com/87945384/8th-grade-leap-review-physical-science2-flash-cards/, https://quizlet.com/75265547/8th-grade-physical-science-vocabulary-flash-cards/, and https://quizlet.com/108863599/8th-grade-mid-term-exam-physical-science-flash-cards/

Simple Machines Quizlet: https://quizlet.com/1921942/simple-machines-flash-cards/

Tuesday - Notes on simple machines, activities and intro lab on simple machines. 

Wednesday - Simple machines continues... TOD on simple machines.

Thursday - Quiz on simple machines, and vocabulary. Vocabulary WS due completed, USA Test Prep "Electricity and magnetism quiz/test" due. Simple machines continued.

Friday - We will take summary notes, drawings, and make anchor charts summarizing simple and compound machines.

This week we will finish up with electricity and magnetism, and prepare for our unit test on Thursday, March 2th!

Monday -Graphic organizer reviews for the unit test. Using a piece of printer paper, fold it half, and then half again. When you unfold the paper you should have 4 squares on the front side and four on the back side. I have included links to websites to help you review concepts for the unit test on Thursday (include the specific information below AND an illustration of each concept). In each of the eight suares below, include the following IN ORDER:

Square 1: Gravity! What is it, and how does it work?? In this square, define gravity, and how as a force it depends upon mass of the object and the distance between the two objects. Use the following link to help with this square: http://www.physics4kids.com/files/motion_gravity.html

Square 2: Parts of an Atom! Draw a model of an atom, the parts of an atom, and their charges. Explain the attraction between the positive and negative charges of an atom. Do NOT Read every page in this site, use ONLY these following links: http://www.chem4kids.com/files/atom_structure.html, http://www.chem4kids.com/files/atom_orbital.html (START WITH WHERE ARE THE ELECTRONS, AND GO TO THE NEXT PAGE), http://www.chem4kids.com/files/atom_electron.html (ELECTRONS TO POWER UP), or you may use this link for information as well: http://www.livescience.com/37206-atom-definition.html

Square 3: Electricity! In this square, define electricity, and how it is transferred/transformed in a circuit. For example, chemical energy (battery) to electrical energy... what is moving in electricity, and how is it measured. You may use either of these links to help with this square (one link requires flash player): http://www.furryelephant.com/content/electricity/electrical-energy/, and http://www.ck12.org/book/CK-12-Physical-Science-For-Middle-School/section/23.3/

Square 4: Series Circuits! In this square, define a series circuit, include an illustration of a series circuit (include a switch, and at least two loads), explain the advantages and disadvantages of series circuits. Use this link to the pdf file to help with series circuits: http://oldwww.sd67.bc.ca/teachers/jheinrich/Sci%2010%20pdf/Physics/Series%20and%20Parallel%20Circuits.pdf

Square 5: Parallel Circuits! In this square, define a parallel circuit, include an illustration of a parallel circuit (include a switch, and at least two loads), explain the advantages and disadvantages of parallel circuits. Use this link to the pdf file to help with parallel circuits: http://oldwww.sd67.bc.ca/teachers/jheinrich/Sci%2010%20pdf/Physics/Series%20and%20Parallel%20Circuits.pdf

Square 6 and 7: Magnetism! Explain what magnets, and magnetism are, how they behave (repel or attract and when and why), the magnetic field, and how electricity and magnetism can exert force on each other (Electromagnets). Use the following link to find this information (keep clicking next to go through all of the pages): http://www.physics4kids.com/files/elec_intro.html

Square 8: Questions! In this square include ANY and all questions that you have about this unit that we need to answer, review, etc before your unit test on Thursday (THIS Thursday, March 2nd) 

Monday night I will open a test on USA Test Prep for the Electricity and Magnetism Unit. It will count as a quiz grade, and you will have only ONE chance to complete the test. You may NOT use your notes, websites, etc. Read each question carefully, think about the choices, and choose the best answer. You will have until Wednesday at 4pm to complete this test/quiz. 

Tuesday - Today we will cover static electricity, static lab stations, and set up reviews for the unit.

Wednesday - Quiz today, and discuss static electricity lab and take notes on static electricity

Thursday - Review for test on Electricity and Magnetism; Use this ppt to test your knowledge of the unit material. Electricity and Magnetism Review PPT

Friday - Unit Test of Electricity and Magnetism. USA Test prep online test (due on Tuesday, March 7th)

February Break!!! Have a great time off!!!!!

Monday - UPDATED: PPT and notes on electricity and circuits, series and parallel circuits Venn diagram, and electricity and circuits anchor charts (SEE RESOURCES AND FILES FOR INFORMATION)

Tuesday - Students will watch two videos on electricity and magnetism. They are responsible to answer questions during the video. The questions will be turned in for a grade. If students did not complete the questions, they may use the internet and look up the answers to these questions, and turn them in for partial credit on MONDAY after the break. They are only worth 10 points. 

Class Agenda:

1. Students will watch the first video: Physical Science in Action on Electricity. They will need to copy and answer the following video questions (please write them onto the board for them to copy):
   1. What is meant by “charge imbalance?” What causes this?
   2. What happens when two like charges are brought to together? What about two opposite charges?
   3. How are conductors and insulators used in the creation of household electric wire?
   4. What makes one’s hair stand on end and socks stick together?
2. Students will watch the second video: Physical Science in Action on Magnetism. They will need to copy and answer the following video questions (please write them onto the board for them to copy):
   1. What is magnetism?
   2. What are a magnet’s poles?
   3. How do magnets work without touching?
   4. What is a magnetic field?
   5. What is the relationship between magnetism and electricity?
   6. How does an electric current create a magnetic field?

Wednesday - CATCH UP: students will take notes on magnetism, Ohm's law, and focus on the relationship between voltage, current, and resistance. 

Thursday - Today students will learn about Static Electricity and investigate the properties/behavior of static electricity. If time, students will learn about elelctroscopes, and build one in class.

Friday - Quiz covers: (series and parallel) circuits, advantages and disadvantages of circuits, electricity, magnets and magnetism, vocabulary, and alternating and direct current.  Demo on electromagnets, and building electroscopes. 

Two-Column Summary Notes should be filled in with the following concepts, students were to fill in the details about each concept, and draw an illustration:

1. Electricity

2. Circuits (series & parallel)

3. Advantages and disadvantages of series/parallel circuits

4. Open (incomplete) circuit

5. Closed (complete) circuit

6. Conductors/Insulators

7. Resistance, Voltage, Current (amps)

8. Magnets & Magnetism

9. Electromagnets

10. Ohm's Law

Their two column summary notes will be checked on Tuesday, February 28th for completeness. 

** Every day students will complete the Two Column Summary (Closing) Notes, summarizing what they have learned AND provides notes/study guide for the unit from the beginning of the unit.**