Last Few Weeks

I've been so bad about blogging for the last few weeks of school. We've had a lot of schedule changes and assemblies, which have made life a little nuts. First of all, a big thank you to those families who have been so generous with giving during our Sub for Santa weeks. I'm especially proud of my 2nd period class who has been doing so well - we've been in the top 10 until today.

We've been discussing weather over the last few weeks. The students did a vocabulary activity, they looked at the differences between direct and indirect light, and they watched demonstrations for how convection currents occur. Then we talked about the Coriolis Effect and how it determines how wind and water rotates in the different hemispheres. They took a quiz on wind patterns and they are currently working on a large research assignment on a weather topic. After they finish researching, they will be making a mobile to hang from the ceiling.

Your student will be taking a quarter exam the week before Christmas Break. The exam will include questions about matter cycles (nitrogen & carbon), and questions about the atmosphere (uneven heating, convection currents, Coriolis Effect, & weather). Hopefully we can get everything completed before the break so that students can relax and enjoy the time out of school (me too...).

Nov. 16- 20: Ozone and Carbon Cycle Lab

This week students will be learning about the ozone and about the development of our atmosphere. They will be doing an activity on the computers where they will read about the ozone, then find a connecting article and write summaries about it (they are making an "article chain"). Then they will do a graphing activity that illustrates how the atmosphere has changed over time (from early Earth, to our present conditions). Then, if the lab supplies we've ordered have come in, we will do a lab to review the carbon cycle (what puts carbon into the atmosphere and what takes it out). I'm excited to do a lab with the students - they enjoy getting to DO science. We haven't had many opportunities for labs so far though - hopefully we can make that change.

Nov. 9-13: Nitrogen Cycle

Last week we worked on the carbon cycle - this week we're learning about the nitrogen cycle. Both carbon and nitrogen are important for living tissues. Carbon is the backbone for most of the chemicals in the body (DNA, carbohydrates, lipids, etc.). Nitrogen is necessary for DNA and proteins. So learning how they cycle through Earth's systems and how they become available for our bodies is important. These 2 cycles are also important because they both are involved in making greenhouse gases (and could influence the climate... depending on how you look at the data).

We've been looking at evidence for human influences on the atmosphere and I'm proud of how the students have been able to look at the issues and think critically about how we may (or may not) be influencing the Earth. I have given them an extra credit opportunity to look at some of the current issues about global warming (looking up current events is also a geography requirement for most of them, so this should kill 2 birds with one stone).

We'll be doing a lot of review, and hopefully a lab near the end of the week (pending lab supplies). We'll be taking a quiz on the carbon and nitrogen cycles early next week.

Thanks for all your support!

Nov. 2-6: Carbon Cycle

We're on to something new!!! Of course, you'll never forget the stuff we learned for astronomy... but it's time to move on. Our next unit will focus on the atmosphere and how it interacts with other Earth systems through matter cycles. First we will look at the carbon cycle. We'll take a few notes, do an online activity, look at carbon emissions around the world, and read some articles for and against human causes of global warming. My hope is that you will learn how to read articles and critically look for bias and to rely on solid data before deciding for or against ANY issue. Learning how to interpret other people's opinions is an important life skill - one we need to practice.

Oct. 26 - 29: Review and Test

On Monday students designed their own planet with a computer simulation. They learned that it's pretty hard to get a planet with all the right conditions for life to exist there. We call where Earth is the "Goldilocks Zone" - it's "just right!" We are the right distance from the sun not be too hot or too cold, we have liquid water, and we have processes that keep nutrients cycling through all of Earth's systems. It's a good place to be!

On Tuesday we played a review game for their big test on Wednesday. The test covered a little bit from the last unit on redshift/blueshift stuff, but mainly focused on heavy element formation, and the requirements for life.

On Thursday we will be doing a greenhouse effect lab. Students will look at what happens to the temperature inside a glass beaker depending on what conditions they set inside it.

Oct. 19-23: Life on Earth and other planetary objects

This week students are presenting their projects that explain why the atoms that make up their bodies come from an ancient star. Next we will be discussing why Earth is a good place for life to form, and we will talk about the possibilities for life on other planets and moons in our solar system. They will be comparing the requirements for life here and elsewhere and will even design their own planet with a computer program that could maintain life.

Oct. 12-16: You're a Star & Formation of the Solar System

This week students will be working on a big project where they trace a hydrogen atom from the Big Bang through the star cycle to the formation of a heavier element, like carbon which eventually resides in their own body. That's right - all the elements on Earth, including the ones that make up your house, your clothes, and yourself were formed in ancient stars! Pretty cool, huh? The students will be working on their own or in small groups to make a creative product that demonstrates this cycle. They can make a movie, write a children's book, write a rap, do a dance, etc. - so long as it shows the proper sequence of events, they can do whatever they want.

So that they don't get burned out doing the same thing everyday, students will also be analyzing data about the solar system, how it formed, and how it became arranged in it's current structure.

Oct. 5-9: Stellar Evolution & Heavey Elements

This week we will finish talking about the star cycle with a PowerPoint and some notes. Then students will do some reading from the textbook about the stages and will teach each other about what they read. On Thursday we will play a board game that teaches students about how the heavier elements (the ones found here on Earth) are made from the simple elements formed in the Big Bang (hydrogen and helium). It all has to do with nuclear fusion in stars! Very cool if you ask me.... 

The big project for this unit will be to trace an atom of Hydrogen from the Big Bang to a carbon atom found in their own bodies. To do this, students will need to trace the hydrogen through fusion in the star cycle, to a supernova, to more fusion in new stars, to more supernovas, to the formation of Earth, to the growth of plants, to eating it, to incorporating the carbon into their own bodies (I think this is fascinating, can you tell?). They can complete this assignment any way they want to - write a poem, a short story, make a drawing, painting, video, etc. So long as they can trace that Hydrogen they will get full credit in whatever form they choose to present it in. We will be talking about this on Friday and it will be due on Tuesday of next week.

Sept 28-30: Quiz & Star Cycle

Students - we're going to have our first "Big Quiz - or Small Test" on Tuesday. It will cover some of the theories and technologies that you did research on, and will have a significant portion of questions on the Doppler Effect and red-shift, blue-shift. We will review on Monday so that you will be prepared. If I were you, I would use the weekend to review a few things - teach your family about the Doppler Effect, explain how it relates to starlight, etc.

On Wednesday we will start talking about the star cycle and how stars change during their lifespan with some notes.

Remember that the weekly check-in will count for both last week and this week, so get it in to me by Wednesday.

Sept 21-24: Red Shift Blue Shift

This week we will be doing activities based on understanding the Doppler Effect and how it relates to the expansion of the universe. We'll start with a slinky lab, a wet lab, and a buzzer lab to illustrate how the Doppler Effect works on waves. Then we be narrow down our focus to how the Doppler Effect works with light - specifically star light, by looking more closely at the visible spectrum of light given off by different elements.

We will have a formal quiz on the Doppler Effect and Red Shift/ Blue Shift on Thursday.

Please remember to do your weekly check-in with your student - especially this week with Student-Led Conferences coming up. I welcome all of you to come visit with me for a short time during the "Drop-in Time" during conferences. Thanks!

Sept 14-18 : Cosmology Theories & Doppler Effect

This week we will be finishing our work on the different theories surrounding the formation of the universe and the technologies used to study it. Students have been researching different theories about the beginning of the universe, ancient ideas about how the solar system was organized, and the technological advancements that have helped mankind to better understand space. The students are working with a partner (or in some cases, a few partners) to research their topic and to create a presentation for the rest of the class. On Monday this week students will be creating their poster for presentation and then they will present during class on Tuesday and Wednesday.

***Students, please remember to look at the table on the back of the presentation assignment sheet to see how you will be graded***

At the end of the week we will do a lab on the Doppler Effect which is a needed preliminary activity to looking at star spectra and to understanding the evidence for the Big Bang Theory (not the TV show... apparently there's a TV show with that name... although I haven't seen it, I'm pretty sure it has nothing to do with how the universe began).

Grading Notebooks

This week I started grading notebooks for my 9th grade classes. You will soon be seeing the scores on Skyward for everything that we've done up to Labor Day. It wasn't long, but there was a surprising amount of work done! Most students who received scores lower than the maximum simply did not finish the assignment and left parts blank. Others have zeros for things that I know they did, but that are not in the notebook in the correct place (it will take me a million years to grade everyone's notebooks if I have to go searching through them for each document). This is easily remideed however, they just need to put it in the right place and have me recheck it for full points. This disorganization is by no means all their fault - it's been hard to get as many documents as I would like printed and hole punched (never buy a three-hole punch from Wal-mart). I'll try to do better - and I'm sure they will too. Thanks!

Sept. 8 - 11 : Intro to the Universe

This week we will be finishing up learning about variables and the scientific method. We will be having a quiz on this during the week. We will also be adding some more papers to their science notebooks for the next few weeks.

Next week we will be doing some intro activities to what Earth Systems Science is. First we will be looking at how a bicycle models what a system is and then relate it to the Earth. Next we will start an activity working on a model for the Big Bang - we will not finish this during the week because of scheduling conflicts, but we will finish next week. Then we will be starting a research project that focuses on differing theories on the formation of the universe and the scientific tools we use to study the universe. This project is likely to take a few days, and will go into the next week as well.

Parents - a special note to you. If you have not yet signed the Safety Contract (see the link to the left), please do so ASAP so that your student can participate in our labs coming up. Secondly, please help your student remember to have a 10-15min. chat with you about their grades and about what we're doing in science class each week. They will have a blue sheet for you to sign each week, which will be due on Fridays (also to the left in the "Useful Links" section, if you need it). I hope that by checking in with your student each week, you'll have a better feel for where they are at and for what we've been doing in my class.

If you have any questions, please email me at:

katie.groneman@fortherriman.org

Thanks!

Aug 31- Sept 4 : Scientific Method

This week we have been reviewing and applying the scientific method. Although there are a lot of different steps taught for the scientific method, these are the ones we'll be using this year:

Purpose (question, observation, problem)
Research
Hypothesis (If...,then...)
Experiment (Materials & Procedures)
Analysis
Conclusion

The students applied the scientific method with a helicopter lab where they designed their own experiment to test variables affecting descent time. We also took some notes on the scientific method, controls, variables, etc. and students practiced identifying them using invented, but more relevant scenarios.

9th graders also spent one morning reviewing the school RATTLE rules and how they apply in various places in the school (auditorium, halls, library, etc.)

Next week we will start talking about the formation of the universe.

First Few Days

During these first few days, students have been learning about me, about each other, and about how the school and my classroom will run. They've reviewed the RATTLE rules (you should test them and see if they can recite what each letter stands for). By the end of the week they will have been to a "Code of Conduct" assembly explaining some of the basics of what we expect for their behavior.

We also talked a little about the class description, the calendar, and the letters that are all linked to this page on the left.

Welcome!!!

Hello parents and students!

I'm very excited to start a new year of school. The first week or so of class will be spent talking about the Utah Behavior Initiative and classroom procedures. Then we get to start doing the fun stuff - doing science!

I hope you'll all come to Back to School night on Thursday, Aug. 27 starting at 6:00pm in the auditorium. I would love the opportunity to meet one-on-one with you and your parents (and I know your other teachers would like to meet you too). I'm in room G106.

I hope you find this blog useful. I will put weekly updates here so that parents can see what we're studying and for students to know what to study for the Rise and Stretch Quizzes. Linked to this page is a calendar of events and useful documents for your reference.

Please feel free to use the comments section for each post for questions or comments (good or bad). Or you may wish to email me at katie.groneman@fortherriman.org.

Thank you in advance for a great school year!

Katie Groneman