Monday, 31 August, 2009

Students will be able to:
use the information from handouts and classroom discussions to:
-identify the steps of the scientific process.
-utilize the scientific process in solving a problem.

The do now was to compose 3 leveled Costa Quality Questions based on the notes on the scientific process.

Students completed the notes on the scientific process (the information can be found on a handout from the blog created on Wednesday, 26 August. 2009. If for some reason you did not complete your notes, go to that date and complete the notes. Be sure to write your three leveled Costa's Quality Questions in the appropriate place. Use a highlighter to accent the question (to be written in the left-hand column of page 11 where your notes are) and the answer to the question.

Some good questions, by level are:
Level 1: What is the scientific method?
Level 2: How do you test a hypothesis?
Level 3: Suggest an experiment that could be tested using the scientific method.

On the bottom of page 11, write a summary of the notes on the scientific method. This summary could be the main points or ideas, or what you've learned, depending on the content of the day's lesson. For the notes on the scientific method, the following could be written as a summary:

The scientific method is a series of steps used to find the answer to a question or problem. The steps include: asking a question, doing some research, making a hypothesis, testing the hypothesis with an experiment, analyzing the data from the experiment, and drawing conclusions from the data. The findings are then shared with others.

There is no home learning. However, be sure to bring copies of HL #1 and HL #2 to class. Also bring your highlighters, a ruler, scissors, and a glue stick, as we will continue to work in our notebooks.

Friday, 28 August, 2009

This belongs on page 6 of your notebook.


This belongs on page 7 of your notebook.

Students will be able to:
use the information from handouts and classroom discussions to:
-state that the scientific process is a means to finding the answer to a problem through a series of prescribed steps.
-identify the steps of the scientific process.
-utilize the scientific process in solving a problem.

The do now was a reciprocal teaching activity. Students made up two teacher like questions about the scientific method and answered them. Students then read their questions to classmates and compared answers.

Page 6 and 7 (Dr. Gayden's Assignments; Dr. Gayden's 3Rs) were added to the notebook.

Students also began taking Cornell notes on the Scientific Process. Use the handout from Wednesday, 26 August as the source of information. These notes should be on page 11 of your notebook, along with date, benchmark, and topic.

The handouts for pages 6 and 7 can be found at the top of this blog.

Thursday, 27 August, 2009

This is home learning #2. Use blue/black ink or pencil. Head your paper correctly. Don't forget to put the title of the home learning. Letter your paper A-F and place the correct numbers by each letter. Remember, some questions have more than one answer. You may use some of the statements more than once.


This is the page for Cornell Notes. It belongs on page 5 of your interactive notebook.


This is the page that demonstrates how to head home learning. It belongs on page 10 of your interactive notebook.

Students will be able to:
use the information from handouts and classroom discussions to:
-state that the scientific process is a means to finding the answer to a problem through a series of prescribed steps.
-identify the steps of the scientific process.
-utilize the scientific process in solving a problem.

The do now was a quick write. Students wrote for 4 minutes on:
What is the scientific method? Give an example of a situation that could be solved using the scientific method.

Students received HL #2, which can be found at the top of this blog.

Students placed pages 5 (Cornell Notes) and 10 (How to head home learning) in their notebooks. These pages can also be found at the top of the blog.

Students viewed a BrainPop movie on the Scientific Method. To view the movie, use the username: berendo and the password: school. Then type in scientific method in the search box.

Remember, home learning should be on loose leaf, properly headed notebook paper, written in blue/black ink or pencil. Be sure to title the home learning and put the subject on the first line. Answers only.

Wednesday, 26 August, 2009

This is the assignment sheet for first quarter. Paste it on page 1 and fill out HL #1, due date, and place your grade in the correct column.


This sheet explains how to set up a cornell notes page. Paste it on page 5.


This is the do now sheet. Read and answer the questions at the bottom of the sheet.

Students will be able to:
use the information from handouts and classroom discussions to:
-state that the scientific process is a means to finding the answer to a problem through a series of prescribed steps.
-identify the steps of the scientific process.
-utilize the scientific process in solving a problem.

The do now was a reading. We read together as a class and answered the questions at the bottom of the sheet as a class discussion. The sheet can be found at the top of this blog.

Home learning 1 was collected and reviewed.

The remainder of the period was spent constructing the interactive science notebook.

The front cover is labeled:
First name Last name
ID number
Period ___ Science

The inside front cover has the 8th grade annually assessed benchmarks. Paste it on the inside front cover flap of your notebook.

The next 7 pages are the Table of Contents. Count 7 pages (the back of the page counts as a page). Write Table of Contents at the top center of each page. On the first page, draw a line down the pink boarder on the left of the page. Write date at the top of the column.

Make a second column the same width of the first column. Head it as Benchmarks.

At the far right of the page, trace the pink line. Head the column page. The largest column (3rd one) should be labeled Topic. Complete the columns as noted below:

Date Benchmarks Topic Page
-- ------- Assignments 1st Quarter 1
-- ------- Assignments 2nd Quarter 2
-- ------- Assignments 3rd Quarter 3
-- ------- Assignments 4th Quarter 4
-- -------- Cornell notes 5
-- -------- Dr. Gayden's Assignments 6
-- -------- Dr. Gayden's 3Rs 7
-- ---------- Rules and Regulations 8
-- -------- Safety Regulations 9
-- ---------- How to head home learning.

Next, find the LAST table of contents page. Number the next page 11, the opposite page 12. Continue until you have numbered pages 1-20.

Now, make a big number 2 on page 2, 3 on page 3 and 4 on page 4. This is to hold your place until grade sheets are given to you.

On page 1, paste the assignment score sheet. Remember to record the first home learning. (HL# 1-Designing Elements of a Scientific Method). Also, place the due page as 8-26. Record your grade.

On page 5, paste the handout that describes Cornell notes, which is the system we will be using to take notes.

You can find page 1 and 5 sheets at the top of this blog.

Tuesday, 24 August, 2009

This is HL #1, to be done on loose leaf notebook paper (no spiral edges) in blue/black ink or pencil. Head your paper correctly.

Students will be able to:
use the information from teacher-lead demonstrations and classroom discussions to:
-state that the scientific process is a means to finding the answer to a problem through a series of prescribed steps.
-identify the steps of the scientific process.
-utilize the scientific process in solving a problem.

The do now was the page following directions. Print out a copy and try it with your family. See how many of them can follow directions! The activity can be found at the top of this blog.

Students learned about the scientific process. There was a teacher demonstration where a paper cup was filled with cold water and a flame applied to the bottom of the cup. Guess what? We heated the cup for over a minute, and although the water in the cup heated up, the cup did not burn! However, when we poured out the water and again ignited the cup, it began to burn within 10 seconds, and fully burst into flames by 13 seconds. Students were they asked to state a problem that this demonstrations could illustrate. Many thought an appropriate problem could be: Why does the cup burn when it is empty but does not burn when filled with water? We also used this example to explain the other steps of the scientific method.

Students began construction of their interactive science notebooks. All pages can be found attached to this blog. Remember to place the following on the front notebook cover:

First name, last name
ID number
Period __ Science

Students received the 8th Grade Annually Assessed Benchmarks, which should be glued to the inside front cover of their notebook.

The first seven pages are reserved for the Table of Contents. These pages have four columns:
Date Benchmarks Topic Page

The date column should be drawn on the far left pink line. Make the Benchmarks column the same width of the Date column. On the far right side, trace over the faint pink line. This column is for page. The third column, which is much wider than all the others, is for Topic. All seven pages of the table of contents should be labeled like this.

Home learning 1 (HL 1#) should be turned in at the beginning of Wednesday's class. It should be done in blue/black ink or pencil. Head your paper correctly according to the handout. This can also be found at the top of this blog. Home learning is due at the beginning of the next day class.

Monday, 24 August, 2009

Students will be able to:
use the information shared by the instructor during the period to
-identify the disciples of science studied this year as physical science, life science, and earth science.
- describe areas in their personal life that deal with the various sciences.

Welcome back, Wildcats! We are ready to embark on another year of science!

Today, we got acquainted and reviewed general rules and classroom procedures. Since we will begin our interactive science notebooks tomorrow, please bring scissors and a glue stick.

Students received a parent letter and a parent contact form. The form should be completed and returned during class tomorrow. Make sure your parents are aware of all required materials and fees, as stated in the letter. You can find the parent letter and parent contact form at the top of this blog.

The do now was to write to explain three ways in which your daily life involves science. Don't loose this page, you'll be placing it in your notebook!

Once again, bring scissors and glue for construction of your notebook tomorrow!