Monday, May 26, 2008

Weekly Schedule May 27th – May 30th

Science Project Due Dates

Remember: All you bring to school is your board and your report!

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Jacob Vickers, Syra Englert, James Gunnell, Sirena Keene, Megan Fitch, Wyatt Collins, Jordan Gigler, Samuel Hartman, Caitlin Luke, Shlishaa Savita

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Sienna Grosse, Jon Weatherby, Jordan Ernst, Ashlyn Rumley, Andrea Burton, Joseph Gutierrez, Sean Sweeney, Cierra Johnson, Tyler Ross

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Katrina Law, Nick Andrews, Kolby Boyd, Brian Maciel, Nixon Potteiger, Justin Lahman, Tanner VanderJagt, Dallas Lawslo, Brier Cooper, RaeAnne Farnsworth

This is our schedule for the week ending May 30th, 2008. If you have any questions, please contact me at extension 38.

Science (All Periods)

Tuesday: Work Due: Asteroids, Comets, and Pluto (1st year) and Rocks and Minerals (2nd year)

While the plot of this computer-animated film may seem fantastical, it's actually based on the theories of some of the world's top scientists, including Stephen Hawking, J. Craig Ventor, Michio Kaku and David Moriarty. Sent to investigate the planet Darwin IV (which is about 6.5 light years away), a pair of artificial intelligence probes nicknamed named Ike (Newton) and Leo (Da Vinci) discover a richly populated ecosystem that rivals Earth's.

Wednesday: Work Due: None

Design Your Own Planet

Based on information taken from our Solar System, student groups will create their own world.

Thursday: Work Due: Planet Statistics

Life on Your Planet

Using information gained from Alien Planet and based on the planet they designed, student groups will design life for their planets and create a poster.

Friday: Work Due: Planet Poster

Planet Poster

Students will finish their posters.

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Science Project Due Dates

Remember: All you bring to school is your board and your report!

Monday, May 19, 2008

Casey Roush, Laura Agosto, David Stanley, Rathin Kacham,
Katie Fallis, Adam Limon, Esteban Montes
Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Cody Covello, Paul Hilton, Eduardo Martinez, Sarah Jones, Destiny Owens, Lucero Martinez, Amber Anthony, Janerim Avila

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Damien Decol, Sam Warner, Jayden Hord, Sergio Avila, Gabriela Anderson, Luis Avila, Austin Wymer, Joey Dewey

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Darrien Vrchota, Savannah Harry, Joycelynn Covello, Shelby Pearson, Jeff Kuczynski, Mikey Carr, Brandon Thomas, Megan Visser

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Jacob Vickers, Syra Englert, James Gunnell, Sirena Keene, Megan Fitch, Wyatt Collins, Jordan Gigler, Samuel Hartman, Caitlin Luke, Shlishaa Savita

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Sienna Grosse, Jon Weatherby, Jordan Ernst, Ashlyn Rumley, Andrea Burton, Joseph Gutierrez, Sean Sweeney, Cierra Johnson, Tyler Ross

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Katrina Law, Nick Andrews, Kolby Boyd, Brian Maciel, Nixon Potteiger, Justin Lahman, Tanner VanderJagt, Dallas Lawslo, Brier Cooper, RaeAnne Farnsworth

Weekly Schedule May 19th – May 23rd

This is our schedule for the week ending May 23rd, 2008. If you have any questions, please contact me at extension 38.

1st Year Science (Period 2 & 3)

Monday: Work Due: There's No Place like Earth

Spin Around the Solar System:
Moon Dance

The moon and Earth formed at about the same time from the same type of materials. Ever since, the pair has been dancing through space and time together. This program investigates ways the moon and Earth affect each other, why they became so different, and what the future holds for the relationship. It also covers a variety of general lunar topics such as ocean tides, the phases we see from Earth, and the Apollo moon landings. Worksheet is due Tuesday. There will be a quiz.

Tuesday: Work Due: Moon Dance

A Spin around the Solar System:
The Outer Planets: The Gas Giants

Beyond Mars lie four colorful giant planets made almost entirely of gases. The planets have thick atmospheres, lots of moons and rings, low densities, and rapid rotations, but they lack a defined, solid surface on which an astronaut might walk. Each gas giant is distinctive. Immense Jupiter is 1,400 times larger than Earth, Saturn has wide, colorful rings, Uranus lies on its side, and Neptune is so far away that sunlight reaching it is 900 times weaker than on Earth. Worksheet is due Wednesday. There will be a quiz.

Wednesday: Work Due: The Gas Giants

Spin around the Solar System:
The Small Pieces: Asteroids, Comets, and Pluto

These lesser-known parts of the solar system illustrate an important point - the solar system has not completed its development. Untold numbers of small objects orbit the sun along with the planets. Astronomers are not always sure where they came from, or what their eventual fate will be, except that, over time, things will change in our less-than-stable world. Students are introduced to the Asteroid Belt, the Kuiper Belt, and the Oort Cloud, which holds billions of ice balls on the outskirts of the solar system. Worksheet is due Thursday. There will be a quiz.

Thursday: Work Due: Asteroids, Comets, and Pluto

A Spin around the Solar System:
Look to the Stars

What are stars? How far away are they? How old is the world? Where does the universe end? With help from sophisticated telescopes, space probes, and centuries of accumulated scientific knowledge, the answers to these perplexing questions are being answered. This show steps beyond the solar system to introduce viewers to the universe, light years, super novas, and the Big Bang theory. Worksheet is due Monday. There will be a quiz.

Health: What If You Lose When You Play to Win?

Living as they do in a culture that idolizes winners, children often find it extremely hard to cope with losing. Some may resort to cheating, while others will refuse to play if they think they can’t win. Making it clear that sore losers do not have the respect of others, this program helps students recognize that if they learn to enjoy competing and accept that everyone has to lose sometime, they will feel better about themselves and be especially pleased when they do win. There will be a quiz.

2nd Year Science (Period 1 & 4)

Monday: Work Due: none

Earth Science: Land and Water

Wind and rain wear it down; rivers carry it away and drop it somewhere else. The soil and sediment of Earth is ever moving. Glacial ice and river water are two great forces in this process. Glaciers carve out entire valleys as they creep along. Rivers carry millions of tons of sediment that becomes farmland. The importance of rivers to people is evident in the placement of populations: The world’s largest cities are generally on rivers. Damming them has brought energy and flood control, but the costs often include loss of habitat and soil-enriching sediment. As rivers spill downhill and meander into rich deltas, they affect the geography, environment, and living things along the way. Nowhere is this clearer than in New Orleans, a city that owes its existence to the Mississippi River. There will be a worksheet that is due Tuesday.

Tuesday: Work Due: Land and Water

Earth Science: Oceans

Oceans cover three-quarters of Earth’s surface and are home to its largest variety of life. But there is much we still don’t know about the seas or the life they harbor. The crushing water pressure, extreme cold, and darkness of the ocean depths have prevented us from exploring 90 percent of the ocean floor. We know a bit more about the living marine cities of coral reefs—enough to know that they are endangered by many human activities such as dredging, filling, and pollution. The inner workings of ocean currents are more of a mystery. The movements of mid and deep ocean currents affect everything from water temperature and salinity to Earth’s weather patterns. Just as tides and waves shape the coastlines, currents reshape the ocean floor. There will be a worksheet that is due Wednesday. There will be a quiz.

Wednesday: Work Due: Oceans

Earth Science: Rocks and Minerals

Solid as they may seem, rocks are constantly being eroded and reformed in a process called the rock cycle. Nowhere is the geologic history of Earth made plainer than in the Grand Canyon, where rock layers offer us clues to life over the past 1.2 billion years. Thanks to glaciers, another geologically revealing place is Yosemite Valley, where ancient granite walls stand exposed by the ice that carved out the valley millennia ago. Core samples and fossil finds in places such as the Grand Canyon and Yosemite tell of Earth’s geologic past and the evolution of life. Once humans arrive on the scene, rocks take on new stature as objects of art and value. No gem was more valuable to the Maya than jade, and gold is universally prized. They are proof that the Earth holds many treasures. There will be a worksheet that is due Thursday. There will be a quiz.

Thursday: Work Due: Rocks and Minerals

Earth Science: Earthquakes

It may seem as if we are all on solid ground, but that ground is in constant motion, experiencing more than a million earthquakes a year. Earth’s crust floats on tectonic plates that shift and collide, causing seismic activity. You can actually see the San Andreas Fault, which runs from Mexico to Oregon. It is a hotbed of study, where scientists use everything from seismographs to “creep” meters to measure the Earth’s movement in the area. No one can predict earthquakes yet, but scientists are trying to at least be able to determine when large quakes are coming. Since millions live in quake zones, the best protection is to reinforce buildings so that they can withstand the shaking. One place to see the effect of earthquakes is the Himalayas, the five-mile-high mountain chain still being formed by the collision of the Asian and Indian plates. There will be a worksheet that is due Monday. There will be a quiz.

Health: Alcohol Abuse and Teens: The Turning Point

This program supports Health curriculum units on alcohol and drug education, substance abuse, behavioral choices, and personal health. Student understanding of the effects of alcohol on their bodies is reinforced through the dramatic story of two teenage boys -- friends who share the experiences and problems of most teens. The boys join in the beer-drinking escapades of some older kids, but the fun turns to trouble -- and then to tragedy -- as the boys drink with increasing frequency. This program supports Health curriculum units on alcohol and drug education, behavioral choices, and personal health. There will be a quiz.

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Weekly Schedule May 12th – May 16th

This is our schedule for the week ending May 16th, 2008. If you have any questions, please contact me at extension 38.

1st Year Science (Period 2 & 3)

Monday: Work Due: none

A Spin around the Solar System:
How the Solar System Works

This is a primer on the solar system. The program describes the parts of the solar system (the sun, planets, moons, asteroids, etc.) and explains how they piece together with universal forces and various types of energy to form a complete system. The show also presents current scientific thought on how the sun and planets developed and shows where the solar system sits in relation to the Milky Way Galaxy and the universe. Worksheet is due Tuesday. There will be a quiz.

Tuesday: Work Due: How the Solar System Works

Spin around the Solar System:
The Sun: Our Star Attraction

The sun takes center stage of the solar system as its biggest, brightest object. The show explains how the sun's size and position help it do what it does - generate energy and hold the solar system together. Special attention is given to the sun's vital process of nuclear fusion. Students also learn about sunspots, solar flares, and solar wind. This show presents the sun inside and out, and follows its influence across the solar system. Worksheet is due Wednesday. There will be a quiz.

Wednesday: Work Due: The Sun: Our Star Attraction

Spin around the Solar System:
Our Rocky Neighbors: The Inner Planets

The four planets closest to the sun - including Earth - are small and dense, made of rock and metal. As a group they are often called the Inner Planets, the Rockies, or the Terrestrials. This program compares and contrasts members of the group - Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars - to each other and to the planets beyond. Students also learn about orbit paths, planet rotation, atmosphere, gravity, and other general solar system principles. Worksheet is due Thursday. There will be a quiz.

Thursday: Work Due: Our Rocky Neighbors: The Inner Planets

A Spin Around the Solar System:
There's No Place Like Earth

This overview of the planet Earth covers a wide range of topics: how the Earth formed, why it has a hot metal core, how the atmosphere and oceans move, the theory of plate tectonics, the origin of life, and more. Our home is compared to other planets to help show how different and specially suited it is for life. Worksheet is due Monday. There will be a quiz.

Friday: Movie


2nd Year Science (Period 1 & 4)

Monday: Work Due: Our Restless Atmosphere

Water Smart: Water on Earth

The majority of Earth’s surface is covered with water, but most if it is saltwater. Through vivid examples, students discover the varied types of bodies of water and how they are connected. Different phases and properties of water are presented as students compare and contrast glaciers, groundwater, wetlands, aquifers, lakes, estuaries, oceans and streams. The program ends with a true-false video quiz, and it includes eight experiments and demonstrations that students can duplicate using simple materials. There will be a worksheet that is due Tuesday. There will be a quiz.

Tuesday: Work Due: Water on Earth

Water Smart: Water as a Natural Resource

Take away water from Earth and what do you have? Not much! That’s the focus behind Water as a Natural Resource. This program raises awareness to the value of clean water on Earth. Concepts of non-point source pollution and wastewater are revealed to students. Kids see how the water cycle links and provides a life source for all creatures. We examine how wetlands, watersheds and ecosystems are affected by poor water quality. Different forms of water pollution are presented. Most importantly, a long list of examples is shown so that kids can take an active role in preserving good water quality and reducing water waste. A true/false quiz at the program conclusion provides instant measurement of learning. A dozen unique Internet links provide ample opportunity for kids to learn more about their local water resources. Teachers will use the Internet resources to go beyond material presented and elaborate on water safety. The substantial written materials will strengthen vocabulary with words like turbid, pesticide, potable, and solvent. Numerous experiments and demonstrations not only demonstrate water resource principles but they offer opportunity for graphing, calculating, and charting data. There will be a worksheet that is due Wednesday. There will be a quiz.

Wednesday: Work Due: The Water as a Natural Resource

Water Cycle or Atmosphere Poster

Students will create a poster illustrating either the water cycle or the atmosphere. Presentations will be made on Thursday.

Thursday: Work Due: Water Poster

Posters will be presented to class.

Friday: Movie

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Apollo Stages

The second stage of the rocket puts the capsule into earth orbit.

The command module stays in orbit around the moon.

After launch the booster stage of the rocket is released and the second stage fires.

After a few earth orbits, the engine is ignited again to shoot the capsule towards the moon. The engine is shut down once out of earth orbit and then the command module disconnects, turns around, and moves in to dock with the lunar lander, which is housed in the top of the rocket stage.

Once lunar orbit is established, two of the three astronauts move into the lunar lander and the lander is disconnected from the command module. A retro-rocket on the lunar lander is fired and slows the lander so that the moon’s gravity will pull it to the surface.

Near the moon, the command module turns so that when its engine is fired it will slow down the command module to go into a lunar orbit.

Once docked together, the command module pulls the lunar lander out.

Sunday, May 4, 2008

Weekly Schedule May 5th – May 9th

This is our schedule for the week ending May 9th, 2008. If you have any questions, please contact me at extension 38.

1st Year Science (Period 2 & 3)

Monday: Work Due: none

Basics of Physics: Exploring Gravity

Gravity is often defined as simply the pull towards the center of the earth. That definition is completely wrong. A person standing on the moon isn’t going to think of gravity as the pull towards the center of the earth. He or she is going to think of it as the pull towards the center of the moon. Gravity is much more complex. It is a force that any two objects in the universe have towards each other. Anything made of matter has gravity. As students learn about gravity they will also explore mass, weight, weightlessness, and the law of universal gravitation. Skydivers and astronauts orbiting the earth in the space shuttle help to illustrate many of the ideas presented in this program. Worksheet is due Tuesday. There will be a quiz.

Tuesday: Work Due: Exploring Gravity

Space Exploration: The Rockets

Using archival film, NASA footage, and computer graphics, this fascinating video describes the development of the rocket from the early Chinese rocket arrow to the space shuttle of today. Robert Goddard's work with liquid fuel rockets and the German V-2 rockets are discussed and shown. The early rocket car, and the rocket bicycle, is shown. The V-2 rockets became the basis of the American and Russian space programs, which evolved into a space race. Major historic accomplishments are shown as the video chronologically moves to the greatest achievement of all-landing a person on the moon. Worksheet is due Wednesday.

Wednesday: Work Due: The Rockets and Wanted Poster

Earth Science: Space Exploration

Galileo started it all with his hand-held telescope. It was powerful enough to see some of Jupiter’s moons and show that the Earth isn’t the center of the universe. Space exploration has mushroomed in the past 50 years. Rockets that originally lofted weapons during World War II were converted to carry satellites, then astronauts. But more has been learned from unmanned probes and telescopes than from manned missions. The Hubble Space Telescope is a perfect case in point. With Hubble, we’ve been able to “see” billions of light years into space. And the view is amazing. It makes us wonder if we’re alone in the universe. Future missions to Mars may reveal whether life once existed on the Red Planet. If extreme-living bacteria on Earth are any indication, there may well be proof of ancient Martian microbes. The workhorses of NASA, the space shuttles, have launched probes and taken astronauts to service Hubble and kept our knowledge growing. Worksheet is due Thursday.

Thursday: Work Due: Space Exploration

A Spin around the Solar System:
How the Solar System Works

This is a primer on the solar system. The program describes the parts of the solar system (the sun, planets, moons, asteroids, etc.) and explains how they piece together with universal forces and various types of energy to form a complete system. The show also presents current scientific thought on how the sun and planets developed and shows where the solar system sits in relation to the Milky Way Galaxy and the universe. Worksheet is due Monday. There will be a quiz.
Building Character

Combines scenarios typical of student experience with thought-provoking discussion questions to help students understand what it means to take responsibility.


2nd Year Science (Period 1 & 4)

Monday: Work Due: None

Electricity and Magnetism: Generating Electricity

When a magnet spins in a coil of wire or a coil of wire spins in a magnetic field, electricity is generated and begins to flow. Power plants use many different methods for spinning the magnet or wire. This program discusses the science behind generating electricity and shows the various methods used to power the generators. Solar cells, wind turbines, geothermal energy, the burning of fossil fuels, nuclear power plants, and hydroelectric plants are all presented. There will be a worksheet that is due Tuesday. There will be a quiz.

Tuesday: Work Due: Generating Electricity

Water Smart: The Sun, Water Cycle, and Climate

The sun is presented as the source of energy for Earth, driving the water cycle. This program covers the fundamental phases of the water cycle but goes beyond precipitation, evaporation, and condensation. We recognize how plants assist in evaporation via transpiration. We also see how ice “evaporates” in the process of sublimation. Runoff is presented as a link between precipitation and evaporation as water flows into lakes and oceans. The heat capacity of oceans and large water bodies is shown to be a climate control, all at a level that kids comprehend. Excellent visuals and animations illustrate unique forms of condensation in dew and frost. Students become aware that the water cycle is far-reaching, never-ending, and crucial to life in plants and people. At the program conclusion a true/false quiz assesses students understanding. Teachers will be able to further illustrate components of the water cycle using the eight experiments and demonstrations provided. Measuring rainfall, for example, allows practice in recording and charting data. In addition, twelve unique Internet links will lead to further study by kids, and additional lesson plan ideas for the classroom. There will be a worksheet that is due Wednesday. There will be a quiz.

Wednesday: Work Due: The Sun, Water Cycle, and Climate and Wanted Poster

Water Smart: Water in the Air

Most kids probably think of water in the air as rain but it’s more than that. This Water Smart program covers all of the fascinating forms of water in the air - from liquid to solid to vapor. Students learn that water does not just fall in the sky, it floats as clouds, surrounds us as humidity, and it freezes into ice crystals like snowflakes or chunks of ice like hail. We find that wind, created by the sun, moves water in the air worldwide and provides generally freshwater to locations distant from oceans and lakes. Dynamic time-lapse video shows water in action. Water in the Air presents components of the water cycle that make our existence comfortable and possible. Student comprehension is tested with a true/false quiz at the conclusion of the program. Printed quizzes and word games further develop vocabulary. Teachers receive a dozen Internet references covering water’s travel in air, to assist in lesson planning, and to provide further fun for students. More than eight demonstrations and experiments are detailed that kids can undertake using simple materials in the classroom or at home. The scientific method is utilized in making observations, measurements, graphing, calculating, and repeating experiments. There will be a worksheet that is due Thursday. There will be a quiz.

Thursday: Work Due: Water in the Air

Our Restless Atmosphere

This video describes the composition of the Earth's atmosphere, specific changes that take place in the composition, the effects of the changes, and various solutions to the destructive pollutants we have and continue to add to our atmosphere. There will be a worksheet that is due Monday. There will be a quiz.
Mirror in My Mind: Body Image and Self Esteem

Body image anxiety is a problem for many teens, who exaggerate perceived flaws and depress themselves with negative self talk. This lively program uses innovative special effects and candid self-analysis from a varied group of teens to discuss the image issues students face, and to show how to drop a distorted body image and gain self acceptance.