May 11th, 2009
It’s hard to believe that in less than a month this school year will be over! Thank you to all of my students for making this another great year in my teaching career.
IMPORTANT DUE DATES
May 18th - Endangered Species Packets are due
May 20th - Sleuths are due for those of you going to DC
May 20th - Chapter 4 Packets are due
May 20th - Binder Checks are due
May 22nd - Sleuths are due for those of you not going to DC
April 27th, 2009
BIOMES IN A BOX PROJECTS ARE DUE THIS FRIDAY, MAY 1ST!!!!!!
Thank you to the 7th grade class for taking your time on the OAT tests. We are now officially over and we wish the 8th grade continued success as they take their last test on Wednesday.
This week is going to be an easy one since your Biomes are due in this Friday.
Monday and Wednesday are test days and we will be having only periods 5 -9. For these periods they will be working in the Coach Books.
Tuesday - All classes will take the Chap. 3, Section 3 quiz. This will be followed by a video on Endangered Species.
Thursday - All classes will complete the video. Periods 1-4 will get caught up on the Coach Books. Periods 5-9 will be affected by Brave Day activities so I am waiting to see what the schedule is for this day.
Friday - BIOMES due! Sign up for presentations. Begin Chapter 4. Read pgs. 114 - 119.
April 17th, 2009
1. Biomes are large regions of the earth that have characteristic plant and animal life. Deserts, rainforests, grasslands, and tundras are examples of biomes. Choose one of these and describe 2 plants and 2 animals which live there.
2. How might desert plants and animals be different from those found in the tropical rainforest?
3. Some kinds of plants and animals are in danger of becoming extinct. This is largely due to people taking over the natural living space of these plants and animals. What are some possible solutions to this problem of extinction?
4. Conservation is the wise use of natural resources. Think of 5 ways you can help conserve natural resources.
5. Many of our natural resources, such as coal and oil, will run out someday. What sources of energy do you think might be harnessed or invented in the future? Explain
6. If the President asked you to be the leader of a new anti-pollution campaign, what specific issues would you stress in your effort?
7. Having too many people on the earth could someday be a threat. Fresh water, food supplies, and other natural resources could run out. How might overpopulation of the earth be prevented?
8. If your town or city were running out of energy, would you want the local government to install a nuclear power plant? Support your answer with at least 3 reasons.
9. Scientists use observation to make discoveries. Take a few moments to study your pen or pencil. Describe some of the things you observe about it. What characteristics of the pen or pencil would allow you to pick it out of a group of others similar to it?
10. Evaluate this class. Name 2 things you liked this year and 2 things you didn’t like.
Students and Parents - IMPORTANT INFORMATION!!!! - For the next 2 weeks we will be doing the state mandated OAT tests in Reading (April 20), Math ( April 22), and Writing (April 27). Please make sure that your student gets plenty of rest prior to each of the tests. Because of the importance of this test, I will not be assigning homework during this time. Anything we do will be done entirely in class.
BIOMES IN A BOX deadline has been extended until MAY 1st!!!!!!
The week of April 20th.
Monday - Pers 1-4 will be missed because of testing.
Pers. 5- 9 will do Coach Book pages 118 - 123
Tuesday - All classes will work on taking notes for Section 3-3
Wednesday - Pers. 1-4 will be missed due to testing.
Pers. 5-9 will do pages 126-136 in the Coach Books.
Thursday - Finish notes for Section 3-3
In class do “Biodiversity” and “Endangered Species” worksheets
Friday - Periods 1-4 will work in Coach Books pgs 118 -136.
Periods 5-9 will check pages 118 - 136.
April 9th, 2009
JUST A REMINDER - - BIOME PROJECTS ARE DUE APRIL 22!!
Welcome back from our brief but restful break! It’s hard to believe that in a little over a month school will be over.
Tuesday - Power Point on Section 3-1
Hand back Chap. 2 Test
OAT Questions assigned
Wednesday - Read together pages 84 - 89. Go over the 3 ecological viewpoints in class.
Do “Sharpen Your Skills” pg 89
Thursday - Collect “Sharpen Your Skills”
Assign Homework - “Environmental Issues” and “Future Population Growth”. Both of these will be due on Friday.
Do Questions on pg 89
Friday - Collect OAT Questions
QUIZ ON 3-1
Go over questions from pg 89
April 3rd, 2009
Welcome to the end of the school year! As we wind down for the end of the year please keep in mind, especially if you plan on playing sports next year, that you must keep your grades up to remain eligible.
Here are this week’s plans:
Monday - Review sheet for Chapter 2 & Sleuths for the last nine weeks. Sleuths will be due no later than May 22 and will be posted here in case you would lose your paper.
Tuesday - Go over Chapter Review.
Wednesday - Biome in a Box work day - Period 7 - Chapter 2 test
Thursday - Chapter 2 test. After the test work in Coach Books. HAVE A GREAT “SPRING BREAK!!!”
March 17th, 2009
Students and Parents,
We are rapidly approaching the end of the nine weeks and I wanted to update you of some important things that are coming due in my class:
1) Water Cycle Quiz - Weds., March 18th
2) Carbon/Oxygen Cycle - Thurs., March 19th
3) Nitrogen Cycle Quiz - Friday, March 20th
4) Sleuths due Friday March 20th
5) Binder Check due by Monday, March 23rd
6) Missing Tests/ quizzes must be made up by Weds., March 25th
7) Signed Tests and Quizzes for extra credit are due by Weds., March 25th
March 10th, 2009
Monday - Due to the evacuation on Friday, the afternoon classes will need to complete the “Camouflaging Butterflies” Activity. The morning classes will be reading Section 1 of Chapter 2 in class and answering the questions on page 50.
Tuesday - Power Point on Section 1 of Chapter 2 along with notes.
Wednesday - Lecture on Producers, Consumers, Decomposers, Food Webs and Food Chains.
Homework - Worksheets: 1) Producers, Consumers, Decomposers
2) Carnivores, Omnivores, Herbivores
3) Food Webs
Thursday - Food Web Activity
Homework - Energy Flow in Ecosystems
Food Webs at Hydrothermal Vents
Friday - Quiz on Chapter 2, Section 1
Sleuths will be due on March 20th.
We will work in our Coach Books after the quiz.
February 26th, 2009
Monday - Quiz on Section 3 of Chapter 1. After the quiz, you will be working on a chapter 1 review. Chapter 1 test on Thursday!
OAT questions - due Friday
Tuesday - Go over Chapter 1 review.
Wednesday - Late start and Career Day. We will have a guest speaker in our science class. There will be no homework. STUDY for the Chapter 1 test!
Thursday - Chapter 1 Test
Friday - Work on Coach Books
Monday - Power Point and Guided Notes for Section 3 of Chapter 1. You will have quiz on this Section on Monday, March 2!
OAT Questions! - Due Friday
Tuesday - Read Section 3 in your text pgs. 31 - 38. When finished answer these 2 questions:
1. Name and define the three major types of interactions among organisms.
2. List the three types of symbiosis. For each one explain how the two organisms are affected.
We also will be watching a short video on symbiotic relationships.
Wednesday - Discussion of symbiotic relationships.
Thursday - Web search in the library on symbiotic relationships.
Homework - worksheets: Interactions Among Living Things & Analyzing Interations
7th period - Experimental Designs are Due!!!!!
Friday - Collect OAT questions from Monday
Go over Mutualism, Commensalism, Parasitism, Predator/Prey Relationships
7th Period - You will receive the worksheets from Thursday.