Coring Activity.

You only need to complete Part One. We will do Part 2 in class.

A Coring Activity (Law of Superposition Lab)

You are a team of paleontologists (people who study dinosaurs and other ancient wildlife). You have been sent on a mission to study a particular type of dinosaur. In order to do this, you must use what you know about the law of superposition to determine what geologic earth layer you may find your dinosaur in.


Materials:
Different colors of Play dough
A color coded geologic time map
Dinosaur card (one per team)
Dinofiles or dino-folio (books or card portfolios with information about different dinosaurs)

Procedure:
There are two parts to this activity.
Part 1
Your team has been given a list of different dinosaurs to find and a sample of sediment layers. However, the list is not in any particular order. First, you will need to place the dinosaurs in geologic order. Then, take a core sample from your layers and using the color-coded time map, identify which geologic sediments are present. From this, identify the dinosaurs that you would be likely to find.

Part 2
This part uses the dinosaur card. Your team has discovered that this dinosaur has somehow escaped extinction and you want to help it become comfortable living in the 21st century. In order to do this, you must find out as much information about your dinosaur and its habitat as you can from the materials available. This includes the following:
- Where and when the dinosaur lived (be specific here)
- What the habitat of that time period was in that particular area
- What the dinosaur ate and what, if anything, hunted or ate it
Once you have gathered this information, write out how you would use this information to allow your dinosaur to live comfortably in this century.


Geologic Time Chart:

White: Present Day
Blue: Tertiary/Quaternary Periods
Red: Cretaceous Period
Green: Jurassic Period
Yellow: Permian,Trassic Periods


Here’s the list of prehistoric life for Part One:
Tyrannosaurus Triceratops Plateosaurus
Diatryma Elasmosaurus Opthmalosaurus
Apatosaurus Allosaurus Maiasaura
Therizinosaurus Gallimimus Deinonychus
Smilodon Megatherium Velociraptor
Wooly Mammoth Pteranodon Deinosuchus
Stegosaurus Amargasaurus Brachiosaurus
Dimetrodon Eryops Suchomimus
Coelophysis Spinosaurus Kentrosaurus
Giganotosaurus Iguanodon Ankylosaurus
While you are working as a team, each student is responsible for turning in their own written work .

Upcoming events

Congrats on making your "Plate Tectonic Musical." You did an awesome job, I loved the results, you obviously loved them from today's reaction, and it is something I would definitely like to revisit at least before the end of the year is out. Have your minds set to possibly do a "Cell Musical" and Museum when we hit that subject in the fourth nine weeks.

And now for the up and comings:

- Notebook Check on next Wednesday, December 10. This will be our last one for this nine weeks.

- Performance Assessment next Friday: In other words, it will be a test but not like the regular pen and paper at your desk type of test...

- Here's the line-up for next week:

12-8: Notes and discussion on sedimentation and types, effects, and benefits of weathering and erosion

12-9:(Happy Birthday, Mom!) Rock'n Roll Lab Activity--We see what a jar full of rocks will look like after being shaken, rattled, and rolled all day long.

12-10: Notes and discussion on Superposition plus a coring activity

12-11: Differentiated Instruction Centers---there will be some new ones, the rock cycle card game will likely be one.

12-12: Performance Based Assessment:
Here's some things you may want to be prepped for:
- Identifying the different boundaries by sight
- Arranging the types of rocks into the rock cycle
- know your glossary...by now it should contain the terms from chapters 6, 8, and 9.
- Be able to describe what occurs during an earthquake from start to finish using the following terms/concepts: transform boundary, strike-slip fault, epicenter, P-wave, S-wave
- Know the difference between a P-wave and an S-wave and be able to demonstrate an example of each.

Well that's it for upcoming attractions for now. Please remember that extra opportunities are due by December 18. And here are a few more:

*If you went to the CSI Science night, write about your experience-- 8 pts.
*If you went to the "Walking With Dinosaurs" show at the Veteran's Memorial Arena, write about your experience --8 pts, try for a page in length.
*Make your own sedimentary imprint or fossil by simulating the sedimentation process(i.e. wet sand, plaster of paris, an imprint in clay, etc.) . Any imprint will do, be it hand print, footprint, shoe impression, coin, leaf, pet's paw print, etc. Explain in writing how this is like the actual sedimentation process and how scientists or other people might use this in everyday life.

more rock/weathering erosion practice

http://www.learner.org/interactives/rockcycle/index.html

another rock cycle

http://www.uky.edu/AS/Geology/howell/goodies/elearning/module05swf.swf

rock cycle animation

http://www.classzone.com/books/earth_science/terc/content/investigations/es0602/es0602page02.cfm

Help with creating bibliography

Here's a website on how to correctly write a bibliographyAPA style:

http://www.liu.edu/cwis/cwp/library/workshop/citapa.htm

Science Fair due dates

The deadline for forms will be Nov. 12. The deadline for experimentation and write-ups will be December 19 (last day before Christmas Break), and the deadline for the final project will be January 9.

8 point extra opportunity

Perform the experiment seen at this site:
http://www.exploratorium.edu/faultline/activezone/highway.html

PBS Site from today

Here is the site I showed you today. Scrounge around and see what else it has to offer:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/tryit/tectonics/

Science Fair

Science Fair:

I talked with Mr. Manias this morning and have found that the due date for the final project will be January 9. I am tweaking a timeline out at this time and it will be out by this Wednesday.

Practice, practice practice

Yay! Engrade is finally back up! In the meantime, here's a little something I put together for you to go and strengthen your vocab and concept skills on chapter 8.

http://www.studybulb.com/item/1008111815048

New Information

1) The CSI form that I have been handing out is worth 10 pts. of extra credit if you attend. i will find out the due date ASAP.

2) If you want some really good, in depth information on today's (Earth Layers and Structure) discussion, go to this website: http://www.tulane.edu/~sanelson/eens211/earths_interior.htm. I just read it and it has some information that wasn't covered. Also dispells a few things I was taught back in middle/high school.
Enjoy!!!

Notes

I almost forgot to revisit this. Note-taking. I will be posting a very skeletal, as in basic, version of the class notes on Engrade and making them available as hard copies. Do not think that you will be able to simply get by without taking note of what I am saying and showing to you or it will hurt you. Please remember that understanding these concepts goes beyond memorizing the vocabulary. You will be expected to note and find the connections between this material and other aspects of life, be they other areas in science, other subjects (like social studies or math), or everyday/worldly occurances.

Hello, Teachers, Parents, and especially, students of 6B:

Well, one nine weeks down and three to go. I first want to congratulate everyone for your hard work. It was a breeze for some, a challenge, for others, and just right for a lot of you. As we embark on our journey into the 2nd Nine Weeks, it's safe to say you have officially been ushered in as 6th graders! Congratulations on the successful completion of your first quarter as Julia Landon College Preparatory Leadership Development School students. With that accomplishment under your belts comes responsibility. You have been acclimated to middle school and it is time to take off the training wheels. At Julia Landon we are all leaders and leaders must be held accountable. I hope you all will take the new quarter as an opportunity to become a leader.Now that we've had a chance to become acquainted and you know what to expect, I'm sure you are ready to really dig in.

I'd now like to take the time to announce some changes and augmentations that I''ll/we'll be making in our
classes.
First, homework/turn-in policy:

The expectation from Team B for classwork/homework is on the fourth late assignment you will be issued NO credit. Excused absences are the exception. For projects (research papers, science fair, presentations, etc.) , there will be a letter grade penalty per day the project is late. It is important to come to class prepared each and everyday. This means coming to class with assignments completed and ready to be turned in. Remember we will accept three late assignments with penalty; however, on the fourth late assignment you will NOT be given ANY credit.

Homework will still retain the Monday-Wednesday schedule. However, the collection will be different. Instead of turning it into the cage as soon as you walk in, you will go straight to your desk and copy down any new information AND place your homework out onto your desk. During Bell-Ringer Session, I will call you by groups to go up to the cage and turn in your homework. You are only to go to the cage if you have HW to turn into it. I will be taking note of who goes up and writing down what was turned in by whom. If you go up to the cage pretending to turn in something and I find nothing from you (I'll be checking this before the HW even leaves the cage) you (and possibly your parents) will be hearing from me. I do this to cut down on the probability of HW being misplaced. It is your responsibility to get this in and place it into the correct bin. If you do not get up when your group is called, then you miss your chance to turn in the HW for full credit.

Change #2--Bell-Ringers and Notebook Checks
- Bell Ringers are now being graded by me. For every ten Bell-Ringers in a row, you will receive ten points. If you skip one BR, then it is nine points out of ten, skip three and its 7/10 and so on. Once we reach ten in a row, I start it over for the next set of ten and so forth until then nine weeks ends.

- I will also be conducting notebook checks for a class work grade. I will be looking to see if you have all of your tabs/sections in the correct order, if you have been taking good notes (more on this in a minute), if you have been keeping all of your homework/returned work (except those I place into your portfolio) and if your bellringers and glossary are up to date. Even if you miss a bell ringer for whatever reason, it is still your responsibility to get that into your notebook. A rubric on this will be circulated/posted on Engrade later this week.

Change #3

Expect to have more hands-on activities and labs as well as other activities that I would like to collaborate with you on. I don't want to spoil anything but I will be letting you know what we'll be doing ahead of time so you can be able read/research ahead and be ready to give full participation. I'll be placing the week's plans onto my board agenda as before, but there will be a new catch to that....

Change #4- Extra opportunities
I will be providing extra opportunities for you to receive bonus points tacked onto your scores. There will be a variety of ways to get bonuses and each way will have a different point value. There will be a maximum amount of points/bonus assignments you can attempt to receive/complete. Here's a starting line-up:

5 pts (choose any 1-4)
- Donate pink Yoplait Yogurt foil covers. I'm saving these to send in out of cancer awareness. The number of covers dose NOT increase the number of points. The numberof times you donate does NOT increase the number of points. But it does make you feel good to know you're standing up for a positive cause and that counts towards leadership.

- Donate any middle school level and up books for my library.

- Bring in any article related to what we are currently discussing in class.


10 pts (Choose any 1-2)
- Donate a Choose-Your-Own Adventure or similar (Which Way, Find Your Fate, etc). book to my library.

- Bring in any article related to what we are discussing in class and write a one page summary about it explaining why this information is important.

- View a documentary on something that we are covering in class and type a one page summary about it explaining how the information you viewed could be used to help others, either in the class or in the real world.

- Bring in any materials related to what we are discussing in class (like models, dioramas, etc.) These must reflect effort and a rubric will be created for this option, should oyu choose to accept it.

20 pts (the maximum amount for any opportunity so you may only choose one)
Note: All assignments in this category will be rubric based to a maximum of twenty points. the number of points you receive will reflect the amount of time and effort you are willing to put into this task should you accept it.
- Perform a demonstration of something we are discussing this nine weeks. Try to keep it current. A redoing of any demo or lab already performed in class will not be accepted. you must think outside the box for this one. (Rubric based)

- You may take a previous demonstration or lab from this or last nine weeks and modify or change it in some noticeable way. (Rubric based)

- Focus on a topic covered in class and write an in depth report on it. (Rubric based)
The maximum number of points I will allow is 20. You may use any combination you wish but you wil not be allowed more than 20 points of EC.
There's the starting line up for extra ops. More will come available as the nine weeks moves on so continue to chekc back with me.

Well how's that for a kick-start to the nine weeks? Keep checking back on the blog for more hot tips and info. Out.





Thank you for an amazing first nine weeks, let's roll up our sleeves as we enter the second quarter.

Some important info...

Well, we are almost ready to end out our nine weeks. Here's some annoucements:

- We will be continuing to maintain our new weather log, even though we are through with weather as a unit. I will be looking into seeing if this information can be posted on the Landon website. We'll be making at least one more tool to help with this and will be doing daily in small groups.

- Many of you have made the ten-HW limit. Several of you have exceeded that limit. Those of you who do not make that limit by the end of this week can expect zeroes for those missing assignments and for your grade to drop. You've had all of nine-weeks to get your HW in on time or to call any empty spaces to my attention, especially with me giving two days of work time for each assignment. Points on late work will be assigned based on how recently the assignment was given (I.E. an assignment from the beginning will get 5/10, an assignment from two weeks ago gets 6-7 out of ten. Last week's assignment if it's late will get 8/10. I will set aside time on the 20th and 21st for any lab makeups.

- The nine weeks exam date for science is slated for the 16th (This coming Thursday). As a result, any presentations being held on that day will be moved down to the 17th if and only if we are unable to get to them and any presentations on the 17th will be moved to the 20th, again if and only if we are unable to get to them.

- The behavior in all of the periods has been largely acceptable but there are some kinks. Some groups need to synergize more and argue/bicker less. When we switch groups for the nine weeks, some individuals will either be staying where they currently are or will be moved to work on their own until they can demonstrate effective teamwork skills and classroom behavior. Remember, this is a science lab and misbehovior, horseplay, etc. can result in injuries and damage. As young scientists, you (and I) are all bound by ethical responsibility to act in a way that minimizes risks and keeps the lab safe and fun for all.

G.R.A.S.P.

Hello, students and parents. I've just been informed that there is a "Nine Weeks Unit Challenge" that has to be completed. I've looked it over and it is relatively fun, simple to conduct, and basically takes only 20 minutes (plus write-up time) to finish. This is meant to be a home project. If possible, I will try to set up an in class center designed for this project but no guarantees. Also bear in mind that since it takes 20 minutes to conduct, it will only be do-able by a certain number of students during days that my lessons will allow for said time frame. That said, you are encouraged to do as much as you can of this project at home. I am setting the due date for October 23, to allow for the other nine weeks project that has already been assigned. This will be a 100 point assignment based on completion (you either do it in its entirety or don't do it at all and receive a zero or point deduction for lateness) and will be counted as the first grade of the second nine weeks. Again it is short and simple to do so don't sweat it so much until after you've completed your other nine weeks project and the exam.
And without further adieu...here it is:

1st Nine Weeks Unit Challenge
G.R.A.S.P.


[G]oal
To understand the effect of the atmosphere on air temperature over land and water.

[R]ole
You are a meteorologist at the local television station.

[A]udience
Your audience will be television viewers.

[S]ituation
You have been asked to build a model and collect data to show the effect of the heating of land and water on air temperature. You will need to further explain to your audience why hurricanes only form over warm oceans and move in predictable directions.

[P]roducts
You need to design and create a model and collect data that will explain to TV viewers the effect land and water on air temperature: Since you are a meteorologist, your results will be given as a news report during the weather report

Atmosphere Model Investigation Materials and equipment (per group)
• 2 empty water bottles (500 mL)
• play ground sand and water
• lamp
• 2 thermometers
• timer

Put 100 g of each substance in a separate bottle. Insert a thermometer into the substance (do not let the thermometers touch the bottom of the container). Turn the light on. Record the temperature every minute for 10 minutes. Turn off the lamp and continue to record for 10 minutes more. Graph your results.

Analyze the results and use them to respond to the following:

1. In which container did the temperature increase faster?
2. How did the temperatures change once the light was off?
3. Explain to your viewers why beach people have a cool breeze every afternoon in the summer.
4. Explain to your viewers why summers are cooler and winters are warmer when you are near the ocean.
5. Explain to your audience why storms such as hurricanes only form over warm oceans.
6. Explain to your audience why FL experiences storms such as hurricanes.

Project Due Date

If I haven't posted this yet, then here it is. The final date for the first nine weeks project is going to be October 17. I am looking to start having presentations beginning next week, which will start on the 6th. If you are doing a presentation, please keep the time limit down to between 5 and ten minutes. I will be generating another sign up sheet on which you will fill in the date you wish to present and the estimated time limit of your presentation. If you are doing a research paper, then you need not worry about this sign up, just turn in your paper anytime before or on October 17.

P.S I am putting the last three Power Points up on Engrade this week.

Questions to Chapter 3 quiz

1. The most common gas in the atmosphere is (the one with the highest percentage, that is)
A. nitrogen.
B. oxygen.
C. carbon dioxide.
D. water vapor


2. Air pressure decreases at higher altitudes because
A. higher altitudes receive less energy from the sun.
B. the force of gravity is stronger at higher altitudes.
C. at higher altitudes, more gas particles escape into space.
D. fewer molecules exist at higher altitudes.


3. The process of warm air rising and cool air sinking is caused by
A. absorption.
B. radiation.
C. conduction.
D. convection.


4. Which of the following factors causes wind?
A. atmospheric gases
B. reradiation of the sun's energy
C. differences in air pressure
D. changes in altitude


5. Which of the following types of air pollution currently causes the most global concern?
A. oxides
B. smog
C. pollen
D. the ozone hole


6. The Clean Air Act is
A. a private organization that fights for better air quality.
B. A branch of the United Nations that monitors level of air pollution around the world.
C. a law in the United States that gives the government authority to regulate air pollutants that can be released in the air from cars and factories.
D. a peaceful demonstration in 1970 that protested manufacturing of diesel vehicles.

A few things I forgot to mention (or thought about and need to say before I forget...)

1) Again with the homework. As you know, it really is to your benefit to do all assignments, even if you exceed the required 10 needed for full credit. Therefore, as an added, ah, incentive/motivation, any homework completed beyond the required ten will continue to receive 10 out of 10 points so long as it is completed and turned in to me by the regular due date. If you have met the required ten assignments and choose not to do any extra HW, I'll leave the space for those assignments under your name blank, so that they won't hurt your grade but you won't receive credit either. Remember, if you do not have the required ten by the end of the nine weeks, all missing work will become zeros, which will hurt your grade...very badly...

2) More new things to see in my room this week:
- New centers and some modifications to the old ones. I am planning to have data sheets for at least some of these centers which you must complete for a classwork grade. The data sheets will be specific to the center they are used with and will be made available in my class and on Engrade in the time to come.

3) Due date change on the research project and Test #2
- I'm extending the due/presentation date for the research project. October 17, will be the last day to do a presentation or submit a report for full credit. I will have sign up sheets for each period this coming week. Expect the second test to be given either this coming Friday or the following Monday. It will mainly cover Chapters 3 and 4. Doing the Chapter reviews will greatly help you to be prepared.
-

First Nine Week Project Topics

Y'all thought I forgot didn't ya? You know I wouldn't let you by without dishing out my Nine Weeks Project I talked about in Open House and at the beginning of the year. It will be graded on a rubric. It's your choice of how to present it be it report paper (5 page max limit, 2 minimum, font no bigger than 12 if 2-3 page or 14 if 4-5 page), in class presentation (Posters, Skits/Dramatizations, Power-Points--bring your own Thumb Drive for this one). It will be due by the next to last week of the first nine weeks which I think is the week of October 6th.

And now the topics:
- The history of science
- Hipparchus
- Galileo Galilei
- How the scientific method works
- What is cartography
- GPS/GIS (Global Positioning Systems/Global Information Systems)
- The atmosphere's role in life on Earth
- Pick any layer of the atmosphere and research on it
- Global Warming
- Coriolis Effect
- Types of Global Winds
- Air Pollution and Associated Health Problems
- Different climates/weather patterns throughout the world
- Types of severe storms
- History of hurricanes in Florida
- Tornadoes/Tornado Chasers

There you have it. If you have a topic of interest of your own and it is tied to something we have studied this nine weeks, feel free to bring it to me. Also, be thinking about your Science/Engineering Fair topics for next nine weeks, I'll be asking for those in the very very near future.

Night all!
- School Safety Plans for severe storms

More Coming Attractions

Here's what coming up next week:

- Atmosphere in a bottle lab, where we explore the effect that various heating methods and temperatures have on water levels. This will be an ongoing lab.

- Layers of the atmosphere poster- A fun classwork activity that will double as a study tool to help memorize the characteristics of each layer.

- Tomorrow(Thursday) we're back to 25-35 minute periods, a good time to go over the results of the tests. Again, basically everyone did a great job but we need to polish up on a few areas, especially short response.

- We will also be revisiting the lab template and rubric in a 5 minute workshop one day next week.

This Friday, I will be conducting a 30 minute lesson/review on what we have learned about the atmosphere from our readings. This will help to narrow down the main topics of interest. Since we haven't been able to do a serious note-taking on it, I am considering attaching the power-point as a file on Engrade for you to download. If my projector isn't up and running by next week (I have to return the one I borrowed this Friday) we may be getting our notes that way for a while but do not get spoiled...;).

Expect a short quiz on the atmosphere Monday or Tuesday of next week. Next Tuesday, we will begin studying the climate so be Proactive and read ahead. it never hurts.


-

Homework

Alright, parents, students, and coworkers. It is now a quarter past 11 pm and i have spent the last 4.25 hours hunting down straggling homework. Kind of fun but not when really when you consider students' grades are on the line. In any case, my current homework schedule stands with a few new twists:

1) By the next progress report date (9/29/08) students will need to have earned credit for at least 7 homework assignments. Anyone below that number by that date will receive zeros for any missing homeworks. You may be worried but don't be. This new policy won't affect those of you who may have one or two empty spaces in homeworks....it does, however, put the heat on those of you who have sat around these first three to four weeks and have done nothing. Remember, homework with me is more than just a filler grade...it is a study tool. Be aware also that even if you do make the 7-homework requirement(and many if not all of you should), it is still to your benefit to do alll homework assignments. They are great preparation for tests and quizzes and I will be doing more to incorporate homework activities into graded class assignments.

2) Lab Reports- I have come across some lab reports that were turned in and not graded. They are graded now. If you still have an empty space for the penny lab, it means one of four things:
1) You simply did not turn it in and you need to get it done, pronto;
2) I have it and have not recorded it because it needs some correcting on your part and I need to return it to you;
3) You did something for it and gave it to me, wherupon I returned it to you to do correctly...several of you fall into this category and should be currently revising your report so that it follows the template and will receive a better grade;
4) You are one of the ones who turned in a brilliant lab report that had no name. I have several of those.
Please, please, please from a science teacher who definitely cares and more about your progress, make sure you get a lab report into me or that you correct yours in a timely manner.

That's it for tonight folks. See you tomorrow!

The Test

Well, here it is. My first blog since I signed on here and it is all about the test that we just took. Let's go...

1. The information gathered in an experiment is data.

2. The process of gathering knowledge about the natural world is science.

3. A series of steps followed to solve a problem is the Scientific Method.

4. The process of observing information through the sense is observation.

Several of you got Science and Observation confused. To clarify, Science involves making observations and other things to gain knowledge, like conducting research, seeing or reading what others have done, performing your own experiments. It is broader than simply making observations (watching, touching, smelling, tasting, hearing) about something; it also involves communicating that data and receiving feedback data in turn.

5. Diana Fossey wants to know more about gorillas in the Congo. (Curiosity)



6. Jacques Cousteau devised a way for humans to breathe underwater.
(Imagination/Creativity)
_________________


7. Michael Fay took many notes when recording and classifying African animals so other scientists would be able to follow his progress.
(Intellectual Honesty)

Here again, we had some confusion. Let's clarify intellectual honesty and ethical responsibility...expect a revisit to this with a Venn Diagram later on.

Intellectual Honesty: involves honesty, making sure notes, data, and measurements are accurate so that someone else can follow them, establishing trust with other scientists so that they will believe your work

Ethical Responsibility: involves making sure you or no one else is harmed by the research or experiment you are conducting, informing participants or human subjects of the risks that are involved with an experiment, allowing said subjects/participants the option of refusing to participate for their own safety or benefit.

Yes, these two can be easily confused because they are so closely tied together (this is why I assigned the 7 habits connection for homework) but it is important to know that their is a difference. Good note taking might help someone else avoid unnecessary risks, but almost more importantly, they help establish and maintain credibility with one's own scientists.

8. Used to measure the distance between cities kilometers.

9. The typical soda bottle contains two of these liters.

10. 10 Degrees Celsius + 273 = 283 Degrees kelvin.

Very few people got any of these wrong.

11. You want to find out why some whales sometimes beach themselves on land. During your study, you notice that this always happens when large ships are nearby. What should be your next step?

A. Conduct an experiment to see if the ships are scaring the whales.

B. Form conclusions the ships are somehow scaring the whales.

C. Form a hypothesis that the ships are somehow frightening the whales.

The answer here is C. Confusing and tricky, yes it was, especially since the steps of the Scientific Method don't necessarily have to be followed in order. Still, you'd need a hypothesis before conducting an experiment so you'd know what to look for when trying to find why the whales beached themselves. It would be wrong to just conclude that ships in the area are to blame; first of all, you'd need proof and second, you have to eliminate all other factors (a change in water temperature, presence of undersea predators, illness in one or more of the whales, etc.). Thus you should form a hypothesis to test, in this case, that the ships are scaring the whales. then you experiment and then you draw your conclusion.


12. Ritchie is conducting an experiment to see if a person’s height affects their jumping ability in basketball. He wants to use the school basketball team as test subjects. How would he show ethical responsibility?

A. By not conducting this experiment and doing something else.

B. By conducting the experiment in an unsafe area but informing them of the risks and allowing them a chance to refuse to participate.

C. By conducting the experiment in a safe area, informing the team of any risks, and allowing them a chance to refuse to participate.

The answer, again, is C. Not conducting the experiment at all might be safe, but it leaves Ritchie with nothing to show for his study. Remember, we wouldn't even have science if no one dared to venture out and do the research. Conducting the experiment in an unsafe place, say on a court in n high crime area versus a nice, safe, indoor gym exposes Ritchie and the team to unnecessary risks. even if he informed the team of those risks, it is part of ethical responsibility to avoid as many dangers as possible if they are not needed for the sake of the experiment. A safe area (again the gym comes to mind) would allow Ritchie to conduct his experiment and as long as he still explains any unavoidable risks and allows the team the choice not to participate, he is ethically responsible.








Matching IV: Match the term to its correct meaning.

Seeing tools, eye wash, measuring tools, analyzing tools, emergency shower

13. You accidentally spill a box of itching powder onto yourself while reaching for lab supplies.

Emergency Shower

14. Meter stick, tape measure, ruler

Measuring Tools

15. Microscope, magnifying glass, binoculars

Seeing Tools


16. Your lab partner get sand particles in her face while helping to build a terrarium.

Eye Wash



17. Calculator, computer, your brain

Analyzing tools


Short Response: Answer the following question.

18. Accurate measurements and data keeping are important when answering a question, solving a problem, or conducting an experiment. Give two reasons why.

Here is the rubric for this short response question:

3/3

-You needed to state clearly that keeping accurate measurements involved intellectual honesty and would also help scientists who wanted to replicate, repeat, or modify the experiment by acting as a guide. Both of these had to be present in some form, although if you were able to tie it in with skepticism, peer review, or ethical responsibility, you would also be eligible for full three points.

2/3
-These generally included the responses that had one or none of the above but still made very valid points (keeping someone from getting hurt was the most common.)

1/3- the lowest I would give unless the wuestion was completely blank. This score is basically reverved for those answers with little or no substance. Simply saying that "you need accuate measurements to get your experiment right." wasn't the kind of response i was hoping for from some of you. I didn't get many of these but it was enough for me to want to start holding mini-lessons in class geared toward short responses. Also, we will be working more with extended responses. I didn't dish out any on this test but they are coming so I want everyone to be prepared.

Whew, that does it for debriefing the test on here. We will devote an in class discussion to this as well and I will be revisiting the material that was covered so you all will be ready for the formatives and the nine weeks exam. Until then, I shall see you in class. Mr. Hubbard's gonna stop typing now before he catches carpal tunnel. Night!



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Engrade

To all parents:

I, along with my colleagues, will be using an online system called Engrade (www.engrade.com) to help me record and track the progress of our students. Registration to this program is absolutely free! All you need is to sign up as a student (Click on "Students and Parents), then sign up using the following code when prompted :engrade-akih08-StudentNumber. The student number should be found on your child's schedule. If you have any problems logging on, please let me know.

Mr. Hubbard

All About Science (The Introduction)

Welcome to Landon's 6th Grade Advanced/Gifted Science class. We have a lot of learning and fun in store for us this year so I hope you are ready to go on a "Fantastic Voyage" through the world of Science and Technology!!!