COSTA RICA trip in June 2010!  For more information, email me or go to: http://www.worldstrides.com/wild_science/default.asp

Information Night on Tuesday, June 2nd at 5:00pm in my classroom!


*Unfortunately I am unable to upload files to my website at this time so all documents must be obtained in person or through email (carrie@es-metro.org).  So sorry for any inconvenience!!!*


June 8th-11th:  Final Exams


June 4th-5th:  Final Exam Review

We will review the answers to the Final Exam Practice Test.  Students will ask questions about areas of the Final Exam Practice Test that they are still unsure about.

Homework:  STUDY FOR THE FINAL EXAM

SUCCESS DAY FRIDAY, JUNE 5th for students who have not completed a formal lab report!!!


June 3rd:  Benchmark Portfolio Digital Archive Workshop Day


June 1st-2nd:  Formal Lab Reports  

Students will type up their formal lab report and turn it in.  Students who do not complete this will be required to stay after school on FRIDAY, JUNE 5th for SUCCESS DAY!

Homework:  STUDY the Final Exam Practice Test


May 28th-29th: Review of Bonding & Drafting Formal Lab Reports

We will go over the Bonding packets, then students will work on their Lab Report Outlines

Homework:  Formal Lab Report Outline due Monday, Final Exam Practice Test due Monday


Wednesday, May 27th:  Review of Scientific Method & Drafting Formal Lab Reports

We will review the scientific method and discuss the format of a formal lab report.

Homework:  

Bonding Packet due Thursday/Friday (next class)

Final Exam Practice Test due Monday.


Tuesday, May 26th:   Ionic & Covalent Bonds

Homework:  

Bonding Packet due Thursday/Friday

Chemistry Practice Quiz due Wednesday

Water and measure plants daily and record observations


May 20th & 21st:  Chemistry Graphic Organizer

Homework:  Study for QUIZ TUESDAY!

Water and measure plants daily and record observations


May 18th & 19th:  Drawing Electron Dot Diagrams

Homework:  Water and measure plants daily and record observations, finish drawing electron dot diagram


May 14th-15th:  Periodic Table & Elements Song

Students will learn more about the Periodic Table and complete the Chemistry Graphic Organizer packet.  Each student will be assigned one element to create two rhyming lines about for our Elements Song!!!

Homework:  Water and measure plants daily, Chemistry Overview & Vocabulary packet due Monday, Chemistry Graphic Organizer packet due Monday, Elements song lines due Monday


May 13th:  Workshop Day--no Science class

Homework:  Water and measure plants daily, Chemistry Overview & Vocabulary packet due Monday


May 12th:  Chemistry Launch

Students will get an overview of Chemistry and how it relates to all of the matter in the universe!

Homework:  Water and measure plants daily, Chemistry Overview & Vocabulary packet due Monday


May 11th:  Geology & Physics Review

Homework:  Water and measure plants daily


May 4th-8th:  Physics and Garden Lab!

Mechanical Waves Packet & Electromagnetic Waves Packet due by the end of the week!

Homework:  Water and measure plants daily


Thursday/Friday April 23rd & 24th:  Garden Lab!  After getting their procedures approved by Carrie, students will begin their garden lab.  Students will have the rest of the period to work on their Geology packet, due at the end of class.


Wednesday, April 22nd:  Earthquakes & Volcanoes

Students will read from the text and answer questions in their Geology Unit packet, due Thursday/Friday. 

Students will have time to work on the Garden Lab.

HOMEWORK:  Garden Lab supplies must be brought in by the next class!


Tuesday, April 21st:  Earth's Structure, Properties of Rocks, and Plate Tectonics

Students will read from the text and answer questions in their Geology Unit packet, due Thursday/Friday.

Students will have time to work on the Garden Lab.

HOMEWORK:  Garden Lab step 8 due Wednesday!  Supplies by Thursday!


Monday, April 20th:  Garden Lab Research

Garden Lab steps 1-7 due Tuesday!  Supplies by Thursday!


Thursday & Friday, April 16th & 17th:  Ishmael Ecology & Evolution Test!!!

MAKE UP TEST for absent students or students who do not pass on TUESDAY, APRIL 28TH at SUCCESS DAY after STAR testing (thus Success Day begins at 1:00)

Homework:  Students will get into partners and begin the Garden Lab next week.  Each set of partners needs to bring in at least 2 but ideally 4 or 6 identical plant containers, a bag of potting soil, and a packet of seeds to plant their test plants in on MONDAY!  (I have plastic 2 liter bottles as backup for those who can't afford this or don't have access to scrap materials, but we don't have enough for everyone and they are not ideal planting containers!)


Wednesday, April 15th:  College Visits!

9th graders will be off campus visiting colleges while 10th graders have  a benchmark portfolio workshop!

Homework:  Study 1) the Test Review packet and 2) Ishmael Concept Review Worksheet to prepare for the Ishmael Ecology & Evolution Test on Thursday/Friday April 16th/17th!


Tuesday, April 14th:  Final Test Review!

Homework:  Study 1) the Test Review packet and 2) Ishmael Concept Review Worksheet to prepare for the Ishmael Ecology & Evolution Test on Thursday/Friday April 16th/17th!


Monday, April 13th:  Test Short Answer and Essays Practice

Homework:  Study 1) the Test Review packet and 2) Ishmael Concept Review Worksheet to prepare for the Ishmael Ecology & Evolution Test on Thursday/Friday April 16th/17th!


April 6th-10th:  NO SCHOOL-Spring Break!

SPRING BREAK ASSIGNMENT:  Study 1) the Test Review packet and 2) Ishmael Concept Review Worksheet to prepare for the Ishmael Ecology & Evolution Test on Thursday/Friday April 16th/17th!

 

March 31st-April 3rd:  Ishmael Ecology & Evolution Exam Review (this week there will be 200 minutes of class time dedicated to this)  HOMEWORK:  Study 1) the Test Review packet and 2) Ishmael Concept Review Worksheet

 

March 26th & 27th:  Ishmael Ecology & Evolution Test Review Packet

HOMEWORK:  Work on the Test Review Packet


March 25th:  "Ishmael" Day 16 pages 244-263


March 24th:  "Ishmael" Day 15 pages 233-244 


March 23rd:  "Ishmael" Days 12, 13, & 14 Review and Discussion


March 20th is the end of the 3rd Quarter.


March 19th & 20th:  "Ishmael" pages 211-229 AND organizing Science Notebooks (due by end of the day on Friday, March 20th!)


March 18th: "Ishmael"  pages 197-207


March 17th:  "Ishmael"  pages 187-197


March 16th:  NO SCHOOL (PD Day) 


March 12th & 13th:  "Ishmael" pages 151-168

Homework:  LETTER TO ISHMAEL:  Write a 1 page letter to Ishmael about why YOU believe crime, mental illness, suicide, and drug abuse are problems within Taker culture and not Leaver culture.  Please address each issue.  Please refer to your notes to reference the book in your letter.


March 11th:  "Ishmael"  pages 135-148 


March 10th:  "Ishmael" pages 125-135


March 9th:  "Ishmael" pages 113-122


March 5th&6th: "Ishmael" pages 95-110


March 4th:  "Ishmael" pages 79-91


March 3rd:  "Ishmael" pages 67-75


March 2nd:  "Ishmael" pages 49-63


February 26th & 27th:  "Ishmael" pages 22-46 


February 24th:  "Ishmael" pages 11-22 


February 23rd:  "Ishmael" pages 3-11

 

February 18th-20th:  Human Evolution

Students will watch "Journey of Man" and discuss the theories of human evolution.

Homework:  Finish Journey of Man Worksheet 

 

February 13th-17th:  Winter Break 

 

February 10th-12th: Theory of Evolution Timelines

Students will watch a Theory of Evolution slide show while creating their own Theory of Evolution Timelines.

Homework:  Use your Theory of Evolution Timeline to write a paragraph describing it.  Both the Timeline and the paragraph will be displayed in the hallway.

 

February 5th, 6th & 9th:  Exhibition Benchmark 3 Workshop

Students will work on their Exhibition Benchmark 3 Environmental Assessment Research

Homework:  Finish Benchmark 3 Parts 1 & 2

 

February 3rd & 4th:  CAHSEE Testing & Exhibition Workshops 

 

January 29th-30th:  Evolution

Students will learn about Darwin's Theory of Evolution and complete an in class demo of Natural Selection!

Homework: Finish "Natural Selection" packet

 

January 27th & 28th:  "The Puzzle of Life's Diversity" Worksheet Packet

Homework:  Green holistic rubrics must be filled out ASAP if student was absent last Friday

 

January 26th:  Evolution KWL & Vocabulary

Homework:  Green holistic rubrics must be filled out ASAP if student was absent last Friday

 

January 20th-23rd:  Semester 1 Finals 

SCHEDULE:

Tuesday, January 20th:  Periods 1 & 2 FINALS, early dismissal at 12:35

Wednesday, January 21st:  Periods 3 & 4, early dismissal at 12:35

Thursday, January 22nd:  Periods 5 & 6, early dismissal at 12:35

Friday, January 23rd:  Wednesday schedule (1:50pm dismissal)

SCIENCE FINAL:  I will be giving out a fill-in-the-blank study guide with EVERY question that will be on the final exam on Wednesday, January 14th.  They will have the entire period to use their notes to fill in the blanks and their homework is to finish doing so.  We will go over the answers at the beginning of the next class and use the study guide to play final exam review Jeopardy!  The final exam will be multiple choice, not fill in the blank, but the questions will be taken directly from the study guide and converted to multiple choice format.  They are not allowed to use any notes on the exam.

 

January 19th:  CELEBRATE Martin Luther King Jr. Day !!! (NO SCHOOL) 

 

January 15th-16th:  Final Exam Review

Students will use their Semester 1 Final Exam Review Worksheet from the last class to compete in final exam review Jeopardy!!!

Homework:  STUDY FOR FINALS!!!

 

January 14th:  Final Exam Review

Students will review the Climate Change & Ecology Units and use their organized notebooks to complete the Semester 1 Final Exam Review Worksheet

Homework:  

1) finish organizing notebook, due next class

2) finish Semester 1 Final Exam Review Worksheet

 

January 12th & 13th:   Typing Final Drafts & Organizing Notebooks

Students will have time in class to type a beautifully written final draft of their Food Web Research Paper full of critical thought and personal insights! 

Students will also have time to organize their Science Notebooks, due Friday, January 16th.  All drafts of the research paper will be included in the notebook.

Students who complete their final draft and organize their notebook will have time to work on the Semester 1 Final Exam Review Worksheet!

Homework:  Organized Science Notebooks due Friday, January 16th, including Final Draft of Food Web Research Paper! 

 

January 8th & 9th:  Examining Research Papers & Peer Editing  

Students will discuss what makes a good Scientific Research Paper.  Students will read examples of well written research papers.

Students will examine each others papers using the Peer Editing Process in order to create the best final draft of their paper that they possible can!

Homework:  Use peer edits & information from "The Future of Food" to improve Research Paper draft.  Students MUST have their draft saved in a place where they can access it during class next week (emailed to themselves, saved on the school server, burned onto a disc, saved on a flashdrive, etc.) 

 

January 7th:  Future of Food Discussion

Students will discuss "The Future of Food" documentary and how they can incorporate this information into their research papers in order to enrich them.

Homework:  Bring your rough draft to the next class if you never sent it to me!!!

 

January 5th & 6th:  The Future of Food

Students will watch an enlightening and inspirational documentary about the farming industry and how our consumer choices create the future of food.  This information will help them improve their research papers.

Homework:  Future of Food Worksheet, due Wednesday

 

December 20th-January 4th: Holiday Break!

No Science homework over the break, unless the following are incomplete:

DUE BEFORE LEAVING FOR BREAK:

(all attached in this order) 

*second draft

*first draft

*outline

*2nd draft of Food Web 

 

December 17th-19th:  Second Drafts

Students will receive their teacher-edited first drafts and make needed corrections to create a typed, benchmark portfolio worthy final draft of their Food Webs Research Paper DUE (PRINTED OUT) BY FRIDAY

 

December 11th-16th:  First Drafts

Students will use their outlines and peer edits from the last class to create a great first draft of their research paper

 

December 10th: Peer Editing

Students will peer edit their Food Web Research Paper Outlines.

Homework:  Create perfect outlines to use to type your rough draft next class.

 

December 8th & 9th:  SUBSTITUTE--Ecosystems Packet

Students will use the textbook to fill out the "What Shapes an Ecosystem?" packe

Homework:  Improve Food Web Research Paper Outline for Wednesday!

 

December 3rd-5th:  Food Web Research Paper Outlines

Students will work on their Food Web Research Paper Outlines to create a first draft of their Food Web Research Paper.  DUE MONDAY

Homework:  Complete Food Web Research Paper Outline and bring to next class!

 

December 1st-2nd:  Earthlings

Students will view the documentary "Earthlings" (or complete the alternative reading assignment if they do not wish to/do not have permission to view the film) in order to research the social and ethical factors involved in food production for their Food Web Research Papers.

Homework:  Read "Livestock's Long Shadow" and take notes

 

November 24th-28th:  Thanksgiving Break

 

November 20th-21st:  Food Web Presentations

Students will present their food web posters!

HOMEWORK:  Over the break, students must read the scientific sources on food webs given to them in class (see links below), find other quality sources, and record research pertinent to their Food Web Research Paper on the Foods Webs Research Table.  

Links to Sources given in class:

http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/Aug08/Energy.Food.html

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080723094838.htm

http://www.sustainabletable.org/issues/energy/

 

November 12th-18th:  Food Web Posters

Students will use their Food Web rough drafts to create their Food Web posters!

Homework:  Be ready to present Food Web poster November 20th or 21st!

 

November 10th-11th:  NO SCHOOL

 

November 6th-7th:  Holistic Grading & Food Web Project!

Students will receive their first quarter progress reports and grade themselves using Metro's Holistic Rubric.

Students will then begin their Food Web Project

Homework:  Food Web Rough Draft 

 

November 5th:  The Story of Stuff

Students will watch a 20 minute video on www.storyofstuff.com and fill in the facts on the Story of Stuff Fact Sheet.

Homework:  Another Way Goals

 

November 3rd-4th:  Ecology:  Energy Flow

Students will learn about Energy Flow and Food Webs!

Homework:  Energy Flow Packet 

 

NOVEMBER 3RD:  EXHIBITION!!!

Please attend our Fall Exhibition!!!

 

October 30th-31st:  Ecology Jeopardy!!!


October 27th-29th:  Ecology:  Introduction

We will begin our Ecology & Evolution Unit with individual and class KWL charts, and discuss levels of organization and the Kingdoms of LIFE!

Homework: "Identifying Vertebrates" worksheet

 

October 22nd -24th:  Exhibition Workshop!

DUE:  SCIENCE NOTEBOOKS & ALL MAKE UP WORK FOR THE 1ST QUARTER

Homework:  Stay after in the computer lab if you need to catch up on Exhibition work!

 

October 20th & 21st:  Climate Project SPEAKERS & Climate Change Wrap Up 

We will wrap up our Climate Change Unit with speakers from the Climate Project!

Homework:  NOTEBOOKS DUE WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22nd!

 

October 14th & 17th:  Progress Reports & Notebook Updates

(October 15th & 16th will be special exhibition workshop days)

Students will receive progress reports and make sure their notebooks are up to date! 

Homework: 

1) Make up missing work

2) Make sure your notebook is up to date

3) Create questions for next week's speakers 

 

October 13th:  NO SCHOOL (Professional Development Day for teachers) 

 

October 9th-10th:  KWL Charts

Students will review their KWL chart for Climate Change and discuss what they've learned. 

Homework:  Project Reflection due next class! 

 

October 8th:  Exhibition Topics Speakers!

 

October 6th-7th:  IPCC Presentations!

Students will present their IPCC Stabilization Wedges Project!

 

September 22nd-October 3rd:  IPCC Wedges Game

In lab groups, students will debate which IPCC strategies for cutting carbon emissions to include in their "Stabilization Triangle" in the "IPCC Wedges Game."  Students will prepare a group presentation of their proposed Stabilization Triangle.  Presentations will take place October 2nd/3rd!

Presentation Requirements & Rubric

Homework:  STUDY Climate Change Strategies 

SEPTEMBER 29th-30th:  CLIMATE CHANGE STRATEGIES QUIZ!!!  

 

September 17th-19th:  Climate Change Solutions 

Students will learn about the 15 strategies for cutting carbon emissions proposed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and create "Strategies for Reducing Carbon Emissions" flashcards! 

Homework:  Review the 15 strategies, pick ONE that you feel most strongly for or against, and fill out the Strategies Choice Worksheet 

 

September 15th-16th:  Climate Change Policies & Scenarios 

Students will analyze climate change data to determine what can be done about climate change and who needs to do it.

Homework:  Meditate on Climate Change Solutions

 

September 11th-12th:  Climate Change Impacts

Students will take notes on the primary and secondary impacts of climate change and learn about land and sea ice by performing a Sea Level Change lab activity.

Homework:  Finish Lab Discussion Questions

 

September 10th:  Work Improvement Day

Students will receive their graded work so far so that they may improve it and resubmit as well as make up missing work.

No homework 

Students may recieve extra credit for attending the California Coastal Cleanup on September 20th!

Required Waiver

  

September 8th-9th:  Climate History

Students will fill out a Knowledge Check to indicate their understanding of last week's lessons.  This is not a graded activity.

Students will analyze ice core data in order to study Earth's ancient climate history!

Homework:  Ice Core Data Worksheet (ignore the first page, graphs must be obtained from Carrie) 

 

September 4th-5th:   Causes, Human Involvement, and Greenhouse Gases

Students will learn about what creates climate, how greenhouse gases and land surface use affect this process, and how humans have impacted this process.

Questions 2 & 3

Question 4

Homework:   Carbon Files Questions

Carbon FILES (ignore 1st page)

 

September 2nd-3rd:  Introduction to and Fingerprints of Climate Change

Students will record the eight major questions for this unit and brainstorm additional questions. 

Students will review data about four fingerprints of climate change:  record temperatures, retreating glaciers, extreme weather events, and sea level rise

Homework:  finish Fingerprints Worksheet

 

August 28th & 29th- Research & Citation Skills!

Students will practice research and citation skills.

Homework:  1) Finish Scientific Sources and Citation Practice packet

2) Get a library card or bring in your library card if you already have one

 

August 27th- The Paper Towel Lab

Students will finish their paper towel lab (see above for links to documents).

Homework:  Finish Paper Towel Lab, due next class!

 

August 25th & 26th-  The Scientific Method

Students will review Lab Safety Procedures  through skits, then get to know each other in alphabetically assigned lab groups and learn about the scientific method through the Paper Towel Experiment!

Paper Towel Experiment Page 1

Paper Towel Experiment Pages 2-5

Homework:  Read over the syllabus with your parents, sign at the bottom, and have your parents sign as well!

                                        Desiderata 

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even to the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
they are vexatious to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.