Sorry for not being in class today, everyone. I had a doctor’s appointment that could not be rescheduled. I hope the review session with the substitute went well. Remember, the Unit 4 Test is tomorrow, and your homework tonight is to finish the Unit 4 Study Guide.
Additional apologies to anyone who was planning on staying after today for extra help. If you have any specific questions about the study guide or the test, please email me at namendolare@mpsd.org and I will respond later tonight!
Today, students got to put their Book for Columbus into action. Working with their partner, they took a quiz that mimicked Columbus’s voyage to the New World. Along the way, students were asked questions like, “On February 9th, which phase of the moon would be visible to Columbus?” or “If a snowstorm hit their camp on February 29th, would Brant Rock be at risk of flooding?”
Students then gave answers like, “I have no idea! I’m only 13, why did you hire me as your ship’s navigator?” (Richie Perkett). Or, “No, February 29th is a quarter moon, so there would be neap tides. Therefore, flooding is unlikely” (Danny Sullivan).
After taking the quiz and having Mr. A correct it, students began work on their Unit 4 Study Guides, which are due Tuesday.
January 29 – BFC Quiz (pg416) form 1
January 29 – BFC Quiz (pg416) form 2
Today was the last day that students had to work on their Books for Columbus. The projects must be finished for homework and are due tomorrow. Tomorrow, students will take a quiz with their partners that forces them to use their Book for Columbus, along with their knowledge of Unit 4, to navigate a journey across the Atlantic. This will, of course, be good practice for their Unit 4 Test, which is coming up on Tuesday.
Today was the second day of working on our A Book for Columbus project. At this point, students should be about two-thirds of the way done with their books. The final product will be due at the beginning of class on Friday.
If you were to write book for Christopher Columbus, one that could help him with his journey across the Atlantic, what would you include? “What about a tide chart?” said Abi. “What about a moon calendar?” suggested Noah. “Or maybe predicted eclipses, in case he need to fool the natives!” said Chris. “Or what about a GPS?” asked William.
Our Unit 4 Capstone Project is called A Book for Columbus. Students will be putting together a book of useful information that could have helped Columbus on a fictional journey from Spain to Marshfield. The premise is that he will leave this Friday and arrive about a month later. But really, the project is a chance for us to give real-world meaning to all the things we have learned in Unit 4. The requirements for the book are (1) a tides graph, (2) a lunar calendar, (3) a Sun-Earth-Moon diagram, and (4) a page of notes for Columbus.
The project will be due this Friday. Students will be allowed to use their projects on this Friday’s quiz as well as the Unit 4 Test.
Today was the last day of the Craters Lab. No more flour, no more cocoa powder, no more dropping asteroids, and no more mess. During class, students finished any testing that they had not completed on Friday and then began working on their lab reports. Final drafts of their lab report will be due tomorrow (one copy per group of two students).
Remember everyone, your lab report must contain six separate sections: goal, hypothesis, materials, procedure, results, and conclusion. A seventh section detailing how to make the perfect cup of hot cocoa is optional.
Today, students put their procedures from yesterday into action. Groups simulated the creation of impact craters on a lunar-like surface. Their tests covered a variety of impact speeds, asteroids sizes, and trajectories. And after creating, measuring, and documenting their craters, the students then began to compare them to photographs of the moon.
We will finish our labs on Monday. Each group of two students will submit a full lab report that includes six sections: goal, hypothesis, materials, procedure, results, and conclusion. The report will be due at the beginning of class on Tuesday.
www.MrAscience.com 