Instructions for today's lab

Groups 1, 3, 5, and 7 instructions

Groups 2, 4, 6, and 8 instructions

CoM PIT-BC continued

We are now finished with the exploratory part of the week.  Now it's time to start designing our main experiment.

Some of you noticed that as the Alka Seltzer reaction occurred in the stoppered flask, pressure built up and the stopper sometimes popped off.  When that happened, all of the gases were able to escape, making the flask just as bad at conserving mass as the beaker. For our actual experiment, I will ask you to try to design a container that will definitely trap all of the gas so that we can measure it.  I will give some suggestions of materials to use during class.  The problem statement for our PIT-BC will be 'What is the affect of the type of container on the conservation of mass?'  where the experimental variable (the thing that we are changing) is the type of container, and the dependent variable (the thing we are going to measure) is the conservation of mass.  We will also be switching from the Alka Seltzer and water reaction to the well-known baking soda and vinegar reaction.

Today in class, we will be working on writing instructions for the lab and, if we have time, we will make our data tables and write our predictions.

Conservation of Mass PIT-BC

This entire week (and maybe next week) will be dedicated to completing our second PIT-BC of the semester.  This project will be set up exactly like your semester test.

First, we will complete an exploratory activity on Monday and Tuesday.  This lab will introduce you to the concept of the conservation of mass by looking at the reaction of Alka Seltzer and water.  The Law of Conservation of Mass says that the amount of reactants in a chemical reaction is equal to the amount of products;  matter cannot be created nor destroyed.  In other words, the mass of the stuff that you start out with has to be the same as the mass of the stuff you end up with.  We will discover that when the Alka Seltzer reaction takes place in an open beaker, much of the gas that is produced just escapes into the air.  Because of this, we cannot accurately measure the mass of all of the products, so it appears that mass is not conserved in the reaction.  However, when we complete the reaction inside of a flask with a rubber stopper in it, that gas is trapped and we can measure the mass of all of the products.

Here is a link the the exploratory activity

Element Families

Now that you've completed you Periodic Table books, check to make sure you included some of these main ideas on each of your pages.

Element Square - The four things included in the element square are atomic number, atomic mass, element symbol and the element name.  Remember, the atomic number comes from the number of protons in the nucleus.  The atomic mass is found by adding the protons and neutrons together.  When writing the element symbol, the first letter is always capitalized.  If there is a second letter, is is lower case.

Valence Electrons - These are the electrons in the outer most energy level of an atom.  The number of valence electrons in an element can be determined by its position on the periodic table.  Every element in group one has one valence electron, group two has two and so on.  The number of valence electrons is important because it determines the properties of that element and how it reacts with other atoms.

*Hydrogen - This element does not match the properties of any other group so it stands alone. It is placed above group 1 but it is not part of that group. It is a very reactive, colorless, odorless gas at room temperature. (1 valence electron)

Alkali Metals – These metals are extremely reactive and are never found in nature in their pure form. They are silver colored and shiny. Their density is extremely low so that they are soft enough to be cut with a knife. (1 valence electron)

Alkaline-earth Metals – Slightly less reactive than alkali metals. They are silver colored and more dense than alkali metals. (2 valence electrons)

*Transition Metals – These metals have a moderate range of reactivity and a wide range of properties. In general, they are shiny and good conductors of heat and electricity. They also have higher densities and melting points than groups 1 & 2. (1 or 2 valence electrons)

Boron Group – Contains one metalloid and 4 metals. Reactive. Aluminum is in this group. It is also the most abundant metal in the earth’s crust. (3 valence electrons)

Carbon Group – Contains on nonmetal, two metalloids, and two metals. Varied reactivity. (4 valence electrons)

Nitrogen Group – Contains two nonmetals, two metalloids, and one metal. Varied reactivity. (5 valence electrons)

Oxygen Group – Contains three nonmetals, one metalloid, and one metal. Reactive group. (6 valence electrons)

Halogens – All nonmetals. Very reactive. Poor conductors of heat and electricity. Tend to form salts with metals. Ex. NaCl: sodium chloride also known as “table salt”. (7 valence electrons)

Noble Gases – Unreactive nonmetals. All are colorless, odorless gases at room temperature. All found in earth’s atmosphere in small amounts. (8 valence electrons)

*Hydrogen and Transition Metals were not pages in your books, but you should still understand the important characteristics of those two groups.

Finally, here is a link to today's activity; Martian Periodic Table

Periodic Table Booklets

I hope you all enjoyed your 4-day weekend!

Last Wednesday, we started making a booklet (foldable) that will be all about the Periodic Table.  Today, we completed the first three pages as a class; a general Overview, Trends in a Period, and Trends in a Family.  As a table group, you will be responsible for completing the remaining 10 pages by the beginning of class this Wednesday (Nov. 13).  Hopefully, you decided today how you are going to split things up or if you want to work all together.

Here's what we completed as a class, for those of you who need to catch up.

Front Cover

Table of Contents

Page 1

Pages 2 and 3

Don't forget that retakes for the Chemistry I quiz are this week!  Come in and review with me anytime except for Wednesday after school (we have a faculty meeting).

Enjoy the first "s-word" of the year! :-(

More about atoms

This week, we are getting more practice with building atoms.  Here are some rules we defined to help figure out how many of each particle we would need:

 protons = atomic number
 neutrons = mass - atomic number
 electrons = atomic number - charge

*on a neutral atom, the charge is zero

We also started talking about the Periodic Table and we will be learning a lot more about this next week.  Here is the video we watched in class about the development of the Periodic Table:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RRVV4Diomg

Then, we wrote a few more definitions:
 element = a substance that cannot be broken down into simpler substances
 atom = the smallest particle of an element
 ion = an atom with a positive or negative charge

Remember that substances like water (H2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) are not elements because they can be broken up into difference substances.

Finally, here is the link for the demonstration on size, which shows how small atoms and molecules really are.

http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/begin/cells/scale/

Don't forget, quiz retakes for the first chemistry quiz will start next week.  Please come in and review with me anytime before or after school!

Activity Today: Build-an-Atom

http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/build-an-atom

Quiz Tuesday

We will be having our first quiz of the Chemistry Unit on Tuesday.  The topics covered will be:
 - physical vs. chemical changes
 - states of mater (solid, liquid, gas)
 - phase changes (melting, freezing, etc.)
 - atomic theory (history of the study of the structure of atoms)

Please use all of your close reading packets and worksheets to study.  There are also links to all of the readings on the blog.  Use the calendar on the right side of the page to navigate back to the posts for the last 2 weeks.

Here's two of the reading packets to get you started:
Chemical vs. Physical Changes
Phase Changes

Atomic Theory Hall of Fame

Here is a sample of some of the exceptional posters you all made for this project:

Dalton

Dalton

Thomson

Thomson

Nagaoka

Rutherford

Rutherford

Rutherford

Bohr

Chadwick

Chadwick

Chadwick

Atomic Theory

Our next big idea in the chemistry unit is the structure of an atom.  We know that atoms are teeny tiny things that make up all matter, but what makes up an atom?

First, we will be investigating the history of atomic structure.  Each of you has been assigned to learn about a particular theory that has been used to explain the structure of an atom at some point in time.  Once you have become the 'expert' on this theory, you will make a poster and then present it to your class mates.  The key points you need to include in your presentation are
:
     1.  Background information - Who developed this theory?  Where and when did they do their research?  What was their specialty, field of interest, or profession?  Any other interesting facts, accomplishments, etc.
     2.  The actual model - What did this theory say the atom looked like?  Be able to draw a detailed diagram of the model.  How was it different from previous models?
     3.  Supporting evidence (this is the most important part) - Why did they think the atom looked that way?  What test or experiment did they do to back up their theory?  What observations or measurements did they make?

Example - This is a poster I made for the Ancient Greek Philosopher's theory about atoms

Here is the information for each of the theories we will study:

Dalton

Bohr

Nagaoka

Chadwick

Rutherford

Thomson

Phase Changes Gizmo

Instructions for getting started on Monday's class activity.

1.  Use the following link to get to the correct website http://www.explorelearning.com
2.  Click on the green button at the top right side of the page that says 'log-in'
3.  Select the option on the right half of the page that says 'I'm a student, and I have a class code'
4.  Enter the class code for your section.  You should be able to just copy and paste from this page:

     4th : FRZWQKJVVX
     5th : MHDZ9JBH9G
     6th : XRXUBM7HBQ
     7th : GNFFETWBR5

5.  Choose the option 'Register Now to Enroll'
6.  Enter your first and last name, then create a username and password
     *Please make your username something as similar to your given name as possible.
7.  Click on the gizmo called 'Phase Changes'
8.  Click on the picture that says 'Launch Gizmo'
     *When your browser says 'Adobe Shockwave needs your permission to run', click 'Always run on this site'.
     *If it asks you to update Adobe Shockwave Player, click on 'Remind Later'.
9.  Follow the instructions on the hand-out to complete the activity

Link for hand-out

Exploring Phase Changes

Today, we expanded our knowledge of the states of matter by exploring how a substance can change from one state to another.  We call these phase changes.  Phase changes are very familiar to you, though you have probably not called them that.  Here is one example of a phase change:

Icicles

This video shows icicles forming over a period of 24 hours.  In this example, we see liquid water changing into solid ice as the temperature decreases over night.  This is a phase change.  When a liquid changes into a solid, it is called 'freezing'.  You can understand why I chose to show a video as an example of freezing rather than doing a demonstration.  (However, if someone can come up with an easy, inexpensive way to demonstrate freezing in the classroom, I may be able to offer some extra credit...)

The other examples of phase changes we showed were:
    Ice cubes sitting out a room temperature
    Steam  coming off of boiling water
    A tin can filled with cold water that had sweat on the outside of it
    Dry ice (the only non-water example and really fun to play with)

For each example, we analyzed the change we were seeing by collecting both qualitative and quantitative data.

Data Table

Over the weekend, I challenged everyone to find out what it is called when a solid changes directly into a gas without going through the liquid state.  Also, I asked if you thought it was possible for a substances to go the other way, directly from a gas into a solid.  If so, what is that called?

Chemical vs Physical Changes

Today, we learned about the difference between chemical and physical changes.  Here is a link to the close reading we did in class with the first page done for you as an example.

Bill Nye

Today in class, we started our chemistry unit by watching a video by Bill Nye (the Science Guy) about states of matter and phase changes.  If you weren't in class, here is the link to the video and the hand-out that goes along with it.  The questions come up pretty fast, so you have to really pay attention.

Writing assignment for class today

Hi everyone.  Here is the link to the writing assignment we will be completing in class today.  More instructions will follow.

Writing Assignment

7th Period Class

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4th Period Class

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Concept Mapping

This week, we started learning how to make concept maps.  A concept map is an easy way to organize and visualize your thoughts.  It also allows you to show the connections or relationship between different key points within a larger idea.  Here are some examples of concept maps I showed in class on Monday.  We also created a concept map together on the board.  Then, I set you off on your own to create your own concept map based on any topic of your choosing.  I really enjoyed looking through these maps, and I learned a lot from some of them.

Today, we worked in groups to complete some concept maps I gave you covering the three major topics we have learned about so far; requirements of science, measurement, and PIT-BC's.  We will continue working on these maps tomorrow.  Our final product should be one big concept map that combines all of the ideas from each of the three topics.

What's the big idea?

Today, we went through a few scenarios to make sure everyone is getting the big ideas we have been learning about so far this year and to draw out some common misconceptions of those topics.  I feel like we had some very good conversations today, however some of your misconceptions are still pretty strong.  I am going to try to set up some physical demonstrations for next week so I can prove to all of you non-believers what I was trying to get you to understand today.  Pictures of those demos will be posted then.

Have a great 3-day weekend!

PIT-BC Final Steps

After collecting all of our data, we created a graph using our special PIT-BC graph paper.  We then used this graph to analyze our results and write a conclusion.  The conclusion should follow this template.  If you haven't yet finished these two things, please complete them now.  Your final PIT-BC write up is due at the beginning of class Wednesday.  Most of you have turned them in already - thank you for using your time in class to get your work done!

We we also have a quiz on Wednesday over writing a PIT-BC and everything we have learned about density so far.

PIT-BC Continued

During class on Wednesday, we wrote the instructions for our density lab.  I asked you to work with your table groups to try to come up with a set of directions on your own.  Then we used your ideas to create a master set of instructions.  Here are the links to the instructions we together wrote in each class.

Period 4
Period 5
Period 6
Period 7

Then on Thursday, we wrote a prediction for the lab, made a data table, and then started collecting our data.  We had to go back in our notes to remember the format we use to write predictions.  Here is a link to the prediction format and the data table we used for this lab.

Predictions / data table

Writing Instructions

The next section of our lab write-up is the instructions.  Today, we practiced writing instructions for a simple task so that tomorrow when we write directions for the lab, we can just focus on the lab procedures.  We started out by suggestion some general guidelines for writing instructions.  Here is what you guys came up with.  First, we thought that the instructions should be as detailed and specific as possible.  They should also be numbered, written out step by step, organized and in order.  If any materials are required for your task, the instructions should include a list of those.  Finally, someone in the last class suggested including pictures or diagrams to help make your instructions clearer.

Your goal today was to write clear instructions so that your classmate could get from my room (415) to some other place within the school just by following your directions.  Tomorrow, we will talk about any challenges you may have faced both in writing the directions and in trying to follow your classmate's.

Remember:
1.  Quiz retakes must be done by Friday!
2.  That's because grade reports are coming out next week.
3.  So get any missing work turned in ASAP.
4.  Dress like a science-themed super hero tomorrow and get some extra credit points.

PIT-BC Day One

Today, we talked about PIT-BC's.  A PIT-BC is a specific format that students will follow when writing lab reports.  This week, we will be writing a PIT-BC for a density lab.  We wrote the first section today, the problem statement.

PIT-BC Checklist

We also practiced identifying variables today using these Sponge Bob scenarios.  Remember that the experimental (or independent) variable is the thing we change in an experiment.  The dependent variable is what we measure to see if our hypothesis was supported or not.  The control is what we compare our experimental groups to.  We should already know what the results of our control test will be.  Without a control, there's no way we can know for sure that the experimental variable is the thing causing our results.

Finally, we took a quiz today over measurement and the metric system.  Retakes for this must be done by the end of the week.  Also, if you are going through the effort of coming in to retake a quiz, please spend some time studying for it.  Look through your notes, make corrections on your old quiz, read the blog, or just ask me to explain something better.  It is impossible to get a better grade on the retake if you don't do anything prepare for it.

Problem Statements and Variables

During the next two weeks, we will be working on a big project.  We will be designing and performing an experiment involving density.  The final product will be a written lab report.  This report will be our first really big summative assessment, bigger than both of our quizzes so far combined.  It is really important that you put some effort into this and use your class time to ask questions and make sure you really understand everything.

Today, we talked about writing proper problem statements and identifying the variables in an experiment.  A problem statement is just the question we are trying to answer.  In this and in all future experiments, we will use a specific format for our problem statements:

What is the effect of 'experimental variable' on 'dependent variable'?

All of the problem statements we will ever write in this class will follow this format - only the variables will change.  We also identify each of the variables by circling the experimental variable and underlining the dependent variable.  The experimental variable is the thing we change in an experiment.  There should only be one experimental variable in an experiment - everything else should stay the same.  Recall the t-charts we made back when we talked about the requirements of science.  The experimental variable was on one side of the chart, and we listed all of our constants on the other side.  The dependent variable is the thing we measure in an experiment.  The dependent variable 'depends' on the experimental variable.  Measuring the dependent variable is how we will answer our question.  We spent most of the class period today writing problem statements in the correct format and identifying the experimental and dependent variables in each one.

Density Columns

Today, we had a density column competition.  Table groups worked together to apply the methods we learned yesterday to find the mass and volume of different types of liquid.  With those values, we could easily find the density for each liquid.  Then, we layered the liquids in the large graduated cylinder with the most dense liquid on the bottom.

A lot of groups had trouble with this activity.  Here are some things that could have given you trouble:

1.  Not making accurate measurements
     The students that measured the mass most accurately zeroed out the balance with a completely empty, dry graduated cylinder.
     The groups that measured the volume most accurately had each member of their group read the measurement, and they estimated to at least the nearest tenth of a milliliter.
     If either the mass or the volume measurement was off by even just a little bit, you had no chance at calculating an accurate density.

2.  Not doing the math correctly
     If you numbers weren't coming out they way you thought they should, my first suggestion was to make sure that you did mass divided by volume and not the other way around.

3.  Being careless when making the column
     The groups that had the most success stacking their liquids in the graduated cylinder used the pipettes (eye droppers) I supplied to drop the lighter liquids very carefully onto the more dense layers below them.


I know that this wasn't a very forgiving activity.  It only worked out if you did everything perfectly which frustrated many of you.  However, the groups that took their time and followed the procedures correctly were very successful.  Keep this in mind for future labs - I give you everything you need to succeed.  All you have to do is listen, follow instructions, and take your time.

Introduction to Density

Today, we started our two-week study on density. Density is the ratio of a material's mass to its volume. It can be calculated using the equation:

density = mass / volume

Density is not a new quantity that we are going to have to figure out how to measure. It is a relationship between two quantities we've already learned about; mass and volume. We practiced calculating the density of various liquids today. We did this by following these basic steps:

1) Place a graduated cylinder on a balance and hit the zero button.
2) Remove the graduated cylinder from the balance.
3) Transfer some of the unknown liquid into the graduated cylinder. (We are not concerned about getting a specific amount. We just need to have an accurate measurement.)
4) Record the volume of the liquid.
5) Place the graduated cylinder on the balance.
6) Record the mass of the liquid.
7) Use our density equation to calculate the density.
8) You're all done!

Once we had calculated densities for all of the liquids, we stacked them up in a large graduated cylinder. This is called a density column and I think it looks really neat!

Tomorrow, we will be working in small groups to make more density columns on your own.

Don't forget, if you are retaking the measurement quiz for next week, that needs to get done tomorrow. I'll be here before and after school as well as during advisory.

Here are the two videos I used to start class today. Enjoy!


Archimedes Lego Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEvtahSn_ms

Archimedes Explained http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMNwXUCXLdk

Measurement Quiz

Overall, I was pretty happy with the results of this quiz.  It turned out much better than the first one for sure.  The only thing that almost everybody struggled with was the last question on the page - calculating the volume of that L-shaped block.  We went over this in class today, but I had a request to add a little more of an explanation on here.  I hope this video helps you!  He uses a slightly different method than the ones we talked about in class today, but maybe seeing yet another approach will make it click.

For those of you wanting to retake this quiz, leave a comment on this post and plan on coming to my room either before school or during advisory next Tuesday, September 17.  Come see me anytime if you need help!

Metric System and Conversions

Our major topic the last two days of class has been the metric system and why we use it in science.  We read from our textbooks yesterday about how important it is for scientists all over the world to use the same system of measurement.  Following the universal standards for measurements allows us to replicate experiments and obtain more consistent results across the globe.

The metric system is also much easier to use than English measurements.  12 inches in a foot, 3 feet in a yard, and 5,280 feet in a mile are all difficult conversions that require memorization and the use of a calculator.  In the metric system, we can easily convert between milliliters and kiloliters by simply moving decimal points around.  This is because the metric system is formed around powers of ten.  (This is a cool video demonstrating Powers of Ten.)

We practiced doing some conversions in class together today.  It seemed like most of you remembered quite a bit from middle school.  We will do more independent practice on Friday.  If you would like to see another explanation of how to do conversions, watch this video.

At this point, you should be comfortable with the terms base unit and prefix as well as being able to identify a majority of them.  If not, come talk to me and we'll figure it out together.

I have a feeling we will move through this next little bit of content pretty quickly, so be ready for a bigger quiz next Monday.

Journal Question #1: What is displacement?  How do you use it?  Draw a picture of the procedure.

Journal Question #2: How many centimeters are in a meter?

Measurement Olympics - Last day

Thursday and Friday were pretty busy - we didn't take much time to talk about the measurements we were making, we were just trying to fit them all in.  Today, we took a step back to see if everybody was making accurate measurements and using the correct units.  We went through the practice portion of that yellow packet and wrote the "correct" measurements on the board.  Below are links to the results that each class came up with:

Measurement Practice - 4th Period

Measurement Practice - 5th Period

Measurement Practice - 6th Period

Measurement Practice - 7th Period

I will be collecting these packets tomorrow in class, so if for some reason you didn't get it done in class, please take the time to go through our class results and get the right numbers written down.

The last three events of our Measurement Olympics took place today as well; the cotton-ball shot put, the temperature challenge, and the breath holding competition.  These were supposed to be fun events, but at the same time give you more practice measuring distance, time, and temperature.

Be ready for a quick quiz (easier than the last one!) on Wednesday about the different types of measurement.  We will then spend a couple of days talking about the metric system and have a bigger quiz early next week combining everything we've done so far.

Measurement Lab - Day 2

Today, we continued with our measurement lab.  We defined and practiced measuring distance, temperature, and time.

Distance is the length of a path between two points.  We can measure it using a meter stick or a ruler.  In science, we will make all of our distance measurements in meters (m) or centimeters (cm) - not inches!

Temperature is a measure of how hot or cold something is.  We measure temperature using a thermometer.  We are most familiar with using the Fahrenheit temperature scale, however in science we use degrees Celsius.

We defined time as how long it takes for an event to occur.  We can measure this using a stopwatch, and our unit could be anything from seconds (s) to minutes (min) to hours (h) to days (d).

Click here to see a slide show of all of the measurements we practiced today.

We also finished up our gummy bear measurements today.

They grew a ton!

Every single class did an awesome job of working in the lab today - thank you!

Journal Question #1: What quantity do we measure using a meter stick?  Sketch a picture of a meter stick.

Journal Question #2: What quantity do we measure using a thermometer?  Sketch a picture of a thermometer.

Journal Question #3: What quantity do we measure using a stopwatch?  Sketch a picture of a stopwatch.

Have a great weekend!

Measurement Lab - Day 1

We focused on measuring two quantities today; mass and volume.

Mass is defined as the amount of matter something has.  We practiced measuring the mass of various objects using a digital balance.  Mass is measured in grams (g).

We defined volume as the amount of space something takes up.  We practiced measuring volume in two different ways.  First, we measured the length, width, and height of an object and multiplied them together to get the volume in cubic centimeters (cm^3).  Second, we used a method called displacement which gave us the volume in milliliters (mL).

Finally, we started an activity called Measurement Olympics.  Our first event was Gummy Bear Expansion.   We measured the mass and volume of our gummy bears and left them to sit in a cup of water over night.  Tomorrow, we will measure them again to see how much they change.

Click here to see a slideshow of all of the measurements we made today.

Journal Question #1: What quantity do we measure using a balance?  Sketch a picture of a digital balance.

Journal Question #2: What quantity do we measure using a graduated cylinder?  Sketch a picture of a graduated cylinder.

Measurement Intro

Today, we started our next unit; measurement.  This was a basic introduction to some of the measurement tools we will be using throughout the year.  We identified the following tools along with the quantities they measure and the units we will be using with them;

Tool                              Quantity                Unit
Meter Stick                    Distance               Meters (m) or Centimeters (cm)
Graduated Cylinder        Volume                 Milliliters (mL)
Balance                          Mass                    Grams (g)
Thermometer                 Temperature          Degrees Celsius (C)
Stopwatch                     Time                      Seconds (s)

Make sure you have these written down accurately in your handouts; these are the terms I would expect to see on an assessment.

Tomorrow, we will begin using these tools to practice making measurements.  We may even blow up a gummy bear...

CONPTT Quiz

We took our first quiz yesterday over the requirements of science.  These are graded and in PowerSchool as of this morning.  I handed the quizzes back in class today, and we went through them together question by question.  I also shared some of the exceptional responses I saw on the quizzes; those responses can be viewed again in this Power Point.

I know many of you are interested in retaking this quiz.  You need to let me know by Friday if this is the case.  Please be aware that the retake will not be the exact same assessment.  There will be new questions over the same content.  You will have to come in and review with me before you will be allowed to take the new quiz.

Keep in mind that we will have quizzes like this at least once every other week.  If you didn't do as well as you would have liked, you might need to adjust your study habits or how you spend your time in class.  Let me know if you need help or if something isn't making sense to you.  I want to see each and everyone of you succeed!

Requirements of Science - Tentative (The last one!)

Today, we learned that science is tentative.  Tentative means that ideas and theories can change when we gain new knowledge.  One example of the tentative nature of science is the classification of Pluto.  Several years ago, Pluto was known as the ninth planet in our solar system.  We read an article in class today (Pluto Article) that explains how scientists recently determined that Pluto would no longer be considered an actual planet.  There are many more examples of scientific theories being revised or even completely thrown out;

       Copernicus - discovered that the earth was not the center of the universe.
       Germ Theory - believe it or not, there was once a time when surgeons didn't wash their hands between patients.

Now that we are familiar with the six requirements of science, we are almost ready to start actually doing science!  But first, a quiz!  If you need help reviewing (or lost the study sheet I gave you) click here!

Have a great 3-day weekend!
Go Bulldogs!!

Requirements of Science - Testable

Our second to last requirement of science is 'testable'.  In science, controlled experiments can be designed to test the natural world.  We emphasized this idea in class today by designing some controlled experiments using the same scenarios we made predictions for yesterday (click here!).  We set up these experiments by making t-charts to show what factors we would change in the experiment (variables - there should be only one!) and what we would need to keep the same (constants).  After doing these scenarios together, we watched part of a Mythbusters episode, "Waterslide Wipeout."  While the episode played, we filled out another t-chart of all of the variables they were testing and the things they were keeping constant.

Waterslide Wipeout Part I
Waterslide Wipeout Part II - this part is just them building the slide; I didn't show it in class
Waterslide Wipeout Part III
Waterslide Wipeout Part IV

So if you are keeping track we are at...

  Consistent
  Observable
  Natural
  Predictable
  Testable
  T--------
... or CONPTT!

We will finish up with our last requirement of science tomorrow - any guesses what it might be?

Requirements of Science - Natural and Predictable

We continued our discussion of the requirements of science today by adding two more concepts.

First, everything we talk about in science has to be part of the natural world.  All naturally occurring events must have a natural cause to explain them.  For example, hundreds of years ago, people looked at a rainstorm and couldn't come up with a natural explanation for it.  So, they made up 'supernatural' explanations, which usually had something to do with a superior being or force.  We now know the true, natural, scientific causes of rain, thunder and lightning and we are fairly certain that it has nothing to do with doing a rain dance!  Other things that wouldn't be considered part of the natural world are religions, myths (like vampires and mermaids), and pseudo-sciences like astrology and fortune telling.  We practiced categorizing events into natural and non-natural.

Second, scientific events are predictable.  This should make a lot of sense; we learned on Monday that science is consistent, so we should be able to recognize patterns and make educated guesses about what might happen in the future.  In this class, we will be using a very specific format for writing predictions.  We practiced making predictions using this format in class.

Coming up:
Friday, Aug. 20 - Notebook checks
Tuesday, Sept. 3 - Quiz over Requirements of Science (CONPTT)

Requirements of Science - Observable

Today, we continued our discussion of what we need to be able to accept a scientific idea.  Anything we study in science has to be observable using our 5 senses.  The observation may or may not be direct (ex. seeing a video or picture of something still counts as observing it with your sight).  I challenged you to try to think of something that cannot be observed using at least one of your senses; some of you came up with some great ideas!  We will talk about these more tomorrow.

To get a better understanding of what it means to be observable, we did a fun activity exploring the 5 senses.  We had 10 unknown objects/substances and we had to guess what each one was using only one of our senses at a time.  Most of you did a great job of following the lab procedures and wrote some wonderful observations.

Make sure you're writing down everything we do in your notebooks and keeping it neat and organized.  I will most likely be doing our first notebook check on Friday.

Stay cool, and watch for bats!

Requirements of Science - Consistency

Today we started a discussion on what can be considered 'science'.  In order for something to be accepted as a scientific fact, it has to be consistent.  Consistency means getting the same experimental results time and time again.  We demonstrated this concept by doing an activity with tennis balls.  We measured how high the balls bounced when dropped from various heights.  We then compared the bounce heights among the groups and found that our numbers were very similar.  Our results weren't exactly the same because of numerous variables; every group was using a different tennis ball, the table surfaces could have been different, and human error could affect how the ball was dropped or how the measurements were read.

Consistency is the first of 6 requirements of science we will be discussing this week.  Prepare for a quiz over all of them next week!

Safety First!

On Friday, we spent a little more time talking about safety.  I also handed out the Safety Contract which all students and their parents/guardians must sign and return before the student is allowed to participate in lab activities.  Here are some of the most important rules from the contract.

Safety Contract Highlights:
 - Follow all written and verbal instructions carefully
 - Never eat, drink, chew gum or taste anything in the lab
 - Report any accident or injury to the teach immediately
 - Wear proper lab attire: no loose clothing, hair tied back, close toe-d shoes and safety goggles
 - Know wear safety equipment is locate: fire blanket and extinguisher, eye wash station and evacuation procedures
 - Clean up after yourself

We also starting talking about the idea of being able to think and what that means.  To me, thinking means being able to figure something out or solve a new problem based on what you already know.  Thinking could also mean reflecting on or evaluating some idea.  A lot of you guys also came up with some really good definitions of what it means to think in your journal entries.  My goal is for all of you to be accomplished 'thinkers' by the end of this class.

Journal Question #1 : Why is it important to have rules?

Journal Question #2 : What does it mean to know how to think?

Team Building and Syllabus Day

The first two days of school have been pretty low key.  On Wednesday, we started off with a group activity where you had to stack up plastic cups using only a rubber band with strings tied to it.  Most of you did and awesome job working together to accomplish this task!  I also started getting to know you all by having you fill out a 'Facebook profile' and I really appreciated the few of you who volunteered to share theirs.

Today was 'syllabus day'.  I know going through all the rules and expectations and grading policies isn't a lot of fun, but it is necessary every year because every teacher does things a little differently.  If have any questions throughout the year, you can find my syllabus posted on here in the column to the right.

Once we got through all of the rules, we started talking a little bit about safety.  Most classes don't have any safety issues, but since we will be working in a science lab, we need to take extra precautions.  Today, we learned where most of the safety equipment is located and we drew diagrams and labeled all of these items.  Tomorrow we will talk more about appropriate dress and procedures to follow when working in the lab.

Safety First

I hope everybody is learning their way around the building.  I promise, it gets easier :)

Bull Dog Block Party

We had our 2nd annual block party at the high school last night and it was a huge success!  If you didn't make it, you missed out on some great food, awesome prizes, and a first look at some of the many activities OHS has to offer.  It was also an opportunity to meet with your new teachers and get an idea of what the year is going to look like.  Use the link below to download the parent letter that was handed out for Integrated Science.

Parent Letter

I'm looking forward to a great first year at OHS.  See you on Wednesday!

Welcome to Integrated Science at OHS!

Our first day of school is Wednesday, August 21st.  We will have shortened classes (35 min.) to make room for a welcome assembly.

What should you bring to class:
  pencil with an eraser
  notebook just for this class
  recommended: red pen, highlighter, folder, calculator
  

What should you NOT bring to class:
  cell phone
  ipod/mp3 player