Students completed their group presentations today and reviewed scenarios for Thu and Fri final assessment on Cells to Organisms.  

 

 

Students began presentations on their human body systems.  Students reviewed for the final assessment on Thu. 5/18 (per. 3) and Fri 5/19 (per.4, 6).

Students organized and scheduled the final touches on their group presentation on human body systems.  

 

HW: Meet with your group members this weekend

Students worked on organizing a group presentation on human body systems. Students chose their groups and were assigned duties and responsibilities in the group. Students are to work on this project utilizing google drive and share a rough draft of their presentation with me by 5/11 (per .3) and 5/12 (per. 4, 6).  The presentations will begin on Mon 5/12.

 

HW:  Meet with your group members (remember: this does not have to be in person)

Students reviewed the process of cells -> tissue-> organ-> body system-> organism.

Students took the Final Notebook Assessment and watched a video on cells.

Students began an investigation into how cells turn into organisms.   Students learned about single cell or unicellular organisms and reflected back on what makes an object alive.  

 

Reminder:  Final Notebook Assessment will be on Thu 5/4 (Per. 3) and Fri 5/5 (Per. 4,6)

Students finished the Characteristics of Life  Lab today and we introduced Cell Structure and Functioning.  Students learned about organelles in the cell and discussed interdependence and the specific functions of the organelles.  

 

Reminder:  Notebook Assessment #6 is on Thu (per 3) and Fri. (per 4, 6).  Please make sure your notebooks are complete.

We introduced the new unit on Cells.  Students learned that cells are the basic unit of life.  We began building vocabulary for the unit.  Students engaged in an activity that categorized different objects as alive, dead, dormant, never alive, and made from. 5 week progress reports are going out soon.  Please make sure that all missing assignments and assessments are completed and turned in.

Students took the Final Assessment on Human Impact today.

Students reviewed for the Final Assessment on Human Impact.  

 

Reminders: Final Assessment on Human Impact is on Mon 4/24. 

5th week progress reports will be going home soon.  Please meet with me if you are missing any assignments or assessments.

 

jeopardylabs.com/play/human-impact57 

Students presented their group research projects on Alternative Energy resources. Students prepared for the Notebook Assessment on Thu 4-20 (per 3) and Fri 4-21 (per.4,6)  

 

Reminder: Final Assessment on Human Impact is on Mon. 4/24. 5 week progress reports are going out next Fri 4/28.

Students will create a google slide presentation on alternative energy choices. Students will research the alternative energy choices and select one which they will then advocate and present later this week.  

Today we went over human activities and global climate change.  Students discussed global warming and how humans impact this increase in temperature. Students watched a video Chasing Ice and discussed the implications of melting glaciers.  

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLuC1k_QKq0 

Students worked on completing the lab activity on renewable and non-renewable resources.  Students worked on getting data for the impact a progressive population would have on the same ecosystem described in the previous data table.  Students then graphed the results and answered questions based on the lab results. 

Students began class going over a presentation on earth's natural resources and further defined non-renewable and renewable resources. Students began work on a lab activity that demonstrated the effects of human impact on renewable and non-renewable resources.  Students utilized beans to simulate the impact a constant population has on available resources and took data on the simulated progression through 15 years.  

Students watched a series of short videos on human impact on the planet.  Students discussed the abstract videos and wrote down in their notebook on page 63R questions and comments that they had.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8d_JvMpoY4&list=PL5WqtuU6JrnXjsGO4WUpJuSVmlDcEgEYb 

Students were introduced to the Human Impact unit.  Students learned about natural resources and began a study on non-renewable and renewable resources.  Students participated in an experiment on human behavior titled So It's Not Renewable?/So What?  Randomly selected participants were asked to have some popcorn to demonstrate what they would do.  Students/Observers were to observe their fellow classmates on what they did during the experiment.  Students then discussed and answered questions about the experiment on page 62R in the notebook.

Students reviewed for the final exam on Mon.  I have attached the pdf for the lesson today.  Students engaged in a group discussion answering possible exam questions. Students utilized evidence from their notebooks to support their answers.

 

Reminder Final Exam on Global Climate is Mon March 6

Students reviewed the biomes chart and use chromebooks to research adaptations of animals and plants associated with the major biomes.

 

Reminder:  Final exam on Global Climate will be on Monday March 6.  The exam will be open notebook.

Students started class today with a review of the Coriolis Effect.  Students then learned about the six major biomes on earth on how those biomes are related to global winds and the Coriolis Effect.  Students engaged in a discussion activity where they matched different animals and plants to different biomes based on the adaptations of those plants and animals.  

 

HW:  Complete Biome Chart

Students began class with a quick review.  Students took Notebook Assessment #3. Students then learned about the Coriolis Effect and how the rotation of the Earth relates to global winds and ocean surface currents.  Students utilized cross-cutting concepts form previous lessons such and temperature, kinetic energy and high and low pressure.

 

HW: Finish Close Read on Coriolis Effect

Students began class with a quick review of the Global Climate Unit.  Students reviewed their notebooks and made sure that all work was completed.  If work was missing or incomplete students were asked to come after school, during lunch for support.  Students then worked on a model of the climate zones, made a Venn Diagram comparing Climate and Weather, and participated in a discussion on the Coriolis Effect.

 

HW: Complete questions on Pg 50L and complete coloring of biome map.

 

Reminder: Notebook Assessment #3 is on Tues 2/21 (per. 3) and Wed 2/22 (per.4 and 6).  All remediation for Notebook Assessment #2 is due.

Students watched a Bill Nye video on Climate. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFkBeB9lSr0 

 

Students then completed a worksheet on the video. 

Students watched two brief videos on the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Students took notes on the videos on pg 49L of their notebooks. Students then read a Close Read on the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.  Students made a Vocabulary T-chart in their notebook on pg 49R of all the unfamiliar words in the Close Read.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsXiEy2kbGM&t=322s 

Students went over their Venn Diagrams.  Students then worked on answering the questions below together as a class and with their seat partners.  Students watched a video demonstrating the rotation of the earth and the effects it has on throwing and catching a ball.  Students also began to explore and elaborate on how High and Low pressure systems are involved in the process of Global Winds and Ocean surface currents.

 

a. How did the global wind patterns and global surface currents compare on your Venn Diagram?

b. What patterns did you find on the global winds map?

c. What direction does the wind blow at the 30 degree ti 60 degree latitude bands in each hemisphere?

d. What direction does the wind blow at the 60 degree to 90 degree latitude bands in each hemisphere? if the winds that blow from the west are called "westerlies," what do you think the winds that blow from the east are called?

e. What direction does the wind blow along the equator?

f. What patterns did you find in the global surface currents map?

g. How does the direction of global winds compare to the direction of global surface currents?

HW: Complete questions

 

 

Students continued their investigation in the relationship between ocean surface currents and global winds.  Students answered questions about how the patterns we had seen in our lab had similarities to the map of global winds and ocean surface currents we drew today.  

 

HW: Complete Venn diagram comparing ocean surface currents to global winds.  Due Thu 2/9 (per. 3) and Fri 2/10 (per.4 and 6)

We began our unit on Global Climate and Weather.  Students took a pre-test to assess individual student knowledge on the unit. After the quiz, students engaged in an investigation on ocean surface currents and the impact that this has on humans. Students utilized a model of an ocean current to simulate how the currents interact with each other and with landmasses. 

 

HW:  Complete Task 4 :Hypothesis on the investigation sheet

Students reviewed High and Low pressure models and practiced answering the question: Why does the wind blow in one direction during the day and at night blows in the opposite direction?  

 

Reminders: Notebook Assessment on Tues (per.3) and Wed (per.4 and 6)

                    Weather Final on Thu (per.3) and Fri. (per. 4 and 6).

 

We began class with some reminders of important dates for the next week. 

 

Notebook Assessment #2 Per 3 - Tues 1/31, Per. 4 and 6 - Wed 2/1

Weather Final Assessment Per. 3 -Thu 2/2, Per. 4 and 6  - Fri 2/3

 

We reviewed group models on High and Low pressure.  Students were then introduced to Local Winds - How winds are classified and how pressure determines the direction of the winds.  Students ended class with a formative assessment on wind classification.

 

 

We started class today with a Do Now activity where students compared two models and labeled the models based on density, pressure, temperature, mass, precipitation, and molecular movement.  Students then reviewed the week's lesson with a summary sheet of the week.  Students should put this sheet in pg 42R.  Please note important dates:

 

1/31 and 2/1 Notebook Check Assessment

2/2 and 2/3 Weather- Final Assessment

 

 

 

Today we continued our discussion on the relationship between weather and pressure.  I have included the powerpoint that we utilized in class.  

 

Reminder: PAWS tomorrow.  If you were stamped for PAWS for Thu 1/19, please make sure you attend.  Stamped students that miss PAWS must have an alternate room no. on their timetracker with a valid PAWS stamp from another teacher.

 

HW:  Complete CER's on page 42.

We began class with a debriefing of density vs. temp.  Students then took a formative assessment on Density vs. Temp.  Students that did not receive a passing score on the assessment were stamped for PAWS on Thu 1/19.  We began a new section on pressure and weather.  Next week we will continue our investigation into pressure and weather. 

Today we completed our investigation on density.  Students took a formative quiz and students that did not demonstrate proficiency were stamped for PAWS on Thu 1/19.  We then conducted a lab investigating the relationship between density and pressure.  Students utilized glass bottles and balloons to explore the effects of different temperatures on a closed system of air molecules.  

 

HW: Complete the CER for the density vs temperature lab by Thu 1/12 (Per. 3) and Fri. 1/13 (Per. 4 and 6).  Also, revise sea and land breeze models (pg 36L) as well as the cold air hot air model  (pg 39R).

 

Reminder: Notebook check assessment on Thu 1/12 (Per. 3) and Fri. 1/13 (Per. 4 and 6).  This is an open notebook assessment.  Please make sure to bring your completed science notebook.

We continued our investigation on Density.  We investigated how manipulating the temperature affects the density of water and air.  Students drew models to explain what happens when the volume and or mass of an object changes and what happens to the density of the object.  

 

Reminder:  Notebook check assessment is on Thu 1/12 (Per. 3) and Fri 1/13 (Per. 4, 6)

 

 

Today we reviewed convection currents, learned some more about what density is, and investigated the relationship between density and temperature.  Students watched videos, made observation and question entries into their notebooks, and utilized a simulation to expand on their understanding of the concept of density.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcQR6vV1Sqo 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlkpZZW29b0 

https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/density-and-buoyancy/density_en.html 

 

No homework this weekend. Have a relaxing weekend!

 

Welcome Back Science 6.  I hope all of you had a wonderful winter break.  We started the week going over the class expectations of the class and reviewed the density investigation demonstration that we did in class before we left for break.  We then continued our investigation into density by analyzing the effects of temperature on the density of water.  

Today we took the final assessment on heat transfer.  This week we will begin our next unit on weather.

 

All assignments are due. Please remember to turn in your notebook and all missing assignments by Fri Dec. 12 by 2 pm.  No late assignments or notebooks will be accepted after this date and time.

 

Students experimented with their solar ovens today, cooking S'mores and measuring the temperature of their ovens.  We will review the data during the next class meeting.  

 

Reminder:  The final exam on Heat Transfer is on Mon.  Dec. 12.  Please turn in all missing assignments, labs, and notebooks  for grading before the end of the semester on Dec. 16

Students were stamped for PAWS this week for the group final model practice. The end of the unit/semester final is on Mon.  Dec. 12. 

 

All assignments, labs, and notebooks are now due for end of the semester grading. Please note that the end of the semester is on Fri Dec. 16.  Students are responsible for turning in all work before this date.  There will be no exceptions.  

 

Students tested their solar ovens today.  Difficult day to be testing ovens as the overcast and cold temperatures minimized energy transfer.  We will conduct the experiment on Tues and Wed this week.

Students built their solar ovens.  Students utilized the materials that they had collected the previous day to construct their apparatus based on a design that their groups had come up earlier in the week.  Students will test their ovens on Mon.  Dec. 5.  Students will conduct the experiment and take data on Tues. Dec 6 (Per. 3) and Dec. 7 (Per. 4 and 6).  

 

Reminder:  End of the Semester is on Dec. 16.  All assignments, labs, notebooks, and classwork must be turned in by this date.  There will be no exceptions.  

 

Semester End Class Final:  Thermal Energy Transfer -  Dec. 12 Mon

We collected the building material for the Solar Oven Challenge.  Students needed to complete and get checked off on the Imagine and Engineer section of the lab. Students reviewed for the final assessment for this unit and the semester by explaining: Why does the temp. inside a car get hotter than the outside temp.? Utilizing a picture of a car as a template for a model, students had to draw, describe, label and provide an explanation for this phenomenon utilizing the concepts of Thermal Energy Transfer.  Final Exam will be on Dec. 12 for all classes.

 

Reminder:  PAWS tomorrow is open to all 6th grade science students needing help on notebook organization.  Also, I will be doing a make-up Dye Lab demonstration tomorrow during PAWS.  

End of the semester is in 3 weeks.  Please note that all assignments, labs, notebook checks, and notebook re-grades need to be completed before the end of the semester.  Please check Aeries for any missing assignments or for more information on what you need to do to raise your grade.  Please come after school if you need help and support.

 

Today we introduced the Heat Transfer Solar Oven Challenge.  Students were split into groups to begin the design phase of the challenge.  This challenge will take the next week and a half.  All work needs to be completed at school.  No pre-built or manufactured at home models will be accepted.  Please have all materials needed to complete your model at school by Thu 12/1 (Per. 3) and Fri 12/2 (Per. 4 and 6).

 

 

We conducted our Insulation Challenge experiment today.  Students did a fantastic job getting their projects and apparatus built.  Please note that this lab is a precursor to our premiere activity(Solar Ovens) this unit on Heat Transfer.  Next week, we will introduce the Solar Oven Challenge where students will need to design, engineer, and build a working solar oven to cook S'mores.  Have a fantastic Holiday Break!

Students were stamped for PAWS on Mon. and Tue. (1121 and 11/22) for a pop quiz on heat transfer. Students then began to design an apparatus to keep a cup of ice water cold.  Students will engineer and build their design on Mon (Per. 4 and 6) and Tues. (Per. 3).  Students will compete against other groups to complete the Insulation Design and Engineering Challenge. 

Students were introduced to the three types of energy transfer.  Students learned how energy is transferred through radiation, convection, and conduction.  Students learned about how "cold "does not technically exist.  Students practiced making models of energy transfer between two different objects.

 

HW:  What would happen if you stick your tongue onto a frozen flagpole? Explain why?

We started the period with a review on the calorimeter lab that students had completed the previous class session.  Students wrote into their notebooks what they noticed in the lab and what they wondered.  Some questions that students wondered were: Why did the heat go from Hot to Cold?  Where did the heat go? Why is the kinetic energy of hot water more than cold water?  We completed the Understanding Molecular movement model sheet in class.  Students who receive a stamp for this assignment need to attend PAWS next week for enrichment.  Grades will be updated this week.  Please check AERIES for your updated grades.

 

Have a Great and Safe Weekend!

Today we conducted the Calorimeter Lab where we learned about how energy is transferred from one object to another.  Students investigated the process to transfer energy from one type of energy such as kinetic energy to thermal energy and light energy to kinetic energy for instance.  Students were able to take data on the lab and graph the results from the investigation.

 

Students need to finish the Calorimeter Lab and the Understanding Molecules HW sheet. Per. 3 due 11/10 and Per. 4,6 due 11/9.

 

Today we completed our first lab.  The Dye Lab was conducted to help students understand more about kinetic energy and the effect this energy has on molecules such as water.  Students practiced safe Lab Practices and worked on collaboration and data taking skills.  

 

HW: Complete the Dye lab on Page 29.  Reminder: Notebooks are due.  I will be grading the following: Table of Contents and anything past page 18 to current.

Notebook check dates: Thu 11/10 Per.3 and Wed 11/9 Per.4, 6

We learned about energy and how energy can be changed into different types of energy.  For instance, sunlight begins as light energy and can be changed to thermal energy or even chemical energy.  

 

Students need to finish Page 27 R and the vocabulary definitions from class today for HW.

We began our unit on Heat Transfer today.  We investigated the phenomena of Why does a car get hotter inside than the temperature outside of the car? Students watch a video and discussed their ideas on what was happening to the car that was causing the phenomena.  

Science 6,

 

Students reviewed pages 22 through 24 and organized the pages and the table of contents accordingly. We discussed the water cycle and made a comic strip on the processes of the water cycle. We discussed water usage and California's drought. Some students were able to present their Zombie Apocalypse projects today. We will begin a new unit this week on Heat Transfer.

 

HW: Complete the Water Cycle comic strip Thu 10-27 (Per.3) and Fri. 10-28 (Per. 4, 6)

We worked on the Health Investigation -Day 3.  Students were able to analyze maps and tables to determine the focal point of the Zombie Virus.  We will conclude this activity next week.  End of Unit Assessment is on Thu 10/13 (Per. 3) and Fri 10/14 (Per. 4, 6)

 

Exam Notes:

5 multiple choice

5 short answers

2 graphs - students will need to make a graph utilizing the information given to them

Observation, Inference, prediction question

Claim, evidence and data analysis

Started the day with a review of Health Investigation -Day One.  Students worked on making claims-supported by evidence-and explained with clear and accurate reasoning.  We analyzed the new data that we received on Day Two and began to focus or investigation.

 

Notebooks, Re-grades are due on Fri. 10/14.  End of Quarter is on Friday.  We will conclude our unit on scientific inquiry with an exam on Thu 10/13 (Per. 3) and Fri. 10/14 (Per. 4, 6)

We started our final section on CER by beginning a role-play activity called - Health Investigators.  Students are role-playing health investigators by analyzing data and formulating a claim, supported by evidence.  Students need to demonstrate an understanding of CER by providing a reasoning that explains their claim and evidence.  Students are developing skills to create testable questions utilizing the data analysis to solve a health mystery.  This activity will last three days. 

 

Please note that the end of the quarter is next week.  Re-grades and notebooks are due next Thu 10/13 (Per..3) and Fri 10/14 (Per. 4,6). 

 

Unit Exam is on Thu 10/13 (Per..3) and Fri 10/14 (Per. 4,6).

Students utilized CER to complete a survival activity.  Students utilized clues to make decisions on how to survive a simulated airplane crash.  Students worked together to choose in order of importance items that they could use to survive after the simulated crash.  We then had a class discussion on why we thought the items we chose would be more important than others.

 

Notebooks were turned in today for re-grading. 

Today we continued to practice writing Claims, Evidence and Reasoning statements.  We discussed 4 different phenomena (scenarios and photos attached).  Students especially liked the Mentos and diet Pepsi reaction activity.  

 

Reminder: PAWS tomorrow for students who have their time-trackers stamped.

Notebooks are due tomorrow 9/29 (per.3) and Fri 9/30 (per. 4, 6) for re-grades only.

We began class talking about PAWS this week.  Students that received stamps will need to attend my PAWS on Thu.  Students that do not attend PAWS on Thu. will require a conference with parent or guardian to discuss the importance of these required sessions.  We continued our CER inquiry today by working on a team building activity called Cup Challenge.  I have attached the instruction form. Students: complete your  Cup Challenge CER and return to class on Tue. 9/27 (per. 3) and Wed. (per. 4, 6).

 

This week we will continue with our CER inquiry which include a final activity where students will role-play being investigators in a health epidemic localized in a small city.  

Notebook re-grades are due this Thu 9/29 (per. 3) and Fri 9/30 (per. 4, 6).

 

Have great week!

We began class with a de-brief of Slip or Trip- An investigation into Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning  (CER).  We watched a video from Bill Nye on Pseudo-science to help us understand CER.  I have attached the video below.  Please complete the video worksheet for homework if you did not finish in class.  We also started to learn how to write accurate CER's utilizing sentence frames.  The table has been attached below as well.  Have a great weekend!

Today we started a unit on Claims, Evidence, and Reasoning.  Students participated in an activity called Slip or Trip?  Students role-played investigators in a possible accident/murder mystery and learned how to make a claim, utilize evidence to support the claim, and to provide a reasoning on how the evidence supports the claim.  Related activities in Slip or Trip included a Best Practice learning strategy called Four Corners.  I have attached the activity material below.

Welcome Back Science 6!  We begin the week by reviewing notebook grades. Grades were assigned for notebooks this weekend.  Progress reports will go out this week to students who have earned a grade of C- or below and/or have an "N" for citizenship or work habits.  Please remember that the progress report is a snapshot for the class and that students still have time to come after school to get help and support. Students can re-mediate and improve their grades significantly.  We Can DO it! 

Today we concluded our graphing unit by learning about Line Graphs.  We reviewed graphing notes that we put into our notebook on 12 R.  We then practiced differentiating when to utilize a line graph as compared to when we should utilize a bar graph or histogram.  We had two students volunteer to teach the class the steps we take to complete a line graph!  Thank you Scarlett and Jett!  You both did a fantastic job!  Key notes: x and y axis, labeling, graph values, and title. I have attached the graphing notes for this week below.

 

Below are some pictures from Period 4's class and students on the Honor Roll for Lab Safety Comic Strips.  Congratulations!

We began today with a formative assessment of observation vs. inference to check on the class understanding of this lesson.  We reviewed the observation vs. inference homework.  We then started a new unit on graphing focusing specifically on bar graphs.  I have attached the practice sheets below.  Please reinforce our lesson in class by reviewing labeling and units of measurement on the "x" and "y" axis. 

 

HW - Complete graphing work not finished in class. Due Thu. 9-15 (per. 3) and Fri. 9-16 (per. 4, 6)
Reminder: progress reports go out on Monday, please turn in your notebooks for grading by Fri 9-16.

We began class with a quiz on lab safety.  We then began a unit on What is a scientist?  Students worked in groups identifying characteristics of a scientist and utilized this information in an activity identifying real scientists.  

HW: Complete definition of science.  What is your definition of science? Due Mon. 9-12.

Have a great weekend!

Science 6,

 

Happy Monday!  Today we turned in the safety comic strip and finished our unit on What is a scientist? What is science?  We began a new unit analyzing the differences between observations and inferences.  Students practiced in class creating their own observations and inferences.  

 

HW: Observation vs. inference practice sheet.  Utilizing the chart described in class,  write down 2 observations and 2 inferences for each picture image.  Due Tues  (per. 3) or Wed (per 4 and 6)

Hello Science 6,

 

Hope Everyone had a relaxing weekend.  This week we start off where we left off last week.  I am speaking privately with individual students this week if they still do not have the correct binder.  I greatly appreciate all of your for your dedication to go out and find this item, but I promise you the notebook will be invaluable.  Today we began class by continuing our discussion on appropriate communication utilizing a strategy called "table talk" .  We then went over the Lab Safety rules and made a comic strip focusing on a single lab rule. 

 

Reminder:  5th Week progress reports will be going out soon.  Please let me know if you have any questions on your grade and or work habit / and citizenship status.

 

 

Science 6,

We continued to build our notebooks. We added 3 new entries - Mark it up (Close Read annotation guidelines), Why do we need an interactive notebook?, and Interactive notebook guidelines.  I have attached copies.  We made our first entry-What did we learn about the Key and Lock activity?  This will be used as a writing sample to initially assess individual student writing skill.  

 

HW - Finish Pasting or stapling handout entries and completing accurate table of contents.  Also, some students still do not have their science notebooks.  All work temporarily completed on loose leaf paper will need to be transferred to the five subject interactive notebook.  Please let me know if you have any questions.