Thursday, November 29, 2012

Sixth Grade - Homework tonight: read the handout from today's class: Hazardous Materials at Home, and answer the Analysis Questions on p. A-18.  If you didn't bring home your handout, you can read it by using the SEPUP e-book, IAES (Issues and Earth Science), Activity 4, pp. A-13 to A-18. User name and password should be in your science notebook on the Revised Resources for Students sheet.

Eighth Grade - 13-6 Newton's Third Law of Motion - Read the handout, and answer all questions.  Extra Credit opportunity: RAVE the answer to number 8!

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

8th Grade: worksheet, 13-5, What is Newton's Second Law?

6th Grade: no homework

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Homework for the night of November 27
All students: please be aware of the following and write it in your science notebook:
 ALL HOMEWORK SHOULD BE PUT ON A SEPARATE PIECE OF PAPER (SPP), EXCEPT that REFLECTIONS OR WRITING VOCABULARY GO INTO YOUR SCIENCE NOTEBOOK.
6th Grade - Period 2 students: please find and print an article about Hazardous Wastes. If you can't print, at least get DATS information: Date, Author, Title, Source.
Period 3 students: please Write a Reflection about Hazardous Materials, minimum 5 sentences.

8th Grade - Write a Reflection about Net Force, minimum 3 sentences, using vocabulary words. Also, finish homework assigned Monday night: ..........................................................
1) Read Newton's Laws, SEPUP Activity 80 and answer STTs and AQs on SPP; ...................... 2) Read & Answer all Questions for worksheet 13-4, "What is Newton's first law of motion?"        ***Expect a homework quiz tomorrow. ****

Monday, November 19, 2012


8th Graders - Write a Reflection on about today's graphing activity and Newton's 2nd Law of Motion. Write at least 3 sentences using R.A.V.E. and good writing mechanics. If you don't know what RAVE is, put this in your Abbreviation guide just before the vocabulary/glossary section of your science notebook:
R means Restate the Question;
A means Answer the Question;
V means use Vocabulary words; and
E means Explain using Evidence or Examples.

6th Graders- Use your Science Notebooks and Study Guides to study for tomorrow's Weather Unit Exam. Here are the Answers to Weather & Atmosphere Unit (SEPUP) Review (pt 1):

1. Weather is the outdoor conditions at a particular time and place. a) through d) is a list on which all examples are true - it is NOT a multiple choice selection.
2. No answer required; this is simply a list based on our lesson.
3. Weather: particular time, particular place
Climate: long periods (30 + years), Region.
4. Temperature, Precipitation & Winds
5. Yes
6. The Water Cycle.
7. True
8. Liquid, Solid, Gas
9. a. solid does have definite shape and volume
b. Liquid - does have definite volume, but does not have definite shape. Medium energy; liquids move by flowing. When they change state to gas, we say that a liquid has melted.
c.Gas - doesn’t have a definite volume or _shape_. Particles of gas have _more_ energy, spread out to fill their container.
d. Energy (or heat)

Triangle shape in the bottom right corner:
Top should say: Gas: "water vapor".
Bottom right should say "Solid water is called "ice".
Bottom left should say: "Liquid".
The arrows on the bottom should be labeled "melting" going from liquid to solid, and should be labeled "freezing" from solid to liquid.
The arrows going from bottom left corner to the top, or Liquid to Gas, should read "evaporation", and from Gas to Liquid should say "Condensation".

10. About 70% of Earth's surface is covered by water.
11. ECPC = Evaporation Condensation Precipitation Collection
12. At Evaporation, water is a gas; at Condensation, water is usually a liquid; at Precipitation, water can be liquid (rain), solid (hail, snow), or mixed (sleet, freezing rain); and at Collection, water is usually a liquid.
13. Air is a mixture of gases.
14. The atmosphere is the blanket of gases surrounding the Earth.
15. Air is a mixture of gases, including
78% Nitrogen
21% Oxygen
1% Argon with some
CO2, methane, Hydrogen, or Neon, etc.
(Don't forget that air also contains water vapor which can vary depending on climate from 5% down to less than 1%.)
16. a. Troposphere – the layer closest to Earth’s surface, this is where we find:
i weather
ii. local winds
iii. Water vapor
iv.flying birds or planes
b. Stratosphere
c. Mesosphere
d. Thermosphere

17, Air pressure goes down as you go higher in elevation.
18. Air density goes lower as you go higher in elevation.
19. Clouds are made of water, usually droplets, but sometimes ice crystals.
20. Thermometer
21. Water boils at 100 o C or 212o F; water freezes at 0 oC or 32o F.
22. Air pressure goes down as you go higher in elevation.

pt. 2
23. The atmosphere moderates temperature changes from one place to another and between night and day (in other words, it keeps it from changing too fast when day turns to night). The atmosphere also carries gases that living things need, such as oxygen and carbon dioxide. The atmosphere makes life on Earth possible.
24. Wind is air that moves horizontally.
2. What causes wind:
a. Sun heats the surface (land and water), which heats the air above it.
b. Warmer air is less dense, so it rises. It also has lower air pressure.
c. Differences in temperature and air pressure creates wind.
26. a. thermometer
b. anemometer
c. wind vane
27. Warm ocean currents warm the air near them and make some areas warmer or colder than they should be. For example, the Gulf Stream makes the Northeastern US and Great Britain wamer. Ocean currents can also affect precipitation. An example of this is El Nino in the South Pacific Ocean, which affects the precipitation and weather in the US.
28. Heat moves through the atmosphere by convection. Heat from the Sun hitting the atmosphere can be absorbed by air, clouds, sea or land, or it can be reflected back out into space.
29. The Sun provides energy for evaporation.
30. The Sun.
31. Air that is warmed becomes less dense and rises. Air that has cooled off becomes more dense and sinks. When heat spreads through moving liquid or gas, we call it Convection. A convection current exists if hot gas or liquid moves up and down repeatedly.
32. Temperature, precipitation, wind, cloud cover, air pressure.
33. Clouds or water vapor, atmosphere, wind, Sun’s uneven heating or air pressure, ocean currents, the Sun.
34.                      Temperature      Precipitation
Tropical climate       high                  high
desert                     high                    low
grasslands               high                   low
tundra                     low                   varies
temperate forest       mild                   high
35. a. People study weather, including measurements, such as:
i. Temperatures: water freezes to ice at 32 oF = 0oC. Degrees Celsius is the metric unit.
ii. Depth of rain or snow: ex: 12 in. = 30 cm (hint: look at a ruler).
iii. Wind speed measured in miles per hour ( mi/hr) or kilometers per hour (km/hr).
b. Careers in weather science - Society relies on information provided by 4 kinds of scientists who study different parts of earth’s weather & atmosphere:
i. Meteorologists – Scientists who study weather, measuring & describing weather conditions, recording data such as wind speed, air pressure & precipitation.
ii. Atmospheric scientists – collect & analyze data about current & past conditions in the atmosphere
iii. Climatologists - study Earth’s climate, using factors such as temperature & precipitation; and
iv. Hydrologists - scientists who study water and how it moves.
36. Hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards are all examples. Cite evidence: risk maps in book; past experience.
37 . In two of 3 graphs, precipitation goes down as temperature goes up during the summer months.
38 . Mean - average; sum of all quantities divided by the number of numbers.
Median - middle number
Mode - number that appears most often

Saturday, November 17, 2012

This entry is for Nov. 19:
8th Graders - Write a Reflection on about today's graphing activity and Newton's 2nd Law of Motion.  Write at least 3 sentences using R.A.V.E. and good writing mechanics.  If you don't know what RAVE is, put this in your Abbreviation guide just before the vocabulary/glossary section of your science notebook:
R means Restate the Question;
A means Answer the Question;
V means use Vocabulary words; and
E means Explain using Evidence or Examples.

6th Graders- Use your Science Notebooks and Study Guides to study for tomorrow's Weather Unit Exam.  Here are the Answers to Weather & Atmosphere Unit (SEPUP) Review (pt 1):

1.  Weather is the  outdoor conditions at a particular time and place.  a) through d) is a list on which all examples are true - it is NOT a multiple choice selection.
2. No answer required; this is simply a list based on our lesson.
3. Weather: particular time, particular place
     Climate: long periods (30 + years), Region.
4. Temperature, Precipitation & Winds
5. Yes
6. The Water Cycle
7.  True
8. Liquid, Solid, Gas
9. a. solid does have definite shape and volume
    b. Liquid - does have definite volume, but does not have definite shape.   Medium energy; liquids move by flowing.  When they change state to gas, we say that a liquid has melted.
    c.Gas - doesn’t have a definite volume  or _shape_.   Particles of gas have _more_ energy, spread out to fill their container.
    d. Energy (or heat)

Triangle shape in the bottom right corner:
Top should say: Gas: "water vapor". 
Bottom right should say "Solid water is called "ice". 
Bottom left should say: "Liquid".
The arrows on the bottom should be labeled "melting" going from liquid to solid, and should be labeled "freezing" from solid to liquid.
The arrows going from bottom left corner to the top, or Liquid to Gas, should read "evaporation", and from Gas to Liquid should say "Condensation".

more to follow...... check back later

10. About 70% of Earth's surface is covered by water.
11. ECPC = Evaporation Condensation Precipitation Collection
12. At Evaporation, water is a gas;  at Condensation, water is usually a liquid; at  Precipitation, water can be liquid (rain), solid (hail, snow), or mixed (sleet, freezing rain); and at Collection, water is usually a liquid.
13. Air is a mixture of gases.
14. The atmosphere is the blanket of gases surrounding the Earth.
15. Air is a mixture of gases, including
       78% Nitrogen 
       21% Oxygen 
       1% Argon with some
         CO2, methane, Hydrogen, or Neon, etc. 
(Don't forget that air also contains water vapor which can vary depending on climate from 5% down to less than 1%.)
16. a.      Troposphere – the layer closest to Earth’s surface, this is where we find:
           i. weather
           ii. local winds
           iii. Water vapor
           iv.flying birds or planes 
       b. Stratosphere
      c. Mesosphere
      d. Thermosphere
17, Air pressure goes down as you go higher in elevation.
18. Air density goes lower as you  go higher in elevation.
19. Clouds are made of water, usually droplets, but sometimes ice crystals.
20. Thermometer
21. Water boils at 100 o C or 212o F; water freezes at 0 oC or 32o F.
22. Air pressure goes down as you go higher in elevation.


pt. 2
23. The atmosphere moderates temperature changes from one place to another and between night and day (in other words, it keeps it from changing too fast when day turns to night). The atmosphere also carries gases that living things need, such as oxygen and carbon dioxide. The atmosphere makes life on Earth possible.

24. Wind is air that moves horizontally.

25. What causes wind:
       a. Sun heats the surface (land and water), which heats the air above it.
       b. Warmer air is less dense, so it rises.  It also has lower air pressure.
       c. Differences in temperature and air pressure creates wind.

26. a. thermometer
      b. anemometer
      c. wind vane

27. Warm ocean currents warm the air near them and make some areas warmer or colder than they should be.  For example, the Gulf Stream makes the Northeastern US and Great Britain wamer. Ocean currents can also affect precipitation.  An example of this is El Nino in the South Pacific Ocean, which affects the precipitation and weather in the US.

28. Heat moves through the atmosphere by convection. Heat from the Sun hitting the atmosphere can be absorbed by air, clouds, sea or land, or it can be reflected back out into space.

29. The Sun provides energy for evaporation.

30. The Sun.

31. Air that is warmed becomes less dense and rises.  Air that has cooled off becomes more dense and sinks. When heat spreads through moving liquid or gas, we call it Convection.  A convection current exists if hot gas or liquid moves up and down repeatedly.

32. Temperature, precipitation, wind, cloud cover, air pressure.

33. Clouds or water vapor, atmosphere, wind, Sun’s uneven heating or air pressure, ocean currents, the Sun.

34.                    Temperature       Precipitation
Tropical climate    high                  high
desert                   high                   low
grasslands            high                  low
tundra                  low                    varies
temperate forest   mild                  high

35. a. People study weather, including measurements, such as:
              i. Temperatures: water freezes to ice at 32 oF =  0oC. Degrees Celsius is the metric unit.
             ii.     Depth of rain or snow:  ex: 12 in. = 30 cm (hint: look at a ruler).
           iii.     Wind speed measured in miles per hour ( mi/hr) or kilometers per hour (km/hr).

     b.      Careers in weather science - Society relies on information provided by 4 kinds of scientists who study different parts of earth’s weather & atmosphere:

                                                    i.     Meteorologists – Scientists who study weather, measuring & describing weather conditions, recording data such as wind speed, air pressure & precipitation.

                                                   ii.     Atmospheric scientists – collect & analyze data about current & past conditions in the atmosphere

                                                  iii.     Climatologists -  study Earth’s climate, using factors such as temperature & precipitation; and

                                                 iv.     Hydrologists -  scientists who study water and how it moves.
36. Hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards are all examples. Cite evidence: risk maps in book; past experience.

37 . In two of 3 graphs, precipitation goes down as temperature goes up during the summer months.

38 . Mean -  average; sum of all quantities divided by the number of numbers.
       Median - middle number
       Mode - number that appears most often


                   





 


Thursday, November 15, 2012

8th Graders -
Our District Benchmark Quarterly Assessment WILL be taken on FRIDAY, NOV. 16. Tonight's assignment: read through your Science Notebooks and refresh your memory on what we've learned this year about Energy, and Forces & Motion. Answer the following questions: 


1.What are the steps of scientific methods?
2. What is a hypothesis?
3. How do you design an experiment?
4. What are the different kinds of variables? How are they different?
5. What is energy?
6. Where does energy come from?
7. What is the Law of Conservation of Energy?
8. How is potential energy different from kinetic energy?
9. What is a force?
10. How do you calculate speed of a moving object?
11. What is the difference between velocity and acceleration?
12. What is inertia? (copy this answer:) Inertia is the resistance that an object has to a change in its motion. A body at rest will stay at rest, and a body in motion will stay in motion, unless acted on by another unbalanced force.
An unbalanced force is where forces acting in different directions are not equal in strength. Ex: a tug of war with three strong men on one side and 2 kids on the other side. The the forces are unbalanced, the rope will be pulled more strongly in the direction of the three strong men, and the rope will move in their direction.

6th Graders-Our District Benchmark Quarterly Assessment WILL be taken on FRIDAY, NOV. 16. Tonight's assignment: using my link to the right, read through SEPUP e-book activity 69, Forecasting Weather on p. E-87 and answer questions on p. E-91.  Review your study guides and science notebooks for next week's unit test on weather and Review your science notebooks for Friday's DBQ Assessment. Work on your wind packets (How do Winds Form? and Gentle Breezes) for homework.

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

8th Graders - To prepare for Friday's District Benchmark Quarterly Assessment, read through your Science Notebooks and refresh your memory on what we've learned this year about Energy, and Forces & Motion, such as:
Look at your notes on Scientific Methods.  What is a hypothesis?  How do you design an experiment? What are the different kinds of variables?  What is energy?  Where does it come from?  What is the Law of Conservation of Energy?  How is potential energy different from kinetic energy? What is a force? How do you calculate speed of a moving object?

6th Graders - Review your study guides and science notebooks for next week's unit test on weather and Review your science notebooks for Friday's DBQ Assessment.  Work on your wind packets (How do Winds Form? and Gentle Breezes) for homework.

Monday, November 12, 2012

Say thanks to our Veterans today.

Homework for tonight:
8th Grade: None
6th Grade: on SPP, draw (and label parts of) an anemometer or weather vane using only the following materials:
popsicle sticks
tongue depressors
thumb tacks
clay
drinking straws
paper and plastic cups (small and medium)
wooden sticks with points
paper clips
index cards

Also, Print out or copy by hand, and then answer the following questions as part of your review for this week's tests:

23. Why is the atmosphere important? Name at least 3 important benefits from the atmosphere:


*

*

*

24. What is wind?



25. What causes wind:
a. The Sun heats the _____________, which heats the air above it.
b. Warmer air is less ___________, so it rises. It also has lower air pressure.
c. Differences in ____________ and air ____________ creates wind.
d. To sum up: 1) Sun’s uneven heating causes temperature differences, which causes 2) pressure differences, which causes 3) wind.



26. What instrument do you use to measure:
a. temperature? __________________
b. the wind’s Speed: __________________
c. the wind’s Direction: __________________



27. Ocean temperatures: what did you learn about how temperatures of water from ocean currents affects weather and climate? (hint: think about the Gulf Stream and El Nino):



Friday, November 9, 2012

6th Grade - Students have two tests next week: a DBQ (District Benchmark Quarterly) Assessment  and a Unit Test on Weather.  Today they received a Study Guide and have been assigned to fill out  the study guide over the weekend.  In the next week, students will earn 35% or more of their quarter grade in science class. Not only do students earn 25% of their quarter grade with tests, but they also earn 10% with their science notebooks, which I am grading through next week. 

I normally do not assign weekend homework, but felt this was crucial given our changed time lines due to storms.  Parents of 6th Graders, please help your child by providing them a time and quiet place where they can do this homework without distraction.  Thanks, Mr. Goldsmith

8th Grade - no homework, but should upgrade science notebooks for grading next week, and should review science notebooks to prepare for upcoming DBQ (District Benchmark Quarterly) Assessment.

Thursday, November 8, 2012

6th GradeTonight's homework due tomorrow:


Period 2 - Atmosphere and Climate handout. Read it, write Main Idea for each paragraph on the back of each page, answer the AQs on the packet. Science Notebooks will be collected tomorrow and graded- be sure to bring yours to class.
Period 3 -Answer AQs on History of Earth's Atmosphere.  Go to the online book; you can find it by using the new sign-in link on this blog, or as shown in the "Revised Resources for Students" handout. Over the weekend, you will have tonight's homework for Period 2. Science Notebooks will be collected next week and graded- be sure to bring yours to class.


The following materials are due: a) Lab Reports due Friday before Hurricane Sandy.
b) Answers to worksheet "What is Air?" (2nd Period only) on SPP.


8th Grade -
1) Homework due FRIDAY:
a) Current Event on Nor'Easters
b) finish attaching Trip Strips to motion graphs.
Note: Science Notebooks will be collected next Friday and graded- be sure to bring yours up to date, and bring it to class.
Also, the following materials are due and will be collected on the next day of school:
2. Answer to Question 5, p. E-6
3. Answers to AQs for Forces and Motion Unit Activity 73, Choosing a Safe Vehicle.
4. Article on Hybrid Cars with responses.
5. Due 10/26 for Extra Credit": Ms. Devaney's assigned Field Trip Reflection: "Write a half-page reflection on Left hand page, about what you saw at the Aquarium and what the IMAX movie was about. As you know, it should be written on the left hand side page of your science notebook, and must use good mechanics (e.g., spelling, capital letters, punctuation, etc.).

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

6th GradeTonight's homework due tomorrow or on the next school day:
Period 2  - Answer AQs on handout (History of Earth's Atmosphere), also findable on new sign-in link on this blog, or go to the online book as shown in the "Revised Resources for Students" handout.
Period 3 - Current Event on Nor'Easters

The following materials are due:
a) Lab Reports due Friday before Hurricane Sandy.
b) Answers to worksheet "What is Air?" (2nd Period only) on SPP.

8th Grade -
1) Homework for the next two nights, due FRIDAY whether we have school tomorrow or not:
a) Current Event on Nor'Easters
b) On the internet, find 2 motion graphs.  Print or draw them on an SPP and below the graph describe how speed changes in the graph.

Also, the following materials are due and will be collected on the next day of school:

2. Answer to Question 5, p. E-6
3. Answers to AQs for Forces and Motion Unit Activity 73, Choosing a Safe Vehicle.
4. Article on Hybrid Cars with responses.
5. Due 10/26 for Extra Credit":  Ms. Devaney's assigned Field Trip Reflection: "Write a half-page reflection  on Left hand page, about what you saw at the Aquarium and what the IMAX movie was about.  As you know, it should be written on the left hand side page of your science notebook, and must use good mechanics (e.g., spelling, capital letters, punctuation, etc.).