Wednesday, November 7, 2012

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Tuesday, November 6, 2012



States of Matter + Veritasium


Demo: What happens if a water balloon is placed on an Erlenmeyer flask with boiling water?

  • Prediction
  • Observation
  • Explanation
Moving to the elements:


Elements organized

What do we already know about atoms and elements?

What do we want to learn about atoms and elements?

For next class, please read in the Chemical Interactions book pages 9-13.

Monday, November 5, 2012

Watch a Water Droplet Bounce

Reposted from OpenCulture.com


Which wise sage said “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t slow down and look around, you might miss it”? I can’t quite recall. It doesn’t matter. But the Phantom v7.3 Digital High Speed Camera suggests that there’s something to that adage. The camera shoots up to 6688 frames-per-second, and lets you look at everyday phenomena in an entirely different way. We’ve shown you pretty cool footage of what a vibrating cymbal looks like while captured in super slow mo. Now we give you a glimpse of something you don’t see very often — water bouncing.
via @Wired

Friday, November 2, 2012

Inquiry Day!

Progress Reports were sent out today. Please look these over during the weekend. On Tuesday, we will discuss the last assessment.

Today is an inquiry field day! The weather is beautiful so please enjoy your time outside as you collect data. Several groups have a need to conference with me so I will make myself available while groups are collecting data.

***Each student in the class set personal due dates to update sections of your background report, variables, hypothesis, etc. Where are you in this process?

Key question for today: How does your group function?

  • Does each group member have a job at all times?
  • Are tasks divided up?
  • Does your group have a priority list? Think of the tasks and make sure that there is a plan to get these tasks completed.

Due today!
  • Collect data according to your procedure.
  • Bulletin Board - What data have you collected for your question?
  • By the end of class today, please make sure that your space on the bulletin board has been updated with a graph(s) that show your data. (What type of graph has your group chosen to use? Is it appropriate?)

Due date: Tuesday, November 6
  • Reporting of Data Collected:
    • Web Page: 
      • Upload the data collected today to your web page.
      • Write up of the data collection experience. 

Are you taking photographs as you work? These will be helpful at the end of your project!

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

States of Matter Assessment

What is happening at the molecular level? On Monday groups had great discussions using whiteboards to gain a better understanding of the relationship between temperature and pressure. Today, we will have an assessment in class.

Friday - Inquiry Field Day! Please come to class prepared to collect data. This means that your group has a data table and procedure ready to go.

Don't forget that you are still working on your background paper, procedure, data tables, variables, and hypothesis. Friday is a good time for your group to conference with me if you have questions.

Monday, October 29, 2012

Relationships between temperature, pressure and volume

I hope everyone had a good weekend and that you managed to look over your assessment from last week and have questions for today’s discussion.

Content Objectives:

  1. Describe relationships between temperature, pressure and volume.
  2. Diagram and identify basic components of the atom.

Language objectives:
  • Explain concepts in full sentences that represent complete ideas.

October Process Words
  • Evaluate (6, 7, 8th grade)
  • Represent (6, 7, 8th grade)
  • Refer (7, 8th grade)
  • Refute (7, 8th grade)
  • Confirm (8th grade)
  • Consider (8th grade)

Whiteboard Task

  1. Using diagrams, illustrate the process of boiling water. You should show the molecular activity at two relevant phases, a potential mechanism for making this happen to your system and a description of the process.
  2. In your group, discuss how location can lead to differences in air pressure in the physical world. Illustrate a possible “maximum” and “minimum” pressure location.
  3. Of the two locations that you picked, where will water have a higher boiling point? Explain.
  4. Of the two locations, where will rice cook faster? Explain.

When you are finished, please check in with Frank. You will then receive a series of diagrams (Thinking about Gases) to discuss as a group. Start with the diagram you will present to the class.

Next Class - Assessment - Please review:
  1. The old assessment
  2. Last Thursday’s and today’s activities
  3. Items from the Matter & Energy text:
    1. p. 35 (17-18)
    2. p. 36 (19, 22, 24)
    3. p. 37 (1-5)
    4. p. 65-66 (13-15, 17, 20, 26)

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Looking back over our assessment

Please remember that tomorrow is parent conference day. I hope your parents have signed up for conferences. If they have not, they can still sign up for a later time that fits their schedule. Please schedule through Ching.

Opening: What has happened to your density column? Please take density column and make a sketch of it. How many layers do you now have? Where are the solids that you placed inside the column. What changes have occurred over time?


Content Objectives:

  1. Review material from Tuesday’s assessment. Focus on relationships between states of matter, phase changes and what happens at the molecular level.
  2. Atomic Structure

Language objectives:

  1. Increase ability to show understanding in both images and words.

October Process Words
  • Evaluate (6, 7, 8th grade)
  • Represent (6, 7, 8th grade)
  • Refer (7, 8th grade)
  • Refute (7, 8th grade)
  • Confirm (8th grade)
  • Consider (8th grade)

Review of Reporting - let’s return to the syllabus!

Tracking of progress on this unit.
  • What are the benefits of tracking progress?
  • How does this differ from checking Edline?
  • What do I need to work on?

Heating and Cooling Curves (review of many assessment questions)
  1. Try to complete the hand-out by yourself
  2. Heating Curve Music Video
  3. Returns to your own work - revise as necessary
  4. Share as a pair
  5. Class Agreement

Further study:

Please read pages 103-108 and complete questions 1-6 on page 108.

Monday: Looking at the relationship of temperature and pressure

Wednesday: Assessment

Friday: Inquiry Field Day