Agenda Dec 17

1 HW Chapter 6 Directed Reading Packet p 105 - 122 No Target Reading Skills due Tuesday January 4
2 Chapter 5 Make up test

We are off (probably) to look at property again this weekend. Stay Dry. Watch this site to find out if we are having a game day on Tuesday Dec 21

Look for me in Valley Fair on Monday morning before noon. Be respectful, responsible and make right choices and you will earn pink spirit tickets.

Have a great vacation and see you after the break.

Agenda Dec 16

1 Review Chapter 5 Test
2 Journal 62 Chapter 6 Vocabulary due Tuesday Jan 4
3 Journal 63 Chapter 6 Constructing Meaning due Tuesday Jan 4

Boston Industrial seems to have lost my order for magnetic pick ups (the antennae we need for Aerodrome. We may have enough for everyone, hopefully. Everything else looks good thanks to one of our parents who will be supplying us with more brass shell casings.

Agenda Dec 15

1 Grade Chapter 5 Test
2 Review Ionic and Covalent WS

Miniatures Club. I need .22 cal brass for the game day on Friday. Please bring your EMPTY casings in a baggie to my room tomorrow or Friday.

Agenda Dec 13 Ooops

1 Oops. I forgot Monday.
2 Penny Lab 2 where we compare polar and non polar bonds
3 Chapter 5 Test is tomorrow (which was today really - sorry about that)

Agenda Dec 14

1 Test Chapter 5
2 Chapter 4 make up test after school

Agenda Dec 10

1 Activity Comparing 2 Types of Chemical Bonds (Ionic and Covalent Properties) due today

Miniatures today is Pirates Draft. If you challenged Mr. Realini and won today with your draft fleet, you won a special ship.

Next week we start Aerodrome. Be here to learn (or re learn) the rules

Agenda Dec 9

1 Journal 61 Covalent Bonds (continued) Polar and nonpolar
2 HW Chapter 5 Directed Reading Packet due today
3 Check Journal 56 Chapter 5 Vocabulary
4 Check Journal 57 Chapter 5 Constructing Meaning

Agenda Dec 8

1 Turn in Bond With A Classmate WS
2 Formative Assessment Ionic Charges
3 Journal 61 Covalent Bonds

Miniatures this week is Pirates. Next week is Aerodrome. If you are Matt Gilbert, please email me.

Agenda Dec 7

1 Bond with a Classmate Activity

Agenda Dec 6

1 Journal 59 Ionic bonds continued
2 WS Lewis Structure continued
3 Journal 60 Groups, charges and electron dots

Agenda Dec 3

1 Journal 58 Electron Dot Diagrams
2 WS Lewis Structures (kind of like a formative assessment)
3 Journal 59 Ionic Bonds
4 Review Chapter 4 Test

Agenda Dec 2

1 HW Chapter 5 Directed Reading p89 - 104
Do Target Reading Skills on pages 94 and 99 (due Thurs. Dec 9)

If you haven't heard The report cards you received yesterday are all wrong. Please be patient, we are not a high tech firm.

Agenda Dec 1

1 Journal 56 Chapter 5 Vocabulary due Thursday, Dec 9
1 Journal 57 Chapter 5 Constructing Meaning due Thursday, Dec 9

Agenda Nov 30

1 Chapter 4.3, 4.4, 4.5 Test, Standard 7 Periodic Table

Agenda Nov 29

1 Periodic Table Formative Assessment
2 Journal 54 Noble Gasses
3 Journal 55 Radioactivity (from pages 160-163)
4 Worksheet Mixed up Elements (due today completeness)

NOTE Chapter 4 Test tomorrow

Agenda Nov 23

1 Oral Reports for Element Project

As an after, everyone is to be congratulated for their patience in the presentations that went over into Brunch and Lunch. As a note, powerpoint presentations take twice as long to do due to set up. Note to self, preopen all for the period and have them on the computer ready to go.

Miniatures Club had about 25 kids playing until after dark. Next Friday will be "Challenge Friday". More info to follow.

Got to see Harry Potter last Friday and then had a tree fall in the back yard on Saturday. Lots of firewood to come and no damage to the house. Continuous lightning and rain on Saturday

Agenda Nov 22

1 Oral Reports for Element Project

Are school district has been under cyber attack this week. I have been unable to access the internet from school to update this blog. As a result, I have not been able to access Pinnacle consistently so I have not been able to update grades as related to attendance. This means if you had something due and were absent, I have no way connect the two and therefore would normally not excuse you from the assignment or give you a little more time for the same. Isn't technology wonderful? And the children still ask why I do not want them to rely on calculators.

Agenda Nov 19

TODAY IS MY 27TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

1 WS Alien Periodic Table (due before you leave class)
2 Check J44 Chapter 4.3, 4.4, and 4.5 Vocabulary
3 Check J45 Chapter 4.3, 4.4, and 4.5 Constructing Meaning

Miniatures Club: As I type, the final game(s) of the tournament are being played between Scott and Nathan. More info on Monday. Stay dry this weekend

Agenda Nov 18

1 WS Color Coding the Periodic Table (due at the end of class)
2 WS Family Ties (due at the end of class)
3 Review of Oral Report Requirements

Miniatures Club: Nathan beat Kento and will play Takuma next on Friday. Friday is also a school dance a students can go back and forth between the 2 activities if they check with me first. Scott says has a line on 200 packs of Mysterious Islands cards.

Friday must end at 5PM as I have tickets to see Harry Potter. There WILL be a game day on Tuesday next week because it is a de facto Friday. We will finish the tournament most likely on Tuesday and pass out prizes then.

Agenda Nov 17

1 Journal 50 Transition Metals/Elements
2 Journal 51 Metals in Mixed Groups
3 Journal 52 Lanthanides
4 Journal 53 Actinides
5 Video Braniac Alkali Metals in Water

Miniatures Club: Yesterday's match between Jeffrey and Nathan ended with Nathan the clear winner. His next match is versus Kento but it cannot be today because Kento has to go to Japanese school and Nathan has fencing after school.

Agenda Nov 16

1 Journal 48 Alkali Metals
2 Journal 49 Alkaline Earth Metals
3 WS Placing All Your Elements on the Table (due today)

Miniatures Club After a close match, Chris beat David. Next up is Jeffrey versus Nathan. Winner to play Kento.

My wife enjoyed the gift. Very practical. Mrs Bazzini would not approve. We are planning to go to Sonoma to look at property this weekend.

My swim goggles broke this morning right as I was getting in to the water. I ended up swimming with the kickboard for my laps. It was like doing sit ups for 20 minutes.

Agenda Nov 15

1 1st Trimester Agenda, Journal, Rules, and Procedures Check
2 Journal 46 Periodic Table
3 Journal 47 Metals
Today is the last day to turn in make up work for 1st Trimester

Miniatures Club had a great turn out on Friday. We are finishing the tournament after school this week. Prizes to be awarded at the end of the competition. It turns out that the competition was held on our favorite pirate author's birthday. Robert Louis Stevenson.

Today is the 35th anniversary of my first date with my wife.
I do not have enough time to write about how fortunate I have been.

Agenda Nov 10

1 Video Bill Nye Atoms
Reminders:
a) Agenda and Journal (1-43)check on Monday
b) Remember to bring your green rules paper and yellow procedures paper for extra credit)
c) Monday is the last turn in day

Miniatures Club meets today. We are building fleets and maybe playing today in preparation for Friday's tournament.
The tournament goes from 9:30AM to about 2PM

Tomorrow is Veteran's Day originally commemorating the end of World War One. The 11th second of the the 11th minute of the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. Real easy to remember when to stop shooting.

Agenda Nov 9

1 Change Seats
2 Journal 44 Vocabulary Chapter 4.3, 4.4, and 4.5 due Friday Nov 19
3 Journal 45 Constructing Meaning Chapter 4.3, 4.4, and 4.5 due Friday Nov 19
4 Check Homework Chapter 4.3, 4.4, and 4.5
5 Answer questions about Written Report
6 1st Trimester Agenda and Journal check on Monday Nov 15
7 Make up Test after School

Agenda Nov 8

1 Test Chapter 4.1 and 4.2
2 Work on Chapter 4.3, 4.4, and 4.5 Homework packet
3 Bohr model trading cards WS due tomorrow
4 Make up test for 4.1 and 4.2, tomorrow after school

Miniatures Club Tournament for Friday: We have about 20 kids signed up. I am awaiting confirmation that we may use the facility from Mrs. Abreu.

Agenda Nov 5

1 Journal 42 Proton, Neutron Practice again(taking the questions from the formative assessment from yesterday and adding the notes about rounding to the most common isotope before subtracting proton number to find the number of neutrons)
2 WS Bohr Model trading cards (due Monday Nov. 8)
3 HW Chapter 4.3, 4.4, 4.5 Directed Reading No target reading Skills (due Tues Nov. 9) This is really short but the packet is not too big and I gave all classes at least 30 minutes to work on it in class today.
4 J43 Test Review Chapter 4.1 and 4.2
a Know the location, charge, and mass of the parts of an atom (J27)
b Know what the atomic number represents (J27)
c Know what the atomic mass number represents (J27)
d Know the maximum number of electrons in the first three shells/orbits
e Know how to draw a Bohr Model of an element if you know the 4 above.
f Know how to write and identify an element by its symbol using the periodic table.
5 Test on Chapter 4.1 and 4.2 on Monday Nov 8

Pirates Cards sighted at Target but I am off to buy them.

Agenda Nov 4

1 Check Homework "Name that Element" and "Calculating the Number of Protons, Neutrons, and Electrons" (completeness)
2 Formative Assessment Calculating the Number of Protons, Neutrons, and Electrons
3 J41 Video: Video Quiz Atoms

Miniatures Club is Pirates.
Next week Miniatures Club will be Wednesday due to the Veteran's Day Holiday.
Mr. Realini wants to have a Pirates Tournament on Friday Nov 12. More details to follow. We are also scheduling the 6th Annual Aerodrome Tournament for Saturday Feb. 12 at a new venue. This time it looks like Hiller Aviation Museum will be hosting the tournament.
On an unrelated note, my mother-in-law is due to visit this weekend.

Agenda Nov 2

1 Review HW Chapter 4.1 and 4.2
2 Worksheet The Atom (completeness) due Wednesday Nov 3
3 HW Bohr Model Drawings due Wednesday Nov 3
4 Journal 40 Practice Findingthe number of protons, neutrons, and electrons. (students picked 5 elements and then worked on finding the number of protons, neutrons, and electrons and then came up and wrote them on the board to the acclaim and critique of their peers)
5 Art Supplies for Element Project available after school

Chapter 3 make up Test today after school

What a thrilling game last night. Congratulations San Francisco Giants for winning the 2010 World Series in 5 games (in Texas no less). Now, today, everyone is undefeated. Someone just told me "Only 150 days until pitchers and catchers report for Spring training".

Agenda Nov 1

1 J39 Element Notes. Today is the last day of in class internet research for the element project. It is unlikely that there will be another in class research day.
2 Chapter 3 Make up test is tomorrow after school

Today is All Saints Day. The day Martin Luther nailed his 95 thesis to the door of All Saints' Church in Wittenberg in 1517 starting the Protestant Reformation. He actually did it the night before but no one saw them until the next morning. (Maybe this was a Halloween prank?)
On another note I have already received 4 full trash bags of candy on the first day of collection for shipment to troops over seas. Way to go.

Agenda Oct 29

1 Trade and Grade Chapter 4.1 and 4.2 HW packet (we will review these in class on Tuesday)
2 Check Journal 24 Vocabulary 4.1 and 4.2
3 Check Journal 25 Constructing Meaning 4.1 and 4.2
4 Journal 39 Element project (we are taking notes from the internet today and Monday)
Advice:
Do a search for your element
Check websites on Wikipedia, WebElements, and Jefferson Labs
You are shopping for an element
-Look for information you understand (maybe try other web browsers like Yahooligan or AJkids.com)
-Look for enough information. Refer to the grading rubric.

Agenda Oct 28

1 Journal 35 Oxygen
2 Journal 36 Sodium
3 Journal 37 Magnesium (we skipped Florine and Neon)
4 Journal 38 How to be a Hero to a little kid on Halloween
5 Journal 39 Element project notes

This year as in years past, I will collecting candy donations to send to our armed forces stationed over seas. The group that I send the candy through is called "Adopt a Chaplain" and is under the umbrella of Operation Care and Comfort. Last year I collected 98 pounds from students and well wishers here at SMS. I am aiming at 150 pounds this year. So surprise me.

Agenda Oct 27

1 Journal 27 Atomic Structure
2 Journal 28 Hydrogen
3 Journal 29 Helium
4 Journal 30 Lithium
5 Journal 31 Beryllium
6 Journal 32 Boron
7 Journal 33 Carbon
8 Journal 34 Nitrogen

Lest you think these were all highly detailed journal entries, these were Bohr Model's of each of the first 7 elements on the periodic table.

Miniatures Club is Pirates. I must leave by 5:30 so come in at lunch to pre build your ships. I must make it home for the Los Gatos Homecoming game.

Agenda Oct 26

1 Make up Test Chapter 2
2 Journal 27 Atomic Structure

Only one third of my students were here today because of a math field trip. I hope they had fun at the play. I wish I could have seen it.

Went went to the vet yesterday and said good bye to our cat Sirus. He was a good boy and a great mouser. He turned up at our house one day many years ago and has stayed ever since. We will miss him.

Agenda Oct 25

1 Make up worksheets are still available for Gas Law Observations and Dry Ice Activity
2 CHANGE OF DUE DATES: HW Chapter 4.1 and 4.2 are now due this Friday Oct 29
3 CHANGE OF DUE DATES: Journal 24 Vocabulary and Journal 25 Constructing Meaning are now due this Friday Oct 29
4 Journal 26 Chapter 3 Test Review (Chapter 3 make up test will be Nov 2 after school)
5 Chapter 2 Make Up Test tomorrow after school

This weekend we went to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo for parents weekend. During the football game, many people around us had iPhones and iWhatevers and were watching/listening to the Giants game. It was great to cheer for the Giants and the Cal Poly Mustangs and when the Giants won their trip to the World Series, pockets of cheering spontaneously erupted around the stadium. We had a great time visiting with our daughter. On another football note, Los Gatos HS lost their Big Game to Saratoga HS. This is the first time in over 10 years that Saratoga has won.

On a rather sad note, our cat is dying. He is at the vet now and I will be going to be with him when the vet puts him down. I would like to think that he (Sirus) would appreciate that. I would want someone with me.

Agenda Oct 22

1 HW Chapter section 4.1 and 4.2 (p65-72) No Target Reading Skills (due Tuesday Nov 2)
2 Journal 24 Chapter 4.1 and 4.2 Vocabulary (due Friday Nov 5)
3 Journal 25 Chapter 4.1 and 4.2 Constructing Meaning (due Friday Nov 5)
4 Check Journal 19 Chapter 3 Vocabulary today
5 Check Journal 20 Chapter 3 Constructing Meaning today
6 Copies of the Gas Laws Observation Activity and the Dry Ice Activity are now available for students wishing to redo this assignment for a higher score.

Agenda Oct 21

1 Staple and turn in the Review papers from yesterday as a Review Packet
2 Chapter 3 Test (make up for this test on Tuesday Nov. 2 after school)

Agenda Oct 20

1 Review Phases of Matter WS (completeness due tomorrow)
2 Gas Laws Review WS (completeness due tomorrow)
3 Chapter 3 Review WS (completeness due tomorrow)
4 Review Gas Law Obsewrvation Activity (again)
5 Return some work
6 Chapter 3 Test tomorrow

Agenda Oct 19

1 Chapter 3 Homework - Trade, Grade, and Review
2 Review the Activity: Gas Law Observations
3 make up test after school Chapter 1 Scientific Investigation

Agenda Oct 18

1 Review Phases of Matter WS (now due Wednesday)
2 Activity Fountain in a Flask
3 Make up test CH1 and HW CH3 due tomorrow.

Miniatures Club is preparing for Pirates on Friday

Agenda Oct 15

1 Journal 23 Charles' Law V1/T1 = V2/T2
2 Activity Gas Law Observations - Balloon in the flask and Collapsing can - Worksheet due Monday, Oct. 18
3 Make up test for the second part of Chapter 1 covering Scientific Investigation and Lab Safety is Tuesday, Oct. 19 after school.

Miniatures is still today and we are still playing RaceDay. I have uncovered my Napoleonic miniatures in the garage. Hmmm

Agenda Oct 14

Ooops Looks like I didn't get this in yesterday
1 Journal 21 Phases of Matter
2 WS Phases of Matter due Thursday, Oct 21
3 Journal 22 Boyle's law P1V1 = P2V2
4 Test Chapter 3 on Thursday, Oct 21

Miniatures is NASCAR on Friday with Pirates starting next Friday

Agenda Oct 13

1 Video Bill Nye Phases of Matter (worksheet due today in class)
2 Star Gazing Party TONIGHT +3 EC for Mr. Roberts' classes
The fellow from the SJAA says this is this best week for viewing stars he has ever seen. We look forward to seeing you.

Agenda Oct 12

1 Dry Ice Sublimation Activity due today
2 Please note Friday's notes on the new due dates for the HW packet and Journal 19 Vocabulary and 20 Constructing Meaning.
3 Chapter 1 Make Up test today after school

Mr. Realini, Mr. Gantvoort, Mr. Vedar, M. Aho and I built a shed yesterday for storing skateboards and scooters. It took us 2 and a half hours because the box came without instruction and it takes a long time to down load pdf's and then undo what Mr. Realini had started :)
We are going to run a demo Aerodrome game on Friday for a yearbook photo opportunity. We have at least one more RaceDay game day. Pirates the constructable card game is looking like the next game.
I am working on pirate land battles, bar room brawls, and Revolutionary War miniatures.

Agenda Oct 8

1 Trade, Grade, and Review Chapter 2 Test
2 HW Chapter 3 Directed Reading Packet due Tues Oct 19 (This is a change from the typo on the board today that said Oct 12)
3 Journal 19 Chapter 3 Vocabulary due Fri Oct 22 (This is a change from the typo on the board today that said Oct 15)
4 Journal 20 Chapter 3 Constructing Meaning due Fri Oct 22 (This is a change from the typo on the board today that said Oct 15)
5 Collect Properties of Matter WS
6 Check Journal 14 CH 2 Vocabulary and Journal 15 CH 2 Constructing Meaning
7 Chapter 1 Make up Test Tuesday After School Only. See me with a note if you have "underwater judo Babysitting" at 3:30 that will conflict with the make up and I will see what I can do.

As I write this, two NASCAR races are happening with all sorts of spinning and bumping going on. (Sounds like a country western line dance)

Agenda Oct 7

1 Chapter 2 Test
2 Star Gazing Party here at SMS on Wednesday Night, October 13 from 7:30 to 9:30

Agenda Oct 6

1 Return Work
2 WS Properties of Matter (check this on Friday)
3 Video: Properties of Matter (Discovery Channel) worksheet due today
4 Tomorrow Chapter 2 Test
5 NOTE CH2 Vocabulary and Constructing Meaning due date moved to Friday Oct 8

RaceDay on Friday. Poll position is key. Information about our next game, "Pirates" will be disseminated.

Agenda Oct 5

1 Journal 18 Elements, Compounds, and Mixtures
2 Turn in: Activity - Where's the Evidence of Chemical Reactions
3 Turin in: Activity - Endothermic and Exothermic Reactions
4 Trade, Grade, Review, and Turn in HW Chapter 2 Directed Reading Packet

Agenda Oct 4

1 Journal 17 continued Evidence of Chemical Reactions
2 Activity Day 2 Where's the Evidence due Tuesday Oct 5
3 Activity Endothermic versus Exothermic Reactions due Tuesday Oct 5
4 Reminder Chapter 2 Homework Packet due tomorrow

The family pet is dying at home. Our cat Sirus has been ailing for some time and won't eat now. We are all quite sad.

Agenda October 1

1 Journal 17 Evidence of Chemical Reactions
2 Activity Day 1 Chemical Reactions Where's the Evidence

So we are learning/playing RaceDay today which is a NASCAR miniatures game. Any students interested in learning to make and paint terrain or painting figures, please contact me. Entrance and exit to Miniatures today will be through the back door.

Agenda Sept 30

1 Trade and Grade Chapter 1 Test Scientific Method and Safety
2 Review both Chapter 1 Test questions to see what you actually got wrong and what the correct answers were. (This activity requires a higher level of maturity that was, sadly, only exhibited by a few students) The participation and behavior during this time may prevent your class from doing the "hands on" portion of tomorrow's activity.
3 Journal 16 Physical and Chemical Properties
4 Work on Journals 14 and 15 in any remaining time (and yes there was time)

Should you detect a strained level of patience in the tone of today's blog then you got it right in one go. The stress that some students are putting on the classroom combined with the location of my prep in the day this year, wears me down and makes it so inviting to cancel Miniatures Club on a Friday. Having said that, I am planning on holding Miniatures Club this Friday. We will be learning NASCAR rules and maybe even playing a few laps.

Agenda Sept 29

1 Journal 15 Chapter 2 Constructing Meaning - How to do it
2 Journal 14 Vocab and Journal 15 Constructing Meaning will be due Thursday, October 7

Miniatures Club - The dance is in the quad which complicates our meeting. If everyone were to get a ticket to the dance it would help allowing students in and out of the room. If not enough of you are going to the dance I may need to cancel.

Agenda Sept 28

1 Chapter 1 Test Scientific Method and Safety Test
2 Finish Matter Worksheet (turn it in)
3 Journal 14 Chapter 2 Vocabulary (p55 in textbook) due date coming

Agenda Sept 27

1 Journal 13 Matter or Not Matter Activity - That is the Question
2 Characteristics of Matter WS (we will finish it tomorrow in class)

I am re-finding the NASCAR Rules. The website that normally carries the fan support is no longer active. I made need to find stuff and reprint it for you.

Agenda Sept 24

1 Formal Write Up of Journal 12 due today
2 HW Chapter 2 Reading Packet (No Target Reading Skills)due Tuesday, Oct 5
3 Trade and Grade CH1 Measuring Test
4 Chapter 1 Scientific Method and Safety Test Tuesday, September 28

Agenda Sept 23

1 Chapter 1 Measuring Test
2 Formal Write up of Journal 12 due tomorrow

What a beautiful full moon hanging over the mountains this morning with wisps of clouds to one side. Happy Autumnal Equinox

Agenda Sept 22

1 Chapter 1 Measuring Test is Tommorrow
2 Turn in Measuring Volume Activity Worksheet
3 Formal write up of Journal 10 (due at the end of the period)
4 Formal write up of Journal 12 (due at the end of the period Friday)
These are teaching us how to write lab reports

Miniatures Club is canceled this Friday. We will resume on Friday October 1 with a new game. Watch this site for information on the rules.

Agenda Sept 21

1 Trade and Grade Chapter 1 Homework Packet
2 Return Work

Agenda Sept 20

1 Journal 11 How to measure temperature or fun with Gabe and Andy
2 Journal 12 Activity Measuring Temperature Changes or fun with fire and (dry) ice

Chapter 1 HW packet is due tomorrow

I got to go to Educator Appreciation night at the Stanford game with some good friends. Stanford walloped Wake Forest. I also cleaned part of the garage. Yuck
Today is girls softball picture day. Tomorrow is a game vs Cupertino

Agenda Sept 17

1 Journal 9 Measuring Time
2 Journal 10 Activity Measuring Speed - How to use measuring time with measuring distance.

Miniatures is Catan. I need an ally to help me against four 7th graders today.

Agenda Sept 16

1 Journal 8 How to Measure the Density of a Liquid
2 Activity - Measuring the Density of a Liquid

Miniatures Club is still on tomorrow.

Agenda Sept 15

1 Activity - Density of Regular and Irregular Solids Day 3 Due today

Miniatures Club will be Catan for one more week. I just received the expansions so 4 more people can play. Remember to plan on staying to finish a game. Side note. A brown road piece was found on the road. Watch out for your pieces!!!

Agenda Sept 14

1 Journal 7 continued How to Measure the Volume of an Irregular Solid
2 Activity Density of a Regular Solid Day 2

See you at Back to School night tonight

Agenda Sept 13

Mrs Guerrieri was our guest teacher today
1 J7 How to Measure the Volume of a regular shaped Solid
2 Activity Calculating the density of regular solids Day 1

Agenda Sept 10

1 J5 Eureka (Gravity and Weight vs Mass)
2 Turn in Triple Beam Balance Activity
3 J6 How to Read a Graduated Cylinder
4 Activity Liquid Volumes Using Different Measuring Tools

Wow what a fire in San Bruno last night. When I lived in San Diego, I lived next to one of those kind of gas transmission lines. Nothing ever happened because that's the way it supposed to be.

Well the 8th Grade Girls Softball team played a really good game yesterday. It was really close until the last inning when Egan MS pulled away. We can beat them if we see them in the playoffs. Today is ice cream in my room.

Miniatures is still Catan then I get to go out for sushi.

I will be absent on Monday and Mrs. Guerrieri will be teaching volume of regular solids and density. BE GOOD. I will be moving my daughter into the dorms at Cal Poly SLO.

I hope to see many parets on Back to School Night on Tuesday.

Agenda Sept 9

1 Triple Beam Balance Activity Day 2 due tomorrow
2 Journal 5 Eureka Video notes

Miniatures Club is Settlers of Catan. We have enough games for 24 members. Plan on staying until between 5 and 5:30. Some High School students have been bringing other games to play and you are welcome to join in. Next week is the last week of Catan pending untoward circumstances.

Agenda Sept 8

1 Journal 4 How to use a Triple Beam Balance
2 Using a Triple Beam Balance Activity Day 1

Thank you to the PTSA for the approval of Miniatures Club operating funds
We will be play Settlers of Catan again. Thanks to Steven and Mr. Realini and Matt for their help in sorting the games we have. I am off to D&J to see if they have any more of the expansions for 5-6 players. High Schoolers are very welcome this Friday. Plan on staying until 5:30 to get in a full game unless you are playing against David.

Put it on your calendar. Star Gazing Party here at SMS on the night of Oct 13.

Agenda Sept 7

1 Collect HW Predator Prey Graph
2 Collect HW Metric Mania Measuring WS
3 Metric Measuring Activity Day 2 due at the end of the period
4 HW Directed Reading p11-37 No Target Reading Skills. Due Tues Sept 21

Agenda Sept 3

1 Metric Mania K H D B D C M review - due today
2 Collect HW Boiling Water graph
3 Journal 3 Measuring Length
4 Metric Mania Measuring Length due Tuesday, Sept. 7
5 Activity Metric Measuring Day 1

Miniatures Today is Settlers of Catan.

PTSA wants club sponsors to come and present on Tuesday night. See if you can come to tell them what a great club this is. Extra Aerodrome ammo will be provided.

Agenda Sept 2

1 Journal 1 Useful Work and 10,000 hours
2 Journal 2 K H D B D C M
3 Metric Mania WS for K H D B D C M (in class but due tomorrow)
3 HW Graphing Activity Boiling Water due Fri. Sept 3
4 HW Graphing Activity Predator Prey due Tues Sept 7

Agenda Sept 1

1 Trade and Evaluate Diagnostic Test
2 Trade and Grade String Frequency Graphing Assignment

Make sure you have a Journal by tomorrow.
Something I just learned today. Mike Myers (the voice of Shrek) plays historical miniatures.

Agenda August 31

1 Turn in repaired Procedures Quiz
2 Turn in repaired Depth and Pressure Graph
3 Turn in String Frequency Graph
4 8th Grade Science Diagnostic Pre Test

8th Grade Girls Softball starts today. Come join the fun!

Agenda, August 30

1 Trade and Grade Procedures Quiz
2 Trade and Grade Depth and Pressure Graph
3 HW Repair Quiz and Depth and Pressure Graph (due Tuesday, Aug 31)
4 HW String Frequency Graph (due Tuesday, Aug 31)

Girls Softball Tryouts this week.

Agenda August 27

1 Collect signed paper
2 Finish Procedures
3 Sanitation
4 Procedures Take Home Open Note Quiz (due Monday Aug. 30)
5 HW Density and Pressure Graph (due Monday Aug. 30)

Miniatures Club Information Meeting after school today (30 minutes and Popsicles)

August 26,

1 Seats
2 Safety
3 Signed Papers (due tomorrow Friday)
4 Sanitation (didn't get to this today)

Miniatures Club Information meeting tomorrow after school. Come find out what we have on the agenda for the year.

August 5

Well this summer was going pretty well until this last Sunday. We had a family tragedy down south and I am in Southern California and that is where I am. I will not be back until the week before school starts. I am working on PT Boats, and Revolutionary War soldiers. The GHQ Terrain appears to be finished. More hopefully in the future

August 5

July 9, 2010

Well it has been awhile since I last posted. We had a good game day that Monday and I would especially like to thank Jeffery, Kento, and Nathan (in alphabetical order) for all there help with my room and their patience with what turned out to be a tedious game. They also provided Matt, Mr. Realini, and myself with much amusement.

Mr. Realini and I are looking at a game day in the first week of August. More on this later.

I got a new WWII ships game dealing with P.T. Boats called "The Quick and the Dead". It looks like lots of action and quick playing with model ships at the 1:600 scale. The author is the same one who wrote "Rootbeer and Pretzels Ironclads". Each game is supposed to be lots of noise and excitement for 30 minutes. That should allow for 3 games at a Friday club meeting.

The same author also wrote "Blood and Swash" which is battles between pirates and the civilized rest of the world. This requires individual figures which we don't have to re-stage bar room brawls etc.

I also checked out a game called "Villains and Vigilantes", and role playing game about super heroes. I need to become more familiar with these rules to see if they will work in our club. To start with, no one can be super villains (though I could see a use for former members in that role. Mwuhahahaha--oh excuse me. Did I say that out loud?).

I am at school in the mornings from about 11AM until 12:15PM working on sorting my stuff on Monday, Wednesday, and sometimes Thursday, sometimes Friday. I am in Mr. Rodriguez's room so stop by and knock if you are near by. Emailing in advance would be helpful so I know you are coming. (Room B3)

Stay safe.

Agenda June 17

1 GRADUATION
Remember to come and visit.

Happy Birthday Emma

Miniatures Club will meet Monday morning at 9AM to until we finish. No lunch provided.

Agenda June 16

1 Last Day for 6th and 7th Graders.
2 Period 1,2,and 3 meet and then procession practice during period 4,5, and 6 for 8th Graders.
Tomorrow 8th Graders only.

Spain lost today vs Swizterland
Our most recent master schedule shows me having a period 1 prep. I will have to evaluate whether I continue the Miniatures Club in light of this. I most likely will not be open during brunch and lunch if this schedule stays.

At this point we will be having Miniatures Club on Monday morning, June 21. Start time to follow.

Agenda June 14

1 Water Rocket Launching Day

Agenda June 11

1 Video National Geographic Naked Science - The Earth without the Moon

Rocket Launching on Monday finished or not. I kept seeing many of you "blow off" the class time I gave you to work on this assignment and not listen to my instructions on how too as well as not use the website I provided you. This has saddened me. I sure hope you all get finished with this last assignment.

Miniatures Club - Mr. Realini has discussed the idea with me and I am aiming at June 21 in the morning. We will be playing WWII ships like we played before. Lunch will NOT be provided. More info to follow.

Agenda June 10

1 Triathlon Period 1,2, and 3. Teacher Triathlon Period 2
2 Water Bottle Rocket Activity Day 3 (last day for in class construction)

Note: My 2010 yearbook was on my desk. At the end of period 4 I noticed it was missing. I am very disappointed.

Agenda June 9

1 Triathlon Period 1 and 3
2 Water Rocket Activity Day 3

See notes from yesterday and day before for help on project.

Agenda June 8

1 Triathlon for Period 1 and 3
2 Bottle Water Rocket Activity Day 2
Some notes on this project. Thank you to Mr. and Mrs. Bright for the use of their air compressor. We should be launching Period 4, 5, and 6 rockets on Monday in left field of the baseball field (where the archery unit gets set up). The test launches today were spectacular. Please refer to that website for instructions. Substituting cereal box cardboard for the plastic folders is recommended for this one launch activity. Regular packing tape can be substituted for strapping tape. Duct tape may be too heavy. The 20 point grading rubric is on the board in class. The team size is 1 to all in a class. We will be working in class on this assignment on Wednesday and Thursday only. Work at home only if you cannot finish in class. This was not designed to be a home assignment. Period 1 and 3 will not get to work on this in class until Monday so this assignment will not be required. If some students build a rocket and have it ready for Monday morning then we will launch them. Extra Credit will be available. Since these will be extra credit, the group size will be limited to 4 and only from your class.

Agenda June 7

1 Return Work including Posters from ceiling and walls.
2 Bottle Water Rockets Activity. For the periods that are not going to view the triathlons this week, we are conducting the Water Bottle Rocket Activity. Students may need to purchase the following supplies, strapping tape and a two pocket plastic folder at an office supply store like Office Depot. I HIGHLY recommend that you view all three videos at this web site:
www.tclauset.org/21_BtlRockets/BTL.html

I will be absent of Friday, June 11 so there will not be a Miniatures Club.

Agenda June 4

1 Metric System Review Worksheet due today (completeness)
2 Today is the last day for late/make up work
3 Today is the day I will sign the reports for students in danger of not participating in graduation.

Today is the anniversary of the Battle of Midway.

Agenda June 3

1 Metric System Review Worksheet due tomorrow
2 Grade 3rd Trimester Journal and Agenda
3 Grade Journal 85 9th Grade Academic Vocabulary

Last day to turn in make up / late work is June 4 TOMORROW by brunch. Good Luck

Agenda June 2

1 Journal 85 continued Academic Vocabulary for 9th Grade due tomorrow (Thursday)

Text books due tomorrow for Science
Journal and Agenda check tomorrow

Last day for late/make up work is June 4 at Brunch

Agenda June 1

1 Journal 84 10,000 hours of useful work
2 Journal 85 Academic Vocabulary for 9th Grade due Thursday June 3

Last day for late or make up work is Friday June 4 at Brunch
Thursday June 3 is Agenda and Journal Check

Bring in Science Textbooks NOW

Miniatures Club is learning a new game for the end of this year in preparation for next year. Battlewagon is WWII battleships

Agenda May 27

1 Video Tough Roads
2 Journal 83 Scientific Notation
3 New Last day for make up work is brunch Friday June 4
4 Journal and Agenda Check June 3

Miniatures Club. Still need to mount the Vals and Kates but they will fly. Ships are under construction.

Agenda May 26

1 Video Abstinence, the right choice

Last day for make up work is Friday June 4 at brunch. I will not be available that day at lunch or after school. This is a change from the original June 1 date. There has been ample warning.

Agenda May 24

1 Video: What Teens Want to Know About Sex
2 Journal 82 Metric System
3 Tomorrow, please arrive early to class. We are watching a video on AIDS that is 58 minutes long so we need to start it before the tardy bell.

Happy Birthday Katharyn

Miniatures Club - This week will be Aerodrome 2 with Japanese dive bombers and torpedo bombers courtesy of Koyo. The following week we are learning a new game called Battlewagon. The game is about battleships and covers WW I and WW II. We will be learning with the hypothetical scenario called War Plane Orange. It was the U.S. plan to meet the main Japanese fleet near the Philippines in a climactic battle to decide who controlled the Pacific.

Agenda May 21

Family Life last day of Guest Speaker. We will finish relationships and go over the anonymous questions.

Agenda May 20

Family Life Guest Speaker Birth Control part 2 and Relationships

Aerodrome on Friday with rules modifications

Agenda May 19

Family Life Guest Speaker Birth Control

Agenda May 18

Family Life Guest Speaker STD's

Lab Report due today
Bottle Rocket Activity coming up. Check out this web site for how to build a rocket.
www.tclauset.org/21_BtlRockets/BTL.html

www.tclauset.org will get you there and you can navigate to the Bottle Rockets

Open House tonight. I will have the Pinnacle Parent Viewer up. I will also be streaming the Shark's Game. Thank you to Mr. Bilbrey again on the loan of the computers.

Agenda May 17

Family Life Guest Speaker Anatomy

Agenda May 13

For the last few days our Internet connection here at school has been "iffy".
Yesterday was graphing
Today:
1 Using Lap Top Computers, write a final draft of your lab report. If you have a flash/usb/thumb drive, you can take the assignment home and work on it there. Otherwise its print it off here at school.

Friday (tomorrow) will be the same as today

Miniatures Club. The dive bombers are in and I have constructed 3 for Friday. Painting the Wildcats continues. End of the year activities will be discussed.

Agenda May 12`

1 Straw Rocket Graph

If you have a thumb drive you can bring to school tomorrow it will help you.

Agenda May 11

Agenda May 10

1 Straw Rocket Launching at the the Sunnyvale Middle Sands Missile Testing Range
2 No Written Procedures, no Launching.

If I am here the rest of the week, the class will receive graph paper on Wednesday and have access to computers for typing on Thursday/Friday.

Agenda May 7

1 STAR Test - Science today. The STAR Test Review Worksheet Packet is now past due. Get it in
2 Journal 81 Continue working on Procedures for Straw Rocket - Prove That ... Project. I have noticed many of you have not been working in class. I called this a chance to act like a grown up. To be frank, many of you would be unemployed if this is your work ethic. Please realize that this activity is valuable and an exercise in self motivation.

So, if you do not have written procedures on the day of the experiment (Monday or Tuesday depending on the block schedule) you will not be allowed to perform the experiment. You will have to make it up on Tuesday during after school tutorial. If not then, then not at all. You have had three days and at least 2 class periods to work on this. It is very much up to you.

Miniatures Club - Thanks to Mr. Realini for the treats. It was great to have Mr G. visit today. Maybe we can get him into a game.

Agenda May 6

1 Finish and Grade Review Worksheet packet. This assignment is now in the computer and because some students have not done it yet, their grades have fallen up to two grades. This was an easy assignment and should be completed. I only have a few (very few) extra sheets.
2 Writing rough draft for Prove That... Project

Our new American Dive Bombers are through customs and in transit. They may even be ready for tomorrow's game.

Agenda May 5

1 Finish Review Worksheet Packet
2 Journal 81 Rough Draft for Prove That... Project

Still 50/50 for Friday. If I know that Steven Bi will be here that would improve the odds as my throat is quite sore. It would also help if Mr. G attended.

Agenda May 4

1 Finish and Grade Review Worksheet Packet
2 Journal 81 Prove That... Project A choice of three experiments awaits you. The trouble is, you must design, carry out, and communicate (lab report)your experiment.
The actual experiment will be carried out in the beginning of next week.

Miniatures Club Has a 50/50 chance of being canceled this week. I am day to day with this cold and sore throat. What a way to spend Teacher Appreciation Week.

A great thing happened to me on Monday Mr. Realini went to a fantasy baseball camp over the weekend. He plays on a team that represents the SF Giants. One game was against the team representing the Oakland A's. Playing right field was Bill Nye (yes Bill Nye the Science Guy). Mr. Realini got Bill Nye to sign a baseball for me. It says "Hey Chris, Baseball is Science Bill Nye the Science Guy". I bet I am the only person with a baseball signed by Bill Nye. I am buying a display case for the ball.

Agenda May 3

1 Finish and grade Review Worksheet Packet (completeness)
2 Dress for the Test +3 EC for dressing up on Friday. Boys: slacks and an open collar shirt. Girls: Dress, skirt and conservative blouse, or slacks and conservative blouse.
No kilts or Amazonion Rainforest ceremonial garb. You get the idea.
3 iPhone Ap Extra Credit. Write an iPhone Ap and earn +10 EC due June 1, 2010

Testing is this week. Remember to get a good night sleep.

Agenda April 30

1 Review Packet Standard 7 Periodic Table

Agenda April 29

1 California Standard 5 Review Worksheet Packet

Final Straw Gum Policy (starts Today)
If I catch you chewing gum you get an "N" in citizenship. No appeal. If I catch you a second time then it is a "U". Do not tell me you are chewing your tongue.

Agenda April 27

1 Return Work
2 Practice STAR Test

Last day for make up work is June 1st

Here is the url that takes you to the site that has all the released STAR test questions. Please use this for other subjects as well.

http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sr/css05rtq.asp

2003 Through 2008 CST Released Test Questions

Agenda April 26

1 Finish, Grade, Evaluate Post Test

The STAR tests are coming. Science is Friday, May 7. We will be diagnosing our strengths and weaknesses and reviewing up until the test.

Agenda April 23

1 New Seats
2 Post Test Final
3 What is Next?

Agenda April 22

1 Chapter 15 Test. The LAST chapter
This and next week we will be reviewing for the STAR test
The last day for any missing or make up work will be June 1

Agenda April 21

1 Trade and Grade all the sheets due today (Chapter 15 Review WS Packet, Identifying Galaxies WS, and Life Cycle of Stars WS)
2 Trade and Grade Constellation Miniposter
3 Return Graded work
4 Chapter 15 Test Tomorrow

If you are a follower of this blog, please check out the Sunnyvale School District's new promotion plan. Please let me know what you think. We teachers were told this is what is going to happen. Actually, we were told this has been floated by "stake holders" and that this is what the district was looking to do. Then we were asked for our input today (no warning on this to collect our thoughts). Then we were told that this would be rolled out next year. So much for our input. Still, that is par for the course for the Sunnyvale District for the last 5 years. Programs have been implemented and then teachers are told to make them work. Nothing in the past 5 years has been run passed the teachers (who will be actually trying to make things work)first.

Agenda April 20

1 Review Worksheets 15.3, 15.4, and 15.5 due Wednesday April 21
2 Activity: How Scientists Measure the distance to stars
3 Constellations due tomorrow
4 Test moved to Thursday

Agenda April19

1 Check Journal 78 Chapter 15 Vocabulary
2 Check Journal 79 Chapter 15 Constructing Meaning
3 Check Chapter 15 Homework Packet (completeness)
4 Work Sheet Stages of a Star due Wednesday April 21
5 Work Sheet Classifying Galaxies due Wednesday April 21
6 Reminder, Poster due Wednesday
7 Reminder, Review Work sheets due Wednesday
8 Chapter 15 Test will also be on Wednesday

Agenda April 9

1 Video Bill Nye Outer Space
2 Turn in those worksheets from yesterday.
3 Vacation EC

There is a small chance that Miniatures will get canceled today. If I am gone and not back by 3:45 then assume it is canceled. Personal Stuff Stinks sometimes.

Agenda April 8

1 Practice Test - Review Worksheet 15.1 and 15.2 (completeness) due Wednesday 4/21
2 Spectral Class of Stars Day 2 due today
3 Expanding Universe Activity due Today/Tomorrow (if you cannot finish it class then you have homework so take it home and finish it and bring it back tomorrow)
4 Paper for Miniposter

For the miniposter, you can get really good information from page 656 and 657 in the textbook

Aerodrome 2 on Friday

Agenda April 7

1 Spectral Class of Stars Worksheet due today
2 Constellation Miniposter due Wednesday, April 21
Paper for the miniposter will be passed out tomorrow.

Agenda April 6

1 Homework Chapter 15 Reading Packet due Monday, April 19 (completeness and no target reading)
2 Journal 78 Chapter 15 Vocabulary
3 Journal 79 Chapter 15 Constructing Meaning

PINNACLE attendance is blocked today

Hey on another computer note. There is an optical fiber cable that ends 50 yards from the SMS on campus server. The DO said it would be connected in February. Then they said March. The things you learn when you go to the Tech Committee Meeting.

Agenda April 5

1 Test Chapter 14 Standard 4 Earth and the Solar System
2 Chapter 14 Review Worksheet Packet due today
3 Journal 78 Chapter 15 Vocabulary due Monday, April 19
4 Journal 79 Chapter 15 Constructing Meaning due Monday, April 19

If you are missing a test, Make it up tomorrow after school at tutorial.

Stanford Splash Program on April 17 and 18 is worth +5 Extra Credit if you attend. Scholarships are available. Go to:
http://www.stanfordesp.org/learn/index.html
To learn more.

Washington D.C. students can earn vacation extra credit (+5)by bringing me a postcard from their trip. Gettysburg or Williamsburg please though any of the museums would be fine too.
(Yes, this means Cassidy can earn +10 EC over vacation)

There will be Miniatures Club on Friday

Agenda April 2

1 Check Journal 72 Chapter 14 Vocabulary
2 Check Journal 73 Chapter 14 Constructing Meaning
3 Check Chapter 14 Homework Packet (completeness)
4 Test Review
Chapter 15 Test on Monday
A note: I am running out of copies of items and if you wish to re do assignments, you will need to give me advanced warning in case I need to make a new copy. If you never turned it in, you do not get a new copy.

Agenda April 1

1 Video Bill Nye Comets and Meteors
2 Review Worksheet (Practice Test) Chapter 14.5 and 14.6 WS due April 5
3 Reminder: Homework packet and Vocabulary due tomorrow
4 Chapter 14 Test on Monday April 5

Hey I had 1/2 " of snow last night at my house and that's no April Fool's prank.

Agenda March 31

1 Activity Planets Moving Around the Sun
2 Chapter 14 Test Monday

Miniatures Club this Friday Aerodrome 2

Agenda March 29

1 Review Worksheet as a practice test Chapter 14.1 and 14.2 due Monday, April 5
2 Video Bill Nye Planets

Chapter 14 Test most likely Monday, April 5

Miniatures Club will be back this Friday!!!

Agenda March 25

1 Video Bill Nye The Sun
2 Video Solar Max
3 Journal 76 The number of sunspots the day I was born
http://www.spaceweather.com/glossary/sunspotplotter.htm?PHPSESSID=apnrsl7j64m04ur27ccgbrkka7

The Hypothesis is that there is no relation between the number of sunspots on the birthday and the grade a student has in science.

No Miniatures Friday

Agenda March 24

1 Homework Chapter 14 Reading Packet (completeness) no Target Reading Skills due Friday April 2
2 Journal 74 Parts of the Sun
3 Journal 75 Sun Observation

I highly recommend this website I just discovered

http://spaceweather.com/

and the sunspot plotter that goes with it

http://www.spaceweather.com/glossary/sunspotplotter.htm?PHPSESSID=apnrsl7j64m04ur27ccgbrkka7

How many sunspots were there when you were born?
I was born during what I think is called a solar max with over 100 sunspots that day.

Agenda March 23

1 Test Chapter 13 Standard 2 Forces and Standard 4 Earth and the Solar System
2 Collect Spacecraft Miniposters
3 Journal 72 Chapter 14 Vocabulary due Friday April 2
4 Journal 73 Chapter 14 Constructing Meaning due Friday April 2

No Tutorial Today: Los Gatos vs Homestead Swim Meet and it is Senior Day

Agenda March 19

1 Chapter 13 Homework due today (completeness)
2 Check Journal 69 Chapter 13 Vocabulary
3 Check Journal 79 Chapter 13 Constructing Meaning
4 October Sky Day 2

No School Monday.
Space Craft Miniposter due on Tuesday

Agenda March 18

1 October Sky Day 1
HW and Vocab and Constructing Meaning due tomorrow

Agenda March 17

1 Chapter 13 Homework, Vocabulary, and Constructing Meaning
2 Space ship

NEWS FLASH - - Tonight is a star party here at SMS. If you come and get a note signed by an adult you get +5 EC for Mr. Roberts' classes. It starts at 8:15PM. Have fun.

Agenda March 16

1 Journal 71 Spacecraft Miniposter rough draft
2 Spacecraft Miniposter due Tuesday March 23
3 HW Chapter 13 No Target Reading due Friday March 19
4 Chapter 13 Test Tuesday March 23

No Tutorial Today. Invited students need to check in right after school
No Miniatures on Friday

Agenda March 15

1 Chapter 12 test Standard 2 Forces and Standard 4 Earth and the Solar System
2 Journal 69 Chapter 13 Vocabulary due Friday March 19
3 Journal 70 Chapter 13 Constructing Meaning due Friday March 19
4 Collect Chapter 12 Review Worksheet Packet
5 No after school tutorial tomorrow

Agenda March 12

1 Journal 68 Umbra Penumbra
2 Check Chapter 12 Vocabulary and Constructing Meaning.
3 Check Chapter 12 Homework Packet
4 Review for Chapter 12 Test (if Time)

Chapter 12 Test on Monday

Agenda March 11

1 Finish Activity: Tides
2 Activity: Phases of the Moon
3 HW Chapter 12 Review Worksheet Packet due Monday March 15 (hint: use this as a practice test)
4 Chapter 12 Test on Monday March 15

No Miniatures on Friday

Agenda March 10

1 Video Bill Nye - The Moon

No Miniatures on Friday

Agenda March 9

1 Journal 66 Phases of the Moon
2 Journal 67 Tides
3 Activity: Plotting the tides in Santa Cruz

No Miniatures Club on Friday
Pinnacle Attendance not available today

Agenda March 8

1 Check 2nd Trimester Journal and Agenda
2 Video: National Geographic - Sun, Earth and Moon

No Miniatures Club this week

Agenda March 5

1 Video Bill Nye Seasons
2 Chapter 12 Homework Packet due Friday, March 12 Do target reading skills on p206 and 213
3 Collect Chapter 11 Review Worksheet

Agenda March 4

1 Chapter 11 Test Standards Force, Density and Buoyancy
2 Journal 64 Chapter 12 Vocabulary due March 12 Friday
3 Journal 65 Chapter 12 Constructing Meaning due March 12 Friday
4 Chapter 11 Make up test Tuesday March 9

Miniatures Club is on for Friday. Aerodrome 2 Battle of Britain

Agenda March 3

1 Activity Fountain in a Flask
2 Chapter 11 Test tomorrow

Warning:Many parents are using the bus drop off for dropping their child off due to the rain. Many parents are driving too fast also. Please do not get caught doing this. On rainy days leave early because traffic will be bad.

Agenda March 2

1 Chapter 11 Homework (completeness)due today. Check
2 Video Bill Nye Flight

Chapter 11 Test on Thursday
Today is "after school science tutorial day"

Agenda March1

1 Activity Bernoulli Day

Agenda February 26

1 Check Hearing
2 Check Journal 62 and 63 Chapter 11 Vocabulary and Constructing Meaning
3 Video Bill Nye Buoyancy
4 Check Yesterday's Activity

March 1 Last day for Late or Make Up work

Agenda February 25

1 Buoyancy Activity - Sink and Spill p430 in text
2 March 1 last day for make up and late work

Miniatures Club will be starting Aerodrome 2 on Friday. We will be playing with planes from the Battle of Britain.
This is high school swim season so the March 12 and 19 Miniatures Club will not meet so I can see my daughter swim.

Agenda February 24

1 Video Bill Nye Pressure
2 Last day for make up or late work is March 1

Agenda February 23

1 Video Projects due today
2 Watch a few and Grade some
3 Chapter 11.1 and 11.2 Review Worksheets
4 Make Up test Chapter 10 after school
5 March 1 Last day for late/make up work

Agenda February 22

1 Journal 62 Chapter 11 Vocabulary due Friday February 26
2 Journal 63 Chapter 11 Constructing Meaning due Friday February 26
3 Homework Chapter 11 Directed Reading due Tuesday March 2 (ask about the parent EC)
3 Questions on video project and collecting early entries
4 Return graded work
5 Chapter 10 make up test tomorrow after school
6 March 1 is the last day for late or made up work for this trimester

Agenda February 12

1 Chapter 10 Test

If any of you are at Heavenly Valley next week (Tuesday through Thursday) I will be skiing along the top and on the Nevada side. Say hi.

Do not forget that if you do something enriching in the area of history or science and bring me proof, you get +5 Extra credit. Only one activity per vacation please. Extra activities are for your benefit and should be enjoyed.

I am working on filling in more grades so if you see Z's, get that work in. I always do the most recent assigned work. If you turned something in late, it will be awhile before I process it.

Agenda February 11

1 Check Chapter 10 Homework Packet for Completeness
2 Check Journal 60 and 61 Chapter 10 Vocabulary and Constructing Meaning
3 Video: Bill Nye Momentum

Happy Birthday Mrs. Roberts


Below are the rules for the Newtons Laws Video Project

Laws of Motion Group Video Project

Make a video demonstrating and explaining one of Newton’s three laws of Motion or the Law of Conservation of Momentum (p397)

2 minutes minimum to 4 minutes maximum

No more than 4 students in the group for a grade who are all actively participating. (Extras, Test subjects such as pets, little brothers and 7th graders may be used but should not be harmed).

Students without access to video equipment may make a Powerpoint presentation or Flash Media presentation.
The assignment can be turned in on a CD, DVD, Flashdrive (all flashdrives will be returned) or posted on an internet site like Youtube.

Grade based on:
Accuracy of demonstration
Accuracy of explanation of the law
Length of video
Quality of presentation
5 pts each section. 20 pts total.
Script 5 points 25 points total

Agenda February 10

1 Video: Bill Nye Gravity
2 Homework change. Chapter 10 will be graded on completeness rather than correctness.
3 Girls: March 20 Expanding Your Horizons at Skyline College in San Bruno. A day of Science and Math in the real world for girls only. $15. See Mr. Roberts for the form. +5 Extra Credit opportunity for Mr. Roberts' girl students
4 McDonald's Fundraiser tonight. Check school bulletin for location and time on Lawrence. +3 EC opportunity for all Mr. Roberts' students. Just bring the receipt. (only one receipt per student)

NOTE The Parent Internet Viewer that many of you are using needs an orientation about my grades. If your student has an "X" in the place of a score then the student is e"X"cused from the assignment. The assignment will not count for or against the student. A "Z" means that the student has a Zero. I have no record of the student doing the assignment. A "blank" means that I have not entered the assignment into the system yet. It is a place holder. The blank does not count for or against the student like an excused assignment but it will be filled in in the future.
Whew

Agenda February 9

1 Activity: The Relationship Between Weight and Starting Friction
2 Make Up Test Chapter 10 after school unless you are in girls soccer. Go Spartans

Miniatures Club will meet on Friday. We will be discussing upcoming non game days due to Mr. Roberts' daughter's swim meet schedule. Go Wildcats

The Newton Video Project needs a script of some kind. Make certain you produce one.

Pinnacle attendance locked out today

Agenda February 8

1 Video: Bill Nye Gravity
2 Grading update on Project (script requirement)
3 Chapter 9 Make Up Test tomorrow after school. See me if you are in the playoffs.

Agenda February 5

1 Collect Chapter 9 Review Worksheets
2 HW Chapter 10 Directed Reading Packet (No Target Reading Skills) due February 11
3 Video: Bill Nye Motion

Agenda February 4

1 Trade and Grade Chapter 9 Test
2 Newton's Laws Video Project due February 23
3 Journal 60 Chapter 10 Vocabulary due February 11
4 Journal 61 Chapter 10 Constructing Meaning due February 11
5 Chapter 9 Review Worksheets will be collected tomorrow

Agenda February 3

1 Chapter 9 Test Standard 1 Motion
2 Make up for this test will be next Tuesday February 9 after school

Get excited about our next project. You will be making a video with your friends.

Agenda February 2

1 Journal 59 Work
2 Finish the math from yesterday's activity
3 New Seats
4 Review Worksheets due Thursday Feb. 4
5 Chapter 9 Test tomorrow.

Ground Hogs Day = 6 more weeks of winter (March 9) which is great for me because I go skiing at Heavenly Valley with my daughter and dad on winter break.

Agenda February 1

1 Activity: Potential Energy, Kinetic Energy, and Work
2 Chapter 9 Test on Wednesday

Miniatures Club Aerodrome Tournament Saturday Feb 6. SMS kids here at 9AM until 3PM

Agenda January 29

1 Journal 58 Slope and Acceleration
2 Acceleration WS and Graphs
3 Check J53 CH 9 Vocabulary, J54 CH 9 Constructing Meaning, and J57 Measuring Speed with a Marble
4 Video: Eureka Kinetic and Potential Energy

Agenda January 28

1 Trade and Grade Chapter 9 HW packet
2 Acceleration WS part 2
Journal check tomorrow

Agenda January 27

1 Journal 58 Acceleration
2 Video: Eureka Work
3 Activity WS: Graphing Speed and Acceleration

So last night my family took me out for sushi. I had alot and then we went back home for cookies and ice cream. My daughters made me a plate sized chocolate chip cookie which they topped with ice cream and candles. It was yum and I was stuffed.

Agenda January 26

Today is Australia's and my birthday. I am slight less aged than the land of Oz.

1 Journal 57 continued (Calculating Acceleration)
2 Chapter 8 make up test today after school.

Then I get to go out for Sushi!!!
Happy Birthday to Mrs. Coppage and to yesterday's birthday girl, Mrs. Abreu

Agenda January 25

1 Eureka Speed and Acceleration
2 Journal 57 Activity Review of Journal 9 Measuring Speed
3 Journal 58 Acceleration (if time)

Agenda January 22

1 Journal 55 Speed and Velocity
2 Video Eureka Motion

Agenda January 21

1 Trade and Grade Chapter 8 Test
2 Collect Chapter 8 Review Worksheets
3 Journal 54 Constructing Meaning Due Friday, January 29
4 Missing Stuff
5 Homework Chapter 9 Directed Reading p155-170 No Target Reading Skills due Thursday, January 28

I am aiming at the Chapter 9 Test for next Tuesday, February 2
Aerodrome Tournament coming up on February 6, 10AM to 3PM

Agenda January 20

1 Chapter 8 Test (open Journal)
2 Journal 53 Chapter 9 Vocabulary (due January 29 Friday)

Miniatures Club WILL meet on Friday this week baring any catastrophes.

Agenda January 19

1 Check and Review Chapter 8 Homework
2 Check Chapter 8 Vocabulary and Constructing Meaning Journals
3 Chapter 8 Test Review
4 Return Work and Progress Reports (if time)
5 Chapter 8 Test tomorrow so study that packet and vocabulary tonight

After school Science tutorials start today, after school and run until 4:15.

Agenda January 12

1 Chapter 7 Test
2 Chapter 6 make up test after school

Agenda January 11

1 Check Chapter 7 Homework (completeness)
2 Check Journal 45 Chapter 7 Vocabulary
3 Check Journal 46 Chapter 7 Constructing Meaning
4 Chapter 7 Test tomorrow
5 Chapter 6 make up test after school

Miniatures Club Note: The Aerodrome tournament is Saturday February 6. Find out if you can attend. Hours will be from 9AM to about 3PM.

Agenda January 8

1 Acid Base Lab

Agenda January 7

1 Solution Lab

Agenda January 6

1 HW Chapter 7 Directed Reading p123-136 No Target reading Skills Graded on completeness only due Monday, January 11
2 Move J45 and J46 due date to Monday, January 11

Agenda January 5

1 Chapter 6 Test Chemical Reactions
2 Journal 45 Chapter 7 Vocabulary p253 due Friday 1/8
3 Journal 46 Chapter 7 Constructing Meaning due Friday 1/8

Those of you in after school athletics. Do well on the tests because retakes WILL conflict with your practices and contests. Remember, scholar/athlete is not multiple choice.

Agenda January 4

1 Check and turn in Balanced Equations WS
2 Activity: Decomposition and Catalyst Lab
3 Review for Chapter 6 Test (if time)
4 Chapter 6 test tomorrow

Happy New Year

This vacation has been very full. The Miniatures Club had a good turn out for the December 23rd game day. After some intense hunting and gathering Christmas style, my family went to Christmas Eve services and then to dinner in downtown San Jose. We then saw Christmas in the Park which was very nice at night. My youngest daughter and I went to Tecate, Mexico as part of an organization called Club Dust (www.clubdust.org). Our group of 260 people built 11 houses for people much less fortunate then we are. The group also gave out over 1000 shoes and huge amount of food. As a result of the rains that hit the area, I will be experimenting with ice plant propagation for erosion control for next year.
The Rose Bowl is on now and my family has committed to help me clean my classroom for a little while tomorrow.
I look forward to seeing all of you on Monday.