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.