Friday, September 30, 2011

Agenda Sept 30

One of the longest months of the school year draws to a close.

1 Test Chapter 1 Scientific Method and Safety
2 Check your grades on Pinnacle.

Mr. Realini, Mrs. Ehlers and I are sponsoring a homework "detention". If some work is not finished a student will be invited to attend. If they do not accept the invitiation, there will be referrals.

While Miniatures is supposed to be Catan, we only have 2 sets. I will also introduce Cosmic Encounter. A simple board game with lots of variations. It was new in 1979. I think there is an online version now.

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Agenda Sept 29

1 Test Chapter 1 Metric Measuring
2 Turn in Graph from Journal 16

I think I said that Miniatures Club would be Settlers of Catan.

After softball practice yesterday I can barely move. I pulled or bruised something in every extremity below the waist multiple times.

Agenda Sept 28

1 Journal 16 lab Report format and Measuring
2 Graph of data from Journal 16 due tomorrow
3 Trade and Grade Density Problems WS
4 Journal 17 Density Problems Practice
5 Test tomorrow Metric Measuring

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Agenda Sept 27

1 Journal 16 continued. We are doing the actual dry ice observations today.

Great softball game yesterday. Great means we won 22 : 3. Some girls who haven't hit the ball yet got hits.

Agenda Sept 26

1 Return Work
2 Journal 16 How to write a lab report using an actual experiment as a demonstration
Also Known As; The Dry Ice lab

Had a great time in Santa Rosa. Cleared 50 yds of drainage swale.

Friday, September 23, 2011

Agenda Sept 23

1 Journal 14 Significant Figures
2 Journal 15 Activity Measuring Time (and Speed)

Going to Santa Rosa today. Miniatures Club is Memoir and Catan. Looking to mid October for Pirates

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Agenda Sept 22

1 Redo Activity Density of Liquids
2 CFA Density
3 Journal 12 Time
4 Journal 13 Temperature
5 Journal 14 Significant Figures

Softball vs Cupertino today

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Agenda Sept 21

1 Turn in Density Activities and Density Questions WS
2 Activity Density of Liquids due today
3 Density CFA (moved to tomorrow)

Huzzah for Kento. Kento found the copper cube in the boys locker room. This restores some of my faith in humanity.
The girls softball team is another story. I sure don't take to being referred as a loser by a student. This crop of 8th graders seems to think it is ok to argue as equals with adults. I must say that adults are more polite than this when they argue.

Does anyone know how to put documents on this blog? Please come and give me a tutorial.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Agenda Sept 20

1 Journal 11 Metric Measuring Density of Liquids
2 Finish Density Activities from Yesterday due tomorrow Sept 21
3 WS Density Questions due tomorrow Sept 21

I am highly displeased with Period 2 and Period 6. Please be advised that lab equipment is going missing. Expensive lab equipment. I do not have to use lab equipment to teach this class. It can be done with board work and demonstrations. please speak to children or classmates about the honesty and ethics needed in a classroom.

Monday, September 19, 2011

Agenda Sept 19

1 Journal 10 Density of Solids
2 Activity Density of Regular Solids
3 Activity Density of Irregular Solids
4 WS Density Questions (practice)

Had a great weekend in SLO. Kendra's room has a wonderful view of the hills and the campus. Got to see Matt's room too. Matt the view out of your window puts me in mind of a black diamond ski run from the side. We ate a lot. Firestone's Huckleberries (Pismo), Steamers (Pismo too), and a Thai place whose name I do not recall but around the corner from Firestone's. Kendra has a lot of leftovers.

I spent the time in the back of the car entering grades. Some children need to be more careful writing their names. Some need to turn in their work. Pinnacle still not updated so no scores in computer yet.

I was jazzed that 3 parents who did the homework assignment for back to school night questioned the placement of the dependent and independent variables on the X and Y axes. How cool to have parents that notice that I got it wrong. I will change it for next year.

Next weekend we will be off to Santa Rosa. Is it vacation yest?

Friday, September 16, 2011

Agenda Sept 16

1 Collect Metric Mania 3 Mass and Metric Mania 4 Volume
2 Trade and grade: Metric Mania 1 Conversion; Metric Mania 2 Length; Metric Mania 3 Mass; and Metric Mania 4 Volume

What a game yesterday. Bases loaded double play to get the win in the bottom of the 6th. Softball only plays 6 innings.
I'm off to Cal Poly tomorrow to help my daughter settle into her on campus apartment. I have 3 tubs of graded papers to get into the system so wish me luck.
My wife flies home this evening but we still have Miniatures Club.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Agenda Sept 15

1 Journal 9 Metric Measuring 4 Volume continued
2 Activity Metric Mania 4 Day 2 Volume - Irregular Solids
3 Collect Metric Mania 2 Length

Those of you following closely will notice I am off a day in collecting. That is because Micah told me that the assignment I tried to collect was due the next day. I, being a foolish mortal, believed him. He has an excuse but since I am the editor of the blog, his excuse is not admissible. So the due dates are pushed back one day except for today's. It is correct.

My wife is out of town so, of course, I didn't get to sleep right away. It isn't a party thing. Its just a different routine.

My daughter made it to SLO. She sent a text message showing the neighbors. Goats out the window.

Miniatures Club is on Memoir 44. Some High School/ older kids are playing Catan. I may work on MULE or something else. I need to find time to paint miniatures. We are looking for Matt Gilbert. He should be back from Detroit.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Agenda Sept 14

1 Journal 9 Metric Measuring 4 Volume
2 Activity Metric Mania 4 Volume Day 1 volume of liquids and regular solids
3 Turn in Metric Mania 1 Conversions

Great night last night at Back to School Night but the staff meeting this morning and the game yesterday (we won 6 to 4 vs Egan) and I feel really fuzzy. You parents were great sports to take on the homework assignment. Some have already turned it in. You were supposed to get help from your kids.
My daughter is on her way back to college and my wife is off to a business meeting in San Diego. Woe is me.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Agenda Sept 13

1 Metric Mania 3 Mass due Friday, Sept 16

Monday, September 12, 2011

Agenda Sept 12

1 Journal 8 Metric Measuring Mass
2 Check Journal 3 Chapter 1 Pre read; Journal 4 Chapter 1 Vocabulary; Journal 5 Chapter 1 Constructing Meaning; and Chapter 1 Homework packet

Friday, September 9, 2011

Agenda September 9

1 Journal 9 Metric Measuring - Distance
2 WS Metric Mania 2 Distance due Wednesday Sept 14

Miniatures Club today will include an introduction to an "antique" video game. I read an article in a game magazine which asked the question, "Why are there no antique video games?". It got me to thinking about my favorite old games and, given my new found "skills" at looking things up on the internet, was able to (re)find M. U. L. E. Turns out this game was the inspiration for many other games through time and friends of the game have put it online for free. It speaks to the generous nature of programmers who program for the fun and acclaim and not necessarily the profit. I know, how naive. This has me looking for other "labors of love". Maybe "Turtles" is still out there.

Also, my mom is now an official follower. Huzzah

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Agenda September 8

1 Journal 6 Metric Conversion K H D B D C M
2 WS Metric Mania 1 Metric Conversion Practice due Tues Sept 13

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Agenda September 7

1 HW Chapter 1 Directed Reading pg 11-37. No Target reading Skills. due Monday Sept 12
That is 3 assignments due on Monday. You have had class time to work on these to get started. Hopefully you have used it well.
Mr. Realini has jury duty. I do not think he will be at softball practice today.

PTSA has agreed to fund Miniatures Club again so join PTSA to help support the club.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Agenda September 6

1 Journal 4 Chapter 1 Vocabulary (with instructions)due Monday Sept 12
2 Journal 5 Chapter 1 Constructing Meaning (with instructions) due Monday Sept 12

Miniatures Club presentation tonight at PTSA meeting 7PM. If you are a former member (Matt Gilbert) feel free to come by and tell the PTSA how being in the club has kept you from a life of crime.

Agenda Sept 2

Well I missed it again. This will happen alot. However, it will get updated.
1 Journal How to do Pre reading
2 Journal 3 Chapter 1 Pre Reading due Monday Sept 12


Wow I really missed it Sept 1 was never entered. For Sept 1 we did the Pre Test
Miniatures Memoir 44 and intro to Miniatures Club