Week 12- November 9-13

Monday- We began our new unit in earnest. We took notes on the 3 main types of rocks, and the characteristics of each. After, I gave the kids a packet with facts about each of these types of rocks. They had to complete a table and answer questions using the fact pages.

Tuesday- We took notes on the Rock Cycle. We filled in a rock cycle diagram (which I found in this bundle). They then practiced answering questions that require them to read the rock cycle diagram.

Wednesday- I went to CAST for the rest of the week. I left my sub with a Measuring up on Sedentary rock.

Thursday- My kids took a vocab quiz, and afterwards, they finished their measuring up and homework for the week.

Friday- I left them with a video. I showed them an old video called "Lost worlds, vanished lives"

I'm getting close to being caught up!
~Ms. Kat

Week 11- November 2-6

I keep thinking that we accomplish absolutely nothing in the span of a day or two. Then I look back and we've crossed the universe of knowledge. Scary.


Monday- Students completed a measuring up on Circuits. They did better on this one than many of the others we've done before

Tuesday- We played Trashketball  to review for our Test. The review game can be found here

Wednesday- We took our Tests. My kids did really well!

Thursday- We completed our vocab for the Earth Systems unit

Friday- This was an end-of-the-6-weeks early release day. I showed an episode of Bill Nye. The Archaeology one, I believe.

Until next time,
~Ms. Kat

Week 10- October 26-30

Somehow, I got off in my lesson plans. I believe that the lab I posted for last Friday was actually done on Monday the 26th. That's what I get for not updating my eduphoria *face palm*

Monday- See last Friday's entry

Tuesday- We talked about light and sound waves, and compared how they moved.

I didn't have a side activity that went with this lesson, unfortunately. We spent our “output” time catching up on missing work and doing homework

Wednesday-We took notes on reflection and refraction. We also covered words like Transparent, Opaque, and Translucent.

Today's output was really fun, but complicated (execution-wise). I gave each group two folders, 3 mirrors, and a laser pointer (I found mine at Walmart, they are part pen, part stylus, part laser, over by the office supplies)

The kids had to set the folders up according to the diagram, and use the mirrors to guide the laser in one side and out the other, projecting it on the back wall. They had a difficult time until they learned to take it one mirror at a time, and angle them level with the desk (not pointing up or down)

Thursday -  We worked on our review. The kids didn't remember how to utilize their science notebooks to complete it (despite the fact that the review is in exact order, and they have a self-created, teacher-guided table of contents), so I had to go over it again.

Friday- HOLIDAY!

I'm carving out some time today, so expect a number of posts to pop up.

Hope your last week before the Holiday break goes well!

~Ms. Kat

Week 9- October 19-23

Let's continue with the catch-up posts.

Monday- Series vs. Parallel circuits. We compared the two types of circuits and how they are different.

We took notes, and drew a few examples of each. After, we completed the c-scope worksheet to allow the kids to practice identifying the two types of circuits.

Tuesday- We did a lab where the kids built circuits. They had to build 4 different kinds. I wanted them to do some series and some parallel, but our batteries were not strong enough to make that journey. I'll have to invest in new ones next year.

Wednesday- We talked about forces, balanced and unbalanced, and how they affect objects.  We then practiced with boxes, using different amounts of force and determining which way the object would move.

Thursday- We talked specifically about three special kids of forces: Gravity, magnetism, and friction. We also spoke about Inertia. I gave the kids a picture I found back in the Lab Safety Unit (where they identify broken lab rules) and made them identify places where forces were acting on objects

Friday- We did a lab on Forces.
I set out 6 station around the room. I had originally wanted to stretch a rubber band between two chair legs. However, my rubber bands were too small. Instead, I stretched the rubber band between a chair leg and the leg of a student table.

I placed tape on the floor, and lined up one edge with the edge of the rubber band. Then, I marked 1cm, 3cm, and 5cm marks on the tape.

Students took a small plastic car and pulled it back to each of the marks. They repeated their trials 3 times each. They measured the distance each car went with a measuring tape.

I had wanted them to also try placing weights into the cars, but we didn't have time.

3 more days until Thanksgiving! The teachers and students at my school are beyond ready. Hope things aren't too crazy for anyone else!

~Ms. Kat

Week 8- October 12-16

Wow, it's been ages since I've posted! Things got so terribly busy at the end of football season, and I finally moved into my own place! I'll be posting the past month or so worth of lessons to catch up.

Monday- Forms of Energy Lab

Today I sent the kids to the stations to experience the various forms of energy in action. Here's the lab sheet I created. Forms of Energy Lab

Tuesday - We did a Measuring Up on the Forms of Energy

Wednesday -  Students began a 2-day project. Their goal was to make a wind-sock. I assigned each student 2 forms of energy, and gave them 2 strips of paper (I cut a piece of construction paper into fourths, shortways) They had to write:
1. The name of the Form of Energy
2. The definition of that form of energy
3. Draw 2 picture examples

I put them into groups of 3 or 4, so that each group had one of each of the forms of energy.
I had them focus on getting their individual parts done today.

Instructions for assembly:
Cut a piece of construction paper in half long-ways (hotdog). Glue or staple the two pieces together end-to-end to make one long strip of paper.


Once the kids' strips are done. lay them along one long edge, side by side. Make sure to space them out before you attempt to glue.


Once the strips are glued and dried, form a big loop with the big strips. Glue or staple together.


If my less-than-stellar instructions are confusing, google "wind sock project"


Thursday - Students took their vocabulary quizzes. After, they finished up their projects. I taught them how to glue them together to make a completed project.

Friday - Parts of a Circuit
Today we took notes on the 3 parts of a circuit: Source, Pathway, and Load
After, we did a group activity. I bought an "Energy Stick" and we tested it out. I began by showing them the stick and asking about the parts of the circuit in it. I showed them how it worked and made it light up using only myself.

We then added 2 students at a time to the circuit until we had the whole class in the circuit. The kids were fascinated by the entire thing. They got so excited! It really got them interested and fired up about circuits.

Week 7- October 5-9

This week was one of the worst I've had. The kids were so rowdy Monday-Wednesday, Thursday was a pep rally, and Friday was a blissful curriculum day (thank you, god of substitutes).

A lot of really stressful things happened, including my cat bringing in a baby squirrel (who we took care of for 2 days before he passed) and signing the closing papers on my house (OH MY GOD I'm a homeowner!).

Monday
Energy Vocabulary. We filled in our blanks and drew our pictures.

Tuesday

We began on the first half of our forms of Energy: Chemical, Potential, Kinetic, and Radiant.

The foldable was a modified version I found in this bundle. The output page was something of my own devising. It is now available on My TPT.

Wednesday

We did the second half of our forms of energy: Electrical, Nuclear, Thermal, and Sound. We continued on the pages that we had begun yesterday. We glued the other output page at the very bottom of a page, and today's output page at the very top (we're trying to make sure we don't run out of pages by the end of the year!)

Thursday

Today we talked about alternative energy sources. We completed a page of fill-in-the-blank notes and drew pictures of how each form of energy is gathered.

Our output page I found here. The kids got the hang of it after a few examples.

Friday

Curriculum day! I needed a break from being "on" all day every day. I left my sub with a Vocabulary Quiz and an episode of Bill Nye (the Energy episode).

Here's hoping I can finish painting my new home in the next week, so I can MAYBE move in!

Cheers

Ms. Kat

Week 6- Sept. 28- Oct 2

This week was equal parts crazy and chaotic. We had a school pep-rally on Thursday, and a district homecoming pep rally on Friday. Back to back shortened schedules on the last 2 days of the first 6-weeks. Yikes.

Monday
We did a measuring up on Solutions. They really struggled with this one. I had to help a lot. We numbered our paragraphs, re-worded questions, and drew some things out.

Tuesday
We played Trashketball using our review sheets. Here is a copy of the review.

And here is a copy of the Smartboard Review Game

Wednesday
My kids took their first real Unit test for me over the Physical Properties of Matter.
And they did so well! I was so pleasantly surprised that only 1 or 2 failed, and most got either an A or B. Proud Teacher moment!

Thursday
We did our best to complete the Mixtures lab I had originally planned for last week.
Here is the Lab Sheet. There are 3 pages, and it is outlined using the Scientific Method. We separated Iron from Sand, Sand from Pebbles, and Water from Potting Soil.

This was the kids first REAL lab. They had a great time! I had to create a makeshift sieve by poking holes in an old aluminum pan. I used Iron washers (as they were the only small iron objects I could find). I had potting soil left over from the compost columns from last year. Everything worked out so well!

Friday

We had 30 minute classes today, so I put on an episode of Captain Planet and we chilled. The kids loved it, even more than my 7th graders did last year! I think I created some Planeteers!

Hope you had an excellent first 6-weeks!
~Ms. Kat