Grade 5: Week of October 28th to November 4th

On Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, we will be testing our weather instruments. All students who make weather instruments for bonus credit will get to test the instruments themselves! On Monday we will create our own weather map, using symbols of fronts, clouds, air pressure, and precipitation. We will also begin an analysis of another weather map and students may complete it for homework. On Tuesday we will begin our Wind and weather instrument review sheet to prepare for the test. Students will have some time to complete this in class. At the same time that we are reviewing our last unit in weather, we will review and mark questions pertaining to the Weather Nine Weeks Test. This test will review all we have learned in weather, and will be presented in a multiple choice format so students will get accustomed to the format of the End of Grade Test. Most questions for the Weather Nine Weeks Test will be taken from Competitive Edge questions on pages 148-151, and students will receive an answer key once they have completed these questions for homework. Students will take the Wind and Weather Instruments test on Thursday and will take the Nine Weeks Test next week.

Homework this week:

Monday night: Weather map sheet (if students did not finish it in class), Competitive Edge pgs. 146-147 #1-22 (preparation for the Nine Weeks test)

Tuesday night: Review sheet (if not finished in class), study for the Wind and Weather Instruments Test, Competitive Edge pgs. 148-149 all questions

Wednesday night: study for the Wind and Weather Instruments test on Thursday

Thursday night: Study for the Weather Nine Weeks Test using pgs. 148-151 questions in the Competitive Edge and the answer key

Grade 7: Week of October 28th to November 4th

We will test students' lung capacity on Monday and discuss the results. Females and males generally have different lung capacity, as do athletes from the rest of the general population. Students will begin their review sheet on the respiratory system and continue working on it Tuesday. We will examine the causes and effects of smoking long term and students will begin a poster to dissuade other students from smoking. The posters will be displayed in the hallway for all to see. On Friday students will write the Respiratory System test.

Homework for this week:

Monday night: Part A of the Review sheet (vocabulary). Study parts of the respiratory system and their meanings.

Tuesday night: Finish all of the Review sheet. Study the review sheet.

Wednesday night: Finish draft of the poster to dissuade others from smoking. This is to be done in pencil and does not need to be colored. Bring coloring materials: colored pencils or markers. All posters must have a slogan, at least two effects, and one or more visuals. Marks are given for creativity, adhering to assignment expectations, and neatness. Students may print out visuals or draw them, and may design the final copy on the computer.

Thursday night: Study for the Respiratory system test. Finish the Non-smoking poster and color neatly (or design on the computer).

Grade 8: Week of October 31st to November 4th

We will continue to watch Blue Gold: Water Wars and conduct a Paideia discussion on causes of fresh water depletion, effects, and solutions. On Tuesday we will begin our unit on Geology, or the study of how rocks have changed over time. Students will receive Power Point notes detailing the history of Geology, relative dating of rocks, radioactive/radiometric/absolute dating of rocks, and geologic time. This week we will focus on radiometric dating of rocks and how certain isotopes decay in half-lives. Students will perform an activity involving one million dollars to illustrate the concept of half life. They may only spend half of their money per day until it is gone and then we will calculate how many days it will take. There are still a couple of students who have not taken the Hydrology test. After this, I will hand back everyone's graded test.

Homework for the week:

Monday night: Write down at least three causes, effects, and solution of fresh water depletion based on the video Blue Gold: Water Wars (see video sheet for help).

Tuesday night: no homework

Wednesday night: reread power point handout again, pg. 403 study guide definitions: first column

Thursday night: Pg. 380 questions - all of Review and Reflect

Report Cards and Award Assembly

Report cards go out on October 28th. The Awards assembly will be held in the gym from 9:00-10:00 for grades 6 through 10, and 10:00 to 10:30 for grades 3 to 5. Hope to see you there!

Grade 5: Week of October 24th to 28th

Students will ponder the question: What makes one area colder or hotter than another? This will lead to a discussion of climate and what causes micro-climates such as rainshadows, and land and sea breezes. Students will learn about convection cells and how this causes wind. We will examine what causes a convection cell by adding hot water with food coloring to cold water, and then discuss how cold air sinks while warm air rises. Finally we will make our own weather instruments and our own weather maps. We will use thermometers, anemometers, barometers, and rain gauge to measure weather on a daily basis. Students will receive a bonus grade for making any of their own weather instruments and may use them to test the weather with us! We will have a test on all of these concepts next week.

Homework for the week:

Tuesday night: Competitive Edge pgs. 143-145 #1, 2, 4, 8, 12

Wednesday night: Competitive Edge pg 111 #1-4

Thursday night: Competitive Edge pg 138 #1-4

Grade 7: Week of October 24th to 28th

We are finished learning about the digestive system and will begin learning about the respiratory system, which involves breathing and cellular respiration. Students will learn about the functions of the respiratory system, its parts, and how to protect this system by not smoking.

Our tentative homework schedule is:

Tuesday night: Answer questions from the "Respiration Basics" sheet. Study.

Wednesday or Thursday night (depending on how much we cover in class): pg. 386 questions from the textbook (all)

Grade 8: Week of October 24th to 28th

Grade 8s will receive a Chapter 17 hydrology review sheet on Tuesday which they need to complete by Wednesday. Wednesday night students will need to study for Thursday's test. On Friday we will watch a movie called Blue Gold: Water Wars. This documentary and informational video examines current water issues such as water shortages and global pollution. It also examines the questions of public versus private ownership of water and how we provide clean inexpensive water for all.

Week of October 24th to 27th: Grade 5 and 7

Friday is a teacher work day and we cannot have a test this day. Both grade 5 and grade 7 will receive a test on Thursday instead. Grade 5s will receive a review sheet on Tuesday and Grade 7 will receive on Monday to help them study for the test. Grade 5s and 7s should expect homework every night this week, especially finishing and reviewing their review sheet for the test on Thursday.

Grade 5: Week of October 17th to 21st

Grade 5s will continue learning about fronts and air masses and explore them through different learning styles. They will act out fronts, draw them, and read about them. This is the last week we will do our climate record. We will have our air mass and fronts test on Friday.

Homework for the week:

*Some students still need to do their corrections from the Cloud and Precipitation test

Monday night: Pg. 135 #6, 13, 15

Tuesday night: Air mass and front sheet

Wednesday night: first two pages of the review sheet, study for the air mass/fronts test

Thursday night: study for the air mass/fronts test

Friday: air mass and fronts test

Grade 7: Week of October 17th to 21st

Last week we discussed unhealthy additives in food and students examined labels for additives. On Friday they began creating a healthy menu for two days based on the food pyramid. We will share those menus Monday and students will vote on the healthiest, most tasty option. On Tuesday we will learn about food related diseases and conditions such as diabetes, obesity, and heart attacks. Students will receive a review sheet on Wednesday and a test on Friday.

Grade 8: Week of October 17th to 21st

Last week's inquiry into water health was very successful! Students examined four different types of water and decided which one was the healthiest based on health indicator evidence. We watched two videos on China: one on Linfen, one of the dirtiest cities in the world, and water pollution. We used this case study to apply our indicators of water health.

This week we are examining human impact on both freshwater and oceans. We will look at case studies such as the diminished supply of cod in Canada, the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and the bio-accumulation of mercury and dioxins in our bodies up the food chain. We will model the waste treatment process of flocculation, filtration, and disinfection. Students will receive a review sheet Thursday or Friday to prepare for a test Tuesday October 25th.

Neuse Charter School Book Fair

Our famous book fair begins Wednesday October 12th to the 19th. Come on out and check out the books! Teachers have made various wish lists if you would like to contribute. These books are used in the classroom as resources and silent reading books for children.

Grade 5: Week of October 10-14th

On Monday we studied for our Cloud and Precipitation test. Our test on Tuesday will be a mixture of fill in the blanks and identifying clouds. It is important to know the shape and altitude of clouds, and to know the different temperatures of each type of precipitation. We will begin a new chapter on weather Wednesday which is air masses and fronts. Students will continue to be meteorologists this week and next, and will examine clouds, cloud cover, precipitation, temperature, air pressure, and humidity.

Homework for the week:

Monday night: study for the clouds and precipitation test
Wednesday night: Answer questions on page 133 in the Competitive Edge
Thursday night: Answer questions on page 135 in the Competitive Edge

Grade 7: Week of October 10th to 14th

Students enjoyed coloring the digestive system today and will compare the mechanical and chemical parts of the digestive system on Tuesday. On Wednesday we will discuss healthy and harmful foods and ways to protect our digestive system so it continues to last a long time. We will examine labels for healthy and unhealthy ingredients and then prepare a healthy menu for three days. The class will examine these menus and vote on the healthiest and most delicious menus! Students will receive a review sheet and test on the digestive system next week.

Homework for the week:

Monday night: complete the coloring and functions of the digestive system
Tuesday and Wednesday night: bring in food labels
Thursday night: finish food menus if necessary

Grade 8: Week of October 10th to 14th

Round up that pond water! We are testing pond water compared to regular water that has been treated to see which water is healthier. Students will receive bonus marks for bringing in natural freshwater. We will use this water to examine various indicators such as turbidity, nitrates and phosphates, temperature, biological species present and so on. Currently we are completing a chart of indicators to determine water's health and will do a lab to test all kinds of water we receive. According to the Water Department in Washington, NC, sedimentation or turbidity is the larger problem affecting North Carolina fresh waters.

Homework for this week is as follows:

Monday night: Pg. 530 all Review and Reflect questions
Tuesday night: Begin study guide - definitions on pg. 553 (all)
Wednesday night: Finish water health indicator lab if not already finished; continue with study guide
Thursday night: Finish web (if not already done), pg. 537 questions (all); finish study guide
Friday: study guide due

A few students have not finished paragraphs or the previous study guide from Chapter 16. Students need to turn this in by Wednesday October 19th so I can put in grades for report cards.

Science Olympiad: out Friday

Parents,

I will be out Friday since I am attending a Science Olympiad coaching workshop Friday and Saturday at NC State University.

Grade 5: Week of October 3-7th

Students will become meteorologists this month and will examine all facets of weather through www.weather.com. We will have two lead student meteorologists tell us the weather each day, and we will eventually make a weather map building on the information we have learned. This activity allows students to apply what they have learned authentically.

Students will study clouds and precipitation and receive a review sheet on Friday. I am tentatively scheduling a test for Tuesday of next week. We might create "hail in a test tube" depending on our freezer situation. Students may expect homework almost every day this week.

Grade 7: Week of October 3-7th

Students are studying the smallest functioning part of the human body: the cell. We will have a quiz on cell parts and their functions on Tuesday. Expect a review sheet on Monday.

The digestive system is the first fascinating system that we will explore, from the mouth to the large intestine. We will examine the different parts of the digestive system and their functions. Then we will explore mechanical and chemical digestion.

Grade 8: Week of October 3-7th

Students have put a lot of time and effort into their ocean models and paragraphs. I have learned many interesting facts about ocean animals from students' presentations but I'm not sure I would like to meet a filler shark or electric eel....

Students will receive an ocean review sheet Monday or Tuesday to study for their ocean test depending on how long presentations take. The test on oceans will be on Thursday. Our next unit of the hydrosphere focuses on indicators of clean water. We will examine: turbidity, nitrates, phosphates, thermal pollution, and dissolved oxygen levels in the water.