Grade 5: Week of April 30th to May 4th

This week students and I will begin rapidly preparing for the End of Grade Science test.  We will go over the most missed questions every day as a warm up, will do homework from our EOG coach books, and will write sentences and pictures of the most important vocabulary words.  At the same time, we will finish up our final chapter on ecosystems and students will have their final chapter test next week.  Students will create their own food chain and food web using a certain ecosystem.  They will also choose a specific animal or plant and describe their niche, habitat, and adaptations.

I have graded the practice EOG tests and will be giving results to parents by email if your child received a Level 2.  I will support your child by providing extra tutoring two days per week.  Those who received Level 3 or 4 will be notified on the progress report.

Homework for the week:

Monday night:  EOG coach book - Read pgs. 52-54, answer questions pgs. 54-55 and pgs. 64-65

Tuesday night:  Finish food web, Column 3 sentences and pictures from the EOG coach book

Wednesday night:  Column 4 sentences and pictures from the EOG coach book

Thursday night:  Study for the Column 3 and 4 Vocabulary quiz, Niche/Habitat/Adaptation assignment

Grade 6: April 30th to May 4th

The Space project assignment requirements

and dates are the following:

Assignment	Mark	Date due
Notes: Notes on space facts, existence of life, and technology and exploration In note format – no full sentences or plagiarism	15 pts.	Friday April 27th
Bibliography: Four or more sources; no search engines	5 pts.	Friday April 27th
Visuals: Five or more visuals of space facts, existence of life, technology and exploration, and special characteristics Include a caption/sentence or more for each visual. The visuals may be put on flash drive, may be put on a poster or paper.  One or more visuals may be models.	5 pts.	Friday May 4th
Written research paper:  Draft  Five paragraphs on your planet including the introduction, space facts/special characteristics, existence of life, technology and exploration, and the conclusion	15 pts.	Friday May 4th (May be typed or hand written, double-spaced.)
Written research paper:  Good copy Rewrite the draft paper and include all peer and teacher corrections.  The good copy may be single spaced and/or typed.	10 pts.	Tuesday, May 8th
Presentation:  Eye contact, varied tone of voice, appropriate speed, prepared	10 pts. Counts as test mark	Wednesday May 9th , Thursday May 10th, Friday May 11th
Presentation notes: ·        Three or more notes on other students presentations	10 pts.	Friday May 11th
Participation: On task, cooperative, research brought to school, assignments handed in on time	10 pts.	ongoing

Grade 8: Week of April 30th to May 4th

This week we will review the twenty most missed questions on the practice EOG.  Students will study their Practice EOG test and have a small test on the previously missed questions.  We will also use microscopes in stations to view living protists and other types of microbes.  Some protists will come from a protist growing kit and other microbes will come from students bringing in pond water.  Meanwhile, we will begin reviewing for our Microbe unit test and writing the paragraphs for the Microbe book.

All students who scored a level 2 or borderline 2/3 will receive in school remediation 2:15 to 2:45 Monday and Wednesday and after school tutoring 2:45 to 3:30.  I will notify you by email if this is the case.  

Homework for the week:

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday night: 
Write paragraphs and draw pictures of the Microbe book - due Friday;

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday night:
Sections of the Post test from the EOG coach book each night

Thursday night:
Study for the small test on previously missed questions on the Practice EOG, finish the first page of the Microbe Review sheet

5A, B, and C Monday night homework

Testing has now been changed to Wednesday and Thursday.  Therefore, 5A homework for tonight is to finish the Review sheet using column 1 and 2 vocabulary words.  5B and C need to finish pgs. 78-80 #2-10, 24, 25 in the Competitive Edge.

Grade 5: Week of April 23rd to 28th

Students will receive a Practice Science EOG test on Tuesday and their Language Arts or Math Practice EOG test Wednesday.  I will have all Practice EOG exams marked by Friday and will communicate with you as soon as possible if your child received a Level 2.  Your results will also be communicated on the progress report.

I will not see 5B or 5C these Practice EOG days but will see 5A in the afternoon all five days. Therefore, homework and tests will be different for each group on some days.  5B and 5C will have their vocabulary quiz on columns 1 and 2 this Monday and 5A will have it on Thursday.  5B and C already completed a small review sheet last Friday and 5A will receive this Monday.

We will learn about food webs and food chains this week, and begin reviewing our Column 3 vocabulary words.  We will also review the different components a food web:  producers, herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, decomposers, and scavengers.  All groups will receive a mini review lesson at the beginning of each class to prepare for the Science EOG.

Homework for all groups Monday night:  Competitive Edge Pgs. 78-80 #2-10, 24, 25 *full sentences for most questions

5B and 5C Tuesday and Wednesday night:  Food web tree map and Interactions in an Ecosystem sheet.  The tree map on the Food web will be started in class.  Students will need their Competitive Edge book to do this.

5A Tuesday night:  Interactions in an Ecosystem side of the worksheet only
5A Wednesday night:  study for the Vocabulary 1st and 2nd column quiz

Homework for Thursday night all groups:  Column 3 sentences and pictures

Grade 6: Week of April 23rd to 27th

Students will continue to research their planet at school and at home, and we will begin writing our paragraphs next week due to two days of Practice EOG tests and the Planetarium visit on Friday.  Please have your child bring in the Planetarium consent form and $5.00 as soon as possible.  Students will not be able to attend the educational on-site field trip presented by Morehead Planetarium without either of these.  We will have a change of lunch schedule on Friday  so we may go on the field trip at 11:30.  If bringing lunch to the school on Friday, bring it 11:00 to 11:30 or before.

A few students scored below 70% on their Sedimentary and Metamorphic rock test and need to retest.  The retest will be held 7:20 to 7:45 am or 2:45 to 3:15 p.m. Friday.  To retest, your child must do corrections of those s/he got wrong.  Students will write out the sentences with the correct word three times and include a picture.  The maximum mark that a student may receive on a retest is 70%.  In addition, students will not be allowed to retest if I have not checked their corrections.  This includes if they did them and are at home.

Our schedule for the week is as follows:

Monday:  research on the computer, go over the Sedimentary and Metamorphic rock test
Tuesday and Wednesday:  Practice EOG testing - I do not see students
Thursday:  Research on the computer, write the bibliography
Friday:  Research for 15 minutes, 11:00-11:30 eat lunch, 11:30-12:20 Planetarium visit to the "Dome"

Homework for the week:

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday night:

1. Bring in Planetarium and consent forms:  please do wait until Friday to do this!!!


2.  Write notes on the following subjects:

•  Planet facts and Special Characteristics (minimum 7 notes - no full sentences)
• Ability to support life (minimum 7 notes - no full sentences):  include gases in the atmosphere, organic/plant matter found on the planet, water, distance from the sun, temperature range, storms, wind speeds on the planet, and compare to Earth's ability to support life
• Technology used to explore the planet (minimum 7 notes - no full sentences):  include satellites, telescopes, rovers, probes, rockets

3.  Complete the Bibliography:

• Students must have at least four sources - 1 book and 3 websites.

4.  Study for the retest on Friday if you received less than 70%.  Do corrections and show them to me on Thursday.


Thursday night:  complete the bibliography and all research notes; study for the retest. 

I will mark the notes and bibliography over the weekend for a grade.  Students' notes will be graded on detail, scientific vocabulary, accuracy, and effort and receive a total of 15 marks.  Students' bibliography will be graded out of 5 marks for accuracy, completion, and neatness.

Grade 8: Week of April 23rd to 27th

Grade 8s will receive review every day until the EOGs.  We will have practice testing on Tuesday and Wednesday - Tuesday is the practice EOG Science test and it will be graded by Friday.  I will let you know the results on the progress reports and will contact you ASAP if your child makes a level 2 on the test.  Your child will also receive tutoring on Wednesday and Friday if they make a level 2 (plus regular in school remediation) - more details to come.  In addition, because we have practice EOG tests, I do not see 8b for two days, but see 8A in the afternoon so each group will have a different set of homework.

We are continuing to work on our Microbes booklet and I will show protist mini-videos of Euglena, Paramecium, and Amoebas.  Students will see how amoebas engulf their prey by a process called "phagocytosis".  We will explore how each protist moves, its animal and plant characteristics, special features, and binary fission.  We will also see a mini-video of how viruses reproduce themselves by attaching to cells, produced by npr.org.

Homework for the week - 8B only:

Monday night:  Questions on fungi
Tuesday:  Write pgs. 1-2 paragraphs and pictures
Wednesday:  Write pgs. 3-4 paragraphs and pictures
Thursday:  pg. 5, 6, 7 questions on protists (optional homework:  paragraphs and pictures of these pages)

Homework for the week - 8A only:

Monday night:  Questions on Bacteria and fungi
Tuesday:  Write pgs. 1-2 paragraphs and pictures
Wednesday:  Write pgs. 3-4 paragraphs and pictures
Thursday:  pg. 5, 6, 7 questions on protists (optional homework:  paragraphs and pictures of these pages)

Grade 5: Week of April 16th to 20th

Welcome back from spring break! I hope everyone is well rested and ready for a new week. I was waiting until I received the practice EOG testing schedule today to write the blog. Our practice EOG tests will be this Thursday and next Tuesday and Wednesday.

This week we are continuing to learn about ecosystems and will learn about producers, omnivores, herbivores, carnivores, scavengers, and decomposers. On Monday we learned about population, community, habitat, and niche. Students gave an example of an animal or plant population, its community, habitat, and niche and we took turns guessing what population it might be from their clues. In addition to learning about ecosystems, we will do a mini-review for the EOG everyday. Our EOG coach books have still not arrived. Mrs. Barbour will call the EOG coach company again.

I will be offering after school homework help/remediation for students starting this week until the EOGs. It will be from 3:15 to 3:50. You may pick up your child in the carpool line. If your child has remediation on Tuesday mornings, then s/he will also stay after school Thursday. If your child has remediation on Thursday morning, then s/he will also stay after school Tuesday.

Homework for the week:

Monday night: Pick another population of a specific animal or plant. Tell about its community, habitat, and niche.

Tuesday night: Write sentences for the second column of words. See definition sheet.

Wednesday night: fill in the blanks on the worksheet using the words provided.

Thursday night: study for the Column 1 and 2 vocabulary test using the definitions and sentences you wrote; pg. 75 #1-7 in Competitive Edge

Grade 6: Week of April 16th to 20th

Welcome back from spring break! I hope everyone is well rested and ready for a new week. I was waiting until I received the practice EOG testing schedule today to write the blog. Our practice EOG tests will be this Thursday and next Tuesday and Wednesday. Students do not take a Science EOG this year.

We have officially started our unit on space. Today we discussed what students knew about space and what they wondered. We also watched a short video on the Hubble Telescope: Deep Space which illustrated how expansive the universe really is.

To prepare for our Planet Project, we will learn about technology used to explore space on Tuesday and then begin the research project on Wednesday. Students will have time to research in the computer labs and with books I provide, but they will also need to do some research on their planet at home and write notes on it. I will send home a project sheet on Wednesday and post it on the blog.

We are still collecting $5 for the Planetarium visit on April 26th and 27th. Parents also need to sign a consent form for students to participate in this on-site field trip. Please bring in the money and form as soon as possible.

Homework for the week:

Tuesday - Thursday night: Bring in seeds for the garden, $5 and consent form for the field trip

Tuesday night: Pg. 227 questions; have a first, second, and third choice of planet for the project

Wednesday and Thursday night: get the project letter signed, research your planet and write notes

Grade 8: Microbes book

MICROBES BOOK Name: ___________________________

You will write a Microbes book on bacteria, viruses, protists, and fungi. Each page must include an illustration or picture printed from the internet and all of the information you collected on this sheet. I have included questions to help you and you will use this information to write your paragraphs. You may print or type the book, but the book must be written neatly on blank paper (I will provide this). Use your textbook, EOG coach book, and the internet to get information and pictures.

Structure of the book:

1. Title page: Include the title “Microbes” or “Microbiology”. Include the author (you), and an illustration or printout of microbes.
2. Introduction to Microbes: pg. 1
3. Viruses: pg. 2
4. Bacteria: pg. 3
5. Fungi: pg. 4
6. Protists: Introduction pg. 5
7. Protists: Euglena pg. 6
8. Protists:Amoeba pg. 7
9. Protists: Paramecium pg. 8
10. Protists: Volvox pg. 9
11. Uses of Microbiology and Biotechnology pg. 10

Page 1: Introduction to Microbes (pgs. 108-110, Lesson 46)

1. What are microbes or microorganisms? ____________________________________________________________________________________
2. What is microbiology? ____________________________________________________________________________________
3. What are the types of microbes you will write about? ____________________________________________________________________________________

Page 2: Viruses (pgs. 111-115, Lesson 46/47/48)

1. What are viruses? ____________________________________________________________________________________
2. How are they like living things? ____________________________________________________________________________________
3. How are they like non-living things? ____________________________________________________________________________________
4. How do viruses reproduce themselves? Tell the steps of this cycle. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
5. Give three examples of viruses. How does each virus pass from person to person or animal to animal. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
6. Tell about the harmful effects of one virus: ____________________________________________________________________________________
7. ***Draw the reproduction cycle of the virus AND a picture of one virus. Label your virus.

Page 3: Bacteria (pgs.117-121, Lesson 46/47/48)

1. What are bacteria? ___________________________________________________________________________________
2. Are they eukaryotes or prokaryotes? _____________________________________________________
3. How do bacteria move? _______________________________________________________________
4. How can bacteria reproduce so quickly? ___________________________________________________________________________________
5. Tell about bacteria’s adaptability: ____________________________________________________________________________________
6. Tell about two benefits of bacteria. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
7. Tell about two disadvantages of bacteria. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
8. Tell three ways we can kill or slow down bacteria. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
9. ***Draw and label three examples of bacteria (see pg. 312 in EOG book).

Page 4: Fungi (pgs. 124-130)

1. What is fungi? ____________________________________________________________________________________
2. Are they prokaryotic or eukaryotic? ______________________________________________________
3. How is fungi diverse? ____________________________________________________________________________________
4. Tell two examples of how fungi is beneficial. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
5. Tell two examples of how fungi is harmful. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
6. Give three examples of fungi. ___________________________________________________________
7. ***Print out/draw a picture of fungi and label it.

Page 5: Protists – Introduction (pgs. 131-134)

1. What are protists? ____________________________________________________________________________________
2. Are they prokaryotic or eukaryotic? _______________________________________________________
3. Give three examples of protists from your textbook. _________________________________________
4. Are all protists harmful? __________________________
5. Give two examples in which protists can harm humans or animals. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
6. *** Draw or print out a picture of a common protist and label it.

Page 6: Protists – Euglena (Lesson 44)

1. Is it unicellular or multicellular? __________________________________________
2. What does unicellular mean? ___________________________________________________________
3. How is Euglena similar to a plant? __________________________________________________________________________________
4. How is Euglena similar to an animal? ___________________________________________________________________________________
5. What function does its eyespot have? ___________________________________________________________________________________
6. How does it move? ___________________________________________________________________
7. ***Draw/print out a picture of a Euglena. Label its chloroplasts, nucleus, eyespot, and flagellum.

Page 7: Protists – Amoeba (Lesson 44)

1. Is it unicellular or multicellular? ________________________________________________________
2. How is an amoeba animal-like? ___________________________________________________________________________________
3. How does an amoeba “eat” another protist? ___________________________________________________________________________________
4. How does an amoeba move? ___________________________________________________________
5. *** Draw/print out a picture of an amoeba. Label its nucleus and psuedopod.

Page 8: Protists – Paramecium (Lesson 44)

1. It is unicellular or multicellular? _________________________________________________________
2. How is a paramecium animal like? _______________________________________________________
3. How does it move? ___________________________________________________________________
4. ***Draw/print out a picture of a paramecium. Label its nucleus and cilia.

Page 9: Protists – Volvox (Lesson 44)

1. The volvox is unicellular but lives in ______________________________________________________
2. How many volvox can live in one cell? ___________________________________________________
3. How does it move? ______________________________
4. ***Draw/print out a picture of a volvox. Label the flagella.

Page 10: Microbiology and Biotechnology – Its Uses in Every Day Life (Lesson 50, Chapter 7)

1. What is biotechnology? ____________________________________________________________________________________
2. Give three ways biotechnology is used in every day life. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. How has biotechnology helped North Carolina’s economy? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
4. What some ethical issues of biotechnology? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
5. ***Draw/print out a picture of biotechnology or one of its uses.

Grade 8: Week of April 16th to 20th

Welcome back from spring break! I hope everyone is well rested and ready for a new week. I was waiting until I received the practice EOG testing schedule today to write the blog. Our practice EOG tests will be this Thursday and next Tuesday and Wednesday.

This week we are learning about Microorganisms/microbes. Students will learn about different types of microbes such as protists, viruses, bacteria, and fungi. Some protists we will study are volvox, amoeba, paramecium, and euglena. To help students synthesize material, we will create a microbes book. First students will answer questions, and then put their answers in paragraph form and illustrate each microbe page.

At the same time, students will begin a research project on a specific microbe in technology class, which will start Thursday or Friday, depending on the testing schedule.

EOG coach books have still not arrived, so Mrs. Barbour will need to call the company again.

Homework: T.B.A

Grade 5: Week of April 2nd to 6th

Students received an ecosystem review sheet on Friday. This will review limiting factors, ecosystems and biomes. We will have a test on Wednesday. If any student is leaving early on Wednesday for spring break, s/he should tell me and take the test on Tuesday . Please note if any student does not finish their biome webs by Monday, s/he will receive detention for homework on Tuesday from 3:15 until 3:50.

We should receive our EOG coach books this week. If you would like an answer key, please let me know. If your child is struggling in Science, s/he can do the pretest and post test over spring break, you can check it with the answer key, and may help your child study. This has proven effective in past years.

I am sorry that we could not begin our vocabulary EOG words last week. The biome webs took much longer than usual and I gave that for homework instead. However, this week we will start our EOG vocabulary study. On Thursday we will watch a video on biomes. Any student who does not complete vocabulary homework on Wednesday will not get to watch the video, and will need to do their vocabulary homework instead. I am being strict on homework because certain students are not taking it seriously and we need to learn as much as possible, not only because Science is important, but because knowing vocabulary is essential to passing the Science EOG.

Homework:

Monday night: Finish the review sheet; study for the test on Wednesday

Tuesday: study for the test Wednesday

Wednesday: using the definitions in the EOG coach book, pg. 170, write sentences and pictures for the first column of vocabulary words (abiotic to condensation). Students may make flash cards with definitions, sentences, and pictures on one side and the word on the other, or may write the word, sentence, and picture in their notebook. If your child is making a D or C in Science, it is advisable to do flash cards so s/he may also write the definition and practice studying at home.

Optional homework over spring break: take the pretest and posttests in the EOG coach book, mark them using the answer key (please request a copy from me), and study

Grade 6: Week of April 2nd to 6th

Students will receive a Sedimentary/Metamorphic review sheet on Monday and we will have a test on Thursday. If any student is leaving early on Thursday, s/he should tell me and take the test on Wednesday. Please note that any students not doing their homework will receive a working lunch. Any student needing help with homework may see me at homeroom period 7:20-7:45 or after school any day of the week (except Monday because of supervision) but arriving with it incomplete is unacceptable.

Students will also receive a letter about the Morehead Planetarium coming to visit our school at the end of April. They will set up a dome in the gym and educate our students about space, which will be our next unit after spring break. The cost of the field trip is $5.00. I would appreciate if students could bring in the money before spring break. If it is difficult to bring in $5.00, please let me know, and we will make sure your child still goes on this field trip. Also, we will be planting seeds in our garden after spring break. Please bring in a packet of seeds that will sprout before school ends on June 5th. You can check the date of germination on the back of the packet. Many students planted watermelon seeds and other things that would not sprout until summer and were very disappointed :(. They may bring in flower, vegetable, or fruit seeds. We would request no corn seeds however.

Homework:

Monday night: Finish the first two pages of the review sheet; study for the test on Thursday; bring in seeds and field trip money

Tuesday: Finish the review sheet; study for the test Thursday; bring in seeds and field trip money

Wednesday: Study for the test Thursday; bring in seeds and field trip money

Grade 8: Week of April 2nd to 6th

Students will receive a Chemistry review sheet on Monday. This will not only review both chapters, but will have multiple choice questions reviewing everything we learned in Chemistry from Christmas until now. We will have a test on Thursday. If any student is leaving early on Thursday, s/he should tell me and take the test on Wednesday. Please note if any student does not finish their study guide words for chapter 11 and 12 by Tuesday, s/he will receive detention for homework on Wednesday. Students may study their study guide words and the review sheet. We should receive our EOG coach books this week.

Homework:

Monday night: Finish the first two pages of the review sheet; study for the test on Thursday
Tuesday: Finish the review sheet; study for the test Thursday
Wednesday: Study for the test Thursday

SACS visit this Tuesday and Wednesday

Neuse Charter School has been preparing evidence and documentation for the SACS process, which will accredit our school, and give our high school students more opportunities after graduation. The SACS visitors will interview 12 teachers in total on Tuesday and will be doing walk throughs on campus Tuesday and Wednesday. Thank you for all of your help during Deep Dish cleaning on Saturday! Thank you to my 6A students who helped me clean and I also cleaned until late Friday night.

Spring break: April 6th to 15th

Our spring break starts Friday, April 6th to 15th. Students return to school April 16th and then we begin the sprint to the EOGs which will begin May 15th (EOCs are the week after). For spring break I will be leading a trip to Beijing, Xi'an, and Shanghai. These cities are 19 million people, 8 million people, and 23 million people respectively. When we return, I will give Mr. Lee photos to put in the newspaper, and describe our experiences there. It will be amazing!

Have a safe and restful holiday. Blessings during this Easter season.