Grade 7: Week of February 7-11th

Students will continue their research on the brain (disease, condition, or drug) until Wednesday when their notes and bibliography are due. They will have time in class to write notes, but will need to bring in their research, which may be an internet print out, magazine, encyclopedia, or book. Time will be given in class to write their paper and I will model how to write the introduction and conclusion. Students will mostly likely also need to do part of the writing of their paper at home. Additional project material needs to be brought in next Monday. *Please sign the project paper if you have not already done so, so I may see that your child has your approval for his/her topic.

Our test on the brain is Tuesday.

Grade 8: Week of February 7-11th

We are moving on to Chemistry and will spend more than one month studying the Periodic table, chemical bonds, properties of matter, and chemicals in our everyday world. Students will study the basic building blocks of matter - atoms and molecules - and their sub-atomic particles - electrons, protons, and neutrons. We will investigate covalent and ionic bonds and how they are constructed.

We are in need of a scale that measures ounces, a hot plate, and pots for experiments in chemistry.

I will be handing back the Chapter 14 test on Biological, Geological, and Technological change.

Second Semester News: Tutoring and Guest Speakers

We have officially begun the second semester! My tutoring schedule will stay the same this semester until further notice:

Grade 5 on Tuesdays from 2:45 to 3:40
Grade 8 on Thursdays from 2:45 to 3:40

You may pick up your child in the elementary car line. Students may also visit me any day of the week from 7:30 to 7:45 am for help.

I am inviting any parent, friend of a parent, grandparent, or guardian to be a guest speaker if s/he so chooses. I am looking for people who have a career in Science, who use Science in their career in some capacity, or who volunteer for an organization that uses Science. Some areas we are interested in learning about are chemistry, chemicals, safe use of chemicals, bioengineering, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, soil, agriculture, hydrology, astronomy, engineering, geology, and environmental applications of Science.

Grade 5: Week of Jan. 31st to Feb. 4th

Students are very excited about creating their landform models. Thank you for your monetary donations and donations of clay. Once students have completed their models, we will join them together and students may see how landforms connect across regions. Students will see how rivers begin high in the mountains, flow down to meander in the plains and then deposit their sediment in the deltas and in the ocean. Completed landforms are due on Wednesday. We will then move on to aerial and contour mapping and will do student inquiries examining satellite photographs of Mount Shasta. Students will interpret Mount Shasta's contour lines and students will plot its elevation using a graph. Students will tentatively take the landforms test on Wednesday.

Grade 6: Week of Jan. 31st to Feb. 4th

Students are very excited about their space project! We will be working in class on notes until Wednesday February 2nd. The notes and bibliography will be due at this time. We will then use our notes to write the planet paragraphs and students will have certain paragraphs due each night (see the agenda). The final paper with all five paragraphs is due Friday February 4th (students may type this paper). Students will need to bring their materials for the additional project on Friday so they are able to start on Monday.

The Morehead Planetarium is visiting us in March and will bring their "space observatory" to Neuse Charter School! The cost of this visit is $5.00 per child. You will also receive letters requiring your signature early this week. If your financial situation is difficult and $5.00 is burdensome for you, please let me know. We would like all children to participate in this opportunity.

Grade 7: Week of Jan. 31st to Feb. 4th

This is our final week studying the brain. Students will do a student inquiry to test which parts of the body have the most nerves, and will watch a video on how we use research on the brain to help train athletes. We will dissect the brain and examine its parts. Students will receive a review sheet on Wednesday or Thursday and receive their test on Friday or the following Tuesday depending on how much review students need.

Very importantly, students will receive a project letter to have you sign. This will be given out Tuesday or Wednesday and projects will begin next week. Students will choose a project on the respiratory system or central nervous system, and will need to bring in research (books, magazines, or printed material from the internet).

Grade 8: Week of Jan. 31st to Feb. 4th

We are finishing learning about remote sensing and will look at applications of this technology such as identifying urban sprawl, deforestation, oil spills, and movement of volcanic dust from satellite images. We will review biological, geological, and technological change. The test will be Friday to allow students who need extra help to attend tutoring.