September 19-30

You've made it through the first 2 weeks of school!  If you haven't already turned in your signed Safety Contract and Academic Honesty Contract, please do so ASAP.  Those will be the first 2 "assignments" on your Points Sheet and on Edbox.  I am starting to enter grades, but as far as I know, Edbox is not yet available to students.   Keep an updated Points Sheet and you will know your grade.

• Mon/Tues 9/19-9/20:  Turn in completed Measurement Lab.  Check off Cornell Notes on first 3 entries.  Hand out Points Sheet and get those started.  Notes on Significant Figures and Scientific Notation.  Work time on Sig Fig/Sci Not. worksheet.  Worksheet due on 9/21-9/22.
• Wed/Thurs 9/21-9/22:  Check off Sig. fig/Sci Not and go over.   Notes on data charts and graphs.  Thickness of Aluminum Foil Lab.  Complete worksheet and graph for Fri/Mon.  Short Chapter 1 Test on Fri/Mon.
• Fri/Mon 9/23-9/26:  Turn in Aluminum Foil Lab and Graph.  Review for Chapter 1 Test.  Take test.  Introduce Critical Reader (CR).  First CR due 10/3-10/4.  Notes on Chapter 2 vocabulary and how to solve problems in science.  Get started on Density Problems, due 9/29-9/30.  Read 2.1 and 2.2.
• Tues/Wed 9/27-9/28:  Work on Density Problems.  Introduce Carrot Lab, take data, and start posters. 
• Thurs/Fri 9/29-9/30:  Turn in Density Problems.  Finish Carrot Posters and do Walk Around evaluation.  Liquid Density + Hydrometer Lab.   Remember that your first Critical Reader is due 10/3-10/4.  Read 2.3.

Opening Weeks of School

Every week or two, I will be writing a post on this blog that details the current activities and homework.  Sometimes we will not get to all that was planned or there will be slight changes, but for the most part, this is a very good place to look to see what we did in class.  In addition, you will find that most class documents will be available on the side using Google Docs.  Occasionally the formatting for documents suffers in the translation to Googledocs.  If you have questions (students or parents), feel free to e-mail me at mkenny@pps.net

• Tuesday 9/6:  Short classes.  Take roll.  Fill out student information sheet.  Demonstrate Early Work.  Hand out class expectations.  Read class expectations and bring questions this week or next.
• Wed/Thurs 9/7-9/8:  First Early Work.  Go over basic classroom rules and routines.  Small group brainstorm:   What are some elements of a good scientific test?  Share out.  Group activity:  Testing advertisement claims.  Pick an ad, write a focused questions, identify the important variables, and write a detailed procedure.  All of this should be put neatly on a poster to share with the class.  Bring spiral notebook by next class.  Read 1.1 and 1.2.
• Fri/Mon 9/9-9/12:  Finish posters (25 minutes).  In the back of the classroom, individual students will read 4 of the posters and offer written feedback on what is good and what could be better.  Turn in your evaluations into the class inbox.  First notebook entry on Cornell Notes and Scientific Theory vs. Law.  Hand out Safety Contract and Academic Honesty Contract.  Both are due back signed by student and parent by Thurs 9/15 (Period 5) and Fri 9/16 (Period 2).  Bring calculator by next class.  Read 1.3.
• Tues/Wed 9/13-9/14:  Notes on the metric system and metric conversions.  Work on Conversion Worksheet, due next class period.  Introduction to measuring tools + precision.  Measuring tools and precision activity.  Remember to bring signed Safety Contract and Academic Honesty Contract by next class. 
• Thurs/Fri 9/15-9/16:  Measurement Lab.  Do in groups and turn in by 9/19-9/20.  Check off Conversion Worksheet and go over in class.  Notes on Significant Figures.

Welcome to the 2011-2012 School Year!

As the school year gets into full swing, I strongly recommend that you check this website regularly for information.  I will keep it updated with class assignments, links to documents, links to helpful websites, and anything else that might be useful for students taking this class.  If you are sick or miss class for some reason, it is essential that you get caught up as soon as possible, especially now that we only have class every other day.

2nd and 4th Period Final Grades Updated

Believe it or not, I got 2nd and 4th Period grades done way earlier than I thought.  To access them, you can go to Edbox.  Remember that I cannot put in your Final Exam score due to people weighting it differently.  What I have done is adjusted grades where students either went up or down because of the final exam.  Make sure that you are looking at the correct grade.  On my end of Edbox, I have 2 windows, Sem2 and Semester2.  The final grades are adjusted in the Semester2 window.  If you have any questions, just e-mail me and I will get back to you when I am back home.  You can also stop in and talk to me sometime on Monday or Tuesday.

Have a great summer!  It was a pleasure teaching all of you this year!

3rd Period, I'll see you on Tuesday.  Prepare well for your test.  I want to see you all do your best!

The Week of 6/6-6/10 NEW SCHEDULE!!

Lincoln has a unique opportunity to have a special speaker this week, and as a result, the schedule has been switched around.  Block Days will be Tuesday and Thursday of this week and Wednesday will be a Special Assembly Schedule.  The Deadline for Late Work and Extra Credit is still Tuesday by the end of lunch.  Finals begin on Friday!!  As of 3:30 pm on Sunday, grades have been updated.  Check yours out and e-mail me if you have any questions.

• Monday 6/6:  Turn in Isobar Activity.  In-class Volcano Reading activity.  Complete the reading packet as best you can and turn it in for 6 points (last assignment).  When done, work on your review packet.
• Tuesday 6/7:  (Even Block and FLEX!!).  Turn in all late work and/or extra credit by the end of lunch today (yes, even people who have 3rd period!!!!).  Jeopardy Review.  Go over Final Grades and how to weight your final exam.
• Wednesday 6/8:  Special Schedule.  Shorter Classes.  Go over math problems for Final Review.
• Thursday 6/9:  Odd Block.  Jeopardy Review.  Go over Final Grades and how to weight your final exam.
• Friday 6/10:  2nd Period Final from 8:15-10:15 am.  4th Period Final from 10:25-12:25.

The Week of 5/30-6/3

Remember that Block Days are Tuesday and Wednesday this week!  My FLEXes will be Tuesday first FLEX and Wednesday at lunch!!  Notebook Check on Thursday.

• Monday 5/30:  Memorial Day.  No School.
• Tuesday/Wednesday 5/31-6/1:  Bring your text book!  Notes on Climate Change and a look at a US Global Climate Change Report.  With your text book, complete Layers of the Atmosphere and Clouds worksheet and crossword (due Friday).  Cloud Lab (turn in by the end of class).
• Thursday 6/2 (short classes due to Senior Assembly):   Notebook Check.  Isobar Wind Activity.  Atmosphere and Cloud WS due Friday.  Isobar Activity due Tuesday 6/7.
• Friday 6/3:  Turn in Atmosphere and Cloud worksheet.  Questions on Isobar Activity?  Hand out Semester Review Packet (already on-line if you want it early).  Go over Guidelines for Final Exam.

Deadline for Extra Credit and Late Work is next Tuesday 6/7 by the end of lunch!!

Astronomical Observations

This assignment has generated so many questions that I am giving it a post of its own!  The Due Date has been changed from Tuesday 5/24 to Friday 5/27.  I know that may not sound like much, but it will give you a couple of extra days to finish the reflection.  The assignments has 3 parts:

Part 1:  Sun Observations.  You need a single drawing of the horizon that you see for either sunrise or sunset.  On this drawing, you should have at least 4 observations of the sun with date and time.  Observations should be spaced approximately a week apart.  You can draw the sun right on the picture.  You should record the place where you first see it (for sunrise) or the place where you last see it (for sunset).  Some students have asked about using a photograph for the background rather than a drawing.  This is fine.

Part 2:  Moon Observations.   You need at least 8 observations.  You can present them on a single data table.  See the hand-out (in documents) for the 5 things that you need for each observation.  The moon can be observed from any location and can be observed many days in a row.  Observations do not have to be a week apart as with the sun.

Part 3:  Reflection.  See hand-out for details.  You should include what you have learned by doing this project.  This should not just be a "copy and paste" from the internet.  If you are inspired, you can write your own poem or song about the sun, stars, or moon.