Physical Science: WA Textbook Tour

Physical Science: 8^th Grade

1.       What type of resources does the textbook’s web site offer? http://www.classzone.com/books/ml_sci_physical/?state=VA

a.__________________________________________

b.__________________________________________

c.__________________________________________

d.__________________________________________

2.   Describe how to measure density by displacement. _________________________________________________________________________________

3. What materials are needed to explore ‘Solids and Liquids’ on p. 27? _________________________________________________________________________________

4.  What year was calorimetry founded?  _______ By whom? _______________________________

5.  How many copies of the Periodic Table are in the textbook? ________________

6.  What type of plastic has is Code 6? ___________________

7.  Name the ‘Big Idea’ for Forces. _____________________________________________________

8.  Differentiate between frequency and pitch. ________________________________________________________________________________

9. The photo on p.574 differentiates between objects which are transparent, translucent, and opaque.  What is the object displayed?  ________________________

10.  Which career is spotlighted on p. 619? ___________________________

11.  Differentiate between precision and accuracy. _____________________________________________________________________________________

12.  How many units are in your textbook? _____________  Chapters? ______________

Earth Science: WA Textbook Tour

Earth Science

1.        Go to the publisher’s online web site at http://www.glencoe.com/sec/science/earthscience/.  Does the book cover look the same?  Explain._______________________________________

2.       What is the ‘problem of the week’ on the web site?__________________________________

3.       Name three resources available on the site.

a.__________________________________

b.__________________________________

c.__________________________________

4.  One skill necessary for Earth Science is mapping!  What types of map are listed on p.39?

              a._______________________

              b._______________________

              c._______________________

              d._______________________

              e._______________________

5.  Name the ‘Launch Lab’ in Chapter Four. _____________________________

6.  What does a glaciologist study? ____________________________________

7.  What materials are required to do the Mini-lab, ‘Model and Artesian Well’? _________________________________________________________________________________

8.  Explain what a ‘foldable’ is. ________________________________________________________

9.  What is the purpose underlying ‘Visualizing the Basin and Range Province’?___________________________________________________________________________

10.  On which page is a physiographic map of earth located? _____________

11. What is the title of the Expedition on p.917? __________________________________

12. What is a DBQ? __________________________________________________________

Life Science: WA Textbook Tour

Textbook Tour: Life Science

1.       What resources are on the publisher’s web page to support your text book?  (The website in the textbook has changed.  Check here: http://www.classzone.com/books/ml_sci_life/)   

Name three.

a._________________________________________________________

b._________________________________________________________

c._________________________________________________________

2.  Timeline in Science, p.234, is titled, Life Unearthed.  What year was the coelacanth discovered? _____

3.  What is the ‘Big Idea’ for Heredity? _____________________________________________________

4.  Locate the lab investigation extracting DNA. ______________________________________________

5.  Locate the ‘Think Science’ note titled, “How did the deep-sea angler get its glow?” _______________

6.  ‘Making a Field Guide’ requires which pieces of information to identify a specimen?

           a.__________________________________________________

           b.__________________________________________________

           c.__________________________________________________

           d.__________________________________________________

7.  Which bird is pictured on p.248? ______________________

8.  The micrograph on p.343 displays a bacterium before and after treatment with penicillin.  Describe how the bacterium looks after exposure to penicillin. ___________________________________________________________________________________

9.  What is the purpose to the Chapter Investigation, ‘Which Seeds Will Grow?’_____________________________________________________________________________

10.  What is the difference between an insect and an arachnid?       ___________________________________________________________________________________

11. On which page is the annotated and labelled diagram of a microscope?   ______________

12.  Living things can be classified into three domains.  How can domains be divided? ___________________________________________________________________________________

Physical Science: Apologia Intro

The first class, the Physical Science students will join the Chemistry class to complete a thorough introduction to Inquiry-based instruction.  The next module is about Air.  Expect class activities which review layers of the atmosphere.

Chemistry: Apologia Introduction

Chemistry requires some time to introduce.  Here is an outline of the introductory activities which may take one or two sessions to complete.
1. Safety, Administrivia, Course Expectations
2. Inquiry-based instruction
3. Claim-evidence-reasoning
4. Inquiry blocks
5. Checks Activity
6. Science Fair
7. Kool-aid Conversions
8. Bowling for Density
9. Periodic Table cards
10. Periodic Table Test
11. Accuracy and Precision Lab
12. Evidence for Chemical Change

Physical Science: WA Overview

Physical Science is basically an introduction to Chemistry and Physics.  Once the class has had an introduction to safety and inquiry based instruction, the term starts with Chemistry, namely the Periodic Table, an important tool.

Periodic Table Background: http://www.chem4kids.com/files/elem_intro.html
1.  How are the elements named and how are they organized?
2. Create a safety bumper sticker.  Now create one using the elements' symbols.
3. Annotate a blank periodic table.

Properties of Matter
1. Observations of a burning candle
2. What are properties of matter?
3.  Heat Curve Lab
4. Surface Temperature Activity
5. Physical and Chemical Properties
6. Elements, Mixtures, and Compounds Activity
7. Measures Lab
8. Mixtures Lab
9. Density Lab

Earth Science: WA Overview Introduction

Earth Science
Right after completing some safety instructions and administrivia, the class will start to map the school property as an introduction to maps, a key, geological skill.  The first classes focus on skills, such as maps, inquiry-based instruction, and evidence-based reasoning.  (The Biology/Life Science blog has links should your student need ideas organizing a notebook.)

Map the Schoolyard: USGS has a great introductory unit to introduce maps.
http://education.usgs.gov/lessons/schoolyard/MapSketch.html

Project-based Learning or PBLs are an important means to tie seemingly disparate topics into one cohesive idea.  The class will test Fueling the Car of Tomorrow.
http://eng-sci.udmercy.edu/pre-college/alt_fuel_curriculum/files/Teacher%20Curriculum%209-09.pdf

Inductive Models of Thinking:  Rocks
1.  The class will make observations of a group of rock and mineral specimens.
2. Do any of the rocks have layers?  Crystals?  Are the crystals arranged in layers or bands?  Are the crystals similar?
3.  The groups in class will start to sort the specimens.  Why are the rocks within a group similar?  What are the similarities between the groups?  What are the relationships between the groups?
4.  Could a rock in one group form a rock in another group?  Why are there differences in crystal size?  Color?  Arrangement of crystals?  Is there a relationship between a rock and the formation in which it is found?
5.  What characteristics are important in grouping rocks?  What could you conclude about your groups and grouping?

New Set of Rocks:
1. Which reveals more about a rock's origins: texture or mineral composition?
2. How was the rock formed?  What do large crystals tell you about a rock?  What do small crystals tell you about a rock?
3. What would happen to sand on a beach buried by layers of sediment, squeezed and heated?  What type of rock would form?  What if the beach sand melted?
4.  What is the rock's history?  What is the relationship between its coarseness or smoothness and the distance from its source?

Life Science: WA Introduction

Life Science is part of Biology.
First things first.  There are a number of skills necessary for Biology.  Once, the class has reviewed some safety guidelines and completed some administrative tasks, it is time to work on a few skills: creating food webs, understanding dichotomous keys, maintaining a field notebook, and using scientific tools, such as a microscope.

Food Webs:  The first step is to brainstorm species near the school yard.  Next, the class will step outside.  This is a good link describing the components of a foodweb.
http://www.edline.net/pages/slrms/Classes/21445079061530613/News/Food_Web_Project

Dichotomous Keys: Guidebooks are useful to identify species and use dichotomous keys.  Once the teens have sampled some keys, they will create one for buttons.  Here are examples.
http://www.biologycorner.com/worksheets/pamishan.html
http://www.allenisd.org/cms/lib/TX01001197/Centricity/ModuleInstance/6965/Dichotomous%20Key%20Practice%20-%202010.pdf

Notebooks or lapbooks: Students need to keep records, take a few notes, and store their work.  Here are a few suggested ways to compile their materials.
Cornell Notes: http://lsc.cornell.edu/LSC_Resources/cornellsystem.pdf
Blank: http://www.tubmancharter.org/ourpages/auto/2013/5/14/32317435/Cornell%20Notes%20Template.pdf
Lapbooks vs. Notebooks: http://notebookingfairy.com/2012/01/qa-lapbooking-versus-notebooking/

Inquiry Based Instruction: What can we do for the play yard at school?

Claim-Evidence-Reasoning: Using a data set, the students will explain whether the liquids are all the same.  This is an introduction to the CER process.
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/science-inquiry-claim-evidence-reasoning-eric-brunsell

Cells: Collect materials for a cell model.  Clean out the junk drawer!
AAAS has a good unit.
http://sciencenetlinks.com/lessons/cells-1-make-a-model-cell/

NSTA Recommends: Product Review

NSTA Recommends: Product Review

Here is my review!

Dino Treasures

Dino Treasures

Here is the new book, due out this fall.  I just reviewed it for NSTA and the book with Arbordale's resource guide make a robust addition to an early elementary classroom.

Dino Tracks

Dino Tracks

I just reviewed the companion book, Dino Treasures, for NSTA.  Arbordale has a huge resource manual on its website for teachers, which amplifies both books.  Dino Treasures should be out later this fall.