August 20th-24th Welcome back to the first week of the school year, 2018-2019. I had the pleasure of getting to know your child more through my classroom activities. As of the first week, I usually began the school year with plenty of fun activities where the students are able to feel comfortable and express their creativity skills when engaging in a several fun lab experiments such as creating the biggest bubbles, accumulating water drops on a penny and exploring the classroom with common lab equipment which will be introduced in the next unit. The pictures will be uploaded on this website weekly. Enjoy!
August 27th-31st Unit 1: ScienceSafetyandCreatingthe ScienceNotebook This lesson addresses science safety in the classroom as well as setting up the science notebook. Students were taught to learn how to use safety equipment in order to conduct indoor lab and outdoor field investigations safely.
September 3rd-7th Unit 1: Investigating Chemicals This unit bundles student expectations that address the differences between elements and compounds, and the evidence of chemical change. This is students’ first experience with the concepts of elements, compounds, and chemical change. The students also had an opportunity to explore the properties of Matter and calculating density using its unique formulas.
September 10th-14th Unit 1: Investigating Chemicals (Continued) The students continue to investigate on the concept of matter and finding densities for few different items. The students started to gather data and incorporate into their lab reports sharing the results. They also learned how to write the lab report starting with the title, hypothesis, materials, procedure, observation and conclusion. We will start to learn more about Physical Properties of Matter next week.
September 17th-21st Unit 2: Physical Properties of Matter In this lesson, students just learned how to use physical properties to compare metals, non-metals, and metalloids. Students will use comparative and descriptive investigations to separate metals, non-metals, and metalloids by their physical properties. Students will learn how the periodic table is used to classify metals, non-metals, and metalloids by their properties. In addition to this, the students were also thrilled to receive their new i Pads as part of their educational learning experiences.
September 24th-28th Unit 2: Physical Properties of Matter (Continued) In this lesson, students continued to collect the data about the physical properties and understanding chemical reaction through lab experiment. The students also enjoyed observing chemical reactions through different substances. We also had an opportunity to work on the lab report related to the water displacement.
October 1st-5th Unit 2: Physical Properties of Matter (Continued) In this lesson, students will compare minerals using physical properties. Students will test physical properties, such as streak, color, hardness, cleavage, and fracture. In the previous lesson, students calculated the density of a cube and calculated the density of irregular objects, using volume by displacement. By the way, Happy October 1st at the latest ;)
October 8th-12th Unit 2: Physical Properties of Matter (Continued) For the this week, the students had an opportunity to test physical properties, such as streak, color, hardness, cleavage, and fracture. It was fun to test those properties with scientific measurement tools. We will wrap up the unit with a post-assessment and we are ready to display our fun times during Homecoming Spirit Week!
October 15th-19th Unit 2: Physical Properties of Matter (Continued) We just had a fantastic Homecoming Spirit Week and we did not let the bizarre weather dampen us :) We just worked on the Mineral Identification identifying various properties. We finally finished up with the unit; Physical Properties of Matter, the students were extremely busy preparing and taking the unit tests. We all enjoyed the fun stimulation of craziness week with various fun themes. Enjoy your homecoming weekend! The 1st 9-week period is about to end today.
October 22nd-26th (One of the fastest weeks ;) Unit 3: Force and Motion Students will investigate motion through a variety of activities in order to identify changes in position and direction and the speed of an object. Students will also graph changes in motion. Specifically in this lesson, students will graph distance vs. time and speed vs. time.
October 29th-November 2nd *Halloween Celebration* Unit 3: Force and Motion We started the week with fun pumpkin carvings competition designing their most creative logos. The fun part was seeing how students came up with an idea and worked together as a team. The winners of the competition received a bunch of candies ;0
In addition to the lesson, the students were learning how to compare three different kinds of energy; potential, kinetic and mechanical. The students also had an opportunity to discuss and share their opinions about the topic of Global Warming, which is always fascinating to learn and share.
November 5th-9th (Election Week) Unit 4: Force and Motion Students investigate motion through a variety of activities in order to identify changes in position and direction and the speed of an object including three kinds of energy; radiation, convection and conduction. Students will also graph changes in motion. Specifically in this lesson, students will graph distance vs. time and speed vs. time.
November 12th-16th (Pre-Thanksgiving Week) Unit 4: Force and Motion Students had an opportunity to run around the track field to record their distance and speed. Most of the students did pretty good running around the track field. Specifically in this lesson, students will graph distance vs. time and speed vs. time.
November 26th-30th (Tough week ;) Unit 4: Force and Motion We started the week with a fun bingo activity and we had a lot of fun. Students had an opportunity to test the time and distance by tossing the ball across the flat surface. The student recorded the time for each toss then figure out the average speed. Afterwards, all of the students will compare with the results and write a lab report following the action.
December 3rd-7th Unit 4: Force and Motion (final lesson) We basically studied on the measurement of acceleration including force and centripetal to determine the circular path of gravity. It was fun learning about those interesting elements related to forces. The unit test will be scheduled next week.
December 10th-14th Unit 4: Force and Motion (Wrap-up) We focused on the lesson of machines; lever, pulley, fulcrum, screws and wheel & axle defining their functions and purposes for making living easier. We also learned about how simple machines increase and decrease the amount of work. That's the completion of our unit and the students will take a test based on the Force and Motion. Good luck!
December 17th-21st Final Exam Week (No photos available)
January 8th-11th Unit 5: Energy Resources Welcome back and we hope you all had a well-deserved winter break. We are ready to embrace the new year of 2019! During this lesson, students research and debate the advantages and disadvantages of using specified energy resources. We will learn about material resources that are classified as renewable and nonrenewable items.
January 14th-18th Unit 5: Energy Resources (Continued) Students continued to learn about renewable and nonrenewable items and classified based on its characteristics. Students also learned about the coal and oil origins and how were they created naturally.
January 22nd-25th Unit 5: Energy Resources (Continued) Students continued to learn about renewable and nonrenewable items and classified based on its characteristics. The students had an opportunity to research through the internet and gather information for the energy source they plan to work on. The students will also use power point to explain the advantages and disadvantages of using renewable energy sources.
January 28th-February 1st Unit 5: Energy Resources (Continued) Students continued to learn about renewable and nonrenewable items and classified based on its characteristics. The students had an opportunity to research through the internet and gather information for the energy source they plan to work on. The students will also use power point to explain the advantages and disadvantages of using renewable energy sources.
February 4th-8th Unit 5: Energy Resources (Final week) Students shared their interactive keynotes to accumulate all of the research information on each energy resource. We all enjoyed learning and watching the students giving a formal presentation. KUDOS to all of the students for completing their ENERGY RESOURCE research projects.
February 11th-15th Unit 5: Energy Resources (Exam week) Students are catching up with the unit review and studied hard to get fully prepared for the test.
February 19th-22nd Unit 6: Minerals and Rocks Students will classify igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks based on the processes of their formation. They will develop an understanding of the multiple pathways of the rock cycle.
February 25th-March 1st Unit 6: Minerals and Rocks (Continued) Students are able to classify igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks based on the processes of their formation. They also developed an understanding of the multiple pathways of the rock cycle.
March 4th-8th Unit 6: Minerals and Rocks (Continued) Students have completed reviewing the unit on the minerals and rocks. Good luck on the test part!
March 11th-15th (Pre-Spring Break vacation ;) Unit 6/7: Fun activities all week Students have few fun activities related to the Amazing Water Properties and we experimented with various supplies to make it fun and exciting. The photos will be an self-explanatory ;)
March 25th-29th (Post-Spring Break vacation ;) Unit 7: The Dynamic Earth The students are learning about the movement of tectonic plates, which accounts for important features of Earth's surface and for major geological events.
April 1st-5th Unit 7: The Dynamic Earth The students learned about 9 major plate tectonics and how did Earthquakes happen frequently along the ring of fire. We also studied the fault types including the boundary zones such as convergent, divergent and transform. We will have an Unit test coming up soon.
April 8th-12th Unit 7: The Dynamic Earth (Final week) The students had an opportunity to review the concept of Plate Tectonics, Earthquakes, Volcanoes and the Natural Disaster. We will have our Unit Test being scheduled on Monday of April 15th. Good luck!
April 15th-18th Unit 7: The Dynamic Earth (Final week) The students continued to work on the tectonic plates and took the test as well. (No photos available)
April 22nd-May 3rd Unit 8: The Solar System In this unit, students will research the physical properties, locations, and movements of the Sun, planets, Galilean moons, meteors, asteroids, and comets. They will construct a scale model and display the researched characteristics, as well as the advantages and limitations of the model. We also had a nice opportunity to be part of Earth's Day Webinar conference with the four deaf panelists who specialized in the field of STEM. The students enjoyed learning and listening about their motives for making an impact to the Earth's Day.
May 6th-10th (Continued) Unit 8: The Solar System In this unit, students continue to research on the physical properties, locations, and movements of the Sun, planets, Galilean moons, meteors, asteroids, and comets.
May 13th-24th (Final weeks of the Solar System) Unit 8-9: The Solar System and Space Exploration The students will take an unit test on the Solar System and will continue to investigate on the Space Exploration. The kids are about to end their studies by May 24th then there will be a fun week of field trip and awards' day! Thank you all for everything you do for your kids.