Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Nov. 30, 2009

Physics: Today we did a lab to allow us to calculate the force of gravity on an object. Tomorrow, we will discuss the findings of this lab, and then work on quantitatively solving force diagrams.

AP Chemistry: We continued our discussion on Chapter 8.

Chemistry: We reviewed for tomorrow's unit 3 exam.

Physical Science: Today we did an activity to explore what periodic nature means, and how we can organize a set of objects in a periodic fashion. No new homework.

Monday, November 29, 2010

Nov. 29, 2010

I hope that everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving breaks. Here is what we have going on today in science.

Physics: We whiteboarded problems from WS#1 on Force Diagrams. We will finish this up tomorrow, and then look into how to quantitatively solve for those forces. No homework tonight.

AP Chemistry: We began chapter 8 material today on Electron Configurations and Periodic Trends. The Mole Ratio lab is due on Wednesday of this week. The Pre-Lab write up for our next lab is due on Monday. This will be the Activity Series of Elements Lab. The Chapter 8 Quiz will be next week Tuesday, followed by the Unit Exam for Chapter's 7 and 8 on Thursday. Chapter 8 homework will be due on the day of the Unit Exam.

Chemistry and Physical Science: Due to the number of absences in these courses over the last week, today we used class time to make-up work, tests, quizzes, etc. There is no new homework for either class. Chemistry was assigned a Unit 3 Review last week, which we will cover in class tomorrow, so they should have this done.

Atom Models!

Atom Models were due today. So far, there are lots of great looking ones for sure. I will post some pictures later this week, so you can see all the hard work put into the project.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

November 24, 2010

Physics:  We wrapped up talking about Newton's First Law of Motion. Then we began looking at how we can diagram the forces acting on objects, so that they follow Newton's 1st and 3rd Laws of Motion. I assigned a Force Diagram WS that is due on Monday.

AP Chemistry: We reviewed the quiz from yesterday, and students had a chance to make corrections to the errors they had on the quiz. The Mole Ratio Lab is due on Wednesday of next week, and our next quiz will be on Tuesday, December 7.

Chemistry: Today we played a review game that covered some of the topics from class thus far this year. No homework for Monday. Students who were absent will have time in class to make up work missed (From hunting or vacations) on Monday, November 29. Other students should bring other work to work on.

Physical Science: We also played a review game today. Atom Models are still due on Monday, November 29. Please make sure your child is working on getting it done.

Have a good Thanksgiving everyone!

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Nov. 23, 2010

Physical Science: Today we took the Unit 4 Exam. HUGE reminder: Atom Models are due on Monday, November 29. This is true for ALL students, even those who missed class over the past few days. Please refer to the post from last week, in which I give a talk about the project. If students have any questions during Thanksgiving break, they may e-mail me at school, and if I get access to a computer, I might be able to reply.

Physics: Today we continued talking about the broom ball activity from last week. We will finish up this discussion tomorrow.

Chemistry: I assigned the Unit 3 Review for class tomorrow. We will be taking this exam next week, after the break.

AP Chemistry: Today we took the Chapter 7 Quiz. Homework was also due for that chapter. We will begin Chapter 8 tomorrow.

Friday, November 19, 2010

Nov. 19, 2010

I will not be here on Monday, November 22. The next posting will be on Tuesday the 23rd.

Physics: Today we did an activity that focused on the kinesthetic learning of forces. We had an obstacle course which we then pushed a bowling ball through using the bristles of a broom. I assigned a lab write-up on this activity which is to be done by Tuesday.

AP Chemistry: We worked on homework problems for chapter 7. We will be doing a lab on Monday, so the write-up for that needs to be done. We will also have a morning session on Tuesday, so go over homework, which is the same day as the quiz for this chapter.

Chemistry: We went over WS 4 on multiple-step heating curve problems. We will be having a quiz on this material, and energy bar graphs, on Monday. Tuesday we will be going over the quiz, and starting a review for the unit.

Physical Science: We finished talking about the Atom today, and I assigned the unit review WS. This is due on Monday. Students were also assigned a text book for this WS since they will need a periodic table, and it will also be helpful in looking up information about their atom models.

Students will be going over the review assignment on Monday, and taking the short Unit 4 Exam on Tuesday.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Atom Model Project

Here is a video outlining the Atom Model Project.

Nov. 18, 2010

Physics: today we went over the force diagrams I had students draw in class yesterday. There is no new homework for tonight.

AP Chemistry: We finished going over material from chapter 7. There will be no morning help session, as we will use class time to go over material. The next lab write-up is due on Monday.

Chemistry: We went over multi-change energy problems in class. I assigned WS 4 for class tomorrow.

Physical Science: We went over material about the atom, and there was no new homework. I will be posting a video about the Atom Model Project, which is due on Monday, November 29. Please watch in case you have any questions.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Nov. 16, 2010

Physics: Today we continued looking at the relationship between two objects interacting with one another. From this we were able to define Newton's 3rd Law of Motion. I assigned a reading about Force Diagrams that is to be read for tomorrow.

AP Chemistry: Today we discussed Atomic Spectra. Homework for Chapter 7 will be due next Tuesday, and the lab write-up for our next lab, Determination of the Mole Ratio of Reactants, is due on Monday.

Chemistry: Today we talked about heat capacity problems, and white boarded yesterday's assignment. There is no new homework.

As an aside, lately students have not been completing homework assignments, based upon not reading all of the directions. That was a major issue on today's assignment. As a reminder, if assignments are not done in their entirety, students will receive a score of 0 out of 5. Only completed work will receive a 5 out of 5 when spot checked.

Physical Science: We took the Unit 3 Exam today, and then I gave out the Unit 4 Pre-Test. The pre-test is due at the start of the hour tomorrow. Many students may have turned it in right away after the test.

Monday, November 15, 2010

Nov. 15, 2010

First I just wanted to let everyone know that I will not be in school on Wednesday, November 17. I will be attending the CWC Academic Partnership meeting in Tri-County. This is a great opportunity for me as an educator to meet up with other science teachers in the CWC to discuss curriculum matters.

For a few of the classes that day, I will be recording a video lecture; one of the benefits to having a SMARTBoard in my room. I will post those lectures here in case students want to review what was discussed.


Physics: Today we went over the unit exam from last Friday. We then began our discussion on forces, but looking at the forces acting on a book, resting on a table. Tomorrow we will further investigate the forces in this situation.

AP Chemistry: We looked over the unit exam last week, and then began looking at Chapter 7, which is an introduction to Quantum Theory. This will be a slow moving unit (if there is such a thing in AP) as material will be very abstract, and very different from everything that students have been taught in the past. I encourage students to read and study this chapter, and chapter 8, over the next few weeks. Reading the book could be a big help.

Physical Science: In class today we went over the unit review for the test tomorrow. Students who were gone on Friday picked up this assignment today, and are expected to take the test tomorrow after sitting through today's unit review discussion.

Chemistry: Today we talked about specific heat capacity, heat of vaporization, and heat of fusion. This is how we quantify the energy being absorbed by a system or lost by a system while matter undergoes a temperature change of a phase change. I assigned WS 3, which deals with single changes. After studying this, we will look at how to deal with situations where we want to measure the energy change for multiple changes.

Friday, November 12, 2010

Nov. 12, 2010

Physics: Today we took the Unit 3 Exam. We will begin Unit 4 on Monday.

AP Chemistry: Today we took a unit exam. We will begin Chapter 7 on Monday. Also, the Hess's Law Lab is also due on Monday.

Chemistry: Today we discussed the energy bar graph assignment from Wednesday. There is no new homework for this weekend.

Physical Science: Today we discussed WS 3 from Unit 3. I assigned the Unit Review assignment for next Monday. Students who missed class due to the field trip will need to pick this assignment up, and have it done for the test on Tuesday.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Nov. 11, 2010

Today is Veteran's Day, and as such I would like to extend my gratitude to all of our veteran's who have served our country, and have defended this great nation. Thank you.


Physics, Chemistry, and AP Chemistry: Due to our Veteran's Day Program, and students involved in helping with that event, these classes did not meet, and were not assigned any new homework today. Please see yesterday's post for any work due on Friday.

Physical Science: Today we discussed properties of gases. I also assigned WS 3 to go along with this lecture. We will be wrapping up this unit next week, so we will be having the Unit Review coming up, as well as the Unit Exam.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Nov. 10, 2010

Physics: Today we reviewed for the Unit 3 Exam. We will be taking this test on Friday, since tomorrow students will be missing class so that they may serve breakfast to our Veteran's for Veteran's Day.

AP Chemistry: We reviewed for our next Unit Exam, which will be on Friday.

Chemistry: We finished going over Energy Bar graphs, and then I assigned WS 2 for homework. Due to the Veteran's Day program, we will be going over this assignment on Friday.

Physical Science: We did not get very far into the Viscosity Lab, so we finished that up today. The post-lab for this assignment is due tomorrow.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Nov. 9, 2010

Physics: Today we had work time, since the majority of class was gone at a Josten's presentation. Tomorrow we will go over the Unit 3 Review.

AP Chemistry: Today we took the CH 6 Quiz. Tomorrow we will review for the next Unit Exam.

Chemistry: Today we went over how we can track changes in energy during a state of matter change. For this we will be using energy bar graphs. After a short presentation, we began going over problems on WS 1. Tomorrow we will work on WS 2 independently during class time.

Physical Science:

5th Hour: We did a lab activity on Viscosity. the follow-up to this lab was to rank the substances in order of their viscosity, and write a statement about how the order compared to their hypothesis.

8th Hour: Students have not been grasping or participating in class discussion on the new material from this unit. So today, I assigned section review material from the textbook, and gave students quiet work time on this material. Students are to read Sections 1-3 in Chapter 3 of the text, and work on the questions from the handouts assigned. These assignments will be due tomorrow.

After discussing the situation, students have decided to take extra effort outside of class to learn the material, so that we can do more hands on activities in class. The above assignments were not assigned.

Monday, November 8, 2010

Nov. 8, 2010

Physics: Today we finished up looking at our acceleration model. I assigned the Unit 3 review and Interpreting Motion Graphs WS for class tomorrow. We will be taking the unit test on Wednesday of this week, and then the Kinematics Graphs Diagnostic on Thursday.

AP Chemistry: We finished up the Hess's Law Lab today, and began working on some calculations. Tomorrow we will have the Chapter 6 Quiz, and then review for Thursday's unit exam.

Chemistry: We discussed the results and meaning of our Icy Hot Lab from Thursday. Then I assigned a short reading assignment with study guide, to preview the rest of the week.

Physical Science: Today we finished the discussion on fluid behavior. Students were assigned WS 2 when this was done.

Friday, November 5, 2010

Nov. 5, 2010

Today we had a half day, so I only have Physical Science to report on.

Physical Science: We started discussing the behaviors of fluids, and their relationship to the Kinetic Theory of Matter. We took some notes, and there is no homework for Monday.


As a reminder, AP Chemistry will meet Monday morning for a review session on Chapter 6 homework.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Nov. 4, 2010

Physics: today we went over WS 4 from yesterday. We did not quite finish it, which we will on Monday. We will also begin reviewing for the unit exam at that time.

AP Chemistry: We started the Hess's Law Lab. Data collection and clean-up will be finished on Monday. monday is also the morning for the help session.

Chemistry: We started Unit 3 by talking about the difference between the terms temperature, thermal energy, and heat. They are often used interchangeably, but they do not mean the same thing. Then we ended the class with a lab, where all we did was collect data. No homework for Monday.

Physical Science: Today we did the Buoyancy Lab. Student had to collect data, and then begin working on post-lab questions. These questions are due at the start of class tomorrow.

*Due to the half day tomorrow, Physics, AP Chem, and 3rd hour Chemistry are not meeting.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Nov. 3, 2010

Physics: We finished looking at the bridging assignment (WS 3) and are now going into purely quantitative problems that deal with accelerating point masses. I assigned WS 4 for tomorrows class.

AP Chemistry: We finished our look at Enthalpy today. Tomorrow, we begin our Hess's Law lab, so the prelab write-up is due tomorrow.

Chemistry: We took the Unit 2 Exam today. This is the last grade for 1st quarter. Tomorrow we begin looking at how energy influences states of matter.

Physical Science: We began today by recapping the discussion from our Double-Beaker Lab. Then we began a discussion on how matter is influenced by changes in energy. I assigned Unit 3 WS 1 for homework tomorrow.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Nov. 2, 2010

Physics: Today we went over our assignment from yesterday, bridging the gap from qualitative analysis of accelerating point masses to quantitative analysis. We will finish that up tomorrow, and then move on to our next assignment. no homework tonight.

AP Chemistry: We continued our discussion on Enthalpy and Thermochemistry today. We will wrap up the lecture portion of this unit tomorrow. Thursday we will be doing the Thermochemistry Lab: Hess's Law, so that lab write-up is due by then. Our next quiz is next week Tuesday (9) and homework will be due on Thursday (11). Thursday will also be the day of our Unit Exam.

Chemistry: We went over the Unit 2 Review, for our test tomorrow. Please make sure people are studying for this exam. It will be the last assignment of 1st quarter.

Physical Science: Today we made white boards of our results from lab yesterday and discussed what students thought was going on. This upcoming unit will look at how energy plays a role in the changes of state of substances and their changing temperatures. It will also highlight the behaviors of liquids and gases. No new homework tonight.

Monday, November 1, 2010

Nov. 1, 2010

I can't believe it's November already, and that first quarter is coming to a close.

Physics: We are going to slow things down a little while finishing up our accelerating particle unit. We took questions on last weeks assignment, and talked about the different ways to solve problems. In fact, over the weekend I attended the Wisconsin Association of Physics Teachers Annual Meeting at UW-River Falls, where this was a topic of discussion. Professionals at the high school and university level agree that in order for a student to truly understand a phenomenon, they must be able to analyze or articulate it in 4-5 different ways. We are pursuing that level of knowledge in this class.

Though students in this class are very talented in a variety of areas, they need to be able to approach problems in the forms of graphs, diagrams, equations, and verbal explanations. We are going to make sure that we dedicate enough time in these areas to ensure that we are achieving the depth of knowledge to truly understand classical Newtonian mechanics.

For tomorrow, I assigned WS 3. It is due at the beginning of class.

AP Chemistry: We have finished up Chapter 4, and are moving on to Chapter 6, Thermochemistry. This is the last of the carry over material from last year. Homework and chapter quiz will be due next Tuesday, November 9. The Analysis of Silver in an Alloy lab is due tomorrow. This lab will be the last grade for 1st quarter, as last weeks homework and quiz will be the start of 2nd quarter.

Chemistry: We started off going over some questions from last weeks Gas Pressure assignment. then we went over the review for Wednesday's Unit 2 Exam. The review assignment is due tomorrow at the beginning of the hour.

Physical Science: We rearranged lab groups, and then began unit 3 with an activity. In this lab, students gathered the temperature of two different beakers every minute for 20 minutes. for homework, they need to plot both sets of data on one graph. to do this, they should set time as the independent variable, and temperature as the dependent variable. Then they should plot one set of temperature-time data and a time. Each resulting line should be connected by its own line.

Data must be plotted on the same graph. It is necessary for accurate comparisons. The graph is due at the beginning of class tomorrow.