Oct 6 October 6, 2009
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This is the last day that I am posting on this since the other website is up…I think…..
Monday (Oct 5) October 5, 2009
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OH…be sure to check out my new website…..should be live tomorrow or the next day…….go to Haltom’s website…click on deparment..then science….then my name
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1st day of the new six weeks. We kicked it off with a bit of notes…..some more practice on the balancing and some more practice on the counting atoms……along some mole to gram and gram to mole calc……with a few density problems thrown in
tomorrow we will move on to putting compounds together since we have the basic skills laid down…….though we wil continue to do many counting and more balancing practice along the way……..to maintain and strengthen their skills…
October 2 – Friday October 2, 2009
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The students did a Half-life lab today (Radioactivity). They all seemed to like it and finally was getting the concept of half-life down.
This was the last day of the six weeks….so if you notice that your child did not do as good as you wanted…..please push them to do better next six weeks. Many of my kids are finally figuring out that although the TAKS Take-Home test practice is a bit long…..that they do help out their grade………since each is counted as a test grage. Hopefully, it is helping their writing and thinking skills also since they have to write/think in complete sentences…rather than just give answers.
Anyway, if their grade is low….they probably are one of the ones that are dragging their heels about getting the test packets done……so please encourage them to get started every Thursday on their new TAKS packet so they can get it in the next Thursday. On the first thursday of 2nd six weeks(obj 5 is due).
Don’t forget that the 9th and the 12th are staff development days for the teachers. ..so the kiddos will have a 4 day weekend.
Benchmark tests for science I think is the 8th of October so we will have that instead of a regular chemistry test.
Monday (Sep 28) September 28, 2009
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Students can still turn in their TAKS packets (all six week’s long). I take late points off the homework and will not take homework after a week…but the TAKS practice packets is something that I REALLy want the kiddos to do so I don’t take points off of that and they can turn them in all six weeks long. I usually click zeros after a week though to remind them to get them in.
If you need to download and homework assignment/notes….you can do that. The daily work I don’t post since I omit for the kids that are absent…..and the students should be finishing that in class each day and gettin it turned in that day……..
Anyway, please check over your child’s grades to see what they are missing and help them make a plan to get things in…..TAKS packets…..homework not over a week old….and retaking any test (for up to 100 points..yeah)
Friday (Sep 25) September 25, 2009
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Today we did a cool Non-newtonian Fluid lab……..the kids seemed to like it.
Oh I’m posting my notes on the mole to gram and gram to mole conversions…check in notes section…
Wed- (Sep 23) September 23, 2009
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We did more density calculation practice today. Most of the kids are now comfortable with it……and the ones that didn’t know how to rearrange before……most are learning with my method I showed them. The kids though…that already know how to rearrnage can do it whatever way that works for them…just have to show some work.
Sep 21 (Monday) September 21, 2009
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Thanks for those that came to Open House……extra credit is always nice…isn’t it.
We were working on some math skills today that will come in handy down the line……
Tomorrow, we will be working some desnity problems and the students will be learning how to rearrange ( in case they don’t already know)……..
Density = Mass/Volume……..
OH, the kids that looked at their gummy bears today were thrilled at the desnity transformation……..
Friday (Sep 18) September 18, 2009
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Today the kids were discovering density via a lab.
They were guessing if certain things could sink or float and were measuring volume, recording mass, and caclulating the density of regular and irregular objects. Their question at the end was ….will my gummy bear have a greater less or the same density if I leave it over the weekend in a cup of water…….we will check on Monday…if they were correct on their guess…..
Monday we will go into density calculations, and how to rearrange formulas since many students can’t remember and guess……but if they learn my dyslexic technique that I’m teaching them on Monday….they won’t have to ever guess again……(and no it is not the triangle…..most kids that have trouble rearrnaging….have trouble with remembering where to put the letters in the triangle as well….)
Tuesday (Sep 15) September 15, 2009
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90% of the kids are pretty much good with sig figs/scientific notation along with precision/accuracy basics…..and with mean/median/and mode. We did the third practice today…….
The test is on Thursday. I’ll be out tomorrow since I’ve been sick with a sinus infection all week and finally am totally “out of it” and am losing my voice a bit……so the kids will watch a science film tomorrow……(Finish Dante’s Peak) that they started when I was out to a funeral….
lab is on Friday as usual
Sep 14 September 14, 2009
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We made it past the 3 weeks progress time mark……a little less than 3 weeks to go for the report cards…….so 5 and 1/2 six weeks until the end of the year……… 1/12 done……
Anyway, the students are currently working on sig figs, scientific notation, precision, and accuracy. (with mean, median, and mode) also
We did metric last week and I’m probably going to keep some metric problems for a long time since it will help them when we get to the mole/gram conversions…..since when we don’t do it for awhile…they totally forget…
The students are progressing well so far…….
