Science is an imaginative adventure of the mind seeking truth in a world of mystery.
Sir Cyril Herman Hinshelwood

Monday, March 26, 2012

Unchained Reaction

The Mythbusters have come up with a new TV show called Unchained Reaction. 
About Unchained Reaction
Unchained Reaction — executive produced and judged by Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman of MythBusters — is a new six-part series that pits two teams of varying backgrounds against each other to build an elaborate chain reaction contraption.

But believe us, they're not just creating a mere string of dominoes; teams must utilize ingenuity, innovation and know-how to build contraptions on a massive scale.

Each week, two teams made up of artists, rocket scientists, animatronic specialists, engineers — and even your average Joe — are provided with identical sets of tools and materials and given five days to complete a series of mechanisms based on a specific theme. It's the ultimate build-off pressure cooker, where refined mechanical movements, pyrotechnics and large-scale destruction are encouraged.

Making a refrigerator a pendulum? Totally possible on Unchained Reaction. Catapults? Flying saucers? Guillotines? Anything goes as long as they trigger the next link in the chain.

Teamwork and outside-the-box thinking are what it will take to be the Unchained Reaction winner, as teams compete to see who can achieve the most impressive build in such a short time. Each week, Jamie and Adam are joined by a new guest judge to decide which team impressed them the most with their innovation, energy and how much spectacle they can create.

Check it out! http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/unchained-reaction/

March 26-30

Weekly Lesson Plans
March 26th-30th

Monday- Students will work on their Chapter 12 Study Guide.  It is due on Tuesday.  The test will be on Wednesday.

Tuesday- Students will trade and grade their chapter 12 study guide.  Then they will play the gameshow review.

Wednesday- Students will take their Chapter 12 test over Forces.  Students can work on an extra credit puzzle when they are finished.  Puzzle is due on Thursday.

Thursday- Students will be working on a Balloon Rocket Lab that will take two class periods.  Their lab sheet is due at the end of the period on Friday.  The lab will allow students to answer questions about Newton's Laws of Motion. 

Friday- Students will finish their Balloon Rocket Lab.  The lab sheet is due at the end of the period.  No homework over Spring Break!

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

March 19-23

Weekly Lesson Plans March 19th-23rd

Monday- Bellringer #38 Read "How do air bags work?" pg. 399 Answer both questions in your journal.  Students will take notes over Chapter 12 S.1 about Newton's 1st and 2nd law of motion.  Students will learn how to calculate force, mass, and acceleration problems.  Homework- Worksheet with the chapter 12 vocab and force, mass, acceleration practice problems.

Tuesday- Bellringer #39 Read "Black Holes" pg.411 answer question 1 in your journal.  Students will take notes and have discussion over Chapter 12 S.2 about gravity.  Homework- Concept Review for S.1 and S.2

Wednesday- Bellringer #40 Students will be figuring out their weight on Earth, Venus, and Mars.  Students will watch several clips about Newton's 1st and 2nd laws of motion.  Students will take notes over Section 3 Newton's third law.  Homework will be the concept review for S.3 and momentum practice problems.

Thursday- Students will watch a clip about Newton's Third Law.  Then they will complete a lab in class about Projectile Motion.

Friday- 11:30 dismissal.  Students will take their Chapter 12 Vocab quiz.  Their APA paper is due a paper copy to me and a copy uploaded to turnitin.com  Students will get to demonstrate several activities about Newton's laws.

Chapter 12

Chapter 12 p.394

Chapter 12 Overview
This chapter covers Newton's first and second laws of motion, including problem solving with the second law.  It also discussess the law of universal gravitation, free fall, and projectile motion.  Finally, the chapter explores Newton's third law of motion and also covers momentum.

Chapter 12 Goals Studetns will be able to explain:
Section1. Newton's First and Second Laws
1. What makes an object speed up, slopw down, or change direction?
2. What determines how much an object speeds up or slows down?

Section 2.Gravity
1. How are weight and mass related?
2. WHy do objects fall to the ground when dropped?
3. What is the relationship between free fall acceleration and mass?
4. Why does a projectile follow a curved path?

Section 3. Newton's Third Law
1. What happens when an object exerts a force on another object?
2. How do you calculate the momentum of an object?
3. What is the total momentum after objects collide?

Chapter 12 Vocab
Inertia
Weight
Free Fall
Terminal Velocity
Projectile Motion
Momentum

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

APA Paper

The Purdue Online Writing Lab is a very helpful website when it comes to writing papers.  Click on the link to get help with formatting your APA research paper.

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

March 12-16

Weekly Lesson Plans
March 12th-16th

Monday- Students are researching a science topic of their choice in the library.  Students are going to be using this research to write an APA style paper with their English teacher.  Students must have five sources that are newspaper, maganine, or journal articles.  Students must take notes on their sources to turn in with their paper.  APA papers are due Friday March 23rd (a paper copy and to turnitin.com)

Tuesday- Continuing to do research in the library.

Wednesday- Continuing to do research in the library.

Thursday- Students will be going over their Chapter 11 Study Guide.  Students will be playing the game show review to get ready for the test.

Friday- Chapter 11 Test.

Friday, March 9, 2012

Chapter 11 Motion

This is a Chapter overview of what we have been doing.
Chapter 11 Pages 362-393

Chapter 11 Overview
This chapter covers motion, speed, velocity, and acceleration.  Students learn how to calculate speed and acceleration and learn to interpret both distance-time graphs and speed-time graphs.  The concept of force is also introduced, including balanced and unbalanced forces and the force of friction.

Chapter Goals- Students will be able to explain:
Chapter  11 S.1 Measuring Motion
1.      How is a frame of reference used to describe motion?
2.      What is the difference between speed and velocity?
3.      What do you need to know to find the speed of an object?
4.      How can you study speed by using graphs?
Chapter  11 S.2 Acceleration
1.      What changes when an object accelerates?
2.      How do you calculate the acceleration of an object moving in a straight line?
3.      How can a graph be used to find acceleration?
Ch 11 S.3 Motion and Force
1.      What do scientists identify as the fundamental forces of nature?
2.      What happens when there is a net force acting on an object?
3.      What force always opposes motion?
4.      Why is friction sometimes necessary?
5.     
Chapter 11 Vocab
Motion
Frame of reference
Displacement
Speed
Velocity
Acceleration
Force
Friction
Static friction
Kinetic friction

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

March 5-9

Weekly Lesson Plans
March 5th-9th

Monday- Students will have 5 minutes to study for their CH 11 Vocab Quiz. Students will take their quiz.  Students will take notes over Ch 11 S.3 about Forces and Friction.  Students will watch a 12 minute Mythbusters clip about forces involved with freefall. Homework- none.

Tuesday- Students will see a centrapedal acceleration demonstration and have an opportunity to do it themselves.  Then they will be working on a review packet for Chapter 11. Review Packet is due on Wed. Homework - Review Packet.

Wednesday- Students will watch a Mythbusters clip about circular motion.  Then students will work on a Reaction Time Lab. The lab is due on Thursday. Homework- Finish lab.

Thursday- Students will trade and grade their Review Packets.  Then students will work on a Bubble Gum Physics Lab. For the first part of the experiment, students use a timer to determine the number of "chomps" they can make in 10 seconds. The data they collect is used to calculate their chomping speed and make predictions for different amounts of time, such as 5 minutes or 1 day. During the second part of the experiment, students collect data about their chomping power and use the information to investigate speed as well as acceleration. For an added challenge, I allow the students to create an experiment involving bubble gum and give them the opportunity to investigate.  Homework- FInish Lab sheet.

Friday- Students are going to work on their Study Guide for teh Ch 11 Test.  Test will be Friday March 16th. Study Guide is Due Thursday march 15th.