Mrs. Ramsey Blog - Where Science and Technology come ALIVE!: March 2012

Monday, March 26, 2012

HOMEWORK - Week of 3/26/12 -

SCIENCE

8th Science - 3/27 - Big 8 Review p. 116 -117; # 1-20 Q & A in notebook
3/28 - Big 8 p. 126 -127 - # 1-20 Q & A in notebook

7th Science - 3/27 - Text p. 408 # 1-15 - Q & A in notebook
3/29 - Text p. 330 - # 1-15 Q & A in notebook

6th Science - 3/27 - WB p. 103 -104; 1-13 in notebook. Q & A
3/29 - p. 93-94 - Draw and answer questions in notebook

5th Science - 3/27 - WB p. 363-364 - # 363-364, Q & A in NB
3/29 - p. 363 # 1-10 - Q & A in notebook

SOCIAL - STUDIES

6th - 3/28 - Text p. 380 # 1-10, Thinking About Facts on LL Q & A

5th - 3/28 - Textbook p. 278 - # 1-10 on LL

Sunday, March 18, 2012

8th Science - 3/19/12

https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1dbWDIfX23LpvMOtWuw30tzAZ6Dv97D10aDECJHUAMgY
Homework: Q & A on LL
3/20 - You and your classmates are alike in many ways. You are also different in size, shape, talents, and interests. How many of these similarities and differences are entirely genetic? How many can you control in some way?

3/21 - Big 8 Review- Draw and label plant and animal cells in notebook.

3/22 - State exam - 2007 - Questions 1-20 in notebook
http://www.nysedregents.org/grade8/science/home.html

7th Science - 3/19/12

https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1HmjorC0fo5tYQtI7fmwRsGOyOQex9hYuOAyPFY2VXAI
Homework: On LL - Use the internet for information
3/20
1. What does Foucault’s pendulum prove?
2. Why don’t people and other objects fly off Earth if it is rotating so fast?
3. How does the Foucault pendulum demonstrate the Earth’s rotation?

3/22 -
1. What characteristics do you think enable a plant or animal to survive the breakup of a continent? Try to think of at least two characteristics.
2. Do you think the breakup of Pangaea during the Jurassic period led to the extinction of some dinosaurs and the evolution of other dinosaurs?
3. Do you think that the breakup of Pangaea into Gondwanaland and Laurasia affected organisms originally living on Pangaea?

Saturday, March 17, 2012

6th Science - 3/19/12

https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1jcw-WIu-37ajwj3KkByTJe4jds1Z_Q-R2d3Ix5V-kTk
Homework:
3/21 - On LL - Use the internet for information. Write out questions
1. Hypothesize what happens to sound waves when they reach a wall or other solid, flat object.
2. If sound can't travel in space, hypothesize what other modes of communication astronauts can use when they are outside the space shuttle?
3. Explain why, based on the behavior of sound waves, a classroom with a tile floor is louder than a library that is carpeted.
4. How does sound travel when you have a conversation with your friends?
5. Think about what it is like to hear things under water. Debate whether sound travels better in liquids (like water), gases (air), or solids (like putting your head down on a desk and having someone slam a book down on the surface)?
6. Discuss why you see lightning before you hear thunder during storms.

5th Science - 3/19/12

https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1m9gKCk7E29-hInNoS5GqdtJRtc-OoyJn9i9LvmSSdWs
Homework:
3/20 - Answer the following questions on LL (Q & A). Use internet for information
1. Should "characters" be used for advertising when the target audience is often very young?
2. Should schools limit or eliminate access to vending machines and soda machines in schools? Why or why not?
3. Is it a school's responsibility to notify parents and/or students when a student is seriously overweight considering all of the ill health effects?
4. What are some ways that American life leads to obesity and what can be done about it?

3/22 - Questions and Answers on LL.
1. Should gym class be made harder? Why or why not? Do you think students would approve?
2. Do you think grocery stores and convenience stores make junk food less visible? And should the prices be higher for high fat/low nutrition foods?
3. Should nutrition content of school lunches be made easily available to students who want to make better choices?
4. What impact do you think food labels have on the choices Americans make with their foods? Do you think they should have warning labels similar to the Surgeon General's warning on cigarettes?

6th Social Studies - 3/19/12

https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1kviMZx_lHtSrPDju8Fl-3jrHgvfqy0r9AW77etwMZUs
Homework:

3/20 - LL - Write a 2 page story on the following: Use textbook or internet for information
Written copy of the story should begin with the following sentences.

In a small village along the Niger River in a land called Mali, a griot recounted the story of the great Mali ruler, Mansa Musa. This is his story.

3/21 - Answer the following questions on LL

1. What Kangaban ruler defeated the Susu and founded the empire of Mali?

2. In what century did the people of Mali convert to Islam?

3. Name the two ancient Mali gold trading cities.

4. Who was the last great ruler of Mali? When did he reign?

5th Social Studies - 3/19/12

https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=106vlztQR36eOZCevcwJtLWaP3ouixsZp8U_pOljfhzw
Homework:
3/21 - In notebook identify and explain the following. Use the internet.

Lexington and Concord
General William Howe
Brandywine
Saratoga
General John Burgoyne
General Horatio Gates
Valley Forge

Sunday, March 11, 2012

8th Science - 3/12/12

https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1hcU8cGKhVGdVGnIgpocvJzxnNlJUHgryJSTwOtzKz3M
Homework:
3/14 - Use the following questions to create and develop a powerpoint presentation. Do not plagiarize and must be able to present without reading from the slides. 5 minutes limit.

What is the celestial object researched?
What does this celestial object look like?
How big or small can this celestial object be?
When and how did we discover this celestial object's presence in our solar system?
Where in the galaxy is this celestial object typically found and/or how can we detect this object in the night sky?
How does this celestial object affect life on Earth?

7th Science - 3/12/12

https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1JtF_p7jfQPcB_ps0Khxn9vjMw2l8ELwHOm3KwkeEnLk
Homework:
3/13 - Create posters showing what the Grand Canyon looks like today and what it looked like when one of its layers was deposited.
3/15 - Write an essay on how the Grand Canyon was formed. 2 pages typed. double space using 12 font in black ink.

Saturday, March 10, 2012

6th Science - 3/12/12

https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1WfU_-JZvhjhlp3ezH-cgwlwtl5E0Eq798kII-_3AWRM
Homework:
3/14/12 - On LL - Use the Internet for assistance in answering the following questions:

1.	What evidence is presented to indicate that memory is a biological process that can be controlled?
2.	Under what circumstances might it be appropriate to manipulate human memory?
3.	It is easy to imagine the influence of genes in the expression of traits such as height and weight. Discuss how much genes influence non-biological traits such as habits, gestures and personalities.
4.	Explain how your DNA is like that of flies, paramecia or flowers.
5.	How do genetic research and our further understanding of DNA bring us closer to solving the "riddle" of life?
6.	Decide whether or not genetic research should be regulated. If so, how?

5th Science - 3/12/12

https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1BKgV5x2y8RPjmnAu0mDYfNa6Rryc_HraZMf-YT43uk0
Homework:
3/13/12 - ON LL - Write out and answer the questions on LL.
1. Did prehistoric animals have the same habitat needs as modern animals?
2. How culture and experience influence people's perceptions of places and regions?
3. How human actions modify the physical environment?

3/15/12 - Research Report on "How does human activity affect the environment - 2 pages typed. 12 font; black ink; double spaced.

6th Social Studies - 3/12/12

https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1LpYP21ggGbCwelWWXLqTZoIHHBYDIKMlRLL0rySSUJk
Homework:
3/14/12 - On LL -Use the Internet for assistance in getting more information.

1.	Explain what made the Roman army that fought the Punic Wars different from armies of other nations.
2.	Hypothesize what might have happened to the balance of power in the Mediterranean if Hannibal had conquered the city of Rome.
3.	Even though the Carthaginian Empire was defeated, the Romans destroyed the city of Carthage. What do you think led to such actions?
4.	In your opinion, what were the characteristics that made Julius Caesar one of history's greatest generals?
5.	What were the changes that took place in Rome when Emperor Augustus took power?
6.	Why was control of the Mediterranean of such strategic importance?

5th Social Studies - 3/12/12

https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1WxPg3hkiAiG17Tk71vc6kM17dgjbIfIDoZ638sN70RA
Homework:
3/13/12 - On LL - Write a detailed and organized essay using following questions and class discussions as a guide:
State whether it's necessary and fair to require men over the age of 18 to register for the draft. Should women also be required to register? Is the draft a fair way to recruit people during a time of war? Was the draft a fair method of selecting people to fight in Vietnam?
3/15/12 - On LL - Answer the following questions. You can use the Internet for information.
Compare and contrast the public attitude toward the Vietnam War with that toward Desert Storm. Then consider what the legacy of the Vietnam War is. What has Vietnam taught us?

Monday, March 5, 2012

Weekly Vocabulary Words 3/4/12

1. Prey - To hunt and kill.
2. Fearsome - Scary; frightening.
3. Species - A group of plants or animals that have certain common features.
4. Habitat - The sort of place where a certain animal usually llives.
5. Eyesight - The power of seeing.
6. Migration - Movement from one place to another.
7. Obstacle - Something that is in the way.
8. Hibernate - To spend winter sleeping.
9. Distinguish - To see the differences.
10. Rodent - A type of mammal that gnaws with its teeth, such as a mouse.
11. Assignment - Job; the work someone is given to do.
12. Dedicated - Willing to work with great loyalty; devoted.
13. Instructed - To show how; teach.
14. Capsule - The part of a spaceship that carries people.
15. Cockpit - The place where a pilot sits; the control center of a space shuttle.
16. Liftoff - The act of rising from the ground and taking flight.
17. Aerial - Of or in the air.
18. Commander - The person who gives orders; the person in charge.
19. Gravitational - Having to do with gravity, or the force that pulls things toward the center of the earth.
20. Sensation - Feeling.

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Events in History - 1/9 - 1/13

January 9
Connecticut entered Union, 1788 (5^th)
Mississippi seceded from the Union, 1861
President Richard M. Nixon was born, 1913
January 10
Thomas Paine's Common Sense was published, 1776
London's Metropolitan; World's first underground railway, opened to the public, 1863
The League of Nations established 1920
The Holocaust began, 1933
January 11
Alexander Hamilton, the first Secretary of the Treasury was born, 1757
Alabama seceded from the Union, 1861
Major League Baseball (American League) adopted the designated-hitter rule, 1973
January 12
Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I died, 1519
The Alamo, a Franciscan Mission, was built, 1722
The first public museum in United States (South Carolina) established, 1773
January 13
Hood resigned as commander of the Army of Tennessee, 1865
Hubert H. Humphrey, former vice president, died in Waverly, Minnesota at age 66, 1978
Air Florida jet crashed in Washington, D.C., 1982
The Beatles US album Yellow Submarine was released, 1969

Scientific Method

Rules to follow in using the Scientific Method when experimenting.

Steps of the Scientific Method
Detailed Help for Each Step
Ask a Question: The scientific method starts when you ask a question about something that you observe: How, What, When, Who, Which, Why, or Where?
And, in order for the scientific method to answer the question it must be about something that you can measure, preferably with a number.
Your Question
Do Background Research: Rather than starting from scratch in putting together a plan for answering your question, you want to be a savvy scientist using library and Internet research to help you find the best way to do things and insure that you don't repeat mistakes from the past.
Background Research Plan Finding Information Bibliography Research Paper
Construct a Hypothesis: A hypothesis is an educated guess about how things work:"If _____[I do this] _____, then _____[this]_____ will happen."
You must state your hypothesis in a way that you can easily measure, and of course, your hypothesis should be constructed in a way to help you answer your original question.
Variables Variables for Beginners Hypothesis
Test Your Hypothesis by Doing an Experiment: Your experiment tests whether your hypothesis is true or false. It is important for your experiment to be a fair test. You conduct a fair test by making sure that you change only one factor at a time while keeping all other conditions the same.
You should also repeat your experiments several times to make sure that the first results weren't just an accident.
Experimental Procedure Materials List Conducting an Experiment
Analyze Your Data and Draw a Conclusion: Once your experiment is complete, you collect your measurements and analyze them to see if your hypothesis is true or false.
Scientists often find that their hypothesis was false, and in such cases they will construct a new hypothesis starting the entire process of the scientific method over again. Even if they find that their hypothesis was true, they may want to test it again in a new way.
Data Analysis & Graphs Conclusions
Communicate Your Results: To complete your science fair project you will communicate your results to others in a final report and/or a display board. Professional scientists do almost exactly the same thing by publishing their final report in a scientific journal or by presenting their results on a poster at a scientific meeting.

Rules to follow when using the Scientific Method when experimenting.

A message from the Holy Father on Advent and Christmas

On the first Sunday of Advent, Benedict XVI reminded the faithful that Christmas is about God who "comes to be with us."The Holy Father's comment was heard by thousands who had gathered in St. Peter's Square to pray the Angelus. He highlighted the significance of Advent as a time to prepare for the celebration of Christ's birth."In Advent, the liturgy often repeats and assures us, as though seeking to defeat our mistrust, that God 'is coming,'" the Pope said."He comes to be with us, in each one of our situations; he comes to live among us, to live in and with us; he comes to fill the distances that divide and separate us; he comes to reconcile us with himself and with one another," the Pontiff said.God, Benedict XVI added, "comes in the history of humanity to knock on the door of every man and woman of good will to offer individuals, families and peoples the gift of fraternity, concord and peace.""Therefore, Advent is par excellence the time of hope, in which believers in Christ are invited to remain in vigilant and active expectation, nourished by prayer and by a concrete commitment to love," the Pope said.

Why do we eat turkey on Thanksgiving?

Although juicy and tender butterball turkeys are the main cuisine of today's Thanksgiving celebrations, these birds were NOT the most popular centerpieces on the first Thanksgiving tables.
In 1621 when the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians celebrated the first Thanksgiving, they were gobbling up many more foods than just turkey. Since lobster, goose, duck, seal, eel, and cod were plentiful during this time, these foods were most likely the main courses of this first feast. Deer meat and wild fowl are the only two items that historians know for sure were menu of this autumn celebration.
So how did the turkey become the main mascot of modern-day Thanksgiving if we don't know for certain that turkeys were at this first feast?
One story tells of how Queen Elizabeth of 16th century England was chowing down on roast goose during a harvest festival. When news was delivered to her that the Spanish Armada had sunk on it way to attack her beloved England, the queen was so pleased that she order a second goose to celebrate the great news. Thus, the goose became the favorite bird at harvest time in England. When the Pilgrims arrived in America from England, roasted turkey replaced roasted goose as the main cuisine because wild turkeys were more abundant and easier to find than geese.

HAVE A WONDERFUL AND HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Mrs. Ramsey

Mrs. Ramsey Blog - Where Science and Technology come ALIVE!