Friday, 17 December, 2010

Students will be able to:
use information from hands on activities and classroom discussions to
-describe phase changes.
-describe the tranfer of heat energy from one object to another.

Students did an FCAT transparency as their do now.

Students then did the heat transfer lab activity, by making ice cream. You can find the handout to the activity, along with the directions for making the ice cream mix, at the top of this blog.

The home learning for the holidays is to complete the Winter Package for Science on Scientific Method.

Have a Safe and Blessed Christmas and I pray all of God's choice blessings for the coming New Year for you!

Thursday, 16 December, 2010

This is HL #9. Answer questions on a properly headed sheet of loose leaf notebook paper. Be sure to follow all written directions.

Students will be able to:
use information from supplementary reading materials, hands-on activities, and classroom discussions to
-recognize how theories are modified as new information is discovered.
-suggest evidence that supports the theory of continental drift.
- compare continental drift theory to the theory of plate tectonics.

Students answered an FCAT transparency question for their do now.

Students watched a BrainPop movie on Plate Tectonics.

Students received HL #9, which they also used to take notes. Students wrote the main ideas about the Theory of Continental Drift and the Theory of Plate Tectonics.

The home learning can be found at the top of this blog.

Tuesday, 14 December and Wednesday, 15 December, 2010

Students will be able to:
use information from the interim assessment exam and the CPS clicker sytem to
-review the interim assessment exam and exam 5.

Students used the clicker system to review the fall interim assessment. Students were placed on teams and asked to discuss and then answer the questions. The team with the most points win a free home learning pass!

There was no home learning on either day.

Monday, 13 December, 2010

Students will be able to:
use information from notes, past lessons, and classroom discussion to
-take an exam on Earth Structures and Earth Systems and Processes.

Students took Exam 5 using the clickers.

There was no home learning.

Thursday, 9 and Friday, 10 December, 2010

Students will be able to:
use information from online sites and classroom discussion to
-differentiate between erosion and deposition.
-explain how the agents of erosion shape/reshape the earth.

Students explored the effects and causes of water erosion by accessing a Discovery Learning virtual lab. The lab can be found by accessing your Discovery Learning account. Paste the following URL address into your browser window and then sign in.

Remember, your user name is:
miami_youridnumber (miami underscore your id number with NO spaces anywhere!)

Your password is:
youridnumber_miami (your id number underscore miami with NO spaces anywhere)!

Then, click GO.

Click the tab for Assignment Resources (third tab) and click the link for Erosion, Here Today, Gone Tomorrow. Use the handouts supplied in class (or print your own from the additional materials tab) to complete both levels.

There was no home learning.


Here is the login page information:
students.discoveryeducation.com

Wednesday, 8 December, 2010

Students will be able to:
use information from online sites and classroom discussion to
-differentiate between erosion and deposition.
-explain how the agents of erosion shape/reshape the earth.

Students took the mini assessment 3.

Students explored mechanical weathering by using gravel and chalk to determine how mechanical weathering breaks down materials.

There was no home learning.

Tuesday, 8 December, 2010

Students will be able to:
use information from online sites and classroom discussion to
-differentiate between erosion and deposition.
-explain how the agents of erosion shape/reshape teh earth.

The do now was an FCAT transparency.

Students completed the kinetic city activity, which can be found as a link on Dr. Gayden's Science Zone (drgcdms.podomatic.com). Click the link for Monday, 6 December, 201 For Sixth Graders to access the activity.

Students then visited the Discovery Education site to do an activity on erosion. The results were recorded in their notebooks.

There was no home learning, but there will be a mini assessment tomorrow (postponed from yesterday).

Monday, 6 December, 2010

Students will be able to:
use information from online sites and classroom discussion to
-differentiate between erosion and deposition.
-explain how the agents of erosion shape/reshape teh earth.

The do now was an FCAT transparency.

Watched a BrainPop movie on erosion.

Students then took notes on erosion and deposition:

Erosion, the transfer of weathered sediment, always involves deposition, or the deposit of the weathered sediment in a new location. Along with weathering, erosion and deposition are responsible for the continual reshaping of the Earth's surface. Sediment is constantly being worn down by some type of weathering, carried away by an agent of erosion and deposited in a different place. Landslides are actually a very extreme, fast-acting method of erosion: They transfer sediment down a slope and deposit it at the end of their path. The sediment a landslide deposits is known as its talus.

The five agents of erosion are wind, water, glaciers, waves and gravity. Gravity is the underlying agent of all types of mass movement. Without the force of gravity to pull sediment down an incline, a landslide would not occur. But any of the other four agents can also play a part.

There was no home learning, but there will be a mini assessment tomorrow.

Thursday, 2 and Friday, 3December, 2010

This is HL 8, all to be done on one sheet of loose leaf, properly headed paper.

Students will be able to:
use information from laboratory experiments and classroom discussion to
-compare/contrast physical and chemical weathering.

The do now on Thursday was an FCAT transparency.
The do now on Friday was a quiz on Chemical and Mechanical Weathering.

Students submitted and reviewed HL 7 and received HL 8, which can be found at the top of this blog.

Students completed the questions from the Glencoe virtual lab on weathering. To access the lab, visit Dr. Gayden's Science Zone (drgcdms.podomatic.com) and scroll down to Monday, 22 November, 2010 for 6th graders only. Click the Glencoe link to access the lab. Before you begin, copy the table into your notebook. Complete the table as you work through the activity. Finally, answer all the journal questions.

Those who completed the activity began the vocabulary word activity.
Students are reminded to bring their 3 rock samples in tomorrow.

Wednesday, 1 December, 2010

This is HL 7, all to be done on one sheet of loose leaf, properly headed paper.

Students will be able to:
use information from laboratory experiments and classroom discussion to
-compare/contrast physical and chemical weathering.

The do now was an FCAT transparency.

Students submitted and reviewed HL 6 and received HL 7, which can be found at the top of this blog.

Students performed the Glencoe virtual lab on weathering. To access the lab, visit Dr. Gayden's Science Zone (drgcdms.podomatic.com) and scroll down to Monday, 22 November, 2010 for 6th graders only. Click the Glencoe link to access the lab. Before you begin, copy the table into your notebook. Complete the table as you work through the activity. Finally, answer all the journal questions.

Students are reminded to bring their 3 rock samples in tomorrow.

Tuesday, 30 November, 2010

This is HL 6, all to be done on one sheet of loose leaf, properly headed paper.

Students will be able to:
use information from laboratory experiments and classroom discussion to
-compare/contrast physical and chemical weathering.

The do now was an FCAT transparency.

Students submitted and reviewed HL 5 and received HL 6, which can be found at the top of this blog.

Students performed the Glencoe virtual lab on weathering. To access the lab, visit Dr. Gayden's Science Zone (drgcdms.podomatic.com) and scroll down to Monday, 22 November, 2010 for 6th graders only. Click the Glencoe link to access the lab. Before you begin, copy the table into your notebook. Complete the table as you work through the activity. Finally, answer all the journal questions.

Students are reminded to bring their 3 rock samples in tomorrow.

Monday, 29 November, 2010

This is HL #5. Do both on the same sheet of loose leaf notebook paper. Follow all directions.

Students will be able to:
use information from laboratory experiments and classroom discussion to
-compare/contrast physical and chemical weathering.

The do now was an FCAT transparency.

Students received HL 5, which can be found at the top of this blog.

Students took notes on chemical and mechanical weathering:

Chemical weathering takes place when rocks break apart as a result of chemical changes. The types of chemical weathering include:
-oxidation-the chemical reaction of oxygen with other substances.
-hydrolysis-the chemical reaction of water with other substances.
-carbonation-when carbonic acid breaks down materials in rocks.
-plant actions-plants produce acids that cause chemical weathering.

Mechanical weathering-breaking rocks down by physical means where the composition of the rocks remain the same. The types of mechanical weathering include:
-temperature changes- rocks are broken down by changes in temperature.
-ice wedging-repeated freezing and melting of water in the cracks of rocks causes the rocks to break apart.
-root action-roots of plants grow into cracks of rocks and break them apart.

Monday, 22 November through Wednesday, 24 November, 2010

Students will be able to:
use information from laboratory experiments and classroom discussion to
-investigate the role weathering plays in shaping/reshaping the earth.
-compare/contrast physical and chemical weathering.
-explain how chemical weathering affects the earth.
-share the findings of science fair projects.

The do now for all days will be FCAT transparencies, on energy.

On Monday, students completed and submitted the lab on chemical weathering.

There will be no class on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, students will take notes on chemical and mechanical weathering. They should also test their rocks to determine if they weather chemically or mechanically. They will also do the Glencoe online weathering activity.

Students will complete science fair presentations.

Students will write a diary entry, a newspaper article, a story, or draw a comic strip to explain how chemical and mechanical weathering changes rocks and the Earth's environment.

Friday, 19 November, 2010

This is your home learning assignment. You MUST bring THIS sheet AND your rocks to class on Monday!

Students will be able to:
use information from laboratory experiments and classroom discussion to
-investigate the role weathering plays in shaping/reshaping the earth.
-compare/contrast physical and chemical weathering.
-explain how chemical weathering affects the earth.
-share the findings of science fair projects.

Students reviewed an FCAT transparency on the The Nature of Matter.

Students then did a review of information learned this week on chemical weathering, using the CPS clicker system.

Students were given the home learning activity, which can be found at the top of this blog.

The remainder of the period was utilized for students presenting science fair projects.

Monday, 15 November through Wednesday, 17 November, 2010

This is HL 4, due on Friday.


This is HL 3. Follow directions.




These are the lab sheets for the chemical weathering lab.

Students will be able to:
use information from laboratory experiments and classroom discussion to
-investigate the role weathering plays in shaping/reshaping the earth.
-compare/contrast physical and chemical weathering.
-explain how chemical weathering affects the earth.

Do nows for each day are FCAT transparencies.

Students began work on the lab dealing with chemical weathering. The handouts can be found at the top of this blog.

Students also received Home Learning 3, which can be found at the top of this blog.

Friday, 12 November, 2010

Students will be able to:
use information from internet access and classroom discussion to
-graph weather data.
-make weather station models for reported data.

The do now was an FCAT transparency.

Students completed their RAFT letters about the weather and their weather station modules.

Wednesday, 10 November, 2010

Students will be able to:
use information from hands-on activities, videos from the internet and classroom discussion to
-graph weather data.
-make weather station models for reported data.

The do now was an FCAT transparency.

Students continued to make the weather station models from the data they gathered during October.

Home learning 2 can be found at the top of this blog.

Monday, 8 November, 2010

Please do all three on one sheet of loose leaf paper, properly headed. Use blue/black ink or pencil. Follow directions. Do in the order listed.

Students will be able to:
use information from hands-on activities, videos from the internet and classroom discussion to
-graph weather data.
-make weather station models for reported data.

The do now was an FCAT transparency question.

Students completed their RAFTS on the local weather conditions at CDMS.

Students received information to record the weather station data, which will be finished in class on Wednesday of this week.

Home learning 1 can be found at the top of this blog. ALL THREE SHEETS are be answered on ONE SHEET of loose leaf paper, properly headed. FOLLOW ALL DIRECTIONS!!!!!

Wednesday, 3 November through Friday, 5 November, 2010

Students will be able to:
use information from hands-on activities, videos from the internet and classroom discussion to
-graph weather data.
-make weather station models for reported data.

The do now for Wednesday was to review the last mini assessment.
The do now for Thursday was to review the first mini assessment, as preparation for the upcoming quarterly assessment.
The do now for Friday was to work on the RAFT assigned on Wednesday.

Students watched BrainPops on clouds and humidity.

Students worked on using the weather data gathered for four days to write a RAFT. The role played is that of one of the gathered pieces of information: temperature, relative humidity, barometric pressure, cloud cover, precipitation, or wind direction/wind speed. The audience is the Campbell Drive Middle School population. The format is a letter and the topic is the conditions imposed over the four days and how it could/did impact the Campbell Drive family.

Students also received information on how to create weather station models for the data.

Since the Science Fair projects were due on Friday, no nightly home learning was assigned.

Wednesday, 27 October and Friday, 29 October, 2010

Print these sheets out and use to make up the lab on Tornado Movement.

Students will be able to:
use information from hands-on activities, videos from the internet and classroom discussion to
-identify the role of models in the context of the sixth grade science benchmarks.
-discuss, compare, and negotiate methods used, results obtained, and explanations among
groups of students conducting the same investigation.
-investigate how natural disasters have affected human life in Florida.

Students first watched a portion of a video from Storm Chasers about tornadoes. They answered questions such as what is the difference between a tornado and a hurricane? How does a tornado form?

Students received their lab sheets. They made models of tornados in a bottle and used them to show how tornados form and move.

Absent students should go to the following site and paste the URL address into the URL box. Then, manipulate the width and core pressure to guess the type of tornado produced. Be sure to record data. You can use the individual investigation sheets to write up the lab. (See top of blog)

http://whyfiles.org/013tornado/3.html

On Friday (no class on Thursday, due to early release), students debriefed the mini-assessment in science. They then completed the laboratory write-up. Students also finished gathering the weather data.

Tuesday, 26 October, 2010

Place this check off sheet on the back of your science board.

Students will be able to:
use information from videos from the internet, textbooks, and classroom discussions to
-measure wind speed and direction using an anemometer.
-observe and record the cloud type and sky coverage.
-measure relative humidity.
-update science fair information.

Students took the mini assessment.

Students reviewed for the science fair. For those that have misplaced handouts, you can find the information at the top of this blog.

Students then used their text books, pages 91-92, to make two column notes on reflection, refraction, and diffraction, listing definitions and examples of each. Students then drew a representation of the term, complete with definition.

Monday, 25 October, 2010

Students will be able to:
use information from hands-on activities, videos from the internet and classroom discussion to
-measure wind speed and direction using an anemometer.
-observe and record the cloud type and sky coverage.
-measure relative humidity.

The do now was another problem from Mastering the FCAT.

Students took Exam 2 using the clickers.

Students then made measurements of temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and direction, sky cover, and precipitation for their weather project.

For home learning, look up information on local weather.

Friday, 22 October, 2010

Remember to bring these with you to class on Monday!

Students will be able to:
use information from hands-on activities and classroom discussion to
-measure wind speed and direction using an anemometer.

The do now was a question from the Mastering the FCAT series.

Students received the question set for Exam 2, which can be found at the top of this blog.

Students also received project papers to measure the weather. Students learned to use tools such as the thermometer, an anemometer, a barometer and a sling psychrometer to measure weather properties.

Monday, 18 October through Thursday, 21 October, 2010

This is HL 18. Answers only on correctly headed paper.


This is HL 17. Answers only on correctly headed loose leaf notebook paper.


This is HL 16. Answers only on correctly headed loose leaf notebook paper.



These are the sheets for HL 15. Show your work on correctly headed loose leaf notebook paper.




These are the handouts for the virtual lab on predicting the weather. Use blue/black ink or pencil to complete.

Students will be able to:
use information from videos from the internet, virtual laboratories, and classroom discussion to
-use station models to forecast conditions for weather stations in a region of the continental United States.

The do now on Monday was a quiz on Spheres of the Earth
The do now on Tuesday was to review the mini assessment.
The do now on Thursday was to answer a Mastering the FCAT question.

On Monday, students watched BrainPop videos on climate and weather.

They received HL #15 on Monday.
They received HL #16 on Tuesday.
They received HL #17 on Wednesday.
They received HL #18 on Thursday.

All HL can be found at the top of this blog.

Students worked on the virtual lab Predicting the Weather. Those pages are also at the top of this blog. Find the link to the lab at Dr. Gayden's Science Zone (drgcdms.podomatic.com).

Friday, 15 October, 2010

Students will be able to:
use information from textbooks and classroom discussion to
-differentiate between weather and climate.

The do now was a quick write: What is the difference between weather and climate?

Students received HL 14, which can be found at the top of this blog.

Students began the virtual lab on weather, found at the Glencoe site, or by clicking the link through Dr. Gayden's Science Zone. Handouts will be distributed on Monday. We will complete the activity on Monday.

Thursday, 14 October, 2010

Students will be able to:
use information from virtual laboratory experiments and classroom discussions to
-trace the path of a drop of water through the water cycle.
-explain how water evaporates from Earth's surface, condenses into clouds, and then precipitates back to Earth's surface.
-describe the different paths that water can travel on Earth's surface.
-compare the amounts of water in different r reservoirs (oceans, ice, soil, etc.)

The do now was a quick write: How would the earth be different if water vapor were not trapped in the atmosphere but could leave the atmosphere.

Students submitted and reviewed HL #13.

Students spent the remainder of the period finishing the Water Cycle lab.

There was no home learning assignment.

Tuesday, 12 October and Wednesday, 13 October, 2010

This is HL 13, due on Thursday. Answers only on correctly headed loose leaf paper, blue/black ink or pencil






These are the lab sheets for The Water Cycle GIZMO.

Students will be able to:
use information from virtual laboratory experiments and classroom discussions to
-trace the path of a drop of water through the water cycle.
-explain how water evaporates from Earth's surface, condenses into clouds, and then precipitates back to Earth's surface.
-describe the different paths that water can travel on Earth's surface.
-compare the amounts of water in different r reservoirs (oceans, ice, soil, etc.)

Do Nows
On Tuesday, students did a quick write about the water cycle.
On Wednesday, students will take a mini assessment.

Home Learning
Tuesday- HL #12, due on Wednesday/reviewed on Wednesday
Wednesday - HL #13, due on Thursday/reviewed on Thursday

Students turned in interactive notebooks for notebook check 2.

The remainder of the period on both days was spent on the GIZMO site, completing the handouts for the water cycle. If you were absent, go online to www.explorelearning.com. Use your username and password to sign in. Print out the handouts found at the top of this blog, and complete. If you don't remember your username and password, email me at:
DrGCDMS@dadeschools.net, and I will email them to you.

Monday, 11 October, 2010

This is HL #11. Using loose leaf notebook paper with no edges, write in blue/black ink or pencil. Head your paper correctly (last name, first name; date; period; HL #11; What is the water cycle? and use only letter answers.


This is the do now. Complete by using the words at the top of the list to fill in the blanks.

Students will be able to:
use information from textbook, virtual activities, and classroom discussions to
-cite evidence of the cycling of water between the hydrosphere and atmosphere.
-describe and explain the interactions of water between the different spheres of the earth (water cycle).

Students submitted their scientist cards.

The do now was a cloze activity that can be found at the top of this blog.

Students also received HL 11, which can be found at the top of this blog. There will also be a notebook check tomorrow.

Students viewed a BrainPop movie on the water cycle.

Students began a GIZMO on the water cycle, which will be completed tomorrow.

Wednesday, 6 October through Friday, 8 October, 2010

Note: The due date is MONDAY, OCTOBER 11!!!!!!!

Students will be able to:
use information from textbook, virtual activities, and classroom discussions to
-cite evidence of the cycling of water between the hydrosphere and atmosphere.
-describe and explain the interactions of water between the different spheres of the earth (water cycle).
-complete research on an assigned scientists.
-construct a vocabulary word poster using Comic Life.

The respective do nows were:
Wednesday - draw the water cycle scheme.
Thursday - Quick write - Why is the water cycle necessary for life on earth?
Friday - use your assigned vocabulary word and write a sentence using the word.

Students submitted HL #10 and reviewed it on Wednesday. For the remainder of Wednesday, and on Thursday and Friday, students researched their assigned scientist and used Comic Life to make a word wall poster of a assigned vocabulary word.

The technology project (scientist baseball card) is due on Monday, 11 October, and the instructions can be found at the top of this blog.

Tuesday, 5 October, 2010

Students will be able to use information from past lectures and classroom discussions to
-identify the spheres of the earth.

Students received HL #10, which can be found at the top of this blog.

Students completed the lab write up for the Green house Effect.

Students learned about the different spheres of the earth. The earth can be divided into four (sometimes five or six) spheres.

The SIX spheres are:

hydrosphere-waters of the earth

lithosphere (also known as geosphere)-the land, rocks of the earth

atmosphere-the air of the earth

biosphere-the living organisms of the earth

cryosphere-the frozen waters of the earth, including glaciers and continental ice

antrosphere-humans and their construction