COMING SOON: Science Fair!

Starting Tuesday, we are going to dive deep into our preparation for science fair.  All students in the 6th grade are required to participate - which I think is great!  Science Fair is a great time for us to practice scientific inquiry and exercise our brains with weights like the scientific method!

We will spend Tuesday in the media center researching and getting ideas for projects.  The most important thing RIGHT NOW is that students go ahead and purchase composition books (for research) and display boards.  

• The school will be selling composition books for 50 cents!  I think the current going rate for a composition book in stores is around 79 cents to a dollar, so this is a deal!  
• The school will be selling display boards for the low low price of $3.00!  Based on my research, the same board is for sale at Office Depot for nearly $10!  Talk about a STEAL!
• You are welcome to purchase your own, but please be sure that your display board meets the following requirements:
• White (no other color - we are going for a professional look)
• size 36" x 48"

Please send cash only, and exact change is preferred :) More information about science fair will be sent home next week!  As always, let me know if you have questions!

For the week of October 3...

Today and tomorrow students are being released early from school to make time for parent conferences.  You should have received a letter either stating we would like you to come in due to concern, or to invite you to the munch and mingle.

Students are attending 1st and 2nd period today, and 3rd and 4th tomorrow.  Interim exams (midterms) are taking place Wednesday and Thursday and students will be on a block schedule those days.  The only homework this week in science is to STUDY for midterms.  The class with the greatest number of As on the midterm will receive a surprise from Ms. Shaver!

Thanks to ALL who came Saturday for the garden clean up.  It is BEAUTIFUL!  

Garden day - TOMORROW!

Don't forget - tomorrow is garden clean up day!  We will be at the school from 9am-1pm in the garden, located between purple and blue halls!  See you there!

Online textbook drama...

The textbook is working but apparently you can't go straight to the glossary.  Utilize chapter 9.  On the left hand bar, make sure you scroll over and can see the contents... at first glance it looks blank!

As always, your textbook is the BEST resource... but you can use the online textbook in a pinch!

Paleo Vocab Flaps:

fossil, relative age, index fossil, geologic time scale, law of superposition, uniformitarianism (wait... not in book), original horizontality (wait... not in book), extinction

Make sure you have:
front: drawing and word
back: boring book def. and 5-word-def.

Geologic History Foldable directions...

Your construction paper should be folded hot dog style.  Fold it hamburger style twice to make sure you have 4 flaps.  If you opened it up, it would look like our paper looks before we cut out vocab flaps (8 rectangles).

Cut the front piece so that you have 4 flaps on the front, and the back should be a solid piece.

On the front, put the rectangles that are numbered 1-4.  When you open up the foldable, sort of like on the back of the door, you put the ovals.  On the solid piece, you have the illustration.

On the back of the entire thing, you place the heading box and the big square that says the rules of the game.

Make sure to color everything.  All the things you are gluing are being glued down completely instead of flaps, since the construction paper is acting as the flap.

COLOR EVERYTHING.  If you feel confused and want some help, check out Chapter 9 in your textbook.  It has the same material that we are learning about.

As always, email me with questions (and don't wait until Sunday night!).  Have a GREAT weekend!

Rock Density Lab discussion questions and today's hw

Copy and answer questions in complete sentences.  This is part of the lab on pages 27-29 in your notebook.

1. Based on your data, are the densities of the rocks similar or different?
2. What evidence do you have to support you answer to question number one?
3. How do your results compare to your hypothesis?
4. We know that all rocks are made of _____________.  Do you think that the presence of minerals in the rocks affected the outcome of this lab?  Why or why not?
5. If you were to create a lab, how could you be sure the rocks have different densities?

Today's HW:
Literary Lawyers:

Make sure you are glued in, sideways waterfall style on page 31.  Your AG should be on top, followed by "Paleontology notes..." and then the page that is half full of text is last.

Start by completing the anticipation guide - are the statements true or false?  Then, move to the reading.  Start by boxing and numbering your paragraphs.  Then use red, blue, and green to go through and find the main ideas, supporting details, and specific examples.  We did this on the Rocks AG & Reading on page 19 on August 30.

Make sure you go back to your AG and write down where you found your evidence AND what that evidence is.  You need to be prepared for court tomorrow in class!

PLEASE email me if you have questions. :)  See you in COURT!

***Complete the lab for homework.  It will be collected tomorrow for a grade!***