Special Speaker about Dyslexia on Wednesday, 10/22

We will again have a speaker helping us learn about Dyslexia. Mrs. Nancy Barnard will be speaking to our team at about 10:40. All parents and interested caregivers are invited.

Mrs. Barnard is the president of EDS which is a private tutoring business that focuses on struggling students whether in math or reading. Mrs. Barnard has focused on struggling readers and those who are diagnosed with dyslexia. She recently appeared on The Turning Point with Gayle Cane of Nemours Bright Start program. Mrs. Barnard and her staff work with struggling readers to make them successful in the classroom and life.

ASSIGNMENTS for Week of October 13

Prepare tables for use in the in-class lab activity. See your HST RED Science Book, pp 602 - 603 for the tables. You might want to prepare tables for the Task and Report for the 9 week "exam". For more info see the post about the alternative exam.

HW will be to continue on with Science Project. No experimentation may be begun until I give it my stamp of approval or the SRC/IRB approves it.

Proposals are due on October 13. That's Monday. If they aren't submitted that day then they must come in ASAP. It's 100 points for a correctly completed proposal that can be easily approved by myself or the SRC/IRB. The grading period ends soon and the gradebook closes so get those points while they are available.

RESEARCH PROPOSAL DUE MONDAY

Be sure to complete your forms 1. 1A, 1B, and 3 along with your Research Plan. If you need assistance try www.nefrsef.org .

Forms must be signed in BLUE ink.

Information about Unit 1 PERFORMANCE TASK (9 week exam alternative)

Science is more than just knowing the right answers or memorizing facts. It's about applying knowledge about concepts and using skills that you've practiced to solve a problem. With this in mind I am choosing to use the DCPS Unit 1 Performance Task as an alternative to a 9 week exam. Students will be completing the Lab called White Around You (HST RED BOOK pp. 602 - 603) in class between Monday and Wednesday. They will then apply their findings and the skills they've practiced to complete the performance task on THURSDAY during our scheduled exam period. I am posting information about the TASK itself, the checklist students should use as they prepare the report, the grading rubric, and the scoring guide for students to employ the Leadership Habit of being PROACTIVE. If they download the information (or just read it) they will have a better understanding of what is expected of them on Thursday. Of course I will present the material in class, but this is one way for them to have the information as a hard copy or electronically. In addition it is totally OK to prepare data tables for the TASK similar to the ones found in the Lab White Around You. You may copy them from the book, use Excel, or draw them using a ruler. I recommend that they fit on no more than one half of a standard sheet of paper so you have room to write the short report..

Here's the file address.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/6499040/Unit-1-Challenge-Information

Don't forget to make a copy of the tables for your use during the lab. If you are proactive you will save yourself some class time. That leaves more time to do your lab and meet with me about your science proposal.

Are you doing plants for your science project?

I just was sent this address for Wisconsin Fast Plants. They are great for science projects. You may want to adapt the growing directions for your project. Be sure to cite your source for your bibliography!!!!

http://www.fastplants.org/pdf/growing_instructions.pdf

Slides for the science project symposium

This is the presentation made to all 6th and 8th grade students. Seventh grade students have received this information as part of their classes.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/6496820/Getting-Started-on-Your-Science-Project

The week of October 6, 2008

I have scheduled my classes to use the 2nd floor computer lab on Tuesday and Thursday. Students will work on the Forms Wizard for their science project proposals and forms and will also work on their Compass Odyssey assignments.

If you want to work on Odyssey at home there are directions posted on the Landon website and on the DCPS website.

On Monday we will begin working with chemical properties. The assignments for this week are more choices, but you have to earn 50 points by choosing assignments. The assignments are in 3 columns. There are 5, 10, and 15 point assignments. You must choose and complete the assignments that will earn you 50 points. The choice assignments are in addition to using the FORMS WIZARD and working on ODYSSEY.

You can see the assignments by going to http://www.scribd.com/doc/6403338/Assignments-for-October-6

A science project proposal and Forms 1, 1A, and 1B are due on Monday 10/13. Be sure to have them signed in BLUE ink. More on this later this week.