Interactive Periodic Table

Interactive Periodic Table

Ever wondered what the element might look like? Or what it's boiling point is? This website is full of information to help you with chemistry!

Welcome Back!

Welcome back for a new year of learning!

Yes, it is true that I have moved to eighth grade science. For most of my students, I will have been with them since they were sixth graders. Welcome to those of you who are new to my room.

By Friday, students are to return both the lab safety contract and course syllabus with parent signatures. They also must bring a college, ruled spiral to class with them. Students will need a second spiral when we start the second semester in February. ( I recommend that you buy two spirals now, since their are on sale.)

By the end of the week, my additional webpage will be up and running. This page will allow for students to download and print out any handed out paperwork that has either been destroyed or lost on the way home. Students will be practicing how to locate and use our blogging page, YouTube channel plus the webpage next week when we visit the school computer lab.

Please contact me by email if there are any concerns or questions. (spellman_kari@salkeiz.k12.or.us)

I am looking forward to a great year with your child!

Schedule For Final Six Days

Tuesday (4)
Students will be eating lunch outside today. Gorgeous weather!

Wednesday (5)
Finals: Part A
Wetlands to make animal and human behavior observations

Thursday (6)
Finals: PartB
Eight grade dance is from 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM in the commons. Woo Hoo!! You have made it to the big party!

Friday (7)
Finals: Part C
Students will be cleaning out their lockers at the end of the day. EVERYTHING must be cleaned out of the lockers: jackets, books, locker accessories, etc.

Monday (10)
District dress code: Dog tags earned from state testing

Tuesday(11)
District dress code: Dog tags earned from state testing
Field Day: Fit and Fabulous! 
Yearbooks are handed out.

Wednesday (12)
District dress code: Everyone
Half day schedule: Students will be done at noon.
Eight grade promotion at North High School 6:30 PM

After School Literacy Night

Tonight is out big event! There will be a number of community members displaying what services and help they can offer families. There will be a BBQ, haircuts, vision checks, sports demonstrations, book giveaways, law enforcement, musical groups, etc.

Time: 6:00 - 8:00PM

See you tonight!

Life Is Happening

In between the rain showers, students had an opportunity to see the new goslings and ducklings that have hatched at the wetlands. There was a blended family of Canada geese (three adults) that had a gaggle of thirteen goslings. We also noticed a small family of ducks. Only three of their ducklings have survived. I learned that we have American Brown ducks.

Watching animals in nature gives opportunities for us to discuss being good stewards of both land and animals. Students discuss how to treat animals with respect and read their body language.

Final Textbook For the Year!

Students are now entering the final textbook for the year. WooHoo! After we complete the book, there will be a three day final during June 5-7, 2013. Students will be prepped in advance.

Wetland's Trip Friday (25)

Our class trip to the wetlands has been moved to this Friday (25) due to the forecast of rain. I'm up for challenges, but trying to keep students clean and dry will not be possible that day. :)

Time, date, eclipse, time zones, etc!

If you are looking for information regarding the current time, when the next solar eclipse will be or when a penumbra eclipse will take place over Africa,... visit TimeandDate .

You can download and print out calendars plus find out when specific holidays will occur. It is addicting! There is SO much to view.

Moon, Earth and Sun Test Tuesday (5/21)

OK. We are practicing note taking on index cards. Write tiny and create your own shorthand.
Be ready to put the following moon phases in the correct order.





H, A, E, G, B, F, C & D.

Be ready!

Visiting the Wetlands

Weather provided, classes will be visiting the wetlands on Wednesday, May 22. We're looking for changes that have occurred since our Transpiration Lab in February, both in plants and animals. Hopefully we will be able to see turtles, frogs, Nutria, Blue Heron, Canada geese, and Mallards.

Be ready to discuss the scientific and sociological connections of our Wetlands.  :)

District Science Work Samples

We are beginning to read about forms of energy. While in this section of our textbooks, students will be assigned a period of 5-7 days over the next couple weeks, during which they will be learning about this year's challenge. At the end of this time, students will create their work samples during class time.

Students will be constructing a Rube Goldberg contraption with a specific goal. They are encouraged to use materials from recycling or that can be found at home.

More information will continue to be sent home.

Test Retakes

Parents, some students need parental assistance in regard to properly studying. For some, they do not realize that in order to do well on a test that they need to spend more than 5-10 minutes.

Please encourage them to study for 20 minute periods with short breaks in between. Any student may retake any test provided they have:
1. Studied. Too many are just retaking the test with no improvement.
2. Sign up for the retakes so that I know how many students I am preparing for.

Together, we make a good team that will help your student be successful.  :)

Test retake: April (4)

Students should have brought home a slip of paper letting parents know if they needed to stay after school Thursday (4) in order to retake the chapter test that was given March ( ).

For some students, Thursday's test will be their second attempt at passing the test. During class, we discussed the importance of re-evaluating how one studies if they continue to not pass. This is a good life skill that students need to be learning.

Test Retakes & Intouch

About 35 students either came to school early or stayed late in order to retake the last chapter test. I am very proud of you! As soon as I finish grading these tests, the score will be posted in the grade book. Look for the updates soon.

Intouch updates grades nightly.

Conferences: March 20 & 21

The following is the schedule for both school today and conferences that run tonight and tomorrow.

Wednesday (20)

8:00 AM-2:50 PM          Classes as scheduled
4:30 PM - 7:30 PM         Conferences

Thursday (21)

  8:00 AM - 11:30 AM    Conferences
12:00  PM -   3:30 PM     Conferences
  5:00  PM -   8:00 PM     Conferences

Have a great Spring break!

Chapter Test & Retake Policy

Our first chapter test is Thursday (14). In class, students received print outs of our Power Point notes. Study, study, study!

Test Retake Policy

Any test may be taken again, as many times as necessary, in order to improve their grades. Retakes are Tuesdays & Thursdays either 7:00AM or 3:00PM. Students MUST sign up before taking a test. It is also their responsibility to make arrangements in advance with their parents.



 

Full House: Edible Cell Model Workshop :)

There were almost sixty students that stayed after school to make their edible cell models. HOLY COW!!

Click here (later this week) to see the newest video showing how to make a cell model and the surprise quiz that I am giving.

Too bad your computer doesn't have a smell-o-vision. The classroom smells like a bakery, all sweet smelling. ..... yummmmmm.....

Transpiration

All classes went to the wetlands for the past two days. We were learning about transpiration. In class, students have been learning about what a stoma is and how plants use it during the photosynthesis/respiration process.

As a group, we came up with a question to ponder. Do plants transpire more during Spring than Winter? To test this, we are going back in mid-April to test this question. Oh boy!! Let's play in more plant sweat...lol. Just kidding.

Students performed the same lab last year. Click here and visit pictures from that lab.

Edible Cells: Yum!

Students are creating their edible, cell models that are due on Tuesday, March 5. Anyone that is interested in making their project after school in the classroom, may bring their supplies on Monday,March 4 and create it after 4PM. If you are struggling financially, talk to me and we'll work something out.  :)

If you can't remember how to make the model, visit out classroom YouTube Channel. We will be making a new video this year. We learned that is best NOT to use canned, whipped cream. It melts like crazy!...lol

After School Make Up Work

I am happy to report that only two weeks in to the new semester and some students are already coming after school to finish work that did not get completed during class time.

EXCELLENT!! These students are showing maturity and a desire for better grades. They will excel in both high school and college. I am proud of them.  :)

New Semester

The second semester is under way. :)

Today we set up our interactive notebook (INB). Essentially, it is a spiral that resembles a textbook with a table of contents and numbered pages.

Students work will be done in class. Each student has decorated their own INB that is kept in a period bin. Should they need to complete something, the page may be carefully removed and then taped back in when completed.

The course syllabus and parent signature slip was sent home Monday (4). The signed slip is due back on Wednesday (6). If either paper gets lost, another copy will be given to the student.

Final Project: Rube Goldberg Contraptions

Students finished assembling and demonstrating their contraptions in class today. After their project was filmed for our YouTube Channel, they cleaned up and took home their spirals home.

(Link to be inserted at the end of the day.)

I have had a great time seeing my former sixth graders grown and mature into seventh graders. Now students will move on to the next core class that is only for one semester, finishing out the 2012-2013 school year.

Take care!

Ms. Spellman

Final Two Weeks

As the semester winds down, it's important to finish any missing work and make arrangements with me for test re-takes.

Times available for after school help in my room:

Date	Time
Weds (16)	3:00PM – 4:00PM
Thurs ( 17)	3:00PM – 4:00PM
Weds (23)	3:00PM – 4:00PM
Thurs (24)	3:00PM – 4:00PM
Fri (25)	3:00PM – 4:00PM