Sixth Grade Science Signal Mountain Middle School

Planet Cookies Real or Fake

2012-01-30T15:17:00.002-05:00

Directions:

Please don't go out of your way to buy anything for this project. Students have been asked to make a cookie (or fake cookie made of cardboard/paper) the shape of a specific planet. Each planet should be made in a way to show as many details about the actual planet as possible. Students need to have a scale for their planet and facts describing the planet. We will discuss the planets in our next class and eat any real cookie planets. Points will be earned as follows: Planet's name and meaning of the name, scale -See link, and facts. No points for making it into an art project.

Checklist & Rubric: Given in class

Worksheet: Scale, source citation, and presentation planner

Big Paper: Group Assignment

2012-01-26T16:16:00.041-05:00

Retrograde Rotation of Venus

Task Sheet and Rubric

Supporting websites:

Retrograde planets: The planets that have a retrograde rotation are Venus, Uranus and Pluto. Just remember Very Unusual Planets.

Asteroids & Meteoroids: First let us explain the only diffence between an asteroid and a meteroid: their sizes. Anything smaller than 1 mile across is considered a meteroid. Anything larger is considered an asteroid.

Meteoroids vs. Asteroids

Near Earth Object Program: NASA

Examples: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 (to be updated)

Curious About Astronomy? Ask an Astronomer

2012-01-16T20:20:00.000-05:00

This sixth month long exposure shows, what? Picture of the Day

View the Ask an Astronomer website and look over the top twenty-five questions ask. View other questions on topics of your interest.

Report your most interesting finds for bonus points. If you come up with a question not answered on the site. Ask and let Mr. Swafford know what you learn.

Want to learn more about Space? Try Stellarium!

2012-01-12T21:07:00.000-05:00

Download Stellarium for your iPhone or computer then explore.

Students seeking extra credit should write a paper stating what you learned. Include specifics about the program and what it does. Additionally, how has your using the program expanded your learning from class? Share connection between class and the program. Last, get your parent/guardian to sign your paper and return it to Mr. Swafford

Apison Tornado

2011-04-28T21:00:00.003-04:00

New Article: 8 Dead, 28 Injured At Apison As Tornado Roars Through; Governor Surveys Damage
Trustee Hullander And Son's Family Ride Out Storm, But Relatives Killed posted April 28, 2011

Pictures from the tornado that hit just a block from my parents home. The link will take a short time to load.

Planet Cookies Real or Fake

2010-12-07T21:59:00.000-05:00

Directions:

Please don't go out of your way to buy anything for this project. Students have been asked to make a cookie (or fake cookie made of cardboard/paper) the shape of a specific planet. Each planet should be made in a way to show as many details about the actual planet as possible. Students need to have a scale for their planet and facts describing the planet. We will discuss the planets in our next class and eat any real cookie planets. Points will be earned as follows: Planet name (1), scale (2), and facts (7). No points for making it into an art project.

Tellus Science Museum

2010-11-10T22:25:00.033-05:00

Learning about the Earth's core and contents at the Tellus Science Museum.

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Testing Mohs hardness scale.

Space Artwork

Travel Gallery with vehicles current all the way back to the beginning of motor travel.

Learning to make biodiesel.

Panning for gems.

Finding the amount of energy in different biological products.

Artwork in the Travel Gallery.

Lab: Popping Popcorn!

2010-10-28T21:29:00.000-04:00

Lab: Making Popcorn from Chris Swafford on Vimeo.

More info will be added soon.

Demo: Testing Density & Viscosity

2010-10-11T21:45:00.000-04:00

Testing Density & Viscosity from Chris Swafford on Vimeo.

Questions for today's class:

Q:1 How do oceans affect weather?

Q:2 How do they affect our food?

Main point: We are studying the causes of ocean currents and the affects they have on weather and food production.

GEMS: Acid Rain Play

2010-10-11T20:23:00.002-04:00

Acid Rain Play (Sept 2010) from Chris Swafford on Vimeo.

Student's enjoying the GEMS Acid Rain play as an ending to your Ecology unit.

Featuring Class Periods: 2 & 6

Ballooning to Space: Homemade Spacecraft's Video

2010-10-10T21:42:00.002-04:00

Homemade Spacecraft from Luke Geissbuhler on Vimeo.

What does this video tell us about weather and weather prediction?

Check out these guys.

Interdependence in the Ecosystem: Acid Rain & pH

2010-09-16T14:54:00.000-04:00

pH lab: Students testing pH of liquids from home.

Pakistan Flooding 2010

2010-09-06T22:49:00.003-04:00

Learn about the floods in Pakistan.

Q:1 How is the flooding going to affect food supply for the people of the country? What else will be affected? Why?

Q:2 How is food reaching the people in need?

   Listen to an article. The World PRI

   Read articles.
   BBC: Damage and Challenges
   BBC: More flooding cause more people to leave their homes
   USA: Aid to Pakistan

   See pictures about the flooding.
   Huffington Post
   BBC
   Google

Student Council 2010

2010-09-03T15:16:00.002-04:00

Good job Candidates! Each of you did a fantastic job speaking to the class.

Student Council Candidate Speeches 2010
Password: (Where did we vote?)

And the winners are......

President

Kevin McCaffrey

Vice President

Cayman Browder

Secretary

Jennifer Thomas

Treasure

Reid Mitchell

Parliamentarian

Mary Stuart Markham

Representatives

Skye Braden

Meg Parry

Katie Meadows

Mary Eliza Hendricks

Jessica Wicker

Advisory Representatives will be announced next week!

Signal Mountain Food Web

2010-08-31T11:14:00.003-04:00

Get to know your environment!

Make a Signal Mountain food web with 15 plus organisms from our deciduous forest ecosystem. Take special care to show correct relationships between each organism, arrows should point from the food source to the organism eating the source thus showing the flow of energy. If both organisms could eat each other such as a black rat snake and a red tail hawk a double-ended arrow should be used to demonstrate the fact that both creatures could eat each other. Those seeking to earn an "A" should add scientific names to five or more of the organisms.

Helpful list:

Tennessee Animals

Tennessee Fish Photos

Fish Key

Tennessee Ornithological Society: Birds

Non Native Birds

Venomous Creatures of Tennessee

Nonvenomous Snakes of Tennessee

Snake Poster

Snake Review

Amphibians and Reptiles of Tennessee

Frog Poster

Salamander Poster

eNature: Field Guides

Rare Animals of Tennessee (Not an easy read)

Endangered or Threatened Animals

Tennessee Watchable Wild Life

Oh Deer: Limiting Factors & Carrying Capacity!

2010-08-25T10:29:00.000-04:00

Activity: Oh Deer!

Main Point: Students will have a working knowledge for carrying capacity and understand how limiting factors contribute to population size.

Vocabulary: Limiting Factor, Carrying Capacity, Trophic Level, Food Chain

Helpful Information:

1. What are limiting factors? Link 1 Link 2

2. Understanding carrying capacity. Link

Q:1 What caused the population decline in 1987?

Q:2 How can the data collected be used to describe the population? Give examples.

Q:3 How can scientist use environmental carrying capacity studies to decide hunting and fishing quotas?

Quick Frozen Critters

2010-08-24T09:02:00.000-04:00

Q:1 Why do limiting factors affect the number of organisms living?

Q:2 If you are a country leader, how would you direct a plan to feed your starving nation? Support your answer with facts learned in class.

Main Point is to help students better understand the 10% rule within trophic levels.

Vocabulary: Energy Pyramid, Trophic Levels, Food Chain

Additional Help:

1. Energy Pyramid Ocean

2. Energy Pyramid Video

3. How to play

4. Data Collection

DDT: Peregrine Falcon

2010-08-24T06:55:00.001-04:00

How has DDT affected living organisms? Explain how this affects a food chain? Give examples.

Write your answers on a separate sheet of paper and bring them back to class. Directions for Garland.

1. Species Profile: Peregrine Falcon Link

2. Learn more about DDT or

Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (ClC₆H₄)₂CH(CCl₃) Link

Online Ecology Review: Interrelationships

2010-08-23T07:37:00.000-04:00

Do you know your decomposers? Play the game and find out.

Play the food chain game!

Carnivore - Herbivore - Omnivore

Welcome 2010-2011 Class!

2010-08-16T21:44:00.000-04:00

August 12, 2010

Sixth Grade Science

Welcome to Mr. Swafford’s classroom! I enjoy telling stories and trying engaging activities as we do meaningful schoolwork.

I have two goals for this year. One is to have fun while learning together. The second is harder to measure but no less important: I want each student in my class to feel liked and needed while he/she does his/her very best work.

Here are seven tips that will make your school year great.

1. Have fun!

2. Be a friend. Yes, a teacher can be your friend too, even the hard ones.

3. Have respect!

4. Work for yourself.

5. Always ask questions, especially when you are not sure.

6. Join a club, sport, or an activity.

7. Try your hardest, even when things are not going in your favor.

I trust these tips will help you as you start this school year. Yet if you find you need help, ask one of your teachers; they are here for you! My classroom will be open most lunches. Come into the room if you need a quiet place to study or if you need help with an assignment.

Starting the year off, we will be studying Ecology as our main unit of study. See the reverse side of this letter for a tentative yearlong outline. Teaching will follow the State of Tennessee Science Standards as directed by HCDE policies.

Classroom Expectation

Students are expected to use their agendamates to record homework and as a backup www.smmhs.com. Each student should turn in tasks the day they are due to receive full credit and late work should be placed in the “IN” tray located in the classroom. Science lab journals will be used to record notes, vocabulary, and handouts for review and testing purposes. Benefiting students Holt online offers students the science text, study aids, practice test, short videos and more online. Please login and checkout the wealth of information (passwords given out with the textbook).

Grading: 93-100 = A 10% Homework

85-92 = B 30% Classwork (quizzes, task, labs, projects, journal)

75-84 = C 40% Tests (test, quizzes, performance task, labs)

70-74 = D 20% Exam

0-69 = F

Journals are expected for each student. Notes and vocabulary are kept in the journal for review and testing purposes. Keep journals neat, up-to-date, and present in classes.

Mr. Chris Swafford

swafford_Christopher(at).hcde.org

UTC Science Methods: July 12 & 16

2010-07-12T08:57:00.000-04:00

Welcome to class.

Chris Swafford

swafford_christopher(at)hcde(dot)org

Links:

Layer curriculum by Dr. Kathie Nunley: http://www.help4teachers.com/

The Story of Stuff: http://www.storyofstuff.com/

Catfish: http://www.vimeo.com/11817894

Medical Visualization: http://www.visualiseringscenter.se/1/1.0.1.0/230/2/

TED: http://www.ted.com/

Solar Cookers: http://www.solarcookers.org/

Largest Solar Cooking System: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRGAfw4AMag&feature=related

Water cycle songs: http://smmhs.blogspot.com/2008/12/water-cycle-song-ii.html

Elliptical Orbit: http://smmhs.blogspot.com/2008/11/inertia-gravity-cause-elliptical-orbits.html

Chattanooga Regional Science Fair: http://www.chattanoogasciencefair.org/

Science Fair Project Ideas: http://www.sciencebuddies.org/

Swafford's Paper Outline: http://homepage.mac.com/crswaff/Sites/Science2008_2009/Science Fair Paper Outline 2009-2010.doc

Wild Edibles Resources (download 23.9MB): http://homepage.mac.com/crswaff/Sites/Masters/WildEdiblePlants.zip

Solar Cookers

2010-05-03T16:28:00.000-04:00

Can you design and build a hot solar cooker? Our plan is to build a cooker, test it making s'mores, and enjoy learning!

Build Day

What is a solar cooker?

1. Explain that stuff

2. How stuff works

3. Solar Cooker International

Solar Cooker are used around the world to help individuals cook their meals. For more information and pictures about cooking projects see Solar Cooker Review.

Watch the video link to see the basics of how a cooker works, why cooker are important, and how government officials are being encouraged to support their use. ASAP Video: Importance of Solar Cookers

Excellent solar example pictures:Link

How are solar cookers helping poor women in Chad? Video

Data II

2010-05-03T07:24:00.000-04:00

Your Data!

Causes of Wind!

2010-02-23T22:36:00.001-05:00

1. What causes wind?

2. Basic Wind Info

3. Basic But Good: Weather Wiz Kids

Weather Facts:

WORLD RECORD WIND SPEED The highest wind speed ever recorded on the surface of the Earth was 231 mph on April 12 1934, atop Mt. Washington, New Hampshire. This high-elevation weather station experienced the winds of an extremely strong jet stream that had descended unusually low in the atmosphere.

THE WIND AFFECTS THE EARTH'S ROTATION During the northern hemisphere winter, the stronger westerly winds that build up in the Northern Hemisphere, combined with frictional drag at the Earth's surface, actually produce a very small, but measurable, increase in the speed of rotation of the Earth.

From: Weatherquestions.com

Density Driven Currents

2010-02-04T05:59:00.000-05:00

Lab two Currents

Weather

2010-01-25T21:14:00.000-05:00

Boiling Over Lab: Video

Atmospheric Pressure: Barometer

Isobar: Map, High/Low

Awesome Resources:

Forecasting Book

Canada Forecasting Book

SMMHS Science Fair 2010

2010-01-14T09:37:00.000-05:00

Science Fair Dates

Entry Form due: February 12 by 5:00 PM

Fair: March 8-11

Helpful Links:

-Chattanooga Science Fair Entry Form, Rules, Other helpful material

-Science Buddies Great for finding a project idea!

-Paper Outline Students should type their paper according to MLA format with size 12 Times New Roman font.

-Google Documents Type your paper and have it with you everywhere you go!

-Paper Outline on Google Docs

-Noodle Tools Save yourself lots of time! Here is the place to keep your notes and references.

-Science Project Pictures 2007-2008 School Year

Space: Human Ingenuity

2009-11-03T15:53:00.000-05:00

Sputnic

How has human ingenuity during the space race affected our world both positively and negatively?

Space Race Beginning

NASA Space Race Spinoffs

Space Debris

Transpiration Homework Help!

2009-10-28T15:39:00.000-04:00

1. Students are expected to find a set of leaves and cover them in an air tight clear bag.

2. Record observations of the plants over six set times such as: 0 hr, 15 hr, 30 hr, 45 hr, 60 hr, and 75 hr. Pictures should be drawn or taken.

3. The last observation should include an explanation of transpiration and statements of how you believe transpiration takes place.

4. What is the value of transpiration to living organisms?

Links:

http://www.eoearth.org/article/Transpiration

http://www.physicalgeography.net/physgeoglos/t.html View: Transpiration Definition

http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/guides/mtr/hyd/trsp.rxml

Water Homework Help!

2009-10-13T21:29:00.000-04:00

Web-links:

1. All about Water

2. Leading types of Water Pollution

3. What can we do? Hamilton Government

4. Kids Site Covering Water EPA

5. Careers in Water

6. Careers: Work in Water

Do you know the pH, temp, and status of bacteria in our creeks? We do!

2009-10-13T21:01:00.000-04:00

Mary Beth Sutton of Caribbean SEA join us today! Thanks for your help.

Enrichment students collecting samples from Connor Creek. Ask one of our sixth graders what they learned while testing the waters.

s
View Larger Map

Ecological Succession

2009-10-05T22:10:00.001-04:00

What type of succession is being shown?

Interdependence Review Link

2009-09-29T06:43:00.001-04:00

Internet 4 Classrooms

Vocabulary

1. Adaptation (Animals, Birds, Fish, Plants)

2. Succession (Primary & Secondary)

3. Biosphere: Atmosphere, Hydrosphere, and Lithosphere

4. Ecosystem, Population, Community, Habitat, Niche

5. Biology, Ecology

6. Symbiosis: Mutualism, Commensalism, and Parasitism

7. Biotic & Abiotic

8. Interdependent & Interdependence

9. Freshwater & Marine Biomes

10. Organisms: Producers, Consumers, Scavengers, and Decomposers

11. Consumer: Primary, Secondary, Tertiary, and Quaternary

12. Energy transformations

13. Extinction

Adaptations

2009-09-23T22:24:00.001-04:00

Platypus

Adaptations Definition

Animal Adaptations

Aquatic Adaptations

Why so many kinds of plants and animals?

Basic Marine Adaptation

Adaptation Game

Online Textbook: How to login?

2009-09-01T14:51:00.000-04:00

Online book URL: http://my.hrw.com/

Temporary

User Name: sciencebook6

Password: a7z3t

Talk with Mr. Swafford or Mrs. Smith for your own password.

Click on: "Go to online textbook"

Use the orange labs to navigate the textbook.

Use the eActivities tab for the online audio.

What does data look like? Part I

2009-08-24T06:38:00.000-04:00

Science Data

What does data look like?

1. Who is your science teacher?

Swafford

2. Class Period

A-1

A-4

B-1

B-3

B-4

3. What is your height in meters?

AVE: 1.51

4. What is your foot length in centimeters?

AVE: 24.8

5. What is your eye color?

Brown – Blue – Green - Hazel (Brown & Green) - Other

6. What is your mass in kilograms?

AVE: 42.3

7. Are your right or left handed?

13 students are left

8. What is your gender?

Boy 50

Girl 70

9. Do you pick your nose?

Many times a day =2

A few times a day =4

Once a day =5

Never =??

Caving Trip!

2009-07-09T22:03:00.000-04:00

Thanks for a good day all!

After

Before

UTC Science Methods

2009-07-08T20:01:00.000-04:00

UTC Science Methods Class

Thanks for letting me be apart of your class.

If I can be of any help feel free to contact me.

swafford_christopher(at)hcde(dot)org

Summer Caving Trip!

2009-07-06T12:43:00.000-04:00

When: July 9, 2009

Leave time: 10:15 AM Bi-Lo at the foot of Signal Mountain

Return time: About 5:00PM -Everyone will call home when we start the ride home.

What: Caving trip to an area cave about 1:30 minute drive from the base of the base of Signal Mountain.

Who: Chris Swafford, Doranne Lane, and members from the Chattanooga Grotto are inviting confirmed students from SMMHS --Call Chris Swafford at 423-236-forty-nine forty-five

Cost: $6 donation for use of the borrowed helmets/lights

Items to Bring:

1. Helmet (provided)

2. Lights (bring two and one will be provided on helmet)

3. Long Paints & Long sleeved shirt

4. Gloves: Gardening gloves with thick rubber will keep your hands warm and minimize cuts and scrapes.

5. A large plastic trash bag

6. Knee Pads

7. Lunch Snacks & Water

8. Large mouthed Gatorade bottle: Crush-proof container for human wastes -Pack it in, Pack it out!

9. Boots with lugs (cheap ones can be bought at Wal-mart)

10. A small, strong, lightweight pack

11. A new set of cloths and shoes to wear on the ride home.

12. Money for fast-food

13. Each person on the trip will need to provide parent contact info, health info, and carry an insurance card. This is so we will not need it!

FYI: We will be in water so warm clothing will be a very good idea. I'm planning about four hours in the cave. Getting food on the way home will keep us out longer than 5 PM. Everyone will be asked to call home after we get out of the cave to let parents know when we plan to return.

Information on Caving pdf

Links:

Cave Info 1

Cave Info 2

Cave Pictures

Exams! Are we going to finish?

2009-05-14T14:03:00.001-04:00

Student's working on their exams!

160 minutes in the Media Center

Are you Finished?

Exam Help: Links

2009-05-11T07:14:00.000-04:00

1. Endangered Species in Tennessee: Remember to answer why it is endangered.

4. Safari Montage (Works at School only) -User Name: Student -Password: Student

5. Food Web: Your food web must be specific and not have generic names such as "bird" but "Eastern Blue bird." Every organism in your web must come from the biome you selected. All food webs need to be in your handwriting not a print-off from the web. Here is a great website to help you build a food web. Caution it may have generic name.

6. BrainPOP -Weathering

8. Temperature Conversion

11. Golden Apple Award

Level B Work

Dichotomous Key Examples

Recycling: Basics of Recycling - How to setup

Extinction Overtime

Level A Work

Pro/Con Nuclear Power -This is a link for school.

Important Scientist -100 Scientist Who Shaped World History

Space Junk -This is a link for school.

Wikipedia Muppet -Example of fun creatures.

Student Council: Ropes Course & Leadership Training

2009-04-30T21:59:00.000-04:00

Just Back from a Good Day of Actives: Low Ropes Team Actives, Pamper Pole, and Giant Swing at SAU.

Thanks for a Fun Day!

Cookin' Up S'mores: Solar Cookers

2009-04-30T14:47:00.000-04:00

Object: design and build a solar cook to produce the hottest temperature

Vocabulary: reflect, insulate, capture/trap, absorb, celsius, fahrenheit

Congratulation to our top two cooker!

Griffin at 122 degree Celsius

Mila at 104 degree Celsius

Do you want to know their temperatures in fahrenheit?

C=(F-32) 5/9

Online Temperature Conversion

Grading Scale:

The temperature of your cooker will make or break your grade! The temperature will determine one of the two grades you will receive on this project.

2009 2010

A = 125 degrees plus! 220 degrees plus!

B = 91 -124 degrees 120-219 degrees

C = 76 – 90 76-119

D = 70 - 75 70-75

F = No project No project

Higher temperature would have been required this year however our thermometers maxed out at 120 and popped at 130! Wal-Mart has cheap oven thermometers that will be used next year.

Written Assignment: Solar Cooker Essay

--Use three different internet sources

About My Planet - Solar Cooking.org -Places of Use - These are just two I used.

--MLA citation of sources at bottom of the page

–use citation machine:http://citationmachine.net

--One page that answers:

What is a solar cooker?

How does it work?

Who uses it? Give real examples (two) you find in your research.

Where (what places) is it used?

Why is a solar cooker used?

--Make sure you underline/highlight the key words- who, what, when, where, why, and how in the paper.

--Paper can be typed or neatly written.

--Include pictures (drawn or printed) of two different types of solar cookers.

Due: Friday, May 1

Bad Hatch!

2009-04-26T21:01:00.000-04:00

Silky Bantam

What happened to the Egg?

--they got cool on the way to our school

--they needed to be turn in the evening

We know the eggs smelled very very bad when cracked open!

Learn more about Silkie chickens or photos.

Building Solar Cookers

2009-04-23T08:20:00.000-04:00

Can you design and build a hot solar cooker? Our plan is to build a cooker, test it making s'mores, and enjoy learning!

Build Day

Solar Cooker are used around the world to help individuals cook their meals. For more information and pictures about cooking projects see Solar Cooker Review.

Watch the video link to see the basics of how a cooker works, why cooker are important, and how government officials are being encouraged to support their use. ASAP Video: Importance of Solar Cookers

What Happen Here? Earthquake!

2009-04-16T13:21:00.000-04:00

View Larger Map

Have You Built a 2 Meter Freestanding Newspaper Tower?

2009-03-11T09:00:00.000-04:00

Objective: Use the design cycle.

Goal: Design and build the tallest freestanding tower possible using only tape, newspaper, and your creative prowess.

Investigate: Scrutinize fundamental shapes, lofty towers, and crafty bridges for design ideals to help your team build the tallest newspaper tower. Try building a preliminary small tower.

Plan: Construct design drawing for your tower. Demonstrate in drawn form what the tower will look like before it is built.

Create: Engineer your group's tower!

Evaluate: Judge the tower fir freestanding height.

Earthquake Building Construction Tech Ed

2009-02-20T06:35:00.000-05:00

Tech Ed students extend their learning about earthquakes by constructing building. Ask one of these students who's building withstood most seismic activity.

Lab: Convection Currents

2009-02-10T20:54:00.000-05:00

Objective: Discover properties of heat. Investigate how the properties can cause movement of rocks on the surface of the Earth.

Magma circulates via convection currents, causing the lithospheric plates to move.

Vocabulary:

Geology

Conduction

Convection

Radiation

Blog Poll: Are you challenged by the classwork given at school?

2008-12-18T20:44:00.000-05:00

Are you challenged by the classwork given at school?

Never (3) 8%

Most of the time (6) 16%

Only by one or two teachers (20) 54%

All the time (8) 21%

Votes: 37

Poll closed December 18

Lander: Egg Drop

2008-12-17T22:37:00.000-05:00

Everyone did well! Congratulations.

Water Cycle Song II

2008-12-15T15:12:00.000-05:00

Objective: It is time to show your creative side along with your knowledge of the water cycle terminology.

Vocabulary:

1. Transpiration

2. Percolation

3. Aquifer

4. Evaporation

5. Condensation

6. Precipitation

7. Runoff

9. Groundwater

Building Landers

2008-12-15T08:24:00.000-05:00

Build Day!

Enrichment Group 1: Final Project

2008-12-11T14:34:00.000-05:00

Try One!

Egg Lander Projects

2008-12-08T20:29:00.001-05:00

Examples of past projects. Students will learn more about the project this week.

Enrichment: Fire

2008-12-08T11:55:00.000-05:00

Safety: Locate the fire blanket and fire extinguisher.

Discuss how to use the blanket and fire extinguisher.

Wearing googles place a cup of water next to you.

Strike match away from you, keeping your fingers clear of the flame.

Hypothesis: What direction will a match burn fastest? How can you use matches in your project?

Play-Doh Review

2008-12-08T07:35:00.000-05:00

Mr. Swafford!
Students explaining Earth's place in the cosmos.

Today we finished class with the students seeking to answer our big questions for this nine weeks: "What big ideas guide human understanding about the origin and structure of the universe, Earth's place in the cosmos, and observable motions and patterns in the sky?"

Earth & Space Review Probes

2008-12-04T20:54:00.000-05:00

Use the review probes to help you increase your performance on the exam.

Enrichment Project Group 1

2008-12-03T12:31:00.000-05:00

What is Parallax?

2008-12-01T20:30:00.000-05:00

Lab today used the scientific method testing a project to view parallax.

Here are two links to help you learn more:

Stellar Parallax

Astroprof's Page: The first parallax Measurements

Water Cycle Song!

2008-12-01T19:39:00.000-05:00

Objective: It is time to show your creative side along with your knowledge of the water cycle terminology.

Vocabulary:

1. Transpiration

2. Percolation

3. Aquifer

4. Evaporation

5. Condensation

6. Precipitation

7. Runoff

9. Groundwater

Student Example:

Blog Poll: How often do people ask to look at your work?

2008-12-01T11:48:00.000-05:00

How often do people ask to look at your work?

1. Never (3) 14%

2. Sometimes (12) 57%

3. All the time (6) 28%

Poll two week long with 21 respondents.

Taken durning the last two weeks of November 2008

Great Space Pictures From LIFE Mag.

2008-11-25T20:53:00.000-05:00

Students check out these pictures.

1960s Apollo space source:life - Google Image Search

If you would like credit for work you do. Take these pictures and put them into a PowerPoint or Google Documents Presenter (Free with a GMail account). Show the pictures in class.

Mr. Swafford

Spring & Neap Tide

2008-11-25T15:04:00.000-05:00

Vocabulary:

1. Spring tide

2. Neap tide

3. Gravity

4. Right angle

5. Align

6. Range

Object: Students will understand how and why spring and neap tide occur.

Examples:

Inertia & Gravity Cause Elliptical Orbits!

2008-11-25T14:56:00.000-05:00

Vocabulary:

1. Satellite

2. Gravity

3. Inertia

4. Orbit/Revolve

5. Elliptical

Task: Use a table tennis ball on a string to explain the the vocabulary words. Each student will take turns demoing and listening. Miss statements should be corrected.

Examples:

Eccentricity of an Orbit!

2008-11-19T06:54:00.000-05:00

Eccentricity of an Orbit

Great Site to Checkout!

2008-11-18T22:49:00.000-05:00

Click on each planet to see facts about the planets and find your weight on each.

Science Monster - Our Solar System

Student Council Elections 2008

2008-11-17T22:11:00.000-05:00

The Speeches are Here!

NASA Movie: What is a Planet?

2008-11-17T20:46:00.000-05:00

What is a Planet?

NASA Video Links

Enrichment Project Group 8

2008-11-17T12:13:00.000-05:00

Day 1

Dominoes

Table Tennis Balls

Mouse Traps

Wood Blocks

Windup Toys

String

The Class:

Mouse Traps for the First Time:

Clifford Launches a Ball:

Launcher:

Launch & Catch:

Launch Eight:

Planet Cookies: Real Or Fake!

2008-11-17T09:58:00.000-05:00

Objective: 1. Differentiate Between Planets 2. Research & Communicate the Difference

Task: 1. Students were asked to make a planet and demonstrate specific characteristics for that planet. 2. Students compared and contrasted the planets.

Class: 1A

Do you know how planets and stars compare?

2008-11-13T23:54:00.000-05:00

Extra Credit! Learning More About Space...

2008-11-13T23:38:00.000-05:00

Two free open source programs that offer wonderful opportunities for star gazing, knowledge gain, and general fun are: Stellarium and Celestia.

Any student wishing to learn more will receive extra credit when he/she demonstrates there knowledge of either of these programs. "If you can show knowledge gain then your grade will be increased."

Moving Water Across the Room!

2008-11-12T21:03:00.000-05:00

Challenger Center

2008-11-11T22:28:00.000-05:00

UTC Challenger Center

Science Zone Demo with Ben Roy

2008-11-11T18:11:00.000-05:00

Welcome! - Ben Roy's Science Zone

Try This With Mom's Help, Cook A Boiled Egg In the Microwave....Shell on of Course!

2008-11-10T22:58:00.000-05:00

The Fun Continues...

"Mr. Swafford, You should have seen it

The egg blow into a billion bits!"

"The door on my microwave flew open, hitting me in the head."

"This was the best project but mom make me clean it up."

What Causes Acid Rain?

2008-11-10T21:08:00.000-05:00

Causes of Acid Rain according to a few of your classmates...

Bikes Belong: Velib on Vimeo

2008-11-10T21:01:00.000-05:00

Bikes Belong presents: Velib from Bikes Belong Coalition on Vimeo.

Story of Stuff

2008-11-10T20:41:00.000-05:00

The Story of Stuff with Annie Leonard

Tides

2008-11-10T20:29:00.001-05:00

Crater Lab II

2008-11-06T15:44:00.000-05:00

Crater Lab

2008-11-05T22:41:00.000-05:00

Main Point: Moon

Vocabulary: Crater, Mare (pl. Maria), Mountain, Rille, Ray, Ejecta

The Moon Crater Lab: Video

Enrichment Project Nov. 4 Group

2008-11-05T22:24:00.000-05:00

Rube Goldberg projects continue...

Voting Day! Counting Votes...

2008-11-05T22:13:00.000-05:00

Can you Break an Egg?

2008-11-05T21:41:00.000-05:00

They Couldn't. KR you make me laugh.

New Enrichment Photos/Video Coming!

2008-11-04T18:38:00.001-05:00

Our new Enrichment classes have started... I have 8 new videos to post and will try to get them up tomorrow. Sorry, no time tonight. Students get your parents to go vote!

Quiz: Next Class Moon Phases and Eclipses.

Tides

2008-11-02T20:20:00.000-05:00

Link to good interactive site:

NOAA's National Ocean Service: Animation of spring and neap tides

Moon Vocabulary

2008-11-02T20:07:00.000-05:00

Moon Vocab

http://www.middleschoolscience.com/moonvocab3.pdf

Moon Phases

2008-11-02T20:00:00.000-05:00

Great interactive link:
http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/moon_phases/

Speech Day Coming!

2008-11-02T18:21:00.000-05:00

Student Council Speech Day to Be Uploaded Later this Week...

Homework Page 45 1-5

2008-10-27T20:59:00.000-04:00

Homework Page 45 1-5. Make sure you restate the question in your answer. Work should be done in your compbook.

Moving Water from Here to There!

2008-10-27T12:19:00.000-04:00

Challenger Mission

2008-10-26T20:40:00.000-04:00

Find the “Ws” on the Challenger Space Mission: Who, What, When, Where, Why, and hoW.

Links:

http://history.nasa.gov/Biographies/challenger.html

http://www.challenger.org/about/history/index.cfm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_Challenger_disaster

Season on Earth

2008-10-26T20:30:00.001-04:00

Enrichment Rube Goldberg Projects Continue...

2008-10-23T11:56:00.000-04:00

Our project is... Clown B-Ball

Audio for the Textbook -Download MP3-

2008-10-22T18:18:00.001-04:00

I have put the audio for the textbook online for anyone who would like to download it.

http://homepage.mac.com/crswaff/Sites/Science2008_2009/Astronomy.zip

Sent Home

2008-10-21T19:33:00.001-04:00

Parent letter and exam sent home, please look the two items over with
your student. Homework is to make a timeline with 15 space history
dates and 10 other events.

See NASA timelines: History Timelines

Enrichment Round 1 & 2

2008-10-06T20:17:00.000-04:00

Here are a few pictures and video from the first two rounds of Rube Goldberg projects.

Rube Goldberg Project

2008-10-02T22:05:00.000-04:00