Study Hall Cafe

Today the classroom was transformed into "Study (Hall) Cafe". We brought in bean bag chairs and library books for students who were finished with all assignemnts. One half of the room had about 15 computers and the other half was open desk space. Students who currently show a grade of less than 80% were given priority on computers. Mr. Davis supplied tea, hot cocoa and cookies for all students to enjoy.

Important: Final Lab Report (Jacques and the Beanstalk) Due Wednesday by 5th period.

Final Lab Report Info !!!

Here is the content from a handout given in class today. Much of our class time has been spent working independently. My goal was to meet with each student and check their Understanding Ratios homework and their progress on the lab report.

Please check to see that your son or daughter is on track for success by looking at their lab report and critique form. You may also wish to check their DP and discuss it with them in the context of using it for POLs at the end of the year.

The purpose of your lab report is to:

• Describe how to carry out your experiment
• Explain your results
• Compare your results to known scientific knowledge

You should already have:

• Completed your MATERIALS AND METHODS
• Hand written your rough draft of the RESULTS and DISCUSSION section
• Critiqued your rough draft

Here are the basic point values (Assignments are due by the end of 5th period):


Rough Draft and Critique
10 points Friday 2/22

Microsoft Excel Graphs
10 points Monday 2/25

Typed Lab Report
10 points Tuesday 2/26

Finished DP page with:
• Materials and Methods
• Results and Discussion
• Photographs
• Graphs
20 points Wednesday 2/27

Mr. Davis will hand out/display positive examples of each of the remaining components on Monday 2/25. Additionally, we will have as many critique sessions as possible. Students should be prepared to critique a component the day after it is due.

Note: Putting an Excel graph on your Digital Portfolio can be tricky. Mr. Davis will teach you how on Monday 2/25.


Students please read this statement and sign below:

I understand that the final Lab Report is due Wednesday and Mr. Davis is giving at least one hour a day to work on this assignment. I may need to work outside of class time (during lunch and before or after school) to finish. Monday I will have all day to work on this lab report. If I finish my lab report early I will use class time constructively by working on other assignments, creating a display at HTMMA or helping Mr. Strong or Davis with a task that will benefit the entire class.

Student Name: __________________________

Signature: ___________________________ Date: ________________

Thursday 2/21 - Change!

Today we did what we do best and took a major detour from the Math and Science plan of finishing our lab reports and starting the Barbie Bungee. Instead we worked as a team to flush out some great ideas for our upcoming Medieval project. Students researched and chose a medieval profession and described possible final products for our Medieval Faire.


Tomorrow we will review our ratio problems and finish critiquing lab reports.

FINAL LAB REPORTS WILL BE DUE NEXT WEDNESDAY.

NEXT MONDAY WILL BE A ONE HOUR (at least) "STUDY CAFE" DURING INTEGRATED MATH AND SCIENCE. Students will have time to work independently to finish assignments and update their blogs/DPs while enjoying hot cocoa, tea, snacks and jazz. Books related to topics we are studying will be available for students who are finished.

Week Plan Feb 19

Photo: These kids drive me up the walls :) Mr. Davis looking down through his feet while rock climbing at Red Rock Canyon outside of Las Vegas last Saturday.

Great Work on you Student Led Conference!! Students were well prepared and enthusiastic about their Student Led Conferences. After reading student reflections it appears that 8 out of every 9 students preferred the new SLC style over the old one.

Useful Links:

Coordinate Plane Generator: lets you print out your own coordinate planes.

http://themathworksheetsite.com/coordinate_plane.html

Tutorial on Graphing

http://library.thinkquest.org/20991/prealg/graph.html


Tuesday 2/20/08
Class: We finish “Stationary Stations of Botanical Knowledge” and each group will present. The students who are in the “kings” group will take notes on what each group presents and pass them out on Thursday

Homework: UNDERSTANDING RATIOS PACKET

Wednesday 2/21/08
Class: Finish presenting “Stationary Stations of Botanical Knowledge”. Critique Lab Reports (Jacques and the Beanstalk). Review ratios.

Homework: UNDERSTANDING RATIOS PACKET


Thursday 2/22/08
Barbie Bungee. Pass out notes from “Stationary Stations of Botanical Knowledge”.
UNDERSTANDING RATIOS PACKET DUE
Homework: Finish Lab Report (It must be typed)

Friday 2/22/08
Finish Barbie Bungee. JACQUES AND THE BEANSTALK LAB REPORT DUE.

Stationary Stations of Botanical Knowledge

Each person will deliver one great piece of information accomplished by a digital image, a diagram or dramatic representation. The presentation is on Tuesday preparation is three points quality of delivery is three points and the quality of image, diagram or drama is three points I will video tape each presentation and you can put yours on your blog.

3 Useful Plant Links

Students, these wikipedia links might help you get started with your research.

Nitrogen, etc:

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

Fertilizer:

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

Worm Compost:

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

Lab Report Due Tomorrow - Feb 14

Today students had 3 hours to work on their results and discussion section of their Jacques and the Beanstalk Lab Report. Most students should be nearly finished. The discussion section consists of 4 responses total and each should be 100 words minimum.

This lab report does not need to be typed yet. But will be next week.

Students whose plants did not grow should either write 400 words about why their plants did not grow OR write a 400 word research paper on a plant topic of their choice (example: How does nitrogen affect bean plants?)

Tomorrow we will critique our lab reports so it is essential that each student is prepared. Parents can help by asking their daughter/son to explain the lab and making sure that it is finished.

Here is the hand out I gave in class:

Jacques and the Beanstalk Lab Report - Discussion

Directions: Your final lab report will be posted on your Digital Portfolio and/or blog. You must write a minimum of 100 words for each response. For successful completion of each you will receive 2 project points. If you wish to do a video instead of a written lab report please meet with Mr. Davis

Experiment #1: The effect of __________________ on the growth of bean seedlings.

1. How did the growth of these bean seedlings exposed compare to the growth of the control group?
2. Find an internet resource, or other resource such as a botanist or a gardening book and use this resource to interpret the results




Experiment #2: The effect of __________________ on the growth of bean seedlings.

1. How did the growth of these bean seedlings exposed compare to the growth of the control group?
2. Find an internet resource, or other resource such as a botanist or a gardening book and use this resource to interpret the results

SLC Week!!

This is a busy and exciting week as we prepare for SLC's.
I made the usual weekly plan, but can already tell that it is going to change.........

Monday and Tuesday will consist primarily of SLC preparation and the beginnings of our Jacques and the Beanstalk lab report. I will give out HW in class.

Wednesday we will critique the results and discussion of our lab reports. (Materials and methods should already be done and in each student's binder). Wednesday HW is to make neccessary changes to your lab report.

Thursday we will turn in the final lab reports. The plan for Thursday is up in the air until we see how the lab reports turn out. Hopefully we will begin the Barbie Bungee.

Mr. Davis

Ariel,Gideon,Jake on the first day

GAJ Update Feburary 8 2008

"The Earth Laughs in Flowers"
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Today was a another good day for GAJ. The magnets worked like a charm. MA2 grew to an amazing 22 cm, BOTH grew to 21 cm, M1 grew to 17 cm, MA1 grew to 7 cm, but is growing strong and producing beans. M2, sadly, never sprouted. Our guess: Over watering or dud seed. Pictures will again be posted on my DP, and does anyone want any dead bean plants???

~Team GAJ (Gideon, Ariel, Jake)

P.S. The website we have been getting our quotes from is http://www.gardendigest.com/flowers.htm

SLCs Homework Feb 7

Today we passed out a pink two page packet with 8 questions and prompts to help students prepare for their SLC (Student Led Conference). There is no math homework tonight.
Today students corrected a multiple step algebra review and made a statement about their algebra skill set that they will share with you during SLCs. Some students have been given more advanced algebra in place of the multiple step algebra review.

At lunch today several students met with me in order to make grade corrections and discuss missing work. I will be available at lunch tomorrow as well.

Tomorrow we will focus on SLC preparation.

Important Note: Students are being given the option of whether or not they would like to present their Powerschool printout (grades) during SLC's. The reason behind this is that for many students this becomes the focus of their SLC and may detract from conversation about authentic learning.

GAJ Update Feburary 6 2008

Each flower is a soul opening out to nature.
- Gerald De Nerval

I walked in the the classroom today feeling down as I looked towards the plants. I noticed that some of the plants haven't grown yet, some of the were dying, and one had mold growing on the dirt! I was glad when I looked at our plants because they were fine. MA2 is still one of the tallest plants in class. We realized yesterday that magnets increased the growing process about 3 times! Pictures will be posted at my DP, http://students.htmma.hightechhigh.org/~jmandel/ .

By Jake Mandel

Week Plan Feb 5-8

Integrated Math & Science 2
February 5-8

**SLC's are next week. We will send information home Tuesday.

This week we are focusing on transitioning from basic algebra into graphing equations. Additionally students are gathering data on their plants and should be writing 2-3 sentences of observations each day.

--Students should have linked their DPs to the class blog and vice-versa.

--Additionally, students should have created an Integrated Math and Science Blog of their own. We have not posted anything to this blog yet.

Tuesday 2/5
Class:
Plant Observations
Pass back cotyledon lab
Intro to Graphing

HW:
Multi-step Equations Review

Wednesday 2/6
Class:
Observations
Barbie Bungee part 1

HW:
Share class blog and your grade on powerschool with your parents
Ratios



Thursday 2/7
Class:
Plant observations
Barbie Bungee Part 2

HW:
Proportions


Friday 2/8
Class:
Final Day of Jacques and the Beanstalk
What the heck is “slope” anyway?

HW:
Linear Equations

Take Home Quiz #5 WHOOPS!

I forgot to put the other side of the equation on #5. I'll proofread it next time :)
The equation should have said

3(x+10)= -30

Mr. D