Today we set up our science folders. Science folders will stay in the classroom so that students have access to them when we need them. Students completed a Google Form to tell me more about them and their needs in my classroom. We ended the day completing a Google Slide poster about themselves.

If students have pets that they would like to share on the 7th Grade Pet Bulletin Board, they need to email their pictures of their pets. I will print the pictures and put it on our hallway bulletin board.

HOMEWORK:

If students did not complete the Google Form or the Google Slide in class today, then it is for homework tonight. Students can access the documents on our Google Classroom. 

This was a great first week! I hope that you also had a great start. Today we did a Do Now activity that allowed students to learn about classmates favorite animals. There is a lot of variety in favorite animals, some animals I hadn't heard of before. After we shared about our favorite animal we went over the class syllabus. 

If students have pets that they would like to share on the 7th Grade Pet Bulletin Board, they need to email their pictures of their pets. I will print the pictures and put it on our hallway bulletin board.

Homework:

1. Students took their syllabus home to read through with their grown up at home. It then needs to be signed by the grown up and the student and turned in on Tuesday. Grown ups I am sorry to give you homework.

2. Get a science binder if you haven't already. Minimum size is 1/2 inch and maximum size is 1 inch. I prefer the flimsy ones because they are lighter and take up less space, but the hard ones are okay too. 

3. Get and inexpensive pair of headphones/ear buds to keep in the classroom. They should be in a zip lock back labeled with their name. 

I hope you have a wonderful long weekend! 

Mrs. Dionne

Today we did a do now that asked students to tell me what they do for fun. Students were able to share out to the class if they wanted to. I checked homework (signed syllabus) and students with the completed syllabus put it in their science binders. I collected headphones. We started to go over the classroom procedures and expectations. 

If students have pets they would like put on the pet bulletin board, please email them to me.

Homework:

There is no homework tonight unless you need to read through the syllabus with your parent/guardian and have them sign it. 

I hope you have a great night!

Today we finished going over classroom expectations and watched a Generation Genius video on how the different spheres that make up the Earth interact with one another. 

If students have pets they would like put on the pet bulletin board, please email them to me.

Homework:

There is no homework tonight unless you need to read through the syllabus with your parent/guardian and have them sign it. 

If you were absent today, please go to our Google Classroom, click on the Classwork tab, click on today's posting, watch the Generation Genius video and go through the Classroom Expectations slides. 

I hope you have a lovely night! Stay cool!

Today we took a pre-assessment to evaluate where everyone is starting at for our first chapter, Earth Systems. If you were absent, there is nothing to make up. 

I was also able to announce to the class today that we will be getting some new flexible seating thanks to the many generous donations from our community, strangers, and Panda Care Foundation. I am very grateful for the kindness of others to provide this opportunity for comfortable seating around the room for this year and many years to come. We will be getting a 1/2 yoga ball rolling stool, a tractor rolling stool, 2 rocking gaming chairs, a soft and fluffy area rug, and 10 floor cushions. 

I hope you are all staying cool in this warm weather. 

Today we were able to set up our new iScience curriculum accounts and completed an assignment in our account on the scientific method. We will be doing a virtual lab next week to practice our scientific process skills, so to prepare for that lab we talked about what composting is and the different "ingredients" needed to have a productive and efficient composting pile. Our virtual lab will have to do with compost and how the amounts of those different ingredients affects compsting efficiency.

Students do not have homework this weekend. 

If a student was absent today, I would like for them to log into their accounts and complete the BrainPop assignment. I posted instructions on Google Classroom. Their logins have been emailed to them. 

Today we logged into Aspen and learned how to look at specific assignments in our classes. (Aspen instructions are attached.) We also worked on our virtual lab. We are trying to answer the scientific question "How do we make the most efficient compost?". Students worked on writing their hypothesis in an If, then, because format. They first had to determine which variable they wanted to test; number of times you turn over the compost, the amount of water you add to the compost, or the ratio of brown to green materials added to the compost. They then needed to make a prediction of how changing that variable would effect the efficency of their compost pile. Once they wrote their hypothesis they were able to start testing their hypothesis on the virtual lab. We will continue working on testing our hypothesis tomorrow along with analyzing our data and writing conclusions.

If students have pets they would like put on the pet bulletin board, please email them to me.

There is no homework tonight. 

I hope you have a wonderful evening!

Today we watched an EdPuzzle to get more familiar with the scientific method, the variables, and how to write a hypothesis. We will try a different approach tomorrow on how we do our virtual lab to help students have a more guided process on doing a scientific method experiment.

There is no homework tonight. 

If you were absent today, please log into your EdPuzzle and complete the video assignment on The Scientific Method. Once you complete it, email me the date and the name of the assignment so that I know to go back and check it for credit.

Today we worked on our hypothosis writing and setting up a data table. Students were able to start their virtual experiment and start collecting data on how their independent variable (ratio of brown to green material, water concentration, OR number of turns) affects their compost pile. 

If you were absent, you will need to go to Google Classroom and read the instructions on how to make the assignment up if you are absent. 

There is no homework.

Today students were able to work on their Virtual Lab and complete it. If students did not complete it in class today, they were asked to complete it for homework. They should not have more than 15 minutes of work to do. 

NOTE: Section 2 did not have time to work on our Virtual Lab in class today as we were doing pictures. They will be give class time tomorrow to complete it. 

If you were absent, you will need to go to Google Classroom and read the instructions on how to make the assignmetn up if you were absent.

Today, classes worked on wrapping up our virtual lab and reading about about scientific explanations. 

Homework:

The only class that may have homework is section 2. If a student did not finish their lab, they need to finish it over the weekend. It is due on Monday at the start of class. Sections 1, 3, 4, and 5 already completed their labs as they were due yesterday, so no homework for them.

It has been a great week! I hope you have a wonderful  weekend!

Today we did a Pear Deck together in class. We discussed how old Earth is and looked at the timeline of how scientists came to the conclusion that Earth is 4.54 billion years old. We also looked at some statements about Earth systems before we start learning about it. Students thought about the statements and thought about whether they agreed with them or disagreed with them.

If a student is absent, they should go to Google Classroom for instructions on how to make up the missed work.

Today students thought and wrote about what they already know about Earth Systems. We also looked over the vocabulary for chapter 1 lesson 1. Students marked the words that they felt they will need more time practicing. 

If a student is absent, they should go to Google Classroom for instruction on how to make up the missed work from today.

Today we began practicing our vocabulary words by playing a game on Gimkit! After practicing vocabulary students completed doodle notes. They were able to learn about the different spheres that make up the Earth System.

HOMEWORK: 

Gimkit: Use the link in Google Classroom to access the assignment. It is located under the Classwork Tab. Click on Wednesday September 20, 2023 posting. 

If a student was absent, they need to go to Google Classroom to see how to make up the missed work. 

Today we spent time practicing our vocabulary again. We spent most of class working on creating our own Earth Systems models that contain examples of the hydrosphere, atmosphere, biosphere, and geosphere. Students began brainstorming ways each sphere interacts and affects the other spheres. We will practice vocabulary again tomorrow and finish our lab. 

HOMEWORK:

Students need to play Gimkit using the link posted today in our Google Classroom. I have also included it at this link:  https://www.gimkit.com/join/650c28ee9f2d02002b3c33d8

Students have until 8am to complete this. After 8am, the link expires and the assignment cannot be made up.

We will have a vocabulary quiz on Thursday September 28th. They should be practicing daily at home. 

I strongly encourage students and parents/guardians to check Aspen for missing work. 

Today we finished our labs on Earth Systems. Students also had an opportunity to practice their vocabulary words and definitions. 

Weekend Homework: Please study for the vocabulary quiz. 

I hope you have a wonderful long weekend.

Today, we spent some time practicing our vocabulary, saving a bookmark for iScience, learning how to access our online textbook, and going over page 6, 7, 8 and 9 in our book.

HOMEWORK: Study vocabulary for 15 minutes or more to prepare for our quiz. Links to help you study are posted on the stream in our Google Classroom. QUIZ on THURSDAY!

Today we spent class time preparing for the quiz using Blooket and Vocab Jenga! 

Homework: Study for the vocabulary quiz. If you need links to study resources, you can find them on the stream in Google Classroom.

Quiz Words:

Atmosphere

Hydrosphere

Geosphere

Biosphere

Water cycle

Precipitation

Condensation

Transpiration

Runoff

Evaporation

Rock Cycle

Weathering

Mechanical Weathering

Chemical Weathering

Erosion

Sediments

Carbon Cycle

Photosynthesis

Cellular Respiration

Greenhouse Gas

Phosphorus Cycle

Today we took our first vocabulary quiz and worked on accessing our eBook and reading as a class. If you were absent, you will need to make up your quiz when you return. 

Today we read pages 9 and 10 in our eBook. We also highlighted the important information in each paragraph. We read about the 4 different spheres that make up the Earth systems. Students also watched an EdPuzzle video on the sphere interactions. 

HOMEWORK: If you did not finish the EdPuzzle in class, you will need to complete it over the weekend. 

NOTE: All msng work is due by October 6th (next Friday).

ABSENT: If you were absent today and yesterday, you will need to complete the EdPuzzle and read pages 9 and 10 in your iScience eBook. Once you are done reading, go to today's assignment in Google Classroom and use the screenshots of our highlight eBook notes. Highlight the same notes in your eBook.