September 2, 2026
Monday
Warm-up:
Summer Break
Tuesday
Warm-up:
Summer Break
Wednesday (1st Day of School)
Warm-up: Welcome Back!
Class Expectations: Be On-Time, Be Respectful to EVERYONE, Give Effort, Clean-up
Introduction to Class Instagram Page
STEM is...
What is STEM?
What does it mean to be impossible?
What is something that at one time may have seemed impossible but was eventually achieved?
What is something that seems impossible today?
Big Bang Theory clip for "String Theory"
share story of former student
Thursday
Warm-up: Review Class Expectations and "Impossibility"
Grade 7: Playing Cards
How do you shuffle cards
demonstrate how to shuffle using two piles that flick into one another
demonstrate how to "bridge" the cards back together
Balance 2,3, and 4 cards against each other
4 cards: 100, 3 cards: 90, 2 cards: 80, No cards: 50
Card sorting challenge!!!
Grade 8: Playing Cards
How do you shuffle cards
demonstrate how to shuffle using two piles that flick into one another
demonstrate how to "bridge" the cards back together
Balance 2,3, and 4 cards against each other
4 cards: 100, 3 cards: 90, 2 cards: 80, No cards: 50
Card sorting challenge!!!
Friday
Warm-up: Join Google classroom
Grade 7: Playing Cards (how to build)
create a free-standing card structure
must be able to support a Folder
if achieved, try to create a free-standing second (and third) layer on the intial card base
Grade 8: Playing Cards (how to build)
create a free-standing card structure
must suppprt a free-standing second layer on the intial base of free-standing cards
second layer should support a Folder
September 7, 2026
Monday
Warm-up:
No School... Labor Day!
Tuesday
Warm-up: Shuffle Cards (Assessment Friday)
Grade 7:
Practice building with cards:
support for weight
build for height (2 and 3 layers)... assess tomorrow
Grade 8:
Practice building with cards:
support for weight
build for height (2 and 3 layers)... assess tomorrow
Wednesday
Warm-up: Shuffle Cards (Assessment Friday)
Grade 7:
Card Building:
Assessment for height
3 Layers (100), 2 Layers (90), 1 Layer (80)... No Structure but "TRIED" (50)
If height is achieved... practice to build for weight
Grade 8:
Card Building:
Assessment for height
3 Layers (100), 2 Layers (90), 1 Layer (80)... No Structure but "TRIED" (50)
If height is achieved... practice to build for weight by creating two levels and then place on "load"
Thursday
Warm-up: Shuffle Cards (Assessment Tomorrow)
Grade 7:
Card Building:
Assessment for weight
3 Textbooks (100), 2 Textbooks (90), 1 Textbook (80), Folder (70), No Structure but "TRIED" (50)
Grade 8:
Card Building:
Assessment for weight on Layer 2
3 Textbooks (100), 2 Textbooks (92), 1 Textbook (84)
Assessment for weight on Layer 1
3 Textbooks (80)... Requirements not met but "TRIED" (70)
Friday
Grade 7:
Assess ability to shuffle cards:
Smooth Shuffle: 100, "Chunky" Shuffle 90, Thumb Roll, but No Shuffle 80
Share card building experience via Google Slideshow
You may choose to retest any card building task if desired to improve grade (no penalty)
Grade 8:
Assess ability to shuffle cards
Smooth Shuffle: 100, "Chunky" Shuffle 90, Thumb Roll, but No Shuffle 80
Share card building experience via Google Slideshow
You may choose to retest any card building task if desired to improve grade (no penalty)