Homework for the Week of 1-25-10

213:

Monday: Complete "Dissecting a Weather Forecast" worksheet.
Wednesday: Use your topic tally from our in-class review game to study for your test tomorrow!
Thursday: Complete "What do you know about astronomy?" worksheet.

215:
Monday: Complete "Dissecting a Weather Forecast" worksheet.
Tuesday: Use your topic tally from our in-class review game to study for your test tomorrow!
Wednesday: Complete "What do you know about astronomy?" worksheet.

223:
Wednesday: Read "Lake Invaders" and answer the questions in your notebook.

225:
Tuesday: Read "Lake Invaders" and answer the questions in your notebook.
Wednesday: Read E43-E47 and answer the "Stopping to Think" questions.

8A:
Tuesday: Complete your lab notes for the aluminum-copper reaction lab.
Wednesday: Read pages B120-B123 and answer the questions on page B123.

8B:
Thursday: Complete your Waste Management Plan.

Essay Contest-- Imagining the Future!

I just got word of a science essay contest for seventh-graders! The essay question is: Fifty years from now, how do you think the world will have changed as a result of science and technology?

Find out more information about rules and prizes by clicking here. If you decide to enter, of course I would be glad to give you any feedback or help you need with your essay. Good luck!

Homework for the Week of 1-19-10

213:

Wednesday: Read pages 65-67 and answer "As You Read" 1, 2, and 4 on page 65.
Thursday: Review your study guide and come prepared to ask questions about your test, which will be on Thursday January 28.
Friday: Over the weekend, watch or read a weather report. Write a paragraph explaining how this weather report may have been influenced by the National Weather Service or used information from them.

215:
Tuesday: Read pages 65-67 and answer "As You Read" 1, 2, and 4 on page 65.
Wednesday: Review your study guide and come prepared to ask questions about your test, which will be on Wednesday January 27.
Friday: Over the weekend, watch or read a weather report. Write a paragraph explaining how this weather report may have been influenced by the National Weather Service or used information from them.

223:
Wednesday: Food Web Practice questions (multiple choice worksheet).
Thursday: In your notebook, complete questions on page E41 (about owl pellet dissection)
Friday: More Food Web Practice questions!

225:
Tuesday: Food Web Practice questions (multiple choice worksheet).
Wednesday: In your notebook, complete questions on page E41 (about owl pellet dissection).
Thursday: More Food Web Practice questions!

8A:
Tuesday: Bring in at least one empty plastic container. Finish the "Plastics Recycling Today" video questions on B95 if you did not do so in class.
Wednesday: Read page B98. Answer the following in at least one paragraph: Do you recycle? Why or why not? What would make you more likely to recycle? Why do you think people in general waste materials instead of recycling them?

8B:
Thursday: Finish the "Plastics Recycling Today" video questions on B95 if you did not do so in class. Prepare for your quiz!
Friday: Read page B98. Answer the following in at least one paragraph: Do you recycle? Why or why not? What would make you more likely to recycle? Why do you think people in general waste materials instead of recycling them?

Food Web Games

Hey seventh-graders, if you need some practice with food webs, play this game!

If you master that one, try another one that's a bit more challenging.

Extra Credit: The Science of Avatar

The movie Avatar is full of creatures that are bioluminescent, meaning they glow. The film is fictional, but there are plenty of bioluminescent organisms in real life, such as this angler fish. (Photo from NOAA.)


I am a fan of science fiction, and I enjoyed seeing the film Avatar over the holiday break. Although the movie was mostly fictional, some of the scientific details have roots in real life. For extra credit, you can read this article about the science of Avatar, and answer the questions below. Note: You do not need to see the movie to complete this assignment! Also, see Ms. Ewing if you would like a hard copy of the article and questions.

Questions:
Due January 15. Please answer on a separate sheet of paper, or submit via email at elewing@cps.edu.

1. Scientists may someday discover a planet or a moon that could be suitable for human life. What effect do you think this would have on life here on Earth?

2. "Pandora," where Avatar takes place, is a fictional moon. However, the solar system in which it is set, Alpha Centauri, is real. What is one major thing that makes this solar system different from ours? (Hint: It has something to do with the sun.)

3. In real life, as in the film, we are developing technology to allow human beings to control technology from far away: we can type from far away, give voice directions to a computer, or control a robot from far away. What are some possible uses for this kind of technology? (Hint: At least one is mentioned in the article.)

4. The fictional moon of Pandora has much lower gravity than Earth. How does this affect the appearance of the creatures that live there?

Homework for the Week of 1-4-10

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a safe and restful break and is ready to be successful in 2010!

213:

Monday: Review your study guide for the quiz you will have on Friday.
Wednesday: Complete the purpose, hypothesis, procedure, and results for this week's lab.
Thursday: Complete the conclusion section of your lab notes for this week.
Friday: Complete the "Water Cycle Definitions" worksheet.

215:
Monday: Review your study guide for the quiz you will have on Friday.
Tuesday: Complete the purpose, hypothesis, procedure, and results for this week's lab.
Wednesday: Complete the conclusion section of your lab notes for this week.
Friday: Complete the "Water Cycle Definitions" worksheet.

223:
Wednesday: Review the topic checklists handed out in class (or view them here). These subjects are all fair game for your test on Thursday. Choose one area you feel you need the most help in, and answer the questions for that subject in your notebook. For instance, if you are confused about force and motion, answer all the force and motion questions in your notebook.
Thursday: Complete one set of review worksheets (your choice which topic you want to review).
Friday: Complete the "What is an Ecosystem?" worksheet.

225:
Tuesday: Review the topic checklists handed out in class (or view them here). These subjects are all fair game for your test on Thursday. Choose one area you feel you need the most help in, and answer the questions for that subject in your notebook. For instance, if you are confused about force and motion, answer all the force and motion questions in your notebook.
Wednesday: Complete one set of review worksheets (your choice which topic you want to review).
Thursday: Complete the "What is an Ecosystem?" worksheet.

8A:
Tuesday: Complete as much of your lab notes as possible based on how much of the polymer synthesis lab you completed.
Wednesday: Read page B63 and answer the question at the bottom (on a looseleaf sheet of paper).

8B:
Thursday: Complete as much of your lab notes as possible based on how much of the polymer synthesis lab you completed.
Friday: Read page B63 and answer the question at the bottom (on a looseleaf sheet of paper).

Homework for the Week of 1-11-10

213:

Monday: Use the glossary in your textbook to answer the following in your notebook: what are the differences between hail, sleet, rain, and snow?
Wednesday: Complete Water Cycle worksheet.
Thursday: In your notebook, answer the Key Question on page 37 (written in bold).
Friday: Read pages 44-46 and answer As You Read questions 2-4 on page 44.

215:
Monday: Use the glossary in your textbook to answer the following in your notebook: what are the differences between hail, sleet, rain, and snow?
Tuesday: Complete Water Cycle worksheet.
Wednesday: In your notebook, answer the Key Question on page 37 (written in bold).
Friday: Read pages 44-46 and answer As You Read questions 2-4 on page 44.

223:
Wednesday: Complete Nitrogen Cycle worksheet.
Thursday: In your notebook, answer the following question: if you were an ecologist, what biome what you choose to work in? Why? What questions would you choose to answer? Respond in at least one paragraph.
Friday: Complete Introduction to Food Webs worksheet.

225:
Tuesday: Complete Nitrogen Cycle worksheet.
Wednesday: In your notebook, answer the following question: if you were an ecologist, what biome what you choose to work in? Why? What questions would you choose to answer? Respond in at least one paragraph.
Thursday: Complete Introduction to Food Webs worksheet.

8A:
Tuesday: Complete lab notes for Mike's Games packing products experiments. Study for your quiz tomorrow!
Wednesday: Read page B76-B79 and answer questions on pages B77 and B79.

8B:
Thursday: Read page B76-B79 and answer questions on pages B77 and B79.