133-146 State Testing

We reviewed for several days using:

• Lab Station Activities
• Crosswords (Matter, Nature of Science, Matter, Space)

            

• Board games

Testing lasted for 4 days with a limited schedule and no new content

Next: Back to Science....

128-132 Tides and Testing

To introduce tides we watched Study Jams or Brain Pop

  

Students complete Cornell Notes and a Cut, Paste and Sort on Tides in their notebooks.

To practice we reviewed tide data in the local paper and predicted future tides.

 

During our next few classes (130-132) we will be testing...

126 - 127 Phases and Eclipses

Our learning goal was to explain what causes the phases of the moon and to describe solar and lunar eclipses.

We watched Brain Pop Moon Phases

then modeled the Moon Phases with Oreo Cookies.

Next we watched Brain Pop Eclipses

and took notes in a brochure format:

Next up: Tides...

124-125 Rotation and Revolution

We're back from Spring Break :)

Watched: Bill Nye Seasons or Brain Pop Seasons (subscription required)

Completed the Rotation & Revolution Vocabulary (Frayer Model)

Next: Phases & Eclipses...

113-123 End of 3rd Quarter

End of 3rd Quarter only 51 days to go....

Getting ready for finals

• Portable Word Wall
• Vocabulary Flashcards
• Crossword Puzzles (Nature of Science, Matter & Space)
• Board Games with released Questions
• Labs on difficult topics

Next: Spring Break

111-112 Solar System Models

Watch: Astronomy's Biggest Stars Spaced Out: A Cosmic Scene

Kagan Structure (Strategy) Give One Get One

Ask students to make a tic tac toe grid in their notes before the video.  After the video have them write 3 facts they remember then ask classmates to fill in facts (Use Kagan Structure: Stand Up, Hand Up, Pair Up)

In our notebooks we filled out the Cornell Notes Outline.

 

Next: District Testing *If we have extra time - Watch the Pluto Files :)

Solar System Scale Model

It was cold and rainy outside so I couldn't do the toliet paper Solar System Scale Models so I came up with Plan B....

We watched Spaced Out: Planets are Spatial

If you don't have a lot of time watch 209 Seconds That Will Make You Question Your Entire Existence....

Generation Genius: The Solar System also is a good video - although it requires a subscription.

After the video, I gave students a 61.5 cm piece of adding machine paper and asked them to make a model of the Solar System. *most models were planet order, some were size but none were distance

After comparing the different models, I then gave them directions and they flipped the paper over and did it again. 

(Adapted from: https://mcdonaldobservatory.org/sites/default/files/ScaleDistancesSolarSystem-teacher.pdf)

I had students compare their initial and final models and make observations.

Update: I made a version that students could complete at home with easy to follow directions and all the supplies that they needed (just 2 pieces of paper).

Next up: Rotation and Revolution...