8th: We started in on the inner planets today after we reviewed the sun.  Guided reading for section 3.3 in the text due tomorrow!

7th: Today we reviewed the rock cycle and then established our rules for the earthquake building and started our build.  The rules are:

1.  Must use 25 straws, 25 small marshmallows and 4 large marshmallows.  If I have extra materials, I’ll hand it out throughout the week.

2.  They must build a five “story” building with each story at least three inches high.

3.  It doesn’t have to be a square, nor does it have to have solid walls or floors.

4.  They can build it higher with more floors if they like.

So I must have missed a couple of posts!  I was at an Astronomy seminar last Friday, learning all sorts of cool stuff to use in my class.  We had a sub and a quiz that day that seemed to go pretty well.  Remember, retakes can be done, but I won’t chase someone down to do it.

8th: Today we started in on the sun and our solar system.  Tomorrow we move into the smaller, rocky planets and later this week into the large ones.  We also watched a cool animation of a record breaking attempt for free fall: http://www.redbullstratos.com/the-mission/what-is-the-mission/

7th: Today we talked about our earthquake safe buildings and started in on the rock cycle.  The section 5.6 guided reading is homework!

8th: Today we started in on the history of some of the more famous astronomers.  Tomorrow we will go to the computer lab and start working on a powerpoint of the life and times of these astronomers and how they have impacted the understanding our modern world.  I’m going to include some more recent individuals as well.

7th: Today we went through the guided reading for section 2.2 on seismic activity, and talked about the Japan quake from 2011.  We also watched a little more of Deadliest Earthquakes! 

8th: Today we did a quick review of the space race and started in on the historical figures in astronomy and talked about Kepler a little bit.  I introduced the kids to Carl Sagan too!

7th: Today we started in with seismic activity and what waves are.  The section 2.2 guided reading is homework if they didn’t get it done.

8th: Water rocket launch day was awesome!  I hope some of the kids redo their project and make it a little better, but they all had a great time and learned a little about how to make a successful water rocket.  Next week, more space race and onto the solar system.

7th: Quiz day over pages 44-50!  Forces in Earth’s crust.  This one was a little hard and I’m disappointed at some of the effort given forth today.  Striving for 100%!!

8th: Today I introduced the kids to the “space race” via Powerpoint and we talked about the space shuttle and space station in more detail.  We also watched the video from yesterday.  The water rockets are coming along swimmingly!  Quiz tomorrow!

7th: Today we worked on our Earth Forces project.  The idea is to show mastery, in the most creative means possible, of the concepts of compression, tension and shearing from chapter 2.1 (page 44-50) in the text.  They must be able to explain what type of fault line develops with each force, what type of fault movement (horizontal or vertical) is associated with each, where in the world are actual examples of each and where we find anticlines and synclines as well.  None of this information should be new to them.  We did the guided reading together, so they have what they need to complete it.

8th: Today we went through the guided reading for section 2.3 on the space shuttle, space stations and space probes.  The kids should know they are having a quiz this Friday over it all.  We also would like to shoot off our rockets as soon as we can.  We spent some time building today, and I really want them to see this video on the space shuttle, but the kids just want to work on their project.  Maybe tomorrow…

7th: TOday we worked our way through the guided reading on Forces In Earth’s Crust, section 2.1 in their text and started a creativity project on what they learned about it  I’ll post more tomorrow about what needs to happen.

8th: Today we spent our limited time in class working on our water rockets and the kids seem to have some creative ideas.  Some are a little more “engineered” than others, but they should all be fun to try out.

7th: Today I showed my 7th graders a cool video on a volcano in the South Pacific and how it powers some forces inside the Earth’s crust.  We also worked through the guided reading for section 2.1   This is the material we will be quizzed on in a few days.

8th: Today we started in on our water rocket build project.  I expect all my kids to bring in a pop bottle around 16-20-24 ounces in order to build a water rocket.  They are to design and build one that flies high and straight.  I have a launch pad and everything else to build with, but if they want to work on it at home they can.

7th: Today we started modeling forces in the Earth’s crust by using clay as our medium.  It was loud, messy and fun so I guess it worked.  Tomorrow we’ll work through the section guided reading.

8th: Today we reviewed what we did this week with rockets and how they operate and then took a short quiz.  Everyone did awesome which I think might have something to do with the fact that parent/teacher conferences were this week.  After that I showed the kids a recovery of the space shuttle first stage rocket boosters from the ocean.  Cool stuff.

7th: Today we had our 5th quiz over plate tectonics, which everyone seemed to do pretty well on.  After that we started in on Forces in the Earth’s Crust by watching a bit on Mt. St. Helens.  Very cool documentary on the eruption.  I can’t wait to get to our projects in the coming weeks!