I was so impressed with how well my students did on the final exam. There were many As and Bs What a great way to end the year! Students should know their exam grade and 4th quarter science average if they were in class yesterday or today.
I want to thank you all for such a wonderful year and I hope you have a great summer.
Students should know that the final exam is on Tuesday, May 20 in the afternoon. The questions will be multiple choice and will come from your tests this year, CRCT practice, and class warm up questions from earlier this year. You also have a list of important vocabulary (earlier post) to use as a topical study guide. Please take some time to review your test corrections for this year. They should all be in your binder together. (3rd period may not have corrections for the light test, but will have a chance to look over their mistakes on Thursday.) Please bring a few #2 pencils to your exam.
The final launch for our rockets will be tomorrow. Students groups will then complete the Launch Log, Safety Checklist, and submit their checklist for the launch; all are due at the end of the period.
The last rocket assignment is the essay. Each individual student must write an essay to explain how the water rocket works. Remember to use your earlier handout on rocketry and Newton's laws for some ideas.
Please use the following terms in your description:
acceleration, distance, energy, force, gravitational force, kinetic energy, mass, mechanical energy, potential energy, speed, unbalanced force, velocity
Your essay should be no longer than one handwritten page- neatly written using pen or typed. The above words should be highlighted or underlined.
The essay must be completed at home tonight and be ready to turn in at the beginning of the period tomorrow.
Here is a list of the 8th grade science vocabulary. It may be helpful as you review for the final exam which is scheduled for Tuesday, 5/20. It was compiled by broad units so it is not in alphabetical order.
Today students worked in teams to assign specific jobs to group members for the water rocket project. They also discussed design ideas and materials. Blueprints and rockets are due on Monday and students will be working on them during class this week. Additional time may be needed at home to research specific rocket components or to collect materials. Please come prepared to use your time efficiently.
Here is how your project assignments will be graded.
Project Grade - Due 5/12/08 Team grade A completed (launch-ready) rocket along with -A materials list, specifications, & blueprints of your rocket. Provide a side view, top view, bottom view, details of the parachute, & illustrations of how your parachute will deploy. Graph paper will be provided for your blueprints. The scale should be 1 square = 2 cm for the rocket itself, 1 square = 4 cm for the parachute
Lab Grade - Due 5/13/08 - Team grade - Test Launch Log to gather launch data & evaluate the rocket’s performance & determine what repairs or revisions are needed.
Classwork Grade - Due 5/15/08 - Team Grade -Final Launch Log to gather launch data & evaluate the effectiveness of the revisions that were made & to consider what further changes might do.
Individual grade - Due 5/15 - (Neatly written in pen or typed) A summarizing essay on the behavior of a water bottle rocket. Use the following vocabulary in the essay: acceleration, distance, energy, force, gravitational force, kinetic energy, mass, mechanical energy, potential energy, speed, unbalanced force, & velocity.
Students will engage in a rocket project to review and wrap up our study of forces and motion this year. Today students read about the basic rocket principles and then went outside to collect data using hand pump water bottle rockets. Each group submitted their data and a summary for a classwork grade.
Tomorrow we will begin designing the rockets. Here is the handout that students will receive tomorrow.
Download rocket_project_packet_1.doc
Please allow your child to bring in items that may be useful in the creation of their rockets.
See the earlier post about the test on Friday. Remember to review your class activities including the most recent one about lasers and internal reflection.
In our Looking at Images refraction lab, what happened to the size of image produced on the screen as the convex lens was moved closer to the object?
Text pages 594-600 and activity B3
Here is a link to discover how a laser works:
LASER
Today's activity is about total internal reflection. Why is that important? and...what does total internal reflection have to do with lasers?
Homework: Review what you have learned about electromagnetic radiation (light) for your test on Friday.
We will conclude our light unit tomorrow and have a test on Friday. Please re-examine your study guide for electromagnetic radiation and the current work section in your binder. It should include:
-Comparison organizer and paragraph - electromagnetic vs mechanical waves
-Reflection Lab
- Refraction Lab
-Color Lab (A2)
-Intro to Light (A1- AC classes only)
- Notes on the EM spectrum
- Quiz (taken before spring break)
- Eye homework sheet
- most of Chapters 17 and 18 - see study guide
For homework please read pages 594-600
