Assignments for Sick Students

We've had a lot of students out in the past several days with various illnesses. If you have been sick, here are some assignments you need to complete as well as the notes you need to study.

1. You should be working on or should have already completed your science fair experiment. If not, it is due by Feb 2 and you must use the week after that to complete your data collection and analysis. Don't put this off until the last minute.
2. Please send a loved one or one of your classmates to pick up a book for you. Read pp. 580-597.
3. Do all the "applying math" problems on p. 582, 583, 587 and 589.
4. Also complete the chapter review questions 1-25 on p. 603.
5. Our class notes can be downloaded here. Please download them and be familiar with them when you return. You are responsible for all the material, even if sick, so make sure you come and see me as soon as you can to clarify anything with which you are having trouble.

Blessings to all and get better soon!

Coach B

Science Fair Clarification

At this point, students have prepared their topic area, performed background research, formulated a hypothesis and should have begun writing their procedures.

Parents, please note that students should only be performing the following steps of the science fair project at home:

1. conducting additional background research
2. gathering materials
3. performing the procedures
4. recording and organizing data

This is quite a bit of work to be accomplished within the next two weeks. All of these steps must be completed by Feb 7. Please keep in mind that students will be analyzing data and forming conclusions in class from that point on as well as writing in Mr. Mitchell's class. Please take the time to go over your child's planning and approval sheet in the next few days to make sure they are on pace to begin.

Science Fair Notes

You may download the science fair notes from this link. These notes should help you in constructing your project.

Grades for this Quarter

Grades for this quarter are tricky. Since we are preparing both for science fair and Science Olympiad, our grades for the first two weeks have consisted of participation grades as well as a homework grade for the planning and approval sheet for science fair. That grade has NOT been recorded yet as many of the students are still fine-tuning their research questions. Please keep in mind that this is an ongoing project that will require considerable work at home before students begin putting their boards together on Feb 6. Both science fair and Science Olympiad participants will receive full lab grades based on their preparation steps.

After Monday, we will be returning to our regularly scheduled curriculum. However, Science Olympiad teams will be meeting after school on Mondays and Fridays up to the date of the competition. Also, we will be working in the computer lab on Fridays for the next two weeks in order to help science fair participants write their papers and prepare their image boards.

I hope this gives you a better understanding of the next two weeks. Please contact me via email if you have further questions.

Links for Science Fair Projects

Below are some links that will get you started in both finding and planning a science fair project. Each of these links has been carefully selected due to both highly detailed instructions and links to other sites that will assist you.

IPL Science Fair Project Resource Guide This is problably the best site of the bunch.

Discovery Education Science Fair Central

USGS Earthquake Project

Science Buddies Sceince Fair Project Guide

Mankato Area Public Schools Science Fair Guide

Welcome Back

Over the next two weeks, all students will be working on one of two different assignments.

3rd and 5th period science classes will commence science fair preparation starting on Tuesday, Jan 4. Information about the science fair project may be downloaded here. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader in order to open this document. You may also access other documents regarding the science fair on our school website.

1st period science will be taking part in preparations for the Science Olympiad to be held at Auburn University. This is a PCA's first time participating in this event and we will only be allowed to take a limited number of students from the class. However, each student will participate in the training and those not participating in the actual event will still be graded on their knowledge and participation. Information regarding the science fair may be downloaded from this page on the school website.

Both groups will be required to submit a written report of their project or training and will receive grades based on their knowledge and participation, although the assignments will be different for each class. Both classes will receive a quality experience in learning and applying the scientific method as well as gaining in-depth knowledge about a particular area of science. Next year, we will likely provide all interested students a chance to participate in Science Olympiad, but right now we are going to focus on the two classes that were chosen at to pioneer our participation.

Postponed test and notes

Due to spiritual emphasis week taking one day this week as well as the spelling bee, I have decided to postpone our test over energy until Monday. This is not ideal, but it is fair. I will review more tomorrow, as well as assign practice problems over the weekend.

I have gone to a new file sharing service that will hopfully be easier to use than the one before. You may access the notes for our next test here. You should download both PowerPoint presentations by which to check your notes.