Mrs. Wilson
Published May 21, 2012 | 
Today we continued our review for our benchmarks tomorrow (1st and 4th periods) and Wednesday (6th & 7th periods). We also had a chance to work on missing Pluto projects and formation essays.
As you study, be sure to check out the second semester syllabus.
Also, you can use these slideshows to help you study. Do not forget to study air masses and fronts. These were covered on our epic front project. You can go over the notes here.
Make Up Assignments:
Leave a commentPublished May 8, 2012 | Your current rotations continue through Thursday. If you are absent, see your assigned rotation teacher for information on how to catch up.
1st and 4th: Mr. Carley
6th and 7th: Mrs. Teston
Also, I am hearing great things from Mr. Carley and Mrs. Teston! Keep up the great work, and I hope you are having FUN!
Published May 7, 2012 | Today we started our second rotation of our space camp activities. First and fourth periods went to Mr. Carley to work on Mars Exploration Rovers EDL, and sixth and seventh periods went to Mrs. Teston for the Great Solar System Rescue. We will continue these activities through Thursday. Our final rotation starts Friday. I hope you’re having fun. (Maybe you can stop by and tell me what you’re learning.)
Published May 4, 2012 | What a fun time we had yesterday launching our rockets! We are working on putting together a video of all the rocket launches. While you’re waiting, here are a couple of photos, and a sneak peek at a launch. Thanks for doing such a great job with this project!
Published May 1, 2012 | Yesterday we started our Longhorn Space Stampede! Your first rotation is with me doing the Let’s Rocket to Mars activity. We are creating bottle rockets out of 2-liter bottles to launch on Thursday. We will finish making our rockets tomorrow, and we will launch on Thursday.
Published April 20, 2012 | Yesterday and today we looked at clues to help us to determine where we are in the galaxy and where our galaxy is situated among our neighbors.
Sky Watch Challenge Week 4, Level 3:
- Option 1: Hyades – star cluster in Taurus the Bull
- Option 2: Lyrid Meteor Shower – Saturday/Sunday 1-2 am
Homework: How did we get here? essay due Monday, April 30
Optional Where are we? blog post:
Write a lost aliens guide to the universe post on your blog to help lost aliens like Bob find their way home. It should include:
- A description of our solar system: 10 points
- Our place in the solar system: 10 points
- A description of the types of galaxies: 10 points
- Detailed information about the Milky Way 10 points
- Our location in the Milky Way 10 points
- Our galaxy’s location in the universe 10 points
- Correct grammar usage 10 points
- Creativity in writing 10 points
- Two images 10 points
- References for images 10 points
Completing this assignment will add points to your lowest test grade. It is extra credit.
CRCT Testing starts on Monday! Rest well and eat well! 
Published April 18, 2012 | - Warm Up – Page 182: Summarize what we did in class yesterday in one sentence.
- Week 4, Challenge 2: Aldabaran (orange-red supergiant star in Taurus).
- Completed our data organizer.
- Complete our support/refute organizer
- Assigned summary activity due Monday, April 30.
Summary Activity:
Write an essay addressing one of the prompts below. Your essay will be scored using the rubric in your agenda. It should be at least 4-5 paragraphs long.
- M: Describe the formation of the solar system.
- I: We’ve been contacted by a society on the other side of the galaxy. They want to know how the universe formed. Write a letter to them explaining what we know.
- U: Compare and contrast the formation of the solar system with the formation of the universe.
- S: How is the formation of the solar system like a . . .? Create a metaphor and support it.
Helpful links for additional research:
- http://lasp.colorado.edu/~bagenal/1010/SESSIONS/11.Formation.html
- http://www.astronomy.org/astronomy-survival/solform.html
- http://www.umich.edu/~gs265/bigbang.htm
- http://www.windows2universe.org/our_solar_system/formation.html
- http://science.nasa.gov/astrophysics/focus-areas/what-powered-the-big-bang/
Published April 17, 2012 | - Warm Up – Copy today’s date and EQ on page 182. How did the solar system form? How did the universe form?
- Stellar evolution card sorting to determine the life cycle of stars.
- Began looking at data set for the formation of the universe and solar system.
Homework: None
Published April 13, 2012 | - Warm Up – Page 180: Copy today’s date and EQ.
- Announcements: remember, Pluto project is due Monday. If you come in early for tutoring or to retake a test, please make sure you get a pass signed by me.
- Spring Sky Watch Challenge Week 3, Level 3: Participate in the Globe at Night project.
- Discussed and read about quiet.
- Began first part of Reading for Meaning lesson about comets, asteroids, and meteors.
Homework: Pluto project is due on Monday; it is a test grade (summative assessment)
Published April 12, 2012 | - Warm Up – Page 178 & 179. Copy the chart provided in your notebook twice. One on each page.
- Announcements – take your science fair projects home. If you do not want to keep your board, please take it to the recycle bin.
- Space History – April 12, 1961: Yuri Gagarin, first man in space. April 12, 1981: first launch of the space shuttle, STS-1, Columbia.
- Planet exploration musical chairs.
Homework: Pluto project due on Monday.
