Mr. Blythe

Tuesday

We are currently completing a project to build a small metal boat that will float and carry cargo. The competition starts tomorrow with the boats that will hold the most weight and then the ones that have the best ratio of boat mass to cargo mass. Finals are next week and a study guide will be given to students by Thursday to prepare.

Monday

The CRCT is next week so we are spending a lot of time on review of the 8th grade physical science standards. The students have been great this year and they should be successful on this testing. We started a test on force and motion before the break and they are revisiting that today. We will then move into energy transformations and the Law of Conservation of Energy.

Thursday

Below are the standards we are currently reviewing. You should be comfortable with them and be prepared to be tested on them tomorrow.

• Determine the relationship between velocity and acceleration.
• Demonstrate the effect of balanced and unbalanced forces on an object in terms of gravity, inertia and friction.
• Demonstrate the effect of simple machines ( lever, inclined plane, pulley, wedge, screw, and wheel and axle) on work.
• Recognize that every object exerts gravitational force on every other object and that the force exerted depends on how much mass the objects have and how far apart they are.
• Demonstrate the advantages and disadvantages of series and parallel circuits and how they transfer energy.
• Investigate and explain that electric currents and magnets can exert force on each other.

Tuesday

We have already begun to prepare ourselves for the CRCT that is less than three school weeks away. We are revisiting and going deeper into the curriculum that we initially studied earlier in the school year. We are currently working in the States of Matter section and will have a test tomorrow. Below are the things you should know for the assessment:

• Distinguish between atoms and molecules.
• Describe the difference between pure substances (elements and compounds) and mixtures.
• Describe the movement of particles in solids, liquids, gases, and plasma states.
• Distinguish between physical and chemical properties of matter as physical (density, melting point, boiling point) or chemical (reactivity, combustibility).
• Distinguish between changes in matter as physical (physical change) or chemical (development of a gas, formation of precipitate, and change in color).
• Recognize that there are more than 100 elements and some have similar properties as shown on the Periodic Table of Elements.
• Identify and demonstrate the Law of Conservation of Matter.

Tuesday

Today we are working on labs that explore reflection and light. We will complete these labs and review tomorrow for a test on light that will be given Thursday. Make sure that you have completed chapters 17 and 18 in your workbooks to prepare you for the test.

Thursday

We are currently studying light and its principles. Today we are completing a whole series of labs that relate the areas of reflection, reflection, diffraction and absorption. We will continue light through next week and test at the end of the week. Chapters 17 and 18 should be reviewed and workbook completed to be ready for the test.

Wednesday

Long time since last post. We have been studying all about waves and recently focused on sound. There will be a test tomorrow and we have been completing these things to get ready for the test:

• Chapter 16 workbook
• Exploring sound vocabulary
• Concept map, p.529
• Textbook pp.530 and 531

Study session before school at 8:15

We will next move into light.

Tuesday

I was real impressed with those that completed their communications device surveys and presentations. We began Physicsquest today and we will continue through next week. Todays lab was about temperature and whether we can really trust our sense of touch.

Thursday

W missed a day of science yesterday for career counseling with the 8th grade school counselor. Today we completed our charts and graphs for the presentations tomorrow. Put the finishing touches on tonight so you have a great presentation.

Tuesday

I hope everyone had a safe and healthy break. The school year is half over and this half will go quicker than the first with all the activities that are going on. We spent time today going over the benchmark tests from the first half of the year and we need to work hard to be ready for the CRCT in April. Surveys should have come back to school today and we are now organizing the information to be ready to present on Friday. Tomorrow we will be in the computer lab with the counselor for career counseling.