April 25, 2019: GMS Annual Star Party (take 3)

The weather has finally cooperated with our desires to host our annual Evening with the Stars.  Approximately 50 people, not including the Southern Maine Astronomers, gathered at Twin Brooks with many telescopes to view the night sky.  With spacey music playing in the background (think Coldplay, Niki Minaj, Bonnie Tyler, and Train), we took a tour across the sky guided by the Southern Maine Astronomers and their handy dandy laser pointer!

Students were amazed at the detail that the high powered telescopes provided.  Different objects that we viewed included:

• Orion 
• The Beehive cluster
• Cassiopeia
• Gemini
• Cancer
• Ursa Major
• Big Dipper
• Little Dipper
• Betelgeuse
• Sirius
• Arcturus
• North Star - Polaris (which is not the brightest star)

The night vision camera app caught the students looking up at the perfectly clear night sky! 

April 23, 2019: Exploring Mars Features

Today I Am:

• Exploring and annotating an image of Mars
• Identifying features on Mars.

So That I Can:

• Determining the relative ages of features on Mars.
• Begin to identify ideas for a research project about Mars.

I Will Know I Got It When:
I have a picture of my annotated document with 4-6 features identified, and page 3 is completed in the group document.

Plan for the Day:
FOCUS QUESTION: What are some of the features found on Mars?

1. Sit in your groups - gather markers and Mars image.
2. Analyze your image using MSIP Resources - feature chart --> in Classroom
3. Annotate your image (add words, questions, etc...)
4. Take a photo
5. Start your homework --- (paper sheet)

Reflection:
Today was a short day as students spent the first hour and 45 minutes taking the iReady reading test. They needed an opportunity to get up move and talk to each other and this lesson was just that! I found some student dove right in to looking for features - many found the MSIP guide very helpful. There were two camps of kids - those that used the guide and then looked at the image to find features and those that found features then used the guide to figure out the names.

All students were successful in finding at least 4 different features; dating the features was a bit more difficult as the only tool for relative dating that we have is the Law of Superposition and some features were not layered. Overall though, the activity was successful. Students have a quick homework identifying crater types and completing some relative dating.

Sept. 12, 2018: Evidence #1: The Fossil Record

Today I Am:

• Learning about what evolution is and what it is not!

• Taking notes on the fossil record.

So That I Can:

• Determine how the fossil record is evidence for evolution.

I Will Know I Got It When:
Pages 23 and 25 in my ISN are complete.


Plan for the Day:
FOCUS QUESTION: What is the Theory of Evolution? Why do we care about the diversity of life?

1. Watch the video below. 
2. On page 20, halfway down the page--> write 2 things you learned and 1 question you have.
3. NOTETAKING TIME
• Open the presentation below in Present Mode.
• Answer the questions on page 23 in your own words. You do not need to use complete sentences. Highlight and add color if it is useful.
• Answer the questions on page 25 in your own words. You do not need to use complete sentences. Highlight and add color if it is useful.
• STOP when you get to the stop SIGN on page 32!
4. COMPLETE THE FOLDABLE HOMEWORK (from yesterday) --> write/glue/cut/photo --> see directions from yesterday.

September 11: Introduction to Evolution

Today I Am:

• Going over the Unit 1A overview
• Learning about the Theory of Evolution

So That I Can:

• Be prepared for assessments
• Explain the evidence for the Theory of Evolution

I Will Know I Got It When:
Have completed pages 19-21 in my notebook.


Plan for the Day:
FOCUS QUESTION: What is the Theory of Evolution? Why do we care about the diversity of life?

September 10: Planting our WFP

Today I Am:
Planting my Wisconsin Fast Plant.

So That I Can:
Eventually gather evidence to explain ho inheritance works.

I Will Know I Got It When:
My plants are under the lights and ready to grow.


Plan for the Day:
FOCUS QUESTION: How do you plant a WFP?

The Wisconsin Fast Plants are rapid-cycling Brassica Rapa, members of the cabbage and mustard family. They have a life cycle of 35-40 days. Students followed a given procedure to plant the WFP. Growth should be notable with 1-2 days.

DIRECTIONS FOR PLANTING

At 3 weeks, the WFPs will be flowering and we will cross pollinate plants with each other. After 6 weeks we will harvest the seeds and plant a second generation of WFP.

	MATERIALS	SINGLE QUAD	BANK OF QUADS

September 7: Hypothesis, Theory, and Law

Today I Am:
Comparing and contrasting hypothesis, theory, and law.
I am also taking a pre-test.


So That I Can:
Distinguish among the different terms and hold an intelligent conversation about them.


I Will Know I Got It When:
I complete the homework ONLINE.


Plan for the Day:
FOCUS QUESTION: What is the difference between hypothesis, theory, and law? And why do we care?


AGENDA:
1. Pretest in classroom
2. NOTES - Vocabulary page 13
3. Discussion


IN CLASS SLIDESHOW

PAGE 13: Vocabulary Notes

September 5-6: Scientific Sketching

Today I Am:
Learning about scientific sketching.

So That I Can:
Sketch my own drawing of an object using labels and details.

I Will Know I Got It When:
I have a completed, labeled sketch in my notebook.

Plan for the Day:

FOCUS QUESTION: How do you make a scientific sketch.

AGENDA:
1. DO NOW in classroom
2. ABC's of Sketching
3. SKETCH
4. Match-Game (if time)
5. Discussion

We also developed NORMS for our class --> see below!

IN-CLASS SLIDESHOW

Student sketches - 1st try

Student sketches - 2nd