7th Grade Science

Room 212

407-623-1462 x 454

Important Announcements

May 15, 2007

Key Question for this week:  Can energy be created and destroyed?

This week we will complete experiments that focus on this question.  Towards the end of the week and for the two days next week we will be focusing our attend on Human Sexuality Education.  On Monday your child should of brought home a parent letter for you to sign as homework. 

Assignments for the remainder of the year:

1. Parent Involvement Homework Thursday

2. Daily Questions due Friday

3. Binder Check 20 Friday

4. Human Sexuality Education Packet Check Tuesday

If you have any questions, please contact email (sutherd@ocps.net) or call 407-632-1462 ex. 454

May 7, 2007

This week schedules will be coming home for next year.  These forms need to be signed and turned in by the latest Monday May 14, 2007 to Ms. Sutherland.

The students are making a study guide for the Unit 3 Cycle 1 Quiz on Thursday.  On the document page is a copy of the study guide and answers.

On Friday, we are going to the computer lab and the students must have their planners with the internet page signed.

April 30, 2007

We will be concluding Unit 3 Cycle 1 by next Tuesday. This cycle's concepts dealt with how forces affect motion. We will have the Cycle Quiz this Thursday (May 3, 2007)and a Cycle Test on next Thursday (May 10, 2007).

Today, we reviewed the force ideas for this cycle in class.  If a student was absent or misplaced their notes, the information is linked through the document page. The students should study these notes for their quiz this Thursday (May 3, 2007) and their test on Thursday (May 10, 2007).

Monday- Scientist Consensus Ideas for Forces (Quiz Review)

Tuesday-Applying Forces and Energy Ideas; Changing Force, Strength and Mass

Wednesday -Mechanical Forces and Motion

Thursday- Force Quiz and Binder Check 19

Friday- Sea World Field Trip

Hi everyone;

  In my determination to prepare our youngsters for the 8th Grade High School Credit course, Mrs. Mederos, Mrs. Ginn( another 7th grade science teacher) and I met to see where we are and etch out our curriculum's final path.  We had an excellent "meeting of the minds" as we pulled all the lessons that your youngsters need before we close of this school year.  We're going to have some exciting end of the year activities. 

FYI - parents, I will stop teaching on Tuesday, May 22nd  - the last day of school - not before.  Please help me keep the youngsters focused.

This coming week, we will continue looking at Newton's Laws.  Our next lesson's focus will be Multiple Forces & Motions.  The enrichment/ application will involve using his 2nd law.  Some of the questions that we will explore are:

 1. What factors determine the friction force between two surfaces?
 2. How mass differs from weight as it applies to Newton's Laws?
3. What is the "law of universal gravitation"?  This will apply to next year's Physics/Earth Space curriculum.

This week's Key Question:  How can force ideas be used to explain changes in motion?  

Reminders: No School Friday 4/20

Progress Reports go out Monday 4/23

Benchmark Testing Tuesday 4/24 and Thursday 4/26

I reminded the students about the extra credit that can be completed from the links page on my web page.  The web page can be reached through the mm.ocps.net web site. 

Also, on the my web page are listed the daily questions that we complete each day in case a student is absent.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email or call! 

Have a great week!!

Week of April 9-13, 2007

This weeks Key Question:

What types of forces act on objects and how are they forces transferred?

Please remind your child that it is very important to bring their binder with their record sheets to class everyday!!!

April 2, 2007

We are beginning Forces and Motion this week.  We will be discussing Newton's First and Second Law.  Teen Challenges will be using our classroom for this week to cook so we will be in their classroom next door (room 211).

March 26, 2007

Parent, Guardians, and students,  

Very Important Information!!!

I am going to postpone the Unit 2 Cycle 2 Exam.  We will finish Unit 1 Cycle 1 this week and then proceed on to Unit 2 Cycle 2.  I will update you all in the coming weeks and let you know when the exam will be given.   

Any questions please call 407-632-1462 x454 or email sutherd@ocps.net

March 25, 2007

We are moving right along!!

This week we will finish Unit 2.  We will then begin preparing for our Unit 2 Cycle 2 Exam which will be on Monday April 2 (students must use own calculator and pencil) .  We will have a binder check on Friday March 30 covering record sheets through page 194. 

The last current event assignment for the school year was due last wednesday.

March 18, 2007

I hope all are relaxed! Monday we are going to get right back into the swing of energy transfer and interactions.  Calculators are a must daily!!!!

Last Current Event due Wed, will not be accepted late!

March 23 Unit 2 Cycle 2 Quiz (must use own calculator)

April 2 Unit 2 Exam (must use own calculator)

March 9, 2007

!!!Have a great, relaxing Spring Break!!!

March 5, 2007

Only a few more days 'til Spring Break!!!!!  

Monday through Thursday is the last week of the 3rd Nine weeks.

Important!!    Current Event 10 is due Wednesday!!

FCAT Monday (Practice Science,3rd, 2nd, 1st periods) and Tuesday (NRT Reading and Math 4th,5th,6th period)  

Monday and Tuesday I will be handing out grade print outs to the students.  

I will be available to all students in the Morning Monday and Wednesday, During Lunch Monday -Thursday, and After School Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday.  

No assignments will be accepted after Thursday afternoon!!  

Any questions please call 407-623-162 x 454 or email sutherd@ocps.net.

February 27, 2007

Monday FCAT (Reading) and Tuesday FCAT (Math) we will have FCAT until 1240 each day.

Monday we only had 3rd, 2nd,and 1st period Tuesday we will have 6th, 5th, and 4th period.

Wednesday Current Event 9 is due for all periods

Friday Binder Check over Record Sheets 152-163

Next Week Monday Practice Science FCAT Tuesday (NRT Reading and Math)  

Important Information!!!!

Students need to make sure that they use their individual class work time effectively because we will not always go over answers before those record sheets are checked on the Binder Check each Friday.

February 21, 2007

Waves, Waves and more waves!

This week we are finishing up transverse and compression waves.  We learned about frequency, amplitude and wavelength.  We are going to continue our study of waves in water, sound, and earthquakes.

February 12, 2007

We had a great time of explorations last week, finishing up the concepts of mass and volume with gummy bears before and after we soaked them in water!  

This week we are moving into explaining interactions through different types of energy.  

Current Event 8 is due on Wednesday. 

January 31, 2007

January 29, 2007

BIG BIG Exam next week!  We can succeed together!!

This Week: Density

Next Week (Monday): Unit 1 Exam

This week we are finishing up the last couple of activities in unit 1.  We will review concepts on Thursday and Friday.  

How the students can study for the Unit 1 Exam:

1. Use Record Sheets 1-126

2. Find the 1st Section titled Our Consensus Ideas

3.Your child should ask themselves what is the answer to the key question(s) in this section

4.If the your child can answer the question without looking at the previous record sheets (or the answer) move on to the Consensus Idea Section

5. If your child cannot answer the key question, they should review the previous section titled Making Sense of your ideas then move on to the next key question  

4. If students do not understand a section or need extra help they can set up a review time with me before school or during lunch or after school.  

January 21, 2007

Tickets!  Tickets!  Tickets!

-Last week I started a ticket system with the students.  Various times through out the period when I view students on task I will give them a little blue ticket with a hole in it (so they can keep it in their binder).  When a student earns 5 tickets they can use the tickets as points.

For example if a student turned in his or her current event assignment one day late, meaning the highest grade he or she could get would be a 10/15.  If the student had five tickets they could redeem their tickets for points and earn a 15/15 on their current event assignment.

Periods 2 and 3 had a blast completing the food lab.  Periods 5 and 6 will complete their lab Monday.

We are in for an exciting week.  We will ask ourselves:

-Do gases have mass?

-What are some causes and how we can solve the problem of a depleting ozone layer?

January 8, 2007

Happy New Year!

The next Current Event (6) will be due next week.  Remember your child can always complete their current event early and turn it in.

Assignments that can be placed on the web will be linked on the day the assignment was began on the Class work page.  Record sheets will not be linked.

Dec. 15- Jan 3, 2006

Extra Credit: Make a motor at home and returned signed worksheet during the Month of January  for 15 points

Special Note: Current Event 5 due January 3, 2007, However because of long relaxing Winter Break, I will accept Current Event 5 until Monday January 8, 2007.

Dec 4, 2006

Together we can have a great week

Current Event 4 Homework Due Wednesday

Nov 27, 2006

This week will have short classes Tuesday and Thursday because of benchmark testing. 

Students needs a number 2 pencil (not mechanical and a book to read).

Nov 20, 2006

Happy Thanksgiving

Current Events Due Wednesday

No Binder Check This week (or last week)

In class group projects Monday -Wednesday

Nov 13, 2006

This Wednesday grades are cut off for progress reports.  Progress Reports are going out on Nov 20, 2006.

The students as a whole are doing wonderful completing their assignments and having their binders.  The students must have their Record Sheet Binder everyday when they come to class.

Nov 7, 2006

2nd Current Event Article is due Wednesday! 

Remember the article must be about science or technology.

3rd Binder Quiz on Friday, need pencil!

Oct 23, 2006

1st Current Event Article Due Wednesday!

This nine weeks we are going to grade Record Sheet Binders differently.  The students will be having a

Record Sheet Binder Quiz EVERY FRIDAY unless we are having a Unit Exam or Cycle Quiz.  The students do not have to study for the Record Sheet Binder Quiz.  They do need to have their binder ,with their pages in order, and completed pages for that week.  (Oct 23-Oct 27 pegs 37-49).

A Quiz question example is:

What did you answer for question 2 Evidence on pg 41?

A. sound

B. movement

C. temperature

D. both A or B

October 16, 2006

Binders to hold record sheets is a must!!!

We have one nine-weeks behind us and marching forward to another.  During this past nine-weeks we set the stage for how the class will be run.     

  -completing record sheets    

-doing experiments    

 - turning in record sheet folders once a week

-having quizzes 

This nine-weeks we are adding current event assignments. 

We have finished  cycle 1  and are moving onto cycle 2.  

Cycle KEY Question:  How can you describe interactions?   

This week's Activity KEY Question s :  What is the evidence that an interaction has occurred?  and What are the defining characteristics of a magnetic interaction?

October 9, 2006

Period 3,6 please have your child bring in a pumpkin by Tuesday Oct 10, 2006 or  kiwi fruit by Oct 16, 2006.  Thank you

September 19, 2006

I am happy that I had the opportunity to meet many of you at Open House.  Your child so far should be using two folders or binders for this class.  One to keep graded papers in, which is keep in class. The second is to keep their record sheets, which is brought to class every day.  Your child should have record sheets 1-21 completed by the end of this week.

August 31, 2006

Power Point Presentations Periods 2,3,5,6 Due Au 31, 2006, Period 4 Due Sept 5, 2006.

If your child scored lower than 70% on the Metric Test I am giving them the change to
retake the Metric Test.
I have arranged three days next week for them to complete this.
Your Child needs to sign up in class for which time they would
like to retake the test.

Dates and Times are:
Wednesday: Before school 8:50-9:20 During Lunch 1:30-2:00  After School 2:50-3:30 Thursday: Before school 8:50-9:20 During Lunch 1:30-2:00  After School 3:50-4:30 Friday: Before school 8:50-9:20 During Lunch 1:30-2:00  After School 3:50-4:30

If students would like to retake the Metric Test they should study their handouts.

August 28, 2006

Since the classes had to change computer labs on Friday which set us back in working on our power points I have postponed the due date.  I will let you know shortly.

August 23, 2006

I am happy that we have completed our first experiment on acids/bases and antacids. We are now working on Power Point Presentations in the computer lab.  Please make sure that your child has their internet page signed in their planner.  Presentations will be due on Monday August 28.