Monday, 12/27 Patriots WON!!

I hope all of you are having a wonderful restful vacation (unless you have to shovel! ;)

Happy New year to you and your family!

Sunday, 12/19

Well, the storm didn't come, so looks like the geology test will be tomorrow! Students can use their science notebooks on the test. I have handed back all papers. Most importantly, students were told to print up the geology overview notes and the rock notes. They got a study guide last week.

After vacation, we will be beginning the astronomy unit.

Have a WONDERFUL and safe vacation!

See you next year! :)

Monday, 12/6

I was out today. Students took notes during a video, "Future of the Milky Way" a glimpse into the next unit; Astronomy. I am still really sick and won't be in tomorrow. I just know that all of my students are being respectful of my sub, Mr. Gross.

Thursday, 12/2

I have stopped the rock lectures (first time in all of the years I've taught Geology) due to student behavior. I have put all science students into the book (which was written in 1994) instead of sharing my rock collection (what's in the case outside my room is a tiny fraction of what I have collected since the age of 9) These are my rocks and not the school's and it has been my pleasure to share my collection with the students of BJHS. Fortunately, the study of geology is one of the units that hasn't changed much, so working in the book, they will still learn about geology.

I am just so disappointed. I will try to let students do the labs as the samples we will use DOES belong to the school. I am concerned that this kind of behavior will hinder student success at BHS, as well.

November 21, 2010

The Mt St Helens project is due tomorrow! I can't wait to see them! I hear that all are doing a great job! Of course students had their choice of the Mt St Helens project or a world map on which they could plot earthquakes. The Mt St Helens projects have chances for extra credit while the EQ map has none!

I wish you all a wonderful and SAFE little vacation!

Monday, 11/15

In science, we went over the pre-test/Notebook quiz from Friday. Ask your son or daughter how they did on the quiz. They had classtime to complete a notecard that can be used on the test. Period 5 will have the test tomorrow and period 3 will have theirs tomorrow. After the test, we will begin our Geology unit.

The Mount St Helens project is due on Monday, 11/22. I will be grading them when you come for your conference.

Sunday, 11/7, during the Pats game!

This week, students will have a pre-test quiz and the study guide will be handed out. The test will be Monday, 11/12.

Sunday, 10/31 BOO!!!

It appears that the Plate Tectonics quizzes are good. Students will be working as Seismologists pinpointing the epicenter of an earthquake. We will also be doing a Convection demo that I will count as a lab.

Tuesday, 10/26

Today, we worked on the Earth Package (#18) (H). If you're reading this lab or if you checked the index on the file cabinet, you know that there will be a quiz tomorrow. If you are reading this, there will be an extra credit word/s to write on your quiz for extra credit. If you are a parent reading this, your child should have written what was on the board for their assignment: "Bring all required materials to class and make sure you print out all of your lecture notes BEFORE the quiz as you won't be allowed to do it once I pass out the quiz."

Sunday, October 25

This past week, we completed the SI System Test and began the Plate Tectonics Unit. Students are currently taking notes to the Plate Tectonics lecture. There will be a quiz this week and students will be able to use their notes (and science notebook) for the quiz. We will also have a couple of assignments coming home this week. One will be constructing an "earth package." Please continue to look at your child's assignment notebook.

Monday, 10/18

With the testing finished today, students will work on completing their SI System test. Most students have done the density of the water samples and, today, will fill in the business letter template to Guy Sweetcar and graph their results. They can get extra credit for creativity by retyping the letter and even for making "business cards" for their packet.

I would say, by Wednesday, students should bring their laptops to class so they can take notes during the Plate Tectonics lecture!

Sunday, 10/17 during the Pats game! THEY WON!!!!!

We will be completing our SI System Test tomorrow and should finish on Tuesday. We will then begin our Plate Tectonics unit.

Monday, October 12

We have begun the NECAPS so we didn't meet for science class. When we do meet, we will be continuing the SI System test. Most students have calculated their densities and are ready to graph their results and write their business letters. Early next week, we will be beginning our Plate Tectonics unit. To get real-time earthquake information anywhere in the world, click on the earthquake picture to the right.

Sunday, 10/11 (Ms Bowen's birthday!) :) (& Juliet's too!)

Don't forget...the NECAPS begin tomorrow and will be daily Tuesday through Friday and will include Monday. Be sure to get a good nights sleep and make sure to bring a personal reading book.

Wednesday, 10/6

Tomorrow, our SI System Test begins! We read over the test together and I handed out a study guide for the test. Students will HAVE to have their calculators, a pencil, the study guide passed out today, and R-3 from their science notebook to be successful on the test. Ask to dee the study guide and ask them about the test. The test is all hands-on and involves a scenario where students work for a lab and receive a letter from Guy Sweetcar asking if a shipment of sugar cane will be able to be shipped from Macapa, Brazil to Cleveland, Ohio without sinking. Students will work with water samples from along the route and will utilize all of the skills they learned from all of the labs we have done to this point.

Please check to see that they have the necessary items for the test.

Wednesday, 9/29

Today in Period 3, we did the Density of Solids lab. In Period 5, we finished the Density of Water lab. This lab is one of the most important ones of the year. I will be referring back to this lab as we study earthquakes and volcanoes, ocean currents, etc.

If you have been writing your assignments down, you've probably noticed that for the last 2 days, the assignment has been to bring in your completed science notebook and all required materials (in particular, your ruler, pencil, pen, and calculator) The quiz will be tomorrow!

Tuesday, 9/28

We are working on density right now. One lab is the density of water and the other lab (the one day lab) is the density of solids.

Sunday, 9/26

Friday, we completed our Finding Mass lab. Most are graded now, but they definitely show that many students were busy playing around and not doing what they were supposed to during lab. There will be 3-4 more labs this week followed by the test as early as next week. All students need to buckle down and concentrate on the lab and not socializing.

Wednesday, 9/22

Yesterday, I collected the Time Capsules and they are now safely stored at my house until June! You might make sure your child sent in their time capsules as it is the first test grade of the 2010-11 school year!

We continue to work on our SI System unit and the associated labs.

I look forward to meeting you at open house tomorrow night!

Sunday, 9/19

Today, we finished Lab #7 (or most students did). You might want to check with your child to see if they finished. You might also check to see that they did Lab 5 as well

Students were told in every class that the extra time capsule papers were stacked at the table in the back of the room. The Time Capsules are due on Tuesday (9/21). I know they require a lot of family involvement, but I know your student will enjoy opening this with their children or grandchildren some day. Thanks for all of your help!

Next week, we will continue the labs for the SI System unit.

Wednesday, 9/15/10

Today, students worked on their homework in class. Their homework is Index #6 Metric Conversion. It is due at the beginning of class tomorrow. Students will be working on a lab on Volume of Rectangular Solids. Some students/Lab groups are still having some difficulty working quietly in a group. If you see a "minus 5-10 points" on their lab papers, you will know that your child might be part of one of those groups.

The time capsule is due on Tuesday, 9/21. You might ask to see all of their papers. I have asked daily if students need extra papers. Remember, this is a test grade and will be only one of two this quarter.

Sunday, 9/12

NOTE TO PARENTS/GUARDIANS: On Friday, science classes had a "materials quiz." This quiz was announced all week and we went through our science notebooks together. These quizzes are given periodically to make sure all required materials (pencil, ruler, calculator, science notebooks with all required papers, etc.) are brought every day. We have begun the SI System of Measurement unit and will work on our first lab tomorrow.

The science notebook is particularly important as there isn't a textbook and the science notebook will contain everything your child needs to succeed! The grades will be posted tomorrow for the first time. Students are required to write their grade for science at the bottom of "Science" under Monday, in their assignment notebook. Look for the current grade every Monday (unless there's a holiday!)

Students should also be working on their Time Capsules (due next Tuesday!) I have assigned 4 of the components as homework to help them stay on track.

I'm looking forward to meeting all of you at Open House next week!

Thursday, 9/9

Today in class, we made sure that all students had the required papers for the science notebook. It was also announced that there would be a "materials quiz" in which students would have to go to a certain paper in their notebook and pull information from it. There will also be questions about what type of assignment a paper is (ie N for Notes, H/CW for homework or classwork, etc.) Please take the time to check your childs' science notebook. This is VERY important as, again, their science notebook IS their "textbook!" Tomorrow, we will also begin our first lab.

Tuesday, 9/7

Today, we began our SI System unit and students were required to take notes. They were also to have completed the "Likes & Dislikes" paper for their time capsules. Another will be due Thursday so that they don't wait until the last minute to work on the capsule.

Students are to bring all required materials to class. It says this on the chalkboard. There will be a "materials quiz" in the next 3 days.

KEEP WORKING ON THE TIME CAPSULE!

Thursday, 9/2

Today, students got many ideas of items to include in their time capsules. If they haven't already, students will receive all papers for the time capsules. The due date is Tuesday, September 21st. In an effort to break the project up into chunks to keep them from procrastinating, I will be assigning different papers a few times a week. Please help them keep on schedule at home, too.

We will be beginning our first unit, The SI System of Measurement on Tuesday.

Today, we did the Time Capsule powerpoint that contained hints for student time capsules. The time capsule descriptor will be brought home tomorrow. Students are to read it over and come in with questions on Friday. The Time Capsule project will be counted as a test grade and the completed capsule will be due on Tuesday, September 21st.

Tuesday, August 29, 2010

Hi, all,

Tomorrow (August 30) we will be doing activities with our advisor classes. It's a fun day! It might be a little hot!! 90 degrees!

Ms. Bowen

Welcome to Ms Bowen's Science Classes 2010-11

Students and Parent/s,

Welcome the wonderful world of science and to the 2010-11 school year!

Please get into the habit of checking out this blog as I will try to keep it up daily with assignments and comments from class that will help parents/guardians/students keep up with work they may have missed when absent. This is not to distract from keeping up their assignment notebook (ANB)!

Grades will be accessible online for parents and students. This is something new this year. I will also post grades every week.

Just a couple of notes on grades:

If a student is absent, late with an assignment, etc, there will be an "empty spot" in their grades. The program will see the blank spot as a 0% and will average this 0 into your son/daughter's grade making it lower.

This grade will remain this way until the following Monday. This will be a reminder to both student and parent that the assignment needs to be made up ASAP!