CMS Physical Science

Testing

2010-03-24T11:00:00.001-07:00

We are in the middle of testing this week and next. The ARMT and the SAT will be tested.

February EOM Assessment

2010-02-24T05:58:00.000-08:00

The EOM Assessment for February(energy) will be Thursday, Feb 25. The study guide will be given out today during class. We will also cover the standards for March (waves).

How to make Physical Science Better for You?

2010-02-23T06:26:00.000-08:00

Please post your suggestions. If you like something that is already being done please let me know.

January EOM Test

2010-01-27T11:40:00.000-08:00

The January EOM Test is Friday. The study guide was given out in class today. Pretty straightforward. The test will cover chemical and physical changes. It will also cover states of matter and energy changes within those states of matter.

Balancing Equations

2009-10-26T06:37:00.000-07:00

We are working on predicting products of chemical reactions as well as balancing chemical equations. They should have a large amount of notes with examples in their notebooks. We will continue working on these all week. There are plenty of websites with tutorials if you need extra practice or a refresher.

Types of Chemical Reactions

2009-10-26T06:15:00.000-07:00

We are covering 5 basic types. We are not concentrating on acid/base reactions

Types:
1) Synthesis

A + B --> AB

2) Decomposition

AB --> A + B

3) Single Replacement

A + BC --> AC + B

4) Double Displacement

AB + CD --> AD + BC

5) Combustion

Hydrocarbon (gas) + Oxygen (gas) --> Carbon Dioxide + Water

EOM Test Friday

2009-10-26T06:12:00.001-07:00

The EOM Test Friday will cover ions (cations and anions), covalent and ionic bonding, balancing chemical reactions, naming reaction types, predicting reaction products, and acid/base reactions predicted based on hydrogen ion concentrations. We will also attempt to cover osmosis, diffusion, hyper/hypo/isotonic solutions.

Periodic Table/Atoms

2009-09-02T08:49:00.000-07:00

Next week we will begin discussing these concepts. This will take the majority of the month including lab activities.

EOM Test Friday, Sept 4th

2009-09-02T08:47:00.000-07:00

It will cover everything from the month of August. Focus on:
Scientific Method- know what each step means.
Metric System- be able to do conversions
Scientific Notation- be able to work with these numbers
Charts/Graphs- be able to decipher the data given
Controls/Variables- in an experiment, be able to identify these.

Pretty simple test. Each student should have ample study material and their previous test review sheets. They also have an EOM worksheet to use.

Week one Complete

2009-08-17T17:05:00.000-07:00

We covered the scientific method and the metric system last week. We took the test today. Scores should be posted on sti by tomorrow. I've graded 75% of them and they are pretty good.

This week we will cover two topics at once. First we will deal with scientific notation. We will practice writing numbers in scientific notation and changing those to decimal form. We will also work on adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing scientific notation problems. Also, we will be working on our measurement skills. We will strictly concentrate on metric units with this. We will also discuss and practice using appropriate units when measuring.

The next test will probably be sometime next week. However, there could be a quiz at anytime if needed.

New School Year Approaches

2009-07-28T16:48:00.000-07:00

Whew, the summer has flown by. Some of you may know that the school is under serious construction/cleaning/remodeling right now. I thought I would post a few things about my class since you may not see a list.

Your child needs a binder, loose leaf paper, something to write with, and a cheap scientific calculator. I'm not picky.

I would appreciate any donations of hand sanitizer and kleenex. The kids really go through these.

I look forward to working with you and your child to have a great year. I really need your help to accomplish the goals that we will set as a school and that I personally have for my classes.

EOM Test

2009-03-03T05:52:00.000-08:00

Today we will be taking the EOM Assessment for February. This will cover topics of energy including kinetic, potential, problem solving, and energy transformations.

During the month of March we will be reviewing past concepts from August to March before we take standardized tests.

ThinkLink Testing

2009-02-02T18:15:00.001-08:00

We will be taking the ThinkLink Assessment test on Wednesday.
We are covering energy now (potential, kinetic, etc...)
Hopefully start the next lab next week sometime.

States of Matter and other stuff

2009-01-17T10:34:00.000-08:00

We are well into states of matter. This month we are covering several other aspects of matter.

* We have covered the 4 states of matter (solid, liquid, gas, and plasma)
* We have discussed the reactivity of these especially dealing with particle movement and structure
* We have discussed the kinetic energy of these states
* We have discussed phase changes and what is needed for a phase change to occur
* We have also reviewed the temperatures at which these changes occur and the appropriate terminology for these.

We finally can say we have a lab. It is technically a big closet but we will take what we can get. We did a general lab last week dealing with states of matter and the water cycle. Students were able to use a burner (butane) to change states of water and to record temperatures using a celsius thermometer. The other lab station dealt with density of different fluids. Students had to use several different lab instruments to properly complete this station. We have to have rotating lab stations due to classroom size but it is a start.

This week we will complete several lab stations dealing with chemical reactions and reaction rates due to catalysts, temperature changes, surface area, and types of chemicals.

My goal is for your child to have a basic understanding of lab procedures and safety prior to moving to the high school. I hope we succeed. The vast majority seem to love labs and are trying very hard to complete them successfully.

States of Matter

2009-01-06T07:09:00.000-08:00

We will begin discussing states of matter (again) this week. We covered it some in the first semester because it dealt with the content we were covering but the pacing guide has us officially covering it now. All classes should have a homework sheet today (1/6). Some may have time to finish it in class. We will be looking to have a quiz around Friday. I will post notes later.

Merry Christmas

2008-12-23T07:26:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure how many people actually look at this thing. If you are one of the few I would like to wish you a Merry Christmas. I will have semester two work posted after the new year.

End of the Semester

2008-12-12T07:44:00.000-08:00

The test Monday on Forces of Fluids didn't go so well. I don't know if it was the way it was presented or just a Monday test issue.

We began studying simple machines this week as well as discussing work and power.

Exemption notification is due on Monday so grading for my class is shut down today. We will take the December EOM test next Wednesday. Semester exams will be on Thursday/Friday.

Thinklink results were returned this week from the testing last month. Overall scores were about what was expected for a predictive assessment test. Ask your child about their results or you may email me.

Forces in Fluids Extra Notes

2008-12-03T06:25:00.000-08:00

Pressure-the force per unit area exerted on an object.

Buoyancy- the ability of a fluid to exert an upward force on an object immersed in it

Archimedes Principle- the buoyant force on an object in a fluid is equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the object.

Pascal's Principle- states that pressure applied to a fluid is transmitted unchanged throughout the fluid.
Ex. toothpaste
hydraulics

Bernoulli's Principle- as a velocity of a fluid increases, the pressure exerted by the fluid decreases.
Ex. airplane wing

Gas Laws

Boyles Law

Charles Law

Week of December 1-5

2008-12-02T18:07:00.000-08:00

We are beginning to focus on Fluids and Forces of Fluids. This is Chapter 12 in their book but I'm not a big fan of books.
Monday-Computer Lab
Tuesday-Intro to Fluids (reviewed key concepts of states of matter, pressure, density) Introduced Boyles Law and Charles Law) HW: Chp 12 key terms and self checks
Wednesday- Continue discussion of fluids: Archimedes Principle, Bernoulli's Principle, Pascal's Principle. HW: (probably) 3 worksheets
Thursday- Review Game/Possible lab.....
Friday-Test (They really need to study their notes)

Next week we will cover Simple Machines.

Progress Reports

2008-11-20T17:16:00.000-08:00

Progress Reports go home on Friday, November 21st.

Tests

2008-11-18T12:08:00.000-08:00

Force/Newton's Laws test on Thursday
EOM Test on Friday
Lots of hw tonight unless they did it in enrichment. Very little class time to get it done.

Homework this week (11/17-11/21)

2008-11-17T18:19:00.000-08:00

Monday night-no homework
Tuesday night- yes, worksheet(s)/possible studying for test on Wednesday
Wednesday night- depends on whether or not the Force test is on Wed/Thurs
Thursday night- Study for November End of Month Assessment (notes and study guide)
Friday night- if I gave it 95% wouldn't find time over the 9 days to do it :)

Forces and Newton's Laws Notes (extra)

2008-11-14T09:07:00.000-08:00

A Force is a push or a pull. Examples of forces can be pushing a box or gravity pulling on a thrown baseball.

Formula Force= Mass * Acceleration

Units:
Force-Newtons Mass- kilograms Acceleration- meters/second square
Newton- kg* m/s squared

Example: A box is pushed across a floor with an acceleration of 3 m/s squared. The box has a mass of 20 kg. Find the force the box is pushed

F=ma
F=(20 kg) (3 m/s squared)
F= 60 N

Newton's Laws

Law 1: An object which is moving or at a state of rest does not change its state of motion unless a force acts on it.

Law 2: a=m/F

Law 3: For every force, there is an equal and opposite force.

More Problems

1. Ryan hit a baseball with an acceleration of 30 meters per second squared. The mass of the baseball is 0.5 kg. What was the force?

2. How much force is required to give an object with a mass of 22 kg an acceleration of 12 m/s squared?

3. How much force is required to give a 5000 kg crate an acceleration of 2 m/s squared on an icy surface without friction?

4. A 2,200 kg car accelerates at the rate of 2.6 m/s squared. How much force is required to achieve this acceleration?

These notes will supplement what we will be covering next week in class.

EOM Reassessment/Next week

2008-11-12T19:44:00.000-08:00

1) The EOM Reassessment for October was put off until Thursday due to the Thinklink testing today.
2) Next week we will be covering Newtons Laws and trying to cram it all in before Friday. I hope to give the November EOM test on Friday, November 21. Expect homework next week on most nights.

EOM Test/Reassessment

2008-11-08T18:13:00.000-08:00

The EOM Test for November will be on the 21st. The EOM reassessment (students scoring below 70%) for October will be on Wednesday, November 12. I will review for both tests and students will have a study guide/notes.

***Reassessment study guide given out on Monday. We will also be doing ThinkLink Testing on Wednesday. Somehow we will make it work. **

Quiz: Monday, November 10

2008-11-08T17:37:00.000-08:00

We will have a quiz on Monday, November 10th. The quiz will cover the concepts of speed, motion, and velocity.
Key formulas:
Speed=distance/time Velocity=speed + direction
Velocity vectors (arrows): same direction (add) opposite directions (subtract)
right triangle (use Pythagorean Theorem)

Example #1: A car travels north for 120 miles. The car travels for 3 hours. Find the speed of the car. Speed=distance/time
speed=120 miles/3 hours
speed=40 miles/hour
****A velocity problem would work the same but have a direction in the answer.**

Example #2: A train travels at 55 km/h for 4 hours. Find the distance the train travels.
Speed=distance/time
55 km/h= distance/4 hours
(55 km/h) (4 hours) = distance
220 km = distance

Example #3: Find the average speed of the car if it travels 200 miles in 3 hours on Day 1 and 200 miles in 5 hours on Day 2.
Average speed= total distance/total time
Average speed= 400 miles/8 hours
Average speed= 50 miles/hour

Students should have examples in their notebook. They should also study velocity vectors and their motion notes.

Welcome to Physical Science

2008-11-08T17:30:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Mr. Steele's Physical Science site. I will use this blog to keep parents and students updated on the happenings of physical science at CMS. I will try to keep homework and quiz information posted on a regular basis.