Grade 8 Week 11: The Water Planet

This week we begin our next unit of Earth Science.  We start by looking at water.

What is the water cycle?
How does the water cycle affect us?
Why do belly flops hurt?
Why does ice float?


Water Cycle Video by Peter Weatherall
Uploaded by peterweatherall. - Explore more science and tech videos.


Contract Week 11 has you researching the unique molecule of water or diagram the water cycle beyond just what the book portrays.

Grade 8 The Changing Earth Unit Exam

First, I would like to say I miss you and I am sorry that I can't be there today and I missed yesterday. However, test is still Thursday.

Yesterday you were asked to get your notes in order if you haven't already and to have one question of the day for me today. Here is your opportunity to ask me that question.

In addition to that, you are now assigned one response to one other persons question, but don't stop there. There more questions you try to answer the better shape you will be for the exam.

Remember, this exam is about our Changing Earth:
The big idea to learn is how does the Earth change?
Chapter One: What changes occur inside the Earth and how do we know?
Chapter Two and Three:  How do those changes below the surface affect the surface causing change?
Chapter 4:  How has the Earth changed over time?
Chapter 5:  How are we changing the Earth today and what can we do to reduce these changes?

Grade 8 Week 10: Alternatives

What are alternatives to burning fossil fuels for energy?
What is a solar cell made of and how does it turn sun light into energy?(Hour 2 and 7)
Is wind power a reliable source of energy?(Hour2)
How is corn made into ethanol?(Hour 2)
Can garbage be turned into energy?(Hour 7)

This weeks contract asks that you research a specific alternative energy source. Check out previous year's work on Algae, Bug Fuels, and power from water in Tides and Waves. Make improvements to these old pages or research a new alternative energy source.

Grade 8 Week 9: Natural Resources

This week we egin our final section before our unit exam. We will be looking at natural resources, how we use them and what effects that has.

What are natural resources?
How do we use natural resources in our daily lives?
What are the effects, good and bad,of our use of natural resources?
How do you recycle around the house?
Where do you take recyclables around here?
What does it cost?What happens to stuff after you throw it in the blue bin?What do you do to conserve natural resources?
Does conservation really save money and resources? How much?
This week's contracts ask you to look at your own use of natural resources. Come to class on friday and talk about how your lives are affected ny natural resources.

Grade 8: "Death Cat Canyon"

This week we finish our unit on fossil evidence for the Geologic Time Scale by taking a closer look at one of the most famous sites for fossils and remains in North America: the La Brea Tar Pits. To this end, we will be watching the Science Channel special titled "Death Cat Canyon."
What things have we learned from the remains at La Brea?

Also, do not forget that the final day for your Science News presentation is this Wednesday. The Science news worksheet can be found in the Resources section of the wiki.

Grade 8 Week 8: Geologic Time Scale

This week we take what we have learned about fossils, relative and absolute age, of earthquakes and volcanoes, and all changes to the Earth to describe Earth's history in what we call the Geologic Time Scale.

How are fossils and other evidence used to describe the geologic time scale?
What trends do we see over the whole geologic time scale?




This week's contract asks you to continue the construction of our class Geologic Time Scale.

Grade 8 Week 7: Fossils

Our next few weeks we will be taking a look back in time. The Geologic Time Scale chronicles life on Earth and how it changes.



What evidence is there for the current understanding of our geologic time scale?
How do fossils form?
How can we tell the age of a fossil?

Do you have a fossil you would like to share with the class? Worried that it would be lost at school? Submit a photo and all the info you have on the fossil to the classes virtual museum. You can bring the fossil in for a picture or submit a picture.



Week 7 contracts can be found here. Over the next few weeks with WKCE testing and assemblies, schedules will be different. So, this weeks contract will be spread over the next two weeks, due November 12.

Grade 8 Week 6: Mountains

This week we continue with mountain formations focusing on folded mountains and fault-block mountains.

How do these types of mountains form?
Where do they form?

This week's contract has us inventing a lab or activity that demonstrates the build up or wear down of mountains. Try to make it something that all the class can replicate.

Grade 8: Dante's Peak

This week we travel to a volcano created in Hollywood.

Dante's Peak is a story about the second most desirable city to live in the the U.S. (population under 20,000), and the really, really bad day they have.

Enjoy James Bond and Sarah Connor v. Dante's Peak the composite volcano!

How do scientists monitor volcanoes in the movie?
How does the volcano affect the city of Dante's Peak and the surrounding valley?

Grade 8 Week 5: Volcanoes!

After the great ideas we saw last week in Earthquake Engineering I am looking forward to this week's designs. This week we move from earthquakes to volcanoes. Remembering what we discovered in the fist section about the inside of the Earth and how it moves, answer this week's questions:

What causes volcanoes?
How do they form?
What are the effects of volcanic eruptions?

This weeks contract has A contracts designing or modeling a volcano. I am still looking for an actual composite volcano beyond the science fair vinegar/baking soda coming from a cup. I did that back in my days at Fairview. You can design something better, something...more...real?