Grade 8 has been working on becoming familiar with common metric conversions that would come in handy on a trip elsewhere in the world...converting from C to F and back for temperature, KM to miles and back for distance, KG to pounds and back for mass, and L to gallons and back for volume will help them converse with the rest of the world! They also worked on the accuracy and interpretation of measurements.
Quizlet "LIVE" is always a fave!
Our 8th grade has also been studying atomic structure as well as the properties of matter, delving into density equations, floating vs sinking, and types of mixtures: homogeneous vs heterogeneous mixtures, solutions, colloids, and suspensions. Next up is physical vs chemical properties and their changes, states of matter and atomic behavior, the Gas Laws, and more!
Grade 7 also worked on the accuracy of measurements, how to use a microscope and gain expertise in all their parts, wet-mount slide making, characteristics and needs of life, cell theory, and human anatomy (namely, the skeletal system). They move on to cell structure and organelle function, osmosis and diffusion, and genetics shortly.
Grade 6 has been investigating natural resources, including the costs and benefits of using fossil fuels as well as various types of alternative energy. They recently learned in the lab some of the difficulties of cleaning up an oil spill and how it affects both biotic and abiotic factors. 6th graders also began their first foray into ScienceEXPO by deciding on their projects.
Grade 5 has continued their exploration of ecosystems by creating a Google Slides slideshow about changes occurring in ecosystems. They identified changes large and small, natural or man-made, and changes that can be slow or fast. They were very creative and did a great job with accurate examples of each. They also examined populations and species with creative posters and an owl pellet lab! They collected data on pellet size, found the class averages for mass and length, and made tables and graphs for each. The 5th grade also had great fun finding the remains of different prey barn owls feast upon from the Pacific Northwest.
