Mrs. Dubick

Adopt Our Class!

Our class is part of Office Max's "Adopt a Classroom" program.  All money donated goes towards lab materials and supplies to enrich the learning experience of our students. Go to www.adoptaclassroom.org for more information (just type in Dubick under teacher's last name). 

Thank you!

 

Friday's Assignments

1.  Build your own roller coaster.  Click on the link and try it out.  Draw a picture of your roller coaster and label where there is the most potential energy and the most kinetic energy.

2.  Let's explore a little more.  Click on roller coaster science.  Answer the 4 questions about potential and kinetic energy, friction, and the difference you think is between steel and wooden coasters.  Then, try the design feature, changing the friction and speed of your roller coaster.

3.  Now, let's add gravity, mass, friction and height of hills with this simulation.  Don't fall off! Record your top 3 speed and answer the following questions:

HILL #1

Answer the following questions when setting the height for Hill #1.

• Is the hill height high enough to provide enough potential energy for the Coaster to make its way over the Hill #2 and through the loop?
• If the speed of the coaster is too high when it goes over the crest of a hill, what happens? Why?
• How does a change in gravity setting affect the motion of the coaster as it goes up and down hills and around the loop?
• Can you really change gravity on the Earth?

HILL #2

Answer the following questions when setting the height for Hill #2.

• Why does the height of the second hill affect the ability of the coaster to go safely around the loop?
• What settings for the heights of the first and second hill cause the coaster to either not get around the loop or crash through the loop?
• Is the friction set so that the Coaster may go fast enough to make its way down Hill #2 and through the loop?
• How does gravity affect the coaster’s ability to stay on the track?

Optical Illusions:

Try this experiment and see how well you do:  Interactive Stroop Effect Experiment.  

Cool illusions:  Check these out!  Are your eyes playing tricks on you?

M.C. Escher: Check out the art work of Escher. Is he trying to fool our brain?

Week of April 27, 2009

Monday:  Students will watch a quick video on catapults and begin their design for the marshmallow catapult project.

Homework:  Work on catapult design as needed.

Tuesday:  Students will continue working on their catapult design and begin building.

Homework: None

Wednesday:  Students will complete the building of their marshmallow catapults.

Homework:  None

Thursday: Students will test their catapults and collect data.

Homework:  Update IANs as needed

Friday:  Students will graph the data from their catapult project.

Homework: None

Week of April 20, 2009 CRCT WEEK

*CRCT begins on Tuesday with Reading, Wednesday is Language Arts, Thursday is Math, Friday is Science and next Monday is Social Studies.  Please make certain students get plenty of sleep and eat a good breakfast (students - no junk please).  Please be present everyday and ready to test.

Monday:  Students will continue working on CRCT project in class (they have the check sheet and review).  Posters of one CRCT project component due.

Homework:  Work on CRCT project due Wednesday (4/22/09)

Tuesday:  Students will working on CRCT project in class.

Homework: Work on CRCT project

Wednesday:  Work on CRCT project (all due at end of class)

Homework:  Rest for Math CRCT

Thursday:  Review Game for CRCT

*Circuits Link:  complete #1-4 (learn, test, and review for each).  Write the answers to the "test" and a short summary from each one.

*Forces Link:  complete the assigment on balanced and unbalanced forces (watch for the arrows to tell you when to click to the next part).  Write the last part with the questions and correct answers.

Homework:  Rest for Science CRCT

Friday:  Students will investigate catapults

Homework: Update IANs as needed.

Week of April 13, 2009

I hope everyone enjoyed the break.  We are beginning to review for the CRCT which will start next week.  Stay ready so you never have to get ready!

Parents:  Have you seen IAN lately?

Monday:  Students will analyze and make corrections to light and sound quiz using all their resources

Homework:  Correct/Complete all work in IANs (parents:  look through IAN together)

Tuesday:  Students will create a compare and contrast graphic organizer on mechanical and electromagnetic waves (IAN #86) and prepare for Unit test.

Homework: Study for Unit Test on light and sound

Wednesday:  Unit Test on Light and Sound (IAN #35 and up).

Homework:  Begin CRCT project (Due Wednesday 4/22/09)

Thursday:  Work on CRCT project in groups.

*Circuits Link:  complete #1-4 (learn, test, and review for each).  Write the answers to the "test" and a short summary from each one.

Homework:  Make certain all work in IAN is complete and correct.  Read feedback messages and respond to each as needed. Work on CRCT project.

Friday (no 6th and 7th period due to assembly):  Students will continue working on their CRCT project.

Homework: Create poster from one on the choices on the CRCT project (Due Monday 4/20/09) and continuing working on all parts of CRCT project.

Week of March 30, 2009

Students have been busy exploring the properties and behavior of light this past week.  Ask your student about the laser demonstration.  I was lucky this week to have the opportunity to visit Argyle Elementary School and meet with Mrs. Lopez and the Lego Robotics Teams.  What a wonderful group of students, I look forward to having them at CMS next year as we start up our team!

Parents:  Have you seen IAN lately?

Monday:  Students will investigate light and color.

Homework:  Correct/Complete all work in IANs (parents:  look through IAN together)

Tuesday:  Students will investigate lenses and mirrors.

Homework: TBA

Wednesday:  Students will explore how the human eye works.

Homework:  Study for light and color quiz tomorrow

Thursday:  Quiz over light and color.  Prepare IANs for check over break.

Homework:  Make certain all work in IAN is complete and correct.  Read feedback messages and respond to each as needed.

Friday (no 7th period due to assembly):  Students will begin preparing for unit test (when we return from break) with a choice of activities.

Homework: None (IANs will be turned in for mid-semester grade)

Week of March 16

Monday:  Students will continue investigating sound and how it relates to our daily lives through an earbud and decibel activity.

Homework:  Page 605 #1,2, 6,8, 9 and 10 on IAN 56

Tuesday:  Students will continue with sound activities involving human hearing.

Homework:  None

Wednesday:  Students will analyze the effects of noise pollution on our society.

Homework:  Students to find and describe examples of noise pollution in their neighborhood and create a solution to the problem.

Thursday:  Students will investigate the Doppler Effect.

Homework:  Study for quiz on Friday

Friday:  Quiz on sound waves and sound. Turn in IAN

Homework:  None

Week of February 23, 2009

Parents:  We have run out of tissues for the classroom.  We would love any donations of tissues for the students.  Thanks! 

Monday:  Students completed work on circuits including a graphic organizer on voltage, current and resistance on IAN #20

    Homework:  Complete work in IAN as needed and study for quiz

 Tuesday:  Quiz on electricity.  Students will investigate the characteristics of magnets.

    Homework:  Page 517 #3, 4, 5 and 7 on IAN #24

Wednesday:  Students will create electromagnets and mono polar motors.

    Homework:  Page 523 #2, 3, and 4 on IAN #26

Thursday:  Students will review magnets, electromagnets and electricity

    Homework:  Prepare for test over electricity, magnets and electromagnets.

Friday:  Test over electricity, magnets and electromagnets.  Pretest on light and sound unit

    Homework:  None

 

Week of January 26, 2009

Due to conferences and early release this week, the classes are shortened.

Monday:  Students worked on thier Powerpoint on simple machines.

Homework:  None

Tuesday:  Students completed thier Powerpoint project and began the Leonardo DaVinci Webquest;

Homework:  Begin working on simple machine group project (due on 2/1/09 - students received rubric in class).

Wednesday:  Students worked on Webquest and project (Due to a power outage, 6th and 7th period were unable to finish and will complete on Thursday).

Homework:  Work on simple machine project

Thursday: Students will review simple machines and work on group project.

Homework:  Work on simple machine project

Friday:  Students will complete a graphic organizer on mechanical advantage and mechinical efficiency.  IAN's will be collected.

Homework:  Complete simple machine project to present on Monday

Week of January 20, 2009

Tuesday:  Students will investigate simple machines through a series of lab stations.

Homework:  Make certian IAN is up to date

Wednesday:  8th Grade Writing Exam - classes will be shorter than usual.  Students will continue their investigation of simple machines.

Homework:  Page 221 #3, 4, 6, 7 and 8

Thursday:  Students will create a PowerPoint on simple machines

Homework:  Complete storyboard for PowerPoint if needed.  Notebooks to be collected on Friday.

Friday:  Students will complete their PowerPoint project on simple machines.

Homework:  Describe 3 ideas you have for your group project on making a simple machine.

A Few Notes from Mrs. Dubick

Thank you to the students who are using their Internet access as a tool for learning.  Do not hesitate to email me at anytime with questions or to have class information sent to you (for example, when you are absent and missed class activities, notes, or assignments). 

Parents:  I am very fortunate to have 2 sinks in my class room that students may use to wash up.  We are running very low on our donations of hand soap (no fragrance), hand sanitizer and paper towels. All donations of these supplies are greatly appreciated and benefit the students.  Thank you!