course syllabus
science links
practice quizzes
All future communication will take place via Google Classroom with Ms. Case
Friday, March 13
reviewed classification of matter;
defined physical change and chemical change;
listed/discussed physical properties and chemical properties of matter
Thursday, March 12
discussed classification of matter, citing many examples;
read: pp.458-465 (properties of matter)
Wednesday, March 11
reviewed electromagnetism;
quiz 8;
read: pp.450-456 (classifying matter)
Tuesday, March 10
discussed/demonstrated magnetic damping;
demonstrated a Tesla coil, exciting gas discharge tubes;
looked at the online quiz for chapter 8;
quiz 8 tomorrow
Monday, March 9
reviewed electromagnetic induction, transformers, and the electric energy grid;
watched animations on transformers;
quiz 8 on Wednesday;
no journal tomorrow
Friday, March 6
reviewed electromagnetic induction;
discussed transformers, and the electric energy grid
Thursday, March 5
reviewed electric motors;
discussed/demonstrated electromagnetic induction;
examined a hand-crank generator;
discussed conservation of energy
Wednesday, March 4
further discussed/demonstrated applications of electromagnetism;
discussed/examined electric motors
Tuesday, March 3
reviewed magnetism;
discussed/demonstrated electromagnetism;
discussed/examined speakers;
read: pp. 231-237 (electromagnetism)
Monday, March 2
discussed the history of understanding magnetism;
passed around magnetite, paperclips, compasses, bar magnets, and made observations;
noted the polarity of Earth’s magnetism;
journal entry due tomorrow
Friday, February 28
discussed the correct usage practices of a multimeter;
reviewed with the online quiz for chapter 7;
quiz 7;
read: pp.224-230 (magnetism)
Thursday, February 27
asked questions about the worksheet on electric circuits;
discussed parallel and series resistances, parallel and series cells;
looked at the online quiz for chapter 7;
quiz 7 tomorrow
Wednesday, February 26
began worksheet on electric circuits;
examined multimeters; measured continuity and voltage;
quiz 7 on Friday
Tuesday, February 25
discussed electrical power calculations;
discussed/examined fuses and circuit breakers;
discussed a series and a parallel circuit
Monday, February 24
reviewed current, voltage, resistance, and Ohm’s law;
examined some resistors, and discussed the color codes as a review of scientific notation;
journal entry due tomorrow
Friday, February 21
discussed current, voltage, and resistance;
discussed Ohm’s law;
read: pp.207-313 (electric energy)
Thursday, February 20
watched animations of how xerography works in a laser printer;
began looking at schematic symbols for circuit components
Wednesday, February 19
discussed/demonstrated static electric charge;
read: pp. 200-205 (electric current)
Tuesday, February 18
further discussed eye anatomy and laser vision correction;
watched episode 23 of Eureka about electrons;
read: pp. 192-199 (static charge)
Monday, February 17
reviewed internal combustion engines using heat engine animations;
reviewed lens imaging from earlier in the year;
discussed eye anatomy and vision correction;
journal entry due tomorrow
Friday, February 14
discussed quiz on chapter 5;
reviewed heat flow;
discussed internal combustion engines using heat engine animations
Thursday, February 13
reviewed chapter 5 with online practice quizzes;
quiz on chapter 5
Wednesday, February 12
worked more with “the ramp“;
reviewed chapter 5 with online practice quizzes;
quiz 5 tomorrow
Tuesday, February 11
worked with “the ramp“;
worksheet on work, power, and simple machines due tomorrow
Monday, February 10
reviewed work, power and simple machines;
watched episode 15 of Eureka on pulleys;
discussed pulleys and mechanical advantage;
began worksheet on work, power, and simple machines (due Wednesday);
no journal entry due tomorrow
Friday, January 31
reviewed/demonstrated idea behind the inclined plane and the lever;
watched episode 12-14 of Eureka on other simple machines, mechanical advantage, friction, and efficiency
Thursday, January 30
did horsepower activity on the stairs;
watched some professional athletes exhibit extreme power;
watched episode 11 of Eureka on the inclined plane;
read: pp.132-137 (machines)
Wednesday, January 29
discussed quiz 4;
discussed work and power;
defined watts and horsepower
Tuesday, January 28
reviewed chapter 4 with online practice quizzes;
quiz 4;
briefly discussed work and power;
read: pp.126-131 (work and power)
journal entry due tomorrow
Monday, January 27
discussed/demonstrated conservation of energy;
visited the skate park animation;
reviewed chapter 4 with online practice quizzes;
quiz 4 tomorrow
Friday, January 24
watched episodes 8-10 of Eureka;
discussed yesterday’s quiz on chapter 3;
discussed/demonstrated elastic potential energy;
read: pp. 107-115 (conservation of energy)
Thursday, January 23
discussed drag through fluids;
watched video clip on free-fall with a vacuum;
quiz on chapter 3;
briefly discussed kinetic and potential energy;
read: pp. 100-105 (energy)
Wednesday, January 22
discussed projectile motion;
watched an episode from Myth Busters on a dropped vs fired bulled falling together;
looked at the practice quiz for chapter 3;
quiz over chapter 3 tomorrow
Tuesday, January 21
reviewed centripetal force;
discussed action/reaction;
watched a segment from The Mechanical Universe on momentum conservation;
quiz over chapter 3 on Thursday
Monday, January 20
watched episode 7 of Eureka;
discussed sliding friction;
contrasted starting friction with sliding friction;
discussed anti-lock brakes;
read: pp. 83-88 (action/reaction)
no Journal due tomorrow or this week
Friday, January 17
reviewed yesterday’s quiz over chapters 1 & 2;
reviewed Newton’s Laws of Motion;
watched episodes 3-6 of Eureka;
read: pp. 75-82 (gravity and centripetal force)
Thursday, January 16
quiz over chapters 1 & 2;
further discussed/demonstrated Newton’s Laws of Motion;
watched episodes 1 & 2 of Eureka;
read: pp. 68-74 (forces)
Wednesday, January 15
no class, due to Shakespeare field trip
Tuesday, January 14
discussed worksheet on distance, velocity, & acceleration (due Thursday);
continued reviewing chapters 1 & 2 with practice quizzes;
discussed/demonstrated Newton’s Laws of Motion;
quiz over chapters 1 & 2 on Thursday, due to field trip on Wednesday;
journal entry due on Thursday
Monday, January 13
discussed worksheet on distance, velocity, & acceleration (due Wednesday);
began reviewing chapters 1 & 2 with practice quizzes;
quiz over chapters 1 & 2 on Wednesday;
journal entry due on Wednesday
Friday, January 10
discussed acceleration and velocity vs. time graphs;
began a worksheet on distance, velocity, & acceleration (due Wednesday)
Thursday, January 9
no class, due to community service day
Wednesday, January 8
worked units conversion examples;
answered questions on the worksheet on units and measurement (due Friday);
analyzed position vs. time graphs;
analyzed velocity vs. time graphs;
read: pp. 47-51 (acceleration)
Tuesday, January 7
discussed/compared changing English units with SI units;
worked units conversion examples;
began a worksheet on units and measurement (due Thursday);
read: pp. 38-46 (1-D motion)
Monday, January 6
defined/discussed physics as the study of energy;
discussed fundamental units and unit prefixes;
read: pp. 14-21 (measurement)
Tuesday, December 17
reviewed chapters 2 & 3 with practice quizzes;
continue reviewing for semester exam over chapters 2, 3, 6, 9, 17, 18, 19, 22-25 (7:30 Friday morning);
Monday, December 16
quiz over 18 & 19;
start reviewing for semester exam over chapters 2, 3, 6, 9, 17, 18, 19, 22-25 (7:30 Friday morning);
no journal entry tomorrow
Friday, December 13
reviewed chapter 18 & 19 with Powerpoint summary;
quiz 18 & 19 on Monday;
no journal entry on Tuesday
Thursday, December 12
reviewed pressure difference, coriolis effect, and prevailing winds as factors affecting wind speed and direction;
discussed rough surface features as lessening coriolis effect;
looked at weather maps, trying to predict wind intensity and direction from isobars and surface features;
quiz 18 & 19 on Monday
Wednesday, December 11
reviewed dewpoint, cloud formation, and types of clouds;
discussed pressure difference, coriolis effect, and prevailing winds as factors affecting wind speed and direction;
read: pp.543-548 (regional wind systems)
Tuesday, December 10
began worksheet calculating relative humidity;
discussed dewpoint and cloud formation;
began discussing types of clouds;
read: pp.532-542 (pressure & winds)
we’re doing chapters 18 & 19 together
Monday, December 9
began worksheet on water in the atmosphere;
reviewed latent heat vs. sensible heat;
discussed evaporative cooling;
discussed relative humidity;
read: pp.517-522 (cloud types and precipitation)
journal entry due tomorrow;
worksheet on water in the atmosphere due Wednesday
Friday, December 6
discussed quiz over chapter 17;
watched episodes 28 of Eureka on heat as energy;
further discussed latent heat vs. sensible heat;
if you haven’t already, read: pp.510-516 (cloud formation)
Thursday, December 5
quiz over chapter 17;
read: pp.510-516 (cloud formation)
Wednesday, December 4
reviewed chapter 17 with Powerpoint summary and practice quiz;
quiz on chapter 17 tomorrow
Tuesday, December 3
passed out worksheet on temperature variations (due Thursday);
watched episodes 21, 25-27, 29 of Eureka;
quiz on chapter 17 Thursday
Monday, December 2
reviewed heating in the atmosphere;
discussed factors affecting temperature averages;
passed out worksheet on atmospheric heating (due Wednesday);
watched episode 20 of Eureka on temperature
no journal entry due tomorrow
Friday, November 22
further discussed atmospheric absorption by various gasses;
watched episodes 16-19 of Eureka on kinetic theory
Thursday, November 21
demonstrated atmospheric pressure with a vacuum pump;
demonstrated atmospheric scattering;
discussed atmospheric absorption by various gasses;
finish the worksheet (due tomorrow)
Wednesday, November 20
reviewed atmospheric composition;
discussed atmospheric layers;
began to discuss atmospheric heating;
begin the worksheet (due Friday)
Tuesday, November 19
discussed quiz 25;
discussed atmospheric composition;
read: pp. 483-493 (atmospheric heating)
Monday, November 18
reviewed chapter 25 with Powerpoint summary;
quiz 25;
read: pp. 476-482 (the atmosphere)
Friday, November 15
discussed/viewed galaxy types and Hubble’s tuning-fork diagram;
viewed galaxy clusters;
discussed Hubble’s law and red shift;
finish the worksheet on the universe (due Monday);
quiz 25 on Monday
Thursday, November 14
discussed evidence of the expanding universe;
watched Cosmos: The Edge of Forever (22:50-30:10) on the attributes that 4-D space would have;
begin the worksheet on the universe
Wednesday, November 13
looked at images of planetary nebulae;
finished watching Cosmos: The lives of the Stars (33 minutes onward);
read: pp.715-721 (the Universe)
Tuesday, November 12
reviewed the life of a sun-like star, a light-weight star, and a massive star;
continued watching Cosmos: The lives of the Stars (19-33 minutes);
star life worksheet due tomorrow
Monday, November 11
reviewed the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram;
briefly sketched the life of a sun-like star, a light-weight star, and a massive star;
continued watching Cosmos: The lives of the Stars (11-19 minutes);
Journal entry due tomorrow
Friday, November 8
discussed/contrasted apparent magnitude with absolute magnitude;
reviewed the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram;
began watching Cosmos: The lives of the Stars (0-11 minutes);
stellar worksheet due Monday;
Journal entry due Tuesday
Thursday, November 7
discussed quiz 24;
reviewed radiation from a light bulb on a dimmer;
discussed blackbody radiation curves;
discussed the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram;
began a worksheet on stars (due Monday);
read: pp. 707-715 (star life and death)
Wednesday, November 6
reviewed chapter 24 with the