A Common 'Cents' Lab

Bird Photography

Extra credit opportunity! 

If you'd like to check the pH of rain water, collect some of this weekend's rain in a small, lidded, very clean container and bring it to school Monday. You may use the pH paper to analyze it and report your findings to the class. 

If you want to practice taking photos of birds, stop by study hall 9th period.

Addy's shot of the female cardinal...

and a tufted titmouse.

A proud blue jay

Female house finch

Constructing Molecules

Eighth graders have been working on molecular models in the chemistry unit. Not too many atomic models escaped.

Which subatomic particle is involved in chemical bonding? Put your answer in a comment and gain a bonus point on your quiz Friday!

Pond Ecosystem

All the fish from the courtyard pond have been caught and placed in a temporary home in Room 313. Many thanks to all the students who spent time fishing for them!

Another Successful Rescue

An exciting day in the world of science! An unfortunate collision with the classroom window rendered a little gold finch temporarily stunned and bewildered. A quick rescue, some gentle care and warmth from the 6th graders, and the finch was released back into the wild. We'll see it again at the bird feeders this winter and include it in our Cornell Project FeederWatch Project.

Many thanks this week!

These are some salt crystals that formed after the salt water solution was evaporated. Thanks Aric and Cassie! Extra credit opportunity: make some salt or sugar crystals at home. Use your solubility curves to figure out a saturated solution and bring in the results!

Thank you, Chase, for the blue jays!

 Thank you for the Praying Mantis, Logan! The sixth graders were able to see a predator-prey relationship in action.

Check back next week for more pictures from the good camera, which got left behind at school.

Microscope Friday! Sixth grade students learned how to make a wet mount slide. They were able to view all kinds of protists from the pond.

Friday Field Investigation

6th graders collecting organisms for our bottle ecosystems.

October Activities

8th graders Cassie and Nick working on the Mixture Separation Lab using the property of DENSITY!

After a year long break from the blog, an interesting field trip prompted me to start it up again. I took the sixth grade class outside to observe some of our local populations, and Joe S. found this amazing Wolf Spider. Note it has more than one set of eyes!

Tree Frogs Return!

Our volunteer classroom pets, the tree frogs are back. They hang out in the vent pipe in the wall that leads into the classroom. They have been coming there for years, which lead to many hypotheses about why they like it so much. Good insect hunting, good temperature, ideal shelter?

Here is a picture of Peter getting to know one of our tree frogs.

It's been a long time since I've posted here - a very busy year. Things are gearing up in the courtyard with several students doing garden cleanup each day during study hall. Our crocuses, daffodils and tulips have bloomed again this year. They looked very nice around the pond.

The tree frogs are back in the wall vent as well.

Here is a picture of me at a beach in North Carolina doing what I enjoy most - searching around looking for interesting creatures! This is a whelk containing the biggest snail like creature I've ever seen!

Bird watching Dec 13-17

Nice photography of some of the regulars, the red bellied woodpecker by Matt C and a white throated sparrow.

Extra Credit Problem!

What should your speed be (in m/s) if you want to run 5 kilometers in less than 30 minutes?

Show your work and submit, by the comment link below, e-mail, or on paper in school.

Per 4 class: Here is my cover shot of the cardinal that interrupted class:

Walking Speed Lab

We finished collecting data today. The questions on the back of the lab are homework. Don't forget to show your work, (formula, substitution, and solution) if you want credit.