Ms. Khzouz

Hello Hornets!

Monday-Tuesday we finished up our unit on Matter and Its Interactions part 1.  Monday we played jeopardy in class to review for the unit test.  Tuesday we took the unit test.  The test consisted of 35 questions and was worth 35 summative points.  Some students got extra credit due to the jeopardy game.  Grades are posted in student connect for you to view.

Wednesday-Thursday we began our unit on Matter and Its Interactions part 2.  We began this unit by exploring chemical and physical changes.  We did a lab on electrolysis where we used a battery, wires, and pencils to separate the elements in the compound water H2O.  Students realized that after we used electricity to separate the elements we ended up with 2 gases: hydrogen (H2) and Oxygen (O2).  Then we completed an exit ticket on the lab where we summarized what we learned by using the vocabulary words: electrolysis, water, compound, hydrogen, oxygen.

Friday-We worked on page 14a and 14b of our ISN.  14a we read an interactive reading about physical and chemical changes.  On page 14b we did a venn diagram about the similarities and differences of physical and chemical changes.  We also listed examples for each type of change of matter.  Pages 14a and 14b are homework if students do not finish and will be due Monday.

Have a wonderful weekend!

<a href=”https://jeopardylabs.com/play/matter-and-its-interactions-1-2“>My Jeopardy Template</a>

 

If the link above does not work click on this link.

https://jeopardylabs.com/play/matter-and-its-interactions-1-2

 

Hello Hornets!

I am sure we are all thankful for this well deserved break this week!  I hope everyone and their families have a wonderful break.

Monday-Tuesday we spent time in class working on the study guide so students have a strong guide to study for the unit test on Tuesday November 27th when we get back from break.  We spent time in class summarizing the main ideas and answering questions students still had on the study guide.  Monday when we get back from break we will review once more and the unit test for Matter and Its Interactions will be Tuesday.  I told students to study their study guide and pages 5a/b-13a/b of their ISN as well as any bellwork and lab sheets.  The test will consist of 35 multiple choice questions.

Wednesday-Friday No school! Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy the break!(:

Hello Hornets!

This was a busy week full of class activities/labs, and parent/teacher conferences.  Conferences was a success and I was very happy to all of the parents and provide feedback.  For those of who you I met, if there are any questions or concerns feel free to email me khzouza@dearbornschools.org.

Monday-Tuesday we finished the article on elements, compounds, and mixtures on pages 12a/b of our ISN.  Students were to read the article in their reading groups.  Students were also supposed to box and summarize the entire article.  After reading there were reading comprehension questions on 12b of the ISN that needed to be completed in complete sentences.  We finished this in class.  Students who did not finish were supposed to have it done for homework.

Wednesday students were given more practice with elements, compounds, and mixtures on pages 13a/b of their ISN.  13a consisted of students identifying the elements and atoms that make up common compounds as well as their molecular drawings.  Students also were given a list of substances and had to classify them as an element (e), compounds (c), or mixture (m).  13b  Students were given sentence stems and a word bank in class.  Students had to use the word bank to fill in the missing parts of the sentence stem that had notes on classifying matter as elements, compounds, and mixtures.  Once students were done with the sentence stems they had to provide a visual representation for each section.  Students were given all of Wednesday to complete this with a partner, the rest was for homework.

Thursday-Friday Dry Ice Demo!  Students had a lab demonstration on dry ice.  We observed how the dry ice behaved at room temperature compared to regular ice.  Students learned that dry ice is carbon dioxide in a solid phase.  Students also learned that dry ice goes form a solid to a gas at room temperature (sublimation) because carbon dioxide is a gas naturally at room temperature.  This was done in class on Thursday.  Friday students completed their bellwork quiz Matter and Its Interactions #3.  The rest of the time we spent developing a CER for our discoveries with the dry ice demonstration.

Things to remember! Next week is Thanksgiving week!  Students have a full day of school Monday and Tuesday.  No school for students Wednesday-Friday.  School will resume the following week as normal.

We are approaching the end of this unit: Matter and Its Interactions Part 1.  We will be giving students a study guide on Monday to work on and complete in class.  We will have review day/games when we get back from Thanksgiving break.  The test should be Tuesday November 27th.

Hello Hornets!

This week we focused on differentiating the difference between atoms, elements, and compounds.  Monday we did pages 10a/b of our interactive science notebook.  We defined 3 characteristics about 7 common elements: Neon, Silver, Gold, Helium, Krypton, Carbon, and Oxygen.  Then we answered 3 questions: Which elements do we think we need to survive and which elements can you combine to form new substances (compounds).

Tuesday-No school for students!

Wednesday/Thursday- We spend these 2 days in class working on pages 11a/b of our interactive science notebook.  We discussed the elements on of the periodic table.  We talked about what elements make up compounds as well as what atoms that make up those elements.  Then we drew a visual representation of those compounds.  We also answered questions that talk about chemical symbols as well as numbers and rules to follow when writing the formulas.

Friday-Common Compounds lab!  We spent time in class creating common compounds using candy gum drops to represent the elements, and toothpicks to represent the bonds between the elements.

No homework! have a great weekend!

Reminders: Parent/Teacher Conferences are Monday 11/12/18 4pm-7pm and Wednesday 11/14/18 3:30-6:30.  I strongly encourage all parents to attend.  It would be nice meeting all of the parents and addressing any questions or concerns you may have as well as feedback on your child’s learning progress.

Matter_Interactions Bellwork Quiz 2A

Matter_Interactions Bellwork Quiz 2B

Here is bellwork for this unit #17-24 to study for next bellwork quiz.  Click the link and paste it in your web browser.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1giVYAuxJs8vH4HGuXoCkRCsFZhsfUCBwIRYfudl-BME/edit#slide=id.g4712cbde4e_0_11

Greetings Hornets!

This has been a busy and exciting week for Woodworth with Halloween falling on Wednesday!  Monday and Tuesday we did our solubility lab.  Our investigation question was a follow up from the last lab “If I cannot see the particles, how do I know that they are there?”  Students took the weight (grams) of the water and recorded it on their data table.  After added the salt, sugar and sand, students noticed that the salt and sugar dissolved.  The salt and sugar were soluble and were no longer visible to the students, but how do we know they are still in the cup?  Students took the weight of the water after the sugar and salt dissolved and noticed that the weight increased.  We also noticed the sand did not dissolve and concluded it insoluble.  We concluded that even though you cannot see the particles, they are there because they have weight to them.

Wednesday was a PBIS reward movie day.  Students watched the chosen movie in their designated classrooms.  The other classes used that day as a catch up day to turn in any missing work and reflect on their grades.

Thursday we did the CER (Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning) for the lab.  Each time we end an investigation with a CER to communicate our discoveries to others.  Students wrote the claim that particles have weight even though you cannot see them.  Then we gathered evidence form our Ballon lab and our Soluble lab from earlier that week and constructed a reasoning.

Friday was the bellwork quiz 2 for this unit.  After the quiz we started our KWL (Know, Wonder, and Learned) for our next section of this unit called Elements and Compounds.  Students were given a periodic table were they had to scan it and write down any familiar elements that they recognize.  Students had to tell me why they recognize them on the KWL chart.  Monday we will be spending more time on this and defining each one.

Greetings Hornets!

This week was a fun week for students and staff members with spirit week and the 7th grade field trip Friday!  Big thanks to all the teachers and parent volunteers for chaperoning the field trip.  We could have not done it without all the extra hands and help; very much appreciated.

Monday we wrapped up our properties of matter lab.  Students worked with table partners as well as myself on the questions regarding what they observed in the lab.  We spent time in class this week talking about and defining the properties: Solubility, Cohesion, Surface Tension, Density, and Capillary Action.  We talked about what we saw and what it meant for us.  Then together as a class we constructed our own definitions for these properties.  Students were also shown demonstration videos that helped explain what is happening at a molecular level during each of these properties.

Tuesday we did a balloon demonstration.  The focus investigation question was “If we don’t see the gas particles, how do we know that they are there?”.  Students often have the misconception of if they cannot see gas particles then they are not there, it does not exist, and air does not have weight.  We addressed those misconceptions by recording the weight of a deflated balloon.  Then we blew air into the balloon and recorded its weight after 10 pumps of air.  Students were able to observe how the weight increased after filling a balloon up with air.  Then we calculated the weight of JUST the air and students were able to see that gas particles do exist, they do have weight, even though we cannot see them with a naked eye.  I found that this demonstration was really helpful to many students with the wrong misconception.  Students also had really interesting reasons as to why they believed what they did.  This was a successful and fun activity for them!

Wednesday-Thursday students worked on pages 8a and 8b of their interactive science notebook (ISN).  Students were to create a foldable of the properties of matter with definitions (copied from their lab notes on pg. 7b of ISN) using complete sentences as well as a visual representation.  One flap was used for the definition and the other flap was used for their picture.  Seeing what students came up with for their picture was amazing and creative because every student had their own creative way showing the same word.  Thursday we finished up the words by completing a cloze which were a paragraphs incorporating all of the vocabulary words so far.  Students had to read the paragraphs and use their context clues to fill in the blanks using the vocabulary words from the word bank at the top of their paper.  Students were given all day Wednesday and Thursday to complete this.  Anything that is not completed of 8a and 8b is due on Monday next week when we return.

Friday-7th grade Field Trip to Greenfield Village all day 9:30am-2:00pm.

Almost 2 months since school started!  With Halloween creeping up we have a lot of fun things planned for our students!!

Monday and Tuesday we finished an article about the states/phases of matter in our guided reading groups.  Students did very well with this considering it was our first time doing reading groups in our science class.  I was very pleased with the outcome of our students.  Wednesday we started our lab which continued until the rest of the week.  With the lab there were 6 different stations that had the students experiment and observe the properties of water such as solubility, surface tension, cohesion, density, and capillary action.  During the lab students took notes on their quantitative and qualitative observations.  We talked about how quantitative observations were the measurement of things or how many of something there was.  Quantitative reasoning always includes a number representing quantity.  Qualitative observations is a description of characteristics; how something looks.

Friday is our third bellwork quiz of the year but our first one for this unit (Matter and Its Interactions Bellwork Quiz 1).  Students are told to study bellwork #1-8.  Bellwork quiz will consists of 12 multiple choice questions.

 

Fun things coming up this month:

Next weekend is spirit week!

Monday- Jersey Day

Tuesday- Twin Day

Wednesday- Hat Day

Thursday- Pajama Day

Friday- Pink Out Day (wear pink)

October 26th- Field Trip to Greenfield Village with all of 7th grade.  Please fill out permission slips with students and have them turn them in as soon as possible.

October 31-Halloween Movie day at school during class.  Schedule and movie choices are still being planned so stay tuned.

 

No homework!  Enjoy the weekend and prepare for spirit week next week.

Go hornets!

Matter_Interactions Bellwork Quiz 1

Monday we finished up our unit “Thinking Like An Engineer” with a CER (Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning) writing activity by answering the focus question: How does energy flow in a circuit.  Tuesday was the first day of this new unit titled “Matter and its Interactions Part 1”.  We kicked off this unit with a lab where we observed what happens to an ice cube melt at room temperature and what it looked like the next day.  Of course students concluded that the ice cube melted, but we talked about what actually happens to the particles at a molecule level.  Students cannot see the molecules so we addressed common misconceptions.  We also talked about how water is still the same molecules (H2O) during all phases: Solid, Liquid, and Water Vapor (gas).  Students learned how these particles behave when energy (heat) is being added or taken away.  Wednesday was the day we finished up this ice cube lab.

Thursday students were put into reading groups and went over the expectations of what it should look like and sound like when we are in those groups.  During reading groups I will be pulling certain groups different days to do small group instruction and give maximum support for students.  We will work on the article titled “States of Matter” on Monday of next week and hopefully finish it by Tuesday.  Friday was a half day so we did bellwork and assigned classroom jobs.  These classroom jobs are implemented to create a sense of community in the classroom and give students the opportunity to have leadership roles within the class.

I am still in the process of grading their unit test from Thinking Like an Engineer.  I will get the grades in as soon as I can.  Thank you for being patient with me on that!

Things to remember:  Next Friday will be their first bellwork quiz for this new unit: Matter and its Interactions.  Please make sure your student is participating in bellwork as well as studying at home.  I do my best during class to make sure every student is doing bellwork and to keep them motivated.  If there are any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to email me or call the school.

Have a good weekend!

This is the last week for our first unit “Thinking Like An Engineer”.  We started Monday off with our summative test: The Flashlight Lab.  Students had to modify their circuit prototype to a functioning flashlight.  Their flashlight had to resemble their circuit but with an on/off switch.  Students need to be able to control when their circuit is open and when the circuit is closed.  This was a challenging lab for students but none the less they seemed to enjoy it!  We finished the lab on Thursday and had time in class to finish up their guided lab notes.  Students were instructed to finish the lab notes for homework Thursday night if they were not done in class.  Friday was our second bellwork quiz based on what we learned the past two weeks.  Students were to study Thinking Like An Engineer Bellwork #9-15.  Keep a look out on Student Connect for their grades.

After the bellwork quiz we started our final task of this unit which was a CER (Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning).  In class we brainstormed possible ideas for a claim to answer our focus question: How does energy flow in a circuit?  We also gathered all of our evidence from the circuit lab and the flashlight lab.  Students will have time on Monday October 8th to finish this in class.  This will be due Tuesday October 9th to be turned in at the beginning of class for a summative grade.  My hopes are that Tuesday will be the first day of our next unit!

CER Sample

Bellwork Quiz 2

Have a wonderful weekend hornets!