VIRTUAL LEARNING – WEEK OF APRIL 27th, 2020

6th Grade Science –
This week, we’ll be we’ll be focusing our efforts on preparing for the Digital Science Fair, which will take place on May 4th, 2020. During this time, students should be finishing their experiments at home and completing their Science Fair Google Slides presentation. Students will continue to carry out their Science Fair experiments and projects at home as planned, but instead of bringing a physical presentation board to school on the day of the fair, they will be submitting a digital Google Slides presentation board to their teachers in Google Classroom instead. All Digital Science Fair instructions, details, deadlines, and rubrics are available in Google Classroom.

HOMEWORK
1 – Digital Science Fair Project (Work on this anytime – Monday-Friday; DUE NO LATER THAN THE END OF THE SCHOOL DAY (2:15 PM) ON MONDAY, MAY 4TH) – This week, I want you to focus on your Science Fair project, so all of this week’s assignments will relate to that in some way. Make sure to finish your experiment, collect and graph your data, write your conclusion, and finish your digital presentation board according to the Digital Science Fair Google Slides Presentation instructions in Google Classroom. After you have edited and revised the final draft of your Science Fair Google Slides presentation, you can upload it in the “Digital Science Fair Presentation Board Assignment” in Google Classroom. You can turn in your project anytime between Friday, May 1^st and Monday, May 4^th. Your Digital Science Fair presentation is due in Google Classroom no later than the end of the school day (2:15pm) on May 4th, 2020.

2 – Science Fair – Data Table & Graphing Practice (Work on this anytime – Monday – Friday) – I am uploading some data table and graphing practice handouts to Google Classroom to be used as resources to help you with your Science Fair project. This is not an “assignment” – I just want you to read these over to make sure you understand what a science fair data table and graph look like. You may use whichever type of graph (line graph, bar graph, etc…) works best for you and your data in your Science Fair Google Slides presentation.

3 – Science Fair – Conclusion & Future Applications (Work on this anytime Monday – Friday) – I am also uploading a Conclusion & Future Applications handout to be used as a resource to help you with your Science Fair project conclusion. This is not an “assignment,” – I would just like you to read this over to ensure that you understand what a science fair conclusion looks like. 

4 – Do Nows – Semester 4 (Work on this anytime Monday-Friday: DUE ON FRIDAY) – Read over the following Do Now prompts and write your Do Now answers in your Semester 4 Google Doc (just update your Do Now Google Doc as you have been doing all semester in class). Make sure to include the date, prompt number, and your answer.

Do Now 1 – Thinking about your Science Fair project, was your initial hypothesis correct, or did your experiment and results totally surprise you? Explain what happened.

Do Now 2 – Now that your Science Fair project is complete – what are you most proud of? 

Do Now 3 – If you were to do your Science Fair experiment over again, what is something that you might alter or change?

Complete your Do Nows in your Semester 4 Do Now Google Doc in Google Classroom before the end of the school day on FRIDAY (2:15pm).

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7th Grade ELA –
This week, we’ll be discussing, practicing, and utilizing text dependent analysis (TDA) strategies to create evidence-based pieces of writing. Students will be comparing and contrasting different styles of TDA writing, and we’ll examine the reasons why authors must include a clear claim, evidence, and reasoning in their writing. In addition, we’ll be reviewing literary devices and techniques to keep our skills sharp.

HOMEWORK
1 – IXL ELA 7.Y.5 – Is it a Complete Sentence or a Fragment? (Work on this anytime Monday-Friday: DUE ON FRIDAY) – Complete IXL ELA 7.Y.5 – you will need to earn at least a 95% to receive credit for this assignment. Since you’ll complete this work directly in the IXL website, you do not need to turn this into Google Classroom, however, YOU MUST LOG INTO IXL in order for your score to be recorded. Complete this IXL before the end of the school day on FRIDAY (2:15pm). https://www.ixl.com/ela/grade-7/is-it-a-complete-sentence-or-a-fragment

2 – “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell (Read this story on Monday-Thursday) – You will need to read the short story “The Most Dangerous Game” – the full text is available in Google Classroom. (Since you are being asked to read, there is no firm “due date” for this assignment, but you must read this story before completing and submitting this week’s other assignments).

3 – “The Most Dangerous Game” Guided Reading Questions (Work on this anytime – Monday-Friday: DUE ON FRIDAY) – After reading the short story “The Most Dangerous Game,” you’ll need to complete the guided reading questions worksheet. Follow the instructions on the assignment sheet in Google Classroom for details and instructions. You must answer these questions AFTER you read the story. Upload and turn in your work to Google Classroom by the end of the school day on FRIDAY (2:15pm)!

4 – Do Nows – Semester 4 (Work on this anytime Monday-Friday: DUE ON FRIDAY) – Read over the following Do Now prompts and write your Do Now answers in your Semester 4 Google Doc (just update your Do Now Google Doc as you have been doing all semester in class). Make sure to include the date, prompt number, and your answer.

Do Now 1 – Authors use a literary technique called foreshadowing to give a warning to readers or hint about an event that will happen later on in the story. How does Richard Connell use foreshadowing in his story, “The Most Dangerous Game?”

Do Now 2 – “The Most Dangerous Game” was first published in 1924, and since then, a number of authors and filmmakers have “borrowed” ideas from Richard Connell’s story.  For example, if you’ve ever read or watched The Hunger Games, you’ll recognize that the storyline is basically The Most Dangerous Game – Part 2…with teenagers.  What do you think about modern stories that “borrow” ideas or plotlines from earlier works? Do you consider this to be a way to make old stories feel new again, or is it plagiarism? 

Do Now 3 – What is the best book you’ve read recently? (Miss R needs to add some new books to her reading list, do you have a recommendation?)

Complete your Do Nows in your Semester 4 Do Now Google Doc in Google Classroom before the end of the school day on FRIDAY (2:15pm).

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8th Grade STEM Apps –
This week, we’ll be we’ll be focusing our efforts on preparing for the Digital Engineering Design Fair, which will take place on May 4th, 2020. During this time, students should be finishing their prototypes and projects at home and completing their Engineering Design Fair Google Slides presentation. Students will continue to carry out their Design Fair projects at home as planned, but instead of bringing in a physical prototype and presentation board to school on the day of the fair, they will be submitting a digital Google Slides presentation board to their teachers in Google Classroom instead. All Digital Engineering Design Fair instructions, details, deadlines, and rubrics are available in Google Classroom.

HOMEWORK
1 – Digital Engineering Design Fair Project (Work on this anytime – Monday-Friday; DUE NO LATER THAN THE END OF THE SCHOOL DAY (2:15 PM) ON MONDAY, MAY 4TH) – This week, I want you to focus on your Engineering Design Fair project, so all of this week’s assignments will relate to that in some way. Make sure to finish your prototype sketches in your Engineering Log, finish building and testing your prototype, collect and graph your data, write your conclusion, and finish your digital presentation board according to the Digital Design Fair Google Slides Presentation instructions in Google Classroom. After you have edited and revised the final draft of your Design Fair Google Slides presentation, you can upload it in the “Digital Design Fair Presentation Board Assignment” in Google Classroom. You can turn in your project anytime between Friday, May 1^st and Monday, May 4^th. Your Digital Engineering Design Fair presentation is due in Google Classroom no later than the end of the school day (2:15pm) on May 4th, 2020.

2 – Engineering Design Fair – Data Table & Graphing Practice (Work on this anytime – Monday – Friday) – I am uploading some data table and graphing practice handouts to Google Classroom to be used as resources to help you with your Design Fair project. This is not an “assignment” – I just want you to read these over to make sure you understand what a design fair data table and graph looks like. You may use whichever type of graph (line graph, bar graph, etc…) works best for you and your data in your Design Fair Google Slides presentation.

3 – Engineering Design Fair – Conclusion & Future Applications (Work on this anytime Monday – Friday) – I am also uploading a Conclusion & Future Applications handout to be used as a resource to help you with your Design Fair project conclusion. This is not an “assignment,” – I would just like you to read this over to ensure that you understand what a design fair conclusion looks like. 

4 – Do Nows – Semester 4 (Work on this anytime Monday-Friday: DUE ON FRIDAY) – Read over the following Do Now prompts and write your Do Now answers in your Semester 4 Google Doc (just update your Do Now Google Doc as you have been doing all semester in class). Make sure to include the date, prompt number, and your answer.

Do Now 1 – Thinking about your Engineering Design Fair project, was your initial prototype idea correct (and did it work?), or did your test results totally surprise you? Explain what happened.

Do Now 2 – Now that your Engineering Design Fair project is complete – what are you most proud of? 

Do Now 3 – If you were to do your Engineering Design Fair project over again, what is something that you might alter or change?

Complete your Do Nows in your Semester 4 Do Now Google Doc in Google Classroom before the end of the school day on FRIDAY (2:15pm).

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VIRTUAL LEARNING – WEEK OF APRIL 20TH, 2020

6th Grade Science –
This week, we’ll be studying, analyzing, and investigating the connections between force and motion. Students will be examining concepts such as Newton’s Laws of Motion, net force, acceleration, and the difference between balanced & unbalanced forces. In addition, we’ll be focusing our efforts on preparing for the Digital Science Fair, which will take place on May 4th, 2020. During this time, students should be finishing their experiments at home, collecting data, and taking photographs of their experimentation process. Since our school building will be closed for the remainder of the academic year, we’ll be switching from a traditional Science Fair to a DIGITAL Science Fair on May 4th, 2020.  Students will continue to carry out their Science Fair experiments and projects at home as planned, but instead of bringing a physical presentation board to school on the day of the fair, they will be submitting a digital Google Slides presentation board to their teachers in Google Classroom instead. All Digital Science Fair instructions, details, deadlines, and rubrics are available in Google Classroom.

HOMEWORK
1 – IXL Science 6.B.5 – Understand an Experimental Protocol about Plant Growth (Work on this anytime Monday-Friday: DUE ON FRIDAY) – Complete IXL Science 6.B.5 – you will need to earn at least a 95% to receive credit for this assignment. Since you’ll complete this work directly in the IXL website, you do not need to turn this into Google Classroom, however, YOU MUST LOG INTO IXL in order for your score to be recorded. Complete this IXL before the end of the school day on FRIDAY (2:15pm). https://www.ixl.com/science/grade-6/understand-an-experimental-protocol-about-plant-growth

2 – MiSTAR 6.4.4 – PhET Collision Virtual Experiment & Lab Report (Work on this anytime – Monday-Friday: DUE ON FRIDAY) – Spend some time checking out this neat PhET simulation to learn more about how force, mass, and elasticity effect collisions. Make sure to click through each of the options and manipulate the settings to create multiple different collisions. Then, answer the lab report questions on the Collision Virtual Experiment Lab Report worksheet). NOTE – If you’re having a hard time getting the PhET website to load, make sure that you don’t have a pop-up blocker turned on that is preventing the simulation from running. Complete this experiment and lab report before the end of the school day on FRIDAY (2:15pm). https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/collision-lab/collision-lab_en.html

3 – Do Nows – Semester 4 (Work on this anytime Monday-Friday: DUE ON FRIDAY) – Read over the following Do Now prompts and write your Do Now answers in your Semester 4 Google Doc (just update your Do Now Google Doc as you have been doing all semester in class). Make sure to include the date, prompt number, and your answer.

• Do Now 1 – In your own words, explain – How does the weight or mass of an object effect how it behaves in a collision?
  
• Do Now 2 – What is the difference between an elastic collision and an inelastic collision?
  
• Do Now 3 – Newton’s Third Law of Motion states that, “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” What did you notice about equal and opposite reactions based on the PhET collision simulation experiment you completed?

Complete your Do Nows in your Semester 4 Do Now Google Doc in Google Classroom before the end of the school day on FRIDAY (2:15pm).

4 – Digital Science Fair Project (Work on this anytime – Monday-Friday) – Finish your experiment, collect data, and take photos of your experimentation process for your digital display board (aka- your Google Slides Presentation). (There is no due date for your Science Fair project this week, since this is an on-going process. Just remember – The Digital Science Fair will take place on May 4th, 2020).

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7th Grade ELA –
This week, we’ll be discussing, practicing, and utilizing text dependent analysis (TDA) strategies to create evidence-based pieces of writing. Students will be comparing and contrasting different styles of TDA writing, and we’ll examine the reasons why authors must include a clear claim, evidence, and reasoning in their writing. In addition, we’ll be reviewing literary devices and techniques to keep our skills sharp.

HOMEWORK
1 – IXL ELA 7.N.2 – Remove Redundant Words or Phrases (Work on this anytime Monday-Friday: DUE ON FRIDAY) – Complete IXL ELA 7.N.2 – you will need to earn at least a 95% to receive credit for this assignment. Since you’ll complete this work directly in the IXL website, you do not need to turn this into Google Classroom, however, YOU MUST LOG INTO IXL in order for your score to be recorded. Complete this IXL before the end of the school day on Friday (2:15pm). https://www.ixl.com/ela/grade-7/remove-redundant-words-or-phrases

2 – “Amigo Brothers” by Piri Thomas (Read this story on Monday-Wednesday) – You will need to read the short story “Amigo Brothers” – the full text is available in Google Classroom. (Since you are being asked to read, there is no firm “due date” for this assignment, but you must read this story before completing and submitting this week’s other assignments).

3 – “Amigo Brothers” Expository Mini Essay (Work on this anytime – Monday-Friday: DUE ON FRIDAY) – After reading the short story “Amigo Brothers,” you’ll need to write a 3-paragraph expository mini essay. Follow the instructions on the assignment sheet in Google Classroom for details and instructions. You must write this essay AFTER you read the story. Upload and turn in your work to Google Classroom by the end of the school day on FRIDAY (2:15pm)!

4 – Do Nows – Semester 4 (Work on this anytime Monday-Friday: DUE ON FRIDAY) – Read over the following Do Now prompts and write your Do Now answers in your Semester 4 Google Doc (just update your Do Now Google Doc as you have been doing all semester in class). Make sure to include the date, prompt number, and your answer.

• Do Now 1 – What is one thing you’re really looking forward to doing once the Stay-at-Home ban is lifted? 
  
• Do Now 2 – In your own words, explain – What is an internal conflict and what internal conflict did Antonio struggle with in the story, “Amigo Brothers?”
  
• Do Now 3 –In your opinion, what is the difference between an acquaintance and a best friend? Who are some of your best friends? Why are these people so important to you?

Complete your Do Nows in your Semester 4 Do Now Google Doc in Google Classroom before the end of the school day on FRIDAY (2:15pm).

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8th Grade STEM Apps –
This week, we will be working with educational computer programming websites to use problem-solving skills to address computer science challenges, explore different types of educational websites, test computer literacy skills, and study how information is transmitted between people and electronic devices. In addition, we’ll be focusing our efforts on preparing for the Digital Engineering Design Fair, which will take place on May 4th, 2020. During this time, students will explore topics, conduct research, and identify a real-world problem that will kick off their own Engineering Design Process. Since our school building will be closed for the remainder of the academic year, we’ll be switching from a traditional Engineering Design Fair to a DIGITAL Engineering Design Fair on May 4th, 2020.  Students will continue to carry out their Design Fair prototypes and projects at home as planned, but instead of bringing a physical prototype and presentation board to school on the day of the fair, they will be submitting a digital Google Slides presentation board to their teachers in Google Classroom instead. All Digital Design Fair instructions, details, deadlines, and rubrics are available in Google Classroom.

HOMEWORK
1 – IXL Science 8.HH.2 – Choose Metric Units of Distance, Mass, and Volume  (Work on this anytime Monday-Friday: DUE ON FRIDAY) – Complete IXL Science 8.HH.2 – you will need to earn at least a 95% to receive credit for this assignment. Since you’ll complete this work directly in the IXL website, you do not need to turn this into Google Classroom, however, YOU MUST LOG INTO IXL in order for your score to be recorded. Complete this IXL before the end of the school day on FRIDAY (2:15pm). https://www.ixl.com/science/grade-8/choose-metric-units-of-distance-mass-and-volume

2 – Code Combat (Intro to Computer Science – CS1) – Levels 1-11 (Work on this anytime Monday-Friday: DUE ON FRIDAY) – We registered for Code Combat while we were still in school, and we started working on the first few levels together in class. This week, I’d like you to continue your progress and ensure that you have completed Levels 1-11. Complete Code Combat Levels 1-11 before the end of the school day on FRIDAY (2:15pm). https://codecombat.com/home

3 – Do Nows – Semester 4 (Work on this anytime Monday-Friday: DUE ON FRIDAY) – Read over the following Do Now prompts and write your Do Now answers in your Semester 4 Google Doc (just update your Do Now Google Doc as you have been doing all semester in class). Make sure to include the date, prompt number, and your answer.

• Do Now 1 – Thinking about your Engineering Design Fair project, what changes have you made to your original plan or what kind of improvisation have you had to do in order to adapt to the lifestyle changes we’ve had to make as a result of COVID-19?
  
• Do Now 2 – What is a virtual project that you think is cool, that we might be able to do together in STEM Apps class?
  
• Do Now 3 – What is one thing you’re doing for yourself to stay sane and feel healthy during the Stay-at-Home order?

Complete your Do Nows in your Semester 4 Do Now Google Doc in Google Classroom before the end of the school day on FRIDAY (2:15pm).

4 – Engineering Design Fair Project (Work on this anytime – Monday-Friday) – Finish your prototype drawings (thumbnail, orthographic, and isometric) in your Engineering Notebook/Log, finish building your prototype design, update your Engineering Notebook/Log to catalog how your project is going and where you are at in the design process, test your prototype to ensure that it works, collect data, and take photos of your design process for your digital display board (aka- your Google Slides Presentation). (There is no due date for your Design Fair project this week, since this is an on-going process. Just remember – The Digital Engineering Design Fair will take place on May 4th, 2020).

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Hi STEM Students!

Starting on Monday, April 20th, I’ll be hosting regular, weekly Google Hangouts and virtual office hours for students who might have homework questions, who need extra help, or want to check in and say hello.

Google Hangouts are intended for full-group class discussions – A Google Hangout Meeting Code will be sent to students through Google Classroom on the day of the Hangout when the session goes live.

Office Hours are intended for short, drop-in, small-group homework help sessions. A Google Meeting Code will be sent to students through Google Classroom on the day of office hours, when the session goes live.

6th Grade – Science
Tuesdays – 12:00-12:30pm – 6th Grade Google Hangout
Wednesdays – 12:00-12:30pm – 6th Grade Office Hours

7th Grade – English & Language Arts
Tuesdays – 1:00 – 1:30pm – 7th Grade Google Hangout
Wednesdays – 12:30 – 1:00pm – 7th Grade Office Hours

8th Grade – STEM Apps
Tuesdays – 2:00 – 2:30pm – 8th Grade Google Hangout
Wednesdays – 1:00 – 1:30pm – 8th Grade Office Hours

As always, students may also reach out for homework help or support via email at any time.

VIRTUAL LEARNING – WEEK OF APRIL 13TH, 2020

6th Grade Science –
This week, we’ll be focusing our efforts on preparing for the Digital Science Fair, which will take place on May 4th, 2020. During this time, students should be finishing their experiments at home, collecting data, and taking photographs of their experimentation process. Since our school building will be closed for the remainder of the academic year, we’ll be switching from a traditional Science Fair to a DIGITAL Science Fair on May 4th, 2020.  Students will continue to carry out their Science Fair experiments and projects at home as planned, but instead of bringing a physical presentation board to school on the day of the fair, they will be submitting a digital Google Slides presentation board to their teachers in Google Classroom instead. All Digital Science Fair instructions, details, deadlines, and rubrics are available in Google Classroom.

HOMEWORK
1 – IXL Science 6.B.3 – Identify the Experimental Question (Work on this anytime Monday-Wednesday: DUE ON WEDNESDAY) – Complete IXL Science 6.B.3 – you will need to earn at least a 95% to receive credit for this assignment. Since you’ll complete this work directly in the IXL website, you do not need to turn this into Google Classroom, however, YOU MUST LOG INTO IXL in order for your score to be recorded. Complete this IXL before the end of the school day on Wednesday (2:15pm). https://www.ixl.com/science/grade-6/identify-the-experimental-question

2 – IXL Science 6.B.4 – Identify Questions That Can Be Investigated With a Set of Materials (Work on this anytime Monday-Wednesday: DUE ON WEDNESDAY) – Complete IXL Science 6.B.4 – you will need to earn at least a 95% to receive credit for this assignment. Since you’ll complete this work directly in the IXL website, you do not need to turn this into Google Classroom, however, YOU MUST LOG INTO IXL in order for your score to be recorded. Complete this IXL before the end of the school day on Wednesday (2:15pm). https://www.ixl.com/science/grade-6/identify-questions-that-can-be-investigated-with-a-set-of-materials

3 – Science Fair Project Update (Work on this anytime – Monday-Thursday: DUE ON THURSDAY) – This week, I’d like you to share some details about your Science Fair project and discuss how your experiment is going – this is intended to be a quick project update to share where you’re at in the process. 

On a Google Doc, include at least TWO photos of your Science Fair experiment (please show me different angles of your project – like a front view & side view or show me how your experiment has changed over time). These must be original photos that you have taken yourself; you may not download pictures from the Internet or take photos from someone else’s project and use them as your own. Underneath your photos, write one full paragraph (4-6 complete sentences) explaining how your Science Fair project is going. You could talk about the procedure steps you’ve taken so far, what information or data you’ve gathered, you can discuss what is going well (or not so well, if something did not go as planned), or talk about what you have learned. It is okay if your experiment is still in progress, I just want to see where you’re at and find out how your project is coming along. 

Reminder – The Digital Science Fair will take place on May 4^th, 2020, so you will need to have the final draft of your Science Fair Google Slides presentation uploaded and submitted in Google Classroom by then. For more information about the Digital Science Fair, read the assignment instructions and details in Google Classroom. 

4 – Do Nows – Semester 4 (Work on this anytime Monday-Thursday: DUE ON THURSDAY) – Read over the following Do Now prompts and write your Do Now answers in your Semester 4 Google Doc (just update your Do Now Google Doc as you have been doing all semester in class). Make sure to include the date, prompt number, and your answer.

Do Now 1 – In your own words, explain – Why is it important to take photos and collect data throughout an experiment, instead of waiting until the very end of the project to gather information?

Do Now 2 – In terms of your Science Fair project, what is going well? What hasn’t gone as planned? How can you work through these obstacles or make adjustments to your original plan, so that you can complete your project before the deadline?

Do Now 3 – How are you doing with your virtual classes and how are you doing in general?  (I miss you and I’d love to hear how things are going).

Complete your Do Nows in your Semester 4 Do Now Google Doc in Google Classroom before the end of the school day on Thursday (2:15pm).

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7th Grade ELA –
This week, we’ll be focusing our efforts on Book Project 3, which is due on Thursday, April 16^th. Since our school building will be closed for the remainder of the academic year, we’ll be switching from a traditional Book Project to a DIGITAL Book Project.  Students will continue to carry out their literary book projects at home as planned, but instead of bringing a physical notebook to school on the project submission day, they will be submitting a digital Book Project 3 in Google Classroom instead. All book project instructions, details, deadlines, and rubrics are available in Google Classroom.

HOMEWORK
1 – IXL ELA 7.K.4 – Identify Supporting Details in Informational Texts (Work on this anytime Monday-Wednesday: DUE ON WEDNESDAY) – Complete IXL ELA 7.K.4 – you will need to earn at least a 95% to receive credit for this assignment. Since you’ll complete this work directly in the IXL website, you do not need to turn this into Google Classroom, however, YOU MUST LOG INTO IXL in order for your score to be recorded. Complete this IXL before the end of the school day on Wednesday (2:15pm). https://www.ixl.com/ela/grade-7/identify-supporting-details-in-informational-texts

2 – IXL ELA 7.N.1 – Use Parallel Structure (Work on this anytime Monday-Wednesday: DUE ON WEDNESDAY) – Complete IXL ELA 7.N.1 – you will need to earn at least a 95% to receive credit for this assignment. Since you’ll complete this work directly in the IXL website, you do not need to turn this into Google Classroom, however, YOU MUST LOG INTO IXL in order for your score to be recorded. Complete this IXL before the end of the school day on Wednesday (2:15pm). https://www.ixl.com/ela/grade-7/use-parallel-structure

3 – Digital Book Project 3 (Work on this anytime – Monday-Thursday: DUE ON THURSDAY) – Book Project 3 is DUE THIS THURSDAY! Since you have had more than two months to work on this project – late work will not be accepted – you will need to upload and submit your digital Book Project 3 to Google Classroom by the end of the school day (2:15pm) on Thursday, April 16^th.  Remember to finish reading your novels, update your reading log, complete all of your Book Project 3 project pieces, and revise your work before submitting your project final draft in Google Classroom. All Digital Book Project 3 instructions, details, deadlines, and rubrics are available in Google Classroom.

4 – Do Nows – Semester 4 (Work on this anytime Monday-Thursday: DUE ON THURSDAY) – Read over the following Do Now prompts and write your Do Now answers in your Semester 4 Google Doc (just update your Do Now Google Doc as you have been doing all semester in class). Make sure to include the date, prompt number, and your answer.

Do Now 1 – What is your favorite book that you read while preparing for Book Project 3? What is your favorite book of all time?

Do Now 2 – Discuss a book that you like that has also been made into a film. Do you think the book is better, or the movie? Why?  

Do Now 3 – How are you doing with your virtual classes and how are you doing in general?  (I miss you and I’d love to hear how things are going).

Complete your Do Nows in your Semester 4 Do Now Google Doc in Google Classroom before the end of the school day on Thursday (2:15pm).

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8th Grade STEM Apps –
This week, we’ll be focusing our efforts on preparing for the Digital Engineering Design Fair, which will take place on May 4th, 2020. During this time, students will explore topics, conduct research, and identify a real-world problem that will kick off their own Engineering Design Process. Since our school building will be closed for the remainder of the academic year, we’ll be switching from a traditional Engineering Design Fair to a DIGITAL Engineering Design Fair on May 4th, 2020.  Students will continue to carry out their Design Fair prototypes and projects at home as planned, but instead of bringing a physical prototype and presentation board to school on the day of the fair, they will be submitting a digital Google Slides presentation board to their teachers in Google Classroom instead. All Digital Design Fair instructions, details, deadlines, and rubrics are available in Google Classroom.

HOMEWORK
1 – IXL Science 8.C.4 – Explore the Engineering Design Process – Going to the Moon (Work on this anytime Monday-Wednesday: DUE ON WEDNESDAY) – Complete IXL Science 8.C.4 – you will need to earn at least a 95% to receive credit for this assignment. Since you’ll complete this work directly in the IXL website, you do not need to turn this into Google Classroom, however, YOU MUST LOG INTO IXL in order for your score to be recorded. Complete this IXL before the end of the school day on Wednesday (2:15pm). https://www.ixl.com/science/grade-8/explore-the-engineering-design-process-going-to-the-moon

2 – IXL Science 8.HH.1 – Choose Customary Units of Distance, Mass, and Volume (Work on this anytime Monday-Wednesday: DUE ON WEDNESDAY) – Complete IXL Science 8.HH.1 – you will need to earn at least a 95% to receive credit for this assignment. Since you’ll complete this work directly in the IXL website, you do not need to turn this into Google Classroom, however, YOU MUST LOG INTO IXL in order for your score to be recorded. Complete this IXL before the end of the school day on Wednesday (2:15pm). https://www.ixl.com/science/grade-8/choose-customary-units-of-distance-mass-and-volume

3 – Engineering Design Fair Project Update (Work on this anytime – Monday-Thursday: DUE ON THURSDAY) – This week, I’d like you to share some details about your Engineering Design Fair project and discuss how your prototype build is going – this is intended to be a quick project update to share where you’re at in the process. 

On a Google Doc, include at least TWO photos of your Design Fair prototype (please show me different angles of your project – like a front view & side view). These must be original photos that you have taken yourself (of your own project); you may not download pictures from the Internet or take photos from someone else’s project and use them as your own. Underneath your photos, write one full paragraph (4-6 complete sentences) explaining how your Design Fair project is going. You could talk about the procedure steps you’ve taken so far, explain what tests you have run on your prototype to determine whether or not it will work, discuss what information or data you’ve gathered, you can tell me what is going well (or not so well, if something did not go as planned), or talk about what you have learned. It is okay if your prototype is still in progress, I just want to see where you’re at and find out how things are moving along. 

Reminder – The Digital Engineering Design Fair will take place on May 4^th, 2020, so you will need to have the final draft of your Design Fair Google Slides presentation uploaded and submitted in Google Classroom by then. For more information about the Digital Design Fair, read the assignment instructions and details in Google Classroom. 

4 – Do Nows – Semester 4 (Work on this anytime Monday-Thursday: DUE ON THURSDAY) – Read over the following Do Now prompts and write your Do Now answers in your Semester 4 Google Doc (just update your Do Now Google Doc as you have been doing all semester in class). Make sure to include the date, prompt number, and your answer.

Do Now 1 – In your own words, explain – Why is it important to take photos and collect data throughout a project or engineering design process, instead of waiting until the very end of the project to gather information?

Do Now 2 – In terms of your Design Fair project, what is going well? What hasn’t gone as planned? How can you work through these obstacles or make adjustments to your original plan, so that you can complete your project before the deadline?

Do Now 3 – How are you doing with your virtual classes and how are you doing in general?  (I miss you and I’d love to hear how things are going).

Complete your Do Nows in your Semester 4 Do Now Google Doc in Google Classroom before the end of the school day on Thursday (2:15pm).

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Hi STEM Middle School families! 

Since our school building will be closed for the remainder of the academic year, we’ll be switching from a traditional Science Fair & Engineering Design Fair to a DIGITAL fair on May 4th, 2020.  Students will continue to carry out their Science Fair & Design Fair projects at home as planned, but instead of bringing a physical prototype and presentation board to school on the day of the fair, they will be submitting a digital Google Slides presentation board to their teachers in Google Classroom instead. 

As previously planned, students will continue to have checkpoints leading up to the final project deadline, so they should be prepared to share another project update with their teachers after Spring Break. Since this is a school-wide initiative that was launched back in January 2020, we’re encouraging all STEM students to complete their projects and submit a digital presentation board, so that students may showcase their hard work and we can celebrate their success. All digital presentation board instructions and details will be posted in Google Classroom. 

Since campus is closed next week for Spring Break, Mr. Miller and I will address any questions or concerns about the Digital Science Fair & Engineering Design Fair via e-mail when classes resume on Monday, April 13th. 

PROJECT UPDATE FOR:
6TH GRADE – SCIENCE FAIR
7TH GRADE – ELA BOOK PROJECT 3
8TH GRADE – DESIGN FAIR

KEEP ALL OF YOUR PROJECT MATERIALS – DO NOT THROW ANYTHING AWAY!! 

KEEP WORKING ON YOUR PROJECT!!

There’s a very good chance that **IF** school closures extend past Spring Break, the Dearborn Public School district will eventually ask teachers to start giving formative and summative grades on digital work, like we’re seeing in other states across the U.S. I do not have any additional information regarding this at this time, but I want you to know that this is a possibility, so that you do not throw project materials away or have to re-do any work.

If we are physically back in school on April 13th, following Spring Break:
6th Graders – We’ll have more formative and summative Science Fair check-ins leading up to the fair on May 4th, as planned. Plan to have a Science Fair update to share for a grade after we return from Spring Break.

7th Graders – If we are physically back in school after Spring Break, you’ll turn in your Book Project 3 for a grade on April 16th, as planned.

8th Graders – We’ll have more formative and summative Design Fair check-ins leading up to the fair on May 4th, as planned. Plan to have a Design Fair update to share for a grade after we return from Spring Break.

If we ARE NOT physically back in school on April 13th due to extended school closures, I will send out more info about project updates & deadlines after we return from Spring Break. 

ALTHOUGH THIS COULD CHANGE, AS OF RIGHT NOW:
THE ELA BOOK PROJECT 3 IS STILL DUE ON APRIL 16TH!
THE SCIENCE FAIR IS STILL TAKING PLACE ON MAY 4TH!
THE DESIGN FAIR IS STILL TAKING PLACE ON MAY 4TH!

In the meantime, I don’t have any more info regarding this, but stay tuned. I’ll be sure to keep you updated as I receive more details from our Superintendent and our school administrators.

Thank you for working so hard to complete your digital assignments on time and for being so supportive during such an unpredictable, unprecedented situation. I really miss seeing all of you in school – I hope you’re safe, sound, and doing well!

VIRTUAL LEARNING – WEEK OF MARCH 30^th, 2020

6th Grade Science –
This week, we’ll be studying, analyzing, and investigating the connections between force and motion. Students will be examining concepts such as Newton’s Laws of Motion, net force, acceleration, and difference between balanced & unbalanced forces. In addition, we’ll be focusing our efforts on preparing for the Science Fair, which will take place on May 4th, 2020. During this time, students should be finishing their experiments at home, collecting data, and taking photographs of their experimentation process.

HOMEWORK
1 – IXL Science 6.B.2 – Identify Independent & Dependent Variables (Work on this anytime Monday-Wednesday: DUE ON WEDNESDAY) – Complete IXL Science 6.B.2 – you will need to earn at least a 95% to receive credit for this assignment. Since you’ll complete this work directly in the IXL website, you do not need to turn this into Google Classroom, however, YOU MUST LOG INTO IXL in order for your score to be recorded. Complete this IXL before the end of the school day on Wednesday (2:15pm). https://www.ixl.com/science/grade-6/identify-independent-and-dependent-variables

2 – MiSTAR 6.4.3 – Paper Towers Experiment Video & Lab Report (Work on this anytime – Monday-Wednesday: DUE ON WEDNESDAY) – First, you will need to watch the “Giant Paper Towers Experiment” YouTube video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkH-0dpYbkc). Then, open the Paper Towers Lab Report assignment in a new Google Doc, type your answers into the document, and then submit your work in Google Classroom.  Upload and turn in your assignment in Google Classroom by the end of the school day on Wednesday (2:15pm)!

3 – Do Nows – Semester 4 (Work on this anytime Monday-Thursday: DUE ON THURSDAY) – Read over the following Do Now prompts and write your Do Now answers in your Semester 4 Google Doc (just update your Do Now Google Doc as you have been doing all semester in class). Make sure to include the date, prompt number, and your answer.

Do Now 1 – In your own words, explain – What is Newton’s 1^st Law of Motion?

Do Now 2 – According to Newton’s Laws of Motion, what would happen if you were holding a balloon in your hands that was filled with air, and then you let it go? (Tell me about force and direction).  

Do Now 3 – How is your Science Fair project going? What do you need to work on this week?

Complete your Do Nows in your Semester 4 Do Now Google Doc in Google Classroom before the end of the school day on Thursday (2:15pm).

4 – Science Fair Project (Work on this anytime – Monday-Friday) – Finish your experiment, collect data, and take photos of your experimentation process for your display board. (There is no due date for your Science Fair project this week, since this is an on-going process).

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7th Grade ELA –
This week, we’ll be discussing, practicing, and utilizing text dependent analysis (TDA) strategies to create evidence-based pieces of writing. Students will be comparing and contrasting different styles of TDA writing, and we’ll examine the reasons why authors must include a clear claim, evidence, and reasoning in their writing. Students will also need to continue working on Book Project 3, which is due on Thursday, April 16^th (since this due date falls after we plan to return back to school, our Book Project 3 plans have not changed). All of the Book Project 3 instructions, details, deadlines, and the rubric are available in Google Classroom.

HOMEWORK
1 – IXL ELA 7.K.3 – Choose Evidence to Support a Claim (Work on this anytime Monday-Wednesday: DUE ON WEDNESDAY) – Complete IXL ELA 7.K.3 – you will need to earn at least a 95% to receive credit for this assignment. Since you’ll complete this work directly in the IXL website, you do not need to turn this into Google Classroom, however, YOU MUST LOG INTO IXL in order for your score to be recorded. Complete this IXL before the end of the school day on Wednesday (2:15pm). https://www.ixl.com/ela/grade-7/choose-evidence-to-support-a-claim

2 – Yosemite National Park (California) Virtual Field Trip & C-E-R Worksheet (Work on this anytime Monday-Wednesday: DUE ON WEDNESDAY)– Take a virtual field trip of Yosemite National Park by visiting this website: https://www.virtualyosemite.org. After checking out the sights, fill out the C-E-R Worksheet. Upload and turn in your assignment in Google Classroom by the end of the school day on Wednesday (2:15pm)!

3 – Do Nows – Semester 4 (Work on this anytime Monday-Thursday: DUE ON THURSDAY) – Read over the following Do Now prompts and write your Do Now answers in your Semester 4 Google Doc (just update your Do Now Google Doc as you have been doing all semester in class). Make sure to include the date, prompt number, and your answer.

Do Now 1 – Where do you see yourself in 10 years? What are some of your academic and professional goals?

Do Now 2 – What is the coolest thing that you saw on your Yosemite National Park virtual tour?  

Do Now 3 – How is your Book Project 3 going? What do you need to work on this week?

Complete your Do Nows in your Semester 4 Do Now Google Doc in Google Classroom before the end of the school day on Thursday (2:15pm).

4 – Book Project 3 (Work on this anytime – Monday-Friday) – Continue to read your Book Project 3 novel, update your reading log, and work on your Book Project 3 project pieces. (There is no due date for Book Project 3 this week, since this is an on-going process and the project is due on April 16^th, after you return back to school).

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8th Grade STEM Apps –
This week, we will be working with an educational computer programming website (Code.org) to use problem-solving skills to address computer science challenges, explore different types of educational websites, test their computer literacy skills, and study how information is transmitted between people and electronic devices. In addition, we’ll be focusing our efforts on preparing for the Engineering Design Fair, which will take place on May 4th, 2020. During this time, students will explore topics, conduct research, and identify a real-world problem that will kick off their own Engineering Design Process. All Design Fair instructions, details, deadlines, and rubrics are available in Google Classroom.

HOMEWORK
1 – IXL Science 8.C.3 – Use Data from Tests to Compare Engineering Design Solutions (Work on this anytime Monday-Wednesday: DUE ON WEDNESDAY) – Complete IXL Science 8.C.3 – you will need to earn at least a 95% to receive credit for this assignment. Since you’ll complete this work directly in the IXL website, you do not need to turn this into Google Classroom, however, YOU MUST LOG INTO IXL in order for your score to be recorded. Complete this IXL before the end of the school day on Wednesday (2:15pm). https://www.ixl.com/science/grade-8/use-data-from-tests-to-compare-engineering-design-solutions

2 – Yosemite National Park (California) Virtual Field Trip & C-E-R Worksheet (Work on this anytime Monday-Wednesday: DUE ON WEDNESDAY)– Take a virtual field trip of Yosemite National Park by visiting this website: https://www.virtualyosemite.org. After checking out the sights, fill out the C-E-R Worksheet. Upload and turn in your assignment in Google Classroom by the end of the school day on Wednesday (2:15pm)!

3 – Do Nows – Semester 4 (Work on this anytime Monday-Thursday: DUE ON THURSDAY) – Read over the following Do Now prompts and write your Do Now answers in your Semester 4 Google Doc (just update your Do Now Google Doc as you have been doing all semester in class). Make sure to include the date, prompt number, and your answer.

Do Now 1 – Where do you see yourself in 10 years? What are some of your academic and professional goals?

Do Now 2 – What is the coolest thing that you saw on your Yosemite National Park virtual tour?  

Do Now 3 – How is your Design Fair project going? What do you need to work on this week?

Complete your Do Nows in your Semester 4 Do Now Google Doc in Google Classroom before the end of the school day on Thursday (2:15pm).

4 – Engineering Design Fair Project (Work on this anytime – Monday-Friday) – Finish your prototype drawings (thumbnail, orthographic, and isometric) in your Engineering Notebook/Log, finish building your prototype design, update your Engineering Notebook/Log to catalog how your project is going and where you are at in the design process, test your prototype to ensure that it works, collect data, and take photos of your design process for your display board.(There is no “due date” for your Engineering Design Fair project this week, since this is an on-going process. The Design Fair is set to take place on May 4, 2020).

Hi STEM students!
I hope you’re doing well! In addition to the educational materials and resources that I’ve already provided for you in Google Classroom this week, I’ll be including some optional, fun things that you can do at home with your siblings and family members to help pass the time during the state-mandated lockdown. (To be clear, the activities I’m putting in the “Fun” folder are not class assignments, they’re just neat, engaging things that I’ve come across, that I simply wanted to share with you. Whether you choose to check them out or not is totally up to you). I miss you all and I’m looking forward to seeing you when school reopens!

Virtual hugs,
Ms. Roberts

VIRTUAL LEARNING – WEEK OF MARCH 23^rd, 2020

6th Grade Science –
This week, we’ll be studying, analyzing, and investigating the connections between force and motion. Students will be examining concepts such as Newton’s Laws of Motion, net force, acceleration, and the difference between balanced & unbalanced forces. In addition, we’ll be focusing our efforts on preparing for the Science Fair, which will take place on May 4th, 2020. During this time, students should be finishing their experiments at home, collecting data, and taking photographs of their experimentation process.

HOMEWORK
1 – IXL Science 6.B.1 – Identify Control & Experimental Groups (Work on this anytime Monday-Wednesday: DUE ON WEDNESDAY) – Complete IXL Science 6.B.1 – you will need to earn at least a 95% to receive credit for this assignment. Since you’ll complete this work directly in the IXL website, you do not need to turn this into Google Classroom, however, YOU MUST LOG INTO IXL in order for your score to be recorded. Complete this IXL before the end of the school day on Wednesday (2:15pm). https://www.ixl.com/science/grade-6/identify-control-and-experimental-groups

2 – STEM Current Events – NewsELA – “Touching Moments in Prosthetics” – Article & STEM Current Events C-E-R Essay (Work on this anytime – Monday-Thursday: DUE ON THURSDAY) – First, you will need to read the NewsELA article, “Touching Moments in Prosthetics: New Bionic Limbs That Can Feel.” After reading the article, open the STEM Current Events C-E-R Essay assignment, read the directions thoroughly, and create a C-E-R (Claim-Evidence-Reasoning) essay addressing the question: How has new technology enhanced prosthetic limbs, allowing disabled patients to “feel?” Please see the detailed instructions on the assignment sheet for guidelines and directions. Make sure to open this assignment in a new Google Doc, type your C-E-R essay into the document, and then submit your work in Google Classroom. Upload and turn in your assignment in Google Classroom by the end of the school day on Thursday (2:15pm)!

3 – Do Nows – Semester 3 (Work on this anytime Monday-Thursday: DUE ON THURSDAY) – Read over the following Do Now journal prompts and write your Do Now answers in your Semester 3 Google Doc (just update your Do Now Google Doc as you have been doing all semester in class). Make sure to include the date, prompt number, and your answer.
Do Now 1 – You’re in a moving car and a bug splattered on the windshield. Think about the direction that the bug and the car are moving in. What forces are at work? Are these forces equal? Opposite? Both equal & opposite? Explain your thinking.
Do Now 2 – In your own words, explain – What is a vector and how is it used by scientists? (Hint – “Vector” is one of your force & motion science glossary terms, so check out that document in Google Classroom if you’re feeling stuck).
Do Now 3 – In terms of your Science Fair project, what things do you need to work on to move your experiment/project forward? Make a quick to-do list and explain how you plan to check these tasks off of your list.
Complete your Do Nows in your Semester 3 Do Now Google Doc in Google Classroom before the end of the school day on Thursday (2:15pm).

4 – MiSTAR 6.4.2 – PhET Simulations – Force & Motion (Work on this anytime – Monday-Friday) – Spend some time checking out this neat set of PhET simulations to learn more about net force, motion, friction, and acceleration. Make sure to click through each of the activities (Net Force, Motion, Friction, and Acceleration) and manipulate the settings in each of the simulations to learn more about force and motion. (Since this is a set of simulations, there is no set “due date” for this assignment, but you’ll need to look this over before starting next week’s work). https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/forces-and-motion-basics/latest/forces-and-motion-basics_en.html

5 – Science Fair Project (Work on this anytime – Monday-Friday) – Finish your experiment, collect data, and take photos of your experimentation process for your display board. (There is no set “due date” for your Science Fair project this week, since this is an on-going process. The Science Fair is scheduled to take place on May 4, 2020).

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7th Grade ELA –
This week, we’ll be discussing, practicing, and utilizing text dependent analysis (TDA) strategies to create evidence-based pieces of writing. Students will be comparing and contrasting different styles of TDA writing, and we’ll examine the reasons why authors must include a clear claim, evidence, and reasoning in their writing. In addition, we’ll be reviewing some literary devices to keep our skills sharp. Students will also need to continue working on Book Project 3, which is due on Thursday, April 16^th. All of the Book Project 3 instructions, details, deadlines, and the rubric are available in Google Classroom.

HOMEWORK
1 – IXL ELA 7.M.1 – Use Personification (Work on this anytime Monday-Wednesday: DUE ON WEDNESDAY) – Complete IXL ELA 7.M.1 – you will need to earn at least a 95% to receive credit for this assignment. Since you’ll complete this work directly in the IXL website, you do not need to turn this into Google Classroom, however, YOU MUST LOG INTO IXL in order for your score to be recorded. Complete this IXL before the end of the school day on Wednesday (2:15pm). https://www.ixl.com/ela/grade-7/use-personification

2 – Personification Practice Worksheet (Work on this anytime – Monday-Wednesday: DUE ON WEDNESDAY) – Complete the Personification Practice assignment by typing your answers into the worksheet. Upload and turn in your work in Google Classroom by the end of the school day on Wednesday (2:15pm)!

3 – STEM Current Events – NewsELA – “Touching Moments in Prosthetics” – Article & STEM Current Events C-E-R Essay (Work on this anytime – Monday-Wednesday: DUE ON THURSDAY) – First, you will need to read the NewsELA article, “Touching Moments in Prosthetics: New Bionic Limbs That Can Feel.” After reading the article, open the STEM Current Events C-E-R Essay assignment, read the directions thoroughly, and create a C-E-R (Claim-Evidence-Reasoning) essay addressing the question: How has new technology enhanced prosthetic limbs, allowing disabled patients to “feel?” Please see the detailed instructions on the assignment sheet for guidelines and directions. Make sure to open this assignment in a new Google Doc, type your C-E-R essay into the document, and then submit your work in Google Classroom. Upload and turn in your assignment in Google Classroom by the end of the school day on Thursday (2:15pm)!

4 – Do Nows – Semester 3 (Work on this anytime Monday-Thursday: DUE ON THURSDAY) – Read over the following Do Now prompts and write your Do Now answers in your Semester 3 Google Doc (just update your Do Now Google Doc as you have been doing all semester in class). Make sure to include the date, prompt number, and your answer.
Do Now 1 – Journal –  Write a 4-sentence mini story that ends with, “…and that’s how I know that he stole the very last slice of pizza.”
Do Now 2 – Journal – If you could be a character on any reality TV show, what would it be? Why?
Do Now 3 – Journal – Explain a time when you had to do something that you didn’t like, but knew that it was good for you. (No, “homework” can’t be an answer here – think deeply about this and share your reflection).
Complete your Do Nows in your Semester 3 Do Now Google Doc in Google Classroom before the end of the school day on Thursday (2:15pm).

5 – Book Project 3(Work on this anytime – Monday-Friday) – Continue to read your Book Project 3 novel, update your reading log, and work on your Book Project 3 project pieces. (There is no set “due date” for Book Project 3 this week, since this is an on-going process and the project is due on April 16^th).

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8th Grade STEM Apps –
This week, we will be working with educational software to use problem-solving skills to address STEM challenges, explore different types of educational websites, test computer literacy skills, study how information is transmitted between people and electronic devices, and explore the digital world. In addition, we’ll be focusing our efforts on preparing for the Engineering Design Fair, which will take place on May 4th, 2020. During this time, students will explore topics, conduct research, and identify a real-world problem that will kick off their own Engineering Design Process. All Design Fair instructions, details, deadlines, and rubrics are available in Google Classroom. During this time, students should be finishing and testing their Design Fair prototype at home, collecting data, and taking photographs of their design process for their presentation board.

HOMEWORK
1 – IXL Science 8.C.2 – Evaluate Tests of Engineering Design Solutions (Work on this anytime Monday-Wednesday: DUE ON WEDNESDAY) – Complete IXL Science 8.C.2 – you will need to earn at least a 95% to receive credit for this assignment. Since you’ll complete this work directly in the IXL website, you do not need to turn this into Google Classroom, however, YOU MUST LOG INTO IXL in order for your score to be recorded. Complete this IXL before the end of the school day on Wednesday (2:15pm). https://www.ixl.com/science/grade-8/evaluate-tests-of-engineering-design-solutions

2 – STEM Current Events – NewsELA – “Touching Moments in Prosthetics” – Article & STEM Current Events C-E-R Essay (Work on this anytime – Monday-Wednesday: DUE ON THURSDAY) – First, you will need to read the NewsELA article, “Touching Moments in Prosthetics: New Bionic Limbs That Can Feel.” After reading the article, open the STEM Current Events C-E-R Essay assignment, read the directions thoroughly, and create a C-E-R (Claim-Evidence-Reasoning) essay addressing the question: How has new technology enhanced prosthetic limbs, allowing disabled patients to “feel?” Please see the detailed instructions on the assignment sheet for guidelines and directions. Make sure to open this assignment in a new Google Doc, type your C-E-R essay into the document, and then submit your work in Google Classroom. Upload and turn in your assignment in Google Classroom by the end of the school day on Thursday (2:15pm)!

3 – Do Nows – Semester 3 – (Work on this anytime Monday-Thursday: DUE ON THURSDAY) – Read over the following Do Now prompts and write your Do Now answers in your Semester 3 Google Doc (just update your Do Now Google Doc as you have been doing all semester in class). Make sure to include the date, prompt number, and your answer.
Do Now 1 – Journal – How did it feel to work through an app design process (in Code.org)? Were the software design challenges easy for you to tackle, or did you struggle through this process? Explain your experience.
Do Now 2 – Journal – If you could design a robot to help you with everyday tasks, what would your robot specifically do? How could you get your robot to move? What might happen if your robot’s code malfunctioned, or if your robot doesn’t operate as planned?
Do Now 3 – Journal – In terms of your Engineering Design Fair project, what things do you need to work on to move your project & prototype forward? Make a quick to-do list and explain how you plan to check these tasks off of your list.
Complete your Do Nows in your Semester 3 Do Now Google Doc in Google Classroom before the end of the school day on Thursday (2:15pm).

4 – Engineering Design Fair Project (Work on this anytime – Monday-Friday) – Finish your prototype drawings (thumbnail, orthographic, and isometric) in your Engineering Notebook/Log, finish building your prototype design, update your Engineering Notebook/Log to catalog how your project is going and where you are at in the design process, test your prototype to ensure that it works, collect data, and take photos of your design process for your display board. (There is no “due date” for your Engineering Design Fair project this week, since this is an on-going process. The Design Fair is set to take place on May 4, 2020).

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As always, I will be available to answer questions or address homework concerns during normal school business hours, so e-mail me if you need me.

Hi STEM students & families!

I just wanted to say thank you for all of your patience, support, hard work, and kind words during this time. As you know, moving our traditional classes to an online platform in such a short span of time was no small feat, but knowing that we have the teamwork and support of our STEM students and families has made this process go as smoothly as possible.

So, students – thank you for all of the work you’re putting into your online assignments; ultimately, our goal is to help you to continue to learn and grow academically, in spite of not being able to regularly meet or hold class in person. Parents, thank you for continuing to support your children with their studies at home, we know that you’re juggling a lot, and we sincerely appreciate all that you do.

I miss all of you and I’m really looking forward to the day that we get to see each other in school again.

Sincerely,
Miss R.