By Stephen Pegler on Friday, August 29, 2008

I forgot to mention one item to students in the first few days of school, and I want to make sure that both students and their parents understand my policy on horseplay in labs.  Horseplay is forbidden by me and by district policy.  Penalties will begin with the student being removed for the remainder of the lab, receiving a zero on that lab, and a phone call home.  If someone or something is damaged, then further action will be required.  The good news is that in five years I can count the incidents on one hand with a couple of fingers left over!

This week we will begin a unit on genetics.  We will study DNA, Mendelian genetics, and then look at how DNA studies help us understand human prehistory.

I have also attached my Animal Care Plan to my website (as required by the school and the district) and my Class Policies.  If there are any questions, please let me know.

We are off to a great ... Read More »

By Stephen Pegler on Monday, August 25, 2008

Signed Science Safety Agreements are due tomorrow.  Both parents and students need to sign these agreements.

Homework can be found under the homework tab on my web page. 

This week in class we will discuss the characteristics of living things.  If the packets return from the printer, then the students will be given their first packet.  I'll announce the due date based on when it arrives.  There is a good chance that the students will have this Friday to work on the packet in class.

By Stephen Pegler on Monday, August 18, 2008

I hope you are ready for another year of science and school.  I'm looking forward to the year. 

A couple items of business - I'm having trouble clearing out some of last year's material from the blog.  This year we are studying Life and Earth Science, not Physics and Chemistry! 

This week we will begin with the usual basic science safety, what is science, how does it work, and measurement.  Next week we will begin a genetics unit.  This unit will last through September.

Next week will bring the first of many packets.  The packets I assign are designed to reinforce what we do in class, to teach related material that we don't have time to cover in class, to teach responsibility in handling large homework assignments and to teach independent work and study skills.  The packets are all about ten pages long and students will usually have three weeks or ... Read More »

By Stephen Pegler on Thursday, February 28, 2008

On Monday we will check the homework packets.  On Tuesday and Thursday we will do activities related to lenses and mirrors.  On Friday the students will have their test on this unit.  The questions for this are in last week's blog materials.  There are fourteen questions.  There will be no questions that are not on the list of the fourteen.  Whether they will answer all or some of the questions is something that I have not yet decided.  This test will count for next trimester, not for this one.  I won't have time to get it graded and on this grading period. 

We will begin Chemistry on the first Monday of March.  We will have some lectures, videos and a bit more (hopefully not too much!!) bookwork during March.  This is because of CSAPs, my Powerschool responsibilities (for a week or two), and the need to cover this material fairly quickly (partly because of units that went longer tha ... Read More »

By Stephen Pegler on Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Today and Thursday we will be going over last week's activities and learning how to draw lens and mirror diagrams. The homework packet is due next Monday. There will be a test on Friday, February 29. The students will have short essay questions. I will have a list of these online by the end of the week. Next week will include some activities with lenses and mirrors.

My Wednesday Workshop has been on magnets and magnetic fields this round. We have two more sessions to go. My last round will probably involve electromagnets.

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Test questions for Friday, February 29

Light exam questions
Some questions will be worth more than others.  Six, seven, and nine for example, will be worth twice the others.  The students will have to answer a certain number of questions for a certain number of points.  They should prepare by studying for all the questio ... Read More »

By Stephen Pegler on Monday, February 11, 2008

Today is bookwork.  Tomorrow will be a hopefully short lecture followed on Thursday and Friday by some activities related to light.  Homework packets were passed out last Friday and are due Monday, February 25 with some evaluation later that week.

By Stephen Pegler on Monday, February 04, 2008

Over thirty students are participating in the DNA study!  Thanks for your cooperation, and please send me your paperwork if you haven't already.

Today is the last day to work on the Waves and Sound unit.  All work is due by the end of today.  The test is tomorrow.  We will begin the new unit on light and mirrors and lenses on Thursday and Friday with a couple of videos and a short lecture.  The new homework packet will be posted shortly on the documents part of my page.  It will hopefully be back from the printer by the end of the week.

By Stephen Pegler on Monday, January 28, 2008

This week students will continue to work on their activities for waves and sound.  All material is due by February 4.  This unit is designed to be partially homework and partially in class work.  All students must have taken the vocabulary quiz by February 4 as well.  The test for the unit will be the next day.  Six activities are required: three from the first column, two from the second, and one from the last.  Students may do an extra activity in each column for extra credit.  If students do not pass the test or the vocabulary quiz, they will have to retake them.

The DNA project requires that all pedigree charts be turned in by Wednesday of this week.  Any of the extra credit that is on my homework blog is due on Thursday.

By Stephen Pegler on Sunday, January 20, 2008

Here's a link to some summer programs that you might find useful.  Some of these are gifted/talented, others are science, math or engineering based.

CU Boulder

Colorado School of Mines

University of Denver

University of Northern Colorado

 

DNA GENEALOGY OPPORTUNITY FOR NEXT YEAR'S CURRICULUM

Next year we will cover some topics in Biology, including genetics.  One of my main hobbies for nearly thirty year ... Read More »

By Stephen Pegler on Monday, January 14, 2008

A short week this week.  We will do some CSAP review/hints and practice tests.  I will go over a past test with the students to help them understand how to better take those tests.  If time permits they will finish up/work on an assignment from a couple of months ago.

A reminder that EC is available.  The students were introduced to the next unit last week.  Please don't let them work on it this week!!  It's a combination of in class and out of class work that begins next week.