​This week's plans:
​
Chemistry will begin looking at the teeny-tiny atom, and learning how the Periodic Table can be friend, not food. (Seriously, don't eat the Periodic Table- too much fiber).

Biology will view a large number of cat pictures, for science.  We will be breaking down (deconstructing) arguments about feral (stray) cat populations into their claims, evidence, and reasoning, so that you will be able to build up (construct) your own.  
Then, you will learn about how group behaviors help these feral cats, and other animals, survive in the wild. This will provide background explanation for the arguments which are being made about feral cat populations.

Environmental Science will begin by looking at Earth's place in the Universe, and how our sun forms the basis of many Environmental questions. Our position in the Solar System, and the age of the Earth and Sun affect our environment, and the changes that are happening.

We had an awesome (but long) first week, and it gave us a solid start to the year.  I do hope you will share this site with your parents, so they can see what we are doing in class each week.

Picture Day is MONDAY! Make sure you are there to get your new snap and update that beautiful, growing smile.  
​

Welcome, students and parents, to a new school year in room 409! We are starting the new 2019-2020 school year on Monday, August 12.  I am looking forward to our shared adventures and investigations this year.

For the first week, we will be getting to know each other and how things work in the classroom.  The two graded assignments will be the same for all classes: 

1) Read, sign, and return the syllabus.
2) Read, sign, and return the lab safety contract.  

These two documents are essential for your success.  The syllabus contains classroom policies such as makeups, absences, late work, and discipline. The lab safety contract must be signed prior to lab work being done, which will result in a loss of credit if not completed.

If you lose these documents, you can access them on the home page for your course.  The signature pages must be signed and returned by Friday.  

Please visit your course homepage to get to know what you will be studying this year, and familiarize yourself with the resources, as well as the calendar.  More will open up as we move through each unit.  

Keep watch on the Periodic Yay for updates, and to know what we will be doing each week.  This blog is fairly new, and my goal is to update it weekly, though that may change with necessity.

Check out the "Meet the Teacher" page to see who you (or your student) will be spending the year with. And keep an eye out for "Easter Eggs." 

More and more is starting to show up on this site.  As I work on it, you may find broken links, or know a resource that you'd like to see on a certain page. Feel free to shoot me an email or comment on the blog so I can fix it.  I'd like this site to be as helpful as possible.

​While you are feeling a bit like the blue power ranger here, know that it will all be okay.  I will be out of class a lot while proctoring your tests, so I'll be with you (sorry!)

Know that I am very proud of all of you Juniors, and you will be just fine.  It will be over soon.  Until then, feel free to reach out to me via email if I'm not in class, and I will have plenty of time to respond as I'm doing this:

We're all excited to get this break started (and kind of brain fried for this year), so let's take a little time to think ahead for next year.
Is there a resource you wish was on the site?
Find one that has been especially helpful for you, or you wish you had known about, before!

​Comment below:
1. Give a link
2. Explain what it is (video, practice, interactive, hands-on, etc.)
3.  What makes it so helpful?
4. What topic is it for? (Keep it specific to the science class you are taking).

The best resources will be placed on the website; if it is, you get a lifeline!

Rest up and enjoy your break! You will be missed!

We are now officially halfway through the second semester! Keep up the momentum, and know that if you have not been doing as well as hoped, it is not too late to start- small steps matter.  Start with asking for help, help with study skills, help knowing what the next step is, anything!

Calendars are now available for each course on the website, which include the warm-ups, what we did in class, and what to do if you are absent. Tools and references are slowly being built in, check back often for updates. The first five people who spot this sentence should comment the keyword and initials/period for a lifeline: Keyword= "First Step."

This week:
Chemistry will begin an exploration of enthalpy in reactions.
Forensics will refine their understanding of forensic anthropology and see how it applies to human evolution.
Environmental science will explore the effects of human activities on Earth's atmosphere.