Duerr's Data- Jr. High Science

2011-05-16T09:50:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!!!

It's an exciting time with just a few days left of this school year. Before we all start our summer vacations I had a few things I wanted to update on.

PARENTS- YOUR OPINION MATTERS!
Please help improve our school by taking an online survey!

Go to Lpatucson.org and click on the parent survey link.

* If you need access to a computer, our computer lab is open to you daily from 8:00-8:30a.m. and 3:30-4:00p.m. to take the survey.

BONUS: Write down what question #6 says on the survey and sign your name. Send it with your child to school for a free dress down ticket!

We would greatly appreciate everyone's feedback and suggestions so that we can work towards improving and getting better and better!

Please note that all major projects and assignments have been completed for Jr. High Science. I still have some small assignments that we will be doing this week but these are all in class. I will be finished grading by Monday and will have final grades posted on the wall.

I would like to say thank you to all of the families for a wonderful year. I hope that you all have a very fun summer and that you get a chance to learn something new, spend family time, and have adventures. I look forward to seeing you all for a brand new school year in August!!

P.S.....It is never too early to start thinking about ideas for Science Fair. If you would like to do a long experiment you can use the same guidelines and do one over the summer. As long as you keep careful records and documentation that you can turn in, you may use it for your projects next year. It would be great to get a head start :)

Have a safe summer!

Ms. Duerr

APRIL 2011

2011-04-01T09:19:00.000-07:00

Happy Spring to everone!

I hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful weather. This month will be very busy for all of our students. AIMS week is fast approaching. AIMS testing will be from Monday April 11 through April 15th. Please make sure your child is getting plenty of rest, a well balanced breakfast, and lots of positive encouragement. These tests can be very tiring and our students will need all of the support that they can get.

There will also be a project for the 7th graders that will be due on Friday April 8th. Please see the Project page for more details. Also check out the community page for updates!

Hope everyone has a great day!

Ms. Duerr

2011-03-03T09:40:00.001-07:00

Hi Everyone!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Rodeo Break. I wanted to Congratulate our winners of LPA-Lakeside's Annual Science Fair. I'm excited to announce that we will be sending 10 students and their projects to represent our school at the Southern Arizona Regional Science and Engineering Fair. SARSEF will be judging projects during the week of March 21-25 so I will hopefully be announcing several winners in our April Blog post!

Please check the community and classroom pages for updates.

I hope everyone has a wonderful March!

Ms. Duerr

February

2011-02-01T11:10:00.001-07:00

Please make sure to check on the community page for February Upcoming Events.

SCIENCE FAIR
I am meeting with all of those interested in doing projects on Wednesday's at 11:35am. So far we have discussed: choosing a topic, scientific questions, and how to write a hypothesis. Please come and see me if you have any questions regarding science fair.

I will be bringing in a science fair board to demonstrate the correct dimensions and set up of a SARSEF approved science fair board.

SCIENCE FAIR

2011-01-14T19:55:00.000-07:00

January 14, 2011

LA PALOMA ACADEMY SCIENCE FAIR- JR HIGH

La Paloma Academy will be hosting a Science Fair at the end of February. Although this will be a voluntary project for Jr. High students it is strongly encouraged for every student to participate. The opportunity to compete in a science fair helps to facilitate an interest in science as well as develop critical thinking skills. I am offering a significant amount of extra credit as an added benefit to the competition itself. Please see the "Project Planner" page on my blog for details regarding the LPA Science Fair.

2011-01-06T12:53:00.002-07:00

Hi Everyone!
Welcome Back! I hope everyone had a wonderful break and is excited to begin the new year and the new semester.

Please check out the individual pages for updates on upcoming school events and classroom information :)

******REMINDER*********

Green Team/Wildlife Bio Field Trip Wednesday January 12, 2011 to Colossal Cave from
8:30-11:30.
Please make sure to wear a green team shirt and jeans or LPA uniform. Make sure to wear closed-toed comfortable shoes for walking. Bring a water bottle and a light snack if you would like.

If you have submitted parent permission slip and 6$ fee please be ready for our field trip this Wed. It should be a great time!!

-Ms. Duerr

2010-12-02T14:33:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!
I can't believe it is December already. We are almost finished with our first semester. Before everyone enjoys a very well deserved winter break there were a few things that I wanted to share with students and families. Please look on the community corner page to see the most updated school and community information.

La Paloma Academy-Lakeside is working diligently to help make students and our community aware of the potential problems that are associated with "bullying" behavior. We are working together to inspire a positive and respectful environment throughout the school. Please take time to review the Character Hero Pledge with your child and discuss it with them.

Thank you all for working with us to provide the best school and community for each of our students :)
Ms. Duerr

Character Hero Pledge:
We will not accept bullying at our school. Our goal is to develop and support respectful friendships. We agree that it is everyone's responsibility to stop bullying. It is up to each of us to make sure that bullying does not take place.
We Will:
*Treat others with fairness and respect.
*Find ways to help others join games and other activities.
*Speak out against bullying
*Refuse to let others be bullied.
*Report bullying to an adult.
*Refuse to bully others.
*Be responsible bystanders who are part of the solution.
*Help others feel safe and comfortable at our school.

2010-11-18T11:24:00.001-07:00

November 18, 2010

Hi Everyone!

I have just a few updates. Progress reports were sent home last Friday. Please make sure you have reviewed them with your child. Please also make sure to sign and return them as soon as possible.

Thanksgiving break is right around the corner! We will be having a Whole school Feast on Tuesday 11/23/2010. Jr. High will be responsible for bringing in desserts. Please bring a dessert (pre-cooked) to share with the whole school.

7th Grade-
TEST- Plate Tectonics (Tuesday 11/23/2010) Please encourage your child to study from their study guides.

We will be off of school beginning Wednesday 11/24/2010 and will return Monday 11/29/2010. I would like to wish all of our families a very Happy Thanksgiving. I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday.

Ms. Duerr

2010-11-02T12:41:00.002-07:00

Please note: Progress Reports will be sent home on November 12th, 2010. It is extremely important that these are signed by the parent or guardian and sent back as soon as possible so that I can ensure that you are receiving this important information. Progress reports are designed to encourage communication between the teacher, parent, and student. They are also a way to guage your childs progress. Please contact me if you have any questions.

Hope everyone has a wonderful week!

P.S.
Please check both Community Corner Page and Classroom Connections Page for updates!

2010-10-21T06:40:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
I hope you all had a wonderful break. Report cards were sent out last Wednesday before the break. Please contact me if you would like to set up a conference. Please check the pages for more information on the classroom and upcoming events.

2010-09-27T09:38:00.002-07:00

Part of being a successful student is learning the art of studying. Please take time to review with your child their notes and vocabulary. Have your child explain to you each concept of their study guide. Teaching someone else is a great way to understand the material better!

EXAMS COMING UP! Please check classroom connection page for details....

Astronomy- Motion, eclipses, tides, moon

2010-09-19T10:02:00.001-07:00

Check out this SlideShare Presentation: This is a good synapses of some of the concepts that we are reviewing in 7th grade Astronomy. I will be using some of this during class next week.

Astronomy- Motion, eclipses, tides, moon

View more presentations from barresee.

Upcoming Events

2010-09-13T21:39:00.002-07:00

Please look on our Community Corner page for upcoming events as well as the Classroom Connections page for updates on classroom activities.

NEW BLOG LAYOUT

2010-08-31T19:43:00.002-07:00

Welcome Students and families!

You may have noticed a few changes to our class blog. I am currently in the process of updating the blog so that my students and families will be able to access information easier. I have also added some additional items for your information. I have included a metric converter calculator, a moon phase calculator, science encyclopedia, a translator for any families that would like to translate this page into their home language, and I have even included a class pet. Please click on our pet hamster, Einstein (to the right) and you can feed him. Please feel free to explore as much as you would like.

I have also changed the posts so that there are individual pages for each section of information. We now have a few individual pages and I will be continually adding to these as time goes on. For now make sure to check out the Weird Science page to watch a clip of one of my favorite t.v. shows called "Brainiac" and the crazy science experiment on electricity.

Please click on each page (to the left) for a description of each of them and important information.

Pages:
Home
Community Corner
Classroom Connection
Project Planner
Weird Science

I hope this new design and layout will be easier for all of you and provide more information to help everyone stay connected. I believe that good communication is essential to student, teacher, and family success! Thanks for helping to make this the best school year ever!

2010-08-30T12:10:00.001-07:00

Supply List

2010-08-10T06:31:00.000-07:00

Ms. Duerr- Science Class
Every student must have:
• Pens/Pencils
• Expo dry erase marker
• Notebook (3 or 5 subject. This will be used all year)
• Folder (You will need a folder specifically for Science class)
• Extra paper (loose leaf-college ruled)
• Personal pencil sharpener
• Ruler (must have centimeters)

There are many supplies that we use throughout the year. In an effort to keep the cost as low as possible for parents I am including a general list of items that I need for the class. I would like for each student to pick 2 or 3 items to bring for class use. Any help with these items is greatly appreciated. Thank you so much for your support.

• Kleenex
• Hand sanitizer
• Expo dry erase markers
• Copy paper
• Pencils or Pens
• Rulers
• Markers
• Scotch Tape
• Post-its

2010-08-10T06:20:00.000-07:00

Welcome 7th and 8th graders!
Dear Students and Parents,
I would like to welcome all of my new students and parents to La Paloma Academy and welcome back my returning students and parents. For those who are new, I would like to introduce myself. My name is Ms. Duerr and I am the Junior High Science teacher. I have my Bachelor’s in Biology/Secondary Education and I am state certified and highly qualified in the areas of Biology and General Science (middle grades). I have three sons, two that attend La Paloma Academy and my oldest is beginning his junior year in high school. I love spending time with my family, including my animals. I have two dogs and a bird. This summer I was chosen to be a part of a program for Science teachers to work in a research lab at the University of Arizona. I was able to do both field and lab science, make connections with other educators, and gain valuable experience that I can use in the classroom. I am looking forward to sharing the exciting world of discovery and exploration of Science with each of you!

There are many questions new middle school students often have. Below I have answered some of the more common questions. Also, we will discuss them in further detail during the first few days.

What are Ms. Duerr’s Expectations?
1. Respect
2. Be Prepared and Stay on Task
3. Be Safe

What can I do to be successful?
* Understand and follow classroom rules and procedures
* Don't be afraid to ask questions!

What will we be doing in Class?
1. Bellwork: this is a task that is given to work on and complete in the first five minutes of class. It is part of your participation grade and a device to encourage good attendance and promptness therefore bellwork will NOT be able to be made up.

2. Homework/Class Assignments: This will be given periodically throughout the week. Homework will be due the following day unless otherwise specified. Assignments not turned in by their due date may either be reduced in points or not accepted.

3. Tests: Will be given periodically and can be a significant part of your grade so please take them seriously.

4. Labs: We will be doing many hands-on activities throughout the year. Lab investigations are very important for us to develop a strong understanding of the basic principles of science. As a student, you will be expected to actively participate and contribute to your lab group.

What do I do if I need help?

• I will be available most days before and after school
• Please let me know if you need to make special arrangements.

Communication is extremely important to me as both parent and teacher. Please feel free to contact me anytime if there are ever any questions or concerns!

First Homework Assignments (For the Parents/Guardians)
I thought it would only be fair if I asked the parents/guardians to do one small homework assignment since the students will be starting their own homework soon.
Parents and guardians know their children the best and it can be difficult to get to know each student within the first few days. So if you could share with me your knowledge of your child it would help me to understand each of them better and create an open and sharing classroom environment.
Assignment:
In a million words or less tell me about your child….
Don’t worry, there is no grade for this assignment and it can be as simple as a few words or a ten page essay if you like. This is just a chance for you to share with me anything you think would be informative, funny, or helpful.
*I know some of you may have done this assignment last year but children grow and change so much that you might be surprised how different your assignment is this year.

I hope you have all enjoyed your summer and are ready for an exciting new year!
Sincerely,

Ms. A. Duerr
Phone: 733-7373 Email: aduerr@lpatucson.org

The teacher who is indeed wise does not bid you to enter the house of his wisdom but rather leads you to the threshold of your mind. ~Kahlil Gibran

2010-05-03T10:30:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone,

We are in our last few weeks of school and I know everyone is very excited :)

Both the 7th and 8th grades our working on their final unit in Science. Both classes are covering Environmental Biology/Ecology respectively.

In an effort to continue to make connections with our community and raise awareness for our surrounding environment both 7th and 8th grades will be learning about the Sonoran Desert Ecosystem in detail.

I have given project rubrics today 5/03/10 for a Sonoran Desert project that will be due 05/11/10. Please ask your child to show you the rubrics as this will give a detailed explanation of my expectations.

Upcoming Events:
May 10-14- Book Fair (Buy one get one free)

May 18-20- 8th Grade Trip

May 26- Yearbook signing

May 27-8th Grade Graduation

May 28- Last Day of School!

Hope everyone has a great week :)
-Ms. Duerr

2010-04-08T14:09:00.001-07:00

Hello everyone!

I hope everyone had a wonderful spring break and enjoyed their time. We have 8 weeks left of the school year and then it will be summer break :)

**********AIMS WEEK 4/12- 4/16****************

Parents we will be testing for AIMS next week.

Helpful Hints

Please make sure your child gets a good nights sleep before testing
A good balanced breakfast will help your child to stay focused throughout the day
Keep a calm environment
Be available to help your child if they have questions, concerns, or worries

Some children experience a lot of stress and/or anxiety prior to taking standardized testing. Please encourage them to talk about any fear or stress. They will all do great! A little positive encouragement can go a long way to help :)

I am including a few example questions from the 8th grade Science AIMS test so that you can get an idea of what your child will be tested on.

1. Bromine (Br) is a liquid at room temperature. Oxygen (O) is a gas at room temperature. Room temperature is 25 degrees C.

Which of the following statements is true?
A. The boiling point of oxygen is colder than room temperature.
B. The boiling point of bromine is colder than room temperature
C. The melting point of oxygen is warmer than room temperature
D. The melting point of bromine is warmer than room temperature

Correct answer: A

2. How did the work of Gregor Mendel change the scientific explanation about how traits were inherited?
A. Mendel showed that every trait is controlled by two inherited elements.
B. Mendel showed that an organism contains miniature forms of its future offspring
C. Mendel showed that traits skip a generation and are inherited grandparent to grandchild.
D. Mendel showed that tiny particles from every part of the body of each parent became blended and produced an individual with the characteristics of both

Correct answer: A

Hope everyone has a great weekend and gets lots of rest for AIMS next week!

A. Duerr

March Update

2010-03-01T01:14:00.000-07:00

Hello Students and Parents,

I would like to thank students, parents, and staff for a very successful First Annual Science Fair! I would like to give special thanks to Mrs. Stewart, Ms. Basayne-Smith, Ms. Chambers, and to all of the judges for making it a great success!

Congratulations to our top winners and good luck to those that qualified to go on to the Southern Arizona Regional Science and Engineering Fair.
The third quarter is almost at a close. All third quarter work will need to be turned in by Friday March 5th. Students please make sure all missing, late, or make-up work is turned in by this date.

Note to Parents:

Thursday March 11th is early release day. Report cards will be going out on this day. The science fair project grades will be a large portion of the students third quarter grades. Unfortunately, many students were missing assignments or were significantly late with assignments and this has affected their Science grade.

March 12-15- Spring Break :)

7th Grade

We are completing our unit on Geologic time this week. We will be working on our own time scale lab on Monday 3/1. Study Guides will be assigned on 3/2 and the Ch. 4 unit exam will be on Thursday 3/4/10. It is very important to complete the study guide accurately and spend an appropriate amount of time studying for the exam. Please make sure that you really study the unit vocabulary as this will be an important part of your test.

We will begin our next unit on Friday 3/6. We will begin discussing populations of organisms in ecosystems. This unit will cover many aspects of Environmental Biology.

8th Grade

We are continuing to work on Genetics and Heredity. Students have completed their first Punnett square activities and we will continue to reinforce and review Punnett squares and Mendelian genetics. We will be doing several activities this week that include an inventory of dominant human traits as well as using the law of probability to draw a picture of a baby using several human traits such as; eye shape, ear shape, curly/straight hair etc. Students usually enjoy this lab activity because every picture comes out so unique.

Please continue to discuss with your child the importance of studying and completing homework as well as staying on task during class and turning in all of their daily work including Bellwork.

I hope everyone has a wonderful spring break,

Ms. Duerr

2010-03-01T00:39:00.001-07:00

UPDATE

2010-02-08T21:45:00.000-07:00

Hello All!

PROGRESS REPORTS! These have been mailed out to each student and you should be receiving them very soon. Parents, please review your child's progress report and sign the bottom portion and return as soon as possible. Progress reports are a very important way that we communicate your child's academic progress and it is so important that we know that you have received it. This is a great time to come to me with any questions and concerns. We send these out so that there is still time to improve grades or catch up with any missing assignments.

SCIENCE FAIR! The Science Fair is just around the corner and I am looking forward to seeing all of my students hard work. I have graded all assignments except for the final board grade. The final board, yellow journal, and typed abstract are due on Wednesday February 17th, 2010. It is extremely important that your student turns in their boards on time. We will be signing in all projects for the fair on Wednesday afternoon.

7th Grade:
Students will be taking their exams on the Rock/Mineral unit on Tuesday 2-9-10.
We will start our next unit on the Geological Time Scale beginning Thursday 2-11-10
Please encourage your child to study for their exams and to complete their study guides.

8th Grade:
We have just finished our unit on the Cell and most students were able to participate in the incredible edible Jello Cell! Students created an edible model of a cell made from jello, mike-n-ikes, nerds, sugar babies, gobstoppers, and fruit roll ups. Each of these items represented an organelle of the cell. Quiz your child to see if they can tell you what each candy represented :)

We will begin our unit on Heredity in which we discuss Gregor Mendel's famous pea plants, dominant nd recessive traits. Yes, many of you may remember those wonderful punnett squares! Keep an eye out for the sponge bob square pants heredity lab, the kids seem to enjoy it.

I hope everyone has a great week,

Ms. Duerr

2010-01-29T09:29:00.000-07:00

SCIENCE FAIR COMING SOON!

7th Grade:
We are currently studying rocks and minerals and have taken our first quiz from the unit. We have gone over the five characteristics of a mineral and the several properties by which geologists identify the different minerals. We have used the Moh's scale as well to rank the hardness of several minerals. For instance, diamond is the hardest mineral known and is ranked at a 10. However, it is not the rarest. Ask your child they should know which one it is :)

We will begin studying rocks next week. This part of the unit is broken down into four sections; Igneous rock, Sedimentary Rock, Metamorphic Rock and the Rock cycle. We will be doing many assignments during class including vocabulary, enrichment and review worksheets, and making a poster of the rock cycle. Please talk with your child to make sure they are keeping up with work during the class period.

Bellwork is a very important part of each day. This is a device that encourages attendance and promptness as well as a way for every student to begin class focused on science. Please make sure to check with your child that they are continuing to do daily bellwork and turning it in. Unfortunately, I have many students who finish bellwork everyday but are not turning it in.

8th Grade:
We just finished the final unit of Chemistry part III just over a week ago. I have graded their exams and will be updating grades soon.
We are now beginning our Biology unit. We have just begun our section on the cell.
We have been discussing Robert Hook's discovery of the cell in the 1600's and the cell theory. We have began discussing each organelle and its function within the cell. Students have been drawing and labeling and will be doing a lab to help reinforce their understanding sometime next week.
Once we have reviewed the cell and its parts we will begin studying Heredity in detail. Practicing unit vocabulary with your child would be a great study skill. We will be doing many activities during class time and having a better understanding of the vocabulary will help tremendously.

Bellwork is a very important part of each day. This is a device that encourages attendance and promptness as well as a way for every student to begin class focused on science. Please make sure to check with your child that they are continuing to do daily bellwork and turning it in. Unfortunately, I have many students who finish bellwork everyday but are not turning it in.

GRADES:
Grades were posted 2 weeks ago. I have some catch up grading to do this weekend and I should have new grades posted by Monday or Tuesday.

Reminder: Science fair grades will be added 2/19/10 and will not be a part of their progress report. If the project was not completed on time or was incomplete this could significantly affect their 3rd quarter grade.

****Progress reports will be coming home 2/8/10. ******
Please make sure to review and discuss progress reports with your child. This is the best opportunity to make sure that your child is on track and staying focused. Please sign and return progress reports in a timely manner.

SCIENCE FAIR:
We are at the home stretch for the science fair! Yay!!!

These are the assignments that I have collected in each students Science fair folders.
Please make sure your child has turned in each of these:

Permission slip
Hypothesis
Materials/Procedures list
Data (including graph)
Conclusion

Mr. Jones has been reviewing the abstract with all classes. He has been working with the students to develop their abstracts for their projects.
Abstracts are due 2/8/10.
Final boards due 2/17/10!!!!!!
Each assignment is expected to be typed
You can find an example of board set up in the science fair packet
Science Fair exhibition and judging will be on 2/19/10

AIMS:
We have began to prepare for the AIMS test. 8th graders will be taking a science AIMS and I will spend a portion of each week reviewing standards with each class. I will be doing some review with 7th graders of scientific inquiry but I will be concentrating more on test taking strategies and tools with them.

Quick Tips:
Preparation for your first test should begin after the first day of class; this includes studying, completing homework assignments and reviewing study materials on a regular basis.

Budget your time, make sure you have sufficient time to study so that you are well prepared for the test.

Go over any material from practice tests, HW's, sample problems, review material, the textbook, class notes...

Eat before a test. Having food in your stomach will give you energy and help you focus but avoid heavy foods which can make you groggy.

Get plenty of sleep

Try to show up at least 5 minutes before the test will start.

Set your alarm and have a backup alarm set as well.

Go to the bathroom before walking into the exam room.

December

2009-12-04T12:51:00.000-07:00

Hi All,

The end of second quarter is fast approaching. I wanted to make sure that I let everyone know some important information.

December 10th, 2009 will be the last day that I will accept any late or missing assignments. NO EXCEPTIONS.

The Jr. High has been experiencing a tremendous amount of late and missing work. Due to this high volume, I will know longer accept late or missing work after two weeks. Remember, bellwork is a daily assignment and it is not able to be made up.

7th grade
We have begun our unit on Volcanoes. We have gone over all of the unit vocabulary. We are discussing some famous Eruptions, where volcanoes occur and hot spots. We will be discussing each type of volcano in detail, shield, cinder cone, and composite. What types of magma and how silica content affects the type of an eruption volcanoes have. We will be doing an activity to plot volcanoes in the "Ring of Fire" and watching an informative series on Mt. Kilauea in Hawaii.

8th grade
We are working on chemical equations. These can be tough but the students are working hard on learning how to balance chemical equations. As well as how to determine what type of reaction it is: synthesis, decomposition, single or double replacement. We will have a test covering these topics at the end of next week. Students have a four step process for balancing chemical equations. Students are to practice the equations from their worksheets.

Have a great weekend!
A Duerr

SCIENCE FAIR INFO

2009-12-04T12:47:00.000-07:00

SCIENCE FAIR INFO

I just wanted to write a quick update on the Science Fair information packets. I apologize they will not be ready to send out this week. We are getting them copied for both the Lakeside campus as well as the Central campus so I am hoping that they will be ready to handout by next week. I will keep you updated on these

Thank you all for your patience,
A Duerr

2009-11-24T10:04:00.000-07:00

****IMPORTANT UPDATE*******

I WILL BE SENDING INFORMATION OUT REGARDING OUR LA PALOMA ACADEMY SCIENCE FAIR THE WEEK AFTER THANKSGIVING BREAK.

The Science Fair Project is a mandatory project for Jr. High Science class.

Students will receive a large portion of their third quarter grade from their Science project.

Parents- please review Science Project information packets. Students will be bringing them home in the first week of December.

2009-11-24T09:55:00.000-07:00

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Thanks to all the parents and students who brought pie to share in our annual Thanksgiving Feast at La Paloma Academy.

I just wanted to send a quick update before we start our vacation.

8th Grade:
We completed our ice cream lab on Friday 11/20/2009. The students had a great time making their own ice cream and being able to eat it at the end! They were learning about exothermic and endothermic reactions as well as phase changes of matter in our Chemistry lab.

We have began going over chemical reactions. We have discussed synthesis, decomposition, single replacement and double replacement reactions. We will begin going over chemical equations when we return from our break.

7th Grade:
We have completed our Earthquake unit and the unit exam was given on Monday 11/23/2009. The exams were graded and your student should be aware of their grade. Ask them how they did on this.

When we return from break we will begin our unit on Volcanoes! I will have updated grades posted when we come back.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving break! See you on Monday 11/30/2009.

Ms. Duerr

November Updates

2009-11-03T07:32:00.000-07:00

First, I wanted to apologize for not updating my blog for the month of October. We have recently updated our servers for the entire school and I was unable to get access for most of the month.
We now have an updated server :)

Thank you everyone who attended and supported our Harvest Fest. It was a great success and our Junior High did a wonderful job with the spooky haunted bus!

***IMPORTANT INFORMATION****
I have now posted new grades for this quarter. All students will have access to their grades and missing assignments. Please ask your children about their grades. I have many students who are receiving low grades because they are not turning in daily bellwork.

I do not give daily homework. I give occasional homework assignments, however, students sometimes do not finish in class assignments and may take them home to finish. Unfortunately, I am not receiving these assignments back. Daily bellwork is a device to encourage attendance, promptness, and beginning the class on task and focused. It is a very important part of the students grade because it is a daily task and the points add up. Please discuss the importance with your child of keeping track of their bellwork papers and turning them in on the appropriate day.

7TH GRADE
We are just finishing up our Plate Tectonic unit. I have sent a review packet home and they should turn it in by Thursday 11-05-2009. Students will be completing a study guide Tuesday 11-03-2009 and they will take a unit exam on Thursday 11-05-2009. Please stress the importance of studying for this exam as it will be a large portion of their grade.

We will begin our next unit on Earthquakes on Friday 11-06-2009.

8TH GRADE
We are just finishing up our Chemistry Part 1 unit. I have broken the Chemistry standards into three sections. We have been working on the periodic table, the atom, states of matter, metals, non-metals, and metalloids. The students will complete a study guide on Tuesday 11-03-2009 and they will take a unit exam on Thursday 11-05-2009. One of the in class assignments was to make a periodic table that they may use on the exam. Unfortunately, many students did not complete this table despite that they were given two full days to complete them. Please check with your child to see if they completed the table as it will be important for their exam. Also, studying is an important skill for education. I have noticed that many students are unprepared for exams. Please stress the importance of studying with your student.

STUDY IDEAS
Help your child by

Reviewing vocabulary
Quizzing them on study guide
Checking study guide
Reviewing unit notes

UPCOMING EVENTS
11-4-09-Dress down day
11-11-2009-Veteran's Day off
11-12-2009-PTO Meeting from 6:30-7:30. We will provide a movie for the children
11-13-2009-Mid-Quarter
11-17-2009-Skate Night from 6-8
11-20-2009-Character Lunch for Respect
11-20-2009-PTO movie night from 6-7:30
11-21-2009-El Tour-LPA will be participating
11-24-2009-Thanksgiving Feast (more information to follow)
11-25-27-2009-Thanksgiving Break
11-30-2009-Chick-Fil-A Calendar Fundraiser

Hope everyone has a great week!
Ms. Duerr :)

2009-09-15T14:50:00.000-07:00

Hello!
I just wanted to update on a few things.
7th grade: We finished taking notes on the phases of the Moon today and we began a small projects. Most of the students were unable to finish so they are to finish at home.

7th Homework: Please finish making your moon phase books. Please label each picture of each phase and write a brief description to help you with later study.

8th grade: We are continuing to discuss velocity, vectors, scalar, displacement, average speed and average velocity. We will be working on how to calculate average speed and velocity as well as how to determine displacement. We will begin graphing as soon as I feel that my students have a good grasp on velocity, etc.

8th Homework: There is no homework for today. However, I suggest that parents go through the notes with their child and have them explain what the concepts are. If they are able to explain than they have understood the concepts if not they may need some extra help.

Gak Lab: Due to copyright concerns I did not want to post the Gak Lab recipe on my blog. However there is a great website that shows how to make an alternate Gak that might be fun for all of you to try. The website is www.stevespanglerscience.com. Look for the "Glacier Gak" recipe and let me know how it goes.

Duerr's Homeroom Update:
I just wanted to say Congratulations to my homeroom for winning the Hero's night Poster contest! We will be discussing, as a class the type of party we would like as our prize. Good Job!

2009-09-11T10:24:00.000-07:00

09/11/2009
Just a quick update:
7th grade homework
Students will write vocabulary and definitions three times each.

Vocabulary
Axis
Revolution
Orbit
Crater
Penumbra
Umbra
Eclipse
Satellite
Artificial Satellite
Rotation

2009-09-10T18:13:00.000-07:00

09/10/2009

Hello!
I hope everyone had a wonderful Labor day weekend. Just wanted to write a few quick things to keep everyone updated.

I have posted grades in my class. I included any missing assignments. I have finished all of the grading to date and will post revised grades tomorrow in class. I like to try and give students a chance to get in any of their missing assignments and make sure that they are aware of where they stand in the class.

Progress reports will be sent home on Monday 9/14/2009. Please ask your child for these and make sure to sign and have them return as soon as possible.

Hero's Night will be celebrated at our campus tomorrow night from 7-9pm.This is a La Paloma Academy tradition and Mrs. Irma Gonzalez, student council, and much of our staff have worked very hard to make this event special.It would be great to see everyone there.

We have now began our new units. Seventh graders have begun the unit on Astronomy and Eighth graders began working on their Physics unit. The work will become increasingly difficult and I encourage you to talk with your child about how they are doing in the class and make sure they are focusing, doing daily bellwork and all class work so that they are successful. If you see that your child is struggling please let me know so that we all can be proactive and work on things before the report cards are due.

As always please contact me with any questions and concerns. Have a safe and happy weekend.

Ms. Duerr

2009-09-03T08:52:00.000-07:00

09/03/2009

Hello!
Thank you to all of the parents who came to our open house. It was so nice to meet all of you. I hope you had a chance to sign in and check out the labs that your child has done in Science class.

As I had mentioned during the open house, I will be trying to update the blog as often as possible. Please bear with me during this process as it is new to me and there have been a few computer gliches at school as of late. Also, please feel free to email or comment with any suggestions.

This week we are wrapping up our Scientific Inquiry units. We have covered lab safety, lab equipment, metric system, nature of science, and the scientific method. We will begin a new unit sometime next week.

Upcoming:
Thursday 09/03/2009- Science and Problem solving worksheet (to be completed at home if not finished in class)
Friday 09/04/2009- Unit 1 study guide
Monday: No school Labor Day
Tuesday 09/08/09 Unit 1 Exam

**Please help by making sure your child has completed and studied the study guide for our first exam.

I would like to give all students a chance to complete the Gak lab therefore I will not be able to post the Gak recipe until sometime next week.

I hope everyone has a safe and happy Labor day weekend!
Ms. Duerr

Random Quote of the Day
Everything you do in life, every choice you make, has a consequence. When you do things without thinkin' you aint makin' the choice. The choice is makin' you.
Mark Steven Johnson

2009-08-25T13:00:00.000-07:00

Upcoming Events

August Calendar
24 Entertainment Book Sale Starts
31--09/04 School Book Fair

September Calendar
2 Dress Down Day for $1
2 Open House from 6-8
7 NO SCHOOL Labor Day
9 Entertainment Book Sale Ends
11 Mid quarter ends
11 Hero's Night
18 Movie Night - No Cost. Please a can of food for donation
22 Picture Day

2009-08-24T13:03:00.000-07:00

08/24/09

Hello parents and students!
We had a great first week and I wanted to say thank you so much to all of the parents who responded to the "Million words or less" assignment. The letters have given me insight to each of your children and I am looking forward to getting to know each of them better throughout the year.

In class:
Last week we have been focusing on practicing the rules and procedures of the classroom. We discussed the metric system, lab safety, and basics of the science classroom.
Students completed their first lab, "Gummy Bear Lab." Ask your child what observations they made about their "gummy bear" during day 2 of their experiment.
Assignments:

Metric conversion
Lab safety worksheet
Gummy Bear Lab

Coming up:
This week we will begin discussing Science Inquiry process. The students will begin to understand the definition of science. What science is and is not, famous scientists, and science technology and how it has affected the world around them. We will continue with an in depth look into the scientific method.

Assignments Coming up:

Mouse lab scenario
Variables
Scientific method worksheet
"Gak Lab"

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns. I hope everyone has a wonderful week.

"The scientist's inquiry into the causes of things is providing an ever more extensive understanding of nature."
Kenneth G. Wilson

Welcome

2009-08-14T07:55:00.000-07:00

08/14/2009
Welcome Students and Parents!

I am very excited about our upcoming school year and our new blog. I will be updating information about our classroom as often as possible and hopefully this will create an open communication forum between parents, students and myself.

The first day of school was a great success. I was so happy to see all of my returning students and very excited to meet my new students.

I have or will be sending some important information over the next couple of days. Please ask your child about this information.

Student Expectancy Sheet (Parent/Guardian homework assignment)
Classroom Rules and Procedures (Must be signed and returned)
Health office information
Schedule
Jr. High Supply List

On my student expectancy sheet I assigned parents/guardians a small homework assignment.

Excerpt: I thought it would only be fair if I asked the parents/guardians to do one small homework assignment since the students will be starting their own soon. Parents/guardians know their children the best and it can be difficult to get to know each student within the first few days. So if you could share with me your knowledge of your child it would help me to understand each of them better and create an open and sharing classroom environment.

Assignment:
In a million words or less tell me about your child....
Don't worry there is no grade for this assingment and it can be as simple as a few words or a ten page essay if you like. This is just a chance for you to share with me anything you think would be informative, funny or helpful.

Please review classroom procedures and sign and return on Monday 08/17/2009.

Please continue to check the blog and feel free to email me if you have any questions. I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Ms. Duerr