September 29 - October 3

Update Sunday morning 10/5 - The weather looks good so the hike is ON! Here is a link to information about the big hike -> Big Hike!
Unfortunately, the site doesn't open on some mobile devices.

Monday
(We are continuing Unit 2 today.) Classes are a bit shorter today due to early release (every Monday). Benson will review the UV bead project, and then students will be given the period to work on the project. If you were gone, carefully read this web page and pages 479-480 in your text (honors pages 466-467). Honors students: Only one MESPOW for this week (#18).

Tuesday
I will meet with the individual groups to discuss the project as other students work quietly on a WS at their assigned seats. If your were gone, watch this PenCast and do the worksheet (Greenhouse Effect) found on the Benson's Handouts Page.

Wednesday and Thursday
Groups will continue to work on their projects (weather-permitting).

Friday
Students will take notes on a handout as Benson explains concepts related to the global warming issue.

Question(s) of the week: The vast majority of climate scientists believe that the current climate change is caused (in part) by humans. According to this theory, what are we doing to cause the world to get warmer? Explain how this is causing our atmosphere to trap heat.

September 22-26 - The Hole in the Ozone Layer Week

Here is a link to information about the big hike on October 5 -> Big Hike!
Unfortunately, the site doesn't open on some mobile devices.

Monday
(We are starting Unit 2 today.) Classes are a bit shorter today due to early release (every Monday). Benson will go over the lab that we did on Friday and then we will discuss several factors that influence the flight of a baseball or football. If you were gone, carefully read this web page and pages 479-480 in your text (honors pages 466-467). Honors students: MESPOWs for this week are #1 and #29. Read them both carefully and choose one to do with the WS.

Tuesday
Students will listen and take notes as Benson explains "The Hole in the Ozone Layer". If you were gone, get a copy of the notes handout and copy the notes from a classmate, read this web page and watch the video of the week below.

Wednesday
Benson will show students a demonstration, and then students will continue to take notes and learn about the hole in the ozone layer. If you were gone, copy the notes from a classmate and read this web page and be sure to select the arrow to watch the change over several years.

Thursday
We will do a quick review and then students will do an introductory lab activity to help them understand experimental design.

Friday
We will have a notebook entry and then Benson will explain the UV Bead Project. Watch this video -> How the Sun Sees You Students will have time to start working on their projects. Here is a description of the project-> UV Bead Project

Question(s) of the week: What causes the hole in the ozone layer to appear over Antarctica every September through November? Why does the hole affect the rest of the world?

September 15-19: First Test on Thursday

Here is a link to information about the big hike on October 5 -> Big Hike!
Unfortunately, the site doesn't open on some mobile devices.

Reminder: Students can come in this week on their own time (before school, lunch, after school) to make corrections on their tests. Honors students can only do this if they scored below 70/100 - and they can only raise the score to 70/100.

Monday
Classes are a bit shorter today due to early release (every Monday). Benson will explain the phenomenon known as "El Nino" and then students will work start a map activity related to El Nino. If you were gone, go to this web page and watch/read all of the resources that start with "El Nino" and get a copy of the map activity (and get it done). Ask Benson if you need help. Attention honors students - The MESPOWs for this week are #8 and #49. Carefully read both of them and then decide which one you want to the the worksheet with. The MESPOWs are due SOC on Friday.

Tuesday
Students will listen and take notes as Benson explains several concepts related to plankton. Students will have some time to complete the map activity from yesterday. If you were gone, copy the notebook entry from a classmate, read this web page and watch this video.

Wednesday
We wrap things up and review for the test tomorrow. Here are several Review Resources. Students will be given a review sheet - That sheet can be printed out from this web page.

Thursday
Students will take a test. After the test they will work individually on a graph activity related to our next unit.

Friday
Students will do a lab. The lab will serve as an introduction to our study of the atmosphhere.

Question of the week: What is El Nino?
(What causes it? What happens in the Pacific Ocean during an El Nino? Why does it affect the path of storms?)

Click here to see the VIDEO OF THE WEEK!

September 8-12: First full week of school!

Monday
Classes are a bit shorter today due to early release (every Monday). Benson will give some papers back today and go over them. Then we will have a notebook entry. Honors students will have an assignment (worksheet) that is due SOC Tuesday and a MESPOW that is due SOC on Friday (read 110 and do 25). If you were gone today you should copy the notes from a classmate and watch this PenCast (select "full screen"). NOTE: These PenCasts may not work on all mobile devices.

Tuesday
We will be doing a lab today. The WS that goes with the lab is due SOC Wednesday. If you miss the lab, watch this YouTube Video and complete the WS (Lab: The Briny Deep is available on the Benson's handouts page).

Wednesday
Students will listen and take notes as Benson does a presentation on ocean currents. If you were gone, get the notes handout and then copy the notes from a classmate. Also, be sure to carefully read pages 448-454 (honors read pages 426-433). Finally, watch the video of the week below.

Thursday
Reminder: Open House at HHS tonight - In class today we will review some recent assignments/concepts and then students will watch a 26-minute video about the Ocean Conveyor Belt. If you were gone read this web page and watch this 26-minute video.

Friday
Students will take notes as Benson explains "the Ocean Conveyor Belt". Then we will will watch a video about El Nino (a topic to be covered in more detail next week). If you were gone, copy the notebook entry from a classmate and go to this web page and watch/read all of the resources that start with "El Nino".

Question of the week: In the ice-water lab, why did the temperature of the salty water get colder than that of the fresh-water by making come of the ice melt?

VIDEO OF THE WEEK!

September is here!

I encourage students and parents to subscribe to this blog.

1. If you missed class on Friday, August 29 (or just want a review) watch this short YouTube Video.

2. Missed class on Tuesday, September 2 (or just need a review)? Watch/listen to this PenCast. To watch (and listen), follow these instructions.

Make sure your volume is on so that you can listen as the notes and diagrams appear.

Select the Full Screen option to see a larger view of the page.

In the lower right, select Hide Preview and then play. Pause the pencast at any time.

To Print a copy of the pencast (pdf file), go back to reduced screen and select download as PDF from menu to left.

Reminders:

Thursday is picture day.

The Freshman Tail-Gating (free T-shirt and food) begins at 6 pm Friday evening in the stadium parking lot.