September 26-30

IMPORTANT - Period 1-4-5 students have one week to come in (before school, at lunch, or after school) to make corrections on their tests. They can use their notes and handouts. Honors students can make corrections if their score was less than 70%, and can only raise their score to 70%.

Monday
Students will do a lab called "Burning Up the Atmosphere". Honors students: MESPOWs for this week are #1 and #29. Read them both carefully and choose one to do with the WS. If you were gone, periods 1-4-5 should do questions 1-10 on page 499 . . . periods 6-7 should read 472-477 and questions do questions 1-2 on page 478.

Tuesday
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). 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. Then watch this 4.5-minute YouTube video. If you would like to know more about skin cancer, click here.

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 19-23

Reminder: If things go according to plan, the first test will be on Thursday.

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. Ask Benson if you need help. Also, watch this short video. 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
Students will watch a video related to oceanography.

Thursday
We wrap things up and review for the test tomorrow. Students will be given a review sheet, and we will do a Kahoot review in class. Attention honors students - You will have 4 additional questions on your test. The topics of those questions will be the density lab, the ocean conveyor belt (read this also), the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico, and MESPOW #25.

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

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 12-16 . . . First full week of school.

NOTICE: Every month I offer an "optional replacement assignment" that students can do to replace their lowest non-test score so far that quarter. For periods 1-4-5 that assignment is 1-6 p. 427, 1-5 p. 432, 1-4 p. 437. For periods 6-7 (honors) the optional replacement assignment is 1-9 p. 420. It is due on September 30, but the sooner you get it in, the sooner it will help your grade.

Monday
Classes are a bit shorter today due to early release (every Monday). Benson will give some papers back today and go over them. Students will also have a notebook entry - The topic will be "salinity". Periods 1-4-5 should read text pages 448-453, periods 6-7 should read pages 426-433. Honors students will have a MESPOW that is due SOC on Friday (read 110 and do 25).

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 from Benson)

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 watch this short YouTube video and read this web page. Finally, 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 watch this YouTube video and read the text beneath the video.

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 6-9

Reminders

1. Thursday is "school picture day".

2. The first meeting of the HHS Outdoors Club will be Friday during lunch in Benson's room.

3. The "Freshman Tail-Gating" event is Friday at the football stadium from 6-7 pm. HHS freshmen get free food, a free T-shirt, and free admission to the game.

Tuesday
We will discuss the recent pre-quiz (not graded), and then Benson will go over guidelines and expectations for the course. Students can use remaining time to work on the MT Map Activity or the WS from Friday.

Wednesday
We will be doing a lab today. The WS that goes with the lab is due SOC Thursday. The lab will provide a good review of "density", which will be an important concept as we begin to learn about ocean currents next week.

Thursday
Students will do another lab today to help them understand how salt affects ice-water. This will also be important as we begin to learn about ocean currents.

Friday
Students will watch a video as Benson issues textbooks.

Question of the week: In the ice-water lab, why did the temperature of the salty water get colder than the fresh-water? Hint: It had something to do with melting.