Mr_C

=Welcome to Mr. Chrzanowski's New and Improved Science Wiki=

[|Hour of Code]

[|MESA Survey]

ELEMENTAL SUPERHEROES: Elemental Superheroes

Thank you for visiting my wiki page. I will be updating this page on a regular basis throughout the year so that you can have as many resources as possible to assist in your child's learning of Physical Science.

**TEXTBOOKS AND WEBSITES:**
We will be using a variety of texts in class this year. These texts will all be used to give information to your students, at varying levels, so that they can use them to enhance their learning experience. We are limited to having only a single class set for each of our 8th grade science textbooks. Due to this lack of textbooks, we will not be sending a book home this year. If you are interested, you can send your child to school with a USB drive and I can give them a .pdf copy of the book that we use as our primary resource. In addition to this, the textbook does have a website where you can find some notes, labeled as "Presentation Slides", for use when studying. They are located on the lower left portion of the webpage. The online "presentation slides" of the text that we use in class is available here:

CPO Physical Science Website

Furthermore, listed below are two websites that are aligned well with our 8th grade science objectives, and are written with a child's mentality in mind. There is also a link to YouTube, because often times I tell students that they can search the topics from class and find videos that will enhance their knowledge of the content and may cause them to come to class with even more questions about the information we have talked about.
 * www.physics4kids.com
 * www.chem4kids.com
 * www.youtube.com

Please let me know if you need any assistance and I will do my best to provide you with any other resources that become available.

Conclusion Writing Template:

Motion and Forces Unit:

 * __September and early October__:
 * During this time period we have worked on several topics dealing with basic motion and forces.
 * We have learned that when we see motion, we are able to see it because we have compared it to a frame of reference.
 * We looked at describing motion by looking at speed, velocity and acceleration. We were able to talk about those terms and calculate them as well using the formulas given in class.
 * With forces we looked at what force actually is and the different forces that are always acting on objects. We even played games of tug-of-war to show the difference between balanced forces and unbalanced forces.
 * We took all of what we learned and applied it to our "Air Delivery Challenge", which can be seen below.
 * Vocabulary during this time:
 * Motion
 * Relative Motion
 * Distance
 * Displacement
 * Time
 * Speed
 * Velocity
 * Acceleration (Positive, Negative and Changing Direction)
 * Force
 * Balanced Forces
 * Unbalanced Forces
 * Gravity
 * Friction
 * Air Resistance


 * __Early to Late October__:
 * At this time we are moving on to Newton's Laws of Motion. We will cover all three laws as seen below using various demonstrations and activities. We will sum it all up with "Rocket Week", during which we will watch and analyze a movie on rockets AND we will actually launch our own rockets!!! We are very excited, as we have never done this before, but it is an awesome way to show all of Newton's Laws.
 * __Newton's First Law__: An object in motion will continue in motion at a constant velocity or an object at rest will remain at rest until acted upon by an unbalanced force.
 * __Newton's Second Law__: F=ma (Force = mass x acceleration) Using this formula, this law show how force, mass and acceleration are related. The force that an object exerts is a result of its acceleration and its mass.
 * __Newton's Third Law__: Every action force has an equal, but opposite, reaction force. That's right, if you strike a volleyball with a certain amount of force, it actually does strike you back with the same amount of force. That's why you arms turn red :)
 * Vocabulary for this section includes all of the above vocabulary and the following:
 * Inertia
 * Weight
 * Momentum
 * Newtons
 * Net Force
 * Force Vector

Energy Unit:

 * __Late October into November__:
 * Our energy unit will focus on understanding the different forms of energy and how that energy moves. We will start with an understanding of the Law of Conservation of Energy. We will use potential and kinetic energy to explain and show the law, especially as it pertains to roller coasters. We actually play around with creating roller coaster designs and see what we can create based on energy.
 * Following these ideas, we will then go into the ideas of Energy Transfer and Energy Transformation. We will go over all of the types of energy and we will stress how energy is transferred and transformed in everyday activities and real life situations.
 * We will explore simple machines and the students will have an opportunity to manipulate those simple machines in class.
 * Following this, we will build Rube Goldberg Machines as a project that allows students to put their knowledge of energy, energy transfer, energy transformation, and simple machines into action.
 * This unit will finish up with how energy can be transformed into electrical energy.
 * Energy Vocabulary:
 * Law of Conservation of Energy
 * Potential Energy
 * Kinetic Energy
 * Energy Transfer
 * Energy Transformation
 * Mechanical Energy
 * Chemical Energy
 * Solar Energy
 * Radiant Energy
 * Thermal Energy
 * Nuclear Energy
 * Electrical Energy
 * Heat Transfer
 * Conduction
 * Convection
 * Radiation

**Electricity Unit:**
>>
 * __December__:
 * Atoms and Atomic Structure
 * An atom is the smallest **whole unit** of matter.
 * An atom is composed of two "sections", the center, known as the **nucleus**, and the area surrounding the nucleus called the **Electron Cloud**.
 * There are three subatomic particles that make up the whole atom:
 * Protons: Positively charged particles that are located in the nucleus and have a mass of 1 a.m.u.
 * Neutrons: Neutral particles that are located in the nucleus and have a mass of 1 a.m.u.
 * Electrons: Negatively charged particles that are located in the electron cloud and have a mass that is negligible
 * Electricity:
 * Form of energy in which electrons are either accumulated or flow
 * Static Electricity:
 * Static Electricity is a build up of electrons on an item, giving it an overall negative charge. (When rubbing your socks on the carpet, your feet pick up extra electrons causing a charge in you.)
 * Electric Discharge is the sudden release of electrons from an area of high negative charge to an area of lower negative charge. (In the previous example, when you touch someone else or a metal doorknob, you discharge the electrons, giving you a shock.)
 * Electrical Current:
 * A flow of electrons through a set of conductors
 * Conductors and Insulators
 * Conductors are materials that allow energy to pass through them easily
 * Insulators are materials that do not allow energy to pass through them easily
 * Electric Circuit:
 * A set of conductors that contain at least one power source and one resistor (light bulb, fan, TV, etc.)
 * Series Circuits vs Parallel Circuits
 * **Series Circuits**
 * Circuits that only have one path for electrons to flow.
 * __Advantages__: a) less expensive to make b) easier to make
 * __Disadvantages__: a) when one part fails, the whole circuit fails b) when you add resistors, you take energy from the others
 * **Parallel Circuits**
 * Circuits that have more than one path for electrons to flow.
 * __Advantages__: a) when one path fails, the others continue to work b) when you add resistors, the others are not affected
 * __Disadvantages__: a) more expensive to make b) more difficult to make

Magnetism Unit:

 * __Early January__:
 * Magnets are ferromagnetic materials in which all of their domains are aligned
 * Ferromagnetic materials are those materials that can be magnetized
 * MAGNETS, I.N.C. I = Iron, N = Nickel, C = Cobalt
 * Domains are the atoms inside of a magnet, specifically the electrons spinning around the nucleus. To be aligned, they must all be spinning in the same direction.
 * All magnets have three main properties:
 * Magnetic Poles (North and South)
 * Magnetic Fields (strongest at the poles)
 * Magnetic forces (attraction and repulsion)
 * Opposites attract, likes repel
 * Electromagnets
 * Composed of a ferromagnetic core, a wire coiled around the core, and a power source
 * Electromagnets can be made stronger by:
 * The purity of their core
 * The amount of electric power
 * The number of coils wrapped around them
 * Magnetic Levitation
 * a method in which objects are suspended with no other support than magnetic fields
 * MagLev Trains
 * http://science.howstuffworks.com/transport/29341-extreme-engineering-maglev-train-video.htm
 * https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIwbrZ4knpg

Waves - Sound and Light Unit:

 * Late January - Early February:
 * Waves:
 * A wave is a disturbance that carries energy from one place to another
 * Mechanical wave: a wave that carries moving energy and requires a medium in order to travel
 * Medium: the material through which a wave can travel
 * Travels best through: 1) solids 2) liquids 3) gases 4) vacuum (not at all)
 * Example: Sound
 * Electromagnetic wave: a wave that carries energy without requiring a medium
 * Travels best through: 1) vacuum 2) gases 3) liquids 4) solids
 * Example: Light
 * Properties of waves:
 * Amplitude: How far a wave moves the medium from it's rest position
 * Frequency: How many waves pass by a given point in a given amount of time (generally measured in hertz, or waves/second)
 * Wavelength: Distance between two consecutive similar points on a wave
 * Interactions of waves:
 * Reflection: the bouncing back of a wave when it strikes a surface
 * Refraction: the bending of a wave when it changes speed, usually due to entering a different medium
 * Sound:
 * A mechanical wave created by the vibration of the particles in a medium
 * Amplitude of a sound wave affects the loudness of the sound
 * Frequency / Wavelength of a sound wave affects the pitch of the sound
 * Human Ear: composed of the outer ear, middle ear, and inner ear
 * Outer ear gathers sound waves and funnels them into the ear canal to the ear drum
 * Middle ear takes the sound waves from the ear drum and amplifies them to be transferred to the cochlea
 * Inner ear interprets the frequencies of the sounds in the cochlea and vibrates hair follicles, sending signals to the brain through the cochlear nerves
 * Light:
 * Electromagnetic Spectrum:
 * A diagram of light waves that is organized by wavelength and frequency
 * Visible Light: the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that is visible to the naked eye
 * Reflection of light:
 * The bouncing of light when it hits a surface. This is why we are able to see!!!!
 * Refraction of light:
 * The bending of light due to a change in its speed.
 * This allows us to see rainbows, sunsets, and shows us all of the colors of white light.
 * Color:
 * The color an object appears is the color that the object reflects. Absorbed colors are not seen. If a shirt is green, it is absorbing all colors except green, green is being REFLECTED.
 * White objects REFLECT all colors, where as black objects ABSORB all colors.
 * Sight:
 * We see because of our eyes. Light enters the eye through the pupil. The amount of light that enters is controlled by the iris. The cornea and lens refract the light to focus it on the retina. The brain then interprets that image.

Basic Chemistry Unit:

 * Mid February - March
 * Building Blocks in Chemistry
 * Atoms
 * Elements
 * Compounds
 * Mixtures
 * Properties and Changes
 * Classification - arrangement of substances based on specific criteria
 * Physical Properties - characteristics of substances that can be observed, without changing a substance into a new substance
 * Example: size, color, shape
 * Physical Changes - a change in the physical properties of a substance, resulting in no change to the substances chemical make up
 * Example: an apple is cut in half
 * Chemical Properties - an object's ability to react in some way, resulting in a change in that object's chemical make up
 * Always begins with "the ability to ___"
 * Example: the ability to oxidize, the ability to burn
 * Chemical Changes - a change in an object that results in a change in the chemical makeup of a substance
 * Example: an apple turns brown when left in the air, an iron nail rusts
 * April - Early May
 * The Periodic Table of the Elements
 * Arranged by atomic number
 * Rows, aka Periods, which tell how many atomic orbitals an element has in its atoms
 * Columns, aka Groups, show elements that have similar chemical properties
 * Groups 1, 2, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 also tell how many valence electrons an element has in its atoms
 * Atoms
 * Atoms have two main structural components, the nucleus and the electron cloud
 * The nucleus contains the protons and neutrons of the atom, and is where most of the atom's mass is located
 * The electron cloud is where the electrons are located. They orbit the nucleus in what are known as atomic orbitals. These orbitals each hold a specific number of electrons. The outer most orbital contains the outermost electrons, known as valence electrons.
 * Atomic Models
 * Bohr Model
 * Shows a nucleus that shows the number of protons and neutrons
 * Shows orbitals with electrons drawn in them using dots to represent
 * Shorthand Model
 * Shows the atomic symbol with the correct number of electrons in each orbital stacked on top
 * First orbital is closest to the symbol and the last is farthest away
 * Lewis-Dot Diagram
 * Shows the atomic symbol with the correct number of valence electrons surrounding the symbol using dots to represent
 * Chemical Bonding
 * Ionic Bonding
 * electrons are transferred, creating ions
 * Ions are charged atoms
 * Positive ions (metals) attract to negative ions (non-metals) forming a bond that creates a new substance
 * Covalent Bonding
 * electrons are shared
 * non-metals are bonded with each other
 * Early May to mid-May
 * Chemical Reactions

**Motion and Forces Egg Drop Challenge:**
As part of our unit on motion and forces, students were asked to participate in what we called the "__Air Delivery Challenge__". With Amazon attempting to create a drone delivery system, we thought that students should be able to take their knowledge of motion and forces and apply them to the designing and creation of a container that could be used in that delivery process. The challenge said that the container had to be 100% recyclable or reusable and had to be able to withstand a fall of 5m, just in case the drone were to drop it too early. Below is just one example of a group's container and testing. media type="custom" key="26652082"

Rocket Week:
As part of our unit on motion, forces and Newton's Laws of Motion, the 8th grade participated in our first annual "Rocket Week". This week consisted of a lesson on model rocketry, watching "October Sky" and showing how all of the concepts we learned applied to the movie, and our very own rocket launch on the field behind our school. It was a great opportunity for our students to see Newton's Laws of Motion in action and everyone had a fantastic time.



[[image:/file/view/DSCN1187.JPG/530554266/800x600/DSCN1187.JPG width="800" height="600"]]
Click HERE to check out this video of our launch!!!

GT Research Corner:
As part of their requirement to complete 7th and 8th Grade GT Science students must complete a research project. The purpose of the experiment is to...

//**Throughout the research project, first person pronouns are NOT to be used. (NO I, we, me, us, etc.)**//

Introductions:
(Due October 27)
 * Give a broad overview of what the topic that is being studied is and why that topic was chosen.
 * Conduct research in order to see what has already been done on the topic that is being studied and communicate that information to the audience.
 * Use research information cards to document all of the sources used and what was found from them
 * Using the research that has been conducted, identify variables that that are going to be tested
 * Create a hypothesis that can be tested and can provide measurable, quantitative data

Design Plan:
(Due November 12)
 * Title:
 * Topic:
 * Question:
 * Hypothesis:
 * Independent Variable:
 * Dependent Variable:
 * Constant Variables:
 * Control:
 * Materials:


 * __**DETAILED**__ Procedures:

Data Collection:
(Due January 7)
 * Students actually complete their experiments and collect their data. Data should be organized in a chart with labels for all columns and rows. It should be easy to read and should be self explanatory to the reader.

Data Analysis:
(Due January 29)
 * Consists of two major parts: Graphs and Numerical Summary
 * __**Graphs**__: We have several types of graphs that typically do the job well. Several are listed here:
 * Line Graphs: used for continuous data with a standard scale to show change in a variable over time
 * Scatter Plots: used when two measurements are made for each element in the sample, helps to determine if two characteristics are correlated
 * Box-and-Whisker Plot: displays a five-point summary of the data (the greatest and least values, median and the first and third quartiles), used to show variance in a single data set
 * When graphing, be sure to label the axes and title the graph. The following site can be used as a guide:
 * http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/graphing/


 * __**Numerical Summary**__: This is the written portion of the Data Analysis. In this section students will explain the central tendencies and variation in the data they found. These include:
 * 1) A topic sentence stating the independent and dependent variables, and references to the graphs and tables.
 * 2) A sentence describing the correlation between variables if one exists.
 * 3) Sentences describing and comparing the measures of central tendencies of the different groups.
 * 4) Sentences describing the variation within groups.
 * __Central tendencies__ include data showing mean, median and mode.
 * __Variation__ is shown through range and standard deviation.

DATA ANALYSIS RUBRIC:

Conclusions:
(Due February 12) The following can be used to write your conclusion along with your conclusion writing templates from class:

Bibliography:
Final Project and Presentation:

Presentation at MHMS Science Fair: