Springlake-Earth HS Science Update
Let It Sn(Tin) O(Oxygen) W(Tungsten)!
8th Grade
To model Newton's 1st Law of Motion, students were able to experiment with the inertia of a penny and how it resists a change in motion because of its inertia.
Newton's 2nd Law of Motion, students calculated how different forces are needed to cause objects with different masses to accelerate at varied rates .
While learning about Newton's 3rd Law of Motion, students were able to build balloon powered race cars that demonstrated the principle of this law. Students were also able to model the principle of this law by playing with reaction rockets.
IP & C
To apply the Law of Conservation of Mass, students had to learn how to balance chemical equations to ensure that there were equal number of atoms of each element on both the reactants and products sides of the equations.
Next, students learned about endothermic and exothermic reactions. To understand how heat energy is absorbed or released, students completed a heat energy transformation lab. They used the heat from their hands to cause the air inside a bottle to expand which then caused a penny to dance.
Finally we finished the semester with how some chemical reactions have an environmental impact, such as: acid rain, ozone depletion, and degradation of air and water quality.
Biology
Meiosis is a type of cell division that results in four daughter cells, each with half the number of chromosomes as the parent cells.
Mendelian genetics is where one that is controlled by a single locus in an inheritance pattern.
To demonstrate how genetic traits are passed from parent to offspring, we played "Build that Bunny". Build that Bunny is a game using the genotypes.
We collected genotypes during the game and used them to predict what our bunny's phenotypes would be.
Chemistry
Students started with learning about chemical formulas and how chemical formulas can represent chemical bonding. Students practiced identifying the differences between Ionic and Covalent bonds.
After students mastered identifying different types of bonds, students then started naming bonds using the proper nomenclature rules for each type of bond.
We ended the semester with the Law of Conservation of Mass and types of chemical reactions. Students learned how to break down the parts of a chemical formula and how chemical formulas make up chemical equations. Students were able to correctly balance chemical equations to ensure they followed the Law of Conservation of Mass.
The student completed a Law of Conservation of Mass Wack-A-Pack lab where they hit a package with their hand which caused a chemical reaction to occur. As a result of the chemical reaction, a balloon inflated and popped out of the original package.
Principles of Technology
To model the significance of work, energy , and power students built containers for eggs for an "Egg Drop Competition". The students really enjoyed getting to see which container could keep the egg safe at different heights.
Winners from each class got to split a bag of candy.
The winners from third period won their class egg drop competition with a height of 2.85 meters.
The winners from fifth period won their class egg drop competition with a height of 4 meters.