7th and 8th Grade: Week of January 26-30

Hello,
Next week we will be begin an exciting activity on the Journey North website called Mystery Class. There are 10 real mystery classes hiding around the world. Your class will be divided into 10 groups and be assigned to one particular mystery class. Each week they will send us sunrise/sunset and cultural/historical clues. Our job is to use those clues to determine the location of each mystery class by the end of April. More information to follow.
We will be continuing our Electricity and Magnetism unit. Good job on Friday getting the LED lights to work using only lemons. Below see the homework description and DUE dates:

Tuesday, January 27: Research some things about lightning. Specifically answer the following questions in complete sentences:

1. How many volts and amps are in lightning bolts?
   
2. About how many people are killed each year in the United States by lightning? Which state has the most deaths by lightning?
   
3. Name at least two safety precautions to take to prevent getting hit by lightning.

Friday, January 30: What are the sources of electricity for Idaho? You will probably find that the sources include hydroelectric dams and coal. Organize the data in the form of a pie graph. Submit the graph for the homework.

Have a great week,
-Mr. Pfiester

9th Grade: Week of January 19-23

Hello,
We are starting our first week of the 2nd semester- hard to believe that the school year is already half over. We will be continuing our pathogenic (disease-causing) microbe presentations this week. Two presentations have been completed (great job, Alonna) and we will complete the rest of the presentations on Monday and Tuesday. The homework and DUE dates are as follows:

Wednesday, January 21: Complete Section 20-3 Assessment Questions 1-4 (page 509) using complete sentences.

Friday, January 23: Read carefully the "Analyzing Data" activity on page 508. Answer in complete sentences questions 1-4.

Have a great week,
-Mr. Pfiester

7th and 8th Grade: Week of January 19-23

Howdy,
This will be our first full week on the Electricity and Magnetism Unit and now in the 2nd semester. As I mentioned in class last week, due to my illness, the homework that was due on Thursday has been moved to Monday (January 19). So the homework and DUE date for this week is as follows:

Monday, January 19: Pick three of the following seven scientists and for each write 2-3 sentences on their contributions to electricity: Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Edison, Michael Faraday, James Watt, Allessandro Volta, Andre-Marie Ampere, and Hans Oersted.

Thursday, January 22: Many people are switching from incandescent to compact fluorescent light bulbs. The homework is as follows:

1. Count all the light bulbs in your house. How many are there in total? Of the total, how many of them are incandescent and how many are compact fluorescent light bulbs (and also halogen)?. Put the number of bulb types in a bar graph form.
   
2. Finally, how are compact fluorescent light bulbs different than incandescent light bulbs in terms of expense, average bulb life, and efficiency? Why are people switching? Answer these questions in complete sentences.
   

Have a great week,
-Mr. Pfiester

PS. Please bring in a lemon to school either Monday or Tuesday. We will be creating lemon batteries and try to light small LEDs with the electricity produced.

9th Grade: Week of January 12-16

Howdy,
We are continuing our study of microorganisms this week, on Chapter 20: Protists. This week we will focus on research on pathogenic microorganisms. Each student will select a pathogenic (disease-causing) microorganism and conduct research. Presentations will be conducted on Thursday and Friday this week. There is no specific homework (other than the homework from last Friday that was postponed till tomorrow (Monday, Jan. 12). More information will be provided tomorrow in class.
-Mr. Pfiester

7th and 8th Grade: January 12-16

Howdy,
The sound unit test is on Tuesday. Study the study guides and you should do fine. On Wednesday we will begin the Electricity and Magnetism Unit. The homework and DUE date(s) are as follows:

Thursday, Jan. 15: Pick three of the following seven scientists and for each write 2-3 sentences on their contributions to electricity: Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Edison, Michael Faraday, James Watt, Allessandro Volta, Andre-Marie Ampere, and Hans Oersted.

As a reminder. Many of you still need to turn in the 75 cents for the PVC panpipes. If not turned in by Friday, you will receive a 0% for the activity.
-Mr. Pfiester

9th Grade: Week of January 5-9

Howdy,
I hope you had a relaxing and enjoyable winter break. The last day of 1st semester is Friday, January 16. We are almost halfway through our school year already! The homework and DUE dates are as follows:

Wednesday, January 7: One of the animal-like protists we'll learn about this week is the sporozoan Plasmodium, which causes malaria. Research the following (you'll find some information at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaria) about malaria and answer in complete sentences:

1. Malaria translates from Italian to mean what? Why would the translation be associated with swamps?
   
2. Africa used to be infamous as the "white man's grave" during colonial times, in part due to malaria. According to one website "During the American Civil War (1861-65), one half of the white troops and 80% of the black soldiers of the Union Army got malaria annually". People don't contract malaria in the United States anymore. Why is that?
   

Friday, January 9: Complete Section 20-2 Assessment Questions 1-4 using complete sentences.

Have a good week,
-Mr. Pfiester

7th and 8th Grade: Week of January 5-9

Howdy,
I hope you had a relaxing and enjoyable winter break. The last day of 1st semester is Friday, January 16. We are almost halfway through our school year already! Anyway, I have some exciting plans. We will be finishing up the sound unit this coming week. Each student will create a wind or string instrument in class and present the instrument to the class on Friday, January 9. The quality of the instrument and presentation will be the final grade for this unit. The homework and DUE dates are as follows:

Tuesday, January 6: Research the variety of stringed instruments (such as the violin) to determine the number of strings commonly used. Identify at least 5 string instruments and the number of strings and submit the information in bar graph form.

Friday, January 9: In one paragraph describe what the world would be like with no sound. What would be different? What would be the same? How does sound affect your life?

Have a great week,
-Mr. Pfiester