Roller Coaster Creator

Can you create a coaster that uses just the right amount of Gravitational Potential Energy (GPE) and creates a great ride?

Try here and see how high you can get your score. Make sure to remember that the GPE turns into Kinetic Energy (KE) but it "loses" energy to Thermal and Sound energy as it goes!

Good luck!

BIG LAB & LAB REPORT!!

Here is a copy graphic organizer for the lab (Red/Orange & Blue/Green Groups). This will be the road map for everything. DO NOT LOSE IT. 

We will spend today and tomorrow gathering data and running our experiment. Then we'll be in the computer lab next week to type the entire thing into a formal lab report. 

Here is the textbook link so everyone has access to the text from home. 

Answer Key to Review

Ladies and gents,The file with this years review is left on my comptuer at work. Check out the slideshow below. They aren't the exact same questions but it will DEFINITELY help to study. 

Solar System Review Answer Keys

Gravity Ready & Next Weeks Exam

Today we did a reading activity and learned about gravity. Here is the chapter if you missed it. 

WE HAVE A TEST TUESDAY!!!

Here is the review sheet. 

Solar System: The Nearest Star - The Sun

Students should read this entire article. Each time they come to the pencil Icon they should write down, in their own words, the main idea of what they just read. They must also answer analysis questions #1-5.


Activity 92 - The Nearest Star, The Sun Textbook Link

Today's Activity

Here's the worksheet in class. AVID students you should have grabbed one this morning.

You'll also need this planet information to help you.

Here is the textbook we're using today. You should be find if you just follow all the directions on the paper and in the book.

New Unit - The Solar System

Well we finished the first unit of the year! We studied the Earth-Sun-Moon system. It is now time to expand our scope and study the entire Solar System!

In this unit we'll focus on the objects scientists find in space. We will discover the methods by which scientists study objects which are billions of miles away. 

To begin, I would like all the students to get re-organized. Take all the materials from the Earth in Space unit and paperclip them together and store them for the Midterm later this year. 

Then begin a new section with a cover page that represents the Solar System. You can draw whatever you'd like but please try to include some of the vocabulary we have went over in class. 

Earth & Space Exam!

Lets go!!!

Get ready for the test. Make SURE you can picture in your mind how the Earth & Moon are moving around and what we can see from Earth. If you have to look up some cool YouTube videos explaining the Seasons, day and night, the moon phases, tides & eclipses. 

Here is the review sheet you got in class. 

Here are some answers to that review sheet -- Remember copying isn't going to help you. Anyone can copy things.  You need to try to understand the answers so you can do well on the test. 

**Extra credit on the exam: If you have a parent write & sign a note saying you studied for at least 30 minutes, you'll get a grade boost!**

Moon Stuff!!

Lunar Eclipse Simulator

Moon Phase Simulator

Today we're looking at a simulator which will show why Moon phases are seen from Earth. Student's should have an understanding of the causes of moon phases by the end of today.

FOR THIS SIMULATOR PLEASE USE INTERNET EXPLORER

Welcome Parents

Parents: I'd like to welcome you all to Open House night at T.O.R. I'll be going over what is expected of our students in 8th Grade Science. If you ever need to reach me for any reason, please e-mail the address at the top of this page. 

• Shameless plug for the Titan Challenge October 13th

• New NGSS Science Standards 

• Syllabus & Online Textbook

• Grade-book - PowerSchool is LIVE - Email me if you need access

• Questions from parents

Students: I will be out of school tomorrow 9/29 and Monday 10/2.

While I am gone I want everyone to make an awesome comic strip for me. Here are the rules:

I want the comic to be an original story that would explain some science to a 2nd or 3rd grader. Topics You can include are:

• Shadows
• Timezones
• Sundials
• Sun rise & Sunset
• Day / Night Cycle
• Seasons & why we have them
• indirect and direct sunlight
• Why daylight length changes
• The tile of Earth's axis
• Rotation = one day
• Revolution = one year

Here's a document that can help you plan out and draw your comic strip. EFFORT is the biggest part of your grade on this one. 

Fun Earth & Space Comic Strip!

I will be out of school tomorrow 9/29 and Monday 10/2.

While I am gone I want everyone to make an awesome comic strip for me. Here are the rules:

I want the comic to be an original story that would explain some science to a 2nd or 3rd grader. Topics You can include are:

• Shadows
• Timezones
• Sundials
• Sun rise & Sunset
• Day / Night Cycle
• Seasons & why we have them
• indirect and direct sunlight
• Why daylight length changes
• The tile of Earth's axis
• Rotation = one day
• Revolution = one year

Here's a document that can help you plan out and draw your comic strip. EFFORT is the biggest part of your grade on this one. 

Last Activity about Earth & Sun System before we move on to the Moon

 * * * A T T E N T I O N * * * 

Quiz Thursday. 

Our last wrap-up reading was today. At this point you should definitely be able to explain the reasons for Day and Night as well as why we have seasons here on Earth! 

Here are the links to the work from today: 

Textbook Reading

Student Worksheet

Season Simulator

Click here for the Season Simulator

You'll get a worksheet to go with this simulator in class. Make sure to pay attention to the way Earth is tilted toward or away from the sun. Make sure you know this vocab too: 

• Rotation - Earth spinning on it's axis (24 hours)

• Revolution - Earth moving on it's path all the way around the sun 

• Orbit - The path Earth takes around the Sun

• Year - One complete revolution (trip) around the sun. This takes 365.25 days. 

Activity 74 - As Earth Rotates

Hey everyone.

If you missed my class today or needed a catch-up. Here is the reading we did on the day & night cycle of Earth. Read it again if you want to be real cool!

First Unit of the Year - Earth & Space

We are off and running!

**Quick reminder we will have a notebook check tomorrow. All you need is to make sure you have all the things I have given you and completed all the work!**

Yesterday all the students were given a phenomenon (something in the real word which we want to explain). They were introduced to a group chat conversation between 3 'students'. One of the students lived in Stamford, CT. The second lives in Beijing, China. The third in Perth, Australia. The conversation is available here.  

My students were asked to read through this and start thinking about what is happening with the Earth, Sun & moon to create the changes our fictional chat group experience. We then created an initial model for the students to explain it all. 

Over the next few weeks, we will be learning more and more about the Earth, Sun & moon and we will figure out exactly what is happening with this chat. 

Check this site often. I'll put up videos, links, homework and more. Sometimes I will even put extra credit. For example --> write your name on a post-it note and leave it on my desk by tomorrow and you'll get extra credit on tomorrow's notebook check!

Not all posts will be this long so don't worry!

Let's go!

-Mr. Lennon

First Day Assignment!

Welcome Students!!

FIRST ASSIGNMENT: 

Fill out this quick survey online! You can do this from any device including phones

Today was awesome and it was so nice to meet all of you. Hopefully EVERYONE is reading this because I told you to in class. Here is the information you have so far: 

You need to get things signed: 

• Acceptable use agreement - Given to you in Home room
• Mission Statement from home room
• Science Safety Sheet
• Science Syllabus
• Everything from other classes!