Video on Natural vs Synthetic Polymers

Video Questions:

1) What is a polymer? Give an example.

2) Give an example of a synthetic polymer. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using them?

3) What is spider silk?

4) Why do scientists want to reproduce the properties of spider silk? How could it be used?

5) Give 3 examples of how plastics are used.

6) What is PET? What type of items does recycled PET produce?

Changing the Game

Now that our fun project is almost over, it is now time to switch gears into Physics!!! We are going to be covering some fun stuff with lots of hands-on activities. The standards that we will be covering will be:

PS - 1: Scientific Inquiry and Design (do throughout the year)

PS - 5: Nature of Forces and Motion

PS -6: Nature, Conservation, ad Transformation of Energy

PS - 7: Nature and Properties of Mechanical and Electromagnetic Waves

We will be starting on Chapter 2 on Motion by taking a look at displacement and distance.

Keep an eye on the blog for homework, notes, answers, and due dates!!! As always, you can always post a comment or question!

Coloring/Activity Book Project

Due Date: February 2, 2010 (morning classes)
Due Date: February 4, 2010 (7-8 B day class)
Due Date: February 5, 2010 (5-6 A day classes)

Chemistry Activity Book Project:

For this MAJOR GRADE you are to create a coloring/ activity book using the following topics that a student in the 4th or 5th grade would be able to understand. A 4th grade class will be grading this assignment. This activity/coloring book needs to be exciting and interesting while communicating all of the information that is necessary to get the “basic point” of the subject. The following topics are:

1) Solutions (solvents, solutes)
2) Acids and Bases
3) Organic and Inorganic Compounds
4) Natural Polymers and Synthetic Polymers

Grading Rubric:
* Colorful cover to your coloring/activity book (20 points)

* Table of Contents with creative names for your activities (10 points)

* Content (all information correct and understandable) (40 points)
- At least one page per activity/subject
- Information is easy to understand for a 4th or 5th grader

* Creativity – you put genuine effort into this project and it is clean and neat and would be attractive to a child. (30 points)

MidTerm Review

All students have received their reviews for the midterm and should be completing them and studying them for the exams.

answers will follow

Midterm Exam Schedule

Freshmen Academy Schedule
Tuesday Dec. 15, 2009
1st period exam - 7:55 – 9:40
2nd period - 9:45 – 10:35
3rd period - 10:40 – 11:28

Wednesday Dec. 16, 2009
2nd period exam - 7:55 – 9:40
1st period - 9:45 – 10:35
3rd period - 10:40 – 11:28

Thursday Dec. 17, 2009
3rd period exam - 7:55 – 9:40
1st period - 9:45 – 10:35
2nd period - 10:40 – 11:28

Block Exam Schedule
Tuesday, December 15 – 1st Block and 3rd Block A-Day
Wednesday, December 16 – 1st Block and 3rd Block B-Day
Thursday, December 17 – 2nd Block and 4th Block A-Day
Friday, December 18 – 2nd Block and 4th Block B-Day

Classroom Update:

By now you should easily be able to tell me:
-the number of valence electrons for certain elements
-the names of all of the groups on the periodic table (Alkali Metals, Alkaline Earth Metals, Transition Metals, Inner Transition Metals, Boron Group, Carbon Group, Nitrogen Group, Oxygen Group, Halogens, and Noble Gases)
-Identify if an ion is a cation or an anion and to predict its charge when it becomes these ions; otherwise known as the oxidation number
-Basic naming of compounds.

All of this information is in Chapter 20 in the Physical Science Text

E.Q.'s updated:

# 18: What is the relationship between valence e- and groups?

#19: What are the trends of the Periodic Table based on the number of valence e- and atomic numbers?

#20: Why do metals conduct electricity?

#21: Why do atoms bond?

Miss Hamilton's Notes:

So by now most of us should have learned the following in class on Chapter 17 - Atomic Structure and the Periodic Table:

-Atoms are indivsible and indestructible and are made out of protons, neutrons, and electrons
-Protons are positively charged and are located in the nucleus along with neutrally charged neutrons
-Electrons are located in the electron cloud that surrounds the nucleus of an atom and are negatively charged.
-Atoms are neutral because the positively charged nucleus and negatively charged electron cloud "cancel out" each other
-Protons and Neutrons both equal 1 AMU (atomic mass unit) and therefore have the same mass
-Electrons are much smaller than protons and neutrons (1 electron = 1/2000 proton)
-The nucleus makes up most of the mass, the electron cloud makes up most of the volume
-Atomic number (top of periodic table block) is the number of protons
-Atomic mass (mass, in amu's) of the atom
-Mass number = total # of protons and neutrons (# n = mass # - # p or atomic number)
-# protons = # electrons

E.Q. # 16

Where is the marjority of the mass located in an atom? What are the two subatomic particles that make up this area?

Homework: Assigned 11/2 (monday)

1st and 2nd Period: Atomic Structure Reteaching Worksheet

3rd Period: Review atomic structure

5-6 A: Chapter 17 Vocabulary and "Structure of Atom" worksheet (Ch 17, section 1 Reinforcement)

Coming Up....

These next couple of weeks we are going to spend a lot of time looking at atomic structure and the periodic table. It is very, VERY, VERY important that you learn this informaton for future. This is actually the meat of chemistry. If we can't understand how atoms are made up, then we can't move forward.

The topics will include:
-Structure of an Atom
-Atomic Mass
-Atomic Number
-Isotopes
-Periodic Table (periods and groups)
-Electron Cloud Structure
-Electron Dot Diagrams


We also will be doing an out-of-class project in which you will be assigned an element and have to do a report on that element and present it to the class. This project will be due before Thanksgiving.


As you can see, we have a lot to do... so let's get focused and start getting "PHYSICAL"...(haha get it???)

E.Q. UPDATE #10 - #15

# 10: How do you convert from one metric unit to another?

#11: What is the difference between a substance and a mixture?

#12: How can you describe the difference between chemical and physical changes?

#13: What are the characteristics of solids, liquids, gases, and plasma?

# 14: Describe the phase changes of water.

#15: What are the 3 types of subatomic particles and what are their charges?

You should have all of these in your E.Q. section of your notebook and should be able to answer all of these as well. Writing down the question is only 10% of the work, the rest is answering the question thoughtfully.

Monday Homework (9/28) for Morning Classes:

For homework you should be studying and practicing your metric conversions because you have a quiz on it tomorrow.

Also, make sure you bring your textbook and notebook for a grade.

Remember, a prepared student is a successfull student!

This week 9/28 - 10/2

This week, afternoon and morning classes will start Dimensional Analysis. This is a really big term for metric conversions or changing from one unit to the other.

We will only spend a couple of days on this and then we will move on to "Classification of Matter," Chapter 15 in your textbook. This chapter is broken down into two sections 1) Composition of Matter and 2) Properties of Matter.

We are now going to start getting into the meat and potatoes of the course material and we are going to start moving along at a greater pace.

Sick

Miss Hamilton is sick today, September 24th. I will see you on Friday... I hope.

Scientific Measurements Test Schedule

Morning Classes:
9/23 - Wednesday

Afternoon Classes:
B Day - 9/24 -Thursday

A Day - 9/25 - Friday

Test will cover:
-mm and cm
-graduated cylinder
-triple-beam balance
-accuracy and precision
-density

"Density Questions" Answers

1. Mass
2. Volume
3. Liquid Volume
4. g/cm3
5. 2 g/cm3
6. water is more dense than oil
7. 38.5 g
8. neither
9. neither
10. ruby
11. neither
12. neither
13. opal
14. amber
15. 14g
16. .57 cm3
17. 1.25 cm3
18. 10g
19. 11g
20. 22.7 cm3
21. .545 g
22. 110.1 cm3
23. 178.86 cm3
24. 219.1 g
25. 5.71 cm3
26. 13,944.95 cm3
27. 80.75 cm3
28. 800.8 g

E.Q. #9

How do you calculate density?

Anybody???

Is anybody reading the blog? Please make a comment to this blog so I know.

Homework Assignments for Sep. 16th:

Morning Classes (1st, 2nd, and 3rd):

***Finish Part 4 of your Density Lab- Due Thursday, Sept. 17th at the beginning of class

Afternoon Class (7-8 B Day):

***Finish Density Problems worksheet through #27 - Due Friday, Sept. 18th at the beginning of class

***You will also have a quiz on the density concepts that we covered in class on Wed.