Here is the general schedule for the week.

Grade 7:

Grade 8:

Below is a sample layout for your individual poster.

Here is a checklist for reviewing your work.

Click on the link to download a copy of the rubric: Rubric for Performance Task- Rescue Machines 2011-2012

Rocket Launch: January 25 (Wed), 2012

Reflect on the performance of your rocket model during the testing. Think about Newton’s 2nd Law.

What modifications do you need to make?

Build your final rocket.

Best rocket wins a prize.

Task:

As the first response unit, you are tasked to provide relief and rescue to affected communities. You need to deliver much needed food supplies. You have been “commissioned” to design machines that will carry the goods up to the mountains, cross rivers, and rugged terrain. You will need to move materials/supplies  from the command post to the affected areas. To ensure effective and efficient operations, you as the team leader need to form a team of specialists. Disaster relief agencies around the world will be monitoring the relief efforts. Aside from providing relief, your goal is to present effective plans for quick access to remote areas which can serve as a model for future disaster response.

Activity:

Students will make a blueprint and build models of simple machines. They will test the models on a pre-set course (flat land, mountain, water) to simulate a disaster area. They will reflect on the design and effectiveness of their machines.

Designing simple machines:

Here is the general schedule for the week.

Grade 7:

Grade 8:

How do machines make work easier?

Click and download the following resources:  

Simple Machines-slide presentation

Simple Machines stations- with procedure

Watch and study these clips to learn more about simple machines.

Here is a really good tutorial that explains how pulleys work.

Here is the general schedule for the week.

 Grade 7:

Grade 8:

Happy New Year! I hope you had a fun and restful break. We will hit the ground running and I am  eager to  see your happy faces as we continue with our second semester themes.

Here is the general schedule for the week.

Grade 7:

Grade 8:

Why NOT Mass and Angle?

Here is a cool applet from the PhET project at the University of Colorado that  simulates the pendulum lab.  Try recreating the experiment and observe the behavior of the pendulum. Click on the picture or follow this link:

Pendulum Lab Animation

In your table groups or with a partner, answer the following guide questions:

•What determines how long it takes a swing to go back, forward and back again?

•Is mass important? Is the length of the string important? Is gravity important?

•When you swing higher does your speed on the swing change?

•When you swing higher does the period of the swing change?

•If you want to swing as fast as you can which swing would you pick: a swing with a short chain, a swing with a long chain, a swing with a heavy seat, or a swing with a light seat?

How will you use the the following concepts to explain why LENGTH is our main variable affecting time period and not mass and angle?

• Law of Conservation of Energy

• PE=mgh

• PE=KE

Here is the general schedule for the week.

 Grade 7:

Grade 8: