GRADE 9 SCIENCE
UNITS OF STUDY:
UNIT 1:
SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION SKILLS & CAREER EXPLORATION
Sep. 1 -- Course Introduction & Scientific Career Brainstorming
Homework: With your parents, please read the letter sent home by Mrs. Wheeler about this grade 9 science course. Once you and your parents have both signed at the bottom, please detach the signature portion and return it to Mrs. Wheeler tomorrow.
Sep. 2 -- Using Scientific Models (Black Box Activity)
HW: Complete your diagram of a possible model for your "black box" before tomorrow so that tomorrow we can start building your models in class.
Sep. 3 -- Using Scientific Models (Black Box Activity continued)
Sep. 4 -- Brainstorming Science Careers
HW: Canadian Firsts
Read this website about "Canadian Firsts"; Discoveries & Inventions made by Canadians and then answer the following questions on looseleaf using full sentences. To hand in tomorrow:
1. a) What did Canadians launch in order to broadcast national television signals?
b) In what year was it launched?
2. a) In which year was Standard Time invented?
b) What is the purpose of Standard Time?
3. a) What is the "Beaver"?
b) What qualities make it special?
c) In which year was it developped?
4. a) What "Canadian first" was discovered by a female scientist?
b) Name the scientist.
c) In which year did she make her discovery?
HW: Canadian Scientists
For each of these Canadian Scientist (Frederick Banting, Alexander Graham Bell, David Suzuki, and one person of your choice from this list), list the following information using full sentences:
a) Birthdate (& Deathdate if no longer living)
b) Degrees held (write the name of the degree - click here to find the name that matches each acronym).
c) Explanation of the discovery/invention/work for which they are famous (in your own words).
Sep. 10 -- Spinning Blimps Evaluation
HW: Finish the homework assigned Sep. 9
Sep. 11 -- Assembly
Sep. 14 -- Understanding & Creating Graphs in Science
HW: Terrestrial Biomes
Do a little internet research & provide a 2 or 3 sentence explanation (in your own words) for each of the following biomes :
a) Desert,
b) Deciduous Forest,
c) Coniferous Forest
d) Tundra,
e) Tropical Rainforest,
f) Grasslands
BIOLOGY (ECOLOGY)
HW: Aquatic Biomes
Provide a 2 or 3 sentence explanation (in your own words) for each of the following biomes (you can read about the biomes at this site: http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/biomes/aquatic.php)
a) ponds & lakes
b) streams & rivers
c) wetlands
d) oceans
e) coral reefs
f) estuaries
HW: Grassland & Rainforest
Complete the following chart using the links in the chart:
BIOME
|
TEMPERATURES
(highs, lows)
|
PRECIPITATION
(totals, patterns)
|
PLANT LIFE
(3-5 examples)
|
ANIMALS
(3-5 examples)
|
WRITE 3 INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THE BIOME
(locations, other names, records, …)
|
Grasslands
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rainforests
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sep. 18 -- Terrestrial Biome Map of the World
HW: Trout/Salmon's effect on the Food Web
The following diagram is a food web for a small river in the Pacific Northwest United States:
Use the above food web to answer this question on looseleaf in full sentence form: What would happen to other species in this food web if the trout & salmon were to all disapper. Explain what would happen to the species that consume these fish as well as the species that are consumed by these fish (think - population sizes!).
HW: Trophic Levels.
Use the following food web to answer the questions below:
1. Write out as many different food chains (single pathways) as you can find in this food web.
2. Make a chart to list the producers, primary consumer, secondary consumers, tertiary consumers, quaternary consumers, etc. (like we did in today's notes).
3. Highlight all of the food chains in your answer to #1 in which there are both terrestrial AND aquatic species.
HW: Study Notes
On looseleaf make notes in order to study for tomorrow's quiz. Use your class notes and the links on this website in order to make your study notes. To be handed in with your quiz. Your study notes should be divided into 4 sections on a sheet of looseleaf (each section should be one half of one side of your sheet):
- keyword definitions
- main concepts
- diagrams / charts
- other
Sep. 25 -- Ecology Quiz - open book
HW: Value of Wolves
Using the handout from today's class, chose 1 of the 3 viewpoints on what should have been done about wolves in Yellowstone National Park.
Use information from today's video, the handout, and your own internet research to write a 1 page report that supports the viewpoint that you have chosen.
(For a list of useful websites for this assignment, click here: http://www.nelson.com/nelson/school/secondary/science/0176120955/studweblinks_unit01.html#1.4)
HW: St. Matthew Island Reindeer
Read this article: http://www.gi.alaska.edu/ScienceForum/ASF16/1672.html
(for a map of St. Matthew Island's location, click here: http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/foci/ice07/images_maps/BeringSeaShelf_3map.jpg)
a) Write a summary of the story told in this article using a maximum of 5 sentences.
b) Explain which limiting factors led to the St. Matthew Reindeer population first going higher than the carrying capacity, and then those that led to the population's extirpation.
Sep. 30 -- Homework Catch-up Day
HW: catch up on any overdue homework
HW: Carbon Cycle
First, watch these 2 videos about photoysynthesis:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7lh4q_photosynthesis-song-by-peter-weathe_tech
& http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7lh5m_photosynthesis-video-by-peter-weath_tech
Second, read this website about photosynthesis: http://www.realtrees4kids.org/sixeight/letseat.htm
Answer the following questions about photosynthesis in full sentence form on looseleaf:
1. Describe photosynthesis in your own words.
2. How does photosynthesis benefit a plant?
3. Describe 2 ways in which animals (including humans) benefit from plants performing photosynthesis.
4. Explain where, in the plant, photosynthesis takes place.
5. Write out the chemical equation for photosynthesis: ______ + _______ + _______ --> _______ + __________
Third, read the following website: http://www.worsleyschool.net/science/files/photosynthesis/page.html
and answer the following questions in full sentences:
6. . Write a definition of "cellular respiration".
7. Write the chemical equation for the "cellular respiration" reaction using words:
______ + _______ --> _______ + __________+ __________
8 . In which cellular structure does respiration take place?
HW: Intro. ecology poster project
Read the handout provided to you on your assigned topic (either fertilizer use, pesticide use, burning of fossil fuels, or deforestation). Answer the questions from your sheet in full sentences on looseleaf.
HW: Finish hare & lynx population graph & questions
HW: get your 1st ecology test signed & Tree Planting homework:
Read this website ( http://www.tree-planter.com/?navigation_id=90&page_id=196&article_id=331&page=1 ) and answer the following questions using full sentences:
1. Who hires treeplanters, and why?
2. How does a tree planter carry the seedlings with him or her each day?
3. Approximately how many seedlings can a tree-planter carry at once?
4. How much is a tree planter paid?
5. List 3 different challenges involved in tree planting.
6. List 3 different reasons why you might like tree planting.
Read this website ( http://www.tree-planter.com/?navigation_id=90&page_id=196&article_id=333&page=1 ) and answer question #7 in full sentence:
7. List the 7 characterisitcs that this site says are important for you to have if you to be a tree-planter (do you have what it takes?).
HW: Study Notes
On looseleaf make notes in order to study for tomorrow's quiz. Use your class notes and the links on this website in order to make your study notes. To be handed in with your quiz. Your study notes should be divided into 4 sections on a sheet of looseleaf (each section should be one half of one side of your sheet):
- keyword definitions
- main concepts
- diagrams / charts
- other
Oct. 8 -- Last Ecology Test
(Note that the makeup date for this test for any student that missed the test or needs more time has been changed to next WEDNESDAY, Oct. 14 at lunch in Rm. 304)
HW: Poster Section 1
Create a rough draft of the text that you will have on your ecology poster for section 1; Definition & Use.
HW: Rough draft of poster project section 2 (Threats to ecosystems)
CHEMISTRY
HW: Rough draft of poster project section 3 (Promoting sustainability)
Oct. 15 -- Periodic Table of Elements (continued)
HW: Complete poster project
Oct. 16 -- Individual Work Period for Poster Project
HW: Complete poster project
Oct. 19 -- Individual Work Period for Poster Project
HW: Complete poster project
Oct. 21 -- Physical & Chemical Properties (continued)
Oct. 23 -- Lab: Identifying substances using physical & chemical properties
Did you miss the lab? Do the makeup lab at home:
Oct. 26 -- Complete lab writeup
HW: Chemical Formulas
Complete the following chart (the first example is done for you). We started this activity in class; finish it for homework.
Substance’s Name
|
Chemical Formula
|
List the different elements
|
How many atoms of each element are there?
|
Total number of elements contained in compound
|
Total number of atoms contained in compound
|
Sodium Bicarbonate
(Baking Soda)
|
NaHCO3
|
Sodium (Na), Hydrogen (H), Carbon (C), Oxygen (O)
|
1 atom of sodium, 1 atom of hydrogen, 1 atom of carbon, 3 atoms of oxygen
|
4
|
6
|
Calcium Carbonate
(Chalk)
|
CaCO3
|
|
|
|
|
Sodium Nitrate
(Fertilizer)
|
NaNO3
|
|
|
|
|
Calcium Phosphate
(fertilizer)
|
Ca3(PO4)2
|
|
|
|
|
Sodium Chloride
(salt)
|
NaCl
|
|
|
|
|
Acetylsalicylic acid
(ASA or aspirin)
|
C9H8O4
|
|
|
|
|
Acetic Acid
(vinegar)
|
C2H4O2
|
|
|
|
|
HW: Do last night's homework if you have not already done so.
Oct. 29 -- Chemical Formulas Wrap-up
HW: Understanding Chemical Formulas
Finish this handout that we started in class today.
Oct. 30 -- Homework catchup day
HW: Physical & Chemical Changes
Take the online quiz found at http://www.quia.com/quiz/303980.html and create a table on looseleaf with 2 columns; physical changes & chemical changes. For each example in the quiz, write the example under the correct column.
Nov. 4 -- Take Our Kids to Work Day
HW: Bohr-Rutherford Diagrams
Complete the periodic table on today's handout by drawing the Bohr-Rutherford Diagrams for each of the first 20 elements in the periodic table.
Missed class? Click on the link in the title for today's lesson to learn how to draw Bohr-Rutherford Diagrams. Then print page 2 of this document: http://www.brandonsd.mb.ca/massey/staff/baraniuk/science10f/borhrutherford%20diagrams.doc to have the handout I gave to the class today.
Nov. 6 -- Bohr-Rutherford Diagrams (cont.)
If you missed today's class, you will need these 2 periodic tables in order to complete the homework:
A periodic table displaying each element as either a metal, nonmetal or mettaloid: http://www.windows.ucar.edu/earth/geology/images/periodic_table.gif
A periodic table displaying each element's state at room temperature: http://z.about.com/d/chemistry/1/0/X/u/PeriodicTableNaturalState.jpg
HW: Metals, Non-metals, Metalloids, & State of Matter
Create a chart/table that will allow you to list for each of the following symbols
(i) the element's name,
(ii) its state of matter at room temperature and
(iii) its metallic status (metal, nonmetal, or metalloid):
Al, O, Se, Hg, H, Fe, Ne, Br, As, Cu, He, B, Ca
HW: Element Families
Complete the handout given out during class today.
Remembrance Day (Nov. 11th): Click here for a clip about Arthur Wilkinson, a Glebe alumni who fought at war. (works in Internet Explorer)
Nov. 11 -- Review: Chemistry
HW: Study Notes
On looseleaf make notes in order to study for tomorrow's test. Use your class notes and the links on this website in order to make your study notes (here is a list of keywords to help you study). To be handed in with your test. Your study notes should be divided into 4 sections on a sheet of looseleaf (each section should be one half of one side of your sheet):
- keyword definitions
- main concepts
- diagrams / charts
- other
Nov. 12 -- Chemistry Test
Nov. 16 -- Chemistry Test (continued)
HW: Graphene's Superstrength
Read this article: http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/articles/20081217/Feature1.asp
Answer these questions in full sentences on looseleaf: http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/articles/20081217/TZWorksheet.asp
(only answer the 3 sets of questions under the science heading ... not the questions for social science or language arts).
Nov. 17 -- Chemistry Issues
HW: Chemistry Issues
Using your handout from class, finish answering the questions about the topic for which you are an "expert".
If you missed class do the work outlined in this link.
Nov. 18 -- Chemistry Issues (cont.)
Nov. 19 -- H1N1: Swine Flu
HW: H1N1 Swine Flu
1.What are the symptoms of swine flu?
2.How does swine flu spread from one person to another?
3.How do vaccines work?
4.What are some of the difficulties that can arise from vaccines?
5.Why is there more of a danger of a flu pandemic spreading globally now than there was hundreds of years ago?
Here are some websites that might help you answer some of the above questions:
http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/alert-alerte/h1n1/fs-fr_h1n1-eng.php (symptoms & spread of H1N1)
http://blogs.howstuffworks.com/2009/11/19/how-vaccines-work/ (vaccinations)
HW: Density
Use this interactive website (http://www.sciencejoywagon.com/explrsci/media/density.htm) to complete the following table (an example has been done for you):
Object
|
Mass (g)
|
Volume (mL)
|
Calculations
|
Density (g/mL)
|
Blue triangle
|
99
|
44
|
99/44
|
2.25
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nov. 23 -- LAB: What is the density of water?
HW: Water Density Procedure
Create a step by step (number each step) procedure that explains to a grade 8 student who hasn't learned about density how to calculate the density of water. The materials you will be given: a digital balance/scale, a graduated cylinder, water.
Nov. 24 -- LAB continued
HW: Buoyancy
Go back to the website assigned for homework on Nov. 20. Add one last column to the chart with the name "Sinks or Floats". And for each object that you found the density of previously, record whether or not it sinks or floats in the water pail.
Answer the following question: What is the relationship between an object's density and whether or not it floats?
Nov. 25 -- Buoyancy
HW: Study notes
You will be allowed 1 page of study notes only (double sided) for tomorrow's quiz on buoyancy & density.
Nov. 26 -- Quiz & Introduction of Space Unit
SPACE
HW: Catch up on any overdue homework
HW: Celestial Objects
HW: Space Station Diary
Imagine that you are one of the astronauts on a mission to the International Space Station (http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/ISSRG/). Write a "diary entry" for your first day aboard the Space Station. Your diary entry must include information about how you sleep, eat, exercise, and the type of work/experiment you are working on.
HW: The planets
Use the notes in class or this chart to answer the following questions using full sentences:
1. Name the planets in order of smallest to largest.
2. Name the planets in order of closest to farthest from the sun.
3. What do the 4 planets closest to the Sun have in common?
4. What do the 4 planets farthest from the Sun have in common?
5. Name the planets in order of shortest to longest orbit/revolution time (around the Sun).
6. Name the planets in order of shortest to longest rotation time (around its own axis).
Dec. 4 -- Cultural Beliefs about Astronomical Phenomena
HW: Life on Earth
Read this website: http://www.cosmos4kids.com/files/solsyst_earth.html
There are several characteristics of Earth that make it so well-suited to the formation and existence of life. Complete the table below for each of the characteristics (you may need more rows than this in your table in order to have all the answers).
Main Keyword
|
Explanation (full-sentence; your own words)
|
|
|
|
|
HW: Light Pollution
Read this article: http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/articles/20071205/Feature1.asp
Answer (in full sentences) all of the questions in the "science" section found here: http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/articles/20071205/TZWorksheet.asp
Dec. 9 -- Homework Catchup
Dec. 10 -- Review Astronomy
HW: Study notes
You have the right to 1 page back to back of study notes during tomorrow's test. Some keywords that may help you organize your studying:
- galaxy, universe, star, planet, constellation, solar system, moon
- greatest astronomical discoveries
- Canadian contributions to space research & exploration
- Sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune (size, distance, composition [rock VS gas], rotation, revolution, etc.)
- Life on Earth
- Aurora borealis, eclipses (solar & lunar), comets, meteor, meteorite, meteoroid, asteroid
- Light pollution
Dec. 11 -- Test: Astronomy / Space
ELECTRICITY
HW: Charge Launcher Gizmo
Go to http://www.explorelearning.com/index.cfm?method=cUser.dspInputClassCode and register yourself using the this class code: GAP8AVGGFC.
Once registered & signed in, use the "Charge Launcher" Gizmo (found on our class's page on explorelearning.com) to investigate and answer the questions on this handout http://cs.explorelearning.com/materials/Charge_Launcher_SE.pdf (given out in class today). Also print out 2 screenshots of the 2 "challenges" you try, as described in class today.
HW: Circuit Builder
If you haven't already, register on www.explorelearning.com (see Dec. 15th's homework).
Use this gizmo: http://cs.explorelearning.com/materials/Circuit_Builder_SE.pdf to complete p. 4 (activity C) of today's handout.
Dec. 18 -- Happy Holidays!
HW: Household Energy Usage
If you haven't already, register on www.explorelearning.com (see Dec. 15th's homework).
In our class's tab on the site, choose the gizmo called "household energy usage" and complete the handout "activity A" distributed in class.
Complete the table from today's handout using information from the following website:
http://www.darvill.clara.net/altenerg/index.htm
Jan. 12 -- Review: Electricity
HW: Study notes
You have the right to 1 page back to back of study notes during tomorrow's test. Some keywords that may help you organize your studying can be found here.
Jan. 13 -- Quiz: Electricity Unit
Jan. 14 -- Review for exam
HW: Study notes
You have the right to 1 page back to back of study notes during the exam.
Jan. 15 -- Review for exam
HW: Study notes
You have the right to 1 page back to back of study notes during the exam.
Jan. 18 -- Final exam in class: written portion 1
Jan. 19 -- Final exam in class: lab / hands-on
Jan. 20 -- Final exam in class: written portion 2
Jan. 21 -- Last day of class for semester!
Comments (0)
You don't have permission to comment on this page.