Monday, August 29 - Friday, September 2

As we enter the fourth week of school, a few reflections:

• "Continuous effort - not strength or intelligence - is the key to unlocking our potential."...Winston Churchill. Continue to show effort.
• We have established that we all have problems remembering - this includes myself and all ages of students.  However, we cannot assume that is this is "just the way it is".  I will continue to work with all classes on organization and study skills and encourage students to complete homework the night it is assigned, not the night before it is due.
• Too many students in my sophomore Engineering class and freshman Pre-AP Biology class are not completing homework or are not following written and verbal directions correctly. We will continue to discuss ways to organize assignments so that "remembering" becomes less of a problem. 

A Days (Monday and Thursday)

Honors (Pre-AP) Biology: Students completed their first test last week and the overall results were very good.  However, I am sure that many were disappointed that they did not get as high a grade as they were used to.  Objectives for this week: 1) Demonstrate correct use of lab equipment; 2) Demonstrate basic knowledge of chemistry principles

• Mon, 8/15: Students will complete a Skills Lab on using the microscope and determining density. HW: Complete Analysis and Conclusions questions 4-6, p. 29 (textbook). Read Sec. 1, chapter 2. Answer "Objectives" as questions, p. 31. 
• Thurs., 8/18: Review homework. Activity: Covalent vs Ionic bonds. Notes: Energy. HW: Objective Questions, P. 35

Tech Essentials:  Students will continue to research and learn more about various topics all relating to Internet Safety.  

• Mon., 8/29: 1) Students will share their google docs with two other students. Students will review the urls for factsheets and videos and post a review on Moodle (or google docs for those students without an account). 2) Define the following terms in notebooks: adware, cookie, cyberbulling, firewall, flaming, griefers, identity theft, malware, mouse-trapping, netiquette, peer-to-peer network, pharming,  phishing, social networking, spim, spam, spyware, trojan horse, trolling, worm, virus.  Turn in notebook for notebook check. 
• Thurs., 9/1: You will be making use of an online site called "glogster" to make an online poster.  Use today to familiarize yourself with how to make a "glog". Use the following resources to familiarize yourself with how to use this site as well as an example of an exemplary "report": What is a Glog?,  Exemplary Glog
• HW: On your next day in class you will use the glogster website to make a poster on one of the terms you defined in class Monday.  Select the term, make sure you have enough information on it to make a poster. You can include general or background information on internet safety as well as specific info on your topic. Draw out what you will include.  This will serve as your template for what you will complete in class. DO NOT COMPLETE THE GLOG AT HOME - that will be done in class.

Principles of Engineering: I thought you worked well in groups last week to complete the project, "Building a Better Candy Bag".  The bags produced were, in general, well designed and, as you saw, were quite different from each other.  It is unfortunate that some of you lost points because you did not complete your homework or you did not have your bag for the final presentation. 

• Mon., 8/29: Login to moodle and complete individual review of candy bag project.  Review new project guidelines with new group. Students will begin work on designing a robotic arm. Brainstorm, sketch, decide. HW: Complete scale drawing of arm. Begin research for essay.
• Thurs., 9/1: Build and test prototypes.  Redesign if necessary.  HW: Continue research. Be prepared to upload essay to Moodle 9/7.

B Days (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday)

Multimedia:  

• 8/30: Complete cartoon character, t-shirt design. Intro to bitmap tools, specifically looking at the functions of different lasso types, selection, and changing colors.  Students will practice removing selections and changing colors..  We will also work with making colors more transparent. Create personal avatars.  Follow blog and upload avatar.
• 8/31: Edit selected images. Begin magazine cover assignment
• 9/2:  Complete and upload magazine assignment. 

Tech Essentials:  Same as A days (Thurs [previous week], Mon, Thurs this week)

Honors Biology:  

• 8/30: CW: Review Lab Skills - goggle use, getting equipment, clean-up, taking temperature, making a wet-mount slide, correct way to draw/label microscope drawings. HW: p. 29 - read/review density activity (will complete 8/31).  In notebook - answer objectives - p. 31 Q&A
• 8/31: HW check and discuss correct answers.  Review covalent and ionic bones. Lab: Determining density of oil and water.  HW: Objectives p. 35
• 9/2:  Lab: Microscope Use/Drawing Slides.  HW check. Notes: Energy