Final Science Fair Report

This is it! Today in class we discussed the final step of the science fair report. If students kept pace, they should now have their report ready to put the final touches on. It is very appropriate for parents to take a look at the final product. Below you will find a checklist for the final editing process.

Title Page - Contains full name of the paper, student name, and school name.

Abstract - 150 word summary of entire project.

Table of Contents - Lists each section of the paper and the page it is found on.

Background Research - 2 - 3 pages summarizing the prior research on the subject. Should contain at least 3 in text citations.

Question/Hypothesis/Variables - All on one page. Each section heading should be centered by the body text should be justified left. Section headings should be 12 point but bolded. Skip 3 lines between each section.

Materials - Bullet point list with exact brands, amounts, etc.

Methods/Procedures - Numbered list explaining step by step. Should be detailed enough that an outside source could replicate.

Results - Including Graphs and Data Tables - The written results section should be one to two long paragraphs. It includes all of the numerical results in words. Any numbers less than ten should be written out. All numbers larger than ten may be written in digits. This may be more than one page.

Conclusions - This is the analysis and discussion of the results. It's a minimum of three paragraphs. Be sure to include whether the hypothesis was supported or refuted. Also include any further research indicated and what impact the study should have on society. In other words, who cares?

Bibliography - All sources used must be listed in APA format. I highly encourage the use of http://citationmachine.net/index2.php . Be sure to change it to APA formatting. Once it formats the citation, copy and paste it on to the last page of the report. Reorder the citations to be in alphabetical order by author's last name.

That's it! Once that is all done, the report is finished and ready to go. Hit print, put it in a folder, and take a nap.

All reports must be emailed to Mrs. Adams no later than 6:00 PM Sunday to allow them to be checked for plagiarism.

End of Year Trip

Our end of year trip plans are coming together and I have great news!  This week we were given a matching grant for up to $1300. That means anything we can get donated or raise will be matched up to a total donation of $1300. We have already raised $600.

That would give us a very comfortable budget for graduation and our Ashland trip. If you can contribute to our trip or know of a business that is willing to do so, please let us know!

We are currently looking at seeing 3 plays, 1 behind the scenes tour, 2 dinners out, 2 nights stay, and 4 other meals (food taken with us). It is going to be an amazing trip and we appreciate any help you can give us!

End of Year Dates

I am starting to get questions about the end of year dates. Our graduation will be the evening of June 11th at 7:00 PM.

Our year end trip will be the week of June 2nd. Exact dates will come out as soon as I make the reservations.

Rex Putnam IB Program

 Rex Putnam's IB Program will be hosting an information night. Please attend if you are considering Rex Putnam!

8th Grade Night

March 3, 2014

6:30 pm

For more information contact:

Traci Clarke

International Baccalaureate Coordinator / Leadership Advisor

Rex Putnam High School  - IB Code 3331

4950 SE Roethe Rd.

Milwaukie, Oregon 97267

503.353.5870 ext. 38619

Science Fair Boards

I do not expect students to begin working on their boards until next weekend, but if you're feeling crunched for time and want to get a head start, here is the layout we will be using. 

If students are unsure of their layout/contrast/etc, I told them they may text me a picture and I would give them feedback. 

Gandhi Study Guide

Mahatma Gandhi Study Guide

If you can answer the following questions, you will do just fine on tomorrow's test!

1. The _____ system was abolished in
India in the 1960’s but it still exists
today.

2. Some of the men in Gandhi’s family
were _____.

3. The religion of his family was _____.

4. When he was a boy he was greatly
influenced by _____.

5. A play he attended helped him to
learn to be _____.

6. Gandhi was married at age thirteen
because _____.

7. He studied and became a barrister
which is _____.

8. He first experienced prejudice when
he lived in _____.

9. He became _____ because of the
discrimination.

10. The _____ were viewed as unclean
in India.

 11. Gandhi’s method of bringing about
change was _____.

12. He called his method _____ which
means truth + persistence.

13. Gandhi wanted India to be free from
the rule of _____.

14. Businesses run from homes are
called _____.

15. Because of Gandhi’s role in causing
people to resist, he was _____.

16. To show he had renounced worldly
values he _____.

17. He led a march to the seacoast in
protest of _____.

18. The British government began to
make changes for the better when
Gandhi ____. 

19. The Muslims formed their own state
and called it _____.

20. _____ was one person who looked to
Gandhi for inspiration.

Science Fair

It is time for our Cascade students to showcase their scientific knowledge and amazing experiments.   

This year’s Science Fair Exposition day is on Friday, January 31st. It will be a full day focused on science. Students should arrive to school at 7:45 ready for a full day of learning. They will need to wear their best uniform (ties are very appropriate), bring a healthy lunch, and their B.O.B book.

If your child would like to order a sack lunch from the cafeteria, we will need to know no later than Thursday, January 23, 2010.

Between 9 A.M. and noon students will be presenting to the science fair judges. During this time the gym, where all of the experiments will be located, will be off limits to everyone but students and judges. Our judges are all experts in one or more scientific fields. They will be looking for the correct use of the scientific method, general understanding of the topic, and ability to present in an organized and thoughtful manner. One or more judges will meet with each student for 5 – 10 minutes.

 Because the displays are sequestered during judging, we invite friends and family to view the fair on Thursday, January 30th from 4 P.M. until 6 P.M. This is a great time to see what other students did, learn something new, and get ideas for next year.

Finally, all science fair awards will be officially presented at an All School Assembly the following Monday, February 3rd at 8 A.M.
If you have any questions, please contact me.  

BOB is here!

Battle of the Books has begun! Third through eighth grade will spend the next six weeks reading and strategizing before going head to head with the other classes in fast paced battles that test comprehension. Today the official list of 26 books will be released. Classes will work together to not only read these books, but master them. Because each student can only answer three questions per battle, it must be a team effort. Which class will come out on top? It's anyone's game at this point. Be sure to ask your student what BOB book they are reading. You are more than welcome to read it with them or even to them! 

How are books chosen?

The Battle of the Book list is chosen by a team of teachers and administrators. They review the National Librarian’s Association recommendations, Newberry Medal winners, Caldecott Medal winners, and other notable award winners. From these lists they find books that range from the lowest reading level participating to 3 years above the highest grade participating. From there they ensure that we have fiction and nonfiction, historical fiction, classics, sports fiction, animal fiction, adventure, and a biography. The last consideration is a balance between female and male characters. The idea is to have at least one book in the list that appeals to every child participating.

 

What if I think a book is over my child’s head or is inappropriate for them?

The beauty of Battle of the Books is that it is a team effort. No one child is expected to read every book. In fact, it’s best if they don’t read every book. Choose 2 or 3 from the list that you are OK with and read those.

 

Can my child listen to the book/watch the movie/have it read to them etc?

YES! The idea is for children to be exposed to literature and to understand the story. They can have it read to them by an adult or older sibling, listen to it on tape, or read it themselves. They can watch the movie, but be careful; often the movie is not the same as the book.

The official list is: 

AUTHOR                                                                                    TITLE                     

1. Burnford, Shelia                                                               The Incredible Journey
2. Cleary, Beverly                                                                      Henry and Ribsy
3. Cleary, Beverly                                                                      Ralph S. Mouse  
4. Conrad, Joseph                                                                              Lord Jim
5. Curtis, Christopher                                           The Watsons Go to Birmingham
6. Farley, Walter                                                                          Black Stallion
7. Freedman, Russell                                                     Lincoln: A Photobiography
8. George, Jean Craighead                                                        The Talking Earth
9. Giff, Patricia Reilly                                                            Lily’s Crossing
10. Houston, Gloria                                                                Bright Freedom’s Song
11. Kimmel, Elizabeth                                                          Balto and the Great Race
12. Kipling, Rudyard                                                                  Jungle Book
13. Lauber, Patrica                  Volcano: The Eruption and Healing of Mt. St. Helens
14. Lawson, Rob                                                                      Ben and Me
15. Lupica, Mike                                                                       The Batboy
16. Paulsen, Gary                                                                    Voyage of the Frog
17. St. George, Judith                                  Dear Mr. Bell; Your Friend Helen Keller
18. Sepetys, Ruta                                                             Between the Shades of Gray
19. Shakespeare, William                                                     Taming of the Shrew
20. Sperry, Armstrong                                                                Call It Courage
21. Stevenson, Robert Louis                                                          Kidnapped
22. Taylor, Mildred                                                         Let the Circle Be Unbroken
23. Thurber, James                                                                     The Wonderful O
24. Williams, Margery                                                            The Velveteen Rabbit
25. Well, H.G.                                                                            The Time Machine
26. Yomtov, Neil                                                                 Revolutionary War Spies

Study Stack Update

Thanks to Mrs. Foos, our vocab study stack is up to date! The link is http://www.studystack.com/flashcards-1450248.

On today's vocab test, only 1 person received a score that demonstrated understanding of the words. When I asked the class how much time they spent over the last week studying their vocabulary, the resounding answer was none. Vocabulary is the key to comprehension and I believe it to be very important. Please plan in 15 minutes a night to work on study stacks or practice in other ways.

Thank you

News From the Traffic Guy

Traffic Safety Greetings from the safety guy up at the stop sign!  Thank your for your patience with carline.  Some things to keep in mind that will make everyone safer and things more efficient: It is illegal to park on a corner. It is illegal to park in a crosswalk. It is illegal to park in a fire lane. If you are confused, please view the picture below full of NO. To make things move a bit faster, please DO NOT try to turn left from Church St. onto 82nd.  Please use Church St. for right-hand turns and go up a block to Clackamas Rd. to turn left.  We cannot enforce this courtesy, but we can give you dirty looks!  The problem is when Church St. fills up, it then holds up carline, and the safe group-by-group rhythm of cars is thrown off, and children are endangered. If you are confused, please view the picture below full of YES and arrows. When using the crosswalk, PLEASE wait for the group of cars to stop.  I know pedestrians have the right of way, but we are trying to get cars out of there as fast as possible.  If you are driving, PLEASE keep your eyes open for wayward pedestrians, but also keep traffic moving! When pulling up to load your child, PLEASE pull as far forward as possible.  If you are at the front of the line, that means the SECOND tree (farthest south, closest to the crosswalk). If your child is not at carline, and should be, or has forgotten something, PLEASE pull THROUGH carline and park in the gravel. If you have ideas on how we can improve these routines, we are always willing to listen!

Family Day Out Opportunity

Everyone invited for a party in the woods!

Yes, let’s welcome the New Year in with a WORK party at the Hopkins Demonstration Forest—our regular monthly Community Forestry Day on Saturday, January 11.  Action begins at 8:30am and goes as long as people are willing and able.  Lunch, as always, provided—and it’s always good.  Please call Jean at the Extension office (503-655-8631) to let us know you are coming.

The plan for the 11th will be getting ready for the coming tree planting season…

 

Hopkins Demonstration Forest

Community Forestry Day

Saturday, January 11 (8:30am-4:00pm)

Tree Planting Site Preparation in the Uneven Age Management Area (UEMA)

Goals for day: 1) remove understory brush and woody vegetation; 2) cut, pile and treat with herbicides—as appropriate; 3) create planting spots and visibly mark.

This work will be done in the Hopkins UEMA that was thinned during the summer/fall of 2012.  Understory planting will be done this winter/spring.  Our plan is to treat about 2-3 acres on January 11 and another 2-3 acres at the February 8 Community Forestry Day.  We are looking for about 200-225 plantable spots per acre in this area.

Here’s what we need on January 11th:

•             Two or three chainsaw operators for brush cutting including trees up to 6” in diameter.

•             Two or three brush stackers to concentrate slash.

•             Two or three chemical applicators for cut-surface and basal oil applications.

•             Two or three grubbers for scalping planting spots and marking with flagging for the tree planters who will be coming in starting in February.

If you have these skills or would like to learn by doing—with guided instruction!—please call Jean at Extension.  Bring your favorite tools, if you wish, or we will provide at Hopkins.  All chemicals are provided, too.  LEARN BY DOING—IT’S THE HOPKINS WAY WE MANAGE OUR FOREST!

Science Fair Links

Our science fair report is being written using these two links.
http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_final_report.shtml
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/

We are walking through them step by step in class, so if students are present and participating, the at home final drafts should be a piece of cake.

Yesterday we did the title page. As stated and shown on the Purdue OWL page, the title page should include a clear and concise title. Everyone that had their materials present had the opportunity to share their title and get help rewording. Under the title is the student's full name. (First, Middle Initial, Last) Under that should be Cascade Heights Public Charter School. That's it!

Today we did the Question/Hypothesis/Variable page. It looks like this:

Reading Logs

“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies, said Jojen. The man who never reads lives only one.”
― George R.R. Martin, A Dance with Dragons    

Yesterday reading logs were sent home. These are intended to help me get a better feel for what students are reading and how much they are reading. Our nightly homework has always included a minimum of 30 minutes of reading, the only change is now they are to record what they are doing during this time. At the end of a book, there is a short form students are to fill out.

The deal I made with the class yesterday says that if they can show a month of adequate progress through books and adequate comprehension of those books, they no longer have to fill out the reading log on a daily basis. In other words, they can earn their way off the logging of their reading. It does not mean they can earn their way out of reading!

What counts as reading?
Any book read during the day. This includes during silent reading in class. Web pages do not count. Magazines can count if they are hard copy and contain articles of at least 2 pages long.

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.”
― Dr. Seuss, I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!

Reader's Bonus

Do you read the blog carefully? If so, I appreciate your time and effort! I have 5 four packs of tickets to see the Rose City Rollers at the Memorial Coliseum on January 18th at 5:45. If you would like to go, and you're one of the first 5 families to email me and request  tickets, they are yours.

Uniform Reminder

Please do a quick review of the uniform policy. We're starting to see a lot of non uniform shoes, nail polish, etc sneaking in.

Above the waist:

·Solid white shirts WITH collars (polo, turtleneck, mock turtleneck, etc.)

·Shirts must not expose the torso and long enough to stay tucked in with arms raised above the head

·All undergarments above the waist must be of a discreet color and completely covered at all times; however, the top two buttons on the uniform shirt may be opened. Any shirt worn under the uniform shirt must be solid white without printing of any kind

·Solid fire engine red vests, cardigans or pullovers, v-neck vests, NO HOODS are worn in the classroom

·SHIRTS TUCKED IN AT ALL TIMES (except PE and recess)

·Shirts and tops must come to the clavicle (no scooped necklines)

·Shirts must have sleeves; no sleeveless shirts or tank tops are allowed

·Cannot be sheer, see-through, or revealing

Below the waist:

· Navy blue pants, shorts, capris, jumpers, skirts, or kilts

·Pants may be cotton twill, corduroy (no jean or stretch material)

·Tailored walking shorts with zipper front or fitted waist

· Must be no more than three inches above the knee

·No cargo shorts or pants (i.e. pockets on the sides of pants)

·Tights or leggings in solid white, navy, or black are allowed under skirts and shorts

·PE is EVERY DAY- Proper play shoes must offer firm support, resist slipping, and pass the “kick test” (ask your child to demonstrate).

·Solid black, white, brown, or navy shoes only (small logos and stripes ok).

·NO CROCS, HEELIES, FLIP FLOPS, BOOTS of ANY KIND (including UGGS), HIKING SHOES or HIGH HEELS are allowed.

·VISIBLE solid white, black, or navy socks must be worn with all shoes.

Accessories and grooming:

·Watches, rings, and stud earrings only, small necklaces and religious scapulars are acceptable.

· Neck- and bowties:  solid red, navy blue, or white, or any red/navy/white combination.  Tie must be properly tied and no longer than waist of pants.

·NO hats, sunglasses, or bandanas may be worn in the building at any time.

·Outerwear: Any coat, sweater, or sweatshirt may be worn for warmth outdoors but may not be worn in the classroom. NO Hoods or overcoats in the classroom, regardless of color.

·Hair is to be clean, neatly groomed and not interfere with eyesight. Extreme fads in cuts, styles, or designs are not acceptable. Hair of an unnatural hair color is not allowed.

• Make-Up: Light makeup is acceptable for 8th grade only. Glitter (of any kind) or heavily applied makeup is not acceptable (eyeliner, mascara, lipstick, etc.) and student will be asked to remove it.

·Tattoos, henna designs, face painting or writing on hands, arms, legs or other visible places are unacceptable. Please remove them thoroughly before school.

·Jewelry:  ear-lobe piercing are acceptable visible piercings; other body piercing may not be visible.  Necklaces and bracelets must not be distracting. Dog-type collared jewelry, studded wristbands, wallet chains, ropes, studs, are not allowed. 

·Hands:  Hands must be clean and nails clean and trimmed.  Clear nail polish only is acceptable; NO colored nail polish--student will be asked to remove it.

 

Please note that the final determination on the appropriateness of any item of clothing and appearance rests with the staff and administration.

High School

As we begin the new year, it is time to kick high school planning in to high gear!

If you're planning on going to CMC, have you...

• Filled out the application forms?
• Asked for a letter of recommendation?
• Taken the COMPASS test at Clackamas Community College?

If you're planning on going to La Salle, have you...

• Taken the placement test?
• Submitted the recommendation forms to Mrs. Adams?
• Submitted the recommendation forms to your math teacher?
• Made an appointment with Mrs. Denman to have her write a letter of recommendation?

If you are planning to go to any place else, have you visited and asked about any requirements?

If you have taken a placement test, either the COMPASS test or the La Salle placement test, please bring Mrs. Adams a copy of the results. This will help me to refine my teaching.

Welcome Back!

Happy New Year!

It was wonderful to see everyone back and ready to go this morning. After a sleepy morning, we got right to work. 2013 was an amazing year, and 2014 will only be even better!

Math:
Course 2 finished lesson 57 today.  Course 3 just finished lesson 73. Algebra 1 is on lesson 61. Everyone is right on track to complete their course by the end of the year. You can assure success by reviewing math tests with your child.

Reading:
We have completed Twelfth Night! I'm sure you're as proud of them as I am. Our next novel will be Animal Farm by George Orwell. In Guided Reading we will be continuing to work on reading non fiction texts. Non fiction texts include a wide range of material including recipes, instructions, maps, charts, tables, phone books, directories, etc. When you are out and about point these things out and demonstrate how you use them.

Science:
Today was the last day for Rube Goldberg machines. It was fascinating to watch the different groups work together towards a common goal. Not only did they have to demonstrate the principles of physics, but they also worked through the engineering design process. I was most impressed by their persistence.

This month is the final push for the science fair. Each day we will work on the rough drafts in class. Students will then need to type up the final draft at home. On day 1 students should begin a word processing document and then add to it each night. Tomorrow students need to bring their science fair notebook to class. Below is the timeline for completion.
1/7/2014 - Title page rough draft in class - Title page final draft at home
1/8/2014 - Question rough draft in class - Question final draft at home
1/9/2014 - Hypothesis rough draft in class - Hypothesis final draft at home
1/13/2014 - Background research KWO in class
1/14/2014 - Background research rough draft in class - Background research final draft at home
1/15/2014 - Materials rough draft in class - Materials final draft at home
1/16/2014 - Procedures rough draft in class - Procedures final draft at home
1/20/2014 - Results tables and graphs lesson in class (2 copies printed, one for report and one for board)
1/21/2014 - Results narrative KWO and rough draft in class - Results narrative final draft at home
1/22/2014 - Conclusions KWO and rough draft  in class - Conclusions final draft at home
1/23/2014 - Bibliography final draft in class
Weekend of the 24th - Students complete the board at home. This should take less than 2 hours because they will already have everything they need typed up and ready to place!
1/27/2014 - Turn in report, notebook, and board.
1/31/2014 - Science Fair!

History:
In history this month we will be going back in time and across the country to India. We will be learning about the decline of European Colonialism  in India and how Ghandi brought change to the land. By the end of the unit students should understand the geography of the area, the life of Ghandi, and his impact.

Field Trip:
January 28th is our field trip day this month. It will be a regular school day. Students are expected to be on campus in their best uniforms at 8:00. They will be interviewed by judges and will present their project to other grades. Everyone should bring a hearty snack and a healthy lunch. A more detailed schedule for the day will be coming out soon!

Class Shirts:
Our 8th grade class shirts arrived! Students may wear them on Thursdays for the rest of the year with their regular uniform pants. If you did not order one but would like to, let me know no later than the 15th and we'll put one more order in.