Coup in Guinea

We talked a lot about military takeovers and dictatorships during our study of South America.

Today, there is news of a military takeover (a coup), not in South America, but in the country of Guinea -- in Western Africa. There, President Conte, has died after a 24 year rule that some have called dictatorial. Without any mechanism for naming a successor, the military has stepped into the gap and suspended all the government institutions along with the constitution. This is an opportunity for those who are interested to see this sort of political/governmental process unfold.

It is too early to know what the ultimate outcome of all of this will be, but here are news reports on the event from around the world:

Aljazeera News The Guardian -- UK

Yahoo News

Kindergarten Buddies at Christmas

Just before Christmas, we spent a morning with our Kindergarten buddies. We had a "snowman" snack, made paper candy canes, and watched A Charlie Brown Christmas together. It was a nice, happy time and a great way to get better acquainted with one another. The pictures are from Ms. V.

Finding New Species

We've discussed, in both Science and Social Studies classes, the fact that there are many, many species that have not yet been identified. Here's an interesting article about discoveries of previously unknown species found in the last few years in the Mekong region of Thailand... New Species

A Question for Parents -- Communication?

In the last couple of weeks, I've modified my approach to my weekly parent memo. Instead of filling in the number of missing assignments for each child (on a hard copy of the report that many parents never seem to see anyway), I've started simply listing those students who have missing work -- by name. My intent, on a week to week basis, is to keep parents informed about the work that is going on in my classes, and to make it easy for all of you to monitor the level of your student's performance. I think it is important for parents to know when work is turned in, graded, and returned to their student. Unfortunately, 6th graders are capable of making that simple bit of communication very difficult if they decide to do that. Listing students names is a simple, direct way of giving parents a "heads up" that there may be an issue. To tell the truth, I sort of feel that students who don't turn in assignments should know that we KNOW they are missing the mark. At least that is how I see it, but today, I got an email from one mother suggesting that I am hurting people's feelings and creating an issue. Since she is the only one to contact me about this, I am unsure whether this is a widespread perception that almost no one is talking to me about, or really just something that one parent is worried about. I need your help on this one... I am not interested in embarrasing anyone or causing an uproar. I really need to know -- Does seeing your child's name on a list of students who have work missing cause you great distress? Am I shining light on something that people would rather not have be seen? Is this something I need to rethink? Have I taken one problem and created another, worse one in the process of trying to fix it? I suppose the prudent thing to do is to suspend this practice until I know how parents would like me to proceed... Thanks for your consideration of all of this, Sue

Field Trip -- On the Metro

It has been too long since I took these pictures while we waited for our bus to go see the production of VOTE? last month. That was a good field trip and a great way to wrap up our work studying the election process.

Brazil!

Studying Brazil and Brazilian culture and history began with a bit of time to listen to some popular music from that country. Here is a sample of what we heard in class:

And, listening to that made it really important that we all get up and dance!

November Assignments -- Archive

11/21/08--Math 64 -- finish the "Interpreting Graphs" Practice sheets.11/20/08--Math 63 -- pp. 77-78, problems 4, 5, 9-12Health -- read pp. 198-203. Take notes.Geography-- S. America test will be given tomorrow.11/19/08--Math 63 -- p. 73-74, problems 4-12 (even)Math 64 -- p. 88-89, problems 5-12Social Studies -- Read ch. 21, lesson 1 and complete the "framed" notes.Geography-- S. America test will be given on Nov. 21.11/18/08--Health -- read pp. 192-197, questions 1,2, 3, 5Math 63 -- organize data from least to greatest so we can make a Stem and Leaf plot of the presidents' ages in class.Social Studies -- finish timelines from chapter 24Science -- Lab Write-up for the "Egg-speriment" is due on Weds. 11/19.Geography-- S. America test will be given on Nov. 21.11/17/08--Math 63 -- organize data from least to greatest so we can make a Stem and Leaf plot of the presidents' ages in class.Social Studies -- finish timelines from chapter 24Science -- Lab Write-up for the "Egg-speriment" is due on Weds. 11/19.Geography-- S. America test will be given on Nov. 21.Field Trip -- Permission slips and show money are due. Students should also be given bus fare for the Metro: $1.50 each way for a total of $3.00. Please do send correct change for bus fare.REMEMBER to bring canned goods for the food drive.11/14/08--Health -- read pages 186-191. Take notes on your "video quiz" pages, OR you may take notes on a separate sheet of paper and attach them to your "video quiz" page.Science -- Lab Write-up for the "Egg-speriment" is due on Weds. 11/19.Geography-- S. America test will be given on Nov. 21.Field Trip -- Permission slips and show money are due. Students should also be given bus fare for the Metro: $1.50 each way for a total of $3.00. Please do send correct change for bus fare.REMEMBER to bring canned goods for the food drive.11/13/08--Math 64-- P. 82-83, problems 4-20 (even). Determining the range is optional. Extra credit if you can figure it out.Math 63 -- P. 70, problems 1-10Social Studies -- Write 3 facts that you have learned from each section of Chapter 24. Your work must be in complete sentences.Science -- Lab Write-up for the "Egg-speriment" is due on Weds. 11/19.Geography-- S. America test will be given on Nov. 21.Field Trip -- Permission slips and show money are due. Students should also be given bus fare for the Metro: $1.50 each way for a total of $3.00. Please do send correct change for bus fare.11/12/08--Math 63 -- pages 67&68, problems 3-17 (odd)Science -- Lab Write-up for the "Egg-speriment" is due on Weds. 11/19.Geography-- S. America test will be given on Nov. 21.Field Trip -- Permission slips and show money are due. Students should also be given bus fare for the Metro: $1.50 each way for a total of $3.00. Please do send correct change for bus fare.11/11/08--Math 64-- p. 74, 9-17Math -- Data and Graphing using USA Today Snapshots project is due tomorrow. Students may also do extra credit work from the Cool Graphing Website: www.mrnussbaum.com/coolgraphing.htmExtra credit can be earned for completing the line graph, bar graph, circle graph, and ice cream graphing activities.Geography-- S. America test will be given on Nov. 21.Field Trip -- Permission slips and show money are due. Students should also be given bus fare for the Metro: $1.50 each way for a total of $3.00. Please do send correct change for bus fare.11/10/08--Science -- Groups need to remember to bring the final solution for their egg-speriment.Geography-- S. America test will be given on Nov. 21.Field Trip -- Permission slips and show money are due. Students should also be given bus fare for the Metro: $1.50 each way for a total of $3.00. Please do send correct change for bus fare.11/7/08--Math 63 -- P. 64, problems 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10Social Studies -- 12-Choice projects are due on Monday.Geography -- South America map test will be given on November 21.11/6/08--Health-- Students will be talking with parents about immunization records and the possible need to have boosters. They will share an article from the Cleveland Clinc. Here's the website address: http://my.clevelandclinic.org/services/Immunization/hic_Vaccinations_For_Kids_of_All_Ages.aspxInformation is to be recorded in the table provided.Math 64 -- P. 70, problems 1-10Math 63 -- Finish the 24-hour day circle graph and label it with fractions for each part.11/5/08--Math 64 -- pp. 67 & 68, problems 3-21 (odd)Health -- Read pages 182-185Social Studies -- 12-choice projects are due on 11/1011/4/08--Math 63 -- pp. 58-59, problems 6-9, 11-14Math 64 -- P, 64, problems 1-10Social Studies -- Chapter 24 12-choice project assignment due Monday, 11/1011/03-08 --Math 63 -- Finish By Golly, By Gum line graphMath 64 -- Finish circle graph and label with fractionsSocial Studies -- (room 205 only) SQ3R, survey and write one question for chapter 24 lessons. You should have 6 questions -- one for each lesson.12-Choice project for Chapter 24 will be due on Monday, 11/10.

Geography Bee

Students will be chosen this week to compete in the school Geography Bee. Here's the link to National Geographic Geography Bee "Study Corner." It's got lots of great resources and tips for preparing for the Geography Bee and for increasing geography awareness. http://www.nationalgeographic.com/geographybee/study_corner.html

Food Drive

Students have contributed over 1700 items to our food drive project. The effort continues after we come back from the Thanksgiving break.

Please don't forget to pick up a few extra, non-perishable food items to donate to those in our community who need a bit of help.

Friendships Among Girls

I had a number of interesting conversations with parents during conferences about our girls and their various social interactions. It is not unusual for parents, trying to steer daughters through adolescence, to have concerns about the shifting friendship dynamics of this age group. Having spent a lot of years "in the sixth grade," I really understand how confusing and anxiety provoking it can be for caring mothers and fathers to watch their girls struggle with problematic relationships among their peers. It is difficult to know when to jump in and intervene, and when it is better to stand back and let the children work it out for themselves... Boys really do seem to navigate these waters much more smoothly. Here is one piece of research that I found in searching for some kind of "professional" advice or information on this topic. It surely doesn't provide any fixes, but it may feel reassuring to know that this is not an "uncommon" concern... For psychologists to understand the way in which adolescent girls develop in relation to the world around them, it is important to examine adolescent girls' friendships. Close friendships, considered by many social scientists to be the "most rewarding and satisfying of all human relationships" are clearly important for the social and emotional health of all adolescents, regardless of ethnicity, race, or socioeconomic status. What is known about girls' friendships and peer relations is based primarily on studies comparing girls with boys. Although these studies provide important information, they offer little understanding of the diversity of experiences and perceptions of friendships among girls, including the important distinction girls make among types of friends and the nature and quality of these relationships. There has also been little attention given to the ways in which class, culture, race, ethnicity, and sexual identity shape adolescent girls' friendships groupings and even less attention to the ways in which racism, sexism, classism, and homophobia influence the environments in which girls' friendships are nurtured. Early adolescence appears to be especially stressful on adolescent girls' friendships and peer relations, signified by a sharp increase in indirect relational aggression. More typical of girls and more distressful to girls than to boys, relational aggression, characterized by such behaviors as spreading rumors or threatening withdrawal of affiliation, appears to emerge as girls' attempt to negotiate current power relations and affirm or resist conventional constructions of femininity. More research is needed to understand the nature and quality of this negotiation and the role popularity and attractiveness play in the development and configuration of adolescent girls' peer groupings. Friendships can be a source of both knowledge and strength for adolescent girls. They can also be a source of struggle, hurt, and confusion, particularly as girls move into adolescence and begin to negotiate dominant cultural views of sexual relationships, femininity, and appearance. Directly engaging adolescent girls in conversations about such issues and encouraging them to explore together how current power relations are played out in the context of their relationships with other girls and women can provide support as well as opportunities to resist social separations.

Research Agenda: Friendships

• How do girls' friendships and peer relations mitigate or exacerbate the psychological and social struggles of adolescence? What possibilities for support and protective factors exist within girls' friendships?
• How does social location-that is, class, race, ethnicity, and sexual identity-affect the nature of adolescent girls' friendships and peer groupings and influence the forms and meanings of communication among girls, including the formation of cliques, aggressive behavior, bullying, and teasing?
• How do school environments and neighborhood contexts influence peer groupings and friendship patterns?
• How do changing relationships with boys affect relationships between girlfriends?
• How are expressions of closeness and intimacy between girls affected by conventional notions of femininity and codes of sexual and gender "normalcy"?
• What are the strengths and stresses of girls' friendships forged across lines of class and culture?

Map Test Studies

The South America map test was given on October 21. Getting ready for map tests is a process that takes time in class as well as at home. Students prepare map study guides as well as a variety of study aids including flash cards and "flippers" to help them memorize items like capital cities. In the classroom, we lean toward the use of write-on/wipe-off maps and atlases to do the basic preparation work. Here's a great link that I found to help with studying for map tests using on-line flash cards: http://www.flashcardexchange.com/ I'll add this link to the geography links here on the webpage.

Social Studies Board Games

As students completed their studies about North America in the modern era, they made presentations from the 12-Choice Project menu. Many decided to create board games for their project on this material. We had lots! So, we took a class period, after all the presentations were finished, and played board games. Here are pictures from our "game day."

Sister Cities Project -- Laure Quinlivan's Blog

Laure Quinlivan is a local TV reporter and video producer, formerly with the I-Team at Channel 9. She is documenting the Sister Cities trip to Liuzhou, China . You can check in on her travels at her Weblog: Quinlivan in China .

Egg-speriment

More "osmosis and diffusion."

This lab uses raw eggs as a model for the cell.

First, we put the eggs into vinegar. The vinegar is a weak acid which dissolves the calcium in the egg shells and exposes the membrane.

Now that we have eggs without their shells, we've been cycling them through a variety of solutions to see if we can understand the mechanisms of diffusion across the semi-permeable membrane. So far, we've had our eggs in vinegar, water, salt water, and corn syrup.

We're not done yet. Our eggs have a few more transitions to go.

Many thanks to all the parents who donated supplies to help us with this lab.

Cell Models

Cells have functional parts that are responsible for carrying out all the processes of life within the cell. To help us understand how these "organelles" relate to one another in three dimensions, students made models of the cells and their organelles. All of the cell models used zip-top sandwich bags to represent the cell membrane. Other organelles were represented by all sorts of differnt things. In one model, the cell nucleus was represented by a meat ball, another used half of a plum to show this organelle. Cytoplasm was represented by all substances including corn syrup, shampoo, and the insides from an ice pack.

Students said they liked this activity because it was creative. Some said that it was a way to "teach" family members about the parts of a cell. More than a few reported that the really fun part of this project was that it was "messy."

Just one more election piece... These kids are great

Just in case you haven't had a chance to see them, these young people from Atlanta are fun to watch and point to the real truth of our political process and our American system of government. They are right, however you voted, the truth is that we all had the gift and privelege of casting our vote -- however we liked.

Good job!

The "Apple" Lab

In our study of cells, we are spending a lot of our time understanding the processes of diffusion and osmosis. Materials move in and out of cells through a semi-permeable membrane. This is a passive transport function that responds to differences in concentrations within and without the cell.

One way that we have explored these processes is with a lab that used apple slices. We placed the slices into two different solutions: one a highly concentrated salt solution, and the other a plain water bath.

We observed the changes in the apple slices over the course of about 20 minutes, and then discussed what the changes that we observed could tell us about diffusion and osmosis.

Homework Archive -- October

10/31/08--61 Science (room 205) -- choose one question from the list we created about the iodine/starch test. Write a paragraph describing some way that you could explore or test further to answer your question. Questions are listed in the post found on this page.10/30/08--Math 64 -- pp. 58-59, problems 7, 8, 9, 11, 13, 15, 16Social Studies -- Write a paragraph that discusses what you learned during the presidential election project -- either from your own research or from the presentations of other groups.Geography -- North America and Island Nations tests will be given 10/30 and 10/3110/29/08 --Math 63 -- find an example of a bar graph or a line graph to share. Due Friday.Math 64 -- Line Graph for By Golly, By Gum project data.Geography -- North America and Island Nations tests will be given 10/30 and 10/31Social Studies -- list 2 or 3 symbols of American independence. Draw and color a picture of one of the symbols you listed.Remember to finish your Presidential Election project if you didn't get it done in computer class. I will be grading this work over the weekend.10/28/08--Math 64 -- find an example of a bar graph or a line graph to share.Geography -- North America and Island Nations tests will be given 10/30 and 10/31Social Studies -- list 2 or 3 symbols of American independence. Draw and color a picture of one of the symbols you listed.10/27/08--Math 63 -- p. 55, problems 7, 8, 1010/23/08--Math 63-- pp. 52-53, problems 4, 6, 12, 13, 16Math 64 -- p. 55, problems 4, 5, 7, 8, 10Geography -- North America and Island Nations tests will be given October 30 and 31. Students are to prepare a chant, song, or poem about Island Nations and their locations. Due Monday, 10/2710/22/08--Social Studies -- Ch. 23 test tomorrow.Geography -- North America and Island Nations tests will be given October 30 and 31. Students are to prepare a chant, song, or poem about Island Nations and their locations. Due Monday, 10/27.10/21/08--Social Studies -- test is Thursday. Study Guide is on the web page.Science -- cell models are due Wednesday.Geography -- North America and Island Nations tests will be given October 30 and 31. Students are to prepare a chant, song, or poem about Island Nations and their locations. Due Monday, 10/27.10/20/08--Social Studies -- Chapter 23, Culture, and Social Justice test on Thursday. We will review tomorrow.Math 63 -- Frequency Table practice using the "TV in the Bedroom" article.Math 64 -- Lesson 2-1 Foldable notes should include all the vocabulary and at least one example problem.Science -- P. 37, questions 1 & 2.Your cell model is due on Wednesday.Geography -- Island Nations song, poem or chant due Monday, 10/27.10/17/08--Math 63 -- Make the Chapter 2 foldable from p. 49Math 64 -- Frequency Table practice using the "TV in the Bedroom" article.Geography -- Island Nations song, poem, or chant. Due 10/27. Here's a bit of inspiration: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0y8jkfXoX8Social Studies -- Test on Ch. 23, culture, and social justice is scheduled for Thursday, 10/23. Students have a study guide and Chapter review questions from the textbook: pp. 640-641, questions 2,5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13, 1610/16/08--Math 64 -- Make the Chapter 2 foldable from p. 4910/15/08--Science -- Build an animal cell model. Students have the handout for this activity. Due 10/22.Social Studies -- Read pp. 636-639. Answer questions 1 & 2 on p. 639.Math -- Complete the Shotzee Number Game Report form.Math -- Repair for the Chapter 1 test is due by Friday.Geography -- Island Nations flash cards are due next Friday, 10/17. I will put copies of the flags up here on the webpage.North America map test will be given on 10/30. Island Nations test will be given on 10/31.10/14/08--Math -- students received their graded math tests today. Those who choose to do so may "repair" their grades by working the problems assigned on the "Repair" assignment sheet for each incorrect problem on the test. Due Friday.Geography -- Island Nations flash cards are due next Friday, 10/17. I will put copies of the flags up here on the webpage.North America map test will be given on 10/30. Island Nations test will be given on 10/31.10/10/08--Geography -- Island Nations flash cards are due next Friday, 10/17. I will put copies of the flags up here on the webpage.North America map test will be given on 10/30. Island Nations test will be given on 10/31.Enjoy your long weekend!10/9/08--Science (room 205 only) -- write a few sentences about a way to test or experiment as a way of finding an answer to one of the questions that you wrote during today's "lab."10/8/08--Math -- study for the test tomorrow.Science (room 204 only) -- write a few sentences about a way to test or experiment as a way of finding an answer to one of the questions that you wrote during today's "lab."10/7/08 --Math test is scheduled for Thursday. Students have the study guide.10/6/08 --Math -- the math test is scheduled for Thursday. Students have a study guide (which VERY closely resembles the test).10/3/08--Math -- all math students work on p. 41, problems 8-13, and 16-19Math Test will be scheduled for next week beginning on Thursday. Depending on Terra Nova testing, the test may be administered on Friday, or into the following week. Students will receive a study guide on Monday, but may begin preparing using the Review and Study pages at the end of Chapter 1.10/2/08--Math -- all math students should complete the worksheet for lesson 1-7Science -- complete the chapter 2 vocabulary preview worksheet.10/1/08 --Math -- students should complete the foldables notes for lessons through 1-7. I recommend that students include vocabulary, key concepts, and examples from each lesson in their notes. Due before the upcoming math test which will occur next week.

Diffusion Demonstration Questions

Starch-iodine test Definition noun A test for the presence of starch in which the sample turns blue-black in color when a few drops of potassium iodide solution is placed on the sample. Supplement The reaction is due to the formation of polyiodide chains from the reaction of starch and iodine. The amylose in starch forms helices where iodine molecules assemble, forming a dark blue or black color. When starch is broken down or hydrolyzed into smaller carbohydrate units, the blue-black color is not produced. Therefore, this test can also indicate completion of hydrolysis when a color change does not occur. Also called as: Iodine test.

Some Questions students asked after observing this test:

1. what would happen if we just mixed iodine and cornstarch?

2. what caused it to turn purple?

3. how did the iodine get into the bag?

4. what caused the water in the cup to turn clear?

5. did the water go through the bag? How?

6. why was the iodine yellow in the cup, but purple in the bag?

7. what would happen if we emptied the contents of the bag into the water in the cup?

8. did any water from inside the bag get out?

9. did any cornstarch get out of the bag?

Some Really Big Numbers -- Math

I found this interesting website as I was surfing around today, and I thought it was a pretty neat way to get a sense of the really BIG numbers in math. Everything here is illustrated in terms of pennies (except when it is illustrated in terms of cows...). Have fun exploring!