Weekly blog 9/27/15

Summary: This week we were learning about the continental drift and it was a theory by Alfred wegner. He found this out by looking a fossils in one place and then the other and there were the same fossils in both places. He told other scientists about his discoveries but since he didn't have any proof no one believed him. After a few years he went on an expedition in Antarctica and then there was a blizzard. When the blizzard cleared some of his students found him but it was to late he was dead. 30 years later another scientist came up with plate tectonics and explained to other scientists that the Earth really did move and that Alfred Wegner was right.

SP6: Constructing explanations and designing solutions

The goal of science is the construction of theories that provide explanations about the natural world. A theory becomes accepted when it has multiple independent lines of empirical evidence and greater explanatory power.

Weekly Blog 09/14-09/18

Summary: This week we were making paper mache volcano's and it was hard to put the news paper on the paper volcano. We are also learning about the Earth's crust and what the layers are called. I think it is going to be exciting when we make our volcano's explode and when fake lava comes down it. I think that the thing that I find the most exciting and the best part of this week is the paper mache volcano. I think this because it is fun to make the volcano and I bet it's going to be exciting when we put the vinegar in the volcano.


SP2: Developing and using

models

Science often involves the construction and use of models and simulations to help develop explanations about natural phenomena. Models make it possible to go beyond things you observe and simulate a world not yet seen. Models enable predictions of the form “if…then… therefore” to be made in order to test hypothetical explanations.

Did you build a model,draw a picture, created a concept map, etc?

I did build a model with the people in my group and it was a model of a volcano.

Weekly Blog 09/07-09/11

Summary: This week we did a project about the scientific method and the project was a comic. We had to make it so then it would be the cycle of the scientific method and I made mine about a someone that had a question. Then his friend tells him to use the scientific method and he does so he goes through the scientific method. But we couldn't do stick figures so I tried my best to draw and to not mess up. One more thing was that it wouldn't stay together and i had to use a lot of tape.

SP2: Developing and using 

models

Science often involves the construction and use of models and simulations to help develop explanations about natural phenomena. Models make it possible to go beyond things you observe and simulate a world not yet seen. Models enable predictions of the form “if…then… therefore” to be made in order to test hypothetical explanations.

I refined/rebuild my model as I learned about ...

Project Blog 09/07-09/11

Summary: This week we did a project that was called "The Scientific Method comic". We had to make a comic that was about the Scientific method and we had to make a title. My title was "James and the Scientific Method". I made the story on someone that wanted to know the answer to "Does the amount of sleep effect someone?". I answered the question by having that person go through the Scientific Method and my answer was yes it does.


Backward-looking: Something similar that I did last year was a water cycle comic and it was about the water cycle. I made the project about a little water droplet and the water droplet went through the water cycle. The Scientific method comic was harder because I couldn't draw stick figures and in the water cycle comic. I drew a water droplet and not an actual person so it was easier. Something similar of the comics is that they both are about a cycle.


Inward-looking
Something I found frustrating in the project was that I couldn't draw stick figures and I'm not very good at drawing. I found this frustrating because since I am not a very good drawer I thought the pictures would be bad. I also found frustrating is that when I was putting the comic on card board I had to tape the card board together and it wasn't sticking together. It was very difficult to do and if I wasn't careful it could of broke. If it had broke then I would get a zero and the policy is "Once a zero always a zero".


Outward-looking
A grade that I would give this project is a B or a C and I would give it these grade because I tried hard but it isn't very good. I would give it a B because I worked hard and a C because it might break if you are not careful. It would break easily because I was rushing and I should of taken my time. One thing that is good is the color but the card board and the tape wasn't very good. One more reason why its a B is because even if it is bad I still turned it in and at least I didn't turn nothing in.


Forward-looking
One thing I would like to improve upon is to pay more attention in class and work on my drawing. I would also like to not get distracted easily and not forget anything important. I also want to improve on my work and collaboration. I also want to pay attention when the teacher is telling us something important. One more thing is to do better work and to be smarter sometimes because I don't want to embarrass myself.

Project blog 08/31-09/06

Summary: The project was about how far a paper airplane would fly depending on the paper. The paper we used was card stock,printer,color,binder, and construction paper. The farthest was construction paper and that's what we predicted. We used the Scientific method for this project and our hypothesis was that the construction paper would fly the farthest. Our conclusion was that the construction paper flew the farthest.


The process we went through to get our conclusion is the Scientific method and the process isn't complicated. First is define question/problem,observation,hypothesis,experiment,gather data,confirm data. I think the most fun part is the experiment because you get to do an experiment and I don't know why but its fun.


What I found frustrating is that on the first day of working on it in class we didn't finish and I thought that I was going to get a bad grade. But the teacher gave the class another day and then we had another project that was due and it was a comic assignment and the due dates are just confusing. I think that I have had more frustrating moments before and as I get older I guess that I I'll have more frustrating problems.


A grade I would give this assignment is an A because it is good and I think that the hypothesis and conclusion is well written. I think that because it I did it with a team and I cooperated  with them. I think that it is an A because since there wasn't any arguing in the group I think that it is good.


One thing I would like to improve upon is helping to do work more in class because I don't think I did that much in the group. I would like to help more and be more useful in the group or in group projects. I would also like to be more open to the people I am working with or the people I am talking to.

Weekly blog 08/31-09/06

SP2: Developing and using models

Science often involves the construction and use of models and simulations to help develop explanations about natural phenomena. Models make it possible to go beyond things you observe and simulate a world not yet seen. Models enable predictions of the form “if…then… therefore” to be made in order to test hypothetical explanations.

Summary: Question,observation,hypothesis,experiment,research,gather data, verify data, communicate. This is the cycle of the scientific method because we did a worksheet on the scientific method. You need to identify the question/problem then you need to observe the problem/question. After you need to make a hypothesis and then you need to experiment. Then you research and after you gather data. Then you verify your data and communicate.