Welcome to 2010! This year has some great things in store for us - a new topic of study (Astronomy) and some fun new classroom tools. We're finally going to start using our classroom wiki, and we'll be making better use of the podcasts as well.
Our major project in the astronomy unit is building a space station. Students will learn
about the International Space Station by writing a short research paper, then they will demonstrate their knowledge by creating a model space station in small groups. The space stations are among my favorite models that students build - they have a few required parts, but the rest is up to to the imagination. In past years I've had built-in Starbucks, paintball courses, shopping malls, grocery stores, and a host of other extra rooms they feel a flying clubhouse just "has to have." We end up hanging them from the ceiling of the science room and dodging the parts as they fall off for the rest of the year. It's a blast - but we won't be starting that process for a few weeks.
We also get the chance to visit the Luetkemeyer Planetarium a few times. Since it was revamped a couple of summers ago it gives us a great chance to fly around the solar system, visit other stars and galaxies, and to get an idea of just how vast and wonderful our universe is. I love planetarium days.
Finally, before we move forward we have to take a quick look at our past. We'll spend a couple of days reviewing the mid-term exam and discussing how we prepared for it. Overall scores were excellent and we'll see what we can learn from this test that will help us prepare for exams in the future.
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MrE
PS - I had to share a photo of the Ewen House during that snowstorm at the beginning of Winter Break.
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