Science 8 Blog

Light and Optics Unit Review

2011-04-13T11:37:00.000-06:00

Hey gang,
Here is the unit review sheets from Ms. Laird. You can print them or view them just by clicking on the links :) Study hard!

Unit exam study guide
Unit review pages

Brain Dead: Strange Find Analyzed

2011-03-28T13:01:00.002-06:00

Check out this AMAZING article from LiveScience.com... A preserved human brain was found in England that is estimated to be approximately 2,500 years old!!

Holy cow!! Click the link below...

Brain Dead: Strange Find Analyzed

Amazing Microphotography!

2011-01-23T12:18:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,
With the microscopes wrapping up, I thought I would share this image and link with you about a contest for the best microphotography. Below is the photo of a snowflake magnified 40x. The link for the full contest images is here.

Inspiring Video from NASA

2011-01-11T22:47:00.004-07:00

Hi everyone,
Well, it has been TOO long since I have posted anything. No excuses here.... new year, and I will try to be better.

I will begin by sharing a video I saw created by NASA on our ambition and drive to explore the "Final Frontier", as it is called. A very to-the-point and powerful video. Enjoy!

Mechanical Systems Unit Exam

2010-12-08T00:34:00.002-07:00

Here is the video to explain the unit exam :)

... and the link to get a copy of the exam is here.

Good luck, grade eights!

Rube Goldberg Machines

2010-11-19T16:51:00.001-07:00

Hey all!
Perhaps these will serve as some motivation, if needed, or just a fun break from your own machine :) Let me know if you have questions!!

Mr. T

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-31T17:50:00.000-06:00

In the spirit of this candy-filled and spook-tacular holiday, here is a game created by M&M's. The goal is to name the horror/thriller film based on the sketch. For example, the image below depicts the film "SIGNS".

To visit the site, click HERE. Good luck - there are FIFTY titles to find :)

Particle Model of Matter Assignment

2010-10-09T12:16:00.011-06:00

Hi everyone!

Your new assignment for this week is the particle model of matter assignment, which is due on October 19th. The assignment sheet has been posted just below, if you need another copy. Any questions, just ask! Thanks and good luck :)

GET THE ASSIGNMENT SHEET HERE

HOMEWORK Assignment

2010-09-12T21:12:00.003-06:00

Hi all!
I'm going to get into the habit of posting the homework as soon as possible, so that you know when due dates are arriving. You will also be reminded in class through my homework board, and of course my daily reminders ;)

In your workbooks, sections 1.1 to the end of 2.3 will be due on Monday, September 20th.

You will have class time to work on the workbooks as well. Any questions, please come see me, email me or fire me a message. Thank you!

Lab Safety and Expectations

2010-08-31T15:57:00.004-06:00

Good afternoon 8E, 8F, 8G and 8H!

Here is the attachment for reviewing lab safety and procedures. Remember that much of this is common sense so you should know most of this stuff already ;) The quiz will be 15 questions (12 multiple choice and 3 true/false).

See you tomorrow!!

Welcome Back Everyone!

2010-08-29T00:58:00.002-06:00

The start of the 2010 school year has begun!

The summer, although a bit wet and cooler than normal, has been a very refreshing and relaxing one for many of you. Some traveled, some had a "stay-cation", and some traveled by tube down the Old Man River! I am very excited about the upcoming school year, and I am looking forward to getting to know you all and working with you.

One thing is for sure.... sometimes those summer days can be just that - a daze. Here's a couple of fun videos for the back-to-school season :)

Oil Spill: Disaster Threatening Wildlife?

2010-05-04T16:41:00.000-06:00

Here are some of the latest images from the Gulf Oil Spill. Some sad images, I might add.... especially of the turtle. How do you think we could help from where we are located? What do you think this disaster will do to the policy of countries when it comes to off-shore drilling for oil?

Oil Spill: Disaster Threatening Wildlife?

Some Awesome Photos and Videos!

2010-04-23T15:03:00.003-06:00

The following link shares with you the Top 40 Nature Photographs. Some incredible images to see - just click here.

Secondly, there is a brand new telescope called the Solar Dynamics Observatory. Its job is to study the sun and capture video and data aboout what happens on the surface of the sun. To see some incredible images (seen below!) and video, visit the NASA Science News site here.

Yellows and reds are about cool (60,000 K) while the
blues and greens are hotter (about 1,000,000 K)

Links for Science

2010-04-01T09:21:00.003-06:00

Here are the links you can use to find the answers for your webquest :)
http://science.hq.nasa.gov/kids/imagers/ems/index.html
http://school.discoveryeducation.com/lessonplans/interact/electromagneticspectrum.html
http://www.odec.ca/projects/2003/kinga3a/public_html/types_of_waves.html

Good luck!!

Exploratory Song

2010-03-28T22:31:00.000-06:00

Here is two links for you - first link is the original song from the Proclaimers. The second link is the backwards one, so you can take a listen and work on videotaping backwards. Grab 'em while they are up, because they wont be here for long!! :)

Have fun!

Original song
Backwards song

Marine Bio - follow us!

2010-03-14T23:15:00.000-06:00

Well, we are finally ready to go! And I am very excited to get going on our amazing experience on the B.C. coast! Anyone who is interested in following us on the marine bio trip, you can visit our tour blog at this site:
http://lakiemarinetour.edublogs.org

We will try to keep everyone updated as much as possible, that is if the technology works out there :) Have a great week everyone!

History of Light and Optics

2010-03-14T23:12:00.002-06:00

Hi everyone!

For those of you interested, or wanting to take a second look, here is the Prezi notes from Mrs. Braun on the history of light and optics. I really like this software - its cool and it keeps me interested!!

When it is done loading, just click the FORWARD ARROW to view the Prezi in order :)

Light and Optics on Prezi

Earthquake shortens the length of day

2010-03-03T11:03:00.002-07:00

Here's an interesting piece of information coming from NASA this week... heres the article from National Geographic Magazine online.

------

Saturday's Chile earthquake was so powerful that it likely shifted an Earth axis and shortened the length of a day, NASA announced Monday.

By speeding up Earth's rotation, the magnitude 8.8 earthquake—the fifth strongest ever recorded, according to the USGS—should have shortened an Earth day by 1.26 millionths of a second, according to new computer-model calculations by geophysicist Richard Gross of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California.

Just how did the Chile earthquake give Earth a bit of a turbo boost? Think of it like an ice skater spinning, then pulling his or her arms in. As he or she pulls their arms in, they start rotating faster.

Likewise, as a portion of Earth's mass drew in ever so slightly and quickly during the Chile earthquake, the planet began spinning a bit quicker.

The Chilean quake was a so-called thrust earthquake, which occurs when a large section of the Earth's surface—in this case, the Nasca tectonic plate—dives beneath an adjacent plate. This process, called subduction, can cause earthquakes and volcanic eruptions (learn about plate tectonics). The layer of rock on the [Nasca plate] dove down into the Earth's interior, and that's like the skater pulling her arms in toward her body.

Only thrust earthquakes, with their inward motion, can shorten Earth days. Other types of earthquakes, such as horizontal strike-slip quakes, in which two plates slide horizontally past one another, don't affect Earth's rotation.

For more of teh article, click here.

Olympic Fever

2010-02-21T21:55:00.001-07:00

The Olympics are well under way... in fact, we are almost half way through! It has been a super exciting time following all the sports that Team Canada has been a part of and is doing so well in.

GO CANADA GO!!

Take a look at the image below of a luge competitor - amazing!

For more Olympic photographs, check out this site.

Best of the Superbowl Ads

2010-02-09T23:28:00.000-07:00

OK, so for those of you (and I'm sure that might be MOST of you) who didn't see the ads during this years Super Bowl, here my favourite :)

Talking 'Bout YOUR Generation

2010-01-24T23:06:00.001-07:00

It seems like each generation comes around with a new label ... there was Generation X, then Generation Y, the Nexus Generation, and so on.

What is interesting is the stats and information about a generation that is quickly becoming THE MOST POWERFUL GENERATION in over 50 years.

It is called Generation We.

And you are part of it.

Check out this video on what Generation We is all about.

Control Your Car With Your Mind!!

2010-01-17T23:05:00.000-07:00

Check out this video! These guys have developed a car prototype that not only moves with your thoughts, but stops driving when you get mad!

Imagine... people get road rage, and the car basically says "time to take a break, Mr. Cranky Pants".... and slowly pulls over :)

Click here to see the video

Our Place in the Universe...

2009-12-17T23:07:00.002-07:00

I was shared this video from the National Museum of Natural History. It gives you an awe-inspiring view of just how insignificant we all are in the universe, but also just how special and unique we are. Thanks to "The Clever Sheep" for sharing :)

Christmas Fun!

2009-12-16T08:03:00.001-07:00

If you have never visited or seen JibJab, it is a GREAT site where you can upload photos of yourself and friends, and participate in an elf snoball fight, or dance the hula dance on the beach. Check out the JibJab website here.

Homework

2009-11-30T20:19:00.006-07:00

Hi all,
Mousetrap car info sheets were handed out today. If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know sooner rather than later. I don't want any confusions before we start construction next week. Race day is Dec. 14th, which is when the mousetrap cars are due.

Here is a couple of links with some ideas for your mousetrap car. Hopefully they help anyone who may be having some difficulty generating some ideas. Happy hunting!

REMEMBER NO PRE-MADE KITS ARE ALLOWED. YOU MUST MAKE YOUR OWN MOUSETRAP POWERED CARS FROM SCRATCH.

Mr. T

Mousetrap site #1 (school project page)

Mousetrap site #2

Mousetrap site #3

Trafalgar Square Sings the Beatles - London, England

2009-11-22T23:37:00.002-07:00

Mix and Flow of Matte - Unit Podcasts

2009-09-05T21:36:00.019-06:00

Podcast time again! All the podcasts for this unit will be added in this post... saves you time in searching for them. Hope they help, and please leave any feedback on them - I am very eager to hear your thoughts / opinions / ideas!

Podcast #1 - The Many Uses of Fluids
Podcast #2 - Classifying Matter: Pure Substances & mixtures
Podcast #3 - Concentration and Solubility
Podcast #4 - The Particle Model of Matter
Podcast #5 - Density
Podcast #6 - Buoyancy
Podcast #7 - Viscosity

Introduction to the Podcasts

2009-08-20T16:02:00.009-06:00

Hey everyone! So I just completed the first podcast...YAY!! I feel very technomilogical now ;) This is the first of many, and I just wanted to give anyone who is interested in hearing these an intro podcast so you know what its all about and what you can find in these podcasts.

To find podcasts, you should be able to simple use the search box on the main page and search the unit you are looking for. I'll try to keep them all as organized as possible. Until then...see you later!

Click here to listen to the podcast!