Week 2: About In Class with Dr. Prince

Greetings Everyone!

I hope you had a wonderful first week of school! For the second week of school we are going to really kick things into high gear. I hope you're ready to get busy! First, let me go over some general things with you.

Website:
This is our main classroom website. I update it every Sunday so that you can plan ahead. In many cases, it's more of an interactive blog.  What do I mean? Well, I like to include links to different things as they relate to the class so that you can click on them.

Rotating Announcements:
Each week you will see a slideshow that shares important and exciting information.  Who knows you might even see your name pop up on one of the slides this year! Alice Keeler shared this great idea some time ago.

Classroom Reveal 2015-2016

Here are a few pictures from my current classroom setup.  

Supply Caddy - Located at each table with all the necessary tools for each day

Grade Wall - Students can check their progress weekly  

Table Names - Great for stations, getting attention of specific group 

Back of Class - Perspective from the front of the classroom 

Side of Class - Perspective from the classroom door.

Agenda:

This is probably one of the most important parts of my website. Check back daily to see updates, links, due dates, and all things related to physical science. It's possible that every class can be on the same page and cases where everyone is doing something different.  Always make sure you follow the information for your class period.

Well that's it for this week. See you in the classroom on Monday!

Week 2: Describing Matter

Last week, we took an in-depth view on the different states of matter by making sense of how the particles move.  Now you know that identifying the state/phase of matter is one way to describe matter. During the earlier part of the week we will use what we have learned and apply these principles to various activities.  Mid-week we will move into matter properties.  Physical and chemical properties are other ways we can (just like chemists) describe matter.

To view the video that goes with this image click here.

Here are additional videos on our topic this week:
The Physical and Chemical Properties of Matter
Physical vs. Chemical Properties
Properties of Matter
Properties of Matter Rap

Week 1: States of Matter

This week we will start off by traveling down memory lane to recall our learning experiences when we first heard of the different states of matter in elementary school.  Then we will take a more in-depth look at each state.  To prepare for this week, check out the resources I have provided for you!

***ALERT***

Here is the unit guide by yours truly! This is a visual snapshot of our first unit.

What are the different states of matter?


This week your goal is to demonstrate that you know the difference between all states of matter.  Check out my Matter in Motion video on YouTube. You will also need to know how the different states are affected by changes such as temperature. For this information, just visit Chem4Kids.

By the end of this week, you should be able to explain the differences between the four states of matter.

See you in class!

And Here's Where Your Journey Begins

The world is really amazing and to think all that we can see around us is made up of one thing: atoms.  That's right! Over 100 elements--alone or in various combinations--make up everything we use, eat, and even take for granted.  When you go grocery shopping, have you ever taken a look at the nutrition label on the items in your cart?  Perhaps you've wondered about the materials used in a computer chip.  Why does a cold glass of lemonade look like it's sweating on a hot summer day? Maybe the fact that using a neodymium magnet to extract the iron from iron-fortified cereal seems gross, yet pretty cool at the same time! Then again maybe you're wondering how something so much smaller than the sharpened point of a pencil can be responsible for everything around you!

(c) M. Prince 2012

All matter (which has mass and takes up space) is made up of atoms.  Matter falls under four different states of matter and goes though energy processes in order to change from one state to the next.  Just like you and another person are different from one another so are atoms.  Each atom has unique qualities that set it apart from the next one.  Tee properties of each atom help us to identify matter.  For instance, if I asked you to describe  an ear of corn, how would you describe it? What about play doh? What makes an ear of corn and play different from each other?  

When we look at the nature of matter here are some things I want to you think about?

• How has the concept of matter shaped how we see our world and the things around us?
• How can I symbolically or physically represent models of atoms, compounds, particle movement, and the law of conservation of matter to understand the concept better?
• How can I describe the differences of matter according to mass, volume, shape, and particle arrangement?
• How do I know if a mixture is homogeneous or heterogeneous?
• How do I know if a substance is an element or a compound?
• How would I describe the Law of Conservation of Matter?

These are the things I want to you inquire about as we start are new unit on the nature of matter.