Weekly Update

It was a busy week as we spent time at Spark, met our Grade 4 buddies, and ran in the Terry Fox Run.

In Math we explored the relationships between the sides of right angled triangles, and started to look for patterns through a visual problem.

In Science we are exploring the 'Impact of Machines'.  We're going to explore the direct, predictable, and intended impacts of machines by looking at how we can calculate mechanical advantage of simple machines.  We're also going to explore the interaction between societies and machines by looking at how the same job might be done in different ways with different impacts.

Today we spent a half hour reflecting on our trip to Spark yesterday.  Students needs to make sure they finish up their visual journal pages.  These pages should show what you learned, discovered, and questioned on our study yesterday.  The page should take between 30 -45 minutes, so if you used your time properly in class you may be almost done.

Exponents and Roots

Our first focus of the year has been exploring the relationship between exponents and roots as we learn to work with square numbers, and square roots. 

Check out our notes:

Multiplication and Division

At the start of the year we spent time doing a thorough review of what it means to multiply and divide.

We'll be using this understanding throughout the year as we explore roots, exponents, integers, percents, rates, and fractions.

Here are some notes that we took about what it means to multiply and divide

Mechanical Systems

We're going to start the year by exploring machines and mechanical systems.

To start we built, tested, and improved catapults.

Here the focus was on the engineering process, and taking accurate observations in order to test whether our ideas improved our catapults and by how much.

We also started talking about machines, mechanical advantage, and energy.

As we move forward we're going to look at how machines impact the world around us, including the relationships between machines and society, as well as the relationships, and physics behind how machines work.

Here are a couple of videos to start and explore key concepts.




https://youtu.be/A-QgGXbDyR0

3 Word Artwork

We started the year exploring what Science was, and how it differed from "non-Science".

Your three word artwork is due Wednesday.

Along with your artwork you need to write a short 2-3 sentence explanation for each word.  Below are the exemplars that we made in class.

We decided a strong explanation:
- Is detailed
- Specific
- Includes accurate scientific vocabulary.

Word:  EVIDENCE

2- Basic:

I chose this word because I think scientists need evidence.  They run tests to find out if stuff is true. If it’s not they do new tests.

4- Excellent

1) The reason that I chose this word is that a critical aspect of scientists is that they need to back up their work with evidence.  Scientists run experiments to gather measurable data to determine whether their hypothesis or theories are accurate

OR

2) I believe evidence is a critical word in describing Science because essential to scientists is the necessity of data, proof and evidence.  The process of Science is based on not only asking questions, but then carrying out carefully planned, precise tests, to gather evidence to prove, or refute, their ideas and hypothesis. 

Problem Solving

As an ongoing in our class we are going to take up rich mathematical problems to develop our problem solving skills.  We are going to work collaboratively to think like mathematicians, gather data, ask questions, make conjectures, and prove our thinking.

Below are the first two problems that we worked through.  At home talk about:

- What challenges did you run into?
- What helped you make sense of the problem?
- Can you explain your thinking about this problem so far?

1) From the author (and mathematician) Lewis Carroll

If 6 cats can catch 6 rats in 6 minutes.  How many cats do you need to catch 100 rats in 50 minutes?

2)

Squares and Square Roots

To start the year in Math we've been exploring the related concepts of square numbers and square roots.  We'll be using this learning as we move forward exploring relationships in triangles.

The learning intentions so far, and the things that students should be able to do include:

-      Explain what an exponent is

-     Explain what a square root is using a visual (array)

-      Identify numbers that are perfect squares to 200

-      Calculate the square of one and two digit numbers in my head or on paper (no calculator)

-      Calculate the square of any number with a calculator

-      Find the square root of perfect squares (without a calculator to 200, with a calculator beyond 200)

-      Estimate the square root of non-perfect square

§  Determine which whole numbers it is between

§  Determine which whole number it is closest to

§  Provide a reasonable estimate to 1 decimal place with reasoning.

We are currently practicing these skills.  It's useful to identify which of these outcomes your confident in, and what ones you still need to practice.  Remember the more confident you become in these skills the more you can challenge yourself by trying to as much of the calculations mentally as you can.

In order to practice these skills we were challenged to create our own questions.  Here the focus is on picking questions that are hard enough to make us think, but not hard enough that we can't finish them.  The following questions are expected to be finished in your book by next week:

1) Choose 7 - 10 numbers (one or two digits) and then square them.  

                                         For example 5 - 5 X 5 = 25.

- Challenge yourself by choosing harder numbers and doing as much mentally as you can.

2) Choose 10 - 15 one, two, or three digit numbers and estimate their square root to one (or two decimal places).  

- Maximum of two will be perfect squares

- Show your reasoning for your estimate

Welcome

Welcome to our Grade 8 Math/Science Blog

Apologies about the slightly slow start up of the blog, but moving forward the hope of this blog is keep families informed about the learning happening in our Grade 8 Math/Science class, and will be updated at least a couple times a week.

My name is Scott Hassett, and I am the Math/Science teacher for rooms 104 and 108.  We've had a great start up of the year and I'm excited about the energy and enthusiasm for learning from both classes.

I can be reached at sjhassett@cbe.ab.ca, let me know if you have any questions, and I'm excited to meet families on Thursday and Friday at meet the teacher.

Scott Hassett