Mrs. Aldridge

3rd Quarter Almost Over!

2011-04-03T12:31:00.000-07:00

I sent home a grade report at the end of the week for parents to look over and sign. Please ask to see it. It is due on April 5th. The last day of the quarter is Friday, April 8th. We have been learning how to write a proper lab report for the past couple of weeks. The final lab report of Reaction Rates is due Tuesday, April 5th (April 4th if they are in the honors class). Please ask to see their progress on this most important assessment. They should have Part 1 & Part 2 complete. They also should have finished collecting all their data last week. All they should have left is constructing a graph, writing a conclusion, and possibly writing a final draft. Please encourage them to do their best on this. It is worth 150 points and counts as an assessment. Remember assessments are 80% of their grade.

Time for a Test

2011-02-25T15:41:00.000-08:00

We have been working really hard to review and prepare for the first major assessment of the new semester this week. The Unit 5 Test will be Monday, February 28th. Please review/study the Unit 5 Study Guide and make sure all Unit 5 assignments are complete. Every student should have 9 assignments filled out on their Table of Contents and all of them (except Einstein's Big Idea) should be complete.
You can also look on the back of the Table of Contents to see what the learning objectives are for unit 5 to help you prepare for the test.

Two Weeks Left in Semester

2011-01-17T18:16:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it, but there are only two weeks left in 1st semester.
This week we will take a quiz on Periodic Patterns (Tuesday, Jan. 18th) and then learn about covalent and ionic bonding. We will also learn how to draw electron dot diagrams and complete a lab on this subject.
The last week of the semester we will review the semester and take a semester final.
Please work hard and do your best these last two weeks!!!!

*** If you earn an incomplete for 1st semester you will have 4 weeks to come in and fix your grade. If you do not do this in the alloted 4 week window, then you will retake this class in the summer or next year.

Parent Teacher Conferences RESCHEDULED

2010-11-30T15:45:00.001-08:00

The 2nd evening of parent teacher conferences has been rescheduled.
Please come on Monday, December 6th between 5 - 8:30 PM.
I would love to meet with you to discuss your student's progress in my class.

Element Symbol Quiz

2010-11-30T15:39:00.000-08:00

Element Symbol Quiz is coming soon! Be sure to study the elements and their symbols that are on the back of your yellow periodic table of elements.
Quiz Schedule:
Thursday, December 2nd: 1st, 2nd, 5th, & 6th Periods
Friday, December 3rd: 4th & 7th Periods

QUARTER ONE IS OVER!!!

2010-11-13T21:39:00.000-08:00

Grades were calculated and submitted on Monday, November 8th. Be on the lookout for grades in the mail.
I also sent home a detailed grade report with each student on Tuesday, November 9th. On the back of this detailed grade report they made a grade goal for next quarter and some ways they could improve their grade. Please ask to see this and sign BOTH sides.
This next week all of my classes will be studying atomic structure and element symbols.
My honors class has a quiz over Atom Model History on Monday, November 15th.

UNIT TEST!!!

2010-10-31T18:55:00.000-07:00

All my students are taking the Unit 2 Test this week.
Monday, November 1st - Physical Science Classes
Tuesday, November 2nd - Honors Physical Science

Please encourage them to study. They have a study guide that tells them EVERYTHING they need to know.

Grade Reports

2010-10-16T18:01:00.000-07:00

This past week I sent home a grade report for you to look over and sign. If you have not seen it, PLEASE ask to see it!

Week of October 11th - 15th

2010-10-10T15:09:00.000-07:00

This week is a LAB week. PLEASE try to not be absent.

I will be sending home grade reports this week. Please ask to see it, discuss it with your child, sign, & have them return it in a timely fashion.

I am holding a density tutorial on Tuesday, October 12th during lunch. This is for any student that earned an incomplete last week on their density quiz. The students are encouraged to bring their lunch and attend this tutorial. They then can go home and study, then come in on Friday during TAT and re-take this quiz.

September is Gone

2010-10-02T14:18:00.000-07:00

We survived homecoming with it's crazy schedule (assemblies everyday & two very long evacuations of the school & no classes on Friday). I try to keep all my classes in the same place, but this past week made that impossible.
We completed our How Dense? Lab this past week in preparation for the density quiz next week.
1st, 2nd, 5th, & 6th period will have their density quiz on Monday, October 4th. 4th & 7th period will have their density quiz on Tuesday, October 5th.
A major part of this quiz is the performance segment. The students will recieve an unknown liquid, an electronic balance, & a graduated cylinder. Using these tools they will have to accurately measure the density of the liquid by themselves.
All of my students will have a Density Quiz Review worksheet to help them prepare for the quiz. EVERYTHING they need to know is on that worksheet.
Next week will be another crazy week with the schedule due to Challenge Day on Tuesday & Wednesday AND College Visitation Day.
REMEMBER: There is NO School next Friday, October 8th.

Equipment Quiz

2010-09-21T10:27:00.000-07:00

There will be a Lab Equipment Quiz this week.
5th Period Honors: Wednesday 9/22
1st, 2nd, & 6th Periods: Thursday 9/23
4th & 7th Period: Friday 9/24

** You should see them studying their green flashcards and their blue notes.

** Remember they need to get a 70% or higher to show proficiency.

A Brand New Year

2010-09-21T10:20:00.000-07:00

Hello parents and students!
Welcome to my little blog about my physical science classes. We have been busy in class with our Safety Unit. There are FOUR things a student MUST do to be allowed to participate in labs in my class.
1. Safety Contract - signed by student and parent
2. View the Safety Video
3. View Mrs. A's Safety Demos
4. 100% on the Safety Quiz

They have been given three opportunities in class to get the 100% on their Safety Quiz. It is now their obligation to come in during some designated times (the times are listed on my whiteboard in my classroom) to complete these requirements.
We will do our first lab on Monday, September 27th.

Hopefully you have seen and signed a parent letter I sent home almost 2 weeks ago. It explains all my grading and management procedures .

Final Stretch

2010-05-19T20:19:00.001-07:00

Both of my classes will receive a study guide tomorrow for their last unit test early next week. After that unit test is over we will prepare for their BIG final.

Honors Physical Science Update

2010-04-23T23:16:00.000-07:00

We have been busy building balloons and finishing up our marathon unit on energy. There is a HUGE test on Tuesday, April 27th....please STUDY!!

Physical Science Update

2010-04-22T08:53:00.000-07:00

In physical science we just had a test over the first part of the energy unit this past Monday and we graded the unit notebooks on Tuesday. We also finished building our balloons (some kids have not finished and need to come in Wed. @ lunch or after school to finish building) and we are waiting for a good flying day (no rain - no wind...might be waiting a while in the gorge :).
We are currently in Unit 9 studying things like greenhouse effect, convection, conduction, radiation, global climate change, ozone layer, etc.
Be on the lookout for a new grade report early next week.....grades have changed A LOT!!!

P.S. We only have 25 school days left (including today)!

Quick Update

2010-04-08T19:22:00.000-07:00

WOW! I have not posted in awhile. We just finished 3rd quarter last week. Be on the lookout for progress reports in the mail.
Next week is parent teacher conferences. They are Tuesday, April 13th (5-9 PM) and Thursday, April 15th (5-8:30 PM).
We are currently busy learning about energy and building our hot air balloons.

TEST!

2010-03-10T08:52:00.000-08:00

All of my regular physical science classes have a test tomorrow, Thursday, March 11th. They have a study guide to help them prepare. Please encourage them to study.

We Have Been Busy!

2010-03-03T16:45:00.001-08:00

Honors Physical Science:

The honors classes will have a test on MONDAY, March 8th!! Encourage them to study this weekend!
They should have ALL the following assignments complete in their notebook (HINT: We are grading them soon!)

- Physics Greatest Discoveries
- Reading Notes
- Physics + Math
- What Law is it?
- Study Guide - Part 2
- 2nd Law Lab
- Newton Car Lab

We also finished a Newton's Law Project this past week AND their calendars are due tomorrow. If you ever want to know what is going on in class they are supposed to fill that out on their calendar daily.

Physical Science:

They should have all the following assignments complete and in their organized notebook.

- Physics Greatest Discoveries

- 3 Laws reading Packet

- Momentum - Bill Nye

- Newton's 1st Law

- Newton's 2nd Law

- What Law is it?

- Math Notes

- Physics + Math = BFF

- Newton's 3rd Law

- 2nd Law Lab

We are currently working on the Newton Car Lab and recently finished a 3 Laws Poster.
Their calendars are due tomorrow.
We will have another test late next week.

Week of Feb. 16th - 19th

2010-02-20T19:18:00.000-08:00

This past week in physical science I sent home a grade sheet with all of my students for a parent signature. Please make sure you have seen it!!!

Here is what we completed in the Motion & Forces Unit - Part 2 so far this past week......

Physical Science:
- Greatest Discoveries in Physics (2 stamps possible)
- 3 Laws Reading Notes - full page of notes (front and back of paper)
- 2nd Law Lab - should have an introduction and a data table so far..will finish on Monday
- Momentum Video Notes (1 stamp possible)
- Newton's 1st Law worksheet (almost complete)

Honors Physical Science:
- Greatest Discoveries in Physics (2 stamps possible)
- Reading Notes - 6 completed categories (2 stamps possible)
- 2nd Law Lab (finished & collected on Friday)

Motion and Forces Unit So Far

2010-02-07T20:30:00.000-08:00

This coming Thursday, February 11th all of my classes will be taking a test over the first part of the Motion and Forces Unit. The unit is so long that I decided to have two smaller tests instead of one huge test.
Here is our schedule for the week:
Monday: Friction: Friend or Foe? Lab
Tuesday: Complete Study Guide
Wednesday: Study Guide Due...Review for Test
Thursday: Test Day

Please encourage them to study!!!

***Later in the week I will post a list of all the completed assignments my students should have in their notebook so far.

New Semester

2010-01-26T10:43:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I sent home a grade report that summarizes their semester grade. Please ask to see it. You need to sign both sides of the paper. The other side is where they evaluated their 1st semester grade and made a goal for 2nd semester.
FYI: We are starting the Motion and Forces unit this week.

FINALS WEEK!

2010-01-14T18:59:00.000-08:00

We have been working on a lab final this whole week. It was due today, BUT I told my students they could turn it in at Friday school tomorrow by 10 AM and it would not be late.
Everyone should be working on the Final Review Packet this weekend. They will have all of Tuesday to finish it and it will be due at the beginning of class on Wednesday, Jan. 20th.
The final will be on Thursday, January 21st! STUDY, STUDY, STUDY!!!

FINALS ARE UPON US!

2010-01-09T21:09:00.000-08:00

I am sending home a grade report on Monday, January 9th for you to look over, sign, and return. The last 8 days of the semester will be spent on the lab final, a review packet, and taking the final.
Your child should spend time working on either their lab final write-up or Review Packet or studying every night until the semester is over. Do NOT believe them when they say they have no homework! It is CRUNCH time!

TEST IS COMING!

2009-12-28T20:39:00.000-08:00

ALL of my students will have a BIG Unit Test on Tuesday, January 5th, 2010! They all should have brought study guides home over break to STUDY!! So when your child says, "I'm bored!" suggest that they study!!

Week of December 7th - 10th

2009-12-12T17:15:00.000-08:00

This past week in ALL of my physical science classes we completed the following:
- Notes 1-10
- Periodic Patterns worksheet
- Questions that went along with Atom Models from the week before
- Atoms Family Quiz (12/8)
- Chemical Bonds (regular class should only have the front side done, honors should have both side complete
- The Flame Lab (12/9)
- Ionic Vs. Covalent Lab (12/10) (they turned this lab in on Thursday so it will not be in their notebooks

Here is the plan for next week (12/14-12/17): (subject to change)
12/14 & 15: Lab Days (Metals, Non-Metal, & Metalloids Lab AND Periodic Trends Lab)
12/16 & 12/17: Tie up loose ends and complete a study guide.

*** Remember that if your child misses a lab I provide lab makeups Wednesdays at lunch and on Green Fridays 8 -10 AM. They have about one week to makeup the lab!! I have an absence calendar in my room that tells them what date to come makeup the lab. Since the week before Christmas Break is a Red Friday (12/18), your child must take advantage of the makeup on Wednesday 12/16 at lunch.

Week of November 30th - December 3rd

2009-12-03T18:45:00.001-08:00

Sorry I took so long to update! Here is what happened this past week.
Physical Science:
- Started Unit 4: Atoms Family...received a new table of contents
- Completed the following assignments:
- Atoms & the Periodic Table (2 stamps)
- Using Your Periodic Table (2 stamps)
- Graphing Review (2 stamps)
- Development of the Atomic Theory (1 stamp)
- Atom Models (2 stamps)
- They also took a quiz on Wednesday over graphing
- I sent home grade reports on Tuesday for you to look over and sign **ask to see it!

Honors Physical Science:
The same assignments as the regular class this week, EXCEPT we also graded the Unit 3 Notebooks. So please refer to the list above.

***All of my classes will have a quiz on Tuesday, December 8th over the stuff we have been learning this past week.

The Test

2009-11-20T22:10:00.000-08:00

The Unit 3 Test is Tuesday, November 24th for all of my classes! STUDY! STUDY! STUDY!

Honors: Needs to finish their study guide and Math Analysis this weekend. They are both due on Monday 11/23. On Monday we will review the whole period.

Regular Physical Science: They should have a completed study guide that they should be studying this weekend. They also should have an organized notebook ready to be graded on Monday.

EVERYTHING my students need to know for a test is in their study guide. Please encourage them to study!!

What's Coming Up?

2009-11-15T19:59:00.000-08:00

November 16th - 24th (the days before Thanksgiving Break)

We will be finishing up Unit 3, reviewing for their test, grading notebooks, and taking the Unit 3 Test. I don't have exact dates, but we will complete all of these things before Thanksgiving Break.
- The Daily Questions are due Tuesday 11/17. As of 11/13 they should have 18 questions with 18 answers on their pink daily question sheet.

Summary of November 9th - 13th

2009-11-15T19:51:00.000-08:00

Regular Physical Science:
We completed:
-Element Puzzle
-Element Symbol Quiz
-Graphing Guide
-Questions & graphs from Electroplating Lab & Changes in State Lab
-Boiling Point Virtual Lab
-Notes 1-4
-To Salt or Not to Salt Lab (not the graph or questions yet)

Honors Physical Science:
We completed:
-Questions & graphs from Electroplating Lab & Changes in State Lab
-Graphing Guide
-Notes 1-7
-Virtual Boiling Point Lab
-To Salt or Not to Salt Lab
- Reviewed Labs & graphing rules

****** If you did not attend conferences I sent home a grade report on Friday (11/13) so you could review the details of your child's 1st quarter grade. Please sign and have your child return it by Tuesday 11/17.

Parent Teacher Conferences

2009-11-06T21:57:00.000-08:00

Please come meet with your child's teachers during Parent Teacher Conferences next week.
Tuesday 11/10: 5-9 PM
Thursday 11/12: 5 - 8:30 PM
Please be mindful that I currently have 145 students. Please try to limit each conference to 5-10 minutes so the teachers can meet with as many parents as possible.
I am in room 301, the old Ag room that has a greenhouse attached to it. I hope to meet with a lot of you next week!

November 2nd - 6th

2009-11-06T21:50:00.000-08:00

11/2 - Teacher Grading Day - Parents you should have received your child's progress report in the mail today. Please come visit with me next week at Parent-Teacher Conferences if you have any questions or concerns.
11/3 - Started Unit 3, organized notebooks, completed States of Matter w/s, & made an Element Puzzle (regular science only)
11/4 - Changes in State Lab
11/5 - Electroplating Lab
11/6 - Green Friday

Week of October 26th - 30th

2009-10-25T17:36:00.000-07:00

- All of my classes have a BIG Unit 2 Test on Thursday, October 29th and we will spend the week preparing for it.
- All of my students will recieve a grade report on Monday (10/26) that they need to return with a parent signature. This will let you know how your child is doing before we take the test and grade notebooks this week (the last assignments of the quarter).
- Everything we do this week will count towards their quarter one grade.
- The last day of the quarter is Friday, October 30th. This Friday is a Green Friday: that means they can come makeup a missing lab, test, quiz, or assignment in my room between 8-10:30 AM (this time has been extended for this Friday only).
- They will also get a Study Guide on Monday that they will need to complete to help them be prepared for the test.
- They also should make sure their notebooks are organized and all the assignments are complete and in order according to their table of contents.
- Please encourage your student to study and do their best this week.
- Remember there is no school on November 2nd. The teachers will be at school preparing your child's grade.

Week of October 19th - 23rd

2009-10-19T20:28:00.000-07:00

Regular Physical Science:
We will....
- Complete all the Element Oral Reports (10/19 & 10/20)
- Finish Notes
- Complete Practice Page
- Complete the Balancing Equations Packet

Honors Physical Science:
We will...
- Finish Element Oral Reports (10/19)
- Complete Notes (1-16 total)
- Complete Practice Page
- Go With the Flow Lab (10/20 & 10/21)
- Element Symbol Quiz on 10/22 - Start studying now!!!

October 23rd is a RED Friday so have a GREAT day off!

1st Quarter is Almost Over!

2009-10-19T20:26:00.000-07:00

1st quarter ends on October 29th!!

Week of October 12th - 15th

2009-10-19T20:15:00.000-07:00

Regular Physical Science:
- Completed What's the Bubble Lab with Lab Analysis
- Element Report was due 10/14
- Copied Notes 9-10
- Completed pages 1-3 in the Balancing Equations Packet

Honors Physical Science:
- Finished the Balancing Equations Packet (pgs 1-8)
- Element Report was due 10/14
- Oral Report Presentations
- Set up data table & read instructions for Go With the Flow Lab

Week of October 5th - 8th

2009-10-03T21:37:00.000-07:00

This week we will....

Physical Science:

- Our 1st Lab : Bubble Baggie Lab (Monday)
Some students will not participate in this lab because they have not met the following safety requirements:
1. Safety Contract signed and returned
2. View Safety Video
3. View Mrs. A's Safety Demos
4. 100% on Safety Quiz
- Real World Symbols
- Notes
- Element Template is due 10/6
- Element Report is due 10/13

Honors:

- What's the Bubble Lab (Monday & Tuesday)
- Balancing Equations Packet
- Element Template is due 10/6
- Element Report is due 10/13

Week of September 28 - October 2nd

2009-10-03T11:42:00.000-07:00

What Did We Do This Week?

Physical Science:

- Periodic Table/Common Elements
- Worked on Element Report Template (purple paper) - it is due 10/6
- Notes 1-8
- Combo Race
- Discovering the Building Blocks

Honors:

- Bubble Baggie Lab
- Worked on Element Report Template - due 10/6
- If..then Hypotheses