Students spent the early parts of the week applying their new-found knowledge of the Scientific Method to an experiment.  Students were to work with a partner and go through all the steps of the Scientific Method, taking careful data and analyzing their results.  At the end of their experimentation, students created a poster to communicate their findings with the class.  On Friday, students took their final formal assessment for the Scientific Method, our first test for the year.  As I was out on Tuesday during most of the experimentation, I didn't get as many pictures as I wanted from this set of activities.  I'll post what I have soon, though.  Check out the experiments below and ask your student about theirs!

6th grade experiment:  How many on the Penny?   Students were measuring how many drops of water could fit on a penny (cohesion).   There were four water samples: plain water (control group), salt water, baking soda in water, and soap in water. Dependent variable (what we are measuring) = the number of drops of water will fit on the penny before it spills over.  Independent variable (what we change and manipulate in the experiment) = what is dissolved in the water. 

7th grade experiment:  Pasta stress test.   Students were measuring how many pennies it takes to break 1, 2, and 3 pieces of pasta by placing them on chairs 10 cm apart.  Pennies were added carefully, one at a time, to a cup suspended by a paperclip on the pasta.  Each test was done 5 times to ensure more accurate data.  Dependent variable (what we are measuring) = the number of pennies it takes to break the pasta.  Independent variable (what we change and manipulate in the experiment) = the number of pasta noodles. 

8th grade experiment: Sticky Tape.  For these advanced students, they were allowed to do different things.  They were all working with the same essential design, but were allowed to choose which variable they wanted for their independent variable.  The example I showed had the independent variable (what we change and manipulate in the experiment) as the three different types of tape (duct, packing, and masking).  Some groups used this one.  Others chose to test the slope of the ruler, and another group the size of the marble.  The dependent variable (what we are measuring) = the distance the marble travels in cm.  Independent Variable (what we change and manipulate in the experiment) = whatever they chose!   They had to remember to clean off the marble EACH AND EVERY time they used it, or it messed up their data.  Adding oils and dirt to the marble created another variable!

Monday, October 1st

Tuesday, October 2nd 
     - Subway Lunch orders due no later than 3:30 p.m. (later orders will not be accepted) – Please pay separate from your pizza order.
     - Homework Club 3-4pm
     - 3:15 p.m.: MRA Booster Meeting at MRA

Wednesday, October 3rd 
     - Subway Lunch and Early Release – 1:00 pm
     - Pizza orders and money due no later than 1:30 p.m.  (late orders will not be accepted)
     - Homeroom will be beginning our work on Harvest Fest preparations this afternoon.

 Thursday, October 4th 
     - Math Night for all parents of students K-6.  This is not for the 7th and 8th graders.  Two sessions of the same information will run in half hour increments - 5:30 to 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 to 6:30 p.m.  To attend please sure you sign up with your child's math teacher.    

 Friday, October 5th  
     - Jog-a-thon and Hoop-a-thon (School-wide fundraiser!)
o   K/1:       9-9:30am            6th grade
o    2/3:       9:35-10:05am    7th grade
o   4/5:       10:10-10:40am   8th grade
     - Pizza Lunch
     - Homework Club 3-4pm

Looking Ahead
 
·         October 2nd , 3:15 p.m.: MRA Booster Meeting at MRA
·         October 4th: Parent Math Night
·         October 5th:  Jogathon and HoopAThon
·         October 9th, 6:30 p.m.: MRA Board Meeting
·         October 15th through October 20th: Book Fair
·         October 15th: Picture Retakes
·         October 18th, 3:15 p.m.: Auction Meeting at MRA
·         October 19th: No School State Wide Inservice
·         October 20th : Harvest Festival
·         October 24th, 3:00 p.m.: First Aid, CPR Class $35
·         October 31th: Teacher Planning Day - No School
·         November 1st and 2nd: Parent Teacher Conferences - No School
·         T-Shirt Sale: MRA t-shirts are uniform approved. We will be selling shirts with the MRA Logo and the new mascot in October