Thinking Allowed

Here’s a little taster of what’s coming in this new topic on energy.

pencil and ruler by mdxdt on flickr

Here are some useful links to help you with your revision.

For practice with scientific notation try this one or this one.

For reviewing significant figures try these sites: one, two, three, four.

For practice with converting units, look here.

For help with identifying the correct independent, dependent and control variables, try this.  And if you are a Spongebob fan, try this, or a Simpsons fan, try here.

Here are the rubrics that will be used to grade your lab reports.  There are 3 – one for design (D), one for data collection and processing (DCP), and finally one for conclusion and evaluation (CE).  You should refer to them every time you have to write a lab report.

FINAL Rubric design      FINALRubric DCP      FINAL Rubric CE

bread toasts by FrancoisRoche on flickr

Click here for the information on this lab.

If you are confused about variables, this song might help.  Sing it loud, sing it proud!

Click here for the post on this.

These are posters that the students made using glogster.  Some are displayed in the classroom.  This was to get them used to using this online resource, as we will be accessing it again in the future.

H Block Integrated Science 1

A John Sunny Disha Nick Yusuke Jamie Harry

Jae Woo Bettina Husan Alex Arshaan Gaea Ramya

Karina Stuart Ammar Daniel

F Block Integrated Science 1

Wei Ari Joshua Kavita Shannon CC

Celina If Kelvin Charlotte Brian Isabel

Nacho Adilet Kate Hank Joy Santi

Daniel Amy

• Can you explain the difference between accuracy and precision?
• Do you know what SI units are?
• Can you choose the appropriate number of significant figures to use in calculations?

Check out this post to discover more about what we’ll be doing this week.  And here’s a brainpop video to help too.

Click here for the first day handouts and general course information for Integrated Science 1.

welcome by Aunt Owwee on flickr

Phew!  Didn’t that summer fly by fast?

Welcome back to all returning students and a special welcome to those just joining ISM.  Get ready for a busy and fun year ahead.  I look forward to our learning journey.

Some ground rules for a happy classroom (and teacher!).

USE THIS BLOG.  I will update it regularly.  This is where to come to follow up on what we have been doing in class, find out what you missed if you were absent, get ideas on homework assignments, or just generally improve your science.

IF YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND, ASK.  It is my job to help you learn.  I cannot do my job unless you communicate with me.  So, if you are having problems with the work we are doing, or are not sure what is required, just say so.  You can email me, or come and see me.

girl shoots of the starting blocks by weedj on flickr

BE ORGANIZED.  High school is busy.  You need to stay on top of your work load.  Use your planner, your phone, whatever you prefer, to keep yourselves organized.  Do not leave assignments until the night before a deadline.  If you do, and you have difficulty, there is no time to sort it out.  If you do the work in advance of the due date, you can show me what you have done and I can give you feedback.

COME TO TUTORIALS.  School does not end at 2.30 – it ends at 2.50 so that you have chance to attend tutorials.  I am usually in my classroom by 6.30 in the morning, and until around 4pm in the afternoon, so come and find me if you need help.  The students that come to tutorials are generally the students with good grades, and the reason they have good grades, is because they use tutorial time.

IT’S NOT ABOUT THE GRADES.  You will soon discover that asking questions like “is this graded?” or “what can I do to get an A?” lead to a very grumpy Mrs D!  In fact, it makes steam come out of my ears.  We come to school to LEARN not to earn grades.  Ask me how I think you can improve your learning and understanding, and you are more likely to get a friendly response.

Ready, set, let’s go!