Welcome to Ms. Bronnenkants Science website.
Friday, June 10, 2016
This week students received back their Matter Unit tests and Science Articles were due on Monday. All students received a study guide for the end of year 6th grade final and they began to fill in the study guide. We continued working on our final study guide and the essay question. Next week finals for science will be Tuesday and Wednesday. Any owed work (tests, projects, quizzes etc) must be handed in or made up by Thursday June 16th which is my last after school session.
Friday June 3, 2016
This week was all about getting reading for the Unit Test today. We spent time this week reviewing vocabulary like homogeneous, heterogeneous, mixture, solution, saturated, unsaturated etc. We also reviewed the beginning of the unit about matter, elements and compounds. Next week we begin reviewing for the Final Exam which will take place on June 14th and 15th. Students have begun compiling work for their portfolios and cleaning out their binders. Science articles for fourth quarter are due on Monday 6/6. I will be after school every Tuesday and Thursday to help students study or make up missing work.
Friday, May 27, 2016
This week started with students receiving their quiz grades and their project grades. Mid term reports came out on Monday as well. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday students worked on an in class group project creating a poster for an element of their choice. We all learned a lot about those amazing elements. Friday we began reviewing for the upcoming Unit Test on Matter. The Unit Test will be on June 3. I hope everyone enjoys their long memorial day weekend.
Friday, May 20, 2016
This week students explored a little bit about the wondrous world of elements. Tuesday projects were due and students presented their projects to the class. We finished up presentations on Wednesday and spent Thursday reviewing for the Elements, Compounds and Mixtures quiz that happened today. Mix quarter report cards will be going home on Monday. Next week we will be wrapping up the matter unit and preparing for our Unit test on Matter.
Friday, May 13, 2016
This week began with exploring what compounds, elements and mixtures were. There were many new vocabulary terms we learned like homogeneous, heterogeneous, solubility, solutions and colloids. There was a lab of dissolving solvents and solutes with varying temperatures. Math PARCC testing is Thursday, Friday and Monday. Next week Mass, Volume and Density Projects are due and students will be presenting them to the class. We will continue working on our Matter Unit with a quiz next Friday on elements, compounds and mixtures.
Friday, May 6, 2016
This week began with finishing up the PARCC ELA exams. Tuesday students began exploring the three main states that matter exists in (solids, liquids and gas). Wednesday and Thursday, we continued exploring the three main states of matter and how they can change (freezing, melting, boiling/evaporation, condensation and sublimation). Today there was a quiz on the states of matter. Next week we move on to Elements, Compounds and Mixtures.
Friday, April 29, 2016
This week started with students receiving their fourth quarter science project on Mass, Volume and Density (it can be found on the project tab on this website). Students got the opportunity to choose one object that they have to find the mass, volume and density of. There were 31 objects to choose from objects ranged from rectangular solids, to irregular solids to liquids. Students had the opportunity to take their measurements during class on Tuesday. If any student was not present on tuesday they may stay after school any Tuesday or Thursday to make up the work. The second part of the project is the at home component where students will think of a creative way to share their data with the class. The project is due on May 17th, 2016. Thursday and Friday were PARCC testing.
Friday, April 15, 2016
This week began with a hands on lab where students measured the mass of some cubes of different materials (like wood, metal and plastic), then students learned how to calculate the mass of a liquid. Tuesday we started learning all the ways of measuring volume (volume of a regular shaped solid, volume of an irregular shaped solid and volume of a liquid. Wednesday we worked on putting these two measuring skills to be able to calculate the density of objects, which is mass/volume, so we will be putting our math and science skills together. I hope everyone has a great vacation week, see you next week.
Friday, April 8, 2016
Monday began with students taking their pre-assessment for Density. We started our unit on Physical Science by beginning to talk about matter, In Science matter matters! So we are studying mass, volume and density. Our fourth quarter project will be on Mass, Volume and Density and will be assigned after April vacation. Third quarter grades closed on Wednesday report cards will going out before April vacation. Our week ended with a field trip to see the North Shores Musical of Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief. Upon our return students had a pizza lunch. We are continuing to work on measuring mass, volume and density next week.
Friday, April 1, 2016
This week started with our mini unit on ecology, food webs and energy units. We reviewed our material on ecology and life sciences in preparation for our Unit Test on Friday. My after school sessions are Tuesday and Thursday for anyone needing extra help or waiting to review for the exam. Grades are closing on April 6th so please get any outstanding work you owe in before the 6th that includes science articles. Friday we had our exam on Life Science.
Friday, March 25, 2016
This week started off with a snow day on Monday and is ending with a day off on Friday! Even though it was a short week students accomplished quite a bit. Tuesday we explored some of the characteristics of the fungi and protist kingdoms. Wednesday we practiced using a microscope and looking at microscopic organisms. Thursday students had the opportunity to look at live members of the protist family including Euglena, Paramecium, Amoeba and Ms. B's favorite Volvox! Next week the extra credit assignment is due and there will be a unit test on Friday.
Friday, March 18, 2016
This week students got their traits of life quizzes back, and began exploring each of the six kingdoms of life by exploring some of the ways organisms get classified into their kingdoms. Students worked on a graphic organizer for all six kingdoms of life (Animal, Plant, Protist, Fungi, Eubacteria and Archaebacteria. Today we explored a little bit about the two bacteria kingdoms; learning about the shapes of bacteria and the good and bad things bacteria can do for us.
Friday, March 11, 2016
This week began with learning about the six traits of all living things! Students discovered that all living things must have cells, must reproduce, must eat, drink and produce waste, must grow and develop, must respond to stimulus and must adapt to to their environment. Today was a quiz on the traits of living things. We are also starting to understand the scientific process that is used to classify all living things the seven levels of classification. Next week we will begin to learn some of the traits that each of these kingdoms have.
Friday, March 4, 2016
Monday was 6A Race day!! All students ran three test trials with their balloon cars. Students recorded their data and then calculated the speed of their cars. The remainder of the week was spent getting the data finished and shared with their classmates and completing steps 7 and 8 in their Balloon Car Portfolio. Balloon Car Packets were due today (Friday). Next week we will be starting a new unit about Life Science.
Friday, February 26, 2016
On Monday we began our week of building balloon cars using the Engineering Design Process. Students worked in their groups deciding whether to design a car that went the farthest or the fastest. Then students began to create a real prototype of their car and discovered it was a lot harder than they thought it would be! Students have spent the week designing and redesign their cars. Race day is Monday!
Friday, February 12, 2016
There was NO SCHOOL on Monday due to the weather. Students had their motion/speed quiz on Tuesday. Wednesday we watched a video by the design company IDEO as they tried to redesign a shopping cart in one week. Students learned about the Engineering Design Process and how it can be used to solve a problem. Students were assigned groups to work in and after vacation will start building their balloon car prototypes (see project page for more information). Students have started to work on their ideas and brain storming materials that they could collect during vacation week. Items like bottle caps, cd's, cardboard, oatmeal boxes, yogurt lids, straws, skewers were all mentioned as potential materials to build a car. I will provide the balloons. We start building after the break. I hope everyone has a healthy and happy February vacation!
Friday, February 5, 2016
NO SCHOOL TODAY due to the weather. The quiz will be Monday. This week began our unit on Motion and Speed. Students were introduced to new vocabulary for describing motion, position, distance, speed and time. Students were surprised to see such a math connection during this unit as we explored the formula for calculating speed of an object Speed=distance÷time. We worked on several problems where we calculated speed for a variety of problems. Students are getting ready for their third quarter in class project using speed and distance entitled Balloon Car Project. Students will work in small groups to design (using the engineering design process) a car made out of recycled materials that runs on balloon power. This project will be done in class. Our race day is scheduled for February 29, 2016.
Friday, January 29, 2016
This week was quite busy for students as they had a test and a project due. Monday was review day for the Earth, Moon and Sun Unit test students corrected their study guides for the exam on Tuesday. Tuesday was Exam day. Wednesday students finished up some end of quarter assessments since it marked the beginning of third quarter! Thursday and Friday are project presentation days. Students are presenting either their moon or seasons project during class. What an amazing array of projects! Next week we start a unit on Motion and Speed!
Friday, January 22, 2016
This week we started in on our final two lessons tied to this unit; eclipses and tides. Students learned eclipse vocabulary like umbra and penumbra and we explored the NASA eclipse website to learn when the next lunar and solar eclipses where going to happen. We then explored tides the last Sun, Moon and Earth connection in this unit. Students were able to describe what high and low tides were and what causes them. I stayed after school Wednesday and Thursday to help students with their projects or to go over one of the test topics. There will be a unit test on Tuesday, January 26, 2016. The study guide which was homework for the weekend can also be found on the files tab of this website. Reminder projects are due on Thursday, I will be after school on Tuesday to help anyone that needs it. Grades are closing on Tuesday so make sure all your work is turned in.
Friday, January 15, 2016
This week was all about the seasons! Students learned about why we have four distinct seasons in the Northern Hemisphere and it has nothing to do with distance from the sun! Students had a seasons temperature lab where we looked at temperature and day length differences in northern and southern hemispheres. Today is the quiz on seasons. On Thursday students were assigned either a moon phase project or a reason for the season project. The project rubrics can be found on the files page of this website.
Friday, January 8, 2016
This week we began by reviewing our Day/Night mini unit and vocabulary. Then the rest of the week was spent on learning the 8 phases of the moon. We have new vocabulary to learn like gibbous, crescent, waxing and waning as well as learning where each moon is during those phases. We had a lab on Moon Phases on Wednesday and Thursday using the moon on a stick. There was a quiz today on the phases of the moon.
Wednesday, December 23, 2015
This short week we continued our work on Day and Night and worked on vocabulary for the unit. Wednesday we had a holiday breakfast and geography bee before our release at 11:30. Happy Holidays to all our 6A families.
Friday, December 18, 2015
This week started with a review for the Test on Tuesday. Students took completed their Unit tests on Tuesday and on Wednesday we reviewed our A, E, I, O, U notes from the two earthquakes and created group Venn Diagrams. Thursday students were given their unit tests back and we begin our new unit on Earth, Moon and Sun. The week ended with practicing day and night with Ms. B's giant sun and globe. Next week is a short week as we prepare for the holiday break.
Friday, December 11, 2015
This week students worked on an engineering design process lab where using only toothpicks and marshmallows they were to construct a tower that could withstand an earthquake. Towers were tested on our shake table. Wednesday students started construction on creating a homemade seismograph from a cereal box, students completed their seismographs on Thursday. Students reviewed their notes on Earthquakes and watched a video of some recent earthquakes on Friday. The Unit Test will be on Tuesday (12/15) study guides were assigned as homework on Friday and due Monday.
Friday, December 4, 2015
Students reviewed their notes on Earthquakes and used the mimio board to explore the characteristics of each type of volcano.Tuesday we watched a video showing the massive power of volcanic eruptions. Students started to explore how earthquakes happen on Wednesday and Thursday taking notes and doing some kinesthetic exercises about the focus, epicenter and seismic waves. Friday students had a quiz on volcanoes and convection. We will be continuing studying earthquakes next week with some fun labs.
Wednesday, November 25, 2015
This was a short week due to the Thanksgiving holiday. On Monday and Tuesday students learned about the different types of volcanoes. Today was an early release day, we reviewed what we had discovered about volcanoes. Have a happy and safe holiday.
Friday, November 20, 2015
This week students explored the process of convection. There was a demonstration on Tuesday that showed how hot/cold fluids act within a larger body of water. Students predicted that the red hot liquid would rise up and the blue cold liquid would sink and their predictions were correct thanks to convection and density! Wednesday and Thursday students worked in small groups to create posters that represent the process of convection as well as how convection happens within Earth's mantle. Today we will be finishing up our posters and sharing them with the class. Next week we move on to volcanoes!
Friday, November 13, 2015
Students started the second quarter today. We began the week by getting our Unit Test back and cleaning out their binders to make room for second quarter material. Students learned about the physical and chemical layers of the earth this week. Wednesday there was no school due to Veterans day. Thursday we reviewed earths layers using the Mimio smart board which students are really enjoying. Today there will be a quiz on earths layers. We will be continuing exploring earths interior next week.
Friday, November 6, 2015
This week students reviewed for the Earths Surface Unit Test on Friday. There was no school for students on Tuesday as teachers had a professional development day. Wednesday and Thursday were our project share day. Students turned in their national park brochure projects and shared them with the class. Friday was our unit test and the end of the first quarter. Second quarter starts Monday! We will be beginning our new unit on Earths layers.
Friday, October 30, 2015
This week we continued working on Weathering, Erosion and Deposition. We had a card sort activity, took some notes and did some readings on it. Today was spent in the computer lab working on their National Park Brochure Project which is due on Wednesday. There will be a unit test on Friday November 6, 2015. The unit test will cover landforms, latitude and longitude, topography and weathering, erosion and deposition. The study guide can be found on the files page. The study guide was handed out today and is due on Monday. There will be no school on Tuesday as teachers have a professional development day.
Friday, October 23, 2015
This week we discussed the project in full detail and spent a period talking about where to find the information, how to navigate the nps.gov website, how the project would be graded and where and when you can get extra help from Ms. B (Tuesday and Thursdays after school. We started a project outside with Ms. Twarddzicki's 6B students where we created a mount 6A and a mount 6B on opposites sides of the middle school. We then measured the mounts for elevation and width so that we could compare it over the next two weeks. Students hypothesized that weathering should change the height of both of our mounts. We will be collecting data for the next two weeks and students will be analyzing this data. We also surprised Mr. D'Alleva by having a weathering, erosion and deposition chant during lunch. He was quite surprised to witness all 160 students rise up at the same time and do the chant! It was a lot of fun. We ended the week with a lab on physical and mechanical weathering. The projects are due November 4th so students should be continuing to work on them. We will have some in class computer time on Friday, October 30th.
Friday, October 16, 2015
This week we began with exploring the topic of weathering, erosion and deposition. Students explored those terms and even learned a great chant about them! Students had their quiz today on latitude, longitude and topography. Students were also assigned their first quarter project today on designing a National Park Brochure. Students had a choice of 8 parks to chose from and will be creating a brochure that illustrates all the concepts like latitude and longitude, landforms, topography and weathering and erosion. The project outline and grading rubric can be found on the projects tab. Homework for the weekend is read the directions and bring 2 questions you have about the project to Ms. B on Monday.
Friday, October 9, 2015
This week we focused on Topography and learning how to read Topographic maps. Students had some homework on topography maps as well as some in class worksheets and a lab. There will be a quiz on Longitude/Latitude and topography on Friday the 16th. Mid quarter report cards will be distributed next Tuesday during homeroom. Next week students will receive their first project for the quarter this project will be due on 11/4. This is an at home individual assignment, details to follow. Have a great long weekend.
Friday, October 2, 2015
This week began with a review for the upcoming landform quiz on Tuesday. Tuesday students had their landform quiz and then started learning about latitude and longitude. We continued throughout the week to work on plotting coordinates of latitude and longitude. It was lovely meeting many of my students parents/guardians at the Curriculum Night on Thursday. We ended our week by planning a "message in a bottle" game where we were rescuing castaways by using our longitude and latitude skills.
Next week we begin with topography.
Friday, September 25, 2015
This week began with a quiz on the scientific method. If you were absent on Monday please make sure to make up the quiz on either Tuesday or Thursday after school. On Tuesday we began our unit on Landforms. Students saw a video with images of lots of different kinds of landforms, students were also assigned a hot air balloon writing assignment that is due on Monday the 28th. The friendly letter is about a trip students take across 8 states and describing 8 landforms that you pass. The assignment sheet is on my Files webpage. We continued the week investigating the different types of landforms that are found in the world and in the United States. There will be a landform quiz on Tuesday, September 29, 2015. Next week latitude and longitude!
Friday, September 18, 2015
What a week we have had! This week started by students learning the six steps of the scientific method. Many students recognized some of the steps as being similar to the engineering design process from 5th grade. Students conducted two experiments this week using the scientific method, one involved paper airplanes and the other was using skittles. Many students agreed that the skittle lab was already a favorite. We had two homework assignments this week on the scientific method and there will be a quiz on Monday.
Friday, September 11, 2015
This week students received their class expectations sheet, which explained what topics we were going to learn this year, what Ms. B's grading policies were and what to do if you are absent. Students learned about science articles (4 articles per quarter are required) and had the opportunity to get started on them in class this week. Thursday and Friday students had their science pretest, this exam does not count on their first quarter grades but lets Ms. B assess what their incoming science knowledge is and will help us see their growth as the year progresses. Next week we begin learning about the scientific method.
Friday, September 4, 2015
This week we started to get to know each other. Students wrote me an introduction letter and we discussed science class policies. We also talked about Lab Safety. Students first homework assignment is to get their safety contract signed by their parents/guardians.