Homework+Hints

This page is designed to give students a little kick start into getting their homework done - especially on a few selected, tougher questions/parts. If you still have questions, please feel free to come and ask Mr. Smith (earlier in the week is better).

Pick 3 action ideas that you think are realistic and important for your family to implement to better prepare for the next natural disaster. Make sure in your write up and presentation to the family that you explain how the structural action idea(s) will be effective against the different earthquake waves we have studied. Explain to you family (and on the student sheets) how S and P waves move and how your action idea will protect again that particular kind of movement. Students may be looking for additional information for their action plans. I recommend starting with the following web sites. Finally, make sure to plan ahead and give you family notice as to when you will be presenting this to them. It is not an acceptable excuse to say that your family didn't have time to listen to a 5 to 10 minute presentation about their safety.
 * __Preparing for an Earthquake__**
 * [|3Days3Ways]
 * [|Washington State Emergency Management]


 * __Quiz Notes__**

We have taken lots of notes over the past week or two. These notes should be your guide for preparing your page of notes. Make sure to include all the topics (Continental Drift, Plate Tectonics, Volcanoes and Rock Formation/cycle).


 * For Continental Drift and Plate Tectonics you should know what each of these theories is saying happens/happened to the Earth and the evidence that supports those theories. Also, make sure you can explain why these are theories and not facts or scientific laws.
 * For volcanoes you should include ideas about how different kids of volcanoes are formed and what some of the constructive and destructive effects of volcanoes are.
 * For rocks, focus on the ways each type (igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary) of rock is formed and what kinds of properties tell us how these rocks where form.

__**Science Article Review**__ (See [| How to Write a Science Article.pdf])

__**Experiment Project Plan (Third Quarter)**__ Students are asked to plan and conduct a controlled science investigation on their own in the month of March. While the detailed instructions are provided and the Experimental Plan template is helpful, student may need some help along the way. Here are some things to think about.

1. The experiment can be pretty simple (ball rolling down a ramp, a pendulum swinging, bouncing a ball, baking cookies, growing plants from seed). 2. Make sure you are just changing ONE thing (only one manipulated variable) about the system you are working with. That way you have know what the change was due to. 3. Do two sets of your experiment (one set with the system in a 'normal' way AND one set with the system in the 'new' experimental way) so that you have two things to compare. Also do at least three (3) trials (repetitions) of each set so you can take a reliable average at the end. 4. Choose a responding variable that can be measured with numbers (avoid using opinion based things like taste or texture). 5. Check out the Class Notes on the Scientific Method for some extra help or review on what each part of the process requires.

__**Myths about Earthquakes**__ This is meant to be a fun extension to our discussion on earthquakes. As the reading have shown, different cultures have come up with ways of describing how/why this catastrophic event occurs. Make sure to focus your two myths around fictional stories describing how/why earthquakes occur. (Note that you are NOT being asked to research other myths or describe how earthquakes really are formed.) Finally, make sure your myth is described in a complete paragraph. Fight the middle school urge to answer this in as few words as possible. Give nice, detailed descriptions of your myths.

__**Science Article Review**__ (See [| How to Write a Science Article.pdf])

__**CSI Stanwood**__
 * 1) 1 You are asked to write procedures (a number list of steps to do any experiment). Make sure they are clear and detailed enough another middle school student could do the experiment for you. (Don't just say freeze it or look at it. make sure to describe what we are observing or measuring and how.)
 * 2) 2 Use the data provided to identify the substance.
 * 3) 3 Support your conclusion (answer) in #2 with specific data from the data table given.

__**Temperature and Solubility**__ The key/purpose to this assignment is to review the scientific process we have been working on throughout the first half of the year. Look back at
 * how to write a hypothesis (using If/then/because statements).
 * find the definitions for manipulated, responding and controlled variables.
 * remember to include all materials needed to conduct the experiment in the materials list.
 * make sure to write your procedures in a numbered list, include reminders to make and record measurements, and instructions for repeated trials.
 * (on the back) be sure to include average data in your conclusion and to explain your conclusion using a comparison.

__**Science Article Review**__ (See [| How to Write a Science Article.pdf])

__**Energy In Systems Homework sheet**__ 1. Read through the story and let the pictures start going in your head. Think about how energy is change (form and place) as you read. 2. - 5. Don't worry about your artistic ability, just draw and label your figures. Remember that transfers are when energy moves from one object to another. Transformations are when energy changes forms. 6. & 7. Make a list of 3 energy transformations and transfers. Write them up in a sentence like, "The thermal energy from the frying pan transferred to the ice cube." or "The electric energy from the outlet transformed to thermal energy in the stove."

__**Lesson 7 Homework Sheet**__ A. Think about temperature as a number line with solid at low temperature, gas at high temperature with liquid in between. The melting point is the temperature between solid and liquid. Boiling point is the temperature between liquid and solid. B. Now after setting up for part A, place room temperature (20-25 degrees C) on that line for each substance and find whether it is solid, liquid or gas as room temperature. 6. Apply what you know about the different phase changes. Remember that the temperature for freezing point is the same as melting point and condensation point is the same temperature as boiling point for a substance. (You'll also have to review density and immiscible from our density unit - see POM-3.) 7. These are changes we investigated in POM-6 when we heated powders. Pick one change as an example.

__**Science Article Review**__ (See [| How to Write a Science Article.pdf])

__**Student Sheet for Lesson 5**__ Each one of the 5 engineering designs they should have been created this way due to thermal energy. For each design, explain why these designs work to account of the effects of thermal (heat) energy. Make sure to describe how the volume will **expand or contract** during the temperature change.

__**Submarine Project**__
 * **Keep it simple**. The more parts on your sub, the more chance that something can go wrong. Also, most of what you will need is found in the garage and/or recycle bin. Plastic bottle, balloon or plastic baggie, 3 feet of tubing, some strong water resistant glue - Don't go buy a fancy RC thing. You'll be wasting your money.
 * Think about changing the **mass** OR **volume** of your submarine. To change the mass have to make the sub heavier and lighter to get it's density to let the sub float or sink. To change the volume you need to get the sub bigger or smaller.
 * Finally, DON"T FORGET THE WRITE UP. **It's worth 80% of the project grade**. Do you best job to explain **how** and **why** the sub is supposed to work **using our vocabulary terms** like mass, volume, density, buoyancy, force and maybe even throw the word ballast in if you really want to show off your science knowledge.

__**Air Heads Worksheet**__ Question #1 - Is a only made of one thing (then it is a pure substance) or is it a mixture of more than one thing (then it would be considered a mixture). Question #2 - Most of the second column discusses the gas that is most needed for living things and explains some other uses for this gas. Question #3 - Air's main component is not very well known, most because it is inert (not very active). The bottom of the second column and the top of the third column discuss this gas. Question #4 - Look for the gas that plants rely on the most in the middle of the third column. Question #5 - What sort of weather would we notice water vapor in the in the air (NOT liquid water but the gas).

__**Density Practice Worksheet**__ The first section asks you to calculate the density given the mass and volume of certain objects. Remember the formula (D=M/V). Also, make sure to include the proper unit for density (grams for mass, cm3 for volume so g/cm3 for density).

Question#1 - Explain in a sentence or tow how you did the density calculations. Question #2 - Which is more dense? How do you know? Questions #3, #4, and #5 - Remember what we learned about sinking and floating in POM-3. Question #6 - The density number represents how much mass the volume of 1 cm3 would be. Check the density of Uranium from the first section. Question #7 - Follow the hint on the page. Question #8 - Think about Archimede's and his method. Also, remember each substance has a specfic density which can act like its finger print. Water's is 1.0 g/cm3. Make sure to explain your process.

Question #1 - Remember the difference between mass, volume and density. They are all different and change differently too. POM-2 might help you with thinking about this question. Think about the word 'compare' as asking more, less or the same. Queston #2 - This is a very similar question to #8 on the other side. Question #3 - Think about our density columns we built in POM-3. What would one look like if we put fresh water, salt water (which has a different density) and a person in big column like this - What would it look like? Remember to explain your ideas.
 * (Back side) Woo HOO! More Practice with Density!!**

__**Lesson 3 Homework**__
 * 1) 1 Remember what the density number tells us. What does 1cm x 1cm x 1cm cube weigh?
 * 2) 2 If 1 cm3 has a mass of 2g them 10cm3 has a mass of 20g.
 * 3) 3 Compare the densities to figure out which blocks floats and which blocks sink. (See 'Class Notes' page for a refresher on how we figured this out in class.
 * 4) 4 Remember the density formula (mass divided by volume) then find the closest density number on the table at the top of the page.

__**Archimedes' Crowning Moment**__ The question on the front side __(Archimede's)__ asks for instructions (step-by-step procedures) a person could follow - go to the lab and do the experiment. These procedures should include how to find out the density of the substance(s) AND how you would know if it is gold or not.

The back side __(Mass or Weight?)__ - the question asks you to compare the weight of a bag of sugar on Mars (a smaller planet) with the weight of the same bag of sugar on Jupiter (the largest planet in our solar system). Make sure to explain why you think the weights will be different even though the masses will be the same.

__**Hypothesis, Theory, or Law?**__ As your read look for what these three terms (hypothesis, theory and law) mean and how they are different.
 * 1) 1 Some students struggle with this one. Remember what a hypothesis is. Can we make a hypothesis without data or scientific evidence (like numbers we've measured in the lab)? Sure we can. How can a hypothesis without data to support it be helpful? Does it tell us anything. Sure it does.
 * 2) 4-6 Research about the Big Bang on http://www.stcms.si.edu/pom/pom_student_pt1_bigbang.htm.

__**Science Article Review**__ (See )