Blake Curriculum Update

Grade 6 began the year challenging the idea of a stereotypical scientist,

encouraging students to find real scientists who “break the mold” as we

work to develop the idea that they are all scientists in our classrooms.

Students are beginning to focus on their own learning profiles as they identify the

strengths they each bring with them to the classroom.

With this scientific in place, students are beginning to learn how we measure and

categorize our world with explorations of matter, including measuring mass on

triple beam balances!

   

In seventh grade science, we began the year investigating magnetism and

electricity through station work which allowed students to investigate concepts

and move through the content at their own pace.  While exploring how magnets

interact with different materials, students also worked on collaboration

and investigation skills along with an emphasis on safety in the lab.

Students built an electromagnet and discussed the differences between permanent

and temporary magnets.  They also examined fields that exist around electrically

charged particles while studying the effect of distance and magnitude on both

electric and magnetic fields.

Our next unit of study is Potential and Kinetic Energy.

Grade 8 science students began the year creating lab safety science videos. 

This was followed by our first unit in the Earth and Space Science category.

Students reviewed phases of the moon eclipses and learned about tides and their

relationship to the moon, sun, and gravity.  Currently, students are exploring gravity

and its impact on the orbits of planets, moons and other objects using interactives

on the iPad. Our Intro to Engineering students have begun to design, construct and

assemble their Solar Cars.  We can't wait to see their final iteration!!!

  Gravity and Orbits                               Solar Car

     

Summer Fun for Blake Science teachers!

How did our Blake Science Teachers spend their summer?

The 6th-grade team (Marjorie Heim, Kelly Ruminski, and Meghan Thress) met to work on the

curriculum map matching up the standards with 6th-grade science skills and activities.

Ms. Thress then spent the summer in Maine reading, boating and watching her kids sail.

Her own children started their senior and sophomore years in high school. 

Mrs. Ruminski welcomed her second baby in March and was home this summer with

both her children. They traveled to Colorado and Cape Cod and enjoyed adjusting to being a family

of four!

The 7th-grade team (Kristin Buley, Juli Dalzell and Judy Silva) met to work on a new curriculum map, which organized the standards and activities that achieve those standards.

They also identified benchmarks for each of the science and engineering practices to measure student growth. 

Mrs. Buley enjoyed family time with her son, Cooper (5), and her daughter, Ellie (2).

They traveled to York, ME, Cincinnati, OH, and Cape Cod. Everyone was thrilled to

enjoy the beach and explore new places.

Mrs. Dalzell had an exciting summer of travel with her family!  After a Caribbean cruise, she

traveled to Switzerland to visit cousins.  Swiss travel included trips to Gruyere and Geneva,

as well as Yvoire, France!  Mrs. Dalzell’s oldest son completed his first year working in NYC

(digital forensics and cybersecurity) and her daughter is an education major as a senior at

Roger Williams University. Her 17-year-old twin sons started their junior year at Tri-County

in the HVAC shop.  

Mrs. Silva split her time between Massachusetts and Maine this summer. While in

Massachusetts she spent time in her gardens maintaining her wildlife habitats.

In Maine, she enjoyed family time on the lake and continued her role as a shoreline steward

on Kezar Lake. Nature’s Classroom organization and Science curriculum work

filled her summer rainy days. 

The 8th-grade team (Mike Gibbs, Jason Heim, and Jillian Shaw) had a wonderful summer

filled with family! Mrs. Shaw spent most of her time with her family and friends at Dorothy Pond

since many family members came from out of state for the summer. Mrs. Shaw also spent

some time working on the Advisory R and D team. 

Mr. Gibbs spent the summer boating and beaching with his kids Jess and Rachael who began grades 11 and 8. Mr. Heim along with his wife Marjorie (6th-grade science teacher) worked at Pilgrim Day Camp for a few weeks this summer while their kids were campers there. They also had a few weeks to enjoy Burden Lake NY while seeing some family and friends.

Sophomore Physics Momentum Lab!!!!

Sophomore students closed their Physics journey by investigating the Conservation of Energy and Momentum Laws.  All student get a chance to use the Go! Motion sensors, digital force meters and Graphical Analysis software to streamline the data collection process and to improve accuracy and precision during lab work.  The "Collisions' lab is one the more technical labs of the year and it was followed by the light-hearted and fun 'Water Balloon' lab where students investigate the forces needed to change the momentum of an object, known as Impulse.

Final round up in Engineering II

Seniors and juniors in the Engineering 2 class have been making good use of their three terms of 3D Design experiences and skills.  In the final project of the year, they have been using the cloud-based OnShape 3D drawing (CAD) software to recreate everyday objects that consist of multiple parts and then assembling and animating them.  The final group design was a recreation of Radio Flyer's Big Wheel trike (as modeled below by junior TJ Keane).  This inaugural class has worked hard on a number of projects covering topics like Materials and Measurement, Statics and Structures, Coding and Robotics, Electronics as well as 3D Design and Printing.

End of year Chemistry fun!
As the year winds down, a great lab that we perform in chemistry is the science behind tie-dye! Students bring in a cotton-based t-shirt or socks, make a design with the use of rubber bands, then color their garment in any way they want! Students then take home their dyed clothing and it is there’s to keep and wear.

AP Physics students present their final projects!!!!

 

The end of the year brought lots of different activities into 8th-grade science and engineering. Students worked on their Genius Hour projects, coded with Mind storms, and designed, built and raced solar cars. Some classes focused on Climate Change while other classes had several options for final projects, including - creating a geological disaster video, creating a scale model of the solar system, or creating an artistic symbol, superhero, or villain for an element on the periodic table. 8th-grade science students and teachers alike look forward to the daylight hours increasing as we approach the summer solstice!  Best wishes for a restful and enjoyable summer to all our now former students and their families from Grade 8 science.

In May seventh grade students actively learned in groups as they completed their Ecology Projects. By visiting stations, students learned the content that they then applied to their research on an endangered or threatened species in Massachusetts resulting in the creation of a presentation on their species. It was very impressive to see what they put together! After the presentations, students learned about plant reproduction as they dissected a flower to learn about how the male and female plant reproductive parts work with wind, water, and animals to form the next generation of plants. Students finished the year by creating their own flower to match a given animal pollinator. 7th-grade students should look for the many pollinators present in New England and other areas they visit this summer.

6th-grade students were very excited to use microscopes to observe that all living things are made of cells. Students examined plant cells, animal cells, protists, and a number of other cool samples. Some students made their own slides with hair, pond water, paper towels, or insect parts. Once students determined that all living things are made of cells, they participated in the Great Cell Organelle Debate as they became experts on the cell parts and their functions. The students really enjoyed this project with the conversation continuing into the hallways and at home for some! Students then learned about the connections between human body systems and were then responsible for teaching the basics of one of the eleven systems to their classmates. As a wrap up to this unit, students created cartoons discussing the relationships between three systems drawn in their cartoon. The students have had a tremendous year of exploration in science, we are so proud of all that they have learned!

The Blake science department wishes our science students a wonderful summer full of questions about the world in which we live.  For those who would like to practice some science here are some links to a free program to keep those skills in good shape.

https://www.ck12.org/c/physical-science/

https://www.ck12.org/c/life-science/

https://www.ck12.org/c/earth-science/

Here are some virtual field trips that you can take over the summer