Welcome to ___ Grade Physical Science
www. teacherweb.com/nj/parkmiddleschool/minerley
email: rminerley@spfk12.org
Congratulations to all of you for making it to the 8th Grade!
You are at the top of your game - you are more knowledgeable, more skilled,
and more insightful than ever before. It’s time to put those talents to use!
In 8th grade Science class you will have to rely mainly on your own
reasoning, research, industry, experimentation, and collaboration to
arrive at your answers – you don’t get answers by asking your teacher!
Call it “Inquiry based”, or “student directed”, or “hands-on” learning, or the
“Socratic Method”, the bottom line is that YOU come up with solutions –
sometimes with the help of a partner, or a team, or as a whole class.
What is PHYSICAL SCIENCE?
Physical Science is divided into Chemistry and Physics
Chemistry is ______________________________________________________
(whom do you think supplies the answer to this question?)
Physics is ________________________________________________________
Last year, you studied _____________ Science.
In 6th Grade, you studied ____________ Science.
In Physical Science class, using Scientific Method and the Metric System (SI system), we may
investigate many of the following topics:
• The factors that make up a high quality experiment.
• Physical and Chemical Changes, including phases of matter and phase changes.
• Mixtures, Elements, and Compounds.
• Atomic Structure and the Atomic Model of Matter.
• The Classification of Elements-
the Periodic Table (arrangement of the elements, design of the periodic table, chemical
families, and periodic properties of the elements)
• Chemical bonding - ionic, covalent, and metallic bonding.
• Motion – speed, velocity, acceleration, and momentum.
• Forces - Newton’s 3 Laws of Motion, and Law of Universal Gravitation.
• Work, Power, and Simple Machines.
• Energy: forms and changes – Kinetic vs. Potential energy, energy conversions.
• Heat and Thermal Energy – Specific Heat and caloric content of foods.
• Optics and light.
• Electricity and magnetism
This year you will need (or learn) many skills, including:
Graphing
Writing lab reports
Critically reading texts
Writing concise, usable notes
Speculating
Hypothesizing
Experimenting
Collaborating.
Presenting, communicating, defending, and critiquing conclusions and ideas
Self-assessment
Self-advocacy
Diligence and Persistence
Responsibility and Accountability
That’s quite a list! But with practice, you WILL get better at this. Remember:
Easy is NOT an option!
______________________________________________________________________
To be prepared for science class, bring:
1. a (RED) COMPOSITION note book
2. a (RED) file folder
3. Two 0.7 mm MECHANICAL pencils
(textbooks stay ____________!)
Your grades are based on:
- notebook (D2aT Boxes and WIL statements) ____________________ and
_____________________________________________________________
- homework record sheet
- homework
- lab reports
- tests (open notebook 1st marking period, then 1 page, ½ page, ¼ page, none!)
- quizzes (sometimes surprise quizzes but almost always open notebook)
- extra credit projects, posters, and exemplary performance or dedication
Because so many times you will depend on your fellow classmates for solutions, it is vital that you
listen to each other. When a classmate is speaking, give him or her SPAC3E:
S _____________________
P _____________________
A _____________________
C3 _____________________ ____________________ __________________
E _____________________
Answer Bank:
You should accept the speaker’s point of view without ridicule.
You owe the speaker your silence.
You should be able to comment on the statement
You should be able to paraphrase the speaker’s statement.
You should be able to critique the speaker’s statement
You should empathize with the speaker’s position
(understand why the speaker holds this opinion)
You should be able to compare the speaker’s position to your own.
To succeed in this class, remember our class motto:
ACT like a P2IRANHA
(the Piranha reminds you to be an assertive learner – a learning Piranha!)
• Appropriate Communication Today ____________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
• Prepared – come to class on time and bring _________ , __________ , ________
• Participate – take an active part in class discussions and lab activities
- Be a driver – not a _________________
- Don’t let other students do your ______________ for you
• Improved – each day you should be ________ skillful, sharper, more knowledgeable, and more
competent.
• Resourceful – very often the answer will not be apparent. You will have to _____ for the solution
and go beyond the obvious. You WILL get better at this!
• Attention – pay attention in class; listen to instructions and to each other
-Stay ____________
• Notes – take notes!
– The Hand Teaches the ____________________
- Write It Down ________________
(You can use all your notes all the _______ marking period tests!)
• Homework – bring your homework with you to class
- If it ain’t in WRITING – it ________________
When reporting homework, honor the Honor System
-Keep it ____________
Record your homework status on your Homework Record Sheet
• Accurate – in science class, we depend on you accuracy. So tell the ___________
- Keep it ______________
Some Don’ts
Yo W: yell out or whine
BIKA: “But I know the Answer”
TWIS: “That’s what I said”
When asking questions, stay off the F I LY RR:
Make sure your questions are not:
Frivolous, Inappropriate, Low Yield, Repetitive and Redundant
-Stay in the Moment
Projects and activities you may look forward to:
Calculating your pressure vs. atmospheric pressure
Solving the Alien Periodic Table
Designing a project for the Science Fair
Investigating a homemade lie detector
The film On the Shoulders of Giants
Calculating your reaction time
Calculating your walking speed
Calculating your running speed
Speed trap - timing and calculating the speeds of cars on Park Ave
The movie October Sky
Lunar trial – did the U.S. really land on the Moon?
The mysterious Ice Guy
The Lost in Space dilemma – will your classmate ever get back to the Space Station?
Rendezvous with a Space Station – how long will it take to reach the Space Station?
Calculating your power – are you as powerful as a horse?
Projectile motion
Building Medieval Catapults
Building K’nex cars
Building a better mousetrap (car)
Burning food to capture the calories
Wiring circuits
SUVIVAL GUIDE
(advice to 8th graders from former students)
To Future Dr Minerley’s 8th Graders - a little advice so you will SURVIVE
Congrats on making it this far! Good luck getting through the next year…….
Don’t worry, it’s not that bad – just memorize these few simple survival
tips for getting through the doc’s class:
Take a buttload of notes.
Seriously – anything that goes on the board is like gold.
Be prepared to learn a lot!
Sit where you won’t be distracted.
Come prepared with your notebook, folder, and pencils.
Dr Minerley’s class is much different than others. Don’t expect to ask questions directly to Doctor –
he won’t answer them.
You will have to figure out your answers with the class.
You won’t get answers because of his use of the Socratic method - so don’t ask.
Don’t expect any answers! You will always have to derive answers for yourself.
Listen! (So important) Information can just pass by without you knowing.
Science notebook = lifeline.
Seriously, as an 8th grader, take notes and pay attention or else you will be lost
later on.
Take GOOD and NEAT notes. It’ll help you so much for tests.
Always take notes no matter what.
Take advantage of what’s on the board and write everything down.
Make WIL statements.
The signs are there for a reason…… Read them!
If a sign says not to do something, don’t do it.
Listen to the signs – they give good advice.
Make signs. He needs the signs and you need the points.
Do your homework – I learned the hard way!
You can miss 2 and still get 100%, then your homework grade really drops.
Don’t call out.
Contribute to the class discussions.
Pay attention and have fun. Not listening is a sure-fire way to fail.
Whatever you do, write it down anyway and never cheat on tests.
Don’t be afraid to state your opinion during class.
Don’t talk because, he’ll give you a minus even if he doesn’t tell you.
Pay close attention to everything.
Believe me, I know that if you don’t pay attention - you will fail the test.
Don’t fall behind - always ask for help!
Never ask:
“Do we write this?” …………… (the answer is always – YES)
“So, what’s the Answer?”…….. (this means you weren’t paying attention)
“What was the Homework?”…..( it’s on the board)
“What did I miss?”……………...(ask your classmates)
Honor the Honor System.
Don’t lie about HW because Dr M uses the honor system and you don’t want to
break it.
Don’t dishonor the Honor System.
Don’t mess with the Honor System.
This class is anything but easy.
Suck it up - take one for the team!
If you are a baby, don’t come to this class.
Be optimistic - you’ll have much more fun!
If you act like a baby, this is not the class for you because Dr Minerley’s not
going to tell you anything.
Watch out for the Lie Detector.
Doctor is really nice, just don’t whine.
Don’t play dumb.
Be a leader.
He may seem weird at first, but it gets better. He will never tell you the answer
so don’t get frustrated.
I know there are tons of acronyms, but try to know as many as possible.
Oh yeah, don’t act like a baby.
Nothing ever “moves” … it “accelerates”
“Energy” is worse than any 4 letter word
P.S. He will never tell you the answers and tricks you alot.
If you don’t understand the material, COME AFTER SCHOOL!
A lot of the experiments are interesting and fun (not to sound like a geek)
Always Stay Current, Write it Down Anyway, Don’t BE smart – DO smart, Do Not ask, “What are we
doing today”, No whining, Take good notes and Bring them for tests – they really do help, If you
can’t understand something, ask for extra help, Stay in the moment, ASK QUESTIONS
Study for the tests – don’t wait till the last minute.
If you follow the above advice, you will do fine.
We guarantee it!
Some responses to the End of Year Questionnaire
What I liked about this class:
The way we had to find the answers and argue the point and you never told us the answers – it
made us learn.
I liked that you had trust in us when it came to checking homework, your homework system worked
perfectly.
The “solve-it-yourself” mentality.
I liked how we were involved in every activity.
The way you taught where we have to find the answer ourselves.
Your signs around the room, The visual learning. How we took it slow.
I liked your enthusiasm about science.
How Dr. pushed us to find the right answer.
How we can teach our fellow classmates.
The way you made us figure out our own answers – it helped me learn a lot.
You taught us a ton without the class being boring.
Learning about catapults and making them
We did fun labs, extra credit, Going outside
I liked how we had to do experiments and all the arguments between every person.
How Dr Minerley makes us “write it down anyway”, This class is very creative.
We had to work for the answers instead of having them given.
It was very “hands-on” and everyone got to participate,
I liked the posters and extra credit and how easy this class is. Also notes for the tests.
We used the honor system – it shows that you trust us.
The way Dr. Minerely teaches, I liked the flammable fish.
We did fun activities and learned a lot and we made a lot of posters.
All Dr Minerley’s sayings.
I liked the fun and energy in the class with all the activities and experiments.
We got to use notes on tests - which helped a lot and made you take better notes
Using notes while taking tests taught us how to take good notes in a small space.
Mostly everything is fun - Dr Minerley has a sense of humor.
Dr Min’s great style of teaching.
You had to find out answers to your questions – he doesn’t just tell you the answers.
When we did the wrist roller and running up the stairs and the lie detector.
The energy in the class. The way you teach. The real life examples.
All the conversations and the weird assignments.
Dr Minerley is cool, Extra credit is added to your average grade.
The way the class was conducted, especially the honor system.
I liked that whatever we were doing everyday was on the board.
Letting us figure things out for ourselves
What was Memorable?
Flammable fish
Building catapults
Your notes – they were awesome
EVERYTHING! Dr Minerley’s sayings, Dr Minerley’s faces, flammable fish, no donut holes, the crazy
experiments, as well as Dr Minerley’s drawings
When you hammered the box and weight on top of your hand
October Sky
The car experiment
Catapult day was fun and running up the stairs and the flag thing with the cars
Period 1 was memorable – this class was marvelous
All the different sayings
The space station.
The fire thing and you chopping wood.
The lie detector
Catapults and measuring speed of cars
Burning wood and sawdust.
All the kids were memorable and all the laughs
The most memorable thing was when I won the wrist roller with a 3.75 sec time
Making the Snapple can crush
The lie detector was fun
Our whole class
Going outside for the catapults
When we went outside and did that flag thing
The hammering of the Dr’s hand
Your acronyms
Burning candy
The lie tester
Getting a B+ on a test
Walkie-talkies and the catapults
Making trebuchets
Jackie’s flammable fish and the flying cat litter.
Every class was fun and exciting and I always learned something new
All the projects were weird and all the hands on activities
Picket signs
The times he asked me if I was current and did I write it down
The machine to indicate if someone was lying
Everything
All the Dr’s drawings
Flying cat litter
All the laughter
What I Learned:
To study like crazy
Every there is to know in Dr Minerley’s class
A lot about the periodic table - Way too much.
I liked “DOF/SSA” because it organized equations.
I learned that you should always write it down anyway, never BE smart, but DO smart and leave a
paper trail long the way, thanks for a great year!
Rocket science
I learned to always try to do your best in class
A lot, I learned to balance chemical equations
A lot of things I didn’t know
I practically absorbed everything you taught
To solve formulas, Many things to be honest
I learned about atoms, ions, electricity, and a whole lot more
Everything – tons of stuff.
How to make a soda can burst
The periodic table expanded my knowledge
I learned not to “twis”. Never say that you have IDUI.
Chemistry
Stuff about motion & friction – too much to name
It pays to be honest
I’m going to keep a notebook as a chemist!
To be myself.
I learned to always stay in the moment, write it down anyway, and everything else that was taught in
this class
A lot about chemical equations
I learned not to give up.
That W = F x d and P = W / t or (F x d) / t
Science, tons and tons … everything we went over
a = f/m and stuff with all that rocket science stuff
Friction, displacement, catapults, parabolic, and more stuff I probably can’t pronounce
I learned about physics
That donut holes are not real
I learned that W = F x d
Easy is NOT an option.
Everything – atoms, elements, work, machines
That the tests were good for me
V = (4/3) pi r3
Everything you taught I remembered
How levers are classified and how to wire circuits
To ask questions when needed and air pressure and everyone’s personalities
The formulas, I learned about bonding chemicals
Lots and lots and lots of formula
I learned that the book isn’t always right.
Science can be easy and fun
Crazy people can be geniuses.
Don’t lie
To raise my hand
To speak out a little more
That sometimes we just have to accept things
Dear Dr. Minerley,
You have inspired me so much to actually learn in school,
to admit that I’m wrong sometimes, and to fix my mistakes on my own.
You taught me to be independent and to reach my goals.
Most of all, I’ve learned to be a leader and take charge of any situation.
Thanks for everything and we’ll all miss you!
D
6/08
Dear Dr. Minerley,
I think I can fairly say that your science class has been one of the best classes I have ever taken.
It was fun and challenging. I like how you make us find the answer because it wasn’t boring. With
you, we make use of our knowledge often enough that it was easy to remember. I like how your class
is based on teamwork.
We had lots of fun in your class. I loved when we burned the wood and when we tested our
horsepower. My favorite was probably Speed Trap. We all worked together and we were a great
team. It has never been that “hands on” in any other class. We tapped our knowledge more often,
did more experiments, and thought and reasoned more often than in any other class I have ever
been in.
You have inspired me very much. I want to be a chemist when I grow up because you showed
me how fun it was in your class. Thank you so much for the best science class ever.
Sincerely,
A
‘07
I thank all the amazing students who contributed their thoughts, memories, and kind words.
Your hard work, dedication, and perseverance remain an inspiration.
Dr. R Minerley