Math and Science Week in Review

Week of January 17th - January 21st, 2022

Math: 

Students continued to explore one step equations completing various practice assignments, including a row game with partners, different levels of integer practice and work with algebra tiles. We have extensively practiced addition and subtraction inverses, as well as multiplication and division inverses. Everyone was introduced to two step equations, practicing how to solve the equations by isolating the variable. There are explanations on each class's google classrooms for those who would like to review the concepts, or for those who missed classes. The grade 7s also completed a one step algebra quiz this week.   

ASSIGNMENTS

Solving One Step Equations | Independent Check In

Science:

This week we continued with Structures & Forces. For this week and next, the three teachers are on different schedules to help with sharing technology and supplies for our activities. Some students completed a brochure describing features of their assigned tall structure, researching and getting ready to share their information with the class. The other students worked on a golf ball bridge lab, challenging students to create a structure sturdy enough to allow a golf ball to travel between two desks. Next week the students will finish their projects and rotate to the one their peers worked on this week.

ASSIGNMENTS

Tallest Structure Research & Brochure Project 

Or 

Golf Ball Bridge Lab

Week of December 13th - December 17th, 2021

Math: 

In math this week, students learned how to use algebra tiles to model equations. Then, they explored how to use the tiles to solve problems using an online interactive assignment that allows students to model the equation and use zero pairs to solve for an unknown value. 

ASSIGNMENTS 

Modelling & Solving One Step Equations Practice (Polypad) 

Science: 

This week in Science students learned about renewable and non renewable energies in our Heat & Temperature unit. Students spent the week researching and preparing a presentation on renewable energy that they shared with their classmates. Ask your student which renewable energy they researched and if that energy is being used here in Alberta! This project concludes our Heat & Temperature unit. We will explore Structures & Forces in the new year. 

ASSIGNMENTS 

Renewable Energy Research Project & Presentation due by Friday, December 17th, 2021

Week of December 6th - December 10th, 2021

Math: 

This week we continued to explore the idea of equal and not equal as we explored solve me mobiles in our ‘Make a Mobile’ task. Students started to learn about different ways to represent a variable and practiced this idea using the mobiles. We also started to explore how to model and solve one step algebra equations using tiles.

ASSIGNMENTS

Make a mobile (see google classroom)

Science: 

This week students completed their changes of state comic in class. Students had to create a character or superhero that demonstrated at least one change of state or phase change (melting, solidification, condensation, vapourization, sublimation and deposition). Then, we started to explore alternative energy sources. Students had the opportunity to play a game called ‘Save the World’ where they learned how generation works and had the opportunity to learn more about different types of power such as tidal, solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal. Next week, students will be tasked with researching one of these alternative energy sources and presenting their findings to the class. 

ASSIGNMENTS

Changes of State Comic Due

Week of November 29th - December 3rd, 2021

Math: 

Can you determine the value of the square in the picture below that would balance the mobile? This week we started our patterns and relations unit and worked on expressions, equations or equalities, and inequalities. Students had fun exploring Solve Me Mobiles and figuring out the value of the shape that would balance the mobile. Using this website, students can choose to play and solve existing problems, or build their own. They brainstormed different expressions that would represent the same number (e.g. 5 + 5 = 2 X 5).

ASSIGNMENTS

Multiplication sentences for equality

Solve Me Mobile poster

Science: 

Students are learning all about matter, the states of matter and the various changes that matter can go through (melting, solidification, condensation, vaporization, sublimation and deposition. Students will be creating a comic character and choosing its superpowers and abilities, to demonstrate their knowledge of the phases of matter and the factors that cause these changes to happen.

ASSIGNMENTS

Phases of Matter Comic

Week of November 22nd - November 26th, 2021

Math: 

Students have continued to engage in intentional activities meant to support them in successfully adding and subtracting integers. Strategies have included using integer tiles, number lines and recognizing that subtracting an integer is equivalent to adding its opposite. Students in 7-1,7-2, 7-3, and 7-4 wrote their integers test on Wednesday, November 24, 2021. They have also been playing a class puzzle game called Limbo, which requires them to choose different spots for a set of 16 numbers, and then completing the equations in each row or column,  in hopes of getting the lowest score in each row or column. *Due to the teacher change, 7-5 and 7-6 worked on subtraction of integers this week and their test will be early during the week of November 29, 2021.*

ASSIGNMENTS:

Integers Test on November 24th, 2021*

Science: 

In Science, we have been working on the three methods of heat transfer (conduction, convection and radiation) as well as expansion and contraction. We have also been teaching the students how to study, by re-reading notes, creating cue cards, and making personal connections to concepts so that they are able to remember them more easily. They also participated in a class Jeopardy game to help them prepare for the test. This Jeopardy game is available on the Google Classroom as well if you want to take the challenge with your child! 

All classes wrote the Mid Unit Test yesterday, November 25, 2021. 

Students are also learning about the scientific method through various labs and experiments. This week and next, all students will participate in a lab meant to highlight the processes of  thermal energy, pressure, and how that contributes to expansion and contraction.  Students will inflate and deflate a balloon through the use of hot and cold water. Some classes have already completed this lab and it has been very neat observing the differences!

ASSIGNMENTS:

Heat & Temperature Mid Unit Test on November 25th, 2021

Expansion and Contraction Lab and Report 

Week of November 15th - November 19th, 2021

Math: 

Students have been engaged in intentional activities meant to support them in successfully adding and subtracting integers this week and completed a check in. Students worked on a row challenge this week where each partner was given a unique integer question to solve where the answer was the same. If students did not agree on the answer, they had to work together to figure out why. Students in 7-1,7-2, 7-3, and 7-4 will write an integers test on Wednesday, November 24, 2021. We will be completing practice activities in class and students should also prepare at home as needed. Due to the teacher change, 7-5 and 7-6 will work on subtraction of integers next week and their test will be early during the week of November 29, 2021.* 

ASSIGNMENTS: Addition or Subtraction Check In (depending on the class) Integers Test on November 24th, 2021* 

Science:  

In Science, we have been working on expansion, contraction, and types of heat transfer. Students completed a sorting activity this week during class whereby they had to decide if various instances were examples of conduction, radiation, or convection. Students will be learning about the scientific method next week and completing an expansion and contraction lab in class. On Thursday, November 25th, 2021, all students will write a quiz for the Heat & Temperature unit. The test will be composed of 15 multiple choice questions and 2 short response questions. For additional information, including the list of topics and key vocabulary students should know, please see google classroom. Students were asked to bring home their study material this weekend to start preparing for this mid unit quiz.  

ASSIGNMENTS: Heat Transfer Sorting Activity Heat & Temperature Mid Unit Test on November 25th, 2021*

Week of November 8th - November 10th, 2021

Math: 

This week, students learned about addition of integers as well as different visuals to help support them in modeling this process such as integer tiles and number lines. Students wrote a check in at the end of the week on integer addition. Next, students will be exploring subtraction of integers.

ASSIGNMENTS:

Addition Check In

Science: 

Students have been learning about measuring temperature and thermometer scales this week in science. Students spent some time this week practicing their ability to synthesize the reading material on temperature. Then, completed an assignment on what they read. Ask your student about absolute zero!

ASSIGNMENTS:

Measuring Temperature Assignment

Week of November 1st - November 5th, 2021

Math:

A withdrawal of $30. A temperature increase of 5 degrees. This week, students have been learning all about Integers! We have been learning about what is and is not an integer through our post it note activity. We have been exploring the language of integers through our bingo games. We also practiced comparing integers by playing WAR! Next week, we will begin operations with integers. 

ASSIGNMENTS: 

Interactive integer practice activities are ongoing during class. No formal assignment this week. 

Science: 

We started our new unit on Heat & Temperature this week! Students learned about thermal energy, needs and wants, sustainability, and efficiency through small group discussion as they rotated through our science stations. Students also had an opportunity to learn about thermal energy use globally and how that impacts different groups of people. Finally, students explored thermal energy use in their homes, and how these needs and wants contribute to our high standard of living as well as our need for efficiency. 

ASSIGNMENTS: 

Thermal Energy Around the World (In Class Assignment) 

Thermal Energy in my Home* (Ongoing into into next week)

Week of October 25th - October 29th, 2021

Math:

In math this week, students completed a final challenge using the pumpkin time bomb data where they had to calculate the mean, median, mode, and range of the data. Students also had to identify any possible outliers and justify their inclusion/exclusion when calculating measures of central tendency. We started a new concept this week and explored what is and is not an integer. We looked at some very specific examples on post it notes and sorted them into categories of “example” and “non example” through class discussion. Next week, students will be building on their understanding of integers by comparing and ordering integers.

ASSIGNMENTS: 

Outlier Assessment

Science: 

In science this week, students completed their first test on Planet Earth. Any student who was absent for this test should speak with their teacher and agree on a time to make up this test. During the remainder of the week, students had the opportunity to learn about geological time and what we are able to learn from fossil and rock evidence about our Earth’s history. Next week, we will begin a new unit on heat and temperature! 

Week of October 18th - October 22nd, 2021

Math: 

Students culminated their unit on Central Tendency and Data Collection and Analysis with group pumpkin explosions today! Students were put in groups and given a pumpkin and a pile of elastics, with the goal of putting enough elastics on the pumpkin to squeeze it tight enough so that the top popped off. Measurements of height, circumference and thickness were recorded, as well as the number of elastics used and the time it took. Both classes will spend the next few days studying this data and making comparisons to determine what factors affected the time and number of elastics needed. We will also be examining outliers further and their effects on the data.

ASSIGNMENTS: 

Outliers Worksheet

Pumpkin Explosion Data Calculations/Comparisons

Science: 

Students spent the majority of the week finishing up their Dynamic Earth and Effects of Volcanic Ash assignments, as it was determined they needed extra time to ensure all pieces of the assignment were complete. We also learned about how the Earth and its continents looked 250 million years ago and completed the Pangaea puzzle. We will be reviewing the chapter on Planet Earth and there will be a test on Monday covering Minerals and their Properties, Types of Rocks, The Rock Cycle, Effects of Volcanic Ash, Plate Tectonics and Pangaea. All topic info is on the Google Classroom and students were told to take home their notes to study. We will take a period on Friday to study and do a “Kahoot” (online group quiz)  for review.

ASSIGNMENTS: 

Science Test on Monday, Oct. 25th, 2021

Week of October 12th - October 15th, 2021

Math: 

This week students have continued to learn about measures of central tendency (mean, median, mode and range). In addition, they have started to explore the impact of outliers in data sets.  They flew paper airplanes and used the distance data to calculate measures of central tendency in class.

ASSIGNMENTS:

Airplane Data

Science: 

In science, students have been exploring two main tasks between last week and this week.* The first task had students exploring our dynamic earth and learning how different plate movements are responsible for the creation of various landforms on Earth. The second task invited students to delve into the impact that volcanoes can have on humans as well as the local and global environments. Students will have their first science test next week on Planet Earth. 

ASSIGNMENTS:

Dynamic Earth Assignment*

Current Event | Impact of Volcanic Ash*

Week of October 4th - October 8th, 2021

Math: 

It’s all about the data! This week, students have been learning about measures of central tendency and how to use them to analyze a data set. We have created our own data sets in class this week through dice, paper airplane competitions, and weather to explore the mean, median, mode, and range. 

ASSIGNMENTS:

Dice Activity

Airplane Data

Science: 

In science, students are exploring two main tasks between this week and next week.* The first task has students exploring our dynamic earth and learning how different plate movements are responsible for the creation of various landforms on Earth. The second task invites students to delve into the impact that volcanoes can have on humans as well as the local and global environments.

Students will have their first test in science in the next week on Planet Earth - students are encouraged to check google classroom for updates if they are absent. The test will cover all of the material since the start of the school year. In addition to the classroom material, students also have access to class notes, assignments, powerpoints, etc. under the classwork section of their google classroom. Topics include the layers of the earth, minerals, rocks, and the dynamic earth (plate tectonics and their formations, continental drift, etc.)

ASSIGNMENTS:

Dynamic Earth Assignment*

Current Event | Impact of Volcanic Ash*

Week of September 27th - October 1st, 2021

Math: 

Students completed a math check in at the start of the week and final post assessment today. The post assessment asked students to demonstrate their learning about the Cartesian Plane and how to plot and identify points on the grid. Any student who was absent for this test will have to make it up with their teacher next week. We also spent some time working on mystery pictures where students were given points to create a picture on the plane. They then had opportunities to create their own mystery pictures and set of instructions for others to solve. 

ASSIGNMENTS: 

Cartesian Plane check in

Cartesian plane post assessment

Science: 

Students had a very exciting week learning about the three types of rocks and the Rock Cycle, which culminated into completing our very first lab! Excitement could be felt as we explored each process. First, we shaved crayons down into sediments, molded and pressed them together to create sedimentary rock. Then, we heated them on hot plates to melt them down and let them gradually cool into metamorphic rock. Finally, we melted them down to ‘magma’, and poured them into cold water to create very cool igneous rock creations! 

ASSIGNMENTS: 

Rock Cycle Lab Report

Week of September 20th - 23th, 2021

Math: 

Students are engaged in learning all about the Cartesian Coordinate system. As part of this, they are practicing plotting and identifying points through a variety of activities. ‘You sunk my battleship’ will be heard throughout the classroom on any given day.  Students are also learning how to create a design on the Cartesian plane given coordinates and connecting instructions.

DUE DATES: 

Cartesian plane practice, September 22nd, 2021

Science: 

We are continuing to learn about Planet Earth.  We are examining minerals and rocks.  The students have completed a mighty mineral assignment where they had to create a mineral cartoon. We are moving into the rock cycle and students will be completing their first lab early next week. The lab will help students understand the processes involved in the rock cycle. 

DUE DATES: 

Mighty Mineral Character, September 23rd, 2021

Week of September 13th - 17th, 2021

Math:

This week, the students explored ‘Mondrian Art’ during math and were tasked to find the best possible score for different sized grids. Students continued to expand upon their numeracy and estimation skills through various math talks in the classroom. We also began learning about the Cartesian plane.

DUE DATES:

Figures About Me, September 10th, 2021

Mondrian Puzzle, September 17th, 2021

Science:

In science, students have been learning about Planet Earth. This week’s focus was on minerals and the mineral identification properties such as lustre, colour, streak, and hardness. We also looked at some special properties of mineral identification such as effervescence and fluorescence. Students explored the properties of mineral identification and Moh’s hardness scale by researching and exploring mineral samples as they completed their ‘Mighty Mineral Cartoon’ assignment.

DUE DATES:

Layers of Earth, September 10th, 2021

Mighty Mineral Cartoon, September 17th, 2021

Week of September 7th - 10th, 2021

Math:

In math this week, Grade 7 students participated in a "Figure Me Out" math activity where they had to create math equations whose answers represented them. Students were able to create equations that challenged their thinking and represented their math ability and understanding of different kinds of numbers. Students also had the opportunity to participate in math discussion and share their strategies with others. Next week, we will be exploring the Cartesian plane. 

Science:

We started off our first Science unit, Planet Earth, by learning the definition of Geology, and exploring the layers of the Earth. Students took notes and were then asked to complete a poster describing each of the layers, with a detailed picture of the Earth, coloured and labelled. This assignment will be their first formative assessment and will be visible on powerschool next week. Next week, students will be learning about rocks and minerals.