Long Time No Post

I haven't added a post in a while and there is a lot going on...
1. Grades fro the 5th grade test are posted, check out how you did.
2. The 8th grade tests are not complete yet, I hope to have them on Engrade by tomorrow.
3. Model Earth projects are due tomorrow for 6th grade.
4. Optical Instruments are due tomorrow for 7th grade.
5. Science Fair Project Proposals are due this week for 7th and 8th grades.
6. October Above and Beyond is due by Friday!

What did I forget?

Progress Report Info

Progress reports are due Wednesday, October 15 by 3:15.
On Engrade, progress reports that have been turned in are annotated with the (*) symbol.
You may notice on Engrade that some assignments are listed at the end that have nothing filled in. Be sure to look at the due date! I put in my assignments for the week on Monday and fill them in as they get turned in. If it is blank, don't worry if it is not due yet.

Homework Club

I will be the teacher for the Homework Club on Wednesdays. I am an experienced tutor, especially in science and math. I look forward to seeing some of you on Wednesdays after school.

Technical Difficulties

Be aware that Engrade is experiencing some techinical difficulties. It is not displaying grades accurately. If you have any questions about your grade you can send me a message through Engrade or email me at kristy.vena@earthlink.net. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Pumpkin Science?

Does anybody have a copy of the Pumpkin Science experiments that I assigned last year for Above & Beyond. The website that I found it on is no longer in service, and I can't find my original. It's worth 1 point of Above and Beyond if you can bring me a copy! Thanks.

Progress Reports

Every student will receive a progress report this Friday, October 10. They must be signed and returned by the following Wednesday.
Be sure to have all missing work in by this Thursday.

Test Grades Posted

The results of the 6th, 7th and 8th grade Microscope Test are posted on Engrade. See how you did.

Heads Up!

September Above and Beyond is due on Tuesday! If you want to earn some extra points be sure to get it in on time as I will not accept it late. You can print it out from the school website or find it on the "Calender" section of Engrade.

Update

Here are some updates:

1. You are welcome to send me a message through Engrade. If you have any questions about class or your grade, just send me a message and I will be happy to help. So far it has been a really helpful simple tool.

2. Be sure to check the Engrade calender! It has a lot of useful information about assignments and events.

3. Grading codes: When you go online to check your grade you may notice some interesting codes. Here is what they stand for: "M" means the assignment is missing, "A" means you were absent so you have an extra day to get it in before it counts against you, "E" means the assignment is excused.

4. Progress Reports: I wanted to clarify the purpose of handing out progress reports every Friday....it does not count against your grade! It is a means of getting students to turn in missing work in a timely manner. Any work that you turn in late gets full credit. I give progress reports to remind you to turn your work in!

Engrade

Access your child’s science grade at home, anytime!

I am piloting a new online grade-book which will make it possible for you to access your child’s science grade at home. Access codes will be available at Back to School Night. Access codes will only be handed out by me to parents (not students), and I will not give them out by phone or email.

How to:
1. Go to http://www.engrade.com/home-students.php , and click on the green words “sign up for a free student account here”.
2. Fill in your access code from the slip of paper I have given you. You will then be prompted to come up with a username and password. This is your own private account that cannot be accessed by anyone else.
3. Once you have created your account you will be able to see your child’s science grade, a calendar of lessons and events, and more. When possible, you will even be able to print some assignments from home.

I am excited about this new means of communicating with parents and students. I am happy to answer any questions you might have.

Microscope Mania

During the next couple of weeks the students will be working on their microscope skills. This week we will focus on the history, anatomy and focusing of the microscope. Today the students learned about Antony Van Leeuwenhoek, an uneducated, self-taught scientist whose passion for microscopy changed the way we view the biological world. If you would like to read more about him, check out: http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/history/leeuwenhoek.html. Ask your child if they know what a "wee beastie" is!

Welcome Back!

I hope that everybody enjoyed their summer break...I know I did! As you can see I have made some decorative changes to my blog. This is because I wanted this site to go with the theme for this years science classes...GO GREEN! Our focus for this year will be the environment, and how our actions impact it. This will also be the theme for the 7th and 8th grade science fair projects. We will be recycling within our classroom and really looking at ways to make our campus more environmentally friendly. So what do you think? Let me know what your ideas are!

San Dimas High School Science Roadshow

We were lucky enough to have the AP chemistry and physics students from SDHS come and demonstrate their knowledge on March 18. The chemistry teacher took a ton of pictures of our students. Click here to view:
http://www.bonita.k12.ca.us/sandimas/elliott/scienceroadshow3.18.08/index.html

Welcome!

Hello, welcome to Mrs. Vena's science class blog. The purpose of this blog is to talk about 5th through 8th grade science classes at Holy Name of Mary School. It is not for socializing or discussion beyond the scope of science class. Please feel free to ask questions, inform me of things you have learned outside of class related to science, and comment on our classes. My hope is that these discussions will provide an open forum on science topics and also provide a source of communication outside of class.
Let me know what you think of science class! How could I make it better? Do you have an idea for a class or lab that relates to our current topic of study? What would you like us to do next week in science?