Welcome Back
A few changes, let's hit the ground running. Be ready, come with your notebooks. Every class will be responsible for taking notes and keeping those notes intact for grading. We will also have a word of a week that a student will have to research and explain later on the Friday quiz.
Jan 5th word is generator. Keep in mind, we are currently working on electricty and magnetism.
Alpha and Delta have finished their research papers. Great Job! If for any reason a student did not complete a research paper, he or she received a zero. I lengthened the time to eight weeks including Christmas break for my late students, although they automatically lost one grade for lateness. Almost everyone turned in their paper. Although, some were last minute efforts. Keep in mind, another paper will be started in April after ISTEP. Those who did well this time should have no problem next time. Those who didn't do so well, might want to kick it up a notch.
I have also installed two small whiteboards--one outside the room to alert students what books they need. The students must come to class with the right books. They will not be allowed to go back to their lockers for appropriate materials. Another inside the front of the room for assignment deadlines. If a student can't see the board I need to know. If a student is pursuing other activities in class, perhaps reading the latest book in the Twilight series, I will collect it. It's a new semester and we will be moving faster and working harder.
Vocab Words to Know: magnetism, magnetic poles, magnetic fields, electromagnetism, electromagnet