Mr. Van

Heading into Home

We are not finished just yet.  However, we are definitely close.  This week our sixth and eighth grades will review for tests they will take on Thursday.  New units will begin on Friday.  Eighth grade will focus their attention on nuclear chemistry while the sixth grade will begin weather.  These will both be the final units of the year.

Our seventh grade has just started to research the kingdom Protista and will be assembling a keynote/podcast.  This wil be presented to the class on Monday of next week.  We will then focus our attention on our final unit which is Plants.  

The following link was sent to me via Greg Hadley.  This universe and the many things that inhabit it is trully an amazing place.  Take a moment to view it.

                     Click Here bordercolor=whitefile://localhost/Users/patrickvan/Desktop/

Mr. V

Hello

The fourth quarter is flying along.  So little time and so much to do!  Our eighth grade has a mere four weeks remaining.  With so little time and the end in sight, it is very easy for our students to begin "phoning it in".  I am seeing a strong consistent effort here in class.  However, I am not seeing evidence of that same effort outside of class.  Students should always review material in the absence of formal assignments. This will give them greater comfort with the material and prepare them to become active participants in class.  It is very important that we all work together to keep them focussed through the end of the school year.  

The eighth grade has been working on chemical reactions.  Discussion of the four types of reactions have included chemical stoichiometry which is the calculation of quantities, relationships between reactants and products in a chemical reaction, the calculation of moles, masses, and percents within a chemical equation.  Mastery of this material depends heavily on constant review of rules and practice.  We will have one or two quizzes this week and an exam early next week.  Our final unit will include nuclear chemistry and scientific morality.

Seventh grade will bring closure to a unit on viruses and bacteria with an examination this Thursday.  We will then dedicate one week to an idependent study of the kingdom protozoa.  Look for details to follow later this week. Our academic school year will finish with an in depth look at the plant kingdom.

The sixth grade is currently working on a short report and Keynote presentation on volcanoes.  We will conclude the third part of our Restless Earth unit early next week by b uilding a volcano and taking an exam.  Expect two or more quizzes this week and early next week.

I am looking forward to finishing the year strong.  As always, please contact me with any questions or concerns

Respectfully 

Mr. V

WELCOME BACK

It is wonderful to be back in the classroom after a much needed break.  Our junior high students have returned with renewed vigor and have jumped right back into their daily academic routines.  Having spent this week reviewing and completing several units of work, we are ready to take exams.  

Our eighth grade has been studying atomic theory, the periodic table, and chemical formulas.  Their test will be on these topics and will require both Monday and Tuesday to complete.  All students were advised on method and material choice for test preparation.   Our seventh grade has been discussing viruses. We have since begun discussing the Kingdoms of Eubacteria and Archaebacteria.  Viral research was collected today and bacterial cultures are developing nicely.  We will begin staining and viewing these with the microscope on Monday.  Our sixth grade has continued developing a larger unit on Plate tectonics, earthquakes, and volcanos.  We have finished discussing and reviewing earthquakes and will test on Monday.  Plans for building volcanos and writing a short volcano research report will be introduced on Tuesday.

Welcome Back

Mr. V  

GO WHITE SOX

 

 

Opening day is tommorow!!! In celebration please download and enjoy the following song with your families.

 

Download 01 Track 01

HAPPY EASTER

 

 

 

 

It's spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you've got it, you want - oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so! - Mark Twain

 

Just a moment to touch base and wish all a very spiritual, restful, and Happy Easter.  With a mere seven weeks left to the school year, we will have a very busy fourth quarter.

Eighth grade will continue to study the principles of chemistry.  Major topics will include chemical equations, molarity, and nuclear chemistry.  

Seventh grade will finish viruses and bacteria and move immediately into plants.  

Sixth grade will finish earthquakes and volcanoes and move forward into the weather.

Spring is as busy as the fall and winter.  Now that the warmer weather is here to stay it is important to remain diligent in our efforts to keep the students focussed on there studies here at school and at home.

Happy Easter 

Mr. V

 

 

End of Quarter

Hello again.  Now that spring has returned it is time to begin looking forward to Easter and the end of the third quarter.  

As the end of the third quarter nears, Middle school students have been busy preparing for and taking exams.  Sixth grade has recently finished an abbreviated unit on the theory of plate tectonics and will begin exploring earthquakes and volcanoes.  Seventh grade has finished evolution and classification and will finally begin applying knowledge gained this year toward their understanding of the five kingdoms of living things.  We will begin with viruses and monera.  Having started the chemistry portion of eighth grade science curriculum several weeks ago, the Eighth grade students will continue to develop their understanding of the periodic table, chemical formulas and names, and chemical equaton and stochiometry.  

More to follow,

Mr V

Mid-Quarter

We are now into the second half of our third quarter.  Teacher conferences are right around the corner, March 14 and 15. Please be mindful of the sign up dates.  Earlier last week I sent home progress reports with the students.  I have asked them to have these signed by either parent.  Please be on the look out for these and contact me with any concerns, questions, or comments.

This past Friday the middle school held the Crusader Cup.  This has become a traditional event held in the Junior High each year for the past several years.  Students were asked to build a small sailboat in preparation for the event.  Building a boat can take a few minutes or few hours.  This was a fun way to end a long week of testing.

Terra Nova testing put our curriculum into a holding pattern.  However, several new units of study are ready to be explored.                                                                                            

    Our Sixth Grade has recently finished an independent study into weathering and erosion and will     present podcasts in class.  The students have worked extremely hard and are very excited to view     their peers final products.  Look for the posting of these in the next few weeks.  Discussion of Plate     Tectonics will begin early next week.  This unit ties into previous discussions of Earth structure and     the rock cycle.  This unit also creates a transition into other Earth processes such as earthquakes and     volcanoes.                                                                                                      

    Our Seventh Grade will continue it's discussion of evolution and classification at the start of next     week.  These are exciting times because we can look forward to applying all of the knowledge that     has been gained toward exploration of living things.

    Our Eighth Grade is finishing a unit on the gas laws and fluid principles.  We are now ready to begin     atomic theory.  We round out our school year with an indepth look at atoms and compounds, the     periodic table, nuclear chemistry, and several other topics discussed in chemistry.  

I am looking forward to a productive end to the third quarter and our conferences.  Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns.

Mr. V    

 

SCIENCE

Just wanted to take a moment to touch base.  Our eighth grade will begin wrapping up a unit on the states of matter, gas laws, and fluid principles. A two part examination will begin Friday when the students are given the take home portion and conclude next week with the in class portion.  Take the time to discuss the following topics with your son or daughter: states of matter, phase changes (fusion and vaporization), density, pressure, Pascal's, Bernoulli's,and Archimede's principles, Charles's, Boyle's, and Gay-Lussac's gas laws, viscosity, cohesion, adhesion, and surface tension.  Speaking of surface tension, today marks the anniversary of the Bubble Boy's death.                                                              

                                                        David Vetter "Bubble Boy" 1973

Publicly identified only as "David", the "Bubble Boy" was born with the genetic disease Severe Combined Deficiency Syndrome (SCID).  "David" died of Burkitt's lymphoma after an unsuccessful bone marrow stem cells transplant.  Despite screening, the bone marrow from his sister contained the Epstein-Barr virus. This outcome led to the discovery that viruses could cause cancer.

 

On a lighter note, our seventh grade is currently finishing discussion of evolution and will soon begin discussing classification of living things.  Our sixth graders are finishing weathering and erosion podscasts and will begin discussion of plate tectonics.                                                                                                  

Students will be taking the Terra Nova tests next week.  We will continue to move forward academically.  Students will continue to be expected to review materials discussed in class and complete any assignments that accompany these discussions.                                                                                 

Have a great week.

Mr.V 

Thoughts....

Science Fair

WOW!!!  What a wonderful experience this year's science fair was for all who participated.  Last week's turnout was one of the best in my many years here at St. Francis.  Congratulations to all of our students whose efforts made this year's science fair an overwhelming success.  They continue to represent the best of our school, community, and parish.  Special congratulations to the students who were judged gold at this year's fair. They are now qualified to participate at the regional fair held on March 17 at Niles North High School.

I am often asked why we continue to announce awards.  The answer is quite simple, I believe it is important to maintain the competitive element of the fair.  Our students have multiple opportunities to compete and be recognized athletically, however, they seldom are given that same opportunity to compete academically.  Science Fair gives many of our students the much needed and deserved opportunity to showcase their abilities and achievements academically and the recognition they certainly deserve.

Third Quarter

We are now into the third quarter.  Now that Science Fair is behind us, we can once again turn our attention to our curricular focuses.  The Eighth grade with put the final touches on a machine unit that included the design and creation of a Rube Goldberg apparatus.  Our next unit will include the states of matter and the fluid laws.  Seventh grade continues to study DNA, genetics, and evolution.  This will be followed by an interesting unit on viruses and bacteria.  Sixth grade finishes with minerals, the rock cycle, and the types of rocks later next week.  This will be followed by weathering and erosion.            

SCIENCE FAIR

The Science Fair is here.  The Science Fair is a two day event consisting of a judging session and a viewing session.  Judging will be held tomorrow night from 6:00 p.m until 9:00 p.m.  Only parents who have volunteered to judge are permitted to attend this session.  However, all parents and friends are welcome to view projects and visit with the students in the gym on Wednesday night beginning at 6:00 p.m.  

Students have been assigned judging times, project numbers, and room assignments.  Sixth grade projects are always given priority and therefore judged during the first (6:15)or second (6:45) time allocations.  Seventh grade is judged third (7:15) or fourth (7:45) followed by the Eighth grade.  Ideally each project will require 30 minutes to judge.  However, many projects will run longer or end sooner. Students do not need to stay beyond their assigned time.  However, they will not be permitted to leave until we are assured they have arranged a ride home.

Students who score gold will be awarded medals Wednesday night following a short public viewing of the projects in the gym.  Please make an effort to attend this exciting and fun night.  

As always, Please do not hesitate contacting me with any questions.       

Mr. V