What's going on in Mr. Solarz' Class?

Science Fair!

4/23/2015

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Follow the example below to create your own - please don't copy her answers, though! :)

Questions:

Overall, I think that the Science Fair was a valuable experience because...
I definitely made some mistakes along the way, but I learned from them. Here are some examples...
If I were given the chance to do anything differently, I would...

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5th Grade Mentors - Day 1 (Mrs. Cory's Class)

4/10/2015

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1. Describe your experience.
2. Did your student leave our room feeling good about him/herself? How do you know?
3. What will you do differently when we meet Mrs. Arce's class?

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Partnering up with some little kiddos!!!

4/8/2015

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Today, we are going to Skype with an author who has written a fantastic book called, "What's Under Your Cape?" In this book, she helps children discover their strengths and super powers!

In a week or two, we're going to work with some kindergartners and first graders to help them discover their super powers (gifts, talents, strengths). We're going to find out which good character traits they have, teach them about Marble Theory, and help build their self-esteem so they can be confident and happy (which usually means that they'll treat others with kindness)!

Check out our list of character traits here. These are some ways that we can show good character in our interactions with others. Learn about them so you can identify these traits in your primary student!

Write some questions that help you get to know your mentee. Also, write a few notes about some stories you might tell to help your mentee feel better about themself.

Reflection:

Who's your real-life superhero? Why?
Whose superhero are you? Why?
What's your superpower? Describe it.
How do you use that superpower for good?
What's your Kryptonite? {what weakens you?} Describe it.
How are you going to ensure that the student you work with leaves feeling better about themself?

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Human Body Post-Test

3/19/2015

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Research the organs in our body (what do they do, what do they look like, and where are they located?).
Create new posters with the organs in the correct spots and correct size.
Create a new video that explains each of the organs purposes.
Create a new blog entry entitled, "Human Body Post-Test."
Embed your video on the left and a photo of your poster on the right.
Then, answer the following questions:

            1. Which organs were new to you this year and what do those organs do?
            2. What were you most surprised to learn about?
            3. Teach me about our liver. What are some of its purposes?

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Human Body Research Paper

3/19/2015

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Create a new blog entry entitled, "Human Body Research Paper."
Insert a screenshot of your cover page and link it to your Google Doc. "Share" your Google Doc with "anyone who has the link" and let the "view." Delete your last name from the Doc.
Insert a "Read More Break."
Copy and paste your entire Human Body Research Paper from the Introduction to the Bibliography into a Text box.
Clean it up so it looks nice!
Under the screenshot (but above the "Read More Break"), answer the following questions:

            1. What writing skills did you improve while working on your Human Body Research Paper? Explain.
            2. What are some concepts that you learned about the human body during this unit that you think are
                 important (not just interesting)?
            3. What was the most challenging part of writing your Human Body Research Paper? Why?
            4. What aspect of the Human Body Research Paper are you most proud of? Why?

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Moving Quickly to Prevent Harm

3/12/2015

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Lesson 5 in the Teacher's Manual.

Vocabulary:
- iris: the colored part of the eye.
- pupil: the dark circle in the center of the eye. The pupil is an opening that lets light enter the eye.
- reflex: a quick, unplanned response.

Discussion:

Reflexes are our bodies' built in actions that happen quickly without having to think about them. They are important because they can keep us out of trouble and prevent us from harm.

Resources:

Pupil dilation is a common reflex.

Investigation:

The Blink Reflex is an attempt to protect our eyes from things that might damage them.

Sign in to http://sd25.sciencecompanionprime.com with your d25 sign-on and your 151 _ _ _ _ password.

Complete the experiment found here: http://sd25.sciencecompanionprime.com/tutti/content/activity/launchViewer.svc?activityId=2B92F1BADDD742F7BFA4F98F926F2A89&reviewUserId=&getUserData=1&doSave=1&readOnly=0

Use an iPad to take a very short video of this activity. Upload it to YouTube. Embed it on this blog entry.

Take screen shots of all of the questions and answers & put them on a blog entry entitled, "Moving Quickly to Prevent Harm." Please put "Lightbox" on each.

Then answer these questions as well:
1. Can you feel it when your pupils dilate?
2. Do you have any control over your pupils when they dilate?
3. What do we call this when a reflex happens without our control?
4. Why do our pupils get bigger in the dark and smaller in the light?
5. How does this reflex protect our eyes?

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How Our Muscles Know When to Move

3/3/2015

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Lesson 4 - Nervous System

Sign in to http://sd25.sciencecompanionprime.com
with your d25 sign-on and your 151 _ _ _ _ password.

After you sign in, please follow these directions to do today's first activity:
http://sd25.sciencecompanionprime.com/tutti/content/activity/launchViewer.svc?activityId=84D3FF2491CF48168431F4E71C8F3282&reviewUserId=&getUserData=1&doSave=1&readOnly=0

Remember to follow the directions, complete the activities & questions online, take screen shots, and create your blog entry.

You will need to read the pages in your SRB.

Activity:
Purpose: Develop and test different strategies that use only one sense at a time---sight, hearing, or touch---to catch a dropped ruler.

Materials: One ruler

Procedure:

Focus on only one sense at a time.
Write down your strategies for catching the ruler and then test it on both yourself and your partner.
Have one partner drop the ruler while the other partner catches it using any strategy you decided to try. The only rule is that the "catching" partner can't touch the ruler until it is dropped.
Change your strategy if you are having problems with your first idea. Make sure you describe the changes in the strategies areas below.

Answer these questions in your blog entry:

Explain how you and your partner used only the sense of sight to catch the ruler.
Explain how you and your partner used only the sense of hearing to catch the ruler.
Explain how you and your partner used only the sense of touch to catch the ruler.
Was it more difficult to catch the ruler using one of the senses as compared to the other? Explain.
How could you use only the sense of smell to catch the ruler?
How could you use only the sense of taste to catch the ruler?
Explain how your senses, nerves, brain, and muscles in your fingers helped you catch the ruler for one of the senses explored. Use the Directing Your Muscles—The Nervous System chapter in your student reference book to help you.

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Money Island - Financial Literacy

3/3/2015

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Now that you have played Money Island for the past couple weeks, it's time to reflect on what we've learned.

Please create a new blog entry entitled, "Money Island - Financial Literacy."

Take a screen shot of your Scales of Success to show me that you are a guru. Put it at the top of the blog entry.
Take a screen shot that shows me how many trophies you have earned. Put it (them) below the Scales of Success.
Grab a photo from our Daily Photo Journal showing you (or others) playing Money Island & put it below your trophies.
Answer the following questions below:

                1. Playing a video game in math class can be really fun. What are some of the other benefits of playing
                    video games to learn concepts? (Two or more sentences)
                2. Pretend that our school district is banning Money Island from the curriculum. Using strong examples of
                    what you've learned, politely fight to keep this program around! (What have you learned from Money
                    Island?) Write a persuasive/argumentative essay that can convince them to keep it around. Organize
                    your thoughts before you start writing. It should follow the same format as our Human Body Research
                    Papers. (3-4 paragraphs)

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The Supplies I Get to Take With Me to Mars

2/27/2015

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Click here for the details: http://psolarz.weebly.com/colonize-mars1/5-what-should-we-bring-what-will-we-make-when-we-get-there

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Creating Your Mars Persona on Voki

2/26/2015

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You need to log in to Voki (the Classroom Edition) in the Log In box on the Voki website (the box on the right is just a screen shot).

Be sure to unselect "Remember Me."

Your UserName Login is on the sheet on the right.

Your Password is your 151 number (with the two zeroes).

Once you log in to Voki, you will see an assignment you've been given. Follow the directions to complete the assignment.

Once you've completed your Voki, save it for me to review. Then let me know to review it and I will approve it or give you feedback to improve it.

Once you are approved, follow these directions to embed it on your ePortfolio, in the top right corner of your page. You will also need to revise the "Author" section by typing in your persona's name and telling us what your profession is and what your thoughts are about going to Mars.

When you are ready to embed the code, use the Medium size, but make the following changes in the code itself:

The height should be 250.
The width should be 180.
This needs to be changed in three locations in the Embed Code (see picture to the right).

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<<Previous

Science Fair!

5th Grade Mentors - Day 1 (Mrs. Cory's Class)

Partnering up with some little kiddos!!!

Human Body Post-Test

Human Body Research Paper

Moving Quickly to Prevent Harm

How Our Muscles Know When to Move

Money Island - Financial Literacy

The Supplies I Get to Take With Me to Mars

Creating Your Mars Persona on Voki

Robert Gagne

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