Week #1:  January 19^th - January 23^rd :       (back to top)

Monday:   No School - Observation of Martin Luther King's Birthday

Tuesday:   Hand out  textbooks & textbook covers.  Go over expectations for this class.    Hand out and discuss Syllabus.  Discuss the homework Web Site.  Discuss the Notebook/Portfolio.  Hand out and discuss/explain the Classroom Management Plan (CMP) and go over the most important aspects (such as "requirements for class")..  Please make special note of the section of the CMP entitled "Labs".  Discussion of the Scientific Method and the process of writing a Laboratory Report.  Assignment is to read pages 44 thru 54 in the text.  We'll start with Chapter 2.

Wednesday:   What are the spheres of the earth?  We'll define them &take some preliminary notes on Geology and we'll begin to create posters that help to define the various careers available in Earth Science.  Partners select an Earth Science career, then research that career for creation of a poster.

Thursday:   More notes from Chapter 2:  The definitions of rocks and minerals and the properties used for mineral identification.  Additionally, we'll take some notes on the Physical Properties of Minerals, Fractional Crystallization and Mineral Resources.  Assignment: Finish reading Sections 2 & 3 of Chapter 2.  Check the link to the Vocabulary Words for Chapter 2!!

Friday:    First half of the period will be spent in the Library to update the student Journal.  Second half of the period will be used for an in-class assignment that will review the sections of the chapter covered (1,2 & 3).
There will be a TEST on Tuesday during the second half of the period.  The first half will be used to go over Friday's HW and to review.

Here's your first extra credit opportunity:  Record as data in a journal the changing position of the rising sun every day for the entire third term.  Adequate proof of completion shall be worth a maximum of 50 extra credit points. (You'll need to record the position on the horizon of the rising sun as well as the time in order to receive full credit.)

Additional extra credit opportunity:  Grow a "Crystal Garden" (Twenty-five (25) points maximum)and bring it in to show the class.  It will be due on Thursday, February 6th.

Week #2:  January 26^th - January 30^th :        (back to top)

Monday:  About 40 minutes will be spent watching the first part of the Planet Earth video:  "Gifts From the Earth".  Time is spent talking about the first Test -- Tomorrow -- and its composition.

Tuesday:   The first half of the period will be used  for the purpose of finishing the worksheets that cover Sections 1 & 2 of Chapter 2.  We will then correct and collect the worksheets and then review for the  test over Sections 1 - 3 of Chapter 2 that was originally scheduled for today.  The TEST will be tomorrow.  

Wednesday:  15 minutes of student review and then students take TEST over Chapter 2.  After the test, students view the remainder of the Planet Earth video.    Assign reading pages 72 thru 77 in Chapter 3. 

Thursday:  Crystal Garden Extra Credit is due today!!!   

Hand back and go over Chapter 2 Test.  Notes on the Rock Cycle, Igneous and Sedimentary rocks.  Also, rock texture and mineral content.  Assignment: Worksheet covering Sections 1 & 2 of Chapter 3.  Check the link to the Vocabulary Words for Chapter 3!!  Assignment is to Read Sections 2, 3 & 4 of Chapter 3.

Friday:  Correct and collect worksheets.  Notes:  Review Igneous Rocks and notes on Sedimentary Rocks; Begin notes on Metamorphic Rocks.  Class goes to the Library to work on Journals, weekly Earth Science articles and Vocabulary definitions.  

Week #3: February 2^nd - February 6^th :        (back to top)

Monday:    Pre-Lab discussion of first Lab: Rock And Mineral Identification.  

Lab: Rock and Mineral Identification Lab.  Use any remaining time to begin the lab Write-Up.  Discussion of the Notebook/Portfolio, including the suggested format for Laboratory Write-Ups.  Keep in mind that I'm planning a TEST  over Chapter 3 on Friday!

Tuesday:  Finish Rock Lab as necessary; time given to make drawings of rocks examined in the lab.   Geology video during 2nd half of period.  Worksheets from Sections 3 & 4 of Chapter 3 handed out.

Wednesday:  During the 1st half of the period, we'll correct and collect worksheets, then we'll review Chapter 3.  In-Class Homework assignment... Due Tomorrow.  TEST  Tomorrow!

Thursday:      During the first half of the period we'll look at yesterday's homework assignment, then we'll take the Chapter 3 Test.  

( In the event that you may be checking the page this evening, the test is 34 questions, 11 of which will ask you to identify rocks based on characteristics shown and described in diagrams.  This will be very much like the Rock ID from the Lab!! ) 

Friday:      Hand back and go over Chapter 3 Test.  Begin Chapter 4 during 1st half of period.  Second half of the period we will go to the Library to work on Lab Write-ups, Vocabulary, Journals and News Articles.

More Extra Credit:  Collect 10 -12 different rocks from the area in which you live.  Identify them as to type and mineral composition and glue them into a box for display.  Due 2-17-03 to earn

Week #4: February 9^th - 13^th :        (back to top)

Monday:  Give Extra Credit Lab Practical on Rock Identification.  Watch first 25 minutes of Planet Earth video: "The Living Machine."  Students takes notes on video about Plate Tectonics.  These notes may be used when students take Quiz on video on Wednesday.  Explain next Extra Credit opportunity ("Cut Away Earth": See beginning of Chapter 4.)

Tuesday:    Assignment and explanation of Research Papers; hand out list of topics and take students to Library to begin research.  Presentation of Topics will be on Friday.  Notes on Seismic wave types and Earth layers.

Wednesday:    Show remainder of video.  Students have time to review notes before Quiz over the video.   

Thursday:    Half of period in Library to complete research and writing of papers; half of period to complete graphic for presentation.  Begin notes and discussion of "the evidence" for plate tectonics.  In-class assignment covering Sections 4-1 & 4-2 -- Due Tuesday.

Friday:    Additional time spent in Library to either finish research topics and/or work on Vocab, Review of Science Articles or Journals.

Week #5: February 16^th - February 20^th :        (back to top)

Monday:  No School... President's Day.   No School... President's Day. (In case you're not sure... we're celebrating two Presidents' birthdays today!!)

Tuesday:  Cut-Away Earth Extra Credit is Due Today!    Students present research topics.  

Wednesday:  Correct and collect homework (Worksheets from Sections 4.3 thru 4.5) from Thursday.  Additional notes and discussion on the evidence for Plate Tectonics and the main types of plate boundaries: Divergent, Convergent and Transform Fault.  Finish notes and summarize chapter 4.

Thursday:  First 20 minutes allowed for review of the chapter... then: Test over all of Chapter 4.  Assignment: Read pages 284 - 292 in Chapter 9; hand out worksheet and give time to read and work on worksheet; in-class assignment due Friday.  Begin short Unit on how to identify Maple Trees (Acer rubrum and Acer saccharum) for the gathering and processing of sap into that "oh, so good" Maple Syrup.

Friday:     Students spend part of the period in the Library working on Journals, Vocabulary Words and other write-up items.  Finish short Unit on how to identify Maple Trees (Acer rubrum and Acer saccharum) for the gathering and processing of sap into that "oh, so good" Maple Syrup.  Don't forget to check the Chapter 9 Vocabulary Words. 

Assignments beyond this point are not currently valid...

Week #6: February 23^rd - February 27^th       (back to top)

Monday:  Notes on fossils and a cut-out is distributed to help describe the various fossil types that will be encountered in the lab Tomorrow.

Tuesday:  Lab - Fossils.  We'll take a look at about 20 different fossils and classify the fossils by phylum, then determine their distribution and the environments in which they lived.

Note: the write-up for this lab will be the same format as that which was used for the Rock & Mineral Identification lab.  It can be found at the end of the Notebook/Portfolio hand- out.

Wednesday:    

Thursday: Bring something to class to read for Read Across America Day.  Some time spent in the Library to up-date notebooks.   

Friday:  No School... Teacher Institute Day.  

Week #7: March 1^st - March 5^th :        (back to top)

Monday:    Notes and discussion on correlation of rock layers.  Additional lab activities possible.  Complete part three of the Fossil Lab.  More correlation of fossils and then placing the fossil organisms into their proper places in the Geologic Time Scale.  Notes/discussion on fossil environments, radiometric dating and the extent of geologic time.  Assignment: read Sections 9-3, 9-4 and 9-5.  Go over the Fossil Lab; notes on Geologic Time Scale and Paleo-environments.  In-class assignment to review Sections 9-2 & 9-3.

Tuesday:     

Wednesday:   

Week #8: March 8^th -- March 12^th :        (back to top)

Monday:  We will begin Chapter 10 "Energy Resources" today.  Make sure to have read the first two sections of the chapter.  also, be sure to check the Vocabulary words for this chapter.

Tuesday:   Notes on the concepts of Work and Power and the definitions of BTU and Joule.  We'll also do a short Lab to illustrate these concepts.

Wednesday:   Discussion of yesterday's lab.  Worksheets on how to read electric and gas meters.  Worksheets on Section 10-1... due tomorrow.

Thursday:  Notes and discussion on nuclear Fission and Fusion;  Energy conservation; Review Chapter for Test.

Friday:  Test over chapter 10...   Make certain you know how to do problems like the ones we did in connection with the lab!

Week #9: March 15^th  - March 19^th :        (back to top)

Monday:

Tuesday: 

Wednesday:

Thursday:  

Friday:    

Week #10: March 22^nd -- March 26^th:        (back to top)

Monday:    Begin Unit on Astronomy.  Notes and discussion on: Calendars, Earth Rotation, Revolution, the Seasons and some Astronomy history.  Assign:  Read Chapter 19, pages 634 - 648.  Video: "The Universe" narrated by Star Trek's William Shatner.  Don't forget to check the new Vocabulary words for Chapter 19!

Tuesday:   Why Study Astronomy?     

Click on the link below to read the article:  Comet Has First Showing in 340 Years
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20020314/ap_on_sc/brf_new_comet_1

Wednesday:  Some facts about the moon.  Also, a demonstration and explanation of Moon Phases and reasons for earth's tides.  Worksheets on Sections 19-1 and 19-2 -- due tomorrow.  Here is a great animation of the difference between the sidereal and synodic months:  http://www.sumanasinc.com/webcontent/anisamples/astronomy/sidereal.html 

Thursday:  Notes and discussion on Chapter 19, Section 3 (Rockets & Newton's Laws) and Section 4 (Features of the Moon).  Worksheets assigned from Section 19-4 (Due Tomorrow).  Review for Test, especially Solstices & Equinoxes, Solar & Lunar Eclipses and Moon Phases and Tides. 
                              Make sure that you know the phases of the moon!!         Practice Quiz on Moon Phases & Seasons.

(If there is time... Random groups of two assemble and launch an air rocket.)

Week #11: March 29^th  - April 2^nd :        (back to top)

Easter always falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox. It is also probably no

Week #12:  April 5^th - April 9^th :        (back to top)

Monday:  Start Chapter 21 with a worksheet that will take you through the mathematics of LARGE numbers.  Also, we'll see the 1st half of the video "Countdown to the Invisible Universe", about the IRAS satellite.  Make sure to check the new Vocabulary words for Chapter 21!

Tuesday: Finish the video from yesterday.  Discuss the E-M Spectrum and the use of telescopes and light spectra to help determine the nature of stars.  Make sure to have read Sections 21-1 and 21-2.  Explain the extra credit opportunities: "Make Your Own Telescope" and "Star Stories".  Both of these will be due on Monday, April 14th.  Worksheets handed out on Sections 21-1 & 21-2... due tomorrow.

Wednesday:   

Thursday:   

Friday:   During the first half of the period (~40 min), take students to the Library for Journal writing and work on Vocabulary Definitions.  

Week #13:  April 12^th  - April 16^th :        (back to top)

Monday:

Tuesday:  

Wednesday:   Lab on sunspots and light spectrum from the sun.

Thursday:   Test over all of Chapter 20.   Begin Chapter 15 with a description of the Extra Credit opportunities available.  Take notes on Section 1 of the chapter: Components of earth's atmosphere.  Assign reading Section 15-1.

Friday:  No classes - Teacher Institute Day

Week #14:  April 19^th - April 23^rd :        (back to top)

Monday:   No classes - Teacher Institute Day.   Assignment: read sections 1 and 2 of Chapter 15.

Tuesday:    Watch a video of the problems in our atmosphere: "Ozone, The Hole Story" (Parts I & II).  Be sure to check out the new Vocabulary words for Chapter 15!

Wednesday:    Juniors take Prairie State Achievement Tests -- No official assignment... school dismissed at 12:55.  Notes on the pressure created by our atmosphere and a demo of what atmospheric pressure can do.  Assignment: Xerox on atmospheric pollution.  Finish the Ozone video.  Check out this link about a new weather satellite: http://space.com/scienceastronomy/planetearth/airs_weather_020416-1.html .   

Thursday: Juniors take Prairie State Achievement Tests... school dismissed at 12:55.  Notes on the six layers of the atmosphere.  Also, you can click here if you need another copy of the Weather Watch Chart that was handed out.  Possible Quiz over notes and the video... BE PREPARED!

Friday:  During the first half of the period (~40 min), take students to the Library for Journal writing and work on Vocabulary Definitions.  

Interested in comets??  Try this link: http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap020221.html or do a simple search.  Just plug in the phrase Ikeya-Zhang to any search engine!  This comet supposedly hasn't visited earth in about 600 years.  Check it out!  

Week #15:  April 26^th - April 30^th:        (back to top)

Monday:  Also, part of the Planer Earth Video: "The Climate Puzzle."  Assignment: read Sections 1 & 2 of Chapter 16 and do the worksheets handed out in class.  They will be due tomorrow.  

Tuesday:  Correct and collect yesterday's assignment.  Additional notes; Assignment: read Sections 3 & 4 of 
Chapter 16.  Be sure to check out the new Vocabulary words for Chapter 16!

Wednesday:   TEST over all of Chapter 15: Questions include information on the Video We just finished watching.  Begin Chapter 16.  Notes on Weather Factors: Temperature.  Hand out and explain information about the Final Exam.  

Thursday:  Possible Video: "What's Up With The Weather?"

Friday:   First half of the period will be spent in the Library working on Vocabulary, etc.  Hand-out on Dew Point & Relative Humidity to be read in preparation for a lab on Monday.  Notes from Sections 16-2 and 16-3.  

Week #16: May 3^rd  - May 7^th :        (back to top

Monday:  Lab: Dew Point and Relative Humidity.  Class will Take data both in the classroom and outside the building.  Depending on the weather forecast, bring a coat to class with you!

NOTE: Assignments beyond this point are NOT VALID!

Tuesday:  Correct and collect Homework assignment from last week on Wind Systems.  Weather News Video projects are due!!   Watch student-produced videos; review Chapter 16 in preparation for the TEST TOMORROW!

Wednesday:   Test over all of Chapter 16 during 1st half of the period.  Begin Chapter 17.

Thursday:  Begin Chapter 17 -- the last of the weather chapters!  Be sure to check out the new Vocabulary words for Chapter 17!  Video:  Hurricanes

Friday:  Class is assigned a project to create a display board that has, as its topic, one of the concepts covered in Chapter 17.  Students choose a partner and the topics are then randomly assigned.  Class goes to Library during the first half of the period to work on Journals, Vocabulary Words or Lab Write-Ups.  Second half of period used for discussion of topics.

Week #17:  May 10^th  - May 14^th :        (back to top)

Monday:  1st half of period class goes to Library to do additional research on Ch 17 Display Board topics.  Second half of class, students are given a practice quiz relating to Section 17-1 and a Xeroxed assignment that will be due tomorrow.  Assign reading of Section 17-2.

Tuesday:   Correct and collect yesterday's assignment.  Quiz covering Section 17-2.  Notes given on an idealized "Mid-latitude Wave Cyclone."  Assignment for tomorrow is to "Track a Hurricane" using Xeroxed sheets provided.  Due tomorrow.  Students are given a Xeroxed sheet detailing the Final Exam and other end-of-year topics.

Wednesday:  Correct and collect yesterday's assignments.  Class given remainder of period to finish Display Board projects.  They are due tomorrow.  (Library is available if needed)

Thursday:  Display/Poster Boards are due.  Gallery Tour of all Display Boards prepared by students.

Friday:  Depending on which Block during which your class meets, half of period students go to Library to work on Portfolio and/or Final Exam PowerPoint and  half of period will be: Short Test covering Chapter 17 and information obtained from Display Boards during Gallery Tour.

Week #18:  May 17^th  - May 21^st :        (back to top)

Monday:  This is the last full week of school this year!!  We will start Chapter 1 with a discussion of Latitude and Longitude and how they are determined.  What is a sextant and why is the correct time so important in determining the longitude and therefore where you are?  All this will be in preparation to go outside to map the school campus.  Assignment: Xeroxed sheet from section 1-2.  Be sure to check out the new Vocabulary words for Chapter 1!

Tuesday:   Correct and Collect yesterday's assignment from Section 1-2.  The Senior Cruise is today; the rest of us will work on map scale: what it is and how to use it in map making.  Video: "Connections"

Wednesday:  Lab - Mapping:  We'll hope the weather cooperates so that we can go outside today to get the first coordinates of the property.  We'll need to determine a scale.  Do you remember how to do that??

Special Deal:  If you print this week's assignments that include the phrase " Lunar Distance Method", tomorrow's assignment will be worth double the stated value.  The catch?  You must hand in to Mr. Ross the printed version of this week's assignments, along with the phrase, by 8:00 am on Wednesday, May 15th!!

Thursday:  Class spends time in Library working on Final Exam PowerPoint Presentation.  Lab - Mapping (weather permitting)

Friday:   - Mapping (weather permitting)

Week #19:  May 24^th -  May 28^th :        (back to top)

Monday:  Class spends time in Library working on Final Exam PowerPoint Presentation.  Lab - Mapping (weather permitting)

Tuesday:  Class spends time in Library working on Final Exam PowerPoint Presentation.  Senior PowerPoint Presentations are DUE!

Wednesday:   Class critiques Senior PowerPoint Presentations.  Seniors then say ADIOS to Kaneland, Mr. Ross and the best Science class they have ever taken...  OK, I can dream, can't I ???

Thursday:  All other PowerPoint Presentations are DUE!

Friday:  First day of Final Exams... the end is in sight.  1st Block views PowerPoint Presentations from remaining class members.

Week #20:  May 31 - June 4^th :        (back to top)

Monday:  No School... Memorial Day Holiday

Tuesday:   Last day of Final Exams... Last day of classes for this school year!!

Wednesday:  Have a GREAT Summer Vacation!!!

Thursday:  Relax!

Friday:  Go Fishing!!

It's been fun, and I hope that you had some fun and learned a little about learning... and a little about Earth Science, too.  Good luck next semester.  

Also...... If you would like to evaluate the class and instructor, please click here.