Ms. O'Ryan

                          Welcome to The O'Ryan Intelligence Agency!

     This year promises to be a mission possible!  The specially trained agents of the O'Ryan Intelligence Agency will become scientifically literate and highly skilled at "minds on" experiences, as they investigate geology, oceans, meteorology, earth/moon/sun systems, and the human impact on our environment!  Agents will continue to receive special instructions throughout the year.  This message will self-destruct in 15 seconds........

Download Syllabus 09-10AC                     Advanced Syllabus for 2009-2010

Download Syllabus 09-10REG                   On-Level Syllabus for 2009-2010

Week of November 2nd through 6th

Monday 11/2

All Classes

1.  Strive for Success quiz

2.  Introduction to Earth's layers (stations and discuss Friday's demo)

3.  Discuss midterm (don't forget to print out your 19 pages tonight)!

Homefun:  Midterm will be December 11th (we've already marked our calendars and calculated the time we have to prepare - 6 weeks)....enjoy your day off tomorrow and don't forget to print out the words for the midterm....you should start devoting 10 minutes each night to learn the science vocab!

Tuesday 11/3  Student Holiday/Teacher Workday

Wednesday 11/4

Week of October 26th through 30th

Tuesday 10/27

1.  Pass Weathering and Erosion tests back

2. Check homefun (Measuring Up)

3. Create metric # line

4. Metric practice

AC

5. ACTIVITY: Measuring Up

6. Complete Earth's Crust handout

Homefun:  none

Wednesday 10/28

AC

1. Finish Measuring Up and put into "IN" box

2. Complete Earth's Crust

3. Finish decorating metric # lines (so they can be laminated)

On-Level

same as above except for #2

Homefun:  none

Thursday 10/29

AC

1. Review Strive For Success

2. Last call for # lines

3. Video:  Living Rock

On-Level

1. Review Strive For Success

2. Measuring Up adjustments

3. Chap 4, Sect 1 (old book)

Homefun:  Quiz on Strive For Success is Monday....you may not peek!

Friday 10/30

All Classes

1. Intro to density....I love density!

2. LAB:  Density of Soft Drinks

Homefun:  Quiz on Strive For Success is Monday...there will be 10 questions and all will be short answer type.

Week of October 19th through 23rd

Monday 10/19

1.  All Along A River (use the website attached to my blog - to the right - to complete the handout)

2.  Read Chap 11, Sect 1 (The Active River)

3.  Complete SR Chap 11, Sect 1 (The Active River) pg 315

AC:  #2, #5, #6, #7, #8

On-Level:  #1, #2, #3, #5, #6

Homefun:  Prepare for your test coming on Thursday....(everyone rec'd study guides last week) and complete the SR if you did not finish in class.

Tuesday 10/20

1.  Check SR....I took it for a homefun grade :)

2.  "Chart It Out" - students bulleted information that is critical for test (all of Chap 12)

Homefun:  Prepare for your test....it is Thursday!

Wednesday 10/21 - Early Release

1.  Walk around and jot down all information from the "Chart It Out" activity yesterday onto graphic organizer for Chap 12 (this is what you need to know from Chap 12...don't waste your time looking in the textbook....look at the 4 Types of Erosion and 4 Types of Deposition handouts only)

2.  Jeopardy Review

Homefun:  Prepare for your test....it's tomorrow!

Thursday 10/22

1.  Test TODAY....

Homefun:  None

Friday 10/23

1.  Receive scan-trons back and do test corrections

(All students will receive a copy of the test on Monday so that it may be reviewed to see where errors were made...please ask for your parents assistance...our goal is to be 100% successful)

Homefun:  Have a great weekend! 

Week of October 12th through 16th

Monday 10/12

Isn't it great that we all get to start over for this new 9 weeks?  Thanks goes out to all of my students that have begun to take on some personal responsibility....I look forward to a fantastic semester!

1.  Finish Science Court: Soil

Homefun:  Stay DRY!

Tuesday 10/13

1.  Turn in Part 2 and Part 3 of Science Court: Soil.  (To the "IN" box).

2.  Complete Chap 10, Sect 1 (Weathering); Chap 10, Sect 2 (Rates of Weathering) notes.  This is a great opportunity for all students to learn that the standards tell us what we should know, not the textbook!

Homefun:  None

Wednesday 10/14

1.  Finish Chap 10, Sect 3 (From Bedrock to Soil) notes

2.  Begin define/design for Chap 10, Sect 4 (Soil Conservation)

Homefun:  None

Thursday 10/15

1.  Define/design

2.  LAB:  Chalk Weathering

Homefun:  None

Week of October 5th through 9th

Monday 10/5

1.  LAB:  Playing In The Dirt 

Homefun:  All "Dirty" words presentations will be presented on Wednesday....please be ready :).

Tuesday 10/6

1.  Read Chap 10, Sect 4 (Soil Conservation)

2.  Complete the Chapter Review in the "Section Review" section of your notebook (this is the 3rd section of your 3 subject spiral notebook).

On-Level completes: #5 thru #10; #11 (use table or Venn Diagram); #12 thru #16; #20.

AC completes: #5 thru #10; #11 (use table or Venn Diagram); #17 through #23.

Homefun:  "Dirty" words presentations are tomorrow!  Erosion/Deposition worksheet....this WILL be taken for a homefun grade.

Wednesday 10/7

1.  Turn in Erosion/Deposition handout for a homefun grade

2.  Dirty Words presentations

Homefun:  none

Thursday 10/8

1.  Finish presentations (WOW...I am so impressed with these and how creative many of you were with your visuals)

2.  Science Court:  Soil

Homefun:  none

Friday 10/9

1.  Science Court:  Soil 

Homefun:  Enjoy, laugh, and be merry!  Remember it's a new 9 weeks on Monday and we all get to start over!!!!!!

Week of September 28th through October 2nd

Monday 9/28

1.  Read Chap 10, Sect 1 (Weathering)

2.  SR pg 283

On-Level:  #2, 3, 4, 5, and 7

AC:  #2, 4, 5, 6, and 8

3.  Finish "Wacky Weathering"

Homefun:  None

Tuesday 9/29

1.  Review SR pg 283

2.  Review "Wacky Weathering" and complete visual organizer

3.  Notes on Chap 10, Sect 1 (Weathering)

Homefun:  None

Wednesday 9/30

1.  Receive "Dirty Words", directions, and rubric (will you be the student to beat)?

On-Level:

2. Scavenger Hunt through Chap 10, Sects 2 and 3

AC:

2.  The Dirt On Soil

3.  Scavenger Hunt through Chap 10, Sects 2 and 3

Homefun:  Remember to make a note of when your presentations are due!!!!!  On-Level 10/7;  AC 10/6

Thursday 10/1

Everyone in all classes should have the following, COMPLETED, when you come to class tomorrow:

1.  SR from the beginning of the week (pg 283)

2.  The Dirt On Soil (Direct link to the site is located to the right of this blog)

3.  Scavenger Hunt for Chap 10, Sects 2 and 3

Homefun:  Finish any of the above work if you are not done :)  Get those planners signed!

Friday 10/2

1.  Review work from the week

2.  Bill Nye:  Erosion

Homefun:  Great news!  All classes will need to be ready to present their "Dirty" words on Wednesday 10/7 - YES - ALL CLASSES....even AC agents.

Week of September 21st through 25th

Monday 9/21

1.  Pass back and review open agenda/binder/ntbk quizzes

2.  TEST on Rocks and Minerals

Homefun:  Stay dry!!!  None

Thursday 9/22

1.  Receive Tests back

2.  Complete test corrections....those that scored an 84% or lower were required to write the question and the correct answer for the ones missed.  These should be filed in the Test/Project section of the binder and gone over by students/parents (so improvements can be made).

BLUE CLASS ONLY -

1.  TEST on Rocks and Minerals

2.  Test corrections with leftover time

Homefun:  none

Friday 9/23

Week of September 14th through 18th

Monday 9/14

1.  Work on Rock Star stories (remember that these are to be worked on IN CLASS ONLY)

Homefun:  Test on Rocks and Minerals...Monday 9/21...you will receive study guides tomorrow.

Tuesday 9/15

1.  Passed back and reviewed Flat As A Flapjack - in red and yellow classes only.

2.  Work on Rock Star stories (50% of your test grade for this unit...DO NOT WORK ON THESE AT HOME PLEASE).

Homefun:  Test on Rocks and Minerals...Monday 9/21...oops...you'll get your study guides tomorrow.

Wednesday 9/16

1.  Received study guides for test (half sheet of paper)

2.  Work on Rock Star stories

Homefun:  Test is Monday 9/21....open agenda, notebook, binder quiz is Friday (you can't study for this....just be organized!)

Thursday 9/17

1.  Rock Star stories due at end of class

Friday 9/18

1.  On-Level only:  Finish story

2.  Open Agenda/Binder/Ntbk quiz  (are you organized)? 

3.  AC:  Cookie activity

Homefun:  Test on Monday 9/21....use the study guide that I gave you....

Week of September 8th through 11th

Tuesday 9/8

1.  LAB write-up...put into the "IN" box when complete (remember if you turn it in tomorrow it is NOT prompt)

2.  Read pgs 102-105

3. Complete SR Chap 4, Sect 3 (Sedimentary Rock) pg 105

Homefun:  None

Wednesday 9/9

1.  Finish SR pg 105 and go over correct answers

2. Read Chap 4, Sect 4 (Metamorphic Rock) pgs 106-111

3.  On-Level:  SR pg 111 #2, #6, and #7 (Should have been done in the last section of spiral notebook)

     AC:  SR pg 111 #7 and #8 (Should have been done in the last section of spiral notebook)

Homefun:  OOPS....If you look at this, bring an OLD crayon in for the activity tomorrow...if not, I'll find extras.

Dear Students and Parents,

Thank you for your patience as I transition back from being on maternity leave.  I have thoroughly enjoyed meeting all of my new "agents" and look forward to an exciting year.  During Open House many parents took slips of paper with needed donations for our classroom lab experiences.  Thank you so much for sending those items! 

Additionally, to fight the germs that pile up on our lab tables, any donations of disinfecting wipes would be equally appreciated.  I realize that families are working with tight budgets, therefore, I hope all of my requests do not seem excessive.  The support that parents have provided absolutely contributes to the ultimate success of my agents!  Thank you again and I look forward to a fantabulous year!

Mrs. O'Ryan

Thursday 9/10

1.  Review SR pg 111 in last section of notebook.....remember we will have an open agenda, notebook, binder check next week.....GET ORGANIZED (you can't study for it, just do what you need to do and have your papers handcuffed in your binder where they are supposed to go)

2.  Rock Cycle Simulation Activity (We did not know that crayons could be so versatile)!!!

Homefun:  If you agreed to bring cookies, please remember that I'd like to do the activity next Tuesday.

Friday 9/11 

1.  Review Rock Cycle Simulation ?'s

2.  Paste Unit Standards (Rocks and Minerals) in notebook

3.  Learn highlighting technique with rock review handout

4.  Introduce Rock Star Story (Remember, DO NOT work on this at home...it is an in-class assignment which will count 50% of your final test score for this unit - I want to know what you can do, not what your parents can do)

Homefun:  If you agreed to bring cookies, please bring them.  Enjoy the weekend and be ready to work on your books starting on Monday.