« October 2006 | Main | December 2006 »
November 29, 2006
Dear Parents,
As you are probably aware, I am not in class this week due to my husband having surgery. I will be back as soon as possible. The class is in very capable hands. Mrs. Johnson is the substitute teacher and she along with Mrs. Slater and Mr. Kornegay will keep things running smoothly. They are keeping me informed on what is taking place and we are in constant communication through email. Technology is wonderful when it works.
The open book test is/was Tuesday and Wednesday. I emailed Mrs. Slater letting her know that if the students needed a third day to complete the test, allow the students to have it. I want them to complete this test with a good understanding of rocks.
The students will begin plate tectonics once the Chapter 2 test is completed. When I return, I will get the tests graded and then in I-parent. I will also be putting in the pod cast grades for those that don't have them yet. There is glitch with getting the pod casts downloaded but when I get back, I will be getting help on how to solve the problem with the short in the connection and then be able to have the rest of the class do their presentations. Once this is done, I will be sending out another blog to let you know that I-parent has the final pod cast grades in for those that didn't have them on the progress report they received on Monday.
I hope this has keep you informed and should you have questions, please email. One more item. For some reason many of your emails are thrown into the county spam/quarantined mail. Should it take me a bit longer to get back with you, please know it is because I am having to check all quarantined email and then having to release it. Once it is released, it then takes a bit before i get it. It should come through with any other emails after being released but what is happening is it will be release a few times and then quarantined again.
Have a great week.
Mrs. Sumrell
Posted by Sumrell at 09:24 AM
November 20, 2006
Dear Parents and Students,
Just making sure you realize that if you check I -parent, the "M" under the birthstone project is only there because you have not presented it yet. To add the grades of those that have presented, I must put in a new assignment and the "M" shows up as a missing grade and calculates a zero into your grade. Don't worry, as soon as you have presented, that will disappear and your grade will be back to "normal".
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
One more note. I am not getting some of your emails because our county system is booting them into quarantined mail. I then have to check that site, see if you have anything there and then have to wait for it to get to me after I release it. So, I am not being rude by not answering, I just didn't get them. Oddest thing, sometimes they come through and more often they don't.
Thanks again,
Mrs. S.
Posted by Sumrell at 02:21 PM
November 16, 2006
The rock test will be an open book test and will take place the Tuesday and Wednesday after we return from Thanksgiving break. I highly recommend you still study since you do not want to spend all your time looking up answers in the book. Since it is an open book test, the answers will need to be exact. Just writing a full page will not make it correct if the answer is not there. The Monday we return we will have a review in class. There will be no need for an early morning study session.
The students have been working on worksheets they can use to help them study as well as completing some if not all the workbook. This is also an excellent tool to study with.
All pod casts presentations and alternative projects will be presented next week on Monday and Tuesday. If you are not going to be here on either day, please let me know and be prepared to present tomorrow. If you are here on Monday and not Tuesday, make sure you are prepared on Monday to present.
Until I have graded these projects, there will be fewer grades than normal.
Email me with questions...I'm available.
Mrs. S.
Posted by Sumrell at 10:42 AM
November 13, 2006
Well, the time is flying by and we are still having lots to do. This week we will be hitting the rock chapter (3) very hard and there will be homework. It has been a while since I have given homework. Tonight's homework is to complete the workbook, 3.1, 3.2 and 3.3 if you didn't finish it today. Please make sure to read the material as well. I know some of you are still having book issues and I am still trying to see what's going on. Always know I check my email and if you need help and if I can get on, I'll do what I can to get you the pages.
Next week on Monday and Tuesday, we will be presenting the projects. I know it is a short week and I don't want to start something new. Also know, we will be having a rock test once we get back from Thanksgiving break. Once all podcasts and other projects have been presented, I will put some of them on my blog.
You know my email address if you have questions.
Thanks,
Mrs. S
Posted by Sumrell at 01:04 PM
November 07, 2006
Parents,
I usually do not put a test on the blog but I felt you needed to see the test questions compared to what your child was asked to fill out on the study guide. For whatever reason, many of the students have stopped studying and their grades are falling. In addition, their talking has become excessive this 9 weeks. Please help your child understand that if they are talking, they may miss something said in class that is very interesting and important. We will have few grades this 4.5 weeks due to so many days on the pod cast. Please encourage your child to begin studying more than the night before.
Thank you,
Mrs. Sumrell
Guide for Mineral Test on Friday
1. Mohs Scale of Hardness, why is this useful and be able to use it.
This is a scale used to identify a minerals hardness (excellent identifying tool). This scale ranks 10 minerals from softest to hardest. Softest is one and hardest is a 10. A mineral can scratch any mineral softer (smaller number) than itself and can be scratched by a mineral harder (larger number) than itself.
2. What are the characteristics of minerals?
Naturally occurring
Inorganic
Solid
Crystal Structure
Definite chemical composition
3. What are the physical (specific) properties used to identify minerals?
Hardness
Color
Streak
Luster
Density (heft provides a rough measure of density)
Crystal system
Cleavage/fracture
Fluorescence
4. What ways are minerals formed?
Through crystallization of melted materials such as with magma and lava and through crystallization of materials dissolved in water: This can be done in a solution. Many minerals form from solutions at places where there are cracks in the crust forming the ocean floor. The ocean water seeps down through cracks in the crust; there the water comes in contact with the magma that heats it to a very high temperature. The heated water dissolves minerals from the crust and rushes upward. This hot solution then billows out of vents called chimneys. When the hot solution hits the cold sea, minerals crystallize and settle to the ocean floor.
5. Know what makes a mineral have a large crystal structure/small crystal structure.
The minerals crystal structure is dependent on the space available, temperature of the area and gasses present and the chemical composition of the magma. In general, if the crystal cools slowly, the crystal structure will be large. If the crystal cools fast, the crystal structure will be small.
6. Know how iron is separated from the ore.
The process of smelting must take place. The ore is melted to separate the useful metal from the other elements that the ore contains.
7. Know the crystal structure of halite.
The crystal structure is 6 sided with all right angles making is cubic.
8. Where is halite found in the US
Halite is found in the Midwest, southwest, and gulf shores of the U.S.
9. Know the different kinds of mines
Shaft mining, strip mining and open pit mining. Shaft mining involves long tunnels, strip mining is using large pieces of equipment to remove the top layer of the Earth and open pit mines involves digging large pits or holes to remove the useful materials.
10. Know the difference between magma and lava
Magma is molten material located beneath the Earth’s crust in the mantel and the lava is the molten material after it has reached the Earth’s surface.
11. Know the following vocabulary
a. Mineral
The natural solid formed from elements and compounds in the earth’s crust
b. Inorganic
Not formed from living things or the remains of living things.
c. Crystal
A natural solid substance that has a definite shape. Atoms in the crystal are arranged in a certain pattern to form a shape
c. Element
A substance composed of a single kind of atom
d. Compound
A substance in which two or more elements are chemically joined
e. Mixture
Two or more substances that arte mixed together but not chemically combined
f. Mohs hardness scale
A scale ranking minerals from softest to hardest using a scale of 10. One is the softest where as 10 would be the hardest and it is used in testing the hardness of minerals.
g. Streak
The color of a powder left behind on a white unglazed tile surface when a mineral is scratched across the tile.
h. Luster
The way a mineral reflects light and can be divided into metallic (bright or dull) or non-metallic (shattered glass)
i. Density
The amount of matter in a given volume
j. Cleavage
The splitting of a mineral into pieces with smooth, flat surfaces.
k. Fracture
The splitting of a mineral into pieces leaving uneven, jagged surfaces.
l. Fluorescence
A physical property of a mineral in which the mineral glows under ultraviolet light.
m. Magma
The molten mixture of rock forming substances, gases and water that makes up part of Earth’s mantel.
n. Lava
Magma that reaches the surface; also the rock formed when liquid lava hardens
o. Solution
A mixture in which one substance is dissolved into another
p. Vein
A narrow slab of a mineral that is sharply different from the surrounding rock
q. Gemstone
A hard, colorful mineral that has a brilliant or glassy luster
r. Ore
A mineral that is mined because it contains economically useful metals or non-metals
s. Smelting
The process by which ore is melted to separate the useful metal from the other elements
t. Alloy
A solid mixture of two or more metals resulting in a stronger metal
Posted by Sumrell at 03:43 PM
November 02, 2006
Hi All,
I hope you have already studied to the point you know all the information. But, just in case you need a little help, here is the study guide with the correct answers.
Also, I will be in at 7:00 a.m. tomorrow, Friday, so you can work on finishing your podcasts. Mr. K. will be holding the study session for the test in his room at 8:20.
Email me with questions.
Mrs. S.
Posted by Sumrell at 04:49 PM
