Thurs., Mar 31st

Thank you to Jim Smyth for teaching us a little about Solar Thermal systems and their potential, but mostly thank you for showing us how easy innovation is when coupled with passion.  We look forward to the next time...

Wed., Mar 30th

Well that break, along with the beautiful weekend, was long enough for my head to convince me it was summer and then BAM! back to school.  Nice to see all your lovely faces and hear about your spring break adventures.

Today we experimented with constructing a battery using paper towel, aluminum foil, a penny, vinegar, 2 conducting wires and a voltmeter (which is used to measure volts). Students were asked to answer these questions into their notes for homework:

1.(a) What was the highest value you achieved on the voltmeter?

  (b ) What are the units measure by this voltmeter?

2.(a) Vinegar is a weak acid.  If you did not have vinegar, what other similar liquid do your think would have had the same result?

  (b) Why did you chose this liquid?

3.How is the penny battery similar to an electrochemical cell?

4.What is the difference between kinetic energy and potential energy?

Reminder: Guest Speaker tomorrow.

Fri., Mar. 11, 2016

Thank you to MaKenna and Jacob M for sharing your club foot research with us (and thank you to MaKenna for sharing your personal reference to it).

Today was a rather shocking day!  We continued our discussion on static charge by talking about how technology has incorporated static charge (see notes here).  Robert Van de Graaff was the first physicist to develop a machine to produce static charge.  We used his invention of the Van de Graaff generator to test the laws of static charge with foiled pie plate, puff wheat, Ms. Paas's new lightsaber and our hair ... some of this was shocking.  Sorry about the discharge from some of your feet to the ground (although I did cry laughing with Connor).

Have an awesome spring break!

Thurs., Mar. 10th, 2016

Woo Hoot!  LC for some research today.  

Ms. Paas continued our chemistry unit conversation to review were each student is at in terms of their learning in Chemistry.  Conversations will continue tomorrow and after spring break.  

Wed., Mar. 9, 2016

Mr. Neufeld, and his verbose nature, spent a "little" time discussing the Sum of Us project and its rubric before we all moved to the LC for our own research time.

Here is the teacher sample of a project again:
https://prezi.com/5png0xmh7vnc/canada-the-sum-of-us-example/

Dr. Elder's awesome Tuesday, February 8th

Here's the prezi "example" from today: 

https://prezi.com/5png0xmh7vnc/canada-the-sum-of-us-example/

Thank you to the "genius, modest, wise, superintendent" Dr. Elder for giving us your perspective on the education of the future.  And thank you for validating what we are doing in IGS and how students are feeling about education.  He gave us 2 questions to put some thought in to (and write down):

1. What was interesting or intriguing to you?
2. What would you like to see change about the educational system?

We will be in the Learning Commons tomorrow and Thursday to work on your Sum of Us research.

Mon., Mar 7th

Last week of classes before spring break.  Woo Hoot!

Thank you to Vienna & Sabrina, Cody, Matthew & Leo and Kerice for your presentations today!

Due to the number of presentations, we did not get to as much physics content as expected.  We did review Friday's pop can race and defined and discussed static discharge. See notes here.

Please remember to check the calendar for a reminder what we are going to be tackling each day.

Fri., Mar. 4th

Thank you for being kind to our visitors and potentially future IGS students, Paige, Bridget and Kiana!

Today, we briefly discussed how we can improve our Vitamin C labs.  Some of you need to re-do the conclusion section of your lab and re-submit with the old lab.  Due Monday if you are choosing to do so.

We also started talking about static electricity in a little more detail.  Terms we discussed: static electricity; electron movement; insulator; conductors; Coulomb; the Laws of Static Charge; action-at-a-distance; and electric force.  See notes here

We finished the day with choosing materials to test out action-at-a-distance forces and the laws of static charge by racing pop can through creating static electricity.

Thurs., Mar 3rd, 2016

ELLA! ... building a bee tube

Well all "BEE" darn ... today Paige and Jemma were kind enough to teach us about bees, their habitats and how we can encourage bees to add to diversity to our ecosystem.  We are going to continue to contribute to their bee stewardship initiative by building newspaper tunnels in class in the next week.

If you are interested in supporting the bee population and increasing the pollination that occurs in your yard or your neighbours, Jemma told us that bees needed 4 things:
1) food (provided by the mama)
2) fresh water source (even a bowl in your yard would suffice)
3) shelter (see link here to build your own ... very easy)
4) warmth (think about where you are placing the bee house ... East is likely best because the sun rises in the east and it is coldest in the early morning).

Don't worry, BEE Happy!.... ok, I will stop .... mayBEE

Jemma - our master Bee Steward

Jemma showing us where to place Bee boxes

Paige (master Bee Steward at Hali) showing us live, but sleeping

Neuf's insect - Can anyone ID this?

Wed., Mar 2nd, 2016

Today used to static electricity lab stations to begin to think about the atomic level of static electricity and how this compares to electricity that makes your lights go on as well as what materials are used to generate a static charge.  

We finished with a writing session on describing ONE of the lab stations and what was happening.

Reminder FARM tomorrow.

Mon., Leap Day (Feb 29th, 2016)

Today: 
In preparation for the "Sum of Us" project.

What are the typical Canadian stereotypes?

- 5 minute write:  Reflect on Canadian stereotypes.
- Discussion questions:  What is Canada without polar bears?

Thank you to Connor for your presentation on Wind Power!