Launch It!

Another busy week is just about in the books, and both 7th and 8th grade had plenty to keep them busy. The 7th graders started a lab this week that focuses on Newton's laws, and we are making catapults to measure the comparisons between the amount of force that is used and the distance a ping pong ball travels. It has been a little while since the 7th graders have done a lab (and, therefore, a lab report), so we needed to have a refresher on putting together the foundations of the lab report, discussing the creation of a hypothesis, identifying the variables of the investigation, and developing the procedures they were going to follow. Building the catapults was definitely a fun part of the lab, but in order to earn their ping pong ball, groups had to show that they had their procedures and data analysis ready to go. Gotta make them earn it!
This week was an odd week for the 8th graders due to afternoon Forward testing. The 8th graders only had one test this week, but I needed to proctor two tests for my 7th graders, so it was hard to really run the lab that they were going to do this week. However, they have their Science Genius Time presentations starting next week, so a little extra work time to finalize projects seemed in order (when checking in with the students, it was definitely needed!). Another thing that throws off our regular schedule this week is a special lab and presentation that we have tomorrow! We will be having visitors coming in from Millipore-Sigma, an international company that has facilities south of Sheboygan Falls and specializes in Chemistry. They are going to run a lab for the students and then give a presentation on jobs/careers in Chemistry. The 7th graders went on a field trip to the facilities earlier in the year, and we are very excited to be getting a visit from them tomorrow!

Mindfulness thought for the week: The best way to make your dreams come true is to wake up.  --Paul Valery

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