We are currently working in Chapter 11 - Forces.  The following is a list of sections in this chapter.

Section 1 - Forces change motion.

Section 2 - Force and mass determine acceleration.

Section 3 - Forces act in pairs.

Section 4 - Forces transfer momentum.

Here is some information about what we will be doing in this unit.

• Day 1 - Forces Pretest and Unit Vocabulary.
• Day 2 - Virtual lab "Forces and Force Carts" - Students will place masses on a virtual fan cart and change its fan speeds to study force and motion and explore the effects of friction.
• Day 3 - Video "Forces" with quiz.
• Day 4 - Video "Bill Nye:  Motion" with quiz.
• Day 5 - Study Guide 11-1.  Students will research how forces change motion.
• Day 6 - Lab "Newton's 2nd Law:  The Effect of Force".
• Day 7 - Study Guide 11-2.  Students will research how force and mass determine acceleration.
• Day 8 - Lab "Pop Rockets" - Students will apply Newton's 3rd Law of motion to determine the optimum mixture of vinegar and baking soda to power a pop rocket.
• Day 9 - Lab "Water Rocket Launch"
• Day 10 - Study Guide 11-3:  Students will research and answer questions about how the forces act in pairs.
• Day 11 - Lab "Catch the Momentum Transfer".   Students will investigate the relationship between velocity, mass, and momentum.
• Day 12 -Video "Bill Nye:  Momentum".  Students will learn what momentum is, how momentum is related to mass and how momentum is related to rocketry.
• Day 13 - Study Guide 11-4:  Students will research and answer questions about how forces transfer momentum.
• Day 14 - Forces written study guide.  Students will complete a written study guide to focus their study of the concepts related to forces.
• Day 15 - Forces CPS unit review.  Students will play a competitive, jeopardy type game to ready themselves for the unit test.
• Day 16 - Forces unit test - Time for students to "show what they know" about the concepts covered in chapter 11 "Forces"  Good Luck!!!!

Science Fair 

Gifted students are required as part of their education plans to be challenged with individualized projects that require original thought and higher order thinking processes.  One of the ways this is accomplished at Mariner Middle School is the science fair project.  Therefore each advanced physical science students is required to complete a individual science fair project.

Here are the school deadlines:

• Topic Selection - Due:  10/15/08
• Purpose Statement - Due: 10/15/08
• Research/Bibliography Notecards - Due:  10/15/08
• Hypothesis - Due:  10/15/08
• Materials List - Due:  10/15/08
• Variables and Procedures - Due:  10/15/08
• Forms completed and returned - Due:  10/15/08
• Draft of Outline - Due:
• Data Analysis of Results - Due:
• Draft of Research Paper  - Due:
• Complete Project Due - Due:  11/28/08
• Science Fair Set-Up Date:  Around 12/01/08
• Judging  - Date:  Around 12/01/08
• Project Viewing - Date:  Around 12/01/08 - 12/02/08
• Awards Ceremony - Date:  Around 12/02/08
• Project Take Down - Date:  Around 12/02/08

Regional Science

• Science Fair Set-Up - Date:                        Time:
• Judging - Date:
• Project Viewing - Date:                                Time:
• Awards Ceremony - Date:                           Time: