March 3
Read Lesson 10: Light of the World, and answer these questions:
- What is nuclear fusion?
- Describe Thomas Edison’s lightbulb.
- What does opaque mean?
- What does transparent mean?
- What does translucent mean?
- Can light travel through space?
Today you worked on two labs:
Light Lab 1
Light Lab 2
We’ll finish these next time.
February 24
Finish reading Lesson 9, The Sound of Energy. Instead of answering questions about this part of the chapter, I would like you to do two things:
- Put your February Lab Packet together. See the table of contents, linked below.
- Read the rest of Lesson 9 and study for a test on lessons 8 and 9. It will be a combination of true/false and multiple-choice questions. You need to remember these concepts:
- Kinetic energy and potential energy.
- What sound is and how it travels.
- The parts of a sound wave. If you were absent from class this week, see the diagram linked below.
February 17
Hello! Can you hear me? Can you hear noises around your house right now?
As I type this, I hear the clock ticking above my desk, the sound of my fingers moving on my keyboard, Mr. B is rustling papers, my oven makes clicking sounds as it heats to bake my bread, the furnace came on with a gentle hum. Take a few minutes to sit with a pencil and paper and list all of the sounds in your house!
Please read Lesson 9, “Sound of Energy”, from pages 146-152. Answer these questions:
- Take a few minutes and listen to the sounds around you right now. Write down all the sounds you hear.
- What is sound?
- What is a sound wave?
- What is an echo? How are echo’s produced?
- What does it mean that “air is a conductor of sound”?
- Which kind of medium does sound travel through best – solid, liquid, or gas?
Today you began working on two labs —
- Sources of Sound
- Sound Mediums
You didn’t finish these labs, so you will come back next week and work on them. This week, though, you can make sure you have answered the worksheet questions for the labs you did finish.
February 10
Read 134 – 144
- What are the problems with using coal for energy? What are the advantages?
- What is natural gas, and where does it come from?
- Write two sentences about nuclear energy.
- Why are hydropower, solar energy, wind energy and geothermal energy called “clean” energy?
- Choose one example of clean energy and write one sentence about it.
Today’s science lab was called Kinetic and Potential Energy Lab. If you didn’t finish gathering your information, you can do that next time.
February 3
I’m so sorry to cancel classes today! And you were going to take a test, too!
Now you have an extra week to study for the test, and to get your January pages in order.
Test on February 10; January pages due also.
Our next chapter is Lesson 8: Work in the World. Please read pages 126 – 134 and answer these questions:
- What is energy?
- There are two main kinds of energy. What are they?
- What are three examples of kinetic energy?
- What are three examples of potential energy?
- Explain the potential energy in a banana.
- How does fuel provide energy?
- What is an “oil reservoir?”
January 27
We’ve finished Lessons 6 and 7. Now it’s time for a little test on what you know! Study these terms: mechanics, Newton’s three laws, inertia, force, acceleration, friction, traction, adhesion, gravity, free fall, and centripetal force. Whew.
Read Lesson 7, pages 116-123. Define these terms:
- What is gravity?
- What is free falling?
- What is centripetal force?
Your quiz will be true or false. If you understand the meaning of those motion words, you will be fine…but study them this week
All your notebook pages for January are due next week. Click below for the Table of Contents list.
January 20
Please read Lesson 7, pages 109 – 116 and answer these questions. Put your answers inside of your notebook.
- We live with two forces every single day. What are they?
- How do scientists define friction?
- How is friction an important part of our lives?
- What is traction? What is the best way to get a car unstuck from a mud puddle?
- What is adhesion? How is adhesion different from cohesion?
- Name two ways to reduce friction.
January 13
Read the rest of Lesson 6, “Mechanics in Motion”, pages 102-107. Answer these questions for your notebook:
- What does Newton’s Second Law mean? Give an example.
- What is acceleration? Does acceleration only mean “speeding up”?
- What is Newton’s Third Law? Write it in a sentence.
- Draw a diagram of a balloon zooming around the room when you blow it up and let it go. Use arrows to show how the balloon moves in one direction as the air escapes in the opposite direction.
- Why must astronauts be hooked to a rope when they go outside the space station? Explain using Newton’s Third Law.
Today we experimented with Newton’s Third Law with “Film Canister Rocket Lab”, which was both fun and messy! Answer the questions on your lab handout and put them into your January section.
January 6
Today we began the physics part of Exploring Creation with Chemistry and Physics. Please do these assignments for homework. Remember, they are due at the end of the month with the rest of your work.
Read Lesson 6, pages 97-102 and answer these questions:
- According to Lesson 6, what does a mechanic do? How does that help us understand why mechanics is the study of motion?
- Everything in the universe is moving all the time! Why does science say that?
- Write Newton’s First Law of Motion. You may copy the definition from your book (page 98, last paragraph) but be sure to copy it exactly as it is written!
- What is a force?
- Which object is easier to get moving – a marble or a bowling ball? Why?
- Lastly, let’s say you’re sitting in the back seat of your car, and your mom is driving you to the ranch for class. Suddenly a deer jumps in front of the car and your mom slams on the brakes. What happens to you? Why?
For lab today, we worked on understanding inertia with three labs:
Penny Spin
Penny Drop
Out from Under (You may not have finished this one. We’ll work on it next week also.)
Make sure you have answered the questions on the lab papers and put them inside your binder!
January 1, 2026
Here we go — the days are suddenly longer (a teensy bit!), the jam-packed holidays are behind us, and we’re back in class on January 6! Nice.
Physics is our next science topic. If you want — unless you’re stuck with inertia — you can get a jump on Lesson 6 by reading pages 98-102. We’ll dive into Newton’s Laws with this chapter.
See you soon!
Mrs. B
November 18
Next week is our last meeting until January 6, 2026. Isn’t that exciting?
You will take a test next week. To study, look over the two quizzes you took:
- “A Little Quiz on Lesson 5”
- “Little Chemistry Quiz #2”
Due next week is your November packet of homework assignments. Below I have linked TWO documents for you –
- The Table of Contents page for November. Print this and follow the list of assignments to staple your pages together in the correct order.
2. Just in case you don’t know which page is which (because they have similar titles), I have linked ALL of them below. Check this link to make sure you have yours; print them if you need to!
November 11
Rather than beginning Lesson 6 so close to our break, we’re going to continue experimenting with solutions and mixtures for 2 more weeks.
And, I’m going to give you a test! Today you took a test on solutions and mixtures; next week you will take a test on atoms, protons, electrons, neutrons, acids, bases, chemical changes, physical changes, exothermic reaction, endothermic reaction, elements and molecules. Whew.
November 4
Please read the first half of Lesson 5 this week. Answer the questions below.
Write this heading on your paper: Lesson 5, pages 82-87
- What is a mixture?
- What is the difference between a heterogeneous mixture and a homogeneous mixture?
- In a glass of salt water, what is the solute? What is the solvent?
- Water is a “polar molecule”, kind of like a magnet. That’s why it can dissolve so many substances. See the drawing on the top, left side of page 86? It shows a polar water molecule. Please draw a water molecule, labeling its positive and negative ends.
- Dirt and oils and germs are nonpolar and cannot be washed off by water alone. Explain why we need to use soap to get our hands clean. Use at least two sentences in your answer!
THEN –
Today I gave you a packet of handouts about “Solutions and Mixtures”. You should have
- “Mixtures and Solutions PowerPoint Review”
- “Mixtures and Solutions” information, with “Mixtures and Solutions Vocabulary” on the back
- “Mixtures and Solutions Word Search”
- “Solubility Science: How Much Will Dissolve” Lab sheet
For each handout, answer the questions completely and finish the lab. All handouts and labs are due on November 25, 2025.
October 28
Today we learned how to read a thermometer with 2 labs. We only completed one of them, so bring that one in your packet next time.
Click on the link below to print your Table of Contents.
October 21
Today we practiced taking the volume of an irregular solid. Finish the handout “Measuring Volume using Subtraction” if you didn’t finish it in class.
Your reading assignment this week comes from Chapter 4, pages 72-79. Write a heading on your paper this way:
Questions for Chapter 4, pages 72 – 79.
Answer these questions:
- Where does the word “acid” come from, and what does it mean?
- How do acids taste?
- What makes strong acids dangerous?
- What is a base?
- Give an example of a base.
- What is the difference between a chemical change and a physical change?
- What is the difference between an endothermic reaction and an exothermic reaction?
October 14
Two new rules:
- You must write your answers in complete sentences! Capital letters, periods, complete thoughts.
- You must write the Lesson number and page number at the top of your paper as a heading. Your new questions are below, along with my heading example:
Write for your heading: Lesson 4, 62 – 72
- Explain what “element”, “molecule” and “compound” mean.
- What is a crystal? Give an example of a crystal.
- Where does the word “crystal” come from? What does it mean?
- What did you learn about diamonds?
- What did you learn about polymers? Give two examples of polymers.
- What is the bad news about plastics? What is the good news?
October 7
Thank you for turning in your September packet of science homework today! I will return it next time.
This week please read Chapter 3, 49-59, and answer these questions:
- What part of an atom has no charge?
- What two particles live in the nucleus of an atom?
- Look at the Periodic Table of Elements on page 53. Choose any three elements, from #1-20. Write the names of your elements, their atomic number, and the number of the column they are in.
In your lab you practiced calculating the mass of play doh using a digital scale and subtraction. If you didn’t complete the subtraction part of the lab in class, do that at home.
September 30
- Your September packet of assignments is due next Tuesday, October 7. Be sure to staple the pages in order according to the Table of Contents page I gave you today.
- Review Chapters 1 and 2 for a little test next week. If you know the answers to the chapter questions which I assigned, you’ll be great!
- Read Lesson 3, Building Blocks of Creation, pages 430-48. Answer these questions —
- What is an atom?
- What is an element?
- What part of an atom has a positive charge?
- What part of an atom has a negative charge?
September 23
We made a density tower in class today. Finish any work you need on your lab handout and put it into your binder. I did not have time to give you small solids to drop into your density tower, so you may skip question #3 on the second page.
September is just about finished; I will collect your work soon.
Please read Lesson 2, Moving Matter, pages 30 – 35. Answer these questions for homework:
- What are the three main states of matter?
- What causes one state of matter to change into another state?
- Which state of matter has atoms that are “frozen” in place?
- Which state of matter has atoms that have no special form?
September 16
Today we learned about density and did a lab called “Saltwater Density.” The completed lab sheet goes in your science binder, under the September tab.
This week, please read pages 23-29 and answer these questions:
- What is buoyancy?
- Why will a raft float on water, but a nail will sink?
- Let’s say you lived a long time ago, and you wanted to get rich by panning for gold. What would you do to tell the difference between real gold and “fool’s gold?”
- What word means “bendable”?
- What word means “able to be made into a wire”?
September 9
Hello Parents!
The Big Deal is THIS SPACE. You and/or your student – preferably YOU AND YOUR STUDENT TOGETHER first this week, should come right here after 8 a.m. on the Wednesday after a Tuesday class.
You’ll see the assignment. It will always be pages for reading and questions to answer. It generally will also include a brief “lab report” handout.
BUT here’s the difference: Instead of turning science homework in the very next week, your student will turn in a “monthly packet” after the last class of a particular month. His/her assignments will be arranged according to my Table of Contents and stapled. I will be very clear about the due date for those, and they will be affected by the Grace Week Policy, explained below.
Grace Week applies to lab homework, even though it won’t be collected weekly. When I announce the due date for a lab homework packet, a student will still earn credit for his homework if the packet is in by the following week. After one week has passed, I will not accept late lab packets.
Today I showed students a presentation titled “Lab Safety”, and we discussed how important it is to obey all safety protocols in class. One of the most important rules is “No Horseplay”. Chemistry and physics experiments can be dangerous because they involve household chemicals, glassware, scales, etc. Any student not obeying safety rules will be removed from the lab, and I will notify you. Thanks!
Homework for September 9
Read Lesson 1, “Chemistry and Physics Matter”, pages 15-22. Answer these questions on your own notebook paper.
- Chemistry and physics are sciences that study energy and matter. What is matter?
- What is energy?
- Fill in the blanks with words of Colossians 1: 15 – 17.
“He is the image of the _________________________God, the firstborn of all ________________. For by him ____________ ______________________ were created, in heaven and on earth, ____________ and _______________________, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities – all ___________________ were created through _____________and for _______________. And he is _________________all things, and in him all things ___________________ ______________.”
- What things in the world have no special form? Give one important example.
- What is volume?
- What is mass?
Design your science lab badge! I gave you a handout explaining how to design a likeness of your face to put on a science lab badge. Follow directions on the handout. Make sure you use color – colored pencils or markers are best. Bring this to class next time, and Abby will laminate your badge!