QUIZ DAY!

We had a quiz today! We were tested on the following things:

Independent Variables
Dependent Variables
Control
Data Tables

If you didn't do too well on it, don't stress. It was only 10 points. Your extra credit / late passes are worth 10 points. You got 3 free ones at the beginning of the quarter and you can always purchase more with rattle cards.

mmm . . . Pie

Mr. Shaw is our principal.  I half expected him to make a surprise visit to my class today.  In preparation, I made him a pie.  It has 5 different flavors.

We also drilled some information into our heads.  We mimicked the monks from Monty Python and the Holy Grail.



Only our chant wasn't in Latin - it was to help us remember which graph to use.

Graph Chant
For groups, use bar.
For time, use line.
Percent, use pie.
*Bonk*

Line . . . Line . . . Line

The rain in Spain stays mainly on the plain.  The temperature in New York apparently is rising from this line graph.

 

This line graph is showing the temperature over a certain period of TIME.  In line graphs, you will always find TIME on the horizontal axis.  If you ever are dealing with data over a period of TIME, line graphs are a very logical way to display your data.  Bar graphs are for "One Moment in Time" and to compare different categories.  Line graphs are for a single category over a period of TIME (did you catch that subtle hint).

Graphing with Friends

Graphing practice!  We got in our groups today and created graph after graph.  We are getting quite good at it. :)

For those of you who were absent or didn't finish, this was on the last page of the Bar Graph packet what is page 12 of your folder.

Bar Graphs

Today was hilarious!  I created a bar graph with each of my classes so that they could understand how to create their own.  I made the same on period after period.  I had so many copies that I tried to share them with other teachers.  Oddly enough, no one wanted a bar graph.  Huh.  I don't get it.  I love bar graphs! :)

Each bar graph should have these key elements:
0. Before you start, its a good idea to put your information into a data table first
1. Title
2. Horizontal and Vertical Axes
3. Independent Variable on the Horizontal Axis,
     Dependent Variable on the Vertical Axis
4. Label the Axes
5. Use an appropriate scale
6. Draw the bars (each the same width)

Data Tables Cont.

We finished our lessons about data tables today.  :)  You are all now experts.

We also took our self-assessment survey for the student-led conferences next week!  We are almost ready for those.  We have decided that we are going to submit our Bubble Gum Lab as our science work sample.  Make sure yours is completed and looking good to show off your skills to your parents.

Data Tables

If you didn't know, I am a fan of alliteration and today's lesson was perfect for a popular pizza post.  We polled the people in my portable and predicted the most popular pizza.  Pepperoni was picked to be the most popular from the plethora of pizza toppings.  Personally, I prefer pineapple or peppers.  Here is an example of a data table we made.  Make sure you know how to create one.

Frenzied, Furious Fire

I've missed school for a snow day but I've never missed it for a fire day before.  There is an air of excitement to this fire day too but a whole new excitement that I don't want to experience again.  I am glad everyone is okay and I hope that the experience wasn't too traumatic. 

In my day off, I saw people making the most of their free day: kids biking with their dads, people playing with their dogs, etc.  Its nice to see people finding fun from this frenzied, furious fire.  Seems like such opposites.  That's why I like this photo - finding such beauty from such danger.  I hope you all know how to make the best of bad situations.  It really can make all the difference.  When life gives you lemons . . .

Science Fair Brainstorming

Whenever I hear the word brainstorming, I think of a little, dark rain cloud hovering over my head striking my brain with it's lightning bolts.  Hopefully this never happens to your brain but I do hope that today has given you a jolt of ideas you could use for science fair.

Remember the Project Proposal sheet (with all your brainstormed ideas) is DUE WEDNESDAY SEPT. 22 (even thought the green sheet says the 21st).  Make sure your parents sign it. :)

CHANGE OF DATES:  Due to the school being closed, this assignment is now due THURS. SEPT. 23.  Sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused.

Mr. Ripplinger depends on his chair.

I like to lean on my chair.  Quite often in fact.  Sometimes my chair swivels out from under me.  Unsettling.  Mr. Ripplinger's stability is the dependent variable.  His chair is the independent variable.  His stability depends on the chair.
Make sure you know the difference between independent and dependent variables. Also, you should know that the control is the "norm" or what we compare the results of the experiment to. :)

TEST DAY!

We tested today on the Scientific Method.  Hopefully you did well.
We also got a new seating chart.  If you have an issue, talk to me when I'm not busy teaching.
We've started our iPod attribute of the month!  For the next month we will be looking for the best two students (a boy and a girl) that exemplify this attribute.  This month's attribute is . . . (drum roll) . . . Integrity!  

New Class Addition!!

I am in love.  I am in love with two girls at the same time.  Their current names are Coconut and Snowball (Snowball is the one in front with the white spot on her head). 
Students - If you would like to rename them, put it in a comment on this post.  If I love the names as much as the rats, then I will rename them.  Also this is a test to see how many of you read my blog.  If you suggest names for my rats as a comment to this post by Friday 9/17/10, I'll give you a RATTLE card.
Parents - If your child desires and you approve, you can take my rats for the weekend.  I am thinking about sending home permission forms but I would feel a lot more comfortable about parting with these two if I could speak with you personally (phone, email, face-to-face).

Test Review!

What? We have a test?  What am I supposed to study?  Well, if you were at the review, we basically covered everything on the test tomorrow!  If you we sleeping (which I don't know how that was possible), then you need to study more than everyone else. :)  Make sure you know the Scientific Method - know the order and understand the steps, and know how to make observations and inferences.  Good Luck

Bubble Gum!

What better way to start off a new week than bending the rules a little bit?  Gum for everyone!  A BIG THANK YOU to all my classes for being responsible with their gum.  I am glad that I can trust you all enough to do fun things like this in my class.

Science Fair! Start looking for a partner!  More details to come.

Starter blog!  For those of you who want to know what the daily starters are, I have created a page that has them all listed. :)  To see it click here or follow the link on the sidebar.

Mr. Ripplinger's Garden

Mad Scientist indeed!  I have created my own chemically enhanced fertilizer!  Will it work?  You be the judge.  We created experiments in groups that would test the efficacy of my concoction (aka - to find out if my fertilizer works or not).  Then I gave you homework!  Design your own experiment that would test how much a good breakfast will affect your grades. :)

p.s. - This is all to be done on the green sheet I handed out in class and is DUE MONDAY!

Helicopters

Today we made paper helicopters.  Students had the rare opportunity to stand on their desks - the helicopters had to be dropped from somewhere. :)  This was excellent practice on how to do an experiment and what a fun way to do it.

p.s. - I collected folders today!  Hope you were prepared!

20 Questions and "If _______, then ________."

Part One
Is it alive?  No.
Can you wear it?  Yes
Is it blue?  Yes
Mr. Ripplinger's socks?  Yes!

Its all about being able to ask the right QUESTION (step 2 of the scientific method).

Part One and a Half
Review how to RESEARCH (step 3 of the scientific method).  Books, Periodicals, and Internet can all be great but stories from friends can be very questionable.

Part Two
"If I punch the teacher, then I will get expelled."  Too true.  This is one HYPOTHESIS (step 4 of the scientific method) you don't want to test.  But it is an excellent example of how a hypothesis should be written.

<(O.o)> Folder Check!!

** WARNING **

Folders will be handed in to Mr. Ripplinger on Thursday for checking. 

He will be reviewing pages 1-6 and will be looking for completeness and that they are in the right order.
Don't worry about question 6 on Mythbusters.

This is worth 60 points!

Don't expect to get your folder back until Friday.

Mr. Ripplinger's Crazy Bow Tie

Observation:  Mr. Ripplinger is wearing a crazy bow tie.
Inference:  Mr. Ripplinger loves Mismatch Day at FHMS. (reasonable)
Inference:  Mr. Ripplinger has a large collection of random bow ties.  (unreasonable)
Excellent Unreasonable Inference Example from class:  Mr. Ripplinger works part-time after school as a clown.

Make sure you know the difference between observations and inferences (reasonable and unreasonable). 

First Assignment Turned In!

!!!  DUE DATES  !!!
We have finished our starters for the week.  If you didn't turn them in today, you have the weekend to get it sorted out.  Tuesday is the last day for those.  If I get them Wednesday, they're late.

But in the mean time, might as well make sure your folder is up-to-date.
-We finished 4. Mythbusters today to that assignments should be complete (except for the chart on #6).
-Every line of your 3. Notes: Scientific Method should be filled in (including the vocabulary at the end).
-Your 2. Table of Contents should match mine.
-Your 1. Cover Page should have the 7 steps of the scientific method.

Enjoy your Labor Day!!!

Mythbusters!

Sinking ships, exploding trombones and all around chaos pretty well explains what the Mythbusters do.  In class, we analyzed how closely they followed the Scientific Method.  Our conclusion was that the Scientific Method is pretty flexible; sometimes you skip parts, and other times you have to repeat steps or even jumble it all around.  If it were up to Adam and Jamie, they'd probably surround it with gunpowder to see what happened when a match fell on it.

If you missed today, come and get the worksheet from me.  I am going to learn how to make assignments downloadable from my webpage soon.  To watch a video, look here to see their TV schedule so you can catch it from home.  That link also has mini-myths that might be acceptable for this assignment - as long as you can answer the questions, it will work.

Parent Advisory - On Mythbusters, there is an infrequent use of expletives or the occasional inappropriate myth.  I previewed the one I showed in class.  You might want to do the same.

How to Best Attract the Ladies

If you've ever wondered which cologne is best for getting attention from the females, or been curious about how well orange juice feed a plant, or just don't know where your shoes are, you need the SCIENTIFIC METHOD.  It solves the world's problems. 

From our introduction today, you should be able to identify and explain each of the 7 parts: Observation, Question, Research, Hypothesis, Experiment (both Materials and Procedure), Analysis, and Conclusion.