My background… I have been at Altadena for 12 years teaching both math and science. I have been at Altadena for 12 years teaching both math and science.

Welcome to 7A ScienceMrs. Saylor’s Class

Welcome to the 7A Fierce!

My background…

I have been at Altadena for 12 years teaching both math and science.

I have 4 children, all grown up and setting the world on fire!

I LOVE my job! I am passionate about science and teaching, this is my second career by choice.

My Grading Policy

80% assessments: tests, quizzes, class labs and projects.

20% classwork & INB: anything done in class or a notebook check

Students rarely have homework from me due to the lack of books to take home in science. Some projects or current events will be typical homework if assigned.

What are Interactive Notebooks?

A interactive notebook (INB) your own personalized DIARY of learning about science

A portfolio of your work in ONE convenient spot. This is great for studying for upcoming quizzes & tests

A great ORGANIZATIONAL tool that gives you permission to be PLAYFUL AND CREATIVE in your responses without "messing up" your notes.

Allows you to be like a REAL SCIENTIST! Everything is in their notebook, including tests and quizzes. Look for their reflections and their assessment

graph

Scientific Method Menu – Tic-Tac-Toe

1. Background KnowledgeCreate a how-to brochure that explains how to collect background knowledge before doing an experiment.

2. Recording and Presenting DataCreate a questionnaire to survey your classmates on a topic of your choice. After choosing the best method to show your data, create a poster and share your results.

3. Observations and InferencesCreate a PowerPoint presentation that shows what qualitative and quantitative observations are as well as inferences.

4. Observations and InferencesChoose an object in the classroom. Record at least 10 observations, both qualitative and quantitative, about your object. Also record at least five inferences about your object.

5. Background KnowledgeCreate a cube with six questions you can use to help conduct background research before experimenting.

6. Recording and Presenting DataResearchers have said that data can be biased and made to look like they support any viewpoint. Create an advertisement showing your own example of bias in data. You may want to research this more.

7. Recording and Presenting DataCreate a PowerPoint presentation that shows various ways data can be recorded as well as shown through graphs and tables. Be sure to include biased vs. not biased data.

8. Observations and InferencesRead the fable “The Blind Men and the Elephant.” This fable exemplifies the importance of observations and inferences. Create your own fable with the same moral.

9. Background KnowledgeIn order to obtain background knowledge on experiments, create a list of questions and sources your classmates could consult.

7th Grade Science Curriculum

1st / 2nd Quarter Ecology, Classification & Space

3rd / 4th Quarter Space, Areas of Science & Geology

1st Quarter – Ecology & Classification – Food ChainEnvironmental FactorsEcosystemsLiving Organisms Identify TrendsClassification of living thingsDifferentiate between plant and animal cellsFive Kingdoms

7th Grade Science Curriculum

2nd & 3rd Quarter: Astronomy Position and movement of planets Composition (Gas Giant or Terrestrial) Historical information Unique Features (Volcanoes, Giant Storms, Moons) Phases of the Moon Tides & The Moon Seasons Visible Constellations Sun’s Structure Space Tools Galaxies Composition of Stars & Life Cycle of Stars

7th Grade Science Curriculum

3rd & 4th Quarter : Areas of Science & Geology

Areas of ScienceCareer ExplorationFamous ScientistsEngineering ProcessGeologyClassify Rocks & MineralsLayers of the EarthErosion, Deposition,

Weathering Plate TectonicsEarthquakesVolcanoesFossils

Math & Science Clubs

Altadena Math and Science Clubs

If your student is interested in joining a math or science club…

• Contact their math or science teacher• Print off the registration form on the Altadena

Website under Activities

Here is a list of the clubs this year:

• Math Counts• 6th Grade Math Competition• Future City• Junkbox Wars• Science Olympiad

The Average 7th Grader

Seventh grade: it's a world of homework, angst over your social life, homework, clubs, and more homework. You're not the smallest, but you still have to look up to those 8th-graders. So what's a seventh-grader to do? Keep reading and find out.

1) Think about all your homework for the evening, and prioritize it. What must you absolutely do tonight? What stuff is due in two days? Then, get home, and do the first thing on your list first (who would've thought?). Then do something for you that takes less than ten minutes: check your phone, listen to a few songs, etc. Then do the second thing on your list. Keep doing that until you have it all done (or at least most of it!).

The Average 7th Grader

2) Don't cram. Anyone who's ever taken a test before knows this: 99.9% of the pressure gets taken off if you don't cram. Instead, start studying at least three days before. And now, the three all important studying rules: Make sure you know what's going to be on the test (simple, but how annoying is it when you take it and say, 'We had to study THAT?') If you like to study with your friends, make sure you really are STUDYING, and not just hanging out.

3) Don't cheat. You can get caught, and if you cheat, it obviously means you don't know the stuff, and then if any of it shows up on the next quiz, you'll have to cheat again, increasing the chance of getting caught and sending you into a cycle of guilt and... bad things.

4) Find really awesome friends, even if it takes awhile. Social life varies so much, especially when you have these girls or guys who trade friends like shirts. If you are in a group of friends who you don't love now, think how bad it will be in high school.

The Average 7th Grader

5) Get involved in extracurricular activities. Sometimes, people don't join because it's 'uncool'. Listen, there's no logic in that. If the people who say that aren't your friends, why do you care what they say anyway? And if they are - well, they sure don't sound like good friends. Make sure you're not so busy, though, that you can't find time to do the most important thing: your homework.

6) Have fun (while maintaining your grades).

7) If you're having bully issues, then do something about it. If it makes you cry, you have to tell an adult. If it is small, but it hurts, tell your parents.

8) If you don't have self-esteem, get some. You are smart, pretty or handsome, talented and you rock! No more lame excuses!

Thanks for Coming Tonight

STEMScience, Technology,

Engineering and Math

In Academic Lab, your student will be using the elements of STEM by creating the following…

• Your culinary team has received the honor of being selected to create a new gourmet menu for a food network star's newest restaurant.

• Not only will you be creating the menu, but you will also be selecting the location for this new hot spot!

• The food network star would like to locate a new restaurant within the United States, and would like to feature local agriculture as the focus for the recipes featured throughout the menu.