Last Day of School

Today in science class we watched the second part of the documentary called Hunting the Elements. Students were especially fascinated by how reactive sodium was with water yet became stable when combined with chlorine. The show also helped students understand the arrangement of elements on the periodic table. We did not get to watch the end of the documentary. Students who have Netflix are asked to finish watching over the holidays.

Reminder
"For" or "Against" road salting past due
Begin memorising the first 20 periodic table elements

Have a wonderful holiday everyone! See you all on Wednesday, January 7, 2014

The Periodic Table

Tuesday, December 16
Grade 9s began the second chemistry chapter which focuses on the periodic table and atomic model theories. Today we reviewed current student understanding of key concepts. We then learned about the 3 main sections of the periodic table metals, metalloids, and non-metals. Students have been challenged to memorise the names and symbols of the first 20 elements by January 7th.

Wednesday, December 17
Today in science class we watched the first part of a documentary called Hunting the Elements. Students were especially fascinated by how Dmitri Mendeleev was apply to accurately determine the atomic weights of different elements and order them without knowing of the existence of atoms.

Reminder
"For" or "Against" road salting due Thursday, Dec, 18
Begin memorising the first 20 periodic table elements

The Debate

Grade 9s participated in a debate where they shared their views on road salting.
Final reports "for" or "against" salting are due Thursday, Dec. 18.

Test Day

Grade 9s wrote their Understanding Matter unit test today. Students should come to school prepared to participate in the 'to salt or not to salt' debate from Monday, December 15 onwards.

Salt Research

Grade 9s spent class time working on their final project for the matter unit.

Reminders

• Students should be researching daily to be prepared to take a stand for or against salting at next week's debate, Thursday, December 11
• writing a unit test on Friday, Dec.12
• submitting a written report on road salting on Monday, Dec.15

U of T Trip

We did not have science class today as Grade 9 students were away on a math trip to the University of Toronto.

Review

Grade 9s spent class time working through and taking up review work to prepare for next week's unit test on matter. Students have been assigned review page 203 for Monday. Students also received their final project for this unit. They have chosen topics to research as follows:
Temmi - statistics on road accidents or pedestrian injuries related to road conditions & damage caused to vegetation caused by road salt
Andrew - your city's policies on this issue & the impact on aquatic systems
Damien - the financial cost of salting the roads & the effect of spring thaw on salted snow

Reminders

• Complete p. 203 by Monday, Dec. 8 in preparation for next week's unit test.
• Students should be researching daily to be prepared to take a stand for or against salting at next week's debate, Thursday, December 11
• writing a unit test on Friday, Dec.12
• submitting a written report on road salting on Monday, Dec.15

University of Waterloo

We had a great time at the University of Waterloo today. Students participated in a lab where they used spectroscopes to observe the spectra of fluorescent, incandescent, hydrogen, and mercury lamps. The also burned substances to observe the colour of the flame and observed the flame through a spectroscope. To end our visit, we were treated to a tour of the organic chemistry lab and the biochemistry lab where research is being done on developing new antibiotics in response to resistant bacteria.

Antifreeze

In today's science class students worked on showing what they learned about the unique physical properties that can be used to identify substances. Students also read about nature's antifreeze and completed an OSSLT practice test.
We discussed the final assignments for this unit on Matter. Students will be

• researching the effects of road salting
• participating in a debate where they will take a position for or against the salting of roads on Thursday, December 11
• writing a unit test on Friday, Dec.12
• submitting a written report on road salting on Monday, Dec.15

For homework students should complete all outstanding questions on p. 198 of their textbooks. They should also complete review questions on p. 202 by Thursday, Dec. 4 and p. 203 by Monday, Dec. 8 in preparation for next week's unit test.

Students should bring a disposable lunch or money to purchase a lunch on tomorrow's trip to the University of Waterloo. Students should not wear contact lenses or wear skirts as we will participate in a lab while we are there.

The Unusual Properties of Water

Today we learned that water in the solid state is less dense than water in the liquid state. We tested the ability of salt to reduce the freezing/melting point of water by using this property to make ice cream. What a yummy lesson!