Class happenings week of 12/10

We are quickly approaching the winter break (and the end of our first part of our astronomy unit). This time of year is busy due to the holidays and choir/band rehearsals. Here is a list of things that are going on this week in science to help keep you on top of things:

12/10 - HW finish asteroid refkection questions (ISN pg 50)
12/11- CW- complete space object  review sheets (ISN pgs 52-53)
12/12 - QUIZ- Space Objects
12/14- Study Island Plate Tectonic Concept Review due by 7:30am

Heads up for next week! Quiz Tuesday on Planet data (patterns) and Test Thursday (space objects and planet data)

Geminid Meteor Shower

This week, the last of the meteor showers for 2012 will occur. It's looking to be a pretty good show since the moon will not be present (new moon). The best day for our hemisphere is Thursday, December 13. the show starts at 9pm with optimal viewing between 1am and 3am. If you can see the Big Dipper from where you are standing, chances are that you could see a meteor.

More info on this annual event can be found at the Windows to the Universe site: Geminid Meteor Shower

Asteroids or Meteoroids?

These words can be pretty confusing. They are both found in space, can orbit the Sun, and are made rocky and metallic. The only difference is that meteoroids are pieces of broken off asteroids, comets or planets (maybe moons).

I came across this simple way to remember what they are from the Windows to the Universe website:

How can you remember whether something is a meteor, a meteoroid, or a meteorite? Here's how I do it! When they are out in space, like asteroids, they are called meteoroids. When they are streaking through theatmosphere as bright flashes of light, we call them meteors - which reminds me of meteorology, which is the science concerned with weather and the atmosphere. [Meteorology is not the science of meteors!] When they reach the ground, we call them meteorites - which reminds me of the stalactites and stalagmites that are found under the ground in caves. I hope that helps you remember too!

Last modified April 29, 2008 by Becca Hatheway.

Comets!

To keep with our topic of solar system objects, our objective today was to understand how a comet travels around the Sun. The heat from the Sun and the gravity helps propel the comet around the Sun as it continues on it's long journey. In class we watched a BrainPop video and labeled the parts of a comet. Check out the link below to have some fun creating your own comet and exploring those found in our solar system.

Interactive Comet activity

Defining our solar system

This week begins our new unit about space. The focus for our eighth grade studies is Planetary Systems. All this is are objects that orbit the Sun and how they interact with one another. Yesterday and today we observed and defined the objects that are included in our solar system. Tomorrow and Friday we will focus on 2 of these objects: comets and asteroids.

Homework! Read the passage Falling Stars (can be found on my site's homework page if you forgot it) and complete the vocab phrases.