DEEP OCEAN CURRENTS

Hello everyone,

We've been diving deep into the fascinating world of Earth's Waters in science class! Here's a look at what we've been up to:

Where We Were

Recently, we explored heat transfer, states of matter and phase changes, and the water cycle through engaging labs, detailed diagramming, and hands-on demonstrations. Students had the opportunity to see these concepts in action and connect them to real-world processes!

Below: Beautiful, eye-catching one-pager designs!

Where We Are

Right now, we are investigating ocean movement and how factors like salinity, temperature, and density drive global currents. Students worked through a CER activity to analyze how temperature and salinity impact ocean currents and conducted a salinity and density lab to deepen their understanding of these critical oceanic forces.

Below: Images from the Salinity & Density Lab

Where We’re Going

Next, we will begin our final part of the unit: a 5-day Heating and Cooling Inquiry. Students will explore how different materials heat and cool at varying rates, tying together everything we've learned so far. After this inquiry, we will transition into our Weather & Climate Unit, exploring atmospheric patterns, storms, climate zones, and much more! Weather & Climate is a big unit like how Astronomy was.

Thank you for your continued support and engagement with our science classroom! If you have any questions or want to connect further, please don’t hesitate to contact me at curtis_silverwood@conestogavalley.org. You can also follow our journey on Instagram at @classwithcatwood, where I share updates and snapshots of our exciting classroom activities.

Thank you,

Mr. Catwood

MAKING WAVES

Hello everyone,

I hope this message finds you well! I’m excited to share what we’ve been working on in our science classroom. Your students did an amazing job on their Earth’s Processes Unit Test, and I couldn’t be more proud of the progress they’ve made.

Where We Were

We recently wrapped up our Earth’s Processes unit, where we explored how geologic forces shape our planet. To conclude this unit, we took our Earth’s Processes Unit Test. I’m thrilled to report that most students performed very well! Your students demonstrated a strong understanding of the material.

Where We Are

We’re now diving into our Earth’s Waters unit. Here are some of the exciting activities we’ve completed so far:

• Water Footprint Quiz: Students calculated their daily water usage using this quiz. This sparked meaningful discussions about how we can conserve water in our daily lives.

• Water Distribution: We explored how water is distributed on Earth and discussed its role in everyday life.

• Human Impacts on Oceans One-Pager Project: Students are working on a one-pager mini-project focused on human impacts on the oceans. They can choose from topics such as ocean acidification, coral bleaching, deep-sea mining, pollution, and offshore drilling. This project will be completed before the end of the week.

Below: A photo of a visual demonstration of how much salt water (green) there is compared to freshwater (blue) on Earth. 97% of water is salt water, which is very costly and energy-consuming to make drinkable and useable for everyday life. Therefore, only 3% of the freshwater we have is available for what we do every day, and 1% of that water is accessible since 2% is in glaciers or ice caps.

Where We Are Going

Next, we’ll focus on how water moves in connection to Earth’s Processes:

• Heat Transfer: We’ll investigate how heat energy affects water movement and what ways heat is transferred.

• Water Cycle: Students will deepen their understanding of the continuous movement of water through Earth’s Systems.

• Ocean Currents: We’ll explore surface and deep ocean currents and their roles in regulating Earth’s climate, which will lead nicely into our Weather & Climate unit.

We’ll conclude the unit with a 5-day lab inquiry on heating and cooling and relate it to water movement. This hands-on experience will allow students to apply their knowledge in an engaging and meaningful way.

Thank you for your continued support and engagement with our science classroom! If you have any questions or want to connect further, please don’t hesitate to contact me at curtis_silverwood@conestogavalley.org. You can also follow our journey on Instagram at @classwithcatwood, where I share updates and snapshots of our exciting classroom activities.

Thank you for your time and support!

Best regards,

Mr. Catwood (formerly Silverwood)

GO WITH THE LAVA FLOW

Happy new marking period, everyone! With the fresh start, it’s a great time to check in on grades—if your student has a lower grade than expected, it’s likely due to a missing assignment. Getting those turned in as soon as possible is the best way to improve their score and stay on track. I’m always here to help if anyone needs clarification or assistance!

Where We Were

Last week, we wrapped up our Earthquake Mitigation Project, which was a big hit! Students particularly enjoyed the Stop Disasters Game, which challenged them to strategize ways to reduce the impact of earthquakes. We also connected this to the devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti, examining the real-world consequences of such natural disasters. Using both research and the game’s simulations, students developed mitigation strategies to reduce loss of life and property damage. It was great to see their creativity and critical thinking in action!

Below are photos from the project:

Where We Are

Now, we’re shifting gears to volcanoes! Students have been diving into how volcanoes and earthquakes are connected through our Plotting Natural Disasters Lab, mapping out their locations to see patterns in Earth's geologic activity. We also explored lava rocks and lava flows through an inquiry-based activity. This week, we’ll wrap up our volcano studies with a viscosity lab, where students will investigate how different types of lava impact eruptions. We’ll also watch a documentary on the catastrophic 2022 volcanic eruption in Tonga, learning about its immense impact on the Pacific island nation.

Where We Are Going

Next week, we’ll wrap up our Earth’s Processes Unit with a unit test on Friday, 2/7. Students will have three full class periods to review with a review packet and engaging games.

The test will be worth 40 points and includes:

• 16 multiple-choice questions (16 pts)

• 2 matching sections (2 @ 4 pts each)

• 1 diagram-based question (6 pts)

• 4 short-answer questions (2 @ 2 pts each and 2 @ 3 pts each)

After the test, we’ll begin our next unit: Earth’s Waters! This unit will build on what we’ve learned during the Earth’s Processes unit and connect it to our upcoming Weather & Climate unit. We’ll explore:

• Heat Transfer

• Phase Changes & States of Matter

• The Water Cycle

• Salinity & Density

• Environmental Issues

• Heating & Cooling Processes

This unit will not have a test—instead, the next major assessment will come in the Weather & Climate unit.

If you have any questions or want to connect further, please don’t hesitate to contact me at curtis_silverwood@conestogavalley.org. You can also follow our journey on Instagram at @classwithcatwood, where I share updates and snapshots of our exciting classroom activities.

Thank you for your time and support, and here’s to an engaging and productive start to the New Year!

Best regards,

Mr. Catwood (formerly Silverwood)