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)