EXPLORATIONS

toc MRS. WALZER'S EXPLORATIONS PROJECT =**GENERAL REQUIREMENTS** =
 * 1) Complete at least one EXPLORATION each nine week period.
 * 2) Complete/Turn in your EXPLORATION at least 10 days before the end of the nine week period.
 * 3) It is suggested that you check the supplied rubric before completing your project to be sure you have included all key components.
 * 4) Choose a topic that YOU ENJOY.
 * 5) Plan a project that showcases YOUR TALENTS.
 * 6) Keep in mind that this class requirement is worth 8% of your nine week grade.

=EXPLORATION Choices =
 * **Reading** a book with scientific ideas or concepts and creating something/anything to encourage another to read it
 * **Scientist Biography** -- research a scientist (past or present) and enlighten us as to the life and achievements of this person
 * **Media (Mis)conceptions**-- find a movie clip, commercial or part of a TV show with scientific undertones and explain if the science is factual or fictional
 * **Science in Everyday Examples (S.E.E.)** -- discover an application of concepts in your everyday life that we've studied in class
 * Current Events -- research a current issue in science, post a summary of it to the wikispace and include your own reflection of the issue
 * **Excel with Data**-- find data online or generate your own data set and use Excel to chart and graph your data to evaluate it
 * **EXPLORE on YOur Own**-- propose your own idea for exploring and expanding on your science knowledge

//**Scroll Down or Click on an Underlined Link for Additional Information and Requirements for Each Project Choice **//



Reading

 * 1) **Choose a book** (fiction or nonfiction) that has a scientific strain to it. You can choose an Accelerated Reader book and test for Reading class too.
 * 2) Do **SOMETHING** to encourage another student to read the book. Choose SOMETHING that showcases the book and your talents. Your SOMETHING does not have to be online or technological in any way. A tangible project is just fine, but so is a "tech-y" one.
 * 3) **Enter your book choice**, how science is involved and a description of your SOMETHING in the table below when you //start// reading the book. Enter your project idea when it comes to you.
 * 4) Take **pride** in your work. Be careful of spelling and grammar mistakes. Be as neat as possible. Be sure to site any sources or websites you use.
 * 5) **Challenge** yourself. Push yourself to be creative, be innovative, make it attractive, make it captivating, make it YOURS.
 * 6) Preview the rubric found below to be certain that you include all of the assessed requirements.





Scientist Biography
This project must be completed on the Science7 student wikispace.
 * 1) **Enter** the required information into the chart below. Mrs. Walzer will then create a blank page for you to use.
 * 2) You are NOT allowed to repeat a scientist that has already been chosen this nine weeks.
 * 3) **Photo** or drawing or the scientist with a "site"-ation from where you copied/pasted the iamge.
 * 4) **Life timeline:** birth/death, childhood/adulthood, education
 * 5) **Accomplishments**: write a paragraph of bulleted list of his/her scientific accomplishments and/or contributions.
 * 6) **Influence:** Write a paragraph summary of how you think the accomplishments have influenced society or you.
 * 7) **Challenge** yourself. Push yourself to be creative, be innovative, make it attractive, make it captivating, make it YOURS.
 * 8) Preview the rubric found below to be certain that you include all of the assessed requirements.



Media (Mis)conceptions
1. Find a scene of a movie, magazine article commercial for a product, or portion of a TV show that relies on science as part of its plot/content. 2. Provide the media clip (VHS, article, DVD, YouTube, etc.) to Mrs. Walzer. 3. Do SOMETHING to
 * explain the science involved in the media clip
 * explain if the clip is an accurate use of science concepts OR does it contain science misconceptions

4. Take pride in your work. Be sure that it is attractive, neat, has correct spelling and grammar. 5. Challenge yourself. Push yourself to be creative, be innovative, make it attractive, make it captivating, make it YOURS. 6. Preview the rubric found below to be certain that you include all of the assessed requirements.



Science in Everyday Examples
(S.E.E.)
 * Science exists all around you. All objects are governed by the laws of science. All occurences happen as a result of the laws of science. One key to really understanding science is training yourself to SEE science in everyday things. That's what you are being encouraged to do. Take the concepts that we are learning/have learned in class and use them to explain something that you experience around you. Below you'll see some examples to get your ideas flowing, but you can't use my ideas. You have to S.E.E. it for yourself.**


 * 1) **Find an example** of science around you that relates to the concepts we've covered in //our// class.
 * 2) Think of a way to **provide visual evidence** of the science. Let us SEE what you SEE.
 * 3) Be able to **explain the science** behind your observation.
 * 4) **Do SOMETHING** to bring it all together. Showcase your S.E.E. and showcase your talents.
 * 5) Take **pride** in your work. Be sure that it is attractive, neat, has correct spelling and grammar.
 * 6) **Challenge** yourself. Push yourself to be creative, be innovative, make it attractive, make it captivating, make it YOURS.
 * 7) Preview the rubric found below to be certain that you include all of the assessed requirements.



Current Events
﻿ This project must be completed on the Science7 student wikispace.


 * 1) **Read a magazine or newspaper article** that has a scientific strain to it and prepare a wikispace page to share what you've learned.
 * 2) Decide on the **main idea (scientific content)** about the article.
 * 3) **Enter your article title & main idea** in the table below. //An article can only be used once by any student during the year.//
 * 4) Link your article title to a new wiki page. (for directions how to make the link click here)
 * 5) Take **pride** in your work. Be careful of spelling and grammar mistakes. Be as neat as possible. Be sure to site any sources or websites you use.
 * 6) **Challenge** yourself. Push yourself to be creative, be innovative, make it attractive, make it captivating, make it YOURS.
 * 7) Preview the rubric found below to be certain that you include all of the assessed requirements.
 * 8) Your wikispace MUST include:


 * a copy or link to the article (we can always take a photograph of the article in the classroom and upload it to your wiki)
 * upload images or graphs to support and enhance your wikispace page
 * a summary IN YOUR WORDS of the article that ALSO explains the science involved
 * a reflection about how you think this news article impacts you, us, or society in general



Excel with Data
1. **Choose** a set of scientific data that can be graphed to compare two variables. 2. **Write an explanation** of where/how the data was found. 3. Using the spreadsheet program Excel, **create a 2 column data chart** for the data. 4. Use the graphing wizard to **create a XY scatter plot** of the data. Be sure to include the following on your graph 5. Write a **paragraph explanation** of what the data shows. Are there any patterns or trends to the data? Does the dependent variable show any predictable relationship with the independent variable? 6. Take **pride** in your work. Be sure that it is attractive, neat, has correct spelling and grammar. 7. **Challenge** yourself. Push yourself to be creative, be innovative, make it attractive, make it captivating, make it YOURS. 8. Preview the rubric found below to be certain that you include all of the assessed requirements.
 * find scientific data online OR
 * take your own data by experimentation (//much better option//)
 * <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Title
 * <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Axes descriptions with units
 * <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 3em; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Scale for each axis



<span style="color: #008000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 26px; line-height: 39px;">Explore On Your Own

 * 1) **Find a facet** of science that interests or intrigues you.
 * 2) Think of a way to **provide visual evidence** of the science.
 * 3) Be able to **explain the science.**
 * 4) **Do SOMETHING** to bring it all together. Showcase the science that interests you so much. Helps us appreciate it too.
 * 5) Take **pride** in your work. Be sure that it is attractive, neat, has correct spelling and grammar.
 * 6) **Challenge** yourself. Push yourself to be creative, be innovative, make it attractive, make it captivating, make it YOURS.
 * 7) Preview the rubric found below to be certain that you include all of the assessed requirements.