Beck Ice Skating Event

 The first (maybe annual) ice skating event at Reno Ice for our school was a great success. We had several students from our class show up.  Everyone seemed to have a good time.

Hockey Unit in Physical Education

 Without a P.E. teacher currently, Dr. Brock excitedly gets to teach one of his favorite units, that of floor hockey.  The first day involved learning how to use a hockey stick, weaving in and out of cones with a hockey ball, and passing to an opponent both without a defender and with one.  We also focused on the safety aspects, especially high sticking.  This will be a fun unit (unless we get snow and lose our "field".

Moonscape Art

 We have begun the first phase of our collaborative art project. This week students learned the technique of making a moon scene, where each student did their own painting.  We will take this concept and apply it to a larger scale.  Even trying to print a 3D moon on the 3D printer and attaching it to the art.

Bighorn Sheep of Nevada

 We spent a week learning all about bighorn sheep and the early people who depended upon them.  For science, we utilized recent bighorn data provided by the Nevada Department of Wildlife to study 6 different sheep herds in our state. Six different groups investigated and became experts on 1 of these particular herds and the factors affecting the herd when it comes to conservation of it.  After reading background information, compiling data, making an intense line graph, and completing questions, each group then created a PowerPoint presentation to teach the class about that particular herd.

Mixtures and Solutions

 We kicked off the new year with a new unit is science: mixtures and solutions.  The first lab involved creating mixtures of water and diatomaceous earth, water and gravel, and water and sodium chloride.  After discussing mixtures, students were given the task to separate them.  The gravel was separated with a simple screen.  The diatomaceous earth required a filter, and the sodium chloride was soon learned to be a special mixture called a solution.  None of the tools worked.  Today students brainstormed how they may separate the sodium chloride from the water, as the salt had totally dissolved.  We are trying evaporation. Some students think it will work while others are not so sure.