Bridges Kid's Club - Operation Santa 2015

Numerous CMS students volunteered their time and bought gifts for local children during their holiday vacation in support of the Bridges Kid's Club Operation Santa 2015 Joint Forces Military Family Christmas Carnival.  Below are pictures of some of the CMS students that volunteered for the event.  There were many Canon-McMillan students volunteering as part of the Bridges Kid's Club that are not pictured.

Additional Information - Bridges Kid's Club Website

Energy Research Debate Winners: 2015-2016

Period 1: Biomass
Period 2: Fossil Fuels
Period 4-5: Solar
Period 6-7: Geothermal
Period 8-9: Geothermal

Discovery Education: 3M Young Scientist Challenge

Website: http://www.youngscientistchallenge.com/

TOP TEN REASONS TO PARTICIPATE (According to the Website):

1. The grand prize is $25,000 and an unforgettable once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to attend a Discovery Network taping!
2. Finalists get to work one-on-one with renowned 3M scientists – a mentoring experience they’ll never forget.
3. Friendship! Lots of competitors and finalists share a passion for science activities
4. Learning goes way beyond classroom walls and into the real world of innovating.
5. Competitors’ ideas and innovations can make a real difference in the world!
6. Finalists present their video competition ideas to a distinguished panel of judges.
7. No textbooks! This is original, outside-the-box dreaming, planning and innovating.
8. Finalists travel to St. Paul, Minnesota, and tour exclusive labs of 3M headquarters.
9. Being part of the science community is fun. Plus, this video competition is one science activity that makes a big impact on college résumés and essays.
10. You could be (drum roll, please)… America’s next Top Young Scientist!

Paris Climate Deal - What You Need to Know About the Climate Agreement (USA Today)

Students of the Month: December

The Supernova teachers would like to congratulate the following Supernovas for earning student of the month honors for the month of December.

Science: Kaiya M.

English: Blake B.

Social Studies: Jeremiah B.

Outstanding Supernova Citizen: Ethan S.

Show that You Care this Holiday Season

There are two elementary students, Avery and Gregory, in our school district that are battling cancer. Avery who is battling liver cancer and Gregory who is fighting kidney cancer. If you could take some time and use the template, and make a card for each them, it could brighten their spirits this holiday season.

If you are interested in participating, you are to follow the directions below to complete your holiday cards.

Step 1: You are to click the link to the holiday card: Holiday Card Template.  You must log-in to your Google account for this link to work. (You can design your own cards if you wish!)
Step 2: Once the window opens, you are to click "File" and "Make a copy...".
Step 3: You must create a new document name. It should be: Your First and Last Name: Avery Card   The other card should be: Your First and Last Name: Gregory Card
Step 4: Design your cards. Be sure that you include a message to Avery or Gregory and that you put your first name in the card.
Step 5: Share your cards with me so that I can print them in color for you.

         
*You can also print these cards at home, and bring the cards in to Mrs. Porter.*

Additional Option: You can also get your own cards for Avery and Gregory.

All holiday cards for Avery and Gregory are due to Mrs. Porter by Monday, December 14th.

English 8: "Flowers for Algernon" Vocabulary Terms

The vocabulary list for "Flowers for Algernon" has been posted on Quizlet. The test on these terms will be on Wednesday, January 6th.

Science Class: 12/4/15 - Energy Videos

You will not be working in groups today.  Please complete all the steps in order.

You may complete some of the "Presentation Notes" that are located at the back of your "Energy Research and Presentation Notes" packet while watching the videos.

1. Watch - Hydroelectric Power - How it Works (Headphones Required)

2. Watch - Nuclear Power - How it Works (Headphones Required)

3. Watch - Chain Reaction - Nuclear Power (Headphones Required)

4. Watch - Geothermal Power Plant (Headphones Required)

5. Watch - Biomass in Pennsylvania (Headphones Required)

6. Watch - Fossil Fuels - Electricity (Headphones Required)

7. Watch - Solar Powered House - Bill Nye (Headphones Required)

8. Once you have viewed ALL the above videos, you may use the rest of the time to research your specific energy resource.

• Energy Debate Information and Useful Websites

Energy Debate Information and Useful Websites

Energy Research Debate (Digital Copy)
Energy Research and Presentation Notes (Digital Copy)

Google Presentation (AKA: Google Slides) Due Date: December 14, 2015

• Create in Google Drive
• Share with the following people and give them permission to edit: 
• Group Members: Power Companies Only 
• Mr. Wolf: wolfp@cmsd.k12.pa.us
• Mrs. Barbarino: barbarinoa@cmsd.k12.pa.us 
• Mrs. Killmeyer (Pd. 4-5 & 8-9): killmeyerm@cmsd.k12.pa.us 
• Mrs. Coffey (Pd. 1 & 6-7): coffeyc@cmsd.k12.pa.us 
• How to Name Your Google Presentation (AKA: Google Slides):
• Power Companies: classperiod_energyresource
• Example: 4-5_hydropower
• This would be the name of the file for the power company researching hydropower in my period 4-5 class.
• Panel Members: classperiod_energyresource_panel
• Example: 6-7_fossilfuels_panel
• This would be the name of the file for the panel member researching fossil fuels in my period 6-7 class.

Energy Pathfinder

Please use the following pathfinder to help you get started with your research.  The pathfinder can also be accessed from the library's website.

http://cmspathfinders.wikispaces.com/Energy

Energy Resource Quiz (15 Points) - December 18th, 2015

CMS Dodgeball Champions!

Congratulations to Supernova homebases 406 and 110 for being the CMS dodgeball champions!

English: "Robo-Legs" & "Eureka: Scientific Twists of Fate" Vocabulary Terms

The vocabulary list has been posted for "Robo-Legs" and "Eureka: Scientific Twists of Fate".  The test on these terms will be on Monday, December 7th.

Students of the Month: November

The Supernova teachers would like to congratulate the following Supernovas for earning student of the month honors for the month of November.

English: Allison S.

Social Studies: Madison K.

Science: Korey K.

Outstanding Supernova Citizen: Madison D.

Ethan S. is the 2015-2016 Carson Scholar Nominee

 
     Congratulations to Ethan S. who has been nominated by Mrs. Porter as the Canonsburg Middle School's Carson Scholar Nominee. Ethan was selected because of his academic performance and his extensive list of service activities. He has been approved as a nominee by the Carson Scholarship Foundation and now has to go through an extensive application process. Please check back in March to see if he won the scholarship!

     For more information on the Carson Scholarship, or to see the qualifications that a student must have to be nominated, please check out the Carson Scholars Fund website.

Egg Drop Awards: 2014-2015

Frank Sarris Public Library Science Fair

Attention Supernovas!!! 

You can earn up to 5 bonus points in science class by participating in the Frank Sarris Public Library Science Fair.  Please read over the informational flyer and evaluation rubric below.  If you submit a project, please let Mr. Wolf know so you can be awarded bonus points.

Informational Flyer

Evaluation Rubric

English 8: "Hallucination" Vocabulary Terms

The vocabulary list has been posted for the short story, "Hallucination". The test on these terms and the short story will be on Tuesday, November 24th.

English 8: "The Monkey's Paw" Vocabulary Terms

The vocabulary list has been posted for "The Monkey's Paw". The test on these terms will be on Monday, November 16th:

English Class on Tuesday, November 10th

You are to use the follow the Ready to Research link to complete your research in class today.

The list of usernames and passwords is on the front table.

English Class on Friday, November 6th

If you are done with your T.D.A., you can complete the following tasks that are listed below.

If you are done with your novel, you can take your Accelerated Reader Quiz in class by clicking the link below.  Remember: The AR quiz will have to be taken on Monday in class. 

Accelerated Reader Quiz

Mrs. Porter has the list of usernames and passwords for the Accelerated Reader website. 

If you received a 90% or higher on your AR quiz, you can see Mrs. Porter for a sticker for your bingo card.

When you have finished the quiz, you are to complete your citation in NoodleTools by clicking the link below. 

NoodleTools

You are to follow the AR NoodleTools citation instructions. If you lost your copy, you can get a copy from the extra copies' bin.  

Remember: You need to share your citation with Mrs. Porter to receive credit. If you do not share your citation with the drop box for your class period, a point will be deducted from your AR quiz grade.

Drop box name: Period #: November AR Book
# = your class period (1, 4/5, 6/7, 8/9, or 10)

If you turned in your novel early, and did not record your ISBN number, you are to follow these instructions: You can look up your ISBN on Destiny. There's a link to Destiny on the Looking for a Book? page on the LMC website. Once you find your book in Destiny, you can click on the title link and you will see the title details for your book. One of the things listed is the ISBN #. You can even just copy and paste the ISBN number right into NoodleTools. 

You can complete the online textbook activity by following the directions on the sheet that you received when you came in today.  You will need headphones for this activity.  They are located in the bin at the front of the room by Mrs. Porter's desk. (You may have to use Firefox instead of Google Chrome depending on the computer that you have in the lab.)

If you get done with the online textbook activity, you are to go to No Red Ink and complete the assigned activities.

2015-2016 Yearbook Orders

The 2015-2016 CMS Yearbook is now on sale! 

Please order your yearbook online by clicking on the image below:

All orders are due by 11/13. 

Order now and save $12 when you order personalization - receive 4 free icons!

This is the lowest price of the year - price will increase from $25  to $30 per book on 11/14.

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Students of the Month: October

The Supernova teachers would like to congratulate the following Supernovas for earning student of the month honors for the month of October.

Social Studies: Kayleigh V.

Science: Zachary B.

English: Thomas S.

Outstanding Supernova Citizen: Maura O.

Girls Of Steel Robotics - FREE Workshop

Girls in 8th grade are invited to learn about safety, tools, mechanical parts, and the electronics at the Chassis Building Workshop with the Carnegie Mellon University Girls of Steel Robotics Team on Sunday, November 22, 2015, from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm for a Girls of Steel FIRST Robotics Competition Chassis Building Workshop at the IU1 Fab Lab.

 Mentors from Carnegie Mellon University’s Girls of Steel Robotics Team will guide participants to assemble and drive the robot. Workshop goals include:

• Learning about mechanical subsystems
• Learning about electronic subsystems
• Assembling a robot chassis and driving it!

The workshop is free for all interested 8th grade girls and no prior experience or knowledge is needed! Space is limited so make sure to register today at the online registration form. Registration closes November 15, 2015.

Registration Form

Informational Flyer

Girls of Steel Robotics Website

Science Class: 10/23/15 and 10/26/15

Please complete the following items in order. Please remain quiet and on-task during the entire class period.

1. COMPLETE ALL LATE WORK THAT YOU OWE.  Below are the two assignments that some students haven't completed.

• Laws of Motion and Momentum (10 Points) - DUE 10/19/15
• CH 6: Forces in Motion - Test (40 Points) - DUE 10/21/15

2. Complete your "CH 8: Work and Machines" guided note packet:

• Open "Chapter 8 - Work and Machines" PowerPoint.
• Go to slide 38 and check your answers to the key questions for section 2.  
• Read through each slide in section 3 of the PowerPoint.  Complete the rest of your guided notes for chapter 8 as you view the presentation. Examine, in detail, how each simple machine (lever, inclined plane, wedge, wheel and axle, pulley, screw) makes work easier. 

3. Check your answers on the following worksheets:

• Answer KEY: Mechanical Advantage - (Math in Science)
• Answer KEY: Mechanical Advantage and Efficiency 

4. Complete the "Work and Simple Machines" activity.  Once the electronic document loads, you can click on the link at the top of the sheet to take you directly to the website.  This handout was given to you earlier in the week.  Check the make-up folder if you were absent.  Ensure you fill in your answers on the answer sheet as you work through the activity. Turn in the activity sheet once you are finished.  (Due 11/5/15)

5. Complete "Webquest: Simple Machines".  Once the electronic document loads, you can click on the link near the top of the sheet to take you directly to the website.  This handout was given to you earlier in the week.  Check the make-up folder if you were absent. Ensure you write in the answers on your handout as you work through the activity.  Turn in the activity sheet once you are finished.  (Due 11/5/15 - Bonus)

6. Click on "Science Materials" under the "Helpful Links" on the right side of the blog.  Please explore the format of this website.  Try accessing the "Rube Goldberg Project" from the "CH 8 - Work and Machines" section.  Read through the project.

7. If you finish early:
Option 1: Click on the following link to explore some interactive websites on simple machines.
Simple Machines: Interactive Websites
Option 2: Complete a "Read and React" paper for bonus.

The Other Midnight Riders Cross-Curricular Project

   The students read and discussed the poem, “Paul Revere’s Ride” in English class with Mrs. Porter. While in social studies with Mr. Faith, the students studied Colonial America. For the project, the students were to research the other midnight riders who assisted in warning the people about the impending British attack. The students were to determine how accurate Henry Longfellow’s poem was as compared to the actual historical accounts. The students researched and analyzed the real-life accounts of the other midnight riders in order to gain a richer knowledge of the events that lead up to the American Revolution. After the research was completed, the students rewrote Longfellow’s poem. However, this time, the students were to be as close to the actual events as possible in their poems. By writing their own historically accurate poems, they gave each rider the credit that they deserved for their contributions to the American Revolution.

Standards Covered: Social Studies: 8.3 America History & English 1.3.8 A-F, H-L; 1.4.8.M-W

 Pictured above are students gathering research on the other midnight riders. 

Pictured above are group members analyzing the poem, “Paul Revere’s Ride”. 

 Pictured above are students composing their historically accurate poems.

The Hitchhiker Vocabulary Terms

The vocabulary terms for the radio play, The Hitchhiker, have been posted on Quizlet. The test on the radio play and these terms will be on Thursday, October 22nd.