Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Wake up Wednesday

Tomorrow we will be practising more of our tennis skills at Wake-up Wednesday. Last week, Mrs. Buckmaster assessed the grade 3-6 students' skills and worked on a few games from there. I enjoyed learning a few tips on holding and sizing the racket. I hope the students enjoyed it too!

Miss Morrell

Letter to parents- grade 7 & 8

Each Grade 7 & 8 student has been asked to review this letter with their parents. It was handed out on Friday, March 23 with the due date Tuesday, March 27. I've posted it because many students have not returned it by the due date.

March 23, 2007

Dear Parents,

Your child is starting a new unit in Science about Space and Earth. I have arranged a schedule of lab sessions that will occur in the evening at the school and at the Saskatchewan Science Centre. I have requested that each student supplement their learning by attending 2 lab sessions. There will be an option of ten sessions to attend. I’ve attempted to schedule the sessions on varying nights of the week to provide optimal opportunities for the youth.
I’ve informed the students that they will have to sign up in advance to ensure that they reach the minimum number of lab sessions while providing me with assurance of participation for each session. Students are welcome and encouraged to attend all of the sessions.

Please view the schedule below, discuss and highlight with your child the most convenient evenings to attend. If there is a reason that your child will not be able to attend any of the sessions please call so that we can make other arrangements.

I am willing to drive up to 4 students to the Saskatchewan Science Centre on the designated nights, but may need to request some parent involvement if the numbers are exceeded. If you see an evening that you would be interested in attending at the Saskatchewan Science Centre, please send that information back on the lower portion of this note. Please call if you have any questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Miss Morrell
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Please highlight the convenient sessions for you and your child. The students will use this to guide themselves when signing up for a minimum of 2 sessions. Please return by Tuesday, March 27, 2007. Thank you!
Session 1- Tuesday, March 27, 8- 9 p.m.
Session 2- Thursday, March 29, 8-9 p.m.
Session 3- Friday, March 30 8 - 10 p.m. (SSC)
Session 4- Monday, April 2, 8-9 p.m.
Session 5-Friday, April 6, 8 - 10 p.m. (SSC)
Session 6- Thursday, April 19, 8:30-9:30 p.m.
Session 7-Friday, April 20, 8 - 10 p.m. (SSC)
Session 8-Monday, April 23, 8:30-9:30 p.m.
Session 9-Wednesday, April 25, 8:30-9:30 p.m.
Session10- Friday, May 4, 9 - 10:30 p.m. (SSC)

Monday, March 26, 2007

Grade 7 & 8 Space Food

Use the following NASA websites to find the answers to the following questions. Write your answers in complete sentences on a piece of looseleaf, unless otherwise stated.

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/living/index.html

1) List the items that Steve Lindsay chose to eat on Day 2 of mission STS-104.

2) List the items that are: rehydratable; thermostablized; irradiated; natural form; fresh food. What is common between all of the foods in each category?

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/spacenews/factsheets/pdfs/food.pdf
3) Create a Venn diagram to compare the first foods ate in space to the foods that were ate during the Apollo program.

4) List in point form five interesting facts about rehydratable foods.

5) List in point form three interesting facts about thermostabilized foods.

6) What is similar about thermostabilized food and irradiated foods in space?

7) Why are flour tortillas a good choice aboard the space shuttle?

8) After the crew chooses their meal choices, what do the food scientists do?

9) Describe the process the crew takes to dine aboard the space shuttle.

10) What is the difference in planning for food on the space shuttle and for food on the international space station?

11) How is the electrical power generated on the space shuttle and the international space station?

12) Why does the international space station need to use thermostabilized food?

13) What happens to the food packaging once it is emptied?

14) Make a ‘T’ chart that shows what is the same on Earth and what is different on Earth regarding the nutrients astronauts receive.

15) Explain the experiment that the astronauts are completing regarding diet?

16) For the future, foods with longer shelf life are being created. For missions to Mars or the moon, what types of crops are being considered?