Christy Garvin

Space Shuttle/Living in Space Quiz (4th/5th)

To prepare for your space shuttle quiz study the following information:

1. Words that were included in your GSRA dictionary this semester.
2. Space Shuttle Notes Packet
3. A Walk Around the Shuttle
4. So What’s That?  (no word bank will be included on the test)
5. Types of Space Food
6. How Space Affects the Human Body Packet
7. Going to the Bathroom in Space

Some specific items to focus on learning include:

1. Be able to label the diagram of the shuttle stack as well as the orbiter diagram.  Remember that you will NOT have a word bank.
2. Know the names of the orbiters.
3. Know the three main parts of the shuttle and the characteristics of each. Know where they are built and tested and how they are transported to KSC.
4. Understand the purpose of the thermal protection system and the different parts of that system.
5. Be very familiar with the launch outline and make sure you are comfortable with the general order in which events occur.
6. Know all five aborts, when they are used and what occurs during each abort.
7. Know the following acronyms: VAB, ET, SRB, TPS, OMS, RCS, EVA, RSLS, RTLS, TAL, ATO, AOA, MECO, RMS, APU, TDRSS, and ECLSS.
8. Know the different functions of ECLSS, fuel cells, RMS, OMS, RCS, GPC’s,  and the APU's.
9. Be familiar with different types of communication the astronauts use. 
10. Be able to explain what happens as the orbiter descends for landing and which runway locations it uses and when.
11. Know the situations surrounding the Challenger and Columbia accidents.
12. Be able to explain how the cardiovascular, vestibular/neurological, and musculoskeletal systems are affected by microgravity.
13. Know the five different ways food can be prepared for the shuttle missions.
14. Be prepared for questions dealing with personal hygiene, including waste management.

Really study all of the notes and handouts you were given.  Everything on the quiz is either on your notes or something we added to your notes.  We have discussed all of these topics in class, so you should be very familiar with the material.

Space Shuttle Quiz will be given the week of April 16th.

River Kids Test (3rd Grade)

Believe it or not, the school year is drawing to a close and it is time for our final river test.  Your test will once again be split into two sections so you will have time to focus on each section separately.  The objective portion will be on Friday, April 13^th and the short answer and essay will be on Friday, May 4^th.  It is a great idea to begin studying now so that you don’t have to “cram” the night or two before the test. 

 The main topics to be covered on this test are as follows: Wastewater Treatment, Drinking Water Treatment, Chemical Testing (Turbidity, Dissolved Oxygen, Phosphates, and pH), and Pollution/Conservation.  I have listed the specific notes and questions you should study to make sure you are prepared.  At the bottom of this page I have also given you the long essay that will be on your test; this is done to help you learn to write essays and organize your information.  We will be practicing the interpretation of these data graphs in class, but you will need to practice at home as well. 

Notes and Questions

River Kids Dictionary

Wastewater Treatment Process (labeling and notes)

Wastewater Treatment-Primary Treatment

Wastewater Treatment-Secondary Treatment

Drinking Water Treatment Plant (labeling and notes)

Dissolved Oxygen

Biochemical Oxygen Demand

Questions for Dissolved Oxygen Reading

Turbidity Packet

The Phosphorus Dilemma

Acids and Bases are Everywhere

Brain Pop pH Scale

Brain Pop Acids and Bases

Water Quality Chemical Testing Part 1

Chemical Testing Questions 1

Water Quality Chemical Testing Part 2

Chemical Testing Questions 2

Point and Non Point Source Pollution

A Little Here and There is Too Much

 

Long Essay

Look at the following graphs (these will be given to you) of river data (temperature, velocity, all chemical tests, and benthic invertebrates).  Analyze the data given, and draw conclusions about the health of the river.  You should demonstrate your understanding of how the different factors relate to one another to determine the overall health of the river. 

 

For help in organizing the essay, I suggest five short paragraphs that follow the outline below:

• Paragraph 1: Brief introduction
• Paragraph 2: Visual assessment-students should explain temperature and velocity data and how it affects the health of the stream.
• Paragraph 3: Chemical assessment-students should explain the data from the four chemical tests and how this information tells us about the health of the stream.
• Paragraph 4: Biological assessment-students should explain the data from the benthic macro invertebrates.  This should include information about how the different types of macro invertebrates show the different health level of the stream.
• Paragraph 5: Explain how each individual assessment connects to the others to give the overall health of the river.   Concluding sentence to define the health of this stream based on the given data.

Study hard and feel free to come see me if you have any questions about the material.

Watershed Improvement Project (3rd Grade)

It is time for our final project of the year!  We have spent this school year exploring water, the water cycle, watersheds, stream assessment, pollution, and conservation of our waterways.  We have discovered the importance of water to our everyday lives and have learned how crucial it is for us to take care of this valuable resource.  So now, it is your turn to make a difference!

           

The goal of this project will be for you to find a way to make a difference in the health of our Etowah watershed.  Your job will be to plan the project, execute it, and then report your results back to our class.  You are free to be as creative as you like with both your project and your class presentation.   The whole idea is for you   to use your problem solving skills to develop your own idea on how to help our watershed.  We don’t want this to be your parents’ or teacher’s ideas, so you need to think about the issues facing our watershed and what you could do that would actually make a difference.  Of course, once you have decided on a plan, you might need your parents help to implement it, but the idea should be all yours. 

            You will need to obtain both parent and teacher approval for your idea before you start working on it.  We want to make sure that your plan will actually work and that you will have time to complete it before the deadline.  Once you have completed your actual project, you will need to design a creative way to share what you did with our class.  You will have 3-5 minutes to share your project with the class, so WOW us with how you made a difference.

            Have fun being a steward of our watersheds and making a difference in our community!

 

Photostory 3 Movie Project (4th and 5th)

 It is time to begin working on your third and final project of the year- a Photo Story movie about robotics or past, current and/or future space exploration.  Within those parameters, any topic that interests you is acceptable; some possible topics include: astronaut selection and training, parts of the space shuttle, space food, living and working in space, an astronaut biography, the Challenger and/or Columbia disaster, the building of the ISS, science on the ISS, NASA Spinoffs, robots in space, Robonaut, Spirit and Opportunity,Curiosity, future exploration of Mars, etc……

 

In order to receive full credit for this project, there are several components that must be completed- an outline, a storyboard, and the movie itself.  You will begin work on the project by saving an adequate number of pictures (approximately 12 pictures per minute of movie) on a flash drive and by printing out written information that will be used to educate the movie audience.  Then, you will organize your information in outline form; the outline should include the title of the movie, the main topics to be covered, and all subtopics that would fall under the main topic headings- please use standard outline form.  Make sure that you consider both the audience and the purpose and theme of your movie as you write your outline. The next step will be to create a storyboard that will show which pictures and what information will be included under each main topic.  You will be receiving more directions on both the outline and storyboard in class. 

Once you have completed the outline and storyboard, you are ready to begin physically creating your movie.  You will import and organize your pictures and will then add transitions between the pictures.  Voice recordings will be made and finally music will be added.  Please read your rubric carefully so that you are very aware of how this project will be evaluated. The long range planner provides all due dates, and the final project will be due on your Target day on the week of May 7th.

 

We will be working on this project both at school and at home.  The software we are using to create our movies is Photo Story 3; it can be downloaded free from Microsoft, and I have provided the link below.

Have fun and enjoy creating your movie!

Photostory 3

Photostory 3 Tutorial

 

Be creative, have fun, learn a lot, and we will all look forward to watching your movie in May J

 

Spring River Kids Dictionary (3rd Grade)

Welcome back to school and Happy 2012!  I hope you all had a fun and restful break and that you are ready to enjoy all of the new learning adventures planned for this semester. 

As a reminder, I will be testing during the month of January, so you will not have Target until the very end of the month or beginning of February.  I have posted a January calendar on the calendar section of the blog, but you will notice there are still several days where the schedule remains "to be determined."

Please make sure you have printed the River Kids Spring Dictionary before returning to class later this month.  The link is at the bottom of this blog entry.  So, welcome back to school, and I'll look forward to seeing you all very soon!

Download River Kids Spring Dictionary 2012

Spring GSRA Dictionary (4th and 5th)

Welcome back to school and Happy 2012!  I hope you all had a fun and restful break and that you are ready to enjoy all of the new learning adventures planned for this semester. 

As a reminder, I will be testing during the month of January, so you will not have Target until the very end of the month or beginning of February.  I have posted a January calendar on the calendar section of the blog, but you will notice there are still several days where the schedule remains "to be determined."

Over the next few weeks, you should continue working on your Space Exploration Book Project; if you check your long range planner, you will see that you should be finished with your book and your chapter summaries by next week.  Then, you have a couple of weeks to plan your presentation and make your props and costumes.  Please look at your rubric carefully to make sure your presentation is the correct length and that you have everything you need to do an exceptional job.

Finally, please make sure you have printed the GSRA Spring Dictionary before returning to class later this month.  The link is at the bottom of this blog entry.  Welcome back to school and I'll look forward to seeing you all very soon!

Download GSRA Spring Dictionary

Math Quiz and Help Session (4th and 5th Grade)

The week of December 5^th, we will be having a math quiz on Newton’s Second Law and calculating the apex of a rocket’s flight path. The purpose of this quiz is to make sure that everyone understands the math we have covered this semester, before we take our large unit test the following week.  If there are any misconceptions or areas of struggle, we will have time to correct them before the final test.

I will be offering an optional math help session on Tuesday, November 29^th from 7:20-7:50 a.m. for any students who would like additional help with the math equations.  Students should make sure to bring a pencil and paper to the math help session.

River Kids Test (3rd Grade)

Although I know it is difficult to believe, it won’t be long until the end of the semester is upon us.  Time seems to fly by with the business of Thanksgiving break, river trips, and all kinds of family activities.  With that said, it is time to start thinking about our fall unit test.  In order to make the material more manageable, we will be splitting the River Kids fall test into two sections.  On Friday, December 9^th, students will take the short answer and essay portion of the test, and on Friday, December 16^th they will finish with the objective section.

Based on the volume of material we have covered this fall, student’s should begin reviewing now so that there will be less stress as the test date approaches.  I know there will be a lot going on in December and that your families will have important events to attend, so please help your son or daughter set up a study schedule now.

I have attached a study guide to this blog entry so that you can begin to locate the various information and question sheets. The guide will be sent home as a paper copy next week and will need to be signed and returned so that I know you are aware of the upcoming test.  I can’t wait to see your child demonstrate what he or she has learned this semester!

Download River Kids-Fall Test Review 2011

Space Exploration Test (4th and 5th Grade)

Although I know it is difficult to believe, it won’t be long until the end of the semester is upon us.  Time seems to fly by with the business of Thanksgiving break, field trips, chorus performances, etc…  With that said, it is time to start thinking about our fall unit test.  Please check the December calendar for the date of your child’s test.  Due to grade level field trips, a Target field trip, and chorus performances, the schedule has significant changes, and your child’s test day may not be his or her normal Target day.

Based on the volume of material we have covered this fall, I have decided that the test will focus on the history of rockets, the Cold War and Space Race, Newton’s Laws, and calculating the apex of a rocket’s flight path.  Student’s should begin reviewing now so that there will be less stress as the test date approaches.  I know there will be a lot going on in December and that your families will have important events to attend, so please help your son or daughter set up a study schedule now.

I have attached a study guide to this blog entry.  The guide lists names, dates, and events that are important, details which notes and question sheets should be studied, and provides possible essay questions.  Because we still have several weeks of class left, we have not finished covering all of the material on the study guide.  Items in green are topics that we have not yet addressed; as we discuss topics in class, I will update the study guide so that everyone is aware of the material that has been covered.  I can’t wait to see your child demonstrate what he or she has learned this semester!

Download Space Test Review 2011

Space Exploration Book Project (4th and 5th Grade)

GSRA Cadets,

It is time for your second project of the year, and this one is designed to help you become more knowledgeable about some aspect of human space exploration.  Your assignment is to choose a “real” book on some aspect of space travel, read the book and take notes, and then present an interesting part of the book to your classmates. 

In choosing a “real” book, you are not to read a children’s book or story book, but instead something written by an astronaut, historian, or other individual with firsthand knowledge of events.  On the bottom of this page, I have provided some sample book titles, but you do not have to choose your book from my list.  However, since these books are written for adults, the first step is to have your parents help you choose the book you would like to read and obtain their approval.   Then, you will bring me the name and author of the book so I can approve it as well. Since I would like each of you to choose a different book, you should also have a backup in case another student in your class has already been approved to read your “first choice” book.

Once your book has been chosen and approved, the next step of the project is to read your book and take notes.  You will fill out the attached reading log which will allow you to keep track of dates, page numbers, and minutes you are reading; this log will be turned in as part of your project grade.  As you read, you will also need to stop at the end of each chapter and write a summary; please keep all of your chapter summaries in a spiral notebook or composition notebook that will be turned in on the day you present your project.

After you have finished reading the book and taking notes, it will be time to plan your 4-6 minute class presentation.  I would like you to learn how to make presentations without reading directly from Power Point slides, so for this project you will not be allowed to make a Power Point or use notes in any way.  This does not mean that you have to memorize your entire presentation; instead you should learn the material well enough that you can teach it to others and talk about it in a conversational manner.  Instead of trying to cover the entire book in 4-6 minutes it would probably be best to focus on the part you found most interesting. I would like you to add to the creativity of your project by including props and a costume. 

  

Since there will be several steps involved in completing the project, we will be using a long range planner to help keep you on track.  You will need to have this long range planner signed for each due date, even if Target is not meeting that week.  Please read your rubric carefully so that you will be able to seek excellence in your project and understand how you will be graded.  Both the long range planner and rubric will be affixed in the “notes”notebook you will be turning in and will be part of your final grade.   Have fun as you delve deeper and learn more about a space exploration topic you find interesting!

Commander Garvin

In case you need an additional reading log to keep track of your minutes an pages, you may download one here: Download Additional Pages for Reading Log 

Book List

I have read many of these books, but not all of them.  Therefore, it is very important that your parents look through the book you would like to read and make sure that all content is appropriate.

The Mercury Thirteen- Martha Ackmann

Failure is Not an Option-Gene Kranz

Comm Check, The Final Flight of Shuttle Columbia-Michael Cabbage

High Calling- Evelyn Hubbard

John Glenn A Memoir-John Glenn

Promised the Moon-Stephanie Nolan

Apollo Thirteen- Jim Lovell

Riding Rockets-Mike Mulane

Sixteen Minutes from Home- Mark Cantrell

Moonshot-Alan Shepard and Deke Slayton

Live from Cape Canaveral-Jay Barbree

Sky Walking-Tom Jones

For Spacious Skies- Scott Carpenter

Two Sides of the Moon: Our Story of the Cold War- Alexi Leonov and David Scott

In the Spirit of Ronald E McNair-Carl McNair

Space Exploration and Disasters-Richard Lawrence

Carrying the Fire, An Astronaut’s Journey-Michael Collins

The Last man on the Moon-Gene Cernan

Deke, An Autobiography-Deke Slayton

We Seven, By the Astronauts Themselves-Scott Carpenter

Magnificent Desolation: The Long Journey Home- Buzz Aldrin

Falling to Earth: Al Worden

Starman: The Truth Behind the Legend of Yuri Gagarin- Jamie Doran

Light This Candle- Neal Thompson

First on the Moon-Neal Armstrong

Moonwalker-Charlie Duke

Korolev: How One Man Masterminded the Soviet Drive to Beat America to the Moon- James Harford

Red Moon Rising: Sputnik and the Hidden Rivalries that Ignited the Space Age-Matthew Brezinski

Space Race-Deborah Cadbury

The Right Stuff-Tom Wolfe

Rocket Men-Craig Nelson

First Man: The Life of Neil Armstrong- James Hansen