The students were asked to create prototype characters for a sequel to Monsters, Inc. I hope you like them as much as I do.

I expect a lot from my students. That’s ’cause when they deliver, well, look for yourself. It’s just so cool!

SEE A SOLAR ECLIPSE ON SUNDAY MAY 20TH 2012

Every month, the Moon goes around the Earth (“Moon’th”). When the Moon is opposite the Sun we see it lit as a “Full Moon” and when it is in the same direction as the Sun we see it lit as a thin crescent or “New Moon”. Because it’s path is not exactly on the same plane as the Sun it usually passes just above or below the Sun when it is a New Moon. Sometimes, however, the Moon passes in front of the Sun and we get a “Solar Eclipse”.

By an amazing piece of luck, the apparent disk of the Sun is 400 times bigger that the disk of the Moon, but it is 400 times further away.. So they look almost the same size from Earth.

There are three types of Solar Eclipse:

Partial…  The Moon covers part of the Sun

Total….   The Moon completely cover the Sun

Annular.. The Moon almost covers the Sun but not completely because it is a little too far away

On Sunday, May  20^th we will see an Annular Solar Eclipse

Unless you drive North to Reading and into the perfect path of the shadow of the Moon you won’t see the Annular eclipse, but you will see a VERY deep partial eclipse here in Oakland with the Moon covering 84.5% of the Sun.

Times for Oakland:

First contact…           17:55:55 (5:56pm)

Maximum eclipse…  18:32:33 (6:32pm)

Last contact….          19:39:50 (7:40pm)

From Oakland with the Moon almost covering the Sun it will appear as a crescent

DO NOT LOOK AT THE SUN WITH YOUR EYES.. YOU WILL DAMAGE THEM FOREVER!!

The simplest method is a pinhole camera. Make a small hole in a sheet of card, and hold it about a yard from another sheet of card, with your back to the Sun; the Sun’s light will be “projected” through the pinhole and form an inverted image on the second sheet of card, which you can then look at safely. Don’t look through the pinhole! You can adjust the size of the image by adjusting the separation of the cards.

You can also use special mylar eclipse glasses if you have them. Share them if you have them. You can also go to Chabot Observatory on Skyline Blvd where they will have free safe eclipse viewing.

I love being a mom, but it’s not always easy and I’m not always the best at it. I sure felt like it this weekend, though.  Graduation, hugs, time with family – it all fell together after that mad rush to the finish line. I love you girls, and my dear Andrew. You make me want to do something greater – however, I’m not going through this again without the hood. Just sayin’.

Monterey Bay Aquarium

Please view this Slide Share file which outlines our requirements for the field trip to Monterey Bay Aquarium, scheduled for June 7th.  Sorry the beautiful video is not included on slide 3 – I’m too cheap to pay for the upgrade on Slide Share!  Still, parents can see the same slides the students were presented with today during the end of 3rd period.

Big thanks to Mr. Gray for putting the details together.  We have a great family leader!

This is a great slideshow I found on Slideshare that covers exactly what we worked on Friday. We attempted to “dissect” a flower and identify the reproductive parts.  Click here for the notes from that lesson for those of you who may have missed it. plant reprod notes master

Panthers work hard!



Scientific notation is simply a method for expressing, and working with, very large or very small numbers.  It is a short hand method for writing numbers, and an easy method for calculations.  Numbers in scientific notation are made up of three parts: the coefficient, the base and the exponent.  Observe the example below:

5.67 x 10⁵

This is the scientific notation for the standard number, 567 000.  Now look at the number again, with the three parts labeled.
5.67 x 10⁵
        coefficient                          base        exponent

In order for a number to be in correct scientific notation, the following conditions must be true:

1. The coefficient must be greater than or equal to 1 and less than 10.
2. The base must be 10.
3. The exponent must show the number of decimal places that the decimal needs to be moved to change the number to standard notation.  A negative exponent means that the decimal is moved to the left when changing to standard notation.

Changing numbers from scientific notation to standard notation

       Ex.1 Change 6.03 x 10⁷ to standard notation

remember,  10⁷ = 10 x 10 x 10 x 10 x 10 x 10 x 10 = 10 000 000

so,    6.03 x 10⁷ = 6.03 x 10 000 000 = 60 300 000

answer = 60 300 000

Instead of finding the value of the base, we can simply move the decimal seven places to the right because the exponent is 7.

So, 6.03 x 10⁷ = 60 300 000

Now let us try one with a negative exponent

Ex.2 Change 5.3 x 10^-4 to standard notation

The exponent tells us to move the decimal four places to the left.

so, 5.3 x 10^-4 = 0.00053

Changing numbers from standard notation to scientific notation

Ex.1  Change 56 760 000 000 to scientific notation

Remember, the decimal is at the end of the final zero.

The decimal must be moved behind the five to ensure that the coefficient is less than 10, but greater than or equal to one.

The coefficient will then read 5.676

The decimal will move 10 places to the left, making the exponent equal to 10.

Answer equals 5.676 x 10¹⁰

Now we try a number that is very small.

Ex.2  Change 0.000000902 to scientific notation

The decimal must be moved behind the 9 to ensure a proper coefficient.

The coefficient will be 9.02

The decimal moves seven spaces to the right, making the exponent -7

Answer equals 9.02 x 10^-7 

Calculating with Scientific Notation

Not only does scientific notation give us a way of writing very large and very small numbers, it allows us to easily do calculations as well.  Calculators are very helpful tools, but unless you can do these calculations without them, you can never check to see if your answers make sense.   Any calculation should be checked using your logic, so don’t just assume an answer is correct.  This page will explain the rules for calculating with scientific notation.

Rule for Multiplication – When you multiply numbers with scientific notation, multiply the coefficients together and add the exponents.  The base will remain 10.

Ex 1 – Multiply (3.45 x 10⁷) x (6.25 x 10⁵)

1. First rewrite the problem as:    (3.45 x 6.25) x (10⁷ x 10⁵)
2. Then multiply the coefficients and add the exponents:    21.5625 x 10¹²
3. Then change to correct scientific notation and round to correct significant digits:
   2.16 x 10¹³

NOTE – we add one to the exponent because we moved the decimal one place to the left.

Remember that correct scientific notation has a coefficient that is less than 10, but greater than or equal to one.

Ex. 2 – Multiply (2.33 x 10^-6) x (8.19 x 10³)

1. rewrite the problem as: (2.33 x 8.19) x (10^-6 x 10³)
2. Then multiply the coefficients and add the exponents:  19.0827 x 10^-3
3. Then change to correct scientific notation and round to correct significant digits 1.91 x 10^-2

• Remember that -3 + 1 = -2

Rule for Division – When dividing with scientific notation, divide the coefficients and subtract the exponents.  The base will remain 10.

Ex. 1 – Divide 3.5 x 10⁸ by 6.6 x 10⁴

1. Rewrite the problem as:                 3.5 x 10⁸
   ———
   6.6 x 10⁴        
2. Divide the coefficients and subtract the exponents to get:      0.530303 x 10⁴
3. Change to correct scientific notation and round to correct significant digits to get: 5.3 x 10³
   1. a.     Note – We subtract one from the exponent because we moved the decimal one place to the right.

Rule for Addition and Subtraction – when adding or subtracting in scientific notation, you must express the numbers as the same power of 10.  This will often involve changing the decimal place of the coefficient

Ex. 1 – Add 3.76 x 10⁴ and 5.5 x 10²

1. move the decimal to change 5.5 x 10² to 0.055 x 10⁴
2. add the coefficients and leave the base and exponent the same:  3.76 + 0.055 = 3.815 x 10⁴
3. following the rules for rounding, our final answer is 3.815 x 10⁴        

Rounding is a little bit different because each digit shown in the original problem must be considered significant, regardless of where it ends up in the answer.

Ex. 2 – Subtract (4.8 x 10⁵) – (9.7 x 10⁴)

1. move the decimal to change 9.7 x 10⁴ to 0.97 x 10⁵
2. subtract the coefficients and leave the base and exponent the same:  4.8 – 0.97 = 3.83 x 10⁵
3. round to correct number of significant digits: 3.83 x 10⁵  

The assignment was posted a while back, but I thought it would be cool to show some of the best animal posters that students submitted.  This one really rocked.  Good work, my Jedi Knights of Science!

I had no idea there was such an amazing redwood forest only an hour or so from the east bay.  Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve is a great day trip or stay overnight in Guernville, where there are lots of cabins for a decent price and a relaxing evening.  Thanks to our friends Peter and Jane, we had two nights on the Russian River and some great hiking to kick off Spring Break.  Ahh!

When I saw that E.O. Wilson would be speaking about his new book at the Exploratorium, we were crushed to find out the tickets were sold out. After all, E.O. Wilson is the Mick Jagger of Entomologists, having named more species of ants than anyone named of any species, and the world’s foremost expert on biodiversity. No one has had more influence on the field of biology for so many decades. Now in his eighties, I knew I should make a concerted effort to see him, having read many of his books.

Andrew and I went to San Francisco anyway, hoping to get in. We hit traffic all through Oakland, but made it with minutes to spare and unclaimed tickets to be had. As luck would have it, our dear friends Jack and Tres were inside, waiting for the auditorium to open. We scored front and center seats, totally enjoyed the lecture and following discussion led by Stewart Brand, and ended up with the last signed copy of his new book!

We left impressed, inspired, and immersed in the thoughts he shared about social species and why we humans are amazingly among only twelve species to have ever reached the status of being truly social. I can’t wait to read the book, a landmark for biologists on the level of Darwin.

…having to say goodbye to my cool old wonder dog, Gibby.  I really found it cathartic to paint with my students, though.  We worked on these for a few days and learned about George Rodrigue and the Blue Dog projects in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina.  I hope you like our paintings.  To my students; “You have no idea how often you are the teacher and I am the student – thanks!”