6/8/15 and Pear Deck Survey

Today was our final day of class and we reviewed for the final exam. The exam will be 50 (or so) multiple choice questions and will cover topics from this semester such as:

How can we…

• manage forests more sustainably?
• obtain energy in a more sustainable manner?
• address air and water pollution concerns?
• dispose of solid waste in a more sustainable manner?
• combat/mitigate climate change?
• determine the effectiveness of a solar heater?
• protect biodiversity?

Also, please click here and answer the questions to the best of your ability. If you complete it, get the permission form signed, and then return it to me then I will reward you with some extra credit.

6/5/15

This weekend you should begin reviewing for the final exam. The exam will discuss topics like:

energy calculations
how we can improve our energy consumption/usage (as a planet, nation, etc.)
renewable energy resources
how we can change solid waste, air/water pollution
climate change and how we can mitigate it
measuring heat (ex. by solar heaters)
biodiversity and how we can protect it

Use your old exams and study guides (ex. for the APES exam) to help you prepare.

Regarding the final, if you are unsure as to if you qualify for an exemption for the final (i.e. you have a 90 average or above), then check PupilPath ASAP. Those are the grades that I am using to determine who is exempt and who is not.

Regarding the project due today, if you did not turn it in then you will notice a change in your grade. I will change the grade when I receive a paper copy of your final project.

If you do not find either of these to your liking, then you should speak to me in class on Monday.

Finally, Monday will be our final day of class (Tuesday is a clerical half day and you will be dismissed at 11:35... I think). So if that means something to you, then make sure that you're in class on Monday.

6/3/15

Between now and Friday, you should:

1. complete Part 4 of the solar heater design project and bring a paper copy to class on Friday
2. find your textbook and APES review book and bring them to class on Friday
3. watch an episode of BBC's "Planet Earth"

I will be available in my classroom tomorrow starting at 10:30am for making up work or working on exhibitions.

6/2/15

Today we analyzed our collected data and worked to draw conclusions about its effectiveness and efficiency. Here is the overview of the task due Friday.

Here is a link to the class data sets, which can be used for comparing the efficiency of your solar heater and providing a baseline for its overall effectiveness.

Also, please remember to bring back the textbook and APES exam review book. Lastly, your final exam will take place on the afternoon of next Wednesday, June 10th.

6/1/15

Today in class, we finished retesting our solar heaters and obtaining data. Your only homework for now is to bring back your textbook and review book (if you borrowed one).

5/29/15

Today we retested our solar heaters outside and then began to work to determine how efficient they are. Here is where we recorded our data and started our calculations. We will test our heaters once again indoors on Monday in order to determine if our redesigns and changes produced actual improvements.

5/28/15

Today we revised, improved, and optimized our solar heater designs. Tomorrow we will test our designs and heaters one more time and calculate the amount of energy it captures and the temperature change it produces.