A Dog's Life

Do you ever sit and wait and wait? Well, science is not just sitting and waiting for something to happen. You need to be moving your mind, your body and get going.

The blog is on 'vacation' as we wait for everyone to get their parents permission to have their pictures continue to be posted at this sight.

In the meantime, enjoy Bacon, my favorite Chocolate Lab. He is a cutie and he is waiting for you to discover something great today!

What will YOU discover?

Chapter 3 Tests Tuesday, November 8, 2010

Students are busy reviewing for their upcoming science tests on Tuesday, November 8.

6 Grade students have been studying Earth's Spheres and the Energy that moves through them.

7 Grade students have been studying light and the electromagnetic spectrum.

8 Grade students have been studying the four phases of matter and the way gas behaves.

Good Luck to All!

7th Grade know there 'extra credit word' and must write a species with this type of vision on the top of their next test.

6th Grade your word is 'geosphere'

8th Grade your term is 'Boyle's Law'

Teamwork in Science

Imagine designing a blimp that could carry maximum number of passengers. The 8th grade boys had fun working together using helium filled balloons and some great engineering to compete with the girl teams.

8th Grade Launches Designs and Builds Air Ships

8th grade students were divided in to teams and had to design and construct a 'blimp' that could carry maximum number of passengers and travel from NYC to LA in the science lab!

Botany 101 in 7th Grade

7th Graders have been learning about asexual reproduction and dissected flowers to see the up close reproduction parts.

Time for Dress Up Fun with Pre-K Friends

Once a week, 6th grade likes to read or play with our Pre-K Chapel buddies.  We look forward to walking with them for the school's annual Harvest Parade, Friday, October 29, 2010. Bring your cameras and join the fun!

October Middle School Team Building Day

Middle School Students get together once a month for team building fun. This month teams were challenged to build the tallest toothpick structures; withstand earthquakes; played the Human Knot and Human Scrabble games.

Mummifying Chicken Parts

Getting ready for our visit to the California Science Center, students have been busy learning about the types of mummies, various mummification methods and we tested them out in the science lab.

Contour Maps Island Activity

6th graders have been busy visiting islands to determine elevation and other points of interest. Students created Potato/Zuchinni and Lima Bean Islands to reinforce map making skills.

Magic Word

SPARKY is my friend from the Burbank Fire Department and we are looking forward to FLS having some special guest speakers from the fire department to talk to us about chemical reactions.  SPARKY is the magic word to write on the top of your next science test, next Thursday to get 5 extra credit points!  Good Luck and start studying!

The Mummies Are Coming

Friday, October 8, 2010, your students grades 6-8 will be preparing chicken parts for an experiment in mummification in preparation for our fieldtrip to the California Science Center on Thursday, October 28, 2010.  Be sure to ask you child about the different ways mummies have been created.

7th Grade Constructing Cellular Organisms

7th Grade is busy learning about what living things need and preparing for cellular theory.  8th Grade is busy learning about matter and its physical and chemical properties. 6th Grade is learning about various geological and topographical maps.

4 New Computers in the FLS Lab

Our school is grateful for a very generous donation of 4 new computers, a new movie screen and a LCD projector for our computer lab!  Mark Curtis, 7th grade student and his family Dr. Thomas and Kathy Curtis have blessed us with new equipment. This helps student conduct science; analyze their data; create PowerPoint presentations and so much more.  Thank you again Curtis' Family.

We are in need of software for our new computers. If your family would like to donate funds to allow us to purchase some needed software, it would be very much appreciated. Please contact Ms. Tierney for more information.

Josh and Reading/Chapel Buddy

Chapel Buddies

Sixth grade students are chapel buddies to Pre-K and Preschool friends. Look at us enjoy reading together!

How Do you Fit Your Body Through An Index Card

FLS Middle School students have been thinking outside the 'rectangle' and like scientists!  See what we have been attempting....with success!

7th Grade is Digging in to Science

Did you know that if you sign up to follow this BLOG AND you get your parents to sign up, you can earn EXTRA CREDIT POINTS? For each parent/or guardian that signs up and sends Ms. Tierney an email at flsmsgca@gmail.com saying you (your name) recommended them and confirming they have signed up on the BLOG, you receive points in your account!  These come in handy! Be sure to follow the BLOG!

Sixth Grade Loves Middle School Science

Can You Find the Layers of Earth

Week One Rescue Mission to the Center of the Earth

This team ROCKED IT!

8th Grade is back and they DUG our first science lab activity!  Students have heard about recent geologic events like the Gulf of Mexico oil spill from the ocean floor. Then the world heard the news about the 33 miners trapped 2,300 feet below the Earth's surface in Chile, South America.  Questions were asked, "Why don't we have the technology to take care of these catastrophes immediately?

Students participated in a simulation where they used their 3x3 edible Earth models; a series of clues to help find a missing research team somewhere in the center of Earth.  KUDOS! Great detective work!

Racing Off to A Great 2010-2011 Year!

What a terrific year we have ahead of us! Lots of changes for the 2010-2011 school year! Ms. Tierney has changed the math room in to the Science Lab! It will also be the 6th Grade Homeroom and I look forward to greeting all our 6th graders.

We kick off the science year with a rescue mission to the center of the Earth! October we will be busy making mummies in preparation for our first fieldtrip of the year to the California Science Center near Exposition Park/USC.

Parents, be on the look out for occasional 'Wish List' items. The lab depends upon your generous donations and we want to conduct as many 'hands-on' exploration labs as possible.

Please check in here weekly to see what we are discovering!

March Roars In for Middle School

What a wonderful month we are having and students are preparing to present their Whale projects next Thursday. 6th graders are building dioramas and 7th & 8th Grade students are creating Power Point Presentations. Guidelines and rubrics have been distributed. Thank you to Mr. Tan for working with students in the FLS Computer Lab. Thank you parents for purchasing Flash Drives for your child. This has been a big help:-)

The Middle School team is hoping that Disney's movie release, OCEAN, will be playing at a theater in Glendale so we can take the students to see this magnificant movie. Before long, you will be getting information about two camping trips that are FLS traditions. 6th graders will be going to El Camino and 7th & 8th grade students will be going to Catalina. Ms. Rundquist will be sending a letter home soon.

Tomorrow is our test on Whales, Mammals and Classification. As we have learned about taxonomy, adaptation, evolution and more, our FLS Marine Biologists have done a super job!

Look forward to upcoming Ecology & Botany unit for 7th graders and Energy, Force & Motion for 6th & 8th Grades. I hope we can take a special trip to see some real Force & Motion at one of LA's famous landmarks. Thank you parents for supporting these learning opportunities outside the classroom.

Come Visit our Ocean

Thursday, March 4, 2010 is Open House Night at FLS! Come upstairs to the Middle School Hall and see our Ocean of Learning! We have beautiful illustrations; great facts by the water-drop full; ocean models of the Continental Margin and Deep Ocean Basin!

You will also get to see samples of the work being done in Consumer Science. Do you know if name brand cereal is worth paying the extra money? Which french fry is a favorite among all FLS students? Ever use a plastic bag to carry groceries home, only to have it break. Find out which bag passed our laboratory testing.

Soon, all Middle School Students will become the proud parents of a WHALE! That's right! Students will be receiving notice as to what whale they will get to research and later share with us about their amazing ocean mammal.

The current El Nino and the conditions it has brought truly has helped our learning and understanding of natural disasters like the recent mudslides. Our prayers and thoughts are of those who may have lost a home recently. Now we turn to the people of Chile as they face the aftermath from this weekend's earthquake. Even the incident at SeaWorld Orlando touched us as we study whales like the Orca. Students are finding that science is all around them and happening every day.

Ask your child about measuring out the length of the Orca, Blue, Gray and Humpback whales on the school playground...our non-traditional tool for measuring, non-cooked spaghetti.

Good job MS in preparing your study guide and outline for last week's quiz. Many of you did a super job! Keep up the good work!!!

February Fun

Students have kicked off the New Year by really rocking it on their Science test! It pays to review daily and so many FLS Middle School students earned great grades on their test!

Have you seen the bulletin board of the 6th and 7th Grade students eating their DNA Tacos & Burritos? Or have you read the essays written by our students on cloning, genetics, bioengineering, and considering if there is life elsewhere.

8th Grade completed their Chemistry unit and discovered the elements in our foods and where elements are found in the world around us.

The Middle School hall now has water, water, everywhere! Look at the great maps done with Ms. Palmer and 6th grade students, based on Island of the Blue Dolphins. All students did awesome Ocean illustrations and are busy working on their Ocean Geology models in class.

The FLS Whale trip was sooooo much fun! We saw lots of dolphins, sea lions and going with the entire school 1st Grade-8th will be a memory all of us will carry forever! God is great!

Caring Community

First Lutheran Middle School Students Help Each Other

Our students have participated in the wonderful Christmas Play and will receive extra credit on their next Science test.

Thank you to the students who helped our cast members not miss a beat, they too will receive extra credit on the next test.

Remember, if you shared the 'thank you note' I sent to families (and a parent signed it and you returned it to Ms. Tierney) this was another way to get extra points.

CORRECTION:

8th Grade elected to take their test on Tuesday, January 19th and on Wednesday, January 20.

7th and 6th Grade have their tests on Wednesday, January 20.

REMINDER!

All FLS Middle School students are expected to be on the Whale Sightseeing Trip, Friday, January 29. The entire school and staff will be going. If you have not turned in your money and fieldtrip permission form, PLEASE DO SO IMMEDIATELY! Give it to your homeroom teacher.

ALL PERMISSION SLIPS AND MONEY ARE DO THIS WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20.

I look forward to having students be in Consumer Science Elective on January 25. If you have not paid your elective fee for the trimester, please turn it in to Ms. Tierney as soon as possible. The fee is $20.00 (which works out to $2.50 per student, per session).

Keep up the great discoveries you are making!

January 20, 2010 Next Science Test for Grades 6,7, 8

Mark your calendars:

8th Grade: Chemistry, Part 1 Test

7th Grade: Biology, Part 1 Test

6th Grade: Pre-Biology Part 1 Test

will be administered on January 20, 2010.

Students received study guides prior to the winter break. Review will begin prior to the Martin Luther King Holiday weekend break. Review will continue upon students return from MLK holiday.