Urbas - Science Weeks of Dec. 20th - Jan. 9th

The holiday break is upon us and the guy at the left will be quite busy at the Malls. I want to wish you all a safe and restful holiday break and remember, I'll be watching!  See you next year!

Urbas - Science Week of Dec 13 - 19

Students are finishing their study of machines this week and will be making a "Celebration of Knowledge" on Thursday. Study Guides will be available in the File Cabinet by Monday.

Urbas Science Week of Dec. 6 - 12

Students in Science next week will be studying Newton's Laws of Motion and experimenting with them by using various equipment. Students will go through all three laws and evaluate how they affect the world around them.

Urbas - Science Week of Nov. 22 - 28

Students this week in Science will be studying Belt Pulley Systems and Conveyors. They will construct and evaluate working models in addition to considering ways to improve them. Also, have a great Thanksgiving Holiday!

Urbas - Science Week of Nov. 15 - 21

Students are like the image on the left with every direction possible to travel this week with LEGO's. They have started their investigations of machines using LEGO kits and will be making everything from lever prototypes to crane and conveyor systems in the upcoming weeks. Keep watching for examples.

Urbas - Science Week of Nov 8 - 14

Students begin their investigations of Speed, Power, Motion, and Machines next week using LEGO materials. They will be using pulleys and gears and structural pieces to evaluate machines.

Urbas - Science Week of Nov. 1 - 7

Students this next week will be making a paper lever to determine the masses of three coins. Later in the week they will start their investigations of Pulleys. It should be an uplifting week!

Urbas - Science Week of Oct 25 - 31

Students this week will be looking at the relationship the relationship the exists between weight and mass. They will see that even as a person goes from place to place in the solar system, their mass doesn't change, but their weight does. What a great way to lose weight!  (or gain)

Urbas - Science Week of Oct. 18 - 24

Students are starting to investigate machines. This week they started with the lever and next week will be expanding it with the study of the Motion. Kinetic and Potential, will be examined in addition to the concept of speed. They will measure their own speed in addition to models in the lab.

Urbas - Science Week of Oct. 11 - 17

Students will be starting their investigation of work, power and simple machines this week. They will be examining how machines just change how a force is applied and understanding how machines help us work.

There will also be a test on the Scientific Method and study guides can be found in the classroom, in the File Cabinet, or under Study Guides on my BLOG.

Urbas - Science Week of Oct 4 - 10

Students next week will be reviewing safety in the Science lab and finishing Scientific Method. By the end of the week they will be starting study of the Machines unit and will be working with concepts of speed, work force, power, and motion.

There is also an extra credit option available this Saturday the 5th. More information can be found in the File Cabinet.

Urbas - Science Week of Sept 27 - Oct 3

Students this week will start to use the lab glassware that you see pictured. They will be looking at four different types of glass and learning how to read the increments that they measure in. Safety will also be a feature of the upcoming week.

There is also an upcoming Extra Credit event that will be on Saturday Oct 5 at the Downers Grove Sanitary District. Students who wish to participate can find more information in the 6th grade file cabinet or take a flyer from the classroom. Requirements are parents take their students and receive a certificate of attendance from the facility after the tour. Tours are free and run from 9:00 am until noon.

Urbas - Science Week of Sept. 20 - 26

Students are working on the concept of density and next week will apply it to finding the reason boats float to being able to identify unknown samples from measurement. They will be using volume and mass to determine the nine unknown samples.

Urbas - Science Week of Sept 13 - 19

Students this week in Science will be learning how to use and measure with the Triple Beam Balance. They will be conducting several experiments using the equipment. Ask how they measured up.

Urbas - Science Week of Sept. 6 - 12

Students have started working towards the concept of metric measurement and Density. This week they worked on basic understanding of the metric system and now are beginning their application of it in relation to measurement.

Urbas - Science Week of August 30 - September 5

Welcome to 6^th Grade Science

Mr. Urbas

I would like to welcome all of the new students to Lakeview Junior High whether you come from Prairieview or another school. Your next years will be filled with new challenges, opportunities, and possibilities.

I teach science in the sixth grade and have been doing so at Lakeview for the past 20 years. In addition to teaching, I also coach Cross Country, a sport I encourage you as a sixth grader to participate in during the fall. I also coordinate a Science Club in the spring which is open to all students in which we perform various experiments that are not a part of the science curriculum at Lakeview.

The science curriculum in sixth grade is one based on the studies of Earth and Physical Science. The class has an emphasis on hands on activities and the lab is a major part of the curriculum. Students are expected to participate and act in a safe manner whenever working in the lab setting. Units of study include metrics, safety, machines, geology, plate tectonics, color and light, astronomy, and topography.

The curriculum is matched to state standards and is designed for the student to be successful during the process. Required work consists of daily work, pre-labs, lab assessments and quizzes and tests. To be successful a student needs to complete the work in a timely manner. Specific rules and procedures will be given out to each individual student in the fall at the start of the year to be reviewed by the student and parents both.

I can be reached by accessing my e mail at:

murbas@ccsd66.org

or

(630) 783-5035

Please feel free to contact me and I hope to see you at the Parent Open house sponsored at Lakeview.

Urbas Science Week of August 28 - 30

Welcome back from summer to all incoming 6th grade students. This year will be a new experience and challenging in regards to the study of Science. I have planned several new and exciting aspects of the curriculum this year in addition to many of the normal things we study in 6th grade. Stay tuned!

Urbas - Science Week of May 31 - August 22

Student this upcoming week will continue to use their compasses to find bearings and locations. They will be participating in a map challenge next week and hopefully weather permitting a scavenger hunt. Keep watching!

Urbas - Science Week of May 24 - 30

Students have begun their investigations of Topography using maps and compasses. Next week they will be doing Orienteering in the fields and making and using maps. Their use of magnetic compasses is improving.

Urbas - Science Week of May 17 - 23

                                                                                     Students this upcoming week will be beginning their study of topography and mapping of landforms. Students will be working with actual maps of the area around Lakeview and also using a magnetic compass to find their  locations.            Hopefully there should be no excuse for not knowing where something is.

Urbas - Science Week of May 10 - 16

Students this week were using the StarLab Planetarium to view the constellations, coordinates, myths and cultures during this past week in Science. They enjoyed the experience of "camping" in our classroom every day this week.

Next week we continue the study of the stars focusing on our own star the Sun.
Remember, don't stare at the Sun!

There will also be an Astronomy Test on Thursday, May 16th. Study guides can be found online or in the Science classroom.

Urbas Science Week of May 3 - 9

Students in Science will be using the StarLab dome pictured. It will be used to show various characteristics of our galaxy, the Milky Way and beyond. Students will explore our local group and constellations viewed by ancient cultures and their impact on our society.

Urbas - Science Week of April 26 - May 2

Students constructed their own Starfinders in class and are encouraged to try and use them to locate constellations in the night sky, weather permitting.

Next week we will continue to examine stars and how their existence makes life possible on Earth. (And maybe someplace else.)

The Dome is coming.

Urbas - Science Week of April 19 - 25

Students have begun their investigations of the universe and have started questioning how the universe is expanding. They will be looking at individual constellations next week and seeing how light ties in with the stars.

Urbas - Science Week of April 11 - 17

Students this upcoming week are starting their investigations of the Universe. They will be examining stars  and galaxies in the upcoming weeks and developing an understanding of how large and complex the universe really is.

There will also be a short quiz next Friday covering water. Drink up.

Urbas - Science Week of April 5 - 11

Students are studying water and will be working with the Water Cycle pictured.

We take for granted water in our everyday lives, but water is and will be getting to be more of a concern in the future.

How will the problem of water be solved, only time will tell.  I think I need a tall cool glass right now.

Urbas - Science 3/22 - 4/1

Students are encouraged to have a great Spring Break week! When we return, students will be working with water and Natural Resources. On Friday the last day of school they took the Ishihara Color Blindness Test. They all passed.

Urbas - Science Week of March 15 - 21

Students continue to work on the concepts of Color and Light. This week they examined color in relation to a light source and also worked with eye hand coordination. They learned that what they think they see is not always what there is, and they need to keep a steady hand.

Next week on Wednesday we have a test on Light and the Study Guide can be found online or a copy can be had in my classroom.

Science Club also starts on Monday the 18th. See applications in my room for details.

Urbas - Science Week of March 8 - 14

Students this week have participated in a series of experiments focused on heat, periodic motion and oxidation. Next week they will take all the information they accumulated and add it togethert to try and solve a problem.


Next week we return to Light and Color.

Urbas - Science Week of March 1 - 7

This week in Science, students will be working on a series of experiments in order to solve a puzzle. The experiments will be centered around concepts of Heat and Time and Corrosion. Upon completion, students will make decisions regarding a course of action and puzzle solution. These experiments are run around the ISAT Tests and provide an excellent Science experience. Stay tuned!

Urbas - Science Week of Feb 22 - 28

Students this week in Science have been working with mirrors and reflections. Next week they will start their investigations of lenses and angles of Incidence and Reflection.

There is an Extra Credit option available Saturday at the IIT Rice campus in Wheaton. More information can be found to the left under Extra Credit.

Urbas - Science Week of Feb 15 - 21

Students are working with mirrors this upcoming week and will make some startling discoveries that they will see. Light and Color are the highlight.

There is also an opportunity for Extra Credit next Saturday, Feb. 23rd  at the Du Page Area Engineers Week Expo.  It will be free, from 10:30 to 3:30 and details are posted to the left under Extra Credit. You must bring in to class some proof from the Expo that you attended.

Urbas - Science Week of Feb 8 - 14

Students have been busy recently building towers to try to withstand an earthquake. The pictures below show almost all of the students efforts. Most were successful in withstanding an average earthquake, but most of them collapsed when the magnitude got up to 8. It was a great experience for the students and they learned a great deal about what occurs to a building when disaster strikes.

Students have begun their investigations into Color and Light this week and will be learning about why objects look the way they do. Stay tuned.

         

                                                                                  

Urbas - Science Week of Feb. 1 - 7

Happy Groundhog Day!

Students on Monday will be testing their Tower constructions against Mr. Urbas's Earthquake Generator.
They have been very busy constructing and reconstructing their Towers! It has been a week of success and oops! All kidding aside we should have some pictures on the BLOG next week and the results will be in, stay tuned.

Urbas - Science Week of Jan 25 - 31

Pictured to the left is a tower that is an Earthquake Simulator. Students next week in Science will be working to construct a tower of their own to try and withstand an earthquake. The towers will be constructed over a period of a week and let's hope they aren't.

Stay tuned!

Urbas - Science Week of Jan 18 - 24

Students have been investigating the cause and effect of earthquakes this week in Science. Next week they will be amateur Seismologists when they try to pinpoint the location of an earthquake located somewhere in the US.

Students will also be taking an Earthquake Quiz next Friday, the 25th.

Stay tuned.

Urbas - Science Week of Jan. 11 - 17

Students have begun their investigations into Plate Tectonics and Earthquakes. They will be looking at Earthquake Waves in addition into determining whose "fault" it is. Things are shakin!