Homework for 4/25/18 (Due 5/2/18)
Hi Class,
I had so much fun with all of you today building our atoms! You all did a wonderful job. We will display them at the showcase during the picnic. For homework, please make sure that you have finished your sheet that gives your element's symbol, name, atomic number, and atomic mass as well as a key that tells which color pompons represent the protons, neutrons, or electrons in your model. In addition, make sure you finish cutting out the pull tabs for the element cards I handed out in class. Remember to bring both of those sheets back (if you brought them home) so that we can display them next to your models at the showcase.
I also handed out a worksheet on balancing chemical equations. This is an optional assignment. You do not have to complete this for next week but you may try it and we can discuss it at the beginning of next class.
I cannot believe that next week is our last class! I have enjoyed this year with all of you so much. Thank you for being such wonderful class.
Have a great week!
Homework for 4/18/18 (Due 4/25/18)
Hi Class,
You did an excellent job today with the volcano experiment. Next week we will wrap up our Chemistry unit. Due to the fact that so many students have been out lately due to testing, traveling, illness, etc., I have decided that we will not have a unit assessment/test at the end of this unit. Instead, we will review everything we have gone over next week and then vote on the topic for our final class. I have had some requests to do a final animal behavior study, so we will discuss this option during next week's class.
For homework, finish your volcano lab and be sure to graph your results. Practice modeling molecules using your Play-doh and try the challenge model from the Modeling Molecules worksheet. For those who were unable to attend class today, you do not need to worry about the homework for this week. The concepts we covered will be covered in greater detail in your future chemistry classes. Please just concentrate on your testing, getting well, or enjoying your family vacations:)
Have a great week!
Homework for 4/11/18 (Due 4/18/18)
Hi Class,
Today we had the wonderful opportunity to sit in on part of the 6th grade Chemistry class. We learned about the Periodic Table as well.
For Homework, cut and glue the Periodic Table into your Science Notebook. Use the Periodic Table I handed out 2 weeks ago to color the groups on your blank Periodic Table that you put in your notebook. Be sure to make an entry in your Table of Contents (4/11/18 Periodic Table pp.??). For extra credit, you may try the Matchy Matchy Chemistry handout. If you can't figure it out, don't panic; we will talk about it in class next week. Also, read pp.76-79 in your book.
Have a great week!
Homework for 4/4/18 (Due 4/11/18)
Hi Class,
Today we talked about states of matter. We discussed how particles move in matter and the changing states of matter. Next week we will talk more about the Periodic Table of the Elements. Be sure that you have finished answering the questions for the lab we completed in class (Activity 6.1 Matter on the Move),
Read pp. 24-29 in your Usborne Science Encyclopedia.
Good luck to our students who are competing at the State Science Olympiad competition this weekend in Knoxville!
Have a great week!
Homework for 3/28/18 (Due 4/4/18)
Hi Class,
Today we talked about atoms and elements. We worked on the Electron Hotel Packet. For homework this week, complete the last page of the Electron Hotel Packet on Atomic Calculations. Use your Periodic Table to help you. In addition, complete the Show What You Know Atoms & Elements Packet and read pp. 16-23 in your book.
If you have any questions, please let me know.
Have a great week!
Homework for 3/21/18 (Due 3/28/18)
Hi Class,
For homework this week, finish the Pompon (Marshmallow) Tubes Exp. Worksheet. Remember that we altered the experiment so that we only tested one variable; big versus small pompons. You should have filled in a prediction as well as data for your 3 flight trials. Be sure that you labeled your measurements (in/cm). Remember that you will not have data for all of the rows because we only tested one variable. We did not test short vs. long tubes and far from mouth vs. close to mouth as it is shown on the worksheet. Find the average for the small and large pompons. In the boxes at the bottom of the "Plan and Test" page, write the results of your experiment.
1."Which tube and placement worked best for your team?" Instead write which size pompon traveled the greatest distance.
2. Compare the results to your predictions.
3. What human factors influence this experiment? (Think about your procedure and what might have affected your results).
4. What could you do to further test this data? (Think about some additional ways you might test the different sizes of pompons. Could you increase the number of trials? Would you do something differently to control for human factors?)
On the "Ask" side of the data sheet, be sure you fill out what your independent variable was (think about what the variable was that you tested) and what your controls were (think about all of the things you tried to keep the same for each trial and each size of pompon).
We only tested one variable in class so you only have to write the one variable. You may test additional variables at home if you are curious and want to explore further.
In your Usborne Science Encyclopedia, read pp 10-15.
We will start our Chemistry unit next week. We will not have a quiz on the Physics unit.
Have a great week!
Homework for 3/7/18 (Due 21/18)
Hi Class,
Remember, next week is Spring Break. Your Homework is to have fun! You may work on your catapult or any other simple machine you want to make and bring back to class. We will spend the first 15 minutes of class testing anything you bring in that demonstrates Newton's laws or any other concept we have been working on in our Forces and Motion unit.
Have a wonderful break!
Homework for 2/28/18 (Due 3/7/18)
Hi Class,
Today we finished our lab on calculating average speed, average speed per interval, as well as graphed this data in order to make comparisons. You all did an excellent job! In addition we learned about simple machines.
For next week, be sure to finish adding the simple machine tabs into your Science Notebooks. Read pp. 134-137 in the Usborne Science Encyclopedia. In addition, try to build a catapult using the supplies I gave you in class today. You may add elements from home to your catapult. Be creative. If you are stuck and need design ideas, email me and I will help you. Bring your catapults back to class next week and we will see who can catapult their pompon the greatest distance.
Have a great week!
Homework for 2/21/18 (Due 2/28/18)
Hi Class,
We will continue learning about Forces and Motion next week at which time we will complete the experiment we started in class on calculating average speed. Due to the fact that many students are competing this weekend in the Science Olympiad, the homework assignment will be light.
Read pp.124-127 in the Usborne Science Encyclopedia. (Please note that these pages are different than the pages I wrote on the board at the end of class. If you have already read those pages, they will be assigned for next week so you will have that completed already).
Good luck to the students competing in the Science Olympiad and have a great week!
Homework for 2/14/18 (Due 2/21/18)
Hi Class,
You all did such a great job today collecting data and estimating distance in meters! I was very impressed with all of you. Today we wrapped up our animal unit. Next week we will start our physics unit.
For next week, please complete the take home exam for our animal unit. Try to study your notes and take the exam without looking at your notes. You may go back and use your notes if you have forgotten something, but please leave me a note on the exam so I know which questions you needed to look up. Please bring your exam with you to turn in for next week.
Read pp.118-123 in the Usborne Science Encyclopedia.
Have a great week!
Homework for 2/7/18 (Due 2/14/18)
Hi Class,
For this week:
1. Glue your pie charts and data sheets into your Science Notebooks. You will need to cut them so that they will fit.
2. Do Activity 3.3 the “Testable Hypothesis?” worksheet.
3. Make a graph to represent the hamster data we collected in class to create an activity budget. You can use any of the data sets you choose. You only have to make a graph for one data set. This graph can be a pie chart or a bar graph. You may use whatever program you have available at home (Google Sheets, Excel, mathisfun.com)
Challenge Activity:
This activity is optional, you may complete this if you want an extra challenge this week. Use the Ethogram you created last week and collect data on the animal you chose. I have attached a data sheet (on blue paper) but you may also create your own if you want to customize it. For this activity, you will need to collect data for a set amount of time (eg. 10 minutes). You will set a stop watch and record at either set intervals (eg. every minute) what behavior you observe OR you can record all behaviors you observe in a 10 minute time frame marking down the time you see each behavior (eg. At 1 minute 36 seconds you observe the cat grooming himself, so you record 1:36 - Groom).
You may take this data and analyze and create a graph to present to the class next week.
Please email me if you have any questions. Have fun with these activities!
Homework from 1/31/18 (Due 2/7/18)
I hope you enjoyed collecting behavioral data on our visiting Robo Dwarf Hamsters today. They were pretty worn out when I got them home and fell asleep on top of one another inside their igloo.
For your homework next week, I would like for you to analyze your hamster data that we collected in class today. Count up/Total all of the tally marks you have in each Quadrant so that you how many total times hamsters were in Quadrant A, Quadrant B, Quadrant C, and Quadrant D. Add all of these numbers together to get a total number of observations. Calculate the percentage that the animals were in each Quadrant and record these numbers on your data sheets.
If you need help calculating percentages, I have included a brief explanation in the Homework Packet. If you need additional help, please email me.
Once you have calculated your percentages for each Quadrant, you will create a pie chart to illustrate your results. You may use whatever program you like to create this pie chart (Google sheets, Microsoft Excel, or you can just find a simple program online such as mathisfun.com) You may want to play around with labeling the different sections of your pie chart so that you can tell which quadrant had the food, wheel, shelter, or empty.
Please create a pie chart for your data and print it out and bring it to class next week.
Answer the question at the bottom of the data sheet: What does your data tell you? Explain in a few sentences what you have learned about where your animal prefers to be.
In addition, please read the handouts in this packet: What is Behavior?,What is an Ethogram, Behavior Sampling Tools, Questions to Focus Observations, and the Sample Ethogram on Domestic Dogs.
When you are finished reading, complete Activity 2.3 (Ethogram Development). Please create your Ethogram in your Science Notebook. You will choose either a pet or another animal that you are able to observe. You will watch this animal and create your own ethogram of behaviors for this animal. You should spend at least 5 minutes on 2 or 3 separate days observing your animal so that you can see a variety of its behaviors. Use the Sample Ethogram on Dog Behavior to help you. Your Ethogram does not need to be as extensive as the sample but it should be detailed enough that you are able to describe any and all behaviors you see. Remember, we use the Ethogram when we are collecting data on our animals; therefore, we need to have a word to describe each behavior we see. For example, how will you describe behavior when you see your animal moving from one location to another? Will you call this behavior “Traveling”? Will you distinguish between walking and running? What will you call it if your animal is walking while sniffing the ground? Will that be traveling, sniffing, or will you call that something else that combines these two behaviors?
If you have any questions, please email me (shuneyc@comcast.net).
Challenge Assignment: Activity 3.1 Which Sampling Method Works Best?
There is a challenge assignment at the back of the packet on blue paper. From now on, any items I send home on colored paper will be optional assignments. They will not be required but students who would like to challenge themselves may turn them in for extra credit the following week.
Have a great week!
Homework from 1/24/18 (Due 1/31/18)
Hi Class! Sorry that I was not there today. Natalie was sick and needed her mom to take care of her. I heard that you all did a great job with your guest Professors Aylor & Pappy.Thank you for doing such a wonderful job of listening and participating while I was away.
Please work on the Homework Packets that were handed out in class today. We will go over them as well as the homework from the snow day next week in class. I will give everyone a chance to tell the class about the animal you created or an animal that you have studied for our section on migration and hibernation at the beginning of class. I will bring the packets to class that I received today. If you did not turn one in, bring it with you next week.
We will begin studying animal behavior next week and you will have a chance to collect data on the behavior of our visiting animals, so be sure to bring a sharpened pencil and a clip board if you have one. This will be a fun and hands-on few weeks so come prepared to be good scientists!
If you have any questions, please email me (shuneyc@comcast.net).
Snow Day Assignment for Class 1/17/18 (Due 1/24/18)
Happy Snow Day! As you may have heard, we will not be meeting for WEB tomorrow because of the snow. We would like to try and preserve the one snow day that we have built into the year in case we have an additional snow day in February. For that reason, I will be giving you an assignment to work on at home this week.
Please click on the link below and read and complete Lessons 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 (you do not have to do Lesson 5). You can write your answers on a piece of paper and bring them to the next class so that we can discuss.
If you have any questions or problems, please do not hesitate to email me (shuneyc@comcast.net). I do not want anyone to become overly stressed about this assignment. My hope is that you will gain a better understanding of animal taxonomy and classification through this lesson. We will go over these ideas again in class. Just try the lessons and do your best.
http://www.mensaforkids.org/teach/lesson-plans/classifying-animals/
Enjoy the snow!
Homework from 1/10/18 (Due 1/17/18)
It was great to see everyone back today! We talked more about hibernation and migration. I loved all of your wonderful comments in class. You showed that you are really thinking about these topics and are demonstrating an ability to think more like scientists. Great job!
We will begin talking about animal classification next week. Please read pp. 340-343 in your book. Make sure you have included 'What Changes in an Animal's Body When it Hibernates?", "How do I Adapt to Changes in Seasons", and your Monarch Butterfly Migration map in your Science Notebook. Also be sure that your Table of Contents is updated as well.
Table of Contents - 1/10/18 Hibernation and Migration page #
Have a great week!
Homework from 11/29/17 (Due 1/10/18)
You did an excellent job on your Food Chain Collages today! We will continue to talk about hibernation and migration when we return from break. Please read pp. 328-329 in your Usborne Science Encyclopedia.
For students who want an additional challenge over the break, you can try the worksheet below. Try to figure out if each animal migrates, hibernates, or adapts to seasonal changes. This is optional. This is not assigned homework. This is only for students who want an additional challenge. If you are really wanting a challenge, pick one animal and write about its hibernation, migration, or adaptation. If it hibernates, see if you can find out what its body temperature, heart rate, and respiration drops to during hibernation. If it migrates, find out where it migrates from and to and the distance it journeys. If it adapts, find out what specific adaptations it has that help it during seasonal changes. Bring what you find to class and tell us about it. Again, this is not an assignment. It is an activity for students who want to explore more about the topics we are studying during the break. Feel free to email me if you have any questions.
Have a wonderful break!!
Homework from 11/15/17 (Due 11/29/17)
****Reminder- We do not meet next week. It is Thanksgiving break.*******
Today we met a rabbit and learned about Rabbit Island. We continued talking about habitats, food chains, and food webs. Please make sure that you have added these elements in your notebook.
Your habitats look amazing! Great Job! If you forgot to bring yours today, please bring it next time.
We updated our Table of Contents in class today:
11/15/17 Animal Habitats and Food Chains page #'s
For after break, please read pp. 330-333 in your Usborne Science Encyclopedia. This should be a good review of the things we have discussed in class for the last 2 weeks. We will work on the Food Chain Collage I talked to you about in class when we return from break.
Hope you all have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Homework from 11/8/17 (Due 11/15/17)
Today we met a bearded dragon and starting talking about habitats and food chains. We will continue discussing these topics next week.
For next week, work on your habitats that you brought home from class. Look in your notebooks to find features specific to the habitat of the animals you received. I am sorry that I forgot to bring the aquarium rocks for the bottom of your habitats. Feel free to fill it with anything you find at home (rocks, gravel, sand, etc.). If you don't find anything for the ground cover, I will bring the aquarium rocks next week. Add elements to your habitat and be creative. You can use anything you find to make it look similar to the way the animals' habitats would look in the wild.
****PLEASE REMEMBER TO BRING YOUR HABITATS BACK TO CLASS NEXT WEEK SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE WORKING ON THEM*******
Finish the Food Chain foldable handout. Be sure you have filled in all of the blanks and color it. We will fold them together in class and add them to your notebooks next week. In addition, try to fill out as much as you can of the Food Web handout. Try to draw arrows to show the path of energy through the Web. Add labels to as many of the animals as you can (e.g. consumer, carnivore, herbivore, omnivore...). Remember that a Food Web is a connection of food chains with many food energy paths in an ecosystem. Lots of food chains make up a food web. The source of all the energy is the sun. We will add this to our notebook as well and update our Table of Contents in class. The pages may vary but here are the latest updates to the Table of Contents:
11/1/17 Animal Adaptations 22-23
11/8/17 Animal Habitats 24-28
There is no reading assignment this week.
ave a great week!
Homework From 11/1/17 (Due 11/8/17)
Today we finished up learning about animal adaptations. We discussed camouflage as well as learned some specific adaptations of guinea pigs. I loved everyone's chameleons!
We will add a new entry for our Table of Contents together next week in class.
I did not receive everyone's Adaptation Vocabulary Worksheet today. If you forgot to bring it, be sure to bring it next week.
For next week, complete the Adaptations of My Pet/Favorite Animal Worksheet. You may choose either a pet or a favorite animal for this project. In addition, read pp. 310-315 in the Usborne Science Encyclopedia.
Next week we will begin discussing animal habitats. Have a great week!
Homework From 10/25/17 (Due 11/1/17)
I hope you enjoyed learning about and meeting some chinchillas today. Today we learned about physical and behavioral adaptations as well as instinctive and learned behaviors. Please make sure you add these elements to your notebook if you did not finish in class.
Be sure to add a new entry into your Table of Contents:
10/25/17 Animal Adaptations pp. (whatever pages you added in your book)
For next week, please complete the Adaptation Vocabulary Worksheet. You may use the definition sheet to help you if you need it or you may study the definitions and try to complete the worksheet without looking back at the definitions.
In addition, please read pp. 304-309 in your Usborne Science Encyclopedia.
Have a great week and perhaps we will have another animal visitor next week!
Homework from 10/18/17 (Due 10/25/17)
Today we finished up talking about cells. You all did a great job with your animal cell models and on the cell relay races.
There is nothing new to put in your notebooks this week so there is nothing to add to your Table of Contents.
Next week we will dive into our Animal Unit! I am very excited about this unit and could tell that you all are too by our discussion today. Please write down anything you were hoping we would cover or talk about and we will try to make sure we can squeeze everything in.
For next week, please read pp. 300-303 in the Usborne Science Encyclopedia as well as the handout on adaptations that I gave you in class today.
Have a good week!
Homework from 10/4/17 (Due 10/18/17)
Today we talked about cells and cell theory. We labeled a plant cell diagram, an animal cell diagram, and then compared plant and animal cells. We used stickers to make a timeline of events that contributed to cell theory and we talked about the important components of cell theory. Please make sure that you have filled in the information and glued these things into your Science Notebook. Please add an entry in your Table of Contents. Here is an example:
10/4/17 Cells and Cell Theory pp 15-18
Please make sure your Science Notebooks are up-to-date. Don't forget, there is no WEB next week. Have a fun Fall Break!
Homework from 9/27/17 (Due 10/4/17)
Today we finished up our Botany Unit. We learned more about germination and plant and flower lifestyles as well as reviewed the methods of seed dispersal. I had a lot of fun playing Botany Bingo with you.
Make sure you got all of the elements added to your Science Notebook. Add the following entry to your Table of Contents:
9/27/17 Botany VI: Plant Lifestyles and Seed Dispersal pages 13-14
(Remember that we did not have an entry last week for Botany V).
You received your take home Botany Unit Quizzes today. You may use your Science Notebooks to complete these but NOT your Usborne Science Encyclopedias. Please take the quiz using one of these strategies:
1. Use your Science Notebook and fill in the answers as you go.
2. Try to complete the quiz without your notebook and only use it when you get stuck.
3. Study the information in your notebook and then try to take the quiz without using your notebook. You may use the notebook to check your answers when you are done.
ou may use whichever strategy you are most comfortable with. I just ask that you make a note on your quiz telling me which strategy you used.
e will begin our unit on Animal Study soon. We will start next week by talking about animal cells.
Read pp. 298-299 in your Usborne Science Encyclopedia to prepare for class.
Have a great week!
Homework from 9/20/17 (Due 9/27/17)
You all did such a great job with your seed dispersal projects! I am so impressed with how creative everyone was! We had a great water dispersal model with multiple kinds of seeds as well as an imaginative animal model complete with an animal who digested and "deposited" the seeds into the ground. We also had a great model of attachment using hooked paperclips. In addition we had a wonderful gravity dispersal model that was complete with tissue paper leaves and a clever wind dispersal model made out of pipe cleaners. The grand finale was an explosion model where the students popped a balloon and seeds exploded everywhere. It was very exciting. You all did a truly fantastic job!
As a result of the time we spent on our seed dispersal project, we ran short on time to get our seed germination project going. I understand that not everyone got their glove set up properly with seeds in each finger and labels. Please do not worry if you didn't get a chance to get it done before you left class. If you managed to get any seeds in it, try taping it up in a sunny window at home or hang it from a clothesline in the window. Observe and see if anything germinates. Check your glove at least 4 times before next class. I handed out the Garden in a Glove Observation Journal Booklets. Draw a picture of what is happening in your glove on each of 4 different days. You can use the data sheet with a table (on the second page) to record what, if anything significant, happened during the week. If you are confused by this project or your glove did not make it home from class in one piece, do not worry about it. We will continue talking about germination next week.
There is nothing to add to your Table of Contents this week. I will hand out the fold out on seed dispersal for you to glue into your notebooks next week and we will update our Table of Contents at that time.
For next week, also please read pp. 282-293 in your Usborne Science Encyclopedia. We will finish our unit on Botany next week and I will hand out your take home quiz. Please make sure you have filled in all the elements of your Science Notebook as you will be allowed to use them for the quiz.
Have a good week.
Homework from 9/13/17 (Due 9/20/17)
Great work again today. I really loved watching you work together to figure out which flower your pollinator was attracted to in our imaginary flower garden!
Next week we will talk about seeds and fruit and seed dispersal. Make sure you have finished adding all the elements we worked on today in your Science Notebook. Now would be a great time to make sure that everything in your notebook is up-to-date as we will be taking a take home quiz on our Botany Unit in 2 weeks. I will hand out the quiz at the end of class on 9/27 and you will need to complete it and bring it back to class on 10/4. You will be allowed to use your Notebook when you take this quiz but not your textbook. This is a great opportunity for you to see whether or not you are putting enough information into your Notebook.
Make sure you complete the Parts of a Flower dice game handout and bring it back to class next week. There are a total of 12 questions on this worksheet. You may use your Parts of a Flower laminated flashcards to help you answer these questions. Once you complete the handout, try rolling the dice and see if you can answer the questions without the flashcards.
Read pp. 274-281 in the Usborne Science Encyclopedia.
Have a good week!
Homework from 9/6/17 (Due 9/13/17)
We had a great day learning about photosynthesis and I especially enjoyed watching you run in the photosynthesis relay race! I know we ran out of time at the end, so we will review the elements of the race at the beginning of class next week.
Next week we will talk about parts of a flower and pollination. Make sure you have finished your flower diagram from class today as well as your "How Plants Eat" booklet. Review the leaf cards I handed out today.
In your Usborne Science Encyclopedia, read pp. 268-273. Add any science root words from your reading to your Science Notebook.
ave a good week!
Homework from 8/30/17 (Due 9/6/17)
I am very proud of the job you all did in class today. You did a wonderful job of collecting leaves outside and I was very impressed at how you all worked together and helped your friends find the leaves they needed too.
Next week we will continue talking about plants and how they make their own food by the process of photosynthesis. Make sure you have your leaves taped in to your science notebook. Please feel free to add your own drawings and remember to add some notes so that you remember the differences between the compound leaves we studied. Take time to look at leaves in your yard and pay careful attention to leaf margins, base, arrangement, petiole length, etc. See if you spot any types of leaves that we didn't see outside of WEB.
In your Usborne Science Encyclopedia, read pp. 260-267. Add any science root words you come across from your reading to your Science Notebook.
Have fun playing outside and I hope you see the leaves in your yard in a whole new light!
Homework from 8/23/17 (Due 8/30/17)
You all did a great job again today! I was very impressed with your plant cell models. Make sure that your plant cell diagram is glued in your Science Notebook. Also, make sure you wrote down a definition for Botany and that you drew a picture for each type of root.
Take some time to go out in your yard and pull some weeds. (Please be careful not to pull any of your parents' pretty flowers or plants!) Take a look at their roots. See if you can identify any of the roots we talked about in class.
Read pp. 254-259 in the Usborne Science Encyclopedia. Add any science root words to your root word glossary in the back of your Science Notebook.
Next week we will be discussing leaves. Feel free to bring any leaves you find this week to class.
Have a great rest of your week and I look forward to seeing you again in class!
Homework from 8/16/17 (Due 8/23/17)
You all did a wonderful job today! I know we covered a lot of material and you added a lot of new elements to your Science Notebook. For next week, make sure that everything is glued into your notebook. Finish up any elements that you didn't finish in class. Complete the "All about Me" page and glue it on Page 1 of your Notebook.
Read pp. 250-253 in The Usborne Science Encyclopedia. You do not need to follow the Usborne links this week. If I can get a projector set up in the classroom, we will watch the videos together in class and discuss them. Add any words you come across from the reading into your "Root Words" page at the end of your Science Notebook. You might only find one word or none at all. Don't worry, we will talk about roots more next week. I just want you thinking about some of the Science Roots from the list when you read.
Things to bring on the first day of class:
Please be sure to bring your Science Notebook to every class. Fill out the information on the cover sheet that I handed out at the Open House. Decorate the cover and make it your own. Glue the cover sheet to the cover of your notebook. Please make sure to also write your name on the inside cover of the notebook in case your cover sheet falls off.
Be sure to get a copy of the Usborne Science Encyclopedia. Please send me an email if you would like me to order you a copy. I can purchase paperback copies for $20.
I am excited to see you all on the first day of class!