Mr. Gibson's Science Courses Web-Site

Like it or not, we are compared and judged upon how we compare with other students from around the state, across the nation and around the globe.

I like to think of it as our way of showing others how good we truly are here at Madison Accelerated High School.

We will be learning tools and constructs that will help us effectively use them when we are assessed by Standardized Testing Formats. In Science, this is particularly easier than all the other disciplines.

We will be using posts on this page for science classwork, Advisory classwork, and in the Special Work Group that meets outside of the regular classroom setting.

Your basic knowledge is great and we will now kick-it-up a notch. All of you will do well, I am sure of it!

Now... let's take a look at what this test is all about.

ACT Overview of the Test click on this link for a power point overview.

Mr. Gibson

After you have registered with Mr. Gibson and successfully entered this web site click on the following link and open it up. It is a Power Point (tm) that will take us through an overview of what this test is about and how you will end up beating it at its own game.

Introductory Meeting Overview 

So, let's get started... we have alot to do, but you will be successful. It's time to manage your future!

Mr. Gibson

Harvard Gibberish Model  By clicking on this link you can see if you are amongst the 98% who process this way.

Have fun!!

Mr. Gibson

Science Experienced ACT Words_From Unit 2's Laws of Thermodynamics

The above link will open the six words I pulled off of the 2nd floor's ACT/PSAE action words [that] have applied to our Twin-burn experiment and our studies of the 4 Laws of Thermodynamics.

If viewed in the slide form you can do "drag & drop" practice in order to better test yourself and your study partners.

Mr. Gibson

ACT Action Word - Wk 1 - Oct 3    The link to the right will take you to the indicated week's four action words that we studied and will be tested on at the end of the week.

It is critical that you understand and can quickly use these words in context. This will go a long way to help you perform better on the ACT mock exams and actual exam.

Mr. Gibson

Don't forget to journal how they are used as well!!! It will only make you that much BETTER!!!

PSAE Words: Week 2   This weeks words continues to build upon the first week's. Don't forget to journal the words, their definitions and using them in context.

It is especially helpful to focus on possible prefixes and/or suffixes that are used with these "root" words.

Mr. Gibson

PSAE Words: Week 3   This link will take you to the embedded powerpoint for this week's four PSAE words.

Make sure you journal your words, their definitions, and use in context with attention to possible prefix, suffix, and past/present/future tenses for these words (nag-nag-nag  )

Mr. Gibson

PSAE Words: Week 4   You're getting better at this (as an overall group). Some of you still tend to think of this as "busy" work and are not as serious. Remember you are up against the nation and the world... if you cannot even understand a question due to its words you cannot even HOPE to show the examiners how smart you really are when it comes to the subject matter.

Journal and use these over the course of the week and year... the ACT/PSAE exam will be here before you know.

Mr. Gibson

PSAE Words: Week 5  The year is flying by. Here it is week five already!

You know the drill.

Several of you are really showing great performance and consistency! Well done and very mature in your approach!

There are the same three who are "boat anchors" to our little group's overall performance keeping us out of the "pizza party" running. (sigh - )

Let's win this thing and then nail the trophy down in our room, eh?

Mr. Gibson 

ACT/PSAE Training Strategy #1 (Nov 3rd): Data Representation Problems

This link will take you to the power-point session held during our training on Wednesday November 3rd.

Although it was targeted for Juniors... underclassmen are encouraged to view it as well.

There was supplementary materials to go with this power point [so] see me for those as well otherwise, it won't help as much.

Mr. Gibson

PSAE Action Words - Wk 6 - Nov 7th - 10th  This is now our sixth week of the four PSAE Action Words assigned to us in order to improve, not only our vocabulary, but also our tool kit of words that are a high probability of showing up during an ACT or PSAE exam.

We have not shown much progress by four individuals in the class while two others maintain perfect scores! 

As you may recall, not only are you graded for these little quizzes, they are recorded in your overall class grade. As quizzes they carry a 15% "bump" in value when compared to a daily activity score or homework. This means, by the end of each month it is equivalent to failing not only four quizzes (or 160% of four assignments), but it also is close to failing a full unit exam after six weeks. This is a serious drag on your overall grade.

Additionally, I have added these four weekly words to each quiz of course content work. Should you get all four correct during a quiz - it equates to two extra credit points on your overall quiz score. Thus, if you are trying to "improve" your grade in the class and get to the next grade level... by the end of a Unit... these extra points would mean an additional 12 extra credit points.

So... you have a great opportunity to help yourself multiple ways.

Mr. Gibson

Dry Lab L1024: PSAE Math/Science Atmospheric Composition over Time Composite Graph 

By clicking on the above embedded link, you will upload a powerpoint that covers a "Dry-Lab" that will take you through the current model of the Earth's atmospheric gases composition as it changed over time.

It is also a PSAE training tool (Work-keys) that utilizes a tool called Composite Graphing.

For my classes there will be an assignment associated with this power-point lesson. Check on your assignments link when directed by me.

If, you wish to improve your PSAE work keys skills and are not a student of mine. You can follow this link to down load the MSWord document for your practice and training. Also, you can contact me for assistance any morning after 6:30 a.m. (and if I am not in some meeting). L-1024: Dry Lab - Atmospheric Composition over Time Work Asssignment

Mr. Gibson

PSAE Action Words - Wk 7  The attached Pwr-Pt has the four action words for week seven Nov. 14th through the 18th.

Mr. Gibson

PSAE Action Words - Wk 8  The linked power point is for week 8's four PSAE action words. This is a short week so I recommend you use this site Monday evening to review and study for the quiz on the following day.

Have a nice Thanksgiving Break as well!

Mr. Gibson

PSAE Action Words - Wk 9: Nov 28 thru Dec 02  This link will take you to this week's Power-point regarding the 4 new action words. We will have a FULL week this time around! So, this is available for you to review and study getting ready for this Friday's quiz (Dec 02).

Mr. Gibson

PSAE Action Words - Wk 11 - Dec 12 - 16  This link will open the power point we used for this week for the action words.

Again, this is available for you to download any time to practice your use & memorization from any computer connected to the internet.

Don't forget to practice the words with added prefixes or suffixes where they might apply as well as different tenses.\

Mr. Gibson

PSAE Action Words - Wk 14 (Jan 23 - 27)  By clicking on this link you will be able to open up the Power-point classroom presentation for this week. The words are impetuous, impute, inconsequential, and inevitable.

Let's see if everyone can nail the quiz at the end of the week. Remember, it also impacts your 1st hour grade in terms of CA participation points and "heavier weighted" quiz points.

Mr. Gibson

PSAE Action Words_Wk 15_Jan 30 thru Feb 03  The attached power-point is our words for this week. They are listed, defined, used in examples, have visuals and are all used in an interactive passage at the end.

Mr. Gibson

PSAE_Wk17_Action Words_Feb13-17  This link will take you to our power point that has the four action words this week: ostentatious, parched, perfidious, and pragmatic. As always don't forget to log onto Class-marker to take your interim quizzes that entail: the definitions quiz, use of the words in sentence context quiz, and the word derivations used in context quiz.

http://www.classmarker.com/

Any questions or uncertainty... let me know.

Mr. Gibson

PSAE Action Words-Wk 18: Feb. 21-24  This link will take you to our power point that has the four action words this week: precocious, pretentious, procrastinate, and prosaic. As always don't forget to log onto Class-marker to take your interim quizzes that entail: the definitions quiz, use of the words in sentence context quiz, and the word derivations used in context quiz.

http://www.classmarker.com/

Any questions or uncertainty... let me know.

Mr. Gibson

PSAEAction Words - Wk 19: Feb 27 - Mar 02  This link will take you to our power point that has the four action words this week: precocious, pretentious, procrastinate, and prosaic. As always don't forget to log onto Class-marker to take your interim quizzes that entail: the definitions quiz, use of the words in sentence context quiz, and the word derivations used in context quiz.

http://www.classmarker.com/

Any questions or uncertainty... let me know.

Mr. Gibson

PSAE Action Words - Week 20: 03/06-0309  The link here will take you to the powerpoint for the four words this week. We will be studying these this week as well as take class-marker interim quizzes to test our ability to learn them.

Mr. Gibson

CCS-Literacy Article Five: Defying Science - The Bottom of 5 of the Top 10

The link will take you to this week's article of the week. It is the bottom five of the top ten areas or anomalies [that] give science a harder time in terms of explaining the phenomonea using the 6-step method & naturalistic causes.

Have fun and I am most interested in your written responses.

In the early part of the 4th quarter I will be linking these up with a Class-Press site as well allowing for blogging rather than the format embedded in the articles.

Mr. Gibson

PSAE Action Words: Week 21 (Mar 12-16)  This link will take you to the power point presented and reviewed during 1st hour for the 4 PSAE action words.

You will also have PSAE Interim Quizzes 1 - 3 typically that cover a) the words & their definitions, b) the words used in a sentence, and c) the derivations of those words as they too are used in sentences.

Use your class-marker link to take the interim quizzes as assigned each day via the Smart-board objectives directions. http://www.classmarker.com/test/start/?test_id=254982&rg_id=97490

Mr. Gibson