My Science Goal for 8th Grade 2015

My Science Goal:

To be able to provide details and facts that are related somewhat distantly to the main focus. I usually write a lot about the main focus but I only describe it; I don't really go in-depth and actually connect it to another fact that is related to the main points.

An Extremely Detailed Family Tree

How will I accomplish my Goal:

1.) I will study my textbook and my notes to cross-reference them for formatives as well as tests and projects

A Collection of Post It Notes

2.) I will note down the important details in the textbook that we do not really go in details

3.) I will attempt to converse with my brother about what he is doing in Science when possible and I will cross-reference what I have learned in school with what my brother has learnt so that I may understand more since I usually add a lot of details.

4.) If I do not understand a specfic detail that is important, I will ask my teacher, brother or mother

5.) I will try to research topics in advance so that I may have questions that does relate, distantly, to what we learn in class so that it may help me understand further about the topic

6.) I will also write what we have learned and some side notes on the topic in my journal/my other notebook

Checkpoint!!! How will I stay focused:

Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini [My Phone]

1.) I will set up a study schedule so that I may be organised with my work and divide it so that I may have a period of time to study science only

2.) I will set alarms in my phone so that it goes off for every period of time for when I need to study

3.) I will write a digital post it note for me so that I know the dates in which assignments are due on and when the tests are so that I can study for it.

How will I know that I have accomplished my Goal:

Exceeding Expectations/Meeting Standerds Test Papers

I will know that I have accomplished my Goal when I get E and Ms on my test papers in class as well as the projects and lab reports.

When will I accomplish it:

2015 Calendar

I will accomplish my goal by the end of March.

Plans:

I will reflect every Friday evening on what I have done in science and if I am close to accomplishing my goal. I will write my reflections in my daily journal.

My Christmas Vacation

Well first I cut my hair. Then we went to Koh Chang the next day. Dad drove us to the ferry and from the ferry to the hotel. We visited the white sand beach. My brother loved it and went every evening. It was a quiet and sleepy trip back home. After a few days at home, I got a cold that stayed for about a week. I also got to stay up till 12:00. Just a few days after the cold was gone (January 10), I got a stomachache in the middle of the night. It was horrible and I was forced to stay awake till 6:30 after getting about 2 hours sleep and I slept till 12:00 so I got to watch cartoons and do what I want unlike my brother.

Explore the Kingdom/Stay at School

I was absent for both.

My Understanding of the Concept of Probability

When we were near the end of learning about Probability, we were given a project; a probability project. You see, there are two types of probability, theoretical and experimental. Of course there's also the compound probabilty which consists of independent and dependent and then there's ratios and percent.  We had to find the theoretical and experimenal probability of an independent compound probability of an experiment that we had to conduct with one probability. To be more specific, I did Battle Spirits Cards. And I had three different variables; colour, number, and the special glittery cards. There were 2 colours; blue and green. The numbers varied from 1-6. There were 2 special glittery cards, 1 blue, 1 green and both were #5. I counted every card of each variable and catogorised it as #colour. Of course the specials were also a part of this. I simply had to shuffle it later and replace the cards and then note the #colour%special/ordinary. Later I counted how much of each catogory; # then colour and then the specials.

Special, # and Colour

Back of the Cards

First of all, Probability is not a guess. It is far more educated and precise to be a guess. A guess is when you choose randomly out of all the possibilties. Probability is when you calculate using all the variables in question. Variables include; theoretical, experimental, compound; independent and dependent as well as the other variables which depend on what you're trying to calculate. There are formulas and you actually have to tally and work out the answer of the possibility and as I have said before, this is more accurate but this is due to the calculations. 

History of Ebay and Amazon for Investments

SAT Scores by Family Income

There are many ways that this can be used in real life. For example, investments; you have to know and calculate how much profit you can get if you invest in them; so you need their profit in a year and so. Detectives calculate the criminal activity so that they can see if there's any criminal who's doing something or to calculate robberies, they find clues and thus use it to calculate the probability of finding the criminal at a certain place and time. Actors and Actresses calculate if their movie will be famous and can bring money. People who work in production companies calculate the probability of people buying things from them, if there are any defects and how much they need to make in a year/month/week. If you are starting a business, then you need to calculate the probability of earning enough money to buy the necessary objects to keep increasing the customers and if you can succeed. Also teachers need to calculate the probability of averages, so that they can figure out which is meeting standerds, which is below meeting standerds, are they improving, exceeding standerds and so on. Doctors choose which medicine/treatment is good for patients. There are also betting standerds that has to be met. 

New Goals!!!

Skill: Speaking Fluently and Summarizing
I will speak fluently and do a short summary instead of going into full detail.
I will know when my goal has been achieved when I can speak fluently without stuttering or making a speech and I will not need to practice my speech for a presentation.
I will volunteer to answer questions and question teachers in class and practice writing essays, short summaries and stories and read books aloud to increase my knowledge of summarizing and to practice speaking fluently
I will do this by the end of school year.

Values: Organization of my Homework
I will be more organized with my homework and not finish it the day before it is due but rather the day I recieve it and if not, I will take more time out of my daily schedule and finish it the day after I recieve it.
I will know that the goal has been achieved when I will have more freetime and when I will look over my homework again and see if I need corrections.
I will write my homework in my planner and sticky notes in my computer desktops that I will see everyday.
I will make alerts in my laptop calendar and alarms in my phone. I will also ask my mom to remind me about my homework and all my necessary dates.
I will do this by the end of the school year.

Knowledge: Reading and Comprehending
I will read more than 20 minutes per day.
I will know that my goal has been achieved when I have a higher level vocabulary, comprehension and acadamic skill.
I will talk to people older than me everyday more than just once. I will ask and answer questions atleast 3 times in school. I will find more books and read more than 20 minutes. I will ask my teacher about doubts I have about the book that I am reading or about something else. I will time myself to read atleast 25 minutes per day, either on my laptop [E-Books] or a real book. I will have a conversation with my teachers and parents everyday.
I will do this by the end of the school year.

Goals Update November

Skill: Speaking Out Loud with Confidence
I can say with complete honesty that I can speak loudly with confidence. It wasn't that easy to get used to since I am a bit shy around people I don't really know and after 2 months of not talking to my friends, at the begining of school, I'm pretty quiet. But it was easier this year because in classes (Language Arts and Social Studies [In which we have presentations]), everyone's equal and has to listen to what you have to say. It's a comfortable atmosphere. But after speaking other languages and since I'm used to saying what I think and trying to explain what exactly, I'm thinking; I don't really speak fluently and what I write or speak is often long and boring. So I'm going to say that part of this goal has been achieved. The New Goal will be posted Later with the label (New Goal, Goals Update, Goals Update November, 8th Grade)

Values: Homework Organization
I cannot say that I am now organized with homework. Sometimes, I manage to finish my homework early but sometimes, I'm up late at night to finish some homework. I think I need some time to adjust to the level of homework we get because last year, we practically had no homework and now we suddenly have a lot more. It's not really that easy but I think that I can make it. I think I can adjust to the homework level by the end of the year. The Updated Goal will be posted Later with the label (Goals Update, Goals Update November, 8th Grade, Improved Goal)

Knowledge: Reading More Than Twenty Minutes
I can say that I have been reading over 20 minutes but my vocabulary hasn't improved that much. I'm probably going to have to set up a schedule for every evening after school so I have time to do homework, have extra reading, snack time and freetime. Sometimes my problems with the amount of homework messes up with my reading time and my freetime as well as my snack time. I love to read so it isn't really that hard. 

Real-Life Percent

Real-Life Percent Example 

In Math Class, we are researching real-life percent or ratio and proportion examples such as articles. I chose the "Falling Prices Boost Gold Demand in India" by the Times of India newspaper. It talks about the price of the gold in India reducing. People are buying a lot of the gold because the prices have fallen. Retail buyers are a part of this shopping spree. Due to this the value of rupees against US dollars are going down fast. The gold shops were a huge part of the Indian Economy and due to the lowering of the cost of gold, the Indian Economy is going down. The demand for gold was much lower last year because of the RBI(Reserve Bank of India)'s restrictions. They had clamped down on the gold dealing considering the high CAD[Current Account Deficit] (the high amount of trading) that was taking place. The RBI had initiated the 80:20 scheme in August last year. That means 80% of the gold could be bought by the local people and 20% would go to trade. Shah, as noted in the article, says that people should take a long-term view [atleast 3 years] on gold since awhile later the prices would go up again.

Percents, ratios and proportion are an extensive part of this regulation. The RBI has initiated the 80:20 scheme in August last year. It is a ratio. 80 to 20 or 80/20. The locals are getting the larger amount of this as shown in the ratio. The 20% shows that trade has 4 times less gold than the locals. The current population of India [updated on November 2nd, 2014] is 1,261,850,000 and is now 17.5% of the world population. It's a lot. Even if some people don't buy the gold, others are and most people would. And if all them want to buy gold, the prices are going to reduce quite a bit perhaps lower for over three years. If you visit the Gold Rate, then you'll see that the rate of Gold in certain cities of India. Today the Indian Economy is $1 to 61.59 Indian Rupees.

Article Link: Falling Prices Boost Gold Demand in India

2013 Indian Rupees to US Dollars