THE GATOR CHOMP. Your Byte of Gator Life! August 17, Distinguished School. Upcoming Events. Page 1 of 6

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1 August 17, 2017 THE GATOR CHOMP Your Byte of Gator Life! Distinguished School Cymonee & Landon test their pinhole projectors A total solar eclipse is one of the most exciting and impactful events that can be observed in our sky. This is due to several reasons including but not limited to rarity of solar eclipses in an area (one per 400 years on average) and the narrow zone of totality (70 miles). Fortunately, we will be able to observe a total eclipse throughout Warren County. To prepare our students for this spectacular event, the Science teachers at DCMS (Mr. Miller 8-Gold, Mr. Vincent 8-Green, Mr. Stovall 7-Green, Mrs. Cary 7- Gold, Mrs. Hogue Biology) have planned the following activities: 1. Moon Phases Modeling 2. Predicting and measuring motion of the Earth, Sun, and Moon 3. Modeling Eclipses 4. The effects of UV radiation and ways to limit exposure 5. Safely viewing a total eclipse Upcoming Events Thursday, August 17 PTO Spirit Shop Open during lunch Softball vs. Allen 5:30 PM PTO Meeting in Library 6:00-7:00 PM Warren County Board 7:00 PM Friday, August 18 Boys' Soccer vs. 6:00 PM Saturday, August 19 Hart County Bowl Slam-Fest Softball vs. Logan 9:00 AM Monday, August 21 School Closed for Solar Eclipse Tuesday, August 22 Volunteer 7:15 AM 5:30 PM Football vs. 5:30 PM Girls' Soccer vs. Todd 6:00 PM Wednesday, August 23 Volleyball vs. SWMS 5:30 PM Boys' 7:00 PM The students will use Styrofoam balls and lamps to model the phases of the moon. This will lead to a discussion of when eclipses actually occur (solar during the new moon Thursday, August 24 phase and lunar during the full moon phase). This lesson will lead into a discussion and Volunteer 9:00 AM demonstration of movement in our solar system. Students will trace their shadow and Volunteer 1:00 PM predict how the shadow will move over the course of the day. During this lesson Moss 5:30 PM students will also use solar compasses to navigate a treasure map. This lesson will conclude with students observing the motion of the sun and calculating the speed of the Friday, August 25 sun (Earth s rotation). The next step in the preparation will have the students model the Boys' Soccer vs. Moss 5:00 PM different types of eclipses using Styrofoam balls and meter sticks. The eclipse preparation will conclude with a series of lessons on sun safety. These lessons will include the effects of UV radiation and ways to limit exposure and how to safely view the eclipse. Students will use UV beads and How to Receive School Information Page 1 of 6

2 several items including sunscreen, clothing etc. to learn about UV radiation. Finally, the students will be shown several ways to safely view the eclipse. During this time, students will be making pin hole projectors, will be given solar viewers and instruction on how to use them, and will be shown a solar funnel for a telescope. Students will be able to use these items to safely view and photograph this amazing phenomenon, creating memories that will last forever. Solar eclipse viewers provided by the Confucius Institute at WKU will be sent home with each student on Friday. We will be practicing with them Thursday and Friday during class. Kentucky Department for Public Health ALERT Solar Eclipse and Eye Safety August 21, 2017 A total solar eclipse is probably the most spectacular astronomical event that most people will experience in their lives. There is a great deal of interest in watching eclipses, but it must be done safely. Because of this exceptional opportunity, there is concern that people will be more likely to stare at the Sun during this event. Improper viewing of the Sun during an eclipse can result in eye injuries such as the development of "eclipse blindness" or retinal burns. The danger to vision is significant because retinal eye injuries occur without any feeling of pain (there are no pain receptors in the retina), and the visual effects do not occur for at least several hours or days after the damage is done. It is never safe to look directly at the Sun at any time. This includes looking during the partial phases of a total solar eclipse without the proper equipment and techniques. Even when 99% of the Sun's surface is obscured during the partial phases of a solar eclipse, the remaining crescent Sun is still intense enough to cause a retinal burn. If you are in the narrow range of Kentucky where 100% of the sun will be blocked by the moon (totality), the Sun can ONLY be viewed without appropriate eye protection during that short time, approximately 2:30 minutes. Studies have shown that most individuals who sustain eclipse-related eye injuries are children and young adults. Remember, the Sun can only be viewed directly when filters specially designed to protect the eyes are used. Eclipse glasses and handheld solar viewers verified to be compliant with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) international safety standard are safe products to use for viewing. Be safe and enjoy this rare remarkable experience of nature. More information may be found at: Information above from NASA Eclipse Web Site, EYE SAFETY DURING SOLAR ECLIPSES: Page 2 of 6

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4 Student Drop-off and Pick-up Student drop-off begins at 7:00 AM each day. This week, some students have been dropped off as early as 6:40 AM; we ask that you not drop off your child before 7:00 AM because there are no teachers on duty. Our district and school's number one goal is to keep students safe; to ensure this, we ask that you avoid leaving your child at school before 7:00 AM unattended. Our car-rider line is in the left-hand loop of the school building. We can easily unload cars at a time if everyone follows these procedures: (1) pull all the way forward - if you are the first in line, pull all the way to the red unloading sign; if you are behind other cars, pull all the way forward leaving little space between vehicles (2) have students ready to exit the car when you stop; we realize many students bring a lot of equipment for sports, music and other programs, so please try to unload as quickly as possible (3) exit the parking lot quickly and safely; left-hand turns should be avoided during high traffic times to keep traffic from backing up. Our student pick-up line is located under the porch on the left-hand side of the building. Please follow the same procedures outlined above for drop-off. To maximize efficiency, please pull all the way forward filling in all available space. Your child will then walk to your car; please do not leave excess space in the pick-up line. Library Media News Book Club Book Club meets one Tuesday a month from 2:30-3:30 pm in the library. Book club dates are: Aug- 29, Sept - 26, Oct- 24, Nov- 28, Jan-23, Feb-27, Mar-27, & Apr-24. Follow the library & book club on STLP STLP begins in early September. We meet weekly on Thursdays from 2:30-4 pm. If you're interested in joining, apply by Friday, August Mrs. Hale at renee.hale@warren.kyschools.us if you have any questions. Infinite Campus Need help logging into Infinite Campus to check your child's grades? This video should help Fall Pictures Fall Pictures: Tuesday, September 5 Fall Retakes (for absent students or damaged photo files): Friday, November 3 About On Nov. 16, 2017, the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce will host the second annual SCK LAUNCH Experience, an interactive career expo for local eighth-graders. Get Involved We are seeking volunteers to help with registration and to serve as student group leaders. A volunteer walk-through and training is tentatively scheduled for Oct. 11. Ready to get started? Click here to sign up! Once you register, a member of our team will contact you with additional information. As part of the bigger initiative, SCK LAUNCH Experience was created to get middle school students thinking about careers available right here in their backyard. This hands-on career expo showcases the above-mentioned seven career sectors that are expected to grow in South Central Kentucky over the next 10 years. Chamber partner businesses will create interactive, engaging and educational exhibits showcasing careers in the following sectors: Page 4 of 6

5 Construction Healthcare Hospitality Manufacturing Professional Services Public Services Transportation, Distribution and Logistics Event Details Nov. 16, 2017 Bowling Green High School Arena Volunteer Contact Alli Montgomery Programs & Events Coordinator Sponsorship Opportunities Tonya Matthews Vice President, Partnership Services DCMS PTO News Don't forget tonight August 17 is our first PTO meeting at 6:00 in the library. Thank you to everyone who supported our PTO during our Pelican Snowball Spirit Night! The PTO Spirit Shop will be open in the cafeteria during lunch on Thursday and Friday, August 17 & 18. We have plenty of T-Shirts, Pop-Sockets, Sunglasses, Magnets, and many more items available. Page 5 of 6

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