This week in class we went over a lot of new and old material. We are reviewing most of the information from our last test because we are going to be retaking it. Some new things we started this week involve word equations and an extensive lab we did in class.
   
     The redo work we are doing is all related to our last test. To prepare for the redo we are taking a

bunch of quizzes on noodles under the taskchains section. There are 6 different categories of tests we have to complete. This is what the categories are. We did some of the quizzes in class and had to finish them as homework. While doing some in class we got to ask questions and discuss with other people to help us figure out were we went wrong. I think starting this in class really helped me to understand what I was doing wrong and have my peers explain it to me. The taskchains were a good idea to help us prep for the redo test.
   
     The new stuff we learned this week was doing word balancing problems. In the past we had done some balancing problems from formulas and as a class we seemed to have a pretty strong understanding of that. However, when we started the word problems, a lot of people became confused. The main problem with the word problems was making the correct formula described. To get us more comfortable with this we did a lot of these problems and went over them as a class. We went over them as a class on whiteboards and discussed the problem and if there was a mistake we would talk about it and understand why that was wrong. The whiteboard strategy was very helpful to me because you got to see how other people thought about the problem and maybe something they did worked for you.
   
     We also did a lab this week. In this lab we witnessed 10 different chemical reactions and recorded what we noticed and specific changes that happened. For instance, things like temperature rising or falling, changing color, different smell, and other types of observations. This lab was to help us see and understands how certain chemical react with each other and to maybe make some connections as to why they reacted that way. One of the cooler reactions we saw was when silver nitrate was formed. I found this the most intersting because it looked cool when it was forming and the price value of it was shocking to me. This lab was fun and I enjoyed doing it. I think it helped to understand the different ways in which substances can react with one another.

     This week in class we went over a lot of the material we've learned so far to help us prepare for our test that we had on Monday.  We also learned a little bit of new material.  We learned how to properly name particles and we learned more about charge and how to get a formula to have a equal or zero charge.  To do this we had to learn more about how the periodic table works.
     The first thing we did this week was learn how elements on the periodic table are placed for their charges.  This picture helps to show this.

This shows how each row has a set number as the charge.  All except for transition elements.  We used this table with the charges to finish a Naming Ionic Compounds worksheet.  For example if you have a compound containing both potassium (K) and sulfur (S), the formula would be K2S.  This is because if you look at the table above sulfur has a 2- charge and potassium has a 1+ charge, so you would then need 2 potassium molecules in the compound for the charge to be equal.
     We then learned about polyatomic ions.  We learned that certain combinations of elements create special charges and are called different names like nitrate (NO3) and sulfate (SO4).  However, we did not have to memorize all of these polyatomic ions.  We were given a list of them with their names, charges, and formulas to work with and that is shown here.
     Then to pratice our skills at naming and writing/making formulas we did a practice worksheet and packet.  These packets were good practice for me because it really helped tie everything together for me.  It helped me to get more comfortable with using the periodic table and memorizing the charges for each row.  The practice also helped me understand the new concept of polyatomic ions.  On the worksheet we also had to practice drawing polyatomic ions.  Through drawing I think I really understood the concept of an ion.  That an ion isn't just on type of element.  That it was made up of multiple elements all put together.  By drawing I reached that conclusion and became much more comfortable working with ions in practice problems and also on the test.
     To help us prepare for our test we were given a Unit 6 review packet.  This packet really helped me to prepare for the test because it went over some concept that I had forgotten about.  For example, the sticky tape lab.  I had forgotten about the electron movement, until I did the packet.  It also helped me with remembering Thompson's experiments and the conclusions he had come to.  Without the packet I would have completely blanked on those two concepts.  However, I did the packet, and I remembered them for the test.