Rick Sliter Home Page

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I'm the science teacher on team 8-Black (of course, you already knew that since it is stated on the link that got you here ). I teach this class along with my friend BOB, the excellent pig of science, whose picture graces this page.

Eighth-grade science explores the planet we inhabit and its universe. A physics unit covering the concepts of gravity, motion and speed introduces the earth science portion of the course. It is followed by several units that focus on the planet earth. Students will investigate the structure and movements of the earth, models of the earth and maps, plate tectonics, the rock cycle, and the events that change the earth's crust (such as volcanoes, earthquakes, weathering, and erosion). A study of the bodies that, like earth, are moving throughout the universe completes the course. Space science topics include the physics of light, the formation and life cycle of stars, the structure and activity of the sun, our solar system, and the moon. Open the "Course Outline" in my Files Page for a more complete listing of topics that will be covered this year.

I use an eclectic approach to teaching. Each concept is presented in a variety of ways: lecture, demonstrations, activities, discussion, note taking, reading, seat work, etc. In this way, each student has a chance to learn in the style that works best for him/her.  ALL test questions are from the material contained in  the study notes, "facts-to know" sheet, and diagrams related to the content being studied.  Once all the notes and vocabulary terms have been presented in class, a copy of the current study notes and vocabulary is posted in my Files Page. 

If you haven't already stopped reading, let me tell you something about myself. I am married to a kindergarten teacher and we have four children: three girls and a boy- all are grow and on their own (more or less). We also have a granddaughter.  I was graduated from Ohio State in 1975 and worked in industry (Diebold, Morgan Engineering, Goodyear Aerospace) as an engineer for 16 years. I received my teaching certificate from Walsh University and began teaching at the middle school in 1992. I earned a masters degree in education in 1998. I'm partial to pigs and armadillos (no I'm not sure why).

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about my class, email me at: rls1nc@viking.stark.k12.oh.us

***PINBALL************************************

I have sort of a unique hobby (or obsession) - pinball machines. Right now I have 27 pinballs in my gameroom ranging from a 1932 mechanical to a brand-new 2005 dot matrix game. I've owned many, many different pins and am always buying, selling, or trading. My favorite part of the hobby is finding, fixing, and restoring the machines.

If you're like most people, you think a pinball machine is just this large game where you bat at a silver ball until it falls out of play. By chance you hit objects on the playfield and in some random way you score points. Actually, pinball is a game of skill in which certain targets must be hit at specific times and in a certain order. Good pinball players control where, when, and how fast the ball travels; as well as knowing when to hit specific targets. The objective of early machines is easy to learn, but modern machines have complex rulesets and must be played dozens of times before the objective(s) of the machine are understood.

In addition to pinballs, I have a skee-ball, a few classic video machines from the early '80's and arcade machines from the '60's, and a MAME (multiple arcade machine emulator) that I built. It emulates over 300 classic video arcade games. My gameroom also includes a foosball table, a slot machine, and three pachikos (Japanese pinball). My kids' favorite game, however, is an old 8-bit Nintendo system I mounted into a gutted arcade cabinet.

If you're interested, click on my "picture page" for photos and info about my gameroom and the machines I currently own.

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It's not a simple quote but it's my favorite:

"It's not the critic who counts, nor the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena: whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strived valiantly; who errors and comes up short again and again; who knows the great enthusiams, great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; who, at worst if he fails while daring greatly, knows that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat."

Anonymous

Email me at: rls1nc@viking.stark.k12.oh.us
Go to North Canton City Schools