After taking the chapter one assessment (Skeletal System/Muscles), students had plenty of time to work on this week's homework (due by Monday next week). Students are to actively read chapter 2 in the Human Biology textbook. The expectation is that students will have it completed before their 4 day weekend. Remember: Active Reading means taking notes, not just writing down the headings within the sections.
1. Read the Section Summary at the end of the chapter. 2. Create flash cards (or some other study tool for vocabulary) for the section. 3. Study the key terms before reading. 4. Preview the section: look at pictures, main headings, and anything that will help you get an idea about what you are reading ahead of time. 5. Along with making predictions for your learning, think about what you already know on the subject. 6. Take notes as you read the section. (2 column notes work great here). Keep your notes organized by writing down the headings, then summarize what you read as you go. Write down any questions you have or thoughts, too. Don't just regurgitate information from the textbook. Remember: Connections are the key to learning. 7. Keep track of questions you want to ask in class, too. 8. Check your reading with the "Check Your Reading" questions. Write them down if they will help you. 9. Use constructed response to answer the Section Review Questions. 10. Be ready to participate in class. Have your composition book open as we go over material so you can check your work and write down new learning. We will be having the chapter 1 summative assessment on either Thursday OR on Monday of next week (Friday is not an option as we are going to Pickens Tech). To help you review the skeletal system, check out http://quizlet.com/_1lp6o After going through the flash cards at least once, be sure to de-select "both sides" and quiz yourself. Then play Scatter and see if you can beat Mr. D. My personal best was 13.2 seconds. Also, feel free to take the "test" to see how you are doing. Then check out these cards on the functions of muscles: http://quizlet.com/1824865/characteristics-of-muscle-flash-cards/ . Though you won't be tested on these, I suggest at least checking out these fabulous pictures of the tissue types: http://quizlet.com/2930882/tissue-id-best-flash-cards/
Don't forget, permission slips are due Wednesday at the latest, without exception. On Friday, January 27, we have an a great opportunity to attend the 9HealthFair at Pickens Technical College. Permissions slips were sent home today and need to be returned no later than 1/25 in order to make arrangements for students that may not be attending. From the permission slip: "Weather permitting, 7th Grade students will be attending the health fair during their science class on January 27. We will be walking from Aurora Quest to Pickens Technical College, spending about 30 minutes there, and then walking back to campus. The displays that they have are very much in line with what we are studying this quarter and it is a great opportunity for students to gain a deeper understanding of our learning targets. However, students cannot attend without permission. Please sign the form and return it to Mr. Dunkin ASAP. So that I will have an opportunity to make arrangements for students that cannot attend, permissions slips MUST be returned no later than January 25, 2012."
Also, the chicken wing dissection is taking some students a little longer than expected (I love the attention to detail!) so we will be finishing those up on Thursday, then moving into chapter 1. HOMEWORK: Don't forget that you are expected to have chapter 1 (pages 6 through 27) read before class on Monday of next week. Also, along with actively reading the chapter, you should have the section review questions answered for each of the three sections.Three sections in five days...piece of cake. Looks like we may not even finish all presentations today, so Friday we will finish them up and we will do the dissection on Tuesday after the three day weekend. Again, be sure to read pages 28 and 29 before class and dress appropriately.
Can you believe we already have two days of the last semester under our belt?!
We are starting our Human Biology unit with an introduction to human body systems and how they are interconnected and interdependent. First, we are becoming experts in one of six body systems (Cardiovascular, Digestive, Respiratory, Immune, Endocrine, and Nervous) so that we can examine how they all function together to keep us alive. We will have presentations on these systems beginning on Tuesday of this week, with Monday hopefully being the last day to finish our research and create the presentations. Monday: Finish research, group work on presentations, and making life-sized models of body systems. Tuesday: Begin presentations, and hopefully finish them. Wednesday: Focus on movement and structure (muscles and skeleton) Thursday: Chicken Wing Dissection??? Be sure to have read through the procedure before coming to class and let me know if you don't have access to the electronic copy of the book yet! The chicken wings will be free of surface bacteria, so we won't be wearing gloves. Friday: TBD Don't forget, report card envelopes need to be signed and returned to your 1st core teacher Pretty much all that we have done was in-class lab work, with a few exceptions, since the last update of the blog.
There is a Quiz over bacteria and pathogens tomorrow. Here is the questions for the Air Junk Collectors if you have not completed it yet. Here is the Virus Challenge and Extension homework. Here is the Bacteria assignment. Today we started a booklet on classifying animals. We began with ecological notes about the major taxa in the kingdom Animalia. The booklet will expand on that and address the ecosystem concept by including habitat and food pyramid data. The booklet, as well as the video questions from yesterday, will be due on the Monday we return from break.
Have a great, and safe, extended weekend! Today we reviewed some of what we are learning (or have learned) through a video (www.discoveryeducation.com) to investigate the relationships among science, technology, society, and the individual. A t-chart was used to keep track of the (13) discoveries and their significances. There are 10 questions to answer as part of your homework tonight: Be sure to log in to the website using the username and password provided. Then do a search for "Greatest Discoveries" and select the video on Biology.
1. Why is the discovery of archaea significant? 2. Describe the processes of mitosis and meiosis. 3. What are mitochondria and how do they function? 4. Name some hormones, and describe how they affect your brain and body. 5. What do you think would happen to humans if tropical biodiversity disappeared? 6. How does the central nervous system work? 7. Describe the three primary kingdoms (now called domains) used to classify life. 8. How does cell division occur? What is unique about meiosis? 9. How do humans affect life on Earth? 10. What is biodiversity?
Here is a .pdf of just the first section of the new textbook. I will try to put these up under the textbook tab as the need arises. It just keeps getting easier and easier to be successful in science!!!
Today we spent some time working on quiz corrections so students can defend their learning and demonstrate their understanding of the Life Over Time, Chapter 2 concepts. As you can see, much of the new textbook is a review, but we will be going deeper with our understanding. There was no new homework tonight, but several students still need to have their dichotomous key assessed. The Big Idea for the next unit is "Bacteria and protists have the characteristics of living things, while viruses are not alive." After a few minutes to finish quiz corrections, we will finish exploring microorganisms tomorrow. Also, with any luck, I will be able to print progress reports for the last three classes in the morning. If I am unable to print them, I will post a blog first thing in the morning to let you know. Great news!!! I just found out that the district has a license for students to access www.discovereducation.com with a log in and password. I will discuss these in class, but I wanted to give you a "heads up" on it. You can watch many of the videos that we may view in class if were absent instead of having to come in after school to view them. You can view other videos on the topic as well. Furthermore, just like the www.KhanAcademy.org website that we used, you can further understandings on many topics, even those that may not be science related. Social studies, math, language arts, etc.
Progress Reports Progress reports will go home on Thursday (11/17). I know this is a couple days later than some of the other teachers, but I wanted to get the quiz from today graded and entered so that you can have the most thorough and up-to-date picture of your progress in science. In class Wednesday (11/16) we will be previewing the new textbook...as much as we can without having the textbook yet. We will build on our background knowledge about information in the book so we can move quickly and thoroughly. The first chapter is on Single-Celled Organisms and Viruses. Assignments:
Classification Dichotomous Key. Be sure to include EVERYONE in your class with the "scientific name... example: Dunkin brandon l. Final copies go in your composition book, and you CAN type them if you'd prefer. Get as much finished as you can from memory. We may spend a few minutes on Monday finishing up with the whole class together again. Chapter 2 SECTION REVIEWS, #1-6 for each section. You do NOT need complete sentences. Just be sure to answer the questions thoroughly. Chapter 2 CHAPTER REVIEW, #5-23 (pages 70-71). You do NOT need complete sentences. Just be sure to answer the questions thoroughly. MONDAY'S QUIZ is now Tuesday's quiz... _Still a big push to get the electronic version of the textbook distributed.
If you don't have your electronic copy, you need to get it. Download it from our website, save it to a flash drive in class, access it from any school computer on the "qu," or W:// drive, or see me for a CD-ROM if you don't have any of those resources available. You need to have this ASAP. We won't have enough of the next textbook as Mr. Mural is still using it. Today in class (Learning Target - I can create a dichotomous key.): 1. We discussed classroom expectations and procedures today to help students remember how they should behaving and how they can be successful in class. 2. We assessed the dichotomous keys (Norno and shark) from yesterday.. 3. We reviewed chapter two via BrainPop. : Tomorrow: We will work with our table partners to create a dichotomous key to identify students in the class. We will also review the chapter to prepare for the Chapter 2 Summative Assessment on Monday. Grading: Problem Solved... I have been able to resolve an issue with Infinite Campus that was preventing me from entering grades for this quarter. Grades are now up to date in IC as of today. Institute for Educational Advancement (IEA) The IEA invites current 7th grade students who demonstrate exceptional academic ability and intellectual precocity to apply for the Caroline D. Bradley Scholarship, a national program that awards selected applicants with a four-year scholarship to a high school that nurtures and supports each individual scholar's intellectual and personal needs. Eligibility requirements, frequently asked questions and applications are available on the Caroline D. Bradley page of the site. http://www.educationaladvancement.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8&Itemid=9 After my computer crashed Friday afternoon, I finally got my laptop back from being repaired...
Still a big push to get the electronic version of the textbook distributed. If you don't have your electronic copy, you need to get it. Download it from our website, save it to a flash drive in class, access it from any school computer on the "qu," or W:// drive, or see me for a CD-ROM if you don't have any of those resources available. You need to have this ASAP. We won't have enough of the next textbook as Mr. Mural is still using it. Today in class (Learning Target - I can describe the evidence scientists use to classify organisms.): 1. We discussed the difficulties of classification (Science Starter - Make a 3-column table and chose a characteristic to divide your classmates into three categories by). 2. We finished the vocabulary cards for chapter 2 (term, definition, and page number on front; connections drawn on back). 3. We had time to actively read chapter two, writing down the key concepts, main headings (ideas) and summaries, as well as answering the Check Your Reading questions. : Tomorrow: We will work with dichotomous keys, look deeper into the Giant Panda controversy briefly mentioned at the end of section one of chapter two, and finish the notes for chapter two. Students are examining Life Over Time this week, wrapping it up tomorrow. Monday we will begin looking at how organisms are classified. That should go pretty quickly. All work has been classwork, so there hasn't been any homework lately, but that will soon be changing...if you already have your electronic copy of the resource pack, you can get a head start on the next homework assignment. Read chapter two and focus on the vocabulary so you can participate in class discussions. (This will be assigned on Friday for weekend homework.) If you don't have the resource pack yet, you can still download it from here, or you can save it to a flash drive at school. It will be imperative that you have this starting next week. Mr. Mural is still using the next textbook that we will be using, so you'll want to have the electronic copy at home.
Don't forget to have your half-sheet in class tomorrow so you can turn in your notes and get credit for your contributions to the group project/presentations!!!! Also, don't forget that tomorrow is Mix-It-Up Day...dress weird :) Today and tomorrow, we will spend some time revising and completing some assignments. Many students need more time to complete the posters on Patterns of Inheritance. Since we are making the posters with a partner, we are using some class time to complete them. Students also need to complete the Conclusions and Analysis from the DNA Extraction lab. Speaking of DNA, we are watching a short clip zooming in our focus on DNA and looking at the molecular level now.
Also, I found another cool resource for understanding DNA and genetics if you need a little extra help...check this out. Finally, if you haven't downloaded your resource pack, be sure to get a copy onto your flash drive in class! It is available on all computers...roughly 600MB. |
Welcome!Students and Parents, Archives
September 2015
Categories |