Mitosis & Microscopes cont.

F Block: Read the post below this, from Thursday November 29th, for what you did in class.

E Block:
Objective: Students examined slides to see how a plant cell undergoes mitosis and compared plant cells to animal cells to observe the difference in cell division.

Today students looked at plant cells and after completing drawings, needed to find various stages of mitosis on their own on the slides as opposed to looking at slides that were already focused.

Homework: Read section 9.3 and complete the notetaking sheet. Answer the concept check questions for section 9.3, #1-3 on page 188.

Mitosis & Microscope FOR THURSDAY E & FRIDAY F LONG BLOCKS

Objective: Students will use microscopes to look at unlabeled slides of animal cells going through mitosis.Purpose: This activity follows the ABC educational theory (activity before concept). Students will draw the stages they see and answer questions about the slides. After answering questions independently, we will talk about the questions as a class.

Homework: Read section 9.1 in the book and answer the concept check questions on page 181 # 1-3.

For the winter term only...

posts made on Tuesday will also apply to Wednesday, unless otherwise noted.
Why's this? Because E and F blocks each meet on either Tuesday or Wednesday for 55 minutes (therefore you'll be doing the same things).

New Unit: Cancer, Mitosis & the Cell Cycle

Welcome Back! I hope you all enjoyed you Thanksgiving break and caught up on some much needed rest. We are starting a new unit on Cancer, Mitosis and the Cell Cycle that will take we will finish right before winter break.

Objective: 1. Introduce the cell cycle, cancer and mitosis unit to the students. 2. Identify myths and truths about cancer.

Students competed a true/false quiz in teams to test their knowledge on cancer (don't worry it doesn't count as a quiz grade). We discussed each myth and explained if it was true or false.


Homework: None.

Food Lab: Bringing together the unit on Macromolecules.

What are you eating? Are you getting the protein you need? Today students conducted an experiment to see if various food samples contain protein, lipids, starch and/or sugars (specifically glucose and sucrose).

Homework: Complete the questions in the lab handout, we will go over the questions and how you should write your lab report.

Macromolecules Wrap Up

Today we finished the presentations on macromolecules. Each group made some great posters and handouts. You should be very proud of yourselves. To make sure we didn't miss any info, students completed a guided reading and study guide to review.

Homework: Bring in three different food samples. 1 that you think contains protein, one that you think contains MOSTLY starch and one that you think contains mostly fat.

Tomorrow we will be doing the Food Lab and you will get to see what your foods contain.

Peer Evaluation for Project

Please answer the following questions as HONESTLY as possible:

1. Out of 100% how much work did you do and how much work did your partner do? If you think you shared the work equally, you would write "I did 50% and my partner did 50%."

2. Were you pleased with the partner you had, or were you disappointed. Explain.

3. What did you learn about group work from this project.

4. On a scale of 1-10 (1 being the worst, 10 is the best). What score would you give your parter. You must write at least 3 sentences explaining your grade.

Personal Day

I'm taking a personal day today to recover from the race yesterday. Please come prepared to give your presentations tomorrow.

What are you going to say?

Today students put the final touches on their projects and rehearsed what they are going to say on Tuesday.

Homework: practice what you are going to say for the presentation.

Projects cont.

Today students worked on their projects. Tomorrow students will have a practice presentation of their projects. Remember: this counts as a test grade.

Click here to link to the post with info on your topics and how to cite your sources.

Projects and returning the quizzes.

First things first. On Friday October 26th you took a quiz on Osmosis, Diffusions and Membranes. On Thursday October 25th your homework was to study for this quiz. You were even given a link directly to the vocabulary for this quiz on the post from Thursday October 25th. So, as a result of this your quiz grades stand.

So the next logical question is: How can I raise my grade?

Answer: Do a really great job on your project. You will be working on it again in class today and on Thursday. I will also be available for extra help if you would like to practice your presentation on Thursday night in Moore House.

Homework: Work on your presentations.

Macromolecules Posters Links

Click on any of the links below for help with your projects. Remember to cite where you got your information from. Click here for information on how to cite internet sources and images.

Macromolecule Glossary

Macromolecules Overview

Lipids

Protein

Carbohydrates

Enzymes

Macromolecule Projects

Objective: Go over project requirements and start working on the macromolecules project.

What is a macromolecule? Well, break it up: Macro = big. Molecule = made up of atoms held together by chemical bonds.

What are the project requirements?

Student Responsibilities

1. Read your assigned section of Chapter 5 in your textbook

2. With your partner, prepare a 15 minute presentation of your section

3. With your partner, prepare a poster that highlights the important concepts and vocabulary in your section. This should include text and pictures/diagrams. Make these artistic, neat, and informative; they will be on display in the classroom.

4. Make vocabulary cards of your section for the rest of the members of the class.

5. Create a handout for your classmates. You have been emailed a handout template.

6. Present your section on the Molecules of Life to the class.

You will be assessed by your teacher and your peers (in your group) on:
-your presentation
-your poster
-your vocabulary cards
-your ability to work in a group
-your contributions to the group effort

Homework: Read your assigned section and BRING NOTES TO CLASS on your section.

Quiz and Review of the Lab Reports

"I should have gone to the blog."

"What? This lab report is sooo long! Last year it took me like three minutes to write a lab report."

Objective: 1. Go over the correct way to write a lab report and compare that to way you turned in. 2. Take a quiz on osmosis and diffusion.

Handouts: sample lab report on brightly colored paper and the updated lab rubric on yellow paper.

Today we compared student's lab reports to the sample and we learned that writing lab reports will take more than 15 minutes. Never fear, next week you will have a project on macromolecules to work on and the following week you will have another chance to write a lab report.

Homework: none. Enjoy homecoming weekend. Please bring your books to class on Monday.

Blue Planet

Well, the NOLS bus broke down so unfortunately we didn't get to learn about alternative energy today. However, in an effort to work ecology in throughout the year, we started to watch Blue Planet and had a discussion about the behavior of marine life.

Homework: study for your quiz on osmosis, diffusion, cell membranes, membrane functions, concentration gradients and the scientific method. To link to a list of the vocabulary that you need to know for the quiz, click here.

Parents Weekend!

Today parents played board games with their students to review for an upcoming test. Pictures coming soon :)

Homework: Study all of your vocab cards for a test on Friday when you return.

Biology Board Games

"Wow, I need to study, I can't look stupid in front of his mom..."

Objective: Make biology board games to review and to play with your parents & grandparent tomorrow.

Homework: finish your board game and bring in dice.

Eggsperiment Lab Write Up

Objective: Review how to write a lab report/start eggsperiment lab write up.

Today we reviewed each section of a scientific paper and the do's and don'ts for each section. Here's a quick summary:

DO:
* Write your section headings in bold and center them on the page (ex):

Introduction

* Have a description of tables and graphs, in addition to labels.
* List at least three sources of errors in the discussion section.
* Type the lab report
* Use the rubric (check your email)

DO NOT:
* Have a numerical list of the steps in the procedure or list of materials
* Use the first person "I, My" etc..

Have you "misplaced" the guide to writing scientific papers? Click here for the more elaborate version online.

Each person must turn in his/her own lab report, IN CLASS ON THURSDAY.

Eggsperiment Data

E block, please only complete your data. I will give you F block's data in class tomorrow.

All classes should complete analysis questions 1-5.

Eggsperiment Results

Objective:
Complete eggsperiment observations, data collection and analysis questions.

Today students looked at their eggs after they had been sitting in "secret" solutions over the weekend. Students will complete a data table using data from both E and F blocks.

Homework: Complete analysis questions 1-5 on the back of the lab sheet.