Notes Correction and Test

I do understand there was an issue in my notes in 6th pd. today, and I would like to clarify what needs to be fixed. The right side of the heart handles deoxygenated blood, and the left side handles oxygenated blood. My hands were typing faster than my brain, and I transposed (switched) the chambers on one slide, although the other one was correct on the other. I am posting those notes here for your review and the changed text is in red. I also plan to review this section again with the students tomorrow before the test and will make sure that they are prepared. If there are issues after the test has been given, I will take that into consideration in grading.

Please keep in mind, my primary concerns are a) the students receive accurate information from me and b) that they do a good job of learning the material so that they are well prepared for high school and college. I always tell them that grades are secondary to learning the material and if they learn the material and work hard, the grades will come. Almost all of our students have worked extraordinarily hard this year and have earned the grades they have. Lets finish the year strong and prepare for the final stretch.

Test on Thursday

After much consideration, I have decided to postpone Wednesday's test until Thursday. We still have a few things to cover and I want to make sure that all are prepared. I know that we do not normally schedule tests on Thursday's but the students have known about a Wednesday test for over one week, and I am returning their blood journey worksheet to them tomorrow. They may visit this link to review in the meantime.

Big Test Tuesday and Grades

By now, all students should have been studying for their test on Tuesday. This is a large test that covers plants. The notes are posted here. Please download them and compare to your notes.

Grades have been updated this week. Please check to make sure there are no 1's in the book. If a 0 is entered, then that assignment may not be turned in for credit. If there is a blank next to the grade, it has not been entered.

Notes for Thursday's Test

The test scheduled for today, has been moved to Thursday. Students have taken these notes in class already. These are posted for verification.

Pond Water Organism ID Kit

Visit the following link to identify your organisms that you drew from your pond water. Pond Water Organism ID Kit

This week, 3/28

A long week is in store, for sure, but we'll all make it through by handling one thing at a time. Tomorrow, we will be working with microscopes for the first time. The lab sheet accompanying this activity will count as a 50 point project grade. Students, make sure you are on task in order to both finish and do well on the assignment. Keep in mind that we will have visitors from the accreditation team that makes sure our school does what it says it does. Be at your best. Also, SAT testing is this week. This will primarily affect 2nd period, but the schedule is being slightly rearranged to make up for lost time in 1st period. We will be posting notes covering fungi and non-vascular plants online for this unit. Please make sure you download those as they come online.

Link for Wednesday's Assignment

Students, visit the following link for your assignment today, as I am home sick.

Link here

You and your partners will complete the quiz for each section. This will count as a class participation grade. As you finish each quiz on each section, call the teach over to get your scores. You should finish all sections before the end of class. After you finish, you must return to your seat and work quietly by yourself to make flashcards to review for your test. Your notes are your review material, and all material is possible on the test.

Have a good day.

Test Friday and Notes

Given that we are testing next week, the content covered this week will be limited to today's and yesterday's notes. Our notes this week are straightforward and will require more memorization than higher order thinking, as that is the nature of the material. Please download the notes from here. Lab is scheduled for Thursday.

Notes for Genetics

Please download the notes from here and check them against yours for tomorrow's open note test. This will be a simple test to check your comprehension of the concepts of genes, alleles and how to determine phenotype using a Punnett square.

Gregor Mendel In-Class Assignment

Please visit this website to answer the following questions:

1. What did Gregor Mendel do in 1865?
2. During what periods of time was the most research done on genetics? Using your knowledge of history, why do you think this is so?
3. Where did Mendel go in 1843? What was the Abbey of St. Thomas, and why was it beneficial for Mendel to be there?
4. What did Mendel notice about certain traits in the first generation of hybrid pea plants?
5. What did Mendel conclude about this phenomenon? How did he do it?
   
   
   
   

Website for Heredity and Traits

Please visit the following website for a really good animation teaching heredity and traits. This will form the basis for everything we will learn in this unit.

Visit this link to get presentation on DNA for March 4 Test

See this link for our presentation on DNA. This material will appear on the next test on Friday, March 4.

Websites for Mitosis and Meiosis Review: Test Friday

Link for mitosis is here.

Link for meiosis is here.

Link for comparison and for test review is here.

A lot of students are having issues understanding the difference between mitosis and meiosis due to the fragmented nature of our classes over the past two weeks. It is best that the students learn them together so they know there is a difference. I have pushed back the test as a result.

Our notes are posted here.

Cell Division Unit Notes

The notes for cell division are posted here. Please download these notes and be familiar with them for your test next week. We will test on Thursday, Feb 24.

Science Olympiad Practice Tomorrow Afternoon

We will be holding a practice session tomorrow, Feb 8, from 3:30pm-5:30pm, for Science Olympiad. Please make sure that you can make it.

Science Fair Prep

Beginning tomorrow, your child will need all of the materials necessary to prepare their science fair project board. This is to be put together here at the school, instead of at home. Please see this document for the details regarding the materials allowed.

Hard to admit when you're wrong, but here you go...New Test Wednesday

After today's test, I realized (with some help of course), that I gave an invalid test. Everything was related to the content, but the nature of the questions was not reflective of the material. I have therefore decided to invalidate the previous test altogether and issue a new and MUCH more valid test on Wednesday. It is probably just as well due to the inordinate amount of sickness these past two weeks.

I sincerely apologize for this, and will give a brief overview to the students tomorrow. Sleep well.

Science Olympiad Practice and Paper

We will be practicing for Science Olympiad Tuesday Feb. 8 and Thursday Feb. 17 afterschool from 3:30-5:30.

Please note, those students in the classes chosen for Science Olympiad that were not chosen for a team do NOT have to complete a science fair project, but they do have to write a reasearch paper on a topic addressed in one of the events. That paper is being written under the direction of Mr. Mitchell.

Test Monday and Homework

Test on Monday, Jan 31.

We've had a lot of students out in the past several days with various illnesses. If you have been sick, here are some assignments you need to complete as well as the notes you need to study.

1. You should be working on or should have already completed your science fair experiment. If not, it is due by Feb 2 and you must use the week after that to complete your data collection and analysis. Don't put this off until the last minute (it is the last minute, by the way)
2. Please send a loved one or one of your classmates to pick up a book for you. Read pp. 246-265
3. Also complete the chapter review questions 1-23 on pp 270-271. This is a homework assignment for all students due tomorrow.
4. Our class notes can be downloaded here and here. Please download both and be familiar with them when you return. You are responsible for all the material, even if sick, so make sure you come and see me as soon as you can to clarify anything with which you are having trouble.

Blessings to all and get better soon!

Coach B

Outstanding website on cells and cell processes

Although its can get a little complicated for 7th grade, this website has to be one of the most comprehensive resources available for cell biology that I've ever seen. Enjoy!

Science Fair Information

At this point, students have prepared their topic area, performed background research, formulated a hypothesis and should have begun writing their procedures.

Parents, please note that students should only be performing the following steps of the science fair project at home:

1. conducting additional background research
2. gathering materials
3. performing the procedures
4. recording and organizing data

This is quite a bit of work to be accomplished within the next two weeks. All of these steps must be completed by Feb 7. Please keep in mind that students will be analyzing data and forming conclusions in class from that point on as well as writing in Mr. Mitchell's class. Please take the time to go over your child's planning and approval sheet in the next few days to make sure they are on pace to begin.

Science Fair Notes

You may download the science fair notes from this link. These notes should help you in constructing your project.

Grades

Grades for this quarter are tricky. Since we are preparing both for science fair and Science Olympiad, our grades for the first two weeks have consisted of participation grades as well as a homework grade for the planning and approval sheet for science fair. That grade has NOT been recorded yet as many of the students are still fine-tuning their research questions. Please keep in mind that this is an ongoing project that will require considerable work at home before students begin putting their boards together on Feb 6. Both science fair and Science Olympiad participants will receive full lab grades based on their preparation steps.

After Monday, we will be returning to our regularly scheduled curriculum. However, Science Olympiad teams will be meeting after school on Mondays and Fridays up to the date of the competition. Also, we will be working in the computer lab on Fridays for the next two weeks in order to help science fair participants write their papers and prepare their image boards.

I hope this gives you a better understanding of the next two weeks. Please contact me via email if you have further questions.

Science Fair Ideas

Below are some links that will get you started in both finding and planning a science fair project. Each of these links has been carefully selected due to both highly detailed instructions and links to other sites that will assist you.

IPL Science Fair Project Resource Guide This is problably the best site of the bunch.

Discovery Education Science Fair Central

USGS Earthquake Project

Science Buddies Sceince Fair Project Guide

Mankato Area Public Schools Science Fair Guide

Welcome Back

Over the next two weeks, all students will be working on one of two different assignments.

2nd period science will commence science fair preparation starting on Tuesday, Jan 4. Information about the science fair project may be downloaded here. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader in order to open this document. You may also access other documents regarding the science fair on our school website.

6th period science will be taking part in preparations for the Science Olympiad to be held at Auburn University. This is a PCA's first time participating in this event and we will only be allowed to take a limited number of students from the class. However, each student will participate in the training and those not participating in the actual event will still be graded on their knowledge and participation. Information regarding the science fair may be downloaded from this page on the school website.

Both groups will be required to submit a written report of their project or training and will receive grades based on their knowledge and participation, although the assignments will be different for each class. Both classes will receive a quality experience in learning and applying the scientific method as well as gaining in-depth knowledge about a particular area of science. Next year, we will likely provide all interested students a chance to participate in Science Olympiad, but right now we are going to focus on the two classes that were chosen at to pioneer our participation.