5/30 plants

In-Class:
Students view/draw/label the parts of a leaf including the stoma, guard cells, epidermis, veins, and food making cells. We also had a chance to play a Jeopardy type game to review the plant unit. www.quia.com/cb/29471.html
Homework:
None

5/29 plants

In-Class:

Students Viewed a video clip on photosynthesis including the chemical process involved in converting carbon dioxide and water to sugar and oxygen with the energy of the sun.

Homework:
Organize notebook for quiz Wednesday, June 4.

5/28 nonvascular plants

In-Class:

Completed a brief section over mosses, liverworts, and hornworts. Students noted the progress of our long-term science observation (fruit mold.) They also had the opportunity to view moss in various stages of development.

Homework:

complete Venn diagram of moss, liverworts, and hornworts if not done in class.

5/27 plant games

In-Class:
Students accessed a variety of online study games on the topic "plants." I created three of the games and added to the list from a series of prepackaged games for those students who moved quickly through their studies. Students were graded based on their time on-task.
Homework:
Study plant unit. You may do this online at the following sites:
www.quia.com/hm/414098.html
www.quia.com/rr/343521.html
www.quia.com/jw/225331.html
www.quia.com/cc/546031.html
www.quia.com/mc/546031.html

5/23 science poetry

In-Class:
Reviewed plant introduction p.111. Students worked to complete science poetry in the style of Jon Scieszka of Science Verse.
Homework:
If you did not turn in a science poem, complete your work to turn in Tuesday. Poems will be evaluated on the basis of their:
Creativity, Accuracy, Illustration.

5/22 Plants

In-Class:

Video clip - "Introduction to Plants" (9 minutes.) Students discussed plant adaptations and read through pages 104 to 111 in textbook.

Homework:

Complete p.111 (1-4) Section Assessment.

5/21 Question-tac-toe

In-Class:

Spent 40 minutes working on their chosen assignments from the Question-tac-toe sheet.

Homework:

Complete the three assignments you chose. Turn in to BIN before the start of class Thursday.

5/20 "The Plant Hunters"

In-Class:
Completed viewing The Plant Hunters and taking notes. Students received a "Think-Tac-Toe" sheet that allows them to choose three assignments horizontally or vertically. Some examples of the 9 possible assignments are: Construct or draw a model for building a road that would minimize the impact on plants; Create an outline of the video using the formatting provided; compose a poem or song based on the video.
Homework:
Begin work on Think-Tac-Toe activities which are due THURSDAY, MAY 22.

5/19 "The Plant Hunters"

In-Class:
Viewed the video The Plant Hunters and took notes. Students will complete a "Think-Tac-Toe" choice activity that will be assigned Tuesday.
Homework:
Read pp. 109-113 for reference from the text.

Blood Drive

Columbia Central is sponsoring a blood drive through LifeSource

in memorial of our former student Nick W.

location: the small gym

Date: Tuesday, May 27, 2008

time: 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm

contact 755-0021 for further details

5/16 protists/fungi TEST

In-Class:
20 point TEST over protists and fungi. LABORATORY - Classes observed the effects on yeast and water of various "nutrient" bases including 25 ml salt, 25 ml sugar, 50 ml sugar and water alone. Some classes had the opportunity to take a nature walk in preparation of our upcoming unit on plants.
Homework:
Enjoy nature.

5/15 protists/fungi

In-Class:
Completed a practice test in preparation of Friday's final test over protists and fungi.
Homework:
Study for protists and fungi test.
Venn diagrams can be used for the test.

5/14 protists/fungi review

In-Class:
I met with periods 1,3 and 4 due to the shortened day. Classes participated in various activities for review including watching a video clip about fungi, reviewing the Venn diagrams for protists, and playing fungi and protist hangman online
Homework:
Study fungi and protists for test. Students will be allowed to use their Venn diagram for the test.

5/13 protists/fungi review

In-Class:
We reviewed the protist and fungi unit. Most classes moved on to the computer lab where they played interactive hangman to solve questions related to the unit. The site we accessed www.books.quia.com/hm/96383.html is available on a trial basis.

Homework:
Study for Test (Friday) over protists and fungi. Periods 2 and 4: complete p.99 (1-10.)

5/12 protists/fungi

In-Class:

We set up a long term laboratory of fruit to measure the effects of plastic packaging on the development of mold. The lab will be available for viewing over the next 4 weeks. Students began working on the unit review (p.100; 11-21) in preparation of their test Friday.

Homework:

Complete unit review if not done in class. Study handouts and notes for Test.

5/09 fungi

In-Class:
Completed viewing of The Rotten World About Us. Students completed a paragraph that describes one piece of information they learned from the video or something they enjoyed about the video.
Homework:
None


Today was a really special day in my life as a teacher because I had two students who chose to go beyond what was required in class to investigate science topics on their own. Roma M. brought in a www.youtube.com video topic (ant fungus) that lead us to another example of fungi maintaining the ecological balance in nature. Anthony R. shared an article he clearly read and understands pertaining to an activity we completed recently with a toy platypus. Neither student had been prompted to do so or were offered any incentive/bribe. There is little I teach in class as important to me as sparking a student's motivation to pursue his/her own interests in science.

5/08 Fungi

In-Class:
We watched The Rotten World About Us and will complete the viewing tomorrow. My best description of the film is that it's disgusting....but in a good way!
Homework:
Read pp.88-96

5/07 protists

In-Class:

Created a graphic organizer comparing the characteristics of the three types of protists.

Homework:

Study graphic organizer.

Midquarter grade reports go home Friday, May 9 and will include information about activity day.

5/06 protists

In-Class:

Reviewed three types of protists: animal-like, plantlike and fungus-like protists.

Homework:

complete vocabulary from p. 74. DUE on student desks tomorrow.

Midquarter grade reports go home Friday, May 9.

5/05 science fun books

In-Class:
Students reviewed information about bacteria. Each student (or each pair of students, depending on class size) received a science "fun" book to browse through and evaluate. Tomorrow, students will give a short (1 minute) summary of one topic found within the book. Many of the fourteen books were provided by the PTA to the science class and include Ripley's Believe it or Not; Predators; Guinness Book of World Records Quiz Book to name a few. These books are available for reading whenever a student has completed all assignments in class.

We are moving on to study protists followed by fungi then plants in the upcoming weeks.

Homework:
None

REMINDER: Quizzes for make up must be signed by a parent/guardian and returned by Thursday, May 8, 2008.

5/02 bacteria

In-Class:
Classification quiz (10 points.) Bacteria review p. 57 (1,2,3 a,b.) Whiteboard Activity: Name that Bacteria!
Homework:
None

5/01 bacteria

In-Class:
Discussed bacteria types and how they are named. Students view and draw several types of bacteria found at a site I highly recommend for excellent photos taken under very high power magnification.

To access the bacteria slides go to http://www.astrographics.com/ Choose gallery prints from the left hand margin of the site. Select Microscopic World from graphics. Choose Lower Life Forms from the gallery collections. The other collections are also outstanding.

Homework:
Study for classification quiz (10 points, Friday.)