week of 15 December -- test update

Hi all,
  Regarding the test you took this week, two things:

1. I had a miscommunication with the other teachers on the point values on the notes part of the test. They all did 1 point each for multiple choice questions and I did 2.  I will adjust that to be in line with what they did.  You will see the total point value of the test change because of that.

2. Several of you have asked about test corrections for this test.  You will get time to do test corrections on the notes part of the test on Monday 5 January.  Everyone can do this.  In addition, if you got below an 85 on the no notes part of the test, you can correct that up to an 85.

Please come talk to me if you don't understand this.  Bottom line, nothing to worry about before vacation, just have a nice break!  Ms. Leary

week of 15 December

Hi everyone,
  Short week this week, especially because I am not here on Thursday due to a professional day. Tuesday is the test on the cell processes unit.  Please make sure that you bring your note card if you are using one.  As usual, there will be a "notes" test and a "no notes" test.  If you need help for the test, I am here briefly this PM (need to leave for doctor's appt. by 2:40PM) and could also talk to you during activity today.  Or I could see you tomorrow p. 5 (am in the theater lobby) or during the break after p. 5 in our room.

  Thursday you will be watching a video that is for fun and education, but doesn't involve direct work, so if you somehow are missing class that day, no big deal.

  If you are missing work (check grade book will be totally updated today) please come to AFT on Wednesday and check in with me to make a plan!  The semester ends very soon after break and I want to make sure you all get caught up.  Thanks, Ms. L

DUE DATES:
• none this week!  :)

week of 8 December

Hi all,
 I forgot to post this week!  My bad!! Anyway, we did photosynthesis and cellular respiration this week and you had a chance to work on a review sheet yesterday in class.  Today is getting ready for the test on Tuesday.  The unit guide for cell processes is in your folder.  You can use a note card for the test.
  Please talk to me/e-mail if you need help.  I will be after school on Monday until 2:45PM then I have to leave for a doctor's appointment.  Thanks, Ms. L

DUE DATES:
• protein synthesis questions Thursday 11 Dec
• snail lab Thursday 11 Dec
• cell processes test Tuesday 16 Dec

update for week of 1 December - link to codon wheel

Hey everyone,
  Here is a link to the codon wheel that will help you with the protein synthesis follow-up questions.  Please remember these are due next Thursday 11 Dec.  Please come AFT if you need help!  Ms. L

DUE DATES:
• protein synthesis follow-up questions due Thursday 11 Dec

LINK:

Codon wheel for translating RNA into amino acids (protein)

week of 1 December

Hi there,
  This week we will be talking about protein synthesis (how proteins are made).  Today, you did the lab where you extracted your own DNA.  You'll also be getting time to work on a project on protein synthesis that is due next week on Thursday.  There will be a test on cell functions the Tuesday before vacation (16 Dec.)
  Come to AFT if you need help!  Thanks, Ms. Leary

DUE DATES:
• Protein synthesis assignment due Thursday 11 Dec.
• Cell Processes test - Tuesday 16 Dec.

week of 24 November

Hey all,
  Easy week this week.  Just remember to make sure I have your diffusion and osmosis lab write-ups (the sheets we worked on in class) before you leave tomorrow.  No homework over vacation.  Have fun, enjoy your time with friends and family, and recharge your batteries.  I will be doing the same!

Ms. L

DUE DATES:
• diffusion and osmosis lab write-ups by Tuesday 25 November

week of 17 November

Hi there,
  This week we are doing two labs to help you understand diffusion and osmosis better.  Today you did the diffusion lab, testing to see if glucose and/or starch would diffuse through a dialysis tubing "cell".  On Thursday you will work on writing this lab up and also develop  hypotheses about whether osmosis will occur in two eggs I set up as a class demo.  One egg will sit in corn starch for 24 hours, one will sit in distilled water (100% water) for 24 hours. Then on Friday you will collect the data for these two eggs and write up your results.

  As always please come to AFT if you need help!  Thanks, Ms. Leary

DUE DATES:
• diffusion lab write-up - by Tuesday 25 November
• osmosis lab write-up - by Tuesday 25 Nov.

week of 10 November

Hi all,
   Short week this week made shorter by the fact that I forgot to write this yesterday!  We went over various ways the cell works as a system and the cell parts involved in things like manufacturing yesterday.  Then we barely started cell transport.  Today we will finish talking about diffusion and discuss osmosis.  You will get a practice sheet to see how you are doing with these concepts and possibly time to start setting up the lab on diffusion you'll be doing next Tuesday.
   Since I'm writing this in AFT, I'll see you in class!  Ms. Leary

DUE DATES:
• Test corrections due Tuesday 18 November

week of 3 November

Hi all,
  Today you took the test on cell parts and functions.  On Thursday, for a little break, we will be watching a video, probably on some aspect of animal behavior/animal consciousness.  Then, depending on how the tests go, we may take class time on Friday to do test corrections.  I won't know about this until later in the week.
  As ever, come to AFT if you need help, especially b/c your cell lab is due this Friday.  If you need to finish any sketches, come on in!  Thanks, Ms. Leary

DUE DATES:
• Cell lab due Friday 7 November

week of 27 October

Hi there,
  Tuesday you had time to work on your cell analogy, which is due this Friday (if you need an extension, that is OK, just tell me).  Thursday you will get time to finish the cell lab we started last Friday. That lab isn't due until next Friday so you can come to AFT if you need to, plus I want you to focus on preparing for the test this weekend.  Friday is a review period for the test that is next Tuesday 4 November.
  As always please come to AFT if you need help!  Ms. Leary

DUE DATES:
• cell analogy  - Friday 31 October
• cell parts test - Tuesday 4 November
• cell lab Friday 7 November

Week of 20 October

Hi there,
  This week we will finish up the cell parts in class on Monday and then Thursday.  By Thursday you will be done with the cell trading card assignment.  Then on Friday we are starting a cell lab that we will finish next Thursday.  I am going to be out on Tuesday of next week, during which time you will be working on a cell analogy project relating the cell to LL Bean.  You're going to get time to practice this type of analogy thinking in class today and Thursday as we work on relating the parts of the cell to how a school works.  The LL Bean one is graded, the school one is practice.

  As always, please come to AFT if you need help!  I'm always happy to help out whenever I can.  Ms. Leary

DUE DATES:
• ribosome, rough ER, Golgi body, smooth ER trading cards due TODAY
• chloroplast, mitochondria, vacuole, lysosome trading cards due Thursday 23 October
• LL Bean analogy due Friday 31 October
• for those of you who like to plan way ahead -- cell parts test Tuesday 4 November (you will get in-class time to prepare for this next week)

week of 13 October

Hi there,
  Today we are talking about nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) and the cell parts associated with them.  You should hand in your next 3 cell cards today as well.  Friday I am giving you class time to work on rewrites for the ice melting lab.  I will talk to you individually (each group) about how to improve and then you'll get time to get started on the rewrites. Rewrites are OPTIONAL but highly encouraged as most labs were not great.  (You need practice writing them.)

   Remember we have AFT tomorrow and Friday so come in if you need help!  Ms. Leary

DUE DATES:
• 2nd set of 3 trading cards today!
• 3rd set of 4 trading cards (ribosomes, rough ER, Golgi body, smooth ER) due Tues 21 Oct.
• 4th set of 4 trading cards (chloroplast, mitochondria, vacuole, lysosome) due Thurs 23 Oct.

week of 6 October

Hi all,
  Tuesday we are doing a lab on cell size.  On Thursday, we will talk about the first four organelles on your cell trading card worksheet and I will collect those four trading cards.  Then Friday I will be out and you are going to watch a video called "Can We Live Forever?" and answer a few questions about that.  I am putting all the due dates for the cell trading cards on this week's blog just so you can plan ahead if you like to do that. I will also have your ice melting labs graded by Thursday and you will get time next week to work on rewrites for these labs.

   As always, please come see me or e-mail me if you need help.  This week unfortunately, there is no AFT time as tomorrow is a half day for you and I won't be here on Friday. So if you need help, talk to me and we can find a time to meet OK?  Thanks, Ms. Leary

DUE DATES:

• 1st set of 4 trading cards (cell membrane, cytoplasm, cell wall, cytoskeleton) due Thursday 9 Oct.
• 2nd set of 3 trading cards (nucleus, nucleolus, nuclear membrane) due Wednesday 15 Oct.
• 3rd set of 4 trading cards (ribosomes, rough ER, Golgi body, smooth ER) due Tues 21 Oct.
• 4th set of 4 trading cards (chloroplast, mitochondria, vacuole, lysosome) due Thurs 23 Oct.

Hi there,
  Today we watched the vaccine program to give you some sense of the importance of vaccination as well as people's concerns about them.  Please make sure you give me those questions by Thursday.  The rest of the week we will be getting started on the cell unit, beginning with the two major types of cells (prokaryote and eukaryote) on Thursday and then moving on to eukaryotic cell parts on Friday.
As always, please come to AFT if you need any help!  Ms. Leary

DUE DATES:

• water properties lab (penny + wax paper) by Friday 3 Oct.
• Vaccines: Calling the Shots questions Thursday 2 Oct.

Hello,
  This week you are getting time today to work on your ice melting lab write-up and also to prepare for the quiz on the nature of science concepts in our first unit.  The quiz on that material is on Thursday of this week.  On Friday we will be covering some information on the properties of water and you will be doing a brief lab (no write-up required).  Please come to AFT this week if you need any help!  Ms. Leary

Here's a practice problem for the quiz.  If you know how to do this, you should be in good shape for the experimental design concepts. 

You want to find out if fish fed more food will lay more eggs.

Tell me the following:
     • the hypothesis
     • the control group
     • 2 experimental groups
     • independent variable
     • dependent variable
     • 5 constants (unchanged variables)

Due dates:

• Quiz on Nature of Science Unit due Thursday 25 Sept.
• Graphing re-do? by Thursday 25 Sept
• Characteristics of Life activity (supposed to be done already) by Friday 26 Sept
• Ice Melting Lab due Friday 26 Sept

Hi,
  This week you will be designing and doing a controlled experiment on Tuesday.  You will be investigating which of several substances makes an ice cube melt the fastest.  You will then take your data and write up your results.  I will explain how to do this in class on Thursday.  You will have class time on Thursday and Friday to work on this.

Due dates:
• Rough draft of ice lab write-up by end of class - Friday 19 Sept.
• Ice Melting lab write-up final due - Friday 26 Sept.

Hi there,
  This week, we will be working on how to design a controlled experiment, how to write a good scientific explanation, as well as a quick review of graphing.  This will set us up to be able to do a lab next week that will allow you to practice all these skills. Please remember you are always welcome in AFT if you are confused.  Ms. L

Homework this week:
• Sign up for blog by Friday 12 Sept.
• Make sure you got your course policy sheet signed! By Thursday 11 Sept!
• Scientific Method practice sheet for Thursday 11 Sept.
• Simpson's Scientific Method for Friday 12 Sept.
• Similar Liquids explanation for Friday 12 Sept.
• Graphing Practice Monday 15 Sept. - new!

Hi there,
  I've enjoyed meeting all of you!  I really have fun teaching this class and hope that you enjoy your experience in here and learn a lot. Let's have a fun year together!  Ms. L

Here are your first due dates:

Random Thoughts sheet by Tuesday 9 Sept. (not graded)
Course Policy sheet signed - Tuesday 9 Sept.
Sign up to receive blog by e-mail - Thursday 11 Sept.

Hi there,
  You should get in the habit of checking this blog regularly for our class.  I will post about once a week and use this blog to share due dates, links to animations, etc.  I'd appreciate your feedback as to how this is working for you as this is a new thing for me this year. Thanks!  Ms. Leary