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October 31, 2006
Wow! I am looking forward to reading the great reports that were submitted today in class. It is evident that you have been working very hard to get your notes and ideas transformed into the introduction to your your park project. Congratulations to 5th period; everyone in that class turned in a report today or earlier. If you did not turn in your report today, please do so asap.
Today we performed investigations related to DNA extraction. We will finish the write-up and analysis questions tomorrow.
There is no homework tonight.
Here are a few pictures from 4th period.
Posted by carroll at 05:27 PM
October 27, 2006
Please check iParent for the updated grades for this term. They were posted Friday P.M.
Posted by carroll at 06:10 PM
Tuesday is the due date for the introduction part of the research projects and should be written using the background information found on student note cards. A bibliography/works cited page should also be added. This assignment counts in the test/project category in the gradebook. If students are unable to print their reports, they may send them to me via email. If sending is not an option, then students may neatly write out their reports by hand. The number of pages will be increased to account for the writing.
Here is an updated timeline with details about what is due on Tuesday.
Timeline for Research Projects-1.doc
The following rubric will be used for this part of the project.
Rubric for Research Introduction.doc
Detailed steps for the research project will be due on Nov. 9th. See the timeline handout above.
Posted by carroll at 05:14 PM
October 26, 2006
This podcast is a brief overview of last year's Jekyll Island trip.
Posted by carroll at 11:46 AM
October 25, 2006
Monday we concluded the last of three class days for research in the media center and I checked note cards and bibliography cards. Some students are still having trouble with using MLA form to cite sources. Please check the media center blog at Mabryonline for help with your citations. Here are some other online help sites:
OWL at Purdue MLA formatting and style guide
I still have a shelf of relevant books in my room for students to use for additional research and I have a help session every day after school from 4:20- 5:15. See me if you are having troubles with the background research or planning of your experiment.
I am excited about the great topics that students have selected for their research. At this time, all students should be planning the exact steps to follow to answer their research question. These detailed procedures should be numbered and a complete list of materials included.
I am working on a more detailed rubric for your introduction and should have it ready for distribution tomorrow.
Posted by carroll at 06:31 PM
Sponge Bob and the Bikini Bottom gang have been lending a hand in our classes this week as we learn how biological traits are passed on to successive generations (standard S7L3). Mendel worked with his peas to demonstrate how probability could be used to figure out that some traits are controlled by factors (genes) that have a dominant form and a recessive form. We have been using Punnett squares to determine the probability of various outcomes in the land of Sponge Bob (WS#1 and 2) and today we investigated the phenomenon of incomplete dominance with Sandy's favorite Poofkin flowers (WS #3). I think that most students have it figured out!
Other terms that we have learned this week include: homozygous, heterozygous, purebred, hybrid, allele, gene, chromosome, incomplete dominance (similar to co-dominance), genotype, and phenotype, asexual reproduction, and sexual reproduction. Please make sure that you are reading and studying the chapter pages that go along with our studies in class (pages 86-99). Do the workbook pages also if you did not have at least a B on the last test.
I checked WS # 2 for a HW grade today. If you did not finish it, please do so and give it to me tomorrow.
Your homework for the week has been to work on your report of background information and your project research plan.
Posted by carroll at 05:51 PM
October 20, 2006
In class to day, we will learn how to use a Punnet square to predict the probability of outcomes of a cross of parents with various traits.
As you go through the lessons here, click on the options at the bottom of the page for animations and problems to solve.
For homework, work on those note cards. I will check to see that you have 25 to 30 note cards and 5 to 8 bibliography cards on Monday.
Posted by carroll at 08:29 AM
In class to day, we will learn how to use a Punnet square to predict the probability of outcomes of a cross of parents with various traits.
As you go through the lessons here, click on the options at the bottom of the page for animations and problems to solve.
For homework, work on those note cards. I will check to see that you have 25 to 30 note cards and 5 to 8 bibliography cards on Monday.
Posted by carroll at 07:29 AM
October 19, 2006
Tour the basics here to learn more about the role of genes and chromosomes in the process of inheriting a specific trait, like hitchhikers thumb. Just to see who is reading the blog... :-) You can earn 10 bonus points on an assignment if you take the tour and write down the phenotype and the possible genotype of your thumb and turn it in to me by Friday (10/20). Shhh! Don't tell.
Posted by carroll at 06:32 AM
October 18, 2006
Homework: Continue to take notes about your topic on your note cards. I will check them on Monday 10/23. You should have 25-30 cards from 5-8 different sources.
Trackstar sites for research projects
Posted by carroll at 11:51 AM
October 17, 2006
Parents and students: I am available after school from 4:20-5:15 Monday-Thursday to help students with their research.
The root word of question is quest.
Your research question sends you on an exciting quest.
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About finding a question . . .
"Sometimes you have to do some wondering to get to your wonderings.”
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“Research is a process of discovery—a process that continually requires us to rethink, and re-search our understandings.”
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Research is a tune-in activity ~
Research means paying close attention tuning in to what is going on so you don't miss out.
Source:The Art of Classroom Inquiry by Ruth Shagoury Hubbard and Brenda Miller Power
Thanks to Mrs. Worthington for finding the quotes above.
As we begin our research in the media center, it is nice to reflect on the process.
Here is the preliminary timeline for our research this term. Students received a copy today and were asked to make notes in their agendas about upcoming deadlines.
Timeline for Research Projects.doc
This handout gives some guidance for students who may need to find a more interesting or more reasonable question for research.
Independent Study Projects-1.doc
We will go to the media center again tomorrow and note cards will be checked on 10/23 at the end of the class.
Homework this week, 10/17-10/22, is to take notes on note cards as you gather background information for your project. A bibliography card should be completed for each source that you use. Remember to use bullets; avoid sentences. Paraphrasing takes longer and sometimes leads to plagiarism.
Posted by carroll at 03:45 PM
October 16, 2006
All students received their Jekyll information packets today in class. Parents are getting this handout in their conference folders that details which classes are assigned to go on each trip. Please contact your science teacher if you have any questions. Jekyll is a wonderful learning experience and we hope that all students are planning to attend.
Posted by carroll at 04:32 PM
Please remember to bring your index cards to class tomorrow. We will begin the note taking phase of your independent study project as we work in the media center on Tuesday and Wednesday.
For homework tonight, please complete both sides of the Flip-It! activity sheet that you received in class today. Today during class we discussed several possible research questions. I hope that everyone has discovered an interesting question for their project! Please see me if you need help.
Posted by carroll at 04:21 PM
October 09, 2006
Students need to dress to go outside for class on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday (weather permitting).
There is no homework tonight. I will score tests and post grades by tomorrow evening.
Any students who missed today's test will need to be here tomorrow morning at 8:15. I will meet you at the door or in study hall. Most students who were absent today are aware of this scheduled make-up time. This is just a reminder.
Posted by carroll at 03:59 PM
October 05, 2006
All students were issued a Life Science Guided Reading Study Workbook on Wednesday. The workbook should be used at home to check for comprehension following a reading assignment. I will not usually check them in class.
The workbook pages for chapter 2 (pages 15-26) are assigned and must be completed if you did not earn at least 80 on the last test.
Please complete the assigned pages and show them to me by Friday so you can check/correct them before Monday's test over chapter 2.
Posted by carroll at 05:32 PM
October 03, 2006
On Wednesday, students will receive directions and their class access code so they can begin using this useful resource.
Posted by carroll at 06:50 PM
1. Today students took notes on the cell cycle using the textbook on pages 72-79. The notes should give details about what is happening in each of the three stages in the life cycle of cells.
2. Students then connected to my blog and the Trackstar lesson on the Reviewing the Cell Cycle that was posted earlier. The Online lesson on Onion Root tip mitosis (1st site) was completed with the data and analysis written on the same page as the notes.
Take time tonight to check out the other sites on the track to learn about the cell cycle.
Homework is to begin reviewing for your upcoming test, which is scheduled for next Monday. It will cover how cells grow, divide, and make/obtain needed materials (all of chapter 2).
Also on the homework board is to continue researching your possible park questions/ research topics so you will be able to make a good choice for your project.
I will issue the Life Science Guided Reading and Study Workbooks tomorrow. Students who did not earn at least 80 on the last need to compete the lesson pages for chapter 2 and get them checked before next Monday so they will be better prepared for the next test.
Posted by carroll at 06:45 PM
The park is your laboratory this year!
What questions do you want to spend your time investigating?
Are you interested in biology, physical science, Earth science?
Are you interested in the organisms that live in the natural spaces in our community? Do you care about how the natural areas are used by people?
Think about all of the possibilities for field studies.
Your goal is to come up with a project involving data collection that is related to Sweat Mountain Park and/or other similar areas in our local environment. It could be a controlled experiment, a data collection and analysis type project, or even a service learning project
Service learning projects are great if you want to get involved with “making a difference” in the park. Need some money to make your project happen? Do not worry, the Mabry Science Club may be able to help you. As first place finishers in the Youth Environmental Symposium of 2005, they earned a cash award that can be used for worthy projects. The club may be interested in helping you with your project. You will be required to submit a proposal that details your plan to request funding. (More on that later.)
We have many materials at school that should help you with you study (water quality testing kits, microscopes, ProScopes, data collection probe-ware, boots, materials for collecting stream macro-invertebrates, GPS devices, other measurement tools, etc.) so keep that in mind when planning your investigation.
Right now you should be exploring some of the many ideas that you have for your park project. Use the pre-research FLIP it! that Mrs. Hendrix prepared for you to get you thinking and finding information about your ideas. You will need to have a working idea for your project by next week. Here are some broad categories of research ideas.
Earth Science:
• Geology
o Soil analysis
o Erosion studies
o Geologic history of the area
• Meteorology
o Weather impact on ???
o Rainfall/runoff studies
o Light intensity questions
• Hydrology
o Stream water flow studies
o Chemical/physical parameters of the water
o Watershed questions
Life Science:
• Impact of people on the environment
• Soil organisms
• Water organisms
• Life cycle questions- tadpoles, insects, plant species
• Assessment of what lives in the park (trees, wildflowers, fungus, lichens, insects, etc.)
• Opportunistic species, invasive species, exotic species, native plants, etc.
Physical Science:
• Light intensity
• Temperature
I have heard some of your great ideas and am looking forward to helping you with your projects this year!
Posted by carroll at 06:55 AM
Here are links to sites that I have collected for you. Understanding DNA and its replication is important to understanding what is happening in the cell cycle. We will continue our lessons on DNA and protein synthesis in chapter 3 as we learn about genetics.
Posted by carroll at 06:31 AM
October 02, 2006
All students who have zeros should plan to stay for extra help this week from 4:20-5:15. Parents please check to see averages on iParent.
All make - up work is due on or before Monday, October, 9th.
Posted by carroll at 09:20 PM
Here are some of the sites that you will visit this week for our lessons on cell cycle. There will be a test over the chemical compounds and cellular processes that we have learned about in chapter 2 tentatively scheduled for next Tuesday.
Posted by carroll at 09:17 PM
Today we checked the photosynthesis and respiration comparison tables. I will collect this assignment tomorrow for a grade.
Students took time to record the Grass Head lab activity in science journals today. Title, Problem/Question, Hypothesis, Procedures, Data, Analysis and Conclusion should be included in the write-up. Everyone measured 10 representative grass blades from their grass head to enter as their data. The average for each grass head was written on the board to be be combined and averaged for the class data. We will finish the analysis of data and conclusion tomorrow.
We discussed how cells get the energy that they need when oxygen is not available. Alcohol fermentation and lactic acid fermentation were compared.
Homework tonight is to read pages 72-79. We will learn about the cell cycle this week.
Posted by carroll at 09:10 PM
