Mrs. Clements' Super Science Blog

We are busily working on a project in science dealing with the world’s biomes. What would you need if you were dropped off in a biome with no food, water, shelter, vehicles, or communication devices? How would you survive? Classes are creating survival kits for their biome. I am looking forward to seeing what the students come up with.

Tomorrow we leave for Rock Eagle. This is always a great trip, and one that is right up my alley, as I used to work at the Chattachoochee Nature Center and lead classes like the ones we will take at Rock Eagle. After we get back from the trip, we will have a week of class and then our Ecology test. After ecology we will study Human Body systems, our last unit of the curriculum before the CRCT. Look how far we’ve come since August!

Today in class we had chckpoints testing. I know it was long, and we will finish up tomorrow if you did not get done. As we continue to study Ecology, it is not enough to learn about how ecosystems work and how life is connected through food webs. We need to understand that humans impact ecosystems and food webs in many ways. We will look at some of these impacts tomorrow, and you will further investigate this at home over the next week or so.

** Vocabulary QUIZ is Friday.

Just a clarification on my last post- the neighborhood survey of abiotic and biotic factors was only given to TAG classes. No worries.

If you are looking for something to do for this long weekend, check this out:

The Great Backyard Bird Count is happening now! See this link to find instructions and how to submit your results. You do not have to be an expert birder. Get mom and dad to help, and you all can help the National Audubon Society and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology count the BIODIVERSITY of our bird populations. Remember that word from last week? Here’s the link:

http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/

Happy Birding!

We have just finished our evolution unit, and we had our test on Friday. I enjoyed this unit. It is short, but the information is fascinating and thought provoking. We started using the Edmodo site. I have added many resources to the library, so students can log in and view videos and websites with current topics and materials. If you are interested in learning more about evolution, check out the PBS Evolution website. There ar wonderful resources and videos on the site. Happy learning!

We are starting our ecology unit. Yesterday we learned that everything is connected. Everything. Today we are learning about the levels of organization in the environment. I have given students a worksheet that will be due next Tuesday. They need to survey their yard, block, or area around their house for biotic and abiotic factors. Have fun with this, make it colorful, and be aware of all the living and non-living things that surround us everyday, and how they affect each other.

Please – students and parents- check your science  binders for missing assignments. I have lots that are missing. Missing assignments will go in the grade book as NHI (not handed in) and are averaged as a zero until they are turned in. When they are late, points are taken off. If the work has been done, you should be getting full credit for it. BE diligent and you will be rewarded.

Have a wonderful valentine’s day.

This week in science we have started a new unit on Evolution. Monday we looked at a short Bill Nye on evolution. Tuesday we had some group discussions about traits that are advantageous to organisms, and we took some notes on basic evolution definitions and theories. Today we took some notes on evidence for evolution and then we read an article about a whale fossil that had leg and foot bones. We are looking at fossils and how they provide evidence that living things have changed over time.

We had our Cell Processes test, except if you are in 6th period science. We sat in the science prep room for the whole class due to a tornado warning. Better safe than sorry; thanks for your patience while we waited out the storm. Sixth period will take the test tomorrow. Since you were ready today, you should be more than ready tomorrow!

Today we looked at wilted plants and how they get water into their cells from osmosis. Then we reviewed the venn diagram on mitosis and meiosis. After this we reviewed for our Cell Processes test, which is tomorrow. Some of you played jeopardy and some of you did an activote review. I’m sorry for the technical difficulties we had today. Please study your vocabulary words. Out next unit will be genetics!

Tuesday: We reviewed photosynthesis and cellular respiration by looking at the molecules on the Active board and then going outside to be the molecules.

Wednesday: We did a “Feeding Frenzy” lab, illustrating fermentation in yeast.

Thursday and Friday: We learned about mitosis and meiosis, and how these 2 processes differ.

HW: test next week on Wednesday, November 16th!

Photosynthesis internet activity was due on November 7th!

We were in the computer lab today. We worked on an interactive simulation of photosynthesis. Students answered questions about the process of photosynthesis and saw how the molecules broke apart and recombined.

TAG classes also read an article on how leaves change color in the fall, and the pigments involved in this process. These questions are due tomorrow.

OL classes: Please finish reading section 4.1 or 4.2 on your online book. Pick the section you did NOT research at the beginning of this unit. Answer the questions in the section review for homework.

Last day of the Eggsperiment! Our eggs swelled to great size in the colored water. We washed them, measured them, and then destroyed them! Some lucky students picked randomly got to dispose of the eggs in the trash can. They were really starting to smell by the end of the day! We then answered the questions that went with the lab.

TAG classes also finished the potato osmosis questions. Did you figure out which solution was which?

HW: finish the Eggcellent Eggsperiment questions if you did not today. This is due Monday!