What to do over break?

Wow, I guess I didn't update my blog the week before winter break.  Oops!  Hopefully someone is checking in to see what they should do over break.  I'll update the blog for the specific days before break, but here's the quick version of what you should be doing over break:

Regular bio:
1) Begin studying for your comprehensive final exam (which is 20% of your grade.)
2) Finish your Frayer Model Vocabulary worlds on notebook pp. 104-105.  The words are:

• plasma membrane
• concentration
• equilibrium
• diffusion
• osmosis
• hypertonic
• hypotonic
• isotonic

3) For those of you in 5th, 6th, and 8th periods, you need to finish your potato lab that we did on Friday 12/17. (2nd and 4th periods did not meet that day, so have not done the lab.)

4) (If needed) Revise your Research Paper and/or Science Fair board to improve your grade.  (Due Monday, 1/3/11 for 2nd and 4th periods.)  (Due Thursday 1/6/11 for 5th, 6th, and 8th periods.)

Advanced Placement (AP) Bio:

1) Begin studying for your comprehensive final exam (which is 20% of your grade.)

2) Work on your Organismal Diversity Project quizzes and student activities.  (Deadlines are individualized, see the ODP Packet.)

Enjoy your holiday!  See you in 2011!

Lab before break!

On the Friday half day before break, I only saw the afternoon biology classes (5th, 6th, and 8th) and we did a potato lab about diffusion and osmosis.

If you were absent, you cannot make up the lab unless you had a valid excused absence for the following reasons: 1) a death in the family, 2) a hospitalization, 3) a serious illness.

Therefore the handouts from the lab will not be in the document crate and you must see me with your documented note from your parent about your excused absence in order to make up the lab.

For homework, you should do the following:
1) Begin studying for your comprehensive final exam (which is 20% of your grade.)
2) Finish your Frayer Models on NB pp. 104-105
3) Revise your research papers if needed (due 1/3/11 for 2nd and 4th periods, due 1/6/10 for 5th-8th periods.)
4) Finish your labs on NB pp. 106-109.

Diffusion & Osmosis Vocabulary & Quiz

Today in biology, we completed Frayer Vocabulary graphic organizers on notebook pp. 104-105 for the following words:

1. diffusion
2. osmosis
3. hypertonic
4. hypotonic
5. isotonic
6. equilibrium
7. plasma membrane
8. concentration

For homework, you should do the following:

1) Begin studying for your comprehensive final exam (which is 20% of your grade.)

2) Finish your Frayer Models on NB pp. 104-105

3) Revise your research papers if needed (due 1/3/11 for 2nd and 4th periods, due 1/6/10 for 5th-8th periods.)

In AP biology, Alexis gave her presentations about the Phylum Platyhelminthes.  See her for the notes and for the handouts.

For homework, begin studying for your comprehensive final exam.  Finish the student activities for Cnidaria and Platyhelmenthes.  Continue working on your ODP projects.

Diffusion & Osmosis Hands on Activity/Cnidaria presentation

Today in biology we did a hands on activity about diffusion and osmosis.  We recorded the information on notebook p. 102.  If you were absent, see Ms. Adams to make it up.

For homework, do a summary of the activity.

In AP biology, Brandon gave his presentation about Cnidaria.  See him to get the notes and handouts if you were absent.

For homework, work on the Cnidaria student activity.

Diffusion and Osmosis Notes, The Cell Cycle Notes

Today in biology, students took notes on diffusion and osmosis on notebook p. 101.

For homework, complete a summary of the notes.

Today in AP biology, students completed notes about the Cell Cycle on notebook pp. 116-121.

For homework, review your notes!

Sub work

You were absent...and so was I!  Please get the sub work from the Week 18 box.  Make sure to get the AP work (Cell Cycle Vocab) or the regular bio work (Diffusion and Osmosis Cloze Reading) and then turn it in to me tomorrow.

Academic Vocabulary, Intro to the Cell Cycle

Today in biology, students answered the do now question, "Why is the plasma membrane important to the cell?" on NB p. 92.  Then students received two handouts that you should get from the week 17 folder (Prefixes #1 and Prefixes #2) and put on NB pp. 93-94. 

Next, students looked at the Cambridge Vol. 1 books (p. 638) and identified words that they know, "kinda" know and don't know.  Then they used the Frayer Model for Vocabulary to learn five new words on NB p. 95-97.  Finally, they had an exit ticket before they left. 

I also announced the winners of the classroom science fair.  They are as follows:

2nd period: Joceylyn Mitchell, Jalen Robinson, and Vernon Thomas
4th period: Jamal Brown, Nikkia Pearce, and Amber Young
5th period: Kizuwanda Byrd, Rachel Dunbar, Jaliya Jones, and Shania Wright
6th period: Latra' Chipley, D'sha Jernegons, and Brittonia McKenzie and Anitra Jones
8th period: Armani Costilla, Khristian Fipps, and Mykel Young

They will all participate in the school science fair on Wednesday, Dec. 15 from 4:30-6:30 PM.

No homework over the weekend!

In AP biology, students previewed Chapter 12: The Cell Cycle.  Then they used the headings to write questions in the left hand column of their Cornell Notes and then read to answer and take notes about the Cell Cycle form textbook pp. 218-226.  The notes go on NB pp. 117-119. 

For homework, finish and study your notes!  Work on your ODP project as necessary.

Practice ACT

Today all junior students took a practice ACT.  I only saw my 6th period class for about 15 minutes, during which we peer judged our science fair boards.  Then I saw 8th period for a regular class period, during which students responded to one of the following three writing prompts:

1) What does it mean to live "a disciplined life?"  Is it relevant in today's society?
2) Imagine your life when you are 30 years old.  Where will you live?  How will you provide for yourself?  Will you have a family?  Now think about what it will take to achieve that life.  Write about the steps that you will need to take in order to achieve those goals.
3) What does it mean to have pride in your work?  Describe a time that you had pride in your work.  What did you do?  How did it feel?

Juniors' Classroom Science Fair! AP Quiz Review

Today was the classroom science fair for all of the junior students.  Overall, it was a success!  If you were absent to present your project, we are having a brief mini-fair on Wednesday after school from 3:15-3:45 in room 103.  Students peer-judged each other using the peer scoring sheet and turned that in for a grade.

No homework!

For AP biology, I checked the homework (yellow diffusion and osmosis sheet) and then we went over the correct answers.  Then we did the Quiz Review Sheet in pairs.  (If you were absent, then get the handout from the Document Crate (Week 17 folder.)

For homework, finish the Quiz Review and study for the Osmosis, Diffusion, and Membranes quiz, which will be on Thursday.

Science Fair Prep, ODP Project calendar, etc.

Today in biology, students turned in their science fair posters and research papers.  They also had time to plan their oral presentations.  We also went over the guidelines for the peer judges for tomorrow's science fair.  Finally, I gave everyone a copy of their ID numbers.  Get yours from the envelope in your period's drawer.

Homework: Practice your presentation.

Today in AP biology, students turned in their first drafts of their ODP PowerPoint presentations.  I also provided students with an updated calendar with all ODP-related deadlines.  Please get yours from the Document Crate.  We also finished going over the notes on water potential.  I gave out a worksheet for practice.

For homework, do all of the problems but II, III, and IV.

Calendar for AP ODP Presentations

I've finally finished the calendar for the Organismal Diversity Project (ODP) Presentations for AP bio!  Here's the calendar:

Group #	Phylum Name	Common Descriptor	Presentation Date (Wed. or Thurs 8 AM.)
1 (Ms. Adams)	Porifera	Sponges
2 (Brandon)	Cnidaria	Hydras, Jellies, Corals, Sea Anenomes	12/15
3 (Alexis)	Platyhelminthes	Flatworms	12/16
4 (Kristi/Kevin)	Nematoda	Roundworms	1/5
5 (Raven/Cornell)	Mollusca	Molluscs	1/6
6 (Gregory)	Annelida	Segmented Worms	1/19
7 (Todd)	Arthropoda Chelicerates & Arachnids Millipedes & Centipedes Crustaceans	Arthropods	1/26
8 (Brielle)	Arthropoda Insects	Insects	1/27
9 (Teyonna/Shatara)	Echinodermata	Echinoderms	2/2
10 (Savannah)	Chordata: Tunicates Lancelets	Invertebrate Chordates	2/3
11 (Tre'/Monet')	Chordata Hagfish Lampreys	Jawless fish/craniates	2/9
12 (Chris)	Chordata, subphylum Vertebrata Chondrichthyans Ray-finned fish Lobe-finned fish	Jawed Fish	2/10
13 (Benn)	Chordata, subphylum Vertebrata Amphibia	Amphibians	2/16
14 (Henrietta/ Dwight)	Chordata, subphylum Vertebrata Reptilia	Reptiles, not including birds	2/17
15 (Devan)	Chordata, subphylum Vertebrata Reptilia	Birds	2/23
16 (James)	Chordata, subphylum Vertebrata Mammalia	Mammals	2/24

Friday sub plans

On Friday I was out for a planned family memorial service, so here are the sub plans for both AP and regular bio:

1) Students should silently read, highlight, and annotate the Cambridge Volume 2 Game Plan on pp. 224-225. 

2) When students are finished, they should work on the 3 Passages on pp. 226-230 by reading the passages and answering the questions.  They should mark the text as I showed them how to do.

3) Go over the correct answers with them after they've worked through all of the questions.

4) All students should also work on their science fair papers and/or posters (or Organismal Diversity Projects for AP bio) when they're finished.

For regular bio homework: Finish your science fair research paper and poster (both must be typed!) by Monday at the beginning of the period!

For AP bio homework, your Organismal Diversity Project PowerPoint draft is due on Monday at 8 AM.  If you choose to email it to me, then you must do so by Sunday at 3 PM.

Science Fair Poster Feedback, Water Potential

In regular bio, I gave students feedback on their science fair posters while they worked on reading and marking Cambridge Book Volume 1 pp. 646-650 and pp. 652-657.  The vocabulary foci were: optimum, interpolation, and extrapolation.  The strategy foci were manipulating variables, approximation, simplification, and "meastimation."

For homework: Finish your science fair research paper and poster (both must be typed!) by Monday at the beginning of the period!

In AP bio, students used the "Passive Transport" handout and coloring "plate" to color and read about diffusion, osmosis, and facilitated diffusion.  Then we took notes on water potential.

For homework, your Organismal Diversity Project PowerPoint draft is due on Monday at 8 AM.  If you choose to email it to me, then you must do so by Sunday at 3 PM.

Writing abstracts, Hypertonic, Hypotonic, Isotonic Solutions

Today in biology, students completed ten questions in their Cambridge Volume 1 books (p. 665-666) for their do now.  Then I introduced more information about an abstract.  The abstract should be a one paragraph summary of your research, including the purpose, summary of your procedure, and your conclusion.  Then students worked writing their abstracts and/or their science fair posters.

Homework: A rough draft of your science fair poster is due tomorrow.  Bring your Cambridge Volume 1 book tomorrow and Volume 2 on Friday.

Today in AP biology, we did a hands-on activity to review osmosis and to learn about hypertonic, hypotonic, and isotonic solutions.

For homework, review your notes.  And the ODP Power Point first draft is due Monday at 8 AM.  (Or by email Sunday at 3 PM.)