Friday, October 28, 2016

10/28/16 Do Now: Skip a page and then set up your connections pages on the next pair of facing pages - if you are confused, ask to see my journal for an example.

We also watched Bill Nye on cells and completed a guide sheet that went along with the video.  If you were out, please watch the video on your own, as well as the Intro to cells rap video we watched in class.  Both links are on the science blog, that you can find by going to the Teacher pages on the Middle School website, which can be found at www.biddefordschooldepartment.org, the district website.

Thursday, October 27, 2016

Today, we had a rousing pep talk on how school/education is like a stairway; each year, more is expected, and it builds on what came before.  When you get to the top, there is…life. The adults in your life know this, since we’ve all been through it, and so we want  for you to be prepared.  Being able to be an independent learner is really important. 
With all this in mind, we had a discussion about today’s Do Now: Copy the following question, and then answer it.  When we are working in leveled groups, what can I do before I ask Mr. Davis for help, or if he is with another student?
Also, if you were out, see me for a copy of the U2Act1 vocab list and create a new Quizlet set with those words. Do this for homework.

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

Today we took the Unit 1 summative test. If you were out, see me to arrange when you will take the summative for Unit 1.

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

10/21/16 Do Now: Copy this into your journal: What is the relationship between cells and atoms?
Now write your answer.
If you haven’t gotten a copy of the review for the summative, see me for a copy.  If you need to, complete it, then see me for the key to check your work, and to arrange when you will take the Summative.
We also watched this video of an amoeba moving.

Monday, October 24, 2016

10/21/16 Do Now: Copy the following into your journal and finish the sentence:
 “If I was using a microscope to look at a specimen, to decide if the speciemen was made of cells, I would look for…:”
[think about the definition of a cell you were given]
If you were out, be sure to see me for a copy of the Review Sheets for the upcoming Summative that is likely to happen on Wednesday.  Complete them, and see me for a key.
Today was the last day that you will have in class time to complete all microscope based lessons up to U1Act8: Wet Mount slides. If you haven’t completed up to U1Act8, see me to arrange when you will make up the microscope time.

Friday, October 21, 2016

Copy and answer the Do Now from today, then show me your answer:
10/21/16 Do Now: What is the difference between and producer and a consumer?

After this, we spent most of the rest of the block working on microscope work  -  All activiites up through U1Act8 will be due by the end of the block on Monday.  See me if you need more time due to being out.

Thursday, October 20, 2016

See me to get a copy of the Characteristics of Living things entry slip that was the Do Now for today - complete it in class, and turn it in. Also, get a copy of the HW slip on “Is a corn seed alive”, tape it to your journal on the “Is a corn seed alive?” page and complete it for homework.

IF you didn’t finish copying the notes for the Necessities of Life yesterday, see yesterdays makeup work log entry for the notes below and copy them to your journal below the notes on the characteristics of living things.
In class, we discussed the review questions on the Necessities of Life that went along with the reading in the texbook from Monday (the day I was out).
Here is the basic idea of what was discussed—read these and think about them:
1.Q:Why are decomposers categorized as consumers?  How do they differ from producers?
A: Decomposers must obtain their food from other organisms, so they are consumers.  Producers are able to make their own food.
2.Q:Why are most cells 70% water?
A: Because water is neeed for most biochemical reactions.
3.Q: Could life as we know it exist on Earth if air contained only oxygen? Explain.
A:Right now, producers use carbon dioxide to live and provide the food for everything else.  So the way things are, if there was only oxygen, but no Carbon Dioxide, life couldn’t exist.

Wednesday, October 19, 2016

Copy and answer the Do Now from today:
10/17/16 Do Now: Without looking at your notes, What are the six characteristics of living things covered in the text yesterday?
Copy the following notes to your journal below yesterdays notes on the characteristics of living things:
Necessities of life
Almost every living organism has the same four basic needs:

1. Food  - Provides energy and raw materials
2. Water - most biochemical reactions require H2O
3. Air - Oxygen or Carbon dioxide are needed
4. A place to live - limited space leads to competition

Bio  - having to do with life or living things.
Chemical - made of atoms and molecules.

Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Copy and answer the Do Now from today:
10/17/16 Do Now: What are the six characteristics of living things covered in the text yesterday?
Get a copy of the vocabulary list for Lesson U1Act10, create a Quizlet set and practice with the vocabulary words for 5-10 minutes.
Review the 4 requirements for Proper Scientific Microscope drawings, and then See me to take the formative Exit slip.
Copy the following notes to a blank page in your jounral:
U1Act10: It’s Alive, It’s Alive!!
-How can you tell?
The six characteristics of living things:
 Have Cells
Sense and respond to change
Reproduce
Have DNAUse Energy
Grow and develop

Monday, October 17, 2016

10/17/16 Do Now:
Thinking about everything you have done and seen in class so far, [in full sentences] How can you tell if something is alive?
A couple of the activities to think about: CGOA’s /corn seeds
U1Act8 if you’ve done it.
When you are back in school, observe your CGOA and write down your observations, along with the date in your journal below what you’ve already written on the “Is a corn seed alive” page.
In the green Holt Life Science textbook, we read pages 37-41.  If you were out, see me for a photocopy of those pages, read them and do the review questions on a blank piece of paper.

Tuesday, October 17, 2016

10/17/16 Do Now:
Thinking about everything you have done and seen in class so far, [in full sentences] How can you tell if something is alive?
A couple of the activities to think about: CGOA’s /corn seeds
U1Act8 if you’ve done it.
When you are back in school, observe your CGOA and write down your observations, along with the date in your journal below what you’ve already written on the “Is a corn seed alive” page.
In the green Holt Life Science textbook, we read pages 37-41.  If you were out, see me for a photocopy of those pages, read them and do the review questions on a blank piece of paper.

Friday, October 14, 2016

10/14/16 Do Now:
When you are back in school, observe your CGOA and write down your observations, along with the date in your journal below what you’ve already written on the “Is a corn seed alive” page.
Also, observe those that sprouted and those that didn’t  - why do you tink that happened? 
Check with me when you get back to school so we can make a plan for you to get caught up, with the microscope if necessary.

Thursday, October 13, 2016

10/11/16 Do Now:
Review U1Act5: Microscope Optics (optics means having to do with sight, or lenses). Write a 1 page summary of the main ideas and what was learned in this lab ON YOUR CONNECTIONS PAGES.  Write it in such a way that you can draw a cloud around it - see me for an explanation.
When you are back in school, observe your CGOA and write down your observations, along with the date in your journal below what you’ve already written on the “Is a corn seed alive” page.
See me for an explanation of how to  diagram the connections between the lesson summaries

Wednesday, October 12, 2016

10/11/16 Do Now:
Review your notes on U1Act4:Good microscope care and then write a 1 sentence summary of the lesson on your Aha Connections Pages - write it as though you had to explain the lesson to someone who was absent in one sentence (should be pg 4 and 5).
Copy the following questions to the middle of your connections pages and enclose each one within a drawing of a lightbulb  (see me for an example):
How are microscopes used?
How can you tell if something is living?
When you are back in school, observe your CGOA and write down your observations, along with the date in your journal below what you’ve already written on the “Is a corn seed alive” page.
As an introduction to U1Act9: Staining Cells,  watch this short introductory video on staining cells. 

Tuesday, October 11, 2016

10/11/16 Do Now:
Review your notes on U1Act3: POM and then write a 1 sentence summary of the lesson on your Aha Connections Pages (should be pg 4 and 5) - write it as though you had to explain the lesson to someone who was absent in one sentence .
When you are back in school, observe your CGOA and write down your observations in your journal below what you’ve already written on the “Is a corn seed alive” page.
If you were out, see me  (and bring your journal) to confirm what lesson you are working on, and to get a refresher on what you should be learning and doing.

Thursday, October 6, 2016

10/6/15 Do Now:
Without looking at your notes, in full sentences, in your journal, explain the difference between observations and inferences."
The rest of the block we spent desigining, getting approved, and building a Corn Germination Observation Apparatus - a device that allows us to observe corn seeds as they germinate and what happens afterwards, and then all blocks but block 1 got to build theirs and get the corn seeds germinating.

10/5/16 Do Now:

In Full Sentences answer the following: Before moving on to the next activity, what must you get from Mr. Davis?

Before showing your journal to Mr. Davis to get his green signature, what two things should you have done, first?

In your journal, you should have a page set up  with the heading “Is a Seed Alive?” and your personal view on whether a seed is alive or not. Explain your view, why do you think what you do?  If you were out, spend a minute or so talking to someone with a different view from yours. Summarize their views below what you have written already and write whether your views have changed or not. - if so, explain how.

Given the materials below, draw a sketch and label the parts of a design you came up with for a device that will allow you to observe and measure corn seed germination and growth. The materials you can use include:
a ruler             water
soil                  a clear plastic cup
paper towels

We also watched this video on Observation vs Inference.  If you were out, watch the video and  on the next blank page in your journal write the answer to the question: What is the difference between an observation and an inference?

Tuesday, October 4, 2016

On the next blank page: [copy the question and then write your answer]
10/4/16 Do Now:  How can you tell  if something is alive?
Above today’s Do Now, at the top of the page, write the heading ” Is a seed alive?”
Then, using complete sentences, explain your andwer, thinking back to what you wrote for the Do Now.
If you were out, check in with me when you get back so we can see which activity you should be working on.  We are continuing to work in our leveled groups.