September 30, 2009

Daily Questions:
Get a laptop from the cart, open up to phsuccessnet.com and log in.  When there, please close the lid most of the way.

Agenda:
-Hand back Ch 1&2 test
-Record some observations, comments, reactions to yesterday's pinecone lab into your notebook
-Practice calculating diversity index worksheet
-Use online activities for Ch 36.

Homework:
Answer pinecone lab questions 1-4 & 6-7.  Leave space in your answers for question #5- we'll answer this later when we have all class data compiled.

Quote:
"There is always room at the top." ~Daniel Webster

September 29, 2009

Daily Questions:
Get a lab binder @ the side counter and continue or start reading The Pinecone Lab

Agenda:
Extracting & identifying our Pinecone Ecosystems

Homework:
Look through Ch 36 and begin taking notes (vocab...) and use the BLOG to assist with note-taking.

Quote:
"Our lives improve only when we take chances- and the first and most difficult risk we can take is to be honest with ourselves." ~Walter Anderson

September 28, 2009

Daily Questions:
Grab a lab notebook binder from the side counter and begin reading the lab "Population Growth."  Answer all questions in your lab notebook. 

Agenda:
-Seating Chart Change
-Complete the Population Growth Lab
-Start reading the Pinecone Lab (insert handouts into lab notebooks)

Homework:
Finish Population Growth Lab

Quote:
"Invenium viam aut facium" (I shall find a way or make one) ~Robert Peary, North Pole Explorer

September 25, 2009

Daily Questions:
Please complete the following questions quietly and on your own. Do not use any notes or your book.
1. Has the earth reached its carrying capacity for the human population?
2. What are introduced species? How are they a threat to biodiversity?


Agenda:
-Population Growth Jigsaw Puzzle
-"Getting to know your woods"

Homework:
Finish the questions (all responses need to be in your lab notebooks) on the backside of the handout from class.

Quote:
"People don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care." ~Anonymous

September 24, 2009

Daily Questions:
Pick up a laptop, boot up to today's Blog entry.  Close your laptop lids most of the way when you are there (here!), please sit quietly and wait for further directions.

Agenda:
-Setting up a textbook account:
www.phsuccessnet.com
Class access code:5BE8745309DB4DE1BB58
-Visiting the world population database & answering questions
-Continue note-taking Chapter 35


Homework:
Finish research article for tomorrow, Fri. 25th.

Quote:

"We have no simple problems or easy decisions after kindergarten." ~John W. Turk

September 23, 2009

Daily Questions:
Open your books to page 784, answer in the chapter review #s: 11, 12, 14, 17, 18, & 23.

Agenda:
-Vocab quiz
-Notes over Chapter 35 on power point
-Crab population worksheet

Homework:
-Crab population worksheet due Thurs, 24th.
-Research article due Friday, 25th.

Quote:
"Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for kindness." ~Seneca

September 22, 2009

Daily Questions:
-Please pull out your homework and keep it at your desk to check for completion (worksheet ch 35).
-Skim over sections 35.3 & 35.4.... answer:
1. Why did the human population begin growing exponentially in ~1650 C.E.?
2. Name 2 predator adaptations & 2 prey adaptations.
3. Give 1 example each of: Parasitism, Mutualism, Commensalism

Agenda:
-Powerpoint notes Chapter 35
-Go outside & collect pine cones!

Homework:
-Study for the vocab quiz tomorrow (chapter 35)
-Complete crab population worksheet for Wednesday, 23rd.
-Scientific article research paper due Friday, 25th.


Quote:
"There's always free cheese in the mousetrap, but the mice there ain't happy." ~Anonymous

September 21, 2009

Daily Questions:
-Pick up your lab notebooks for tonight's assignment (I realize they did not get graded).
-Debrief Chapters 1 & 2 test
-THEN skim through concepts 35.1 & 35.2, answer the concept check questions both sections.

Agenda:
-GO outside & collect pinecones?
-Notes chapter 35.1 & 35.2
-Bean Activity (populations exercise)
-Movie & class discussion

Homework:
-Worksheet 35 due Tues, 22nd.
-Movie essay due Tues, 22nd (please put these into your lab notebooks)
-Vocab quiz Wed, 23rd.
-Scientific Article research paper due Fri, 25th.


Quote:
"You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.  You must do the thing which you think you cannot do." ~Eleanor Roosevelt

September 18, 2009

Daily Questions:
Pull out your TUMS experiment with your partner and reread over your design.
-What is the control in your experiment?
-Which are the independent & dependent variables?  (use your text book as resources for understanding and distinguishing between the two).
Identify these 3 on your paper.

Agenda:
-Reorganizing the TUMS experiment, design for a controlled experiment (one variable to test).

Homework:
-Chapter 35 worksheet due Tuesday, 22nd.
-Vocab quiz chapter 35, Wednesday, 23rd.

Quote:
"A smooth sea never made a skillful mariner." ~Anonymous 

September 17, 2009

Daily Questions:
Please pick up a Delta + Survey next to the overhead projector and complete it as fully and honestly as you can.  Your feedback will be used for future planning for the semester!

Agenda:
Debriefing the Scientific Article research, a visit to the library!


Homework:
Continue researching an article of interest- this assignment is due Friday, Sept 25th.

September 16, 2009

Daily Questions:
Please clear your desks for the test!

Agenda:
Test Chapters 1 & 2


Homework:
Continue finishing lab report write ups for Oobleck, Chromatography & Metrics.  Lab notebooks is due on Friday, 18th.
Current event article #1 due next Friday, 25th.

September 15, 2009

Daily Questions:
Pull out the metric worksheet (homework from last night) and check your answers with a partner.

Agenda:
-Read through Research Outline
-Visit library for electronic tour of resources to complete scientific article research
-Test questions/concerns?


Homework:
-Chapter 2 worksheet due Wed, 16th
-Chapter 1&2 test Wed, 16th
Metric Lab packet due Fri, 18th

Quote:
"The road to success is lined with many tempting parking spaces."  ~Traditional Proverb

September 14, 2009

Daily Questions:
-Copy the notes on the overhead about the metric system into your notebook, and complete the data table using page 814 in your textbook.

Agenda:
-Short introduction into the metric system & metric lab.

Homework:
-Metric worksheet due Tues, 15th
-Metric lab handout completed (in lab notebook) Friday, 18th
-Chapter 2 worksheet due Wednesday, 16th
Chapters 1 & 2 test Wednesday, 16th

September 11, 2009

Daily Questions:
Clear you desk for the vocab quiz.


Agenda:
-Seating changes...
-Root word homework discussion
-Class questions over mini-lab and chromatography lab report?
Finish notes Chapter 1
Designing an experiment, starting with questions/observations, Tums in h2o!

Homework:
-Both lab reports are due Mon, 14th.
-Notes Ch 2 due Mon, 14th: use 3 literacy strategies (found in your agenda books page 45), each section of chapter 2 you need to use a different strategy.
-Spend time outside, minimum 15 min, collect data, with thorough descriptions:
2 Quantitative observations
2 Qualitative observations
1 Inference
1 Generalization
Please pass these in on Mon, 14th.

Quote:
"What is the good of having a nice house without a decent planet to put it on." ~Henry David Thoreau

September 10, 2009

Daily Questions:
-Read pages 30-35 in books; answer the concept check questions page 35 (1-4).

Agenda:
-Finish chromatography measurements
-Answer lab completion questions
-Oobleck activity & video
-Finish notes Ch. 1


Homework:
-Vocab quiz Ch1 Friday, 11th.
-Continue writing chromatography lab report, come to class Friday with any questions.  Lab reports are due Monday, Sept 14th.

Quote:
"Nature does nothing uselessly."  ~Aristotle

September 9, 2009

Daily Questions:
Read pages 24-29 in your books, answer the objectives (pg 24) as if they were questions.

Agenda:
-Read over lab report grading rubric
-Complete procedures for chromatography lab

Homework:
-In your lab notebooks, complete the purpose, introduction, hypothesis and procedure.
-Ch 1 vocab quiz on Friday, 11th.


Quote:
"You must motivate yourself everyday." ~Matthew Stasior

September 8, 2009

Daily Questions:
Pick up a copy of the chromatography lab handout next to the projector.  Read over the directions & explanations to ensure you understand procedures.


Agenda:
-Go over quizzes & I am From Poem
-Notes Chapter 1
-Handout Ch. 1 worksheet

Homework:
-Set up lab notebook for experiment tomorrow, due Wed 9th.
-Poem due Wed, 9th ***
-Worksheet Ch 1 due Wed, 9th
-Vocab quiz on FRIDAY, 11th.

Quote:
"I shall possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider the most enviable of all titles, the character of an honest man." ~George Washington

September 4, 2009

Daily Questions:
In your books, answer the following questions in your notes:
pg 20 #10
pg 21 #21, 23

Agenda:
-Class data table of living v. non-living things
-Vocab expectations in text book (hand out root words)
-Read "Mystery in the Forest"
-Notes over biotic v. abiotic features, with relation to living & non-living things. 
-Choose 4 recorders, GO OUTSIDE!
-"I am From" poem

Homework:
Books covered by Tues, 8th.
Notes for chapter 1 due Tues, 8th
Root words worksheet due Tues, 8th
"I Am From" poem due Tues, 8th


Quote:
"The only job where you start at the top is digging a hole." ~Anonymous

September 3, 2009

Daily Questions:
Clear your desk for the quiz.
Reminder: turn in homework to the correct folder, dress to go outside tomorrow

Agenda:
Quiz over lab safety & class expectations
Hand-out text books & lab notebooks, create a data table
Eyewitness Life movie & questions

Homework:
Parent forms turned in by Friday, 4th
Bring an item to share with the class.... living v. non-living.
Textbook Scavenger Hunt handout due Friday, 4th.

Quote:
"Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon." ~Gary Larson

September 2, 2009

Agenda:
Hand out remaining forms, including
1. Class Expectations
2. Letter to Parents
3. Lab Safety & Agreement form
4. Course overview/outline

We also covered class room evacuations, defining what "class norms" are, and we recorded the different kinds of laboratory equipment onto a data table that will be taped inside our lab notebooks (yet to be handed out). Each student was assigned a piece of equipment to report out to the class on it's name as well as describe what it's function or purpose was. Each student is responsible for making a drawing of the equipment inside each of the boxes provided on the handout.

Homework:
"About Me" due Thurs, Sept 3rd
"Class Norms" due Thurs, Sept 3rd
QUIZ over class expectations & safety on THURS Sept 3rd
Parent signatures form due Fri., Sept 4th.

Quote:
"As strong as my legs are, it is my mind that has made me a champion." ~ Michael Johnson

September 1, 2009

Agenda:
Today Ms. Chessey bored us to tears detailing what her expectations were for class. We also played a game called 2 Truths & 1 Lie, as well as choosing an animal/insect/living thing that has the first letter to match our own first letter in our name. In addition, she passed out a homework assignment : "About Me" to be completed by Thursday.