Happy New Year

I hope that you have all enjoyed your time at home with your families.  I have just updated grades.  Your current grade is now on I-Parent. So many of your cell projects were awesome. Since those were test grades, the effort you put into your project had a big impact on your grade for the 2nd report card.

This month we begin our study of Genetics.  You will enjoy this!  The new secret word is Mendle - try to post on our blog.  See you soon.

Microscopes and Cells - Week of Nov 3-7

This week we will learn to use a microscope.  We will practice the scope parts on Mon/Tue and then use the microscopes to look at onion cells,elodea and skin cells.  Don't forget that you can make a paper homemade slide and bring it to class this Thu/Fri as an extra credit homework grade.  There is an interesting Virtual investigation on our text book site.  Your user name and password should still be taped to the inside of your agenda. Go to www.my.hrw.comand select chapter 3.  Select student activities and then on the right select virtual investigations Cells the basic unit of life. See directions below about how to earn candy and a SWIM card by posting a comment.   Good job Eternity -You are such a techie! You can all view Eternity's comment by clicking on comments.

A Big Week in Life Science!

We are testing over Chapters 19 and 20 on Wednesday, October 29th.  We will review and check homework on Mon/Tue, take the test Wednesday and then begin our in depth study of cells on Thu/Fri.  This is the unit where the students get to master using a microscope - magnificent!! For this week's SECRET WORD you will have to post a comment.  To do that click on comment below then scroll down to the bottom of the blog page, write your first name only and the period number  - ex Mikey2.  All of second period students will have their first name and then 2 behind it.  Do not put your first and last name. Then write a comment to the blog.  I will preview the comments and those that are Science worthy will be posted for everyone to read.  How cool will that me?  Once you post a comment, see me for a SWIM card and candy.  The SECRET: answer this in your comment: As we studied Ecology I was surprised to learn . . .

HOMEWORK : Due Mon/Tue 27 and 28 -  Relationship/Map WS .  If you did not turn in the 3 cycle drawing from pages 508-511 and the Work book pages for 512-515 they are already late.

Biomes!

Bravo on your Biome One Pagers!  Monday and Tuesday, Oct 20 and 21, we will have a quiz over biomes.  You need to study (memorize) the printed information on your Biome Booklets. This is chapter 20 section 1 from our text.  Don't forget your code is taped to your agenda - so you can go to http://www.my.hrw.com instead of carrying that HEAVY book home.   For even more info go to this biome site . If you were not here for the One Pager, go to this site and use the information to complete the assignment.  Today we did a gallery walk to read all the one pagers.  Each student wrote two new pieces of information for each biome on their booklets.  The drawings on the biome bookklets should be colored in a similar way to the pictures you will find in the text and at the above site.

Finally!

Hello to all you techies that remember to check our class blog, thanks!  This week we will continue to reinforce what we have learned about Biomes (Chapter 20, pages 524-533). You will get your chapter 18 notebooks back on Thu/Fri. Then we will discuss cycles.  The new secret word is biodiversity - which means the number and variety of populations in an ecosystem.  Come see me for a swim card or candy -- it's a secret.

Cells, cells, cells

Hi all,
Now that you have shown what you know about Ecology, it is time to become Cell experts.  Highlights will include a cell theory rap, cell cities, cell analogies, and lots of drawing.   We will also pull out the microscopes and find out for ourselves how plant and animal cells compare.  In November we will also complete our first of many Life Science Current Events.  Start reading the newspaper now looking for articles about Life Science.  The Secret Blog word is
mitochondria (one of my all time fav organelles). If you come tell me what the secret word is by November 9th you'll earn a SWIM card!

Test this week!

Hi all,

Your first test for Life Science is this Wednesday, Sept. 12.  You were given a study guide to complete for a homework grade.  For 1st and 7th periods that study guide is due Monday, Sept. 10.  Study the vocabulary and your notes.  Good luck.  You also have a test this week in Social Studies and in Math.  So, do you best and be sure to study.

Welcome to 7-2 and Life Science

Welcome to Life Science and a new year as a 7th grade student.  We are already having fun learning about the Scientific Method as a way to solve problems.  Be sure to get a parent signature on the LIzard Letter, Expectations and Book/Safety Contract.  Did I tell you about the secret word part of this BLOG?  Next time you see me, tell me that the BLOG word of the week is hypothesis before Tuesday, Sept. 7th.  See you in class.

Link to Current Event Instructions

Very soon we will be practicing the current event format for Life Science.  You are welcome to check out the instructions at Download current_events_directions.rtf .   You can also start looking through newspapers and magazines for news articles on things that you think are related to Life Science. 

Helen Arrington

December 2008

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