Jan 31 - 8th

Students had a discussion about the premise of the movie, San Andreas.

We then discussed what could cause this to happen. Along with this, we talked about the idea of whether part of California could eventually break off from North America. Students will be working on learning about and writing about their findings.

Upcoming due dates:
Vocab quiz tomorrow
Reading/highlighting is due Thursday Feb 2
Students graphic organizer for their writing is due Monday Feb 6.
Students will type their papers Feb 8, 9, and 10 in the school computer lab.

They are encouraged to seek outside reliable sources to help facilitate answering this question.

Jan 30 - 7th and 8th grade

Too Good For Drugs presentation on making decisions.

Jan 27 - 7th

Students attached their written explanations to their posters. We then went around and looked at all posters. Students left positive comments on notecards by the poster. Posters were then turned in for final grade.

Jan 27th - 8th

Students took a test on notebook pages 50 - 63.

Students also received their vocab list for the Plate Tectonics Unit.

Jan 26 7th

Students typed their descriptions of their Superhero genetics poster.

All materials are due on friday.

Jan 26 8th

Class review of pages 60 - 63. Students have a test on friday.

Jan 24th - 7th grade

Students received their superhero genetics outline.

Students had the rest of the period to work on their projects.

Jan 24 - 8th grade

Handed back Earth's Layers WS and went over correct answers.

Reading section for tonight and tomorrow's activity.

Jan 23 - 7th and 8th grade

Mr. Thomas was here for Too Good For Drugs. Students took a pre-test for the program. Mr. Thomas then led the students in a conversation about setting Goals and why they are important. Students also did an activity demonstrating positive goal setting.

Jan 20 - 7th grade

Students received their rubric for the Superhero Genetics.

Students worked on their superhero genetics project.

Jan 20 - 8th grade

Students turned in their foldable worksheet. I also looked at planner pages to make sure students had written down that there will be a test next friday on notebook pages 50 - 65.

Students then began to work on the mapping volcanoes and earthquakes activity. We will complete this next week.

jan 19 - 7th

Students worked on superhero genetics.

Rubric will be handed out tomorrow.

Jan 19 - 8th

Students had half the hour to complete their foldable.

We spent the rest of the hour discussing what should be in their foldable.

Foldable WS is due tomorrow.

Jan 18th - 7th

Students had a discussion about the answer to the problem on the back of the Amoeba Sisters WS. This would make a great quiz question!

We then put information regarding homozygous and heterozygous alleles in our notebook (page 58)

Tomorrow....

SUPERHERO GENETICS!

Jan 18 - 8th

Students received back quizzes and notebook check papers. We discussed the grading criteria for the quiz.

Students continued working on their Earth's Layers Foldable.

Worksheet was given out. Worksheet is due friday.

Jan 17 - 7th

Students wrote down their grades.

Students then took a quiz on completing Punnett Squares.

After the quiz, students worked in groups to complete the back of Friday's movie sheet.

Jan 17 - 8th

Students checked their grades and looked for any 0's in science.

We then worked on notebook page 58.

Convection Reading

Students then started working on the Layers of the Earth foldable.

Layers of Earth reading

Jan 13 7th grade

Students checked over Danville Genetics WS.

We then discussed correct answers as a class.

Students will have a quiz over pages 50-57 on Tuesday.

We finished by watching the Amoeba Sisters video on Monohybrid Crosses.

Jan 13 - 8th

Classroom discussion on support of Wegener.

Students completed the activity on the past plate motions

Reading for today's activity

Activity is due on Tuesday

Jan 11 - 7th

We had a discussion about the probability bean lab from yesterday.Students were able to describe the purpose of the lab.

We then went over page 56 and 57 in the notebook.

Students worked on Danville genetics WS. Whatever wasn't finished was assigned as homework.

Jan 11 - 8th

Students received their checklists for Friday's notebook check.

Students then took their quiz on Continental Drift. Upon completing the quiz, students read through a handout on subduction and answered review and brain work questions. Any work that was not finished should be done as homework.

Jan 10 - 7th

Students worked on the bean probability lab.

Questions should be done when students return to class tomorrow.

Jan 10 - 8th

Students finished their seafloor spreading model.

We also had a discussion about the labels for the model and the evidence for seafloor spreading.

Quiz tomorrow over page 50-51. Notebook check over 50 - 53 this friday. 

Jan 9 - 7th

Students checked their grades and wrote them on the grade sheet. I walked around and talked with students about grades that were already low and ways to improve them.

Students were reminded to make sure they have page 52 and 53 finished.

Students then used the online reading to learn about probability. Notebook page.

Reading for today: http://www.ck12.org/biology/Probability-and-Inheritance/lesson/Probability-and-Inheritance-BIO/

Students were also given their lab for tomorrow and asked to read it and come back with questions.

Jan 9 - 8th

Students continued working on their continental drift activity. Those who finished began the Sea floor spreading notebook page and model.

Quiz Wednesday on page 50 - 51.

Jan 6 - 8th

I checked over student answers to the Continental Drift foldable.

After completing the notebook page, students began working on their continental drift activity.

Jan 6 - 7th

We started class by talking about the difference between being dominant and recessive.

After a rather lengthy question/answer session (Yay!) students began working on answering the following:

Jan 5 - 7th

We went over the vocabulary terms. Some classes worked as a class, some in small groups.

Then we had a lecture about the experiments Mendel conducted.

We identified the vocab words and how Mendel used them.

Some classes watched the 100 Greatest Discoveries section on Mendel

Jan 5 - 8th

Students took the arguments against Wegener and wrote them as accusations. Students then shared their accusations with the class (and threw the paper at a picture of Alfered Wegener). He was called all sorts of names!

Students then began working on a foldable to show what evidence Wegener actually had. We will finish this foldable tomorrow.

Jan 4 - 7th

Students completed the Human Characteristic activity. We then had a lengthy discussion about the question, "If a trait shows up in 95% of the population, can we tell whether or not the trait is dominant or recessive?" It was a great discussion!

Students then received the vocabulary page for the new section. We talked about the necessity of vocabulary when talking about the topic of genetics.

Jan 4th - 8th

Students graded pre test (except for short answers).

We voted on the winner of the week of Wonder. Students voted for the project they thought was the best.

We discussed (went over answer to worksheet) the reluctance to accept Continental Drift when Wegener initially proposed it.

Jan 3 - 7th

Students checked their 2nd quarter grades for accuracy and received their 3rd quarter grade sheet. We reviewed behavior, homework, and grade sheet expectations.

Students looked at part of the following article and discussed what is different than what they expected about these animals.

http://www.littlethings.com/albino-animals/?vpage=1

Students began working on the handout for the human characteristics activity.

Jan 3 - 8th

Students checked their 2nd quarter grades one final time for accuracy.

Students received new materials for their data notebooks.

Students took their Plate Tectonics Pre-Test (not for a grade).

Students were given a reading section and questions to be finished tomorrow.