Monday and Tuesday June 3rd and 4th

We are in the final stretch of our Unit on Skin and Skin Cancer.
We discussed who is at risk for skin cancer and the treatments.

The final assignment can be viewed here.

Here is the link to the Skin Unit Project site

Today (Tuesday) we welcome Dr. Janice Pelletier into our class.  Dr. Jan wrote a bill to ban tanning for adolescents under the age of 18.  She will discuss the science and process behind her actions.  

Here are some links to "Skin Cancer in the News" and editorials written around the bill.  

Click here to acces the website.

We will also be completing a 
Sun Safety Lab that can be accessed here.
Postponed until Wednesday due to lack of sun.

Links for Class Today--March 29, 2013

Good Morning Devils and Good Afternoon Tweeties!

Today in class you will be taking part in a webquest.  You should have a hard copy of the quest and here is the link to it:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/methuselah/photosynthesis.html#

Once you have completed the webquest you may see Mr. Greg for the Photosynthesis Section Summary reading and questions.  This will help reinforce what we have learned this week.

Also, check out these helpful links:

Helpful Animation

Photosynthesis Song!

Chloroplast and Chlorophyll

Remember that you can also take some time to work on your Photosynthesis A-Z sheet!

I'd also like to reinforce that both groups did a wonderful job this week!  We are very impressed with your work ethic, positive interaction, and critical thinking skills.

Enjoy the Weekend!

Tuesday January 15th

The 7th Grade Life Science Classes were joined by American Red Cross Members - Anne Verill and Liz Wasielewski to speak about the upcoming Blood Drive February 6th.

Students were charged with the task of spreading the word to get donors.
People can sign up to donate at this link.

January 7th - Body Systems Structure and Function

Today we introduced the Circulatory System.

To do so we had to start with how body systems are made-up.  We looked at the following hierarchy sheet that shows the link between cells (the smallest parts) and the organ systems (the largest parts).
Here is a completed set of notes.

After this we completed a structure/function sheet on the circulatory system.

We finished with the following worksheet looking at truths and myths behind blood and the circulatory system.  Circulatory System Fact or Fiction Sheet

Wednesday December 12th

Today in class we looked at the Wonderful World of Cells.  To introduce the size factor of cells we watched the Powers of Ten Video. 

We discussed the idea of structure and function in the world and students started to create Foldables providing a definition and example. 

Wednesday December 5th - Guest Speaker

Today we had Karen Thurlow-Kimball come to our 7th grade science classes and present on her expertise as a bee keeper and the impact of bees on pollination.  She lives in Yarmouth and owns Brown's Bee Farm in North Yarmouth.  Her talk was filled with information linking concepts to our study of Macro to Micro.  From the specific physical characteristics and behaviors that bees exhibit to information provided on cross pollinating of plants, it was a dynamic and stimulating talk.

Tuesday December 4th

Today the students are completing their Greatest Scientific Discovery Presentations!
They have been amazing.

This Friday we will have our first quiz over the Macro to Micro Curriculum.  Here is the link to the study guide.  A good process to use would be to be able to answer all the questions on the study guide.  Tackle 2-3 of the concepts per night and come in Thursday with any questions.

Monday December 3rd- Parts of a Flower

Today the students were introduced to the parts of a flower and the reproductive cycles it can go through.  We clarified the differences between "perfect and imperfect flowers."

Here are the notes we completed today.

Thursday' s Presentations - GSD

The amazing presentations continue on our second day of the Greatest Scientific Discoveries!

In the Devils Class we learned about:

• The discovery of hormones
• The finding of Pangea
• Edison and the light bulb
• Radioactivity and Marie Curie
• The discovery of the laser

 In the Tweeties Class we learned about:

• The cloning of sheep
• The cloning of frogs and discovery of stem cell research
• The small pox vaccine
• The invisibility cloak
• Franklin and electricity

 I look forward to hearing many more tomorrow!

Greatest Scientific Discoveries - Wednesday Presentations

We had some amazing presentations for our first day of the Greatest Scientific Discoveries!

In the Devils Class we learned about:

• Magnetic Field Reversal
• The Discovery of Insulin
• The First Kidney Transplant
• The Discovery of Anitbiotics

In the Tweeties Class we learned about:

• The Discovery of the First Dinosaur Fossil
• Thomas Edison and perfecting the light bulb
• The invention of the air bag for cars
• The invention of the wireless walkie talkie

I look forward to hearing many more throughout the week!
Great job so far!

Tuesday Nov 27th

Here is the link to the in class Google Form used to review the material we covered in Macro to Micro thus far.  Here are the answers to the in class Study Guide for the Assessment next week on the Macro to Micro Unit.  You can read the comments put together by the different groups.

Greatest Scientific Discovery Project
The following is the write up for 10 rules to good presentations.
Be sure to practice and be ready to present tomorrow!

Movies of Cabbage White Larvae

                                        The larvae in the egg starts to move after 13 seconds.

Monday November 26th - CWB Eggs have arrived!

Wednesday of last week our Cabbage White Butterfly eggs arrived!
This past week we placed them on the radish leaves and additional cabbage leaves provided so they had something to eat when they hatched.

Today in class the students sketched both the egg and the larvae in the first instar stage of their life cycle.  They were able to get very accurate measurements using our new digital microscopes.
Here are the pictures we took from class.

Friday November 16th

Today in class the students had some class time to work on their Greatest Scientific Discovery Project.  They could ask questions on their research and also see a presentation by Mr. Arsenalt on how to embed a YouTube video in their Keynote presentations. 

Here is a link on how to complete the process.

Good Luck!

Wednesday and Thursday Nov14th/15th

In class we reviewed monocot and dicot plants as well as completed a reading on the Wisconsin Fast Plant (in Lesson #5).  Today we created planters and planted the Wisconsin Fast Plant Seeds.  These should sprout in 4 days!

We have a lot of "balls in the air right now."  Here is a recap of why we are doing what we are doing:
1. Bean and Corn Plants -allow is to compare and contrast moncot and dicot plants. 
2. Radish plants- will allow food for the Cabbage White Butterflies
3. Wisconsin Fast Plants - will allow us to track a plants life cycle and we will grow it from seed until it seeds.

Tuesday November 13th

Today's Goals:
1. Be able learn the differences between monocot and dicot plants based on characteristics of seed, stem, roots and leaves.
2. Learn how to use the Gail Virtual Library - accessible through the HMS Library Site.

Notes for today's class can be accessed here.

The students were taught how to access the Gail Virtual Library to access research jounrals and books on line.  Then the students learned about monocot and dicot plants.  We took notes and then they applied the notes to the bean and corn seeds they grew in class.

Students need to read the following pages in the provided pdf from Lesson #5.

Friday Novmber 9th - GSD Helpful Links

Here is the link to the Graphic Organizer 

Here is the Link to the Rubric

Wednesday Nov 7th

Today we are working through Lesson #4.  The students created and sketched ponds.  They will view these ponds over time to watch the reproduction of Lemna or duckweed, as well as the microscopic organisms that are living in this pond habitat. 

The students were also exposed to the next major project, The Greatest Scientific Discovery.  Click here for the link to the Project Page.  Students should be coming up with areas of science they are interested in to focus on a major breakthrough or discovery.  For example a student last year studied the M-11 hockey helmet.  This breakthrough was to decrease the number of concussions.  Students should think about and use the "Links" provided in the side bar of the sight to explore options.

Monday and Tuesday November 5th and 6th

Election Day!!  Be sure to remind your parents to vote!

Yesterday we worked through the directions in Lesson 5 - Beginning the Cycle. 
Students created growing systems for the radish seeds which the Cabbage White Butterflies will hatch and feed later on this Unit.

They also planted their bean and corn seeds.  Students will watch and observe the germination of these seeds and learn about the differences between monocot and dicot plants.  Click here for a comparison chart on monocot and dicot plants.

Today we will be finishing up the Black Worm Investigation and the students will be working through the Science Review.

Any questions not completed in class should be done for homework.
 

Thursday November 1st

I think it is kind of funny we are looking at black worms on Halloween.

This lesson focuses on 2 main goals:
1. What are the physical characteristics of black worm?
2. Compare and contrast the characteristics of the black worm to Earthworm.

In class the students worked on the 3.1 Worksheet sketching the worm and answering questions around it movement and ability to regenerate.  There was also a section asking them to use a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast the two types of worms.

The readings for this Lesson can be found here- Lesson #3 Readings

Here are two great sites to get information on both organisms:
Black Worm (Lumbriculus variegatus)
Common Earthworm (Lumbricus terrestris).