Welcome to Mrs. Thrower’s
7th grade Life Science!
Week of March 14, 2011 – Kingdom Animalia
This
week, we will be learning about animals and how scientists classify them.
Monday
– We will start by looking at an overview of Kingdom Animalia
and look specifically at the Invertebrates – Porifera
(Sponges) & Cnidarians (Stinging Cells)
Tuesday
– The Invertebrates: Helminthes (worms), Mollusks (Bivalves & Gastropods),
Echinoderms (Sea Stars, sea anemone, etc.),
Wed.
& Thurs. – The Invertebrates: Arthropods (jointed appendages) (Crustaceans,
Arachnids, Insects, Millipedes & Centipedes)
Friday
– Today we will start on Vertebrates: Fish, Amphibians & Reptiles
Next
week: Finish up Vertebrates (Birds & Mammals) & look at the
classification tool scientists use….the Dichotomous Key.
When
finished, we will start our CRCT Review!!!
Reminder: Kingdoms Project is due Friday, April 1st
Week of March 7, 2011 – Kingdom Plantae
From this point forward (until CRCT testing is
complete), we will be extremely busy in Science. It is important that
your student be at school and present in class for the next few weeks! We
have been completing labs in Science and it is extremely difficult to make
these labs up when they are missed.
This week we are covering Kingdom Plantae.
On Monday and Tuesday, we covered characteristics of plants and how they are
classified. On Wednesday and Thursday, we did lab stations on
photosynthesis, seeds, vascular tissues, observing stomata under the
microscope, and observing transpiration. On Friday we will watch a video
& powerpoint on plant
responses (including tropisms, plant hormones, and photoperiods).
Pictures this weeks lab:
Our Pond
Water was full of critters!
Most everyone found the following
organisms on their drop of water!!
Don’t open your mouth when swimming in lakes, rivers, & streams!
Botryococcus bloom Diaphanosoma daphnia, crustacean Euglenophyta Chlamydomonas
Spirogyra
leuchtenbergianum
Week of February 28, 2011 - Students were given a Rubric and Directions for the
Kingdom’s Project on Friday. This project will be due on April 1st.
Kingdom's
Project Directions.doc Kingdom's
Project Rubric.xls
This week we will be studying Kingdom Fungi &
Kingdom Protista.
- Monday
and Tuesday we will have a Fungi Lab and take PowerPoint & Videos
notes.
- Wed./Thursday we will take PowerPoint & video notes on
Protists.
- Pond
Water Discovery lab on Friday.
It is very important
that students be at school everyday. It is the student’s responsibility
to come by the classroom and pick up any missed work. Students will need
to bring a Flashdrive with them. All videos / PowerPoints will be downloaded for them to watch at home
(unless the student makes arrangements to stay after school). Makeup labs
(if offered) will be after school. Alternative assignments may be
assigned to replace missed labs.
Week of February 21st, 2011 - We are
starting a new unit today covering our final GPS Standard before CRCT
tests! We will be studying the
There will be no
Pre-test or Post-test for this Unit. Grades will come from the following:
·Do
Nows (100 points each)
·Quizzes
(100 points each)
·Notebook
(200 points)
·Daily work / Home work (may vary from 25 points to 100 points)
·Kingdoms
Project (300 points)
It is very important that
you complete all work and projects on time and to the best of your ability.
The
following pictures are from our Bacteria lab!
We
observed bacteria using microscopes and yogurt cultures. Most classes
were able to actually see the bacteria moving (which they loved!)
They also identified bacilli and cocci shaped
bacteria and drew diagrams of what they observed under two different
magnifications. Students also answered related questions and drew a
representative picture of the bacteria that causes strep throat based on the
bacteria’s name (streptococcus).
Week of February 14th,
2011 –
On Monday,
we went over some of the packet given out on Friday (How Evolution Works) –
Students will be responsible for knowing the material in this packet.
We
completed a computer simulation on the Peppered Moths of Manchester (http://www.techapps.net/interactives/pepperMoths.swf). Students participated in the simulation and
then answered questions and used the data from the three trial sessions to
create two bar graphs (one for each forest).
On Tuesday, we will look at some fossil evidence that supports the
theory of natural selection.
Important change
– The Unit test will be on Wednesday, not Thursday!!! It has come to my attention that we will not have a full
class period on Thursday….so the Unit test must be given on Wednesday. Notebooks are due on Thursday and will be
checked by your peers for completion using the notebook rubric.
Week of Februay
7th, 2011 – Monday and Tuesday will make-up days – Any missed work may be
completed and turned in. Quiz retake opportunity.
On
Wednesday & Thursday, we took notes while watching the video “Biomes –
Week of January 31st,
2011 - This week week
will be looking at “What Makes You look like You Do?” We will look at how traits are passed down on
genes from parents to offspring. We are
working on punnett squares and learning about alleles,
genotypes, phenotypes, homozygous alleles, heterozygous alleles and lots of
other crazy scientific words! This part
of the unit will involve a fun lab where we actually get to create an offspring
with some crazy traits! There will be
some Homework this week…students should finish all class work at home. Quiz will be on Friday.
Week of January 24th,
2011 – Today (Monday)
we finished up on Meiosis. Today’s class work should be finished for homework
and turned in for a grade Tuesday. Have you turned in last week’s
homework (2 paragraphs comparing/contrasting Asexual Reproduction & Sexual
Reproduction)? Tomorrow is the last day to turn this in. On Tuesday
we will start looking in more detail at how DNA replicates itself during the Interphase portion of the Cell Cycle. On Wednesday
& Thursday, we will actually perform a section of DNA replication and then
get to eat it! Friday is a review/Quiz day. Please look at your notebook and read over
your vocabulary words once every night from this point forward! This will help you! I promise!
If you are
still confused about mitosis / meiosis and the differences between asexual
/sexual reproduction, please plan on staying for the tutoring session on Tuesday,
January 24, 2011 from 3:00 to 4:00.
Looking
ahead! Who is Gregor
Mendel? Why do I look like me? Why do I look like Aunt Susan instead of Mom
and Dad? We will be learning and having
fun with our Crazy Traits!
The Bodies
Exhibit and Dialogue in the Dark Fieldtrip was awesome!
We had so
many compliments on how smart and well behaved our 7th grade at BMS
was!
I’m
so proud of you!
Week of January 17th,
2011 – Monday was MLK Day – No School!!! Wow!
Welcome back from another long break! I know everyone should be rested up after last
week's Snow & Ice Break! Because of our extra week off, we will
really have to dig our heels in and study hard! What does this
mean? It means that you will have some homework to
complete! It is extremely important that you take the time to complete this
work as we will need it to be ready for class and get back on schedule.
This
week we will be studying asexual & sexual reproduction and what this
means on a cellular level. We will review mitosis and then
compare/contrast it to meiosis.
This Thursday, January 20th is our 7th grade fieldtrip to the
Bodies Exhibit and Dialogue in the Dark.
All chaperone's have been
contacted. If you did not receive a phone call, but are still interested
in going, you can meet us at the Bodies Exhibit.
Please note....once students are placed in a group, they will need
to remain in that group (regardless of whether a parent attends or not).
Parents that are not chaperones may only join their child during
the Bodies Exhibit. Entrance to Dialogue in the Dark is controlled and allows only 7 students +
Chaperone at any one time.
Students have a choice of bringing lunch from home or ordering a
sack lunch from the school.
Students should plan on riding the school bus back to the
school.
Students will only be allowed to leave the exhibit with
a parent if a written letter signed by a parent is given to
me by Wednesday, January 19th.
No exceptions.
Please ask your child for the Dialogue in the Dark release form that
must be signed by a parent and returned to school in order to experience this
exhibit.
This form has also been attached for you to download.
Week of
January 10th, 2011 – Ice and Snow Vacation – No School!!
! 
Reminder:
Bodies Exhibit and Dialogue in the Dark Fieldtrip – Thursday, January 20th.
Permission slips and money must be turned
in by Friday January 7th!!!
Week of
January 6th, 2011
On our first
day back, we will begin by taking a pre-test over Genetics, Heredity and the
Theory of Evolution. This unit will
take us approximately 6 weeks to complete.
On Friday, January 7th,
we will begin our unit by reviewing Mitosis and comparing and contrasting
asexual and sexual reproduction in living organisms.
Georgia
Science Standards covered during this unit:
S7L3. Students will recognize how biological traits
are passed on to successive generations.
a. Explain
the role of genes and chromosomes in the process of inheriting a specific
trait.
b. Compare
and contrast that organisms reproduce asexually and sexually (bacteria, protists, fungi, plants and animals).
c. Recognize
that selective breeding can produce plants or animals with desired traits.
S7L5. Students will examine the theory of evolution
of living organisms through inherited characteristics that promote the survival
of successive generations of their offspring.
a. Explain
that physical characteristics of organisms have changed over successive
generations (e.g.
b. Describe
ways in which species on earth have evolved due to natural selection.
c. Trace
evidence that the fossil record found in sedimentary rock provides evidence for
the long history of changing life forms.
Week of
November 29th, 2010
I hope
everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving Break!
I know I did! But it's time to get back to work for a couple weeks
before we break for Christmas!
From this
point until Christmas break, we are going to be finishing up the Human Body
Systems, take a Body Systems Quiz (Friday, Dec. 10th) review
Cells and take our Unit Post test (Wed., Dec. 15th &/or Thurs., Dec. 16th).
This week,
we are learning about the Digestive, Respiratory, Circulatory, and Excretory
Systems! We will be creating foldables to take our notes as we watch videos and PowerPoints. On
Wed. and Thurs., we will be participating in labs.
Week of November 15, 2010
The last week before Thanksgiving! I know we will all be Thankful for break from
school!
So far, we have covered the Skeletal System, Muscular
System and Integumentary System (Skin).
This week we will be covering the Nervous System,
Endocrine System and the Digestive System!
Woohoo!
The alternative group took a vocabulary
quiz today and started Lesson 8. We are
back to being Doctors! On Wed., we will
do Lesson 9 and Lesson 11.
Overall, I was disappointed in the Cells Quiz
grades. We will definitely be reviewing
this material again before taking the Unit Post-test.
Week of November 8, 2010 – We are
beginning the 2nd half of this unit – Human Body Systems. The Science Standards we are working on are
as follows:
S7L2. Describe
the structure and f unction of cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems.
c.
Explain that cells are organized into tissues, tissues
into organs, organs into systems, and systems into organisms.
d.
Explain that tissues, organs, and organ systems serve
the needs cells have for oxygen, food, and waste removal.
e.
Explain the purpose of the major organ systems in the
human body (i.e., digestion, respiration, reproduction, circulation, excretion,
movement, control, coordination, and protection from disease).
On Monday, we watched a video that gave an overview of
all of the bodies’ systems (including Integumentary,
System, Digestive System, Skeletal System, Muscular System, Nervous System,
Endocrine System, Respiratory System, Circulatory System, Excretory System, Lymphatic & Immune System.) We will be taking notes from PowerPoints, reading and doing Foldable activities with the
Systems information.
The Alternative Assignment group
will continue working on their assignments.
We will be working on Lesson 6 & Lesson 7 this week.
Week of October 25th – Students should be keeping their Table of
Contents updated and in their
notebook in order.
Monday – we will again talk about Mitosis and the
process of how our bodies grow and heal.
Tuesday – We will watch a video & take PowerPoint
notes on Photosynthesis & Respiration
Wednesday and Thursday - We will begin gathering information
for our Learning Option projects.
Friday – We will continue working on Learning Options
projects. Students who chose to create
an
interactive computer review game, will need to work
on these at home. We will not have the
laptops
available for our use next week. We will only have the two class
computers.
Please remember to bring a flash drive to save your
work!
All Learning
Options Projects will be due on Monday, 11/1/10.
Cell Quiz and Notebook due on Friday, 11/5
Alternative Assignment Group - (No Quick
Fix Project) – This week we will be learning about systems.
Monday – Make sure the Group “Need to
Know Board” (Located in the Hall) is updated.
This will be your first grade.
Get your group up to date on any new research completed this
weekend. Begin the Lesson 3 Packet.
Tuesday – Finish up on Lesson 3
Packet. Homework: Read the Article: “The Immune System” and complete the Systems
Parts Chart and Diagram.
Wed., Thurs., & Friday – Lesson 4 Packet.
Week of October 18th – Monday we
went over the answers to Notebook Item #4.
Students were given Learning Options for this part of the unit. Students have the option of creating a poster
containing cell organelle analogies, creating an interactive study board, or
creating a computer review game on cells and cell structures.
Monday night Homework:
#5 – Cells Packet.
Tuesday – BrainPop on Diffusion
& Osmosis, Begin Diffusion & Osmosis Lab Day #1. Finish last page of #5 in class.
Wed. & Thurs. – Diffusion & Osmosis Lab Day
#2. Video & Brainpop on Mitosis. PowerPoint Mitosis Notes
& Explanations. Mitosis worksheets.
Friday – Diffusion & Osmosis Lab Day #3. Finish up on Mitosis & Review.
Alternative Assignment Group Monday - Signed a
Behavior Expectations Contract and began a Pre-Assessment activity. Monday night Homework: Finish Pre-Assessment and read over Cells
Packet.
Tuesday - Begin Diffusion & Osmosis Lab Day
#1 Handouts 2.1 & 2.2 Homework:
As needed.
Wed. & Thurs.– Diffusion &
Osmosis Lab Day #2. Handouts 2.3, 2.4 Homework: Mitosis Work Sheets and as needed for
project.
Friday – Diffusion & Osmosis Lab Day #3. Handouts 2.6, 2.7, 2.8, 2.9, 2.10 Homework: As
needed.
Week of October 11th – On Monday,
we went over the correct answers to the Ecology test. Our new unit will cover the structure and
function of cells, tissues, organs and organ systems. We took the pre-test on Tuesday. This unit will be broken into two parts with
a notebook grade for each part. We will begin our study of the structure and
function of “Cells” on Wednesday. There
will also be several quizzes scheduled for this unit. To help students get a good notebook grade,
they should keep the Table of Contents updated on a daily basis, number each
notebook item accordingly and secure it inside a single notebook in the order
it was received. If students will do
this on a daily basis, getting their notebook together, grading it and turning
it in will be a simple process. We will
be reading certain sections of the textbook in class, taking notes from PowerPoints and watching several videos. Hopefully with good behavior, we will get to
do several labs with this unit too!
Week of October 4th -
Monday and Tuesday will be spent finishing up on the Biomes books. Biomes
Books are due at the end of class on
Tuesday. Some of the students doing
independent work will be creating “Biomes in a Bottle” or “Composting Bottle Biomes”
in class on Monday & Tuesday. Wed.
and Thurs. will be spent reviewing our Ecology Unit. The Ecology Unit test will be Friday, Oct. 8th. STUDY!!!
Don’t forget about Tuesday’s after school! Come catch up on your work from 3:00 to 4:00!
Week of Sept. 27th – Due to
early release, the Biomes book due date has been changed to Tuesday, Oct. 5th.
This week, we will be writing and illustrating our
books! I am looking forward to reading
all of the student’s stories! Due
date: October 4th
ATTENTION PARENTS:
If your student has not brought home a rubric for your signature, please
click on the link below and print a copy.
These are past due!
Week of Sept. 20th2 CLICK HERE to download a copy of the Biomes
Book Rubric
Okay! I was
impressed by the great grades on the Ecology quiz! Good Job!
On Monday, students will receive a rubric and directions for the Biomes
Project (Biomes Children’s Book). This
project is due Monday, 10/4/10 (but may be turned in sooner if complete). These books will be put together in class
using typing paper and card stock. We
will bind them into books. Several
authors will be invited to share their books with the elementary school
students! So do your best writing and
art work! Let’s get creative! Class time
will be devoted to the completion of research, writing and illustration…but
students may need to work on this book at home too.
ATTENTION PARENTS:
Your student should bring home this rubric for your signature and return
it to me on Tuesday, 10/5.
Pictures of students hard at work researching the
world’s major biomes!
Students who are completing independent studies: Projects are due by Wed., 9/29/10. (Please make sure you pick up a rubric). You are more than welcome to complete a
biomes book as well if you want to incorporate this work into your
project. If you want to make a formal
presentation booklet with your research information and PowerPoint slides, I
will have materials available for you to do so!
I am looking forward to seeing all of your great work!
Week of Sept 13th
Monday – We completed a puzzle worksheet as a review
for tomorrow’s quiz. (#6 in Notebook)
Tuesday – Quiz …
We will start our notes over Symbiotic Relationships.
Wed.& Thurs. – We will
hopefully have a chance to watch a short video over symbiotic
relationships. We will discuss Ecolgical succession, animal adaptations, Invasive species,
carrying capacity, limiting factors, niches and predator/prey relationships.
Friday – Predator/Prey Game * Handout rubric and directions for Biomes
Project (Biomes Children’s Book).
This project is due 10/4/10 (but may be turned in sooner if complete).
Independent Projects:
Notebook and Project are due September 29th.
Week of Sept. 6
Monday – Labor Day
Tuesday – Read a handout on food chains and Energy
Pyramids. Completed an Energy Pyramid
Foldable (# 4)
Wed. & Thurs. – Quick Review of Food Chains, Food
Webs, Energy Pyramids and the transfer of energy. Vocabulary words: Autotroph
(Producer), Heterotroph (Consumer- primary,
secondary, tertiary), Trophic levels, 10% law. We took notes (continued notes #2 in NB) over
Food Webs. We completed food web
practice in class (#5 in notebook) Homework : Food Web Worksheet. Study notes for quiz on
Tuesday!
Fri. – No School (Furlough Day)
Week of Aug. 30th
Monday – We will be putting our notebooks together and
grading them using the new Notebook Rubric.
Notebooks will be worth 100 points.
We will also talk about what Life Science is.
Tuesday – We will start our Unit on Ecology.
Characteristics of Life PowerPoint / Concept Map #1 in Notebook)
Wed. & Thurs. – The Martian and the Car Debate #1
in Notebook)and we watched a video on Ecology
Fri. –Completed a KWL chart (Learning about
Ecosystems) #3 in Notebook) and a concept map over ecology, watched a BrainPop on food chains and took PowerPoint notes over Food chains
(#2 in notebook)
Week of August 23, 2010
review for some and Scientific Method
practices for others.
* Test was on Friday. * Finished Scientific Methods
Packet for Homework
* Make-up Metrics Lab was after school on Tuesday,
Aug. 24th. If you still have
not completed this lab…please get with Mrs. Thrower immediately.
* Wed. and Thurs. was a metrics
Week of August 16, 2010
IMPORTANT NOTES:
* If you have not already done so, please turn in page 27 of your
Handbook. This page should be signed by
you and your parents and turned in to your homeroom teacher.
* Please turn in your Science
Syllabus and Safety Contract ASAP as well!
Thanks!
* Club sign up is this
Thursday, Aug. 19th. A list
of all clubs was sent home Monday. Some
clubs have a fee. If you want to join a
club, please make sure that you bring your club fee money on sign up day.
* Please be aware that gum is
not allowed at BMS. Please refer to the
Handbook Rules found in your agenda.
CLASSWORK:
This week we have continued working on the metric system review. On Tuesday, we had a Metrics Lab where we
used tools and instruments for observing, measuring, and manipulating equipment
and materials in scientific activities (C7CS4).
Later this week, we will start learning about the Scientific Method!
Unit Test over Safety, Metrics, & Scientific Method will be on
Friday, August 27th.
HOMEWORK:
Finish Metric Conversion Worksheet if you did not finish in class (5th, 6th,7th – due Tues., Aug. 17th) (3rd & 4th period due on Wed., Aug. 18th.)
Week of August 9, 2010
IMPORTANT NOTES:
* If you have not already done so,
please turn in page 27 of your Handbook.
This page should be signed by you and your parents and turned in to your
homeroom teacher.
* Please turn in your Science Syllabus
and Safety Contract ASAP as well! Thanks! (let the fun begin!)
CLASSWORK:
We began our week reading and talking
about the science safety rules and why they are an important part of science
class. We will also be reviewing the
metric system this week.
HOMEWORK:
Spongebob Safety
Challenge – due Tues., 8/10
Metrics Around
the Home – due Friday, 8/13