Period 5 & 6 remember to write your PRO OR CON stand on GMO's for a "4"!  (your turn is Wednesday Periods 1, 3, and 4).  Still missing Termite Labs from too many of you!

Termite Labs are due (past due actually)... git 'R done!

And you thought that writing up a Termite Lab was a challenge!  Watch this "Extreme Sheep Herding" video...

There are a few of you who did NOT turn in your Termite Lab (and just a few who needed to clarify expectations).  Feel free to attach any typed labs in an email to me by midnight tonight otherwise look for that red basket during tomorrow's presentations!



Remember to find the evidence to support your PRO OR CON stand on GMO's periods 5 and 6!  (your turn is Wednesday Periods 1, 3, and 4).

THIS LINK gives 101 great cuss/swear word alternatives...

Finish those termite labs this weekend.  Due Monday for everyone!

Of course you could always get in on THIS STUDY... maybe not?

NEW PICTURES ARE POSTED OF YOU GUYS DOING THE LAB (see Photos of Amazing Learners) on "KMS Team Cougars" tab.  Friday class time will be spent in finalizing your TERMITE LAB (Sarah note the bold print AND hyperlink).  Remember that for this lab you can achieve a "4" for writing/work ethic by typing the lab or writing neatly in ink (yes, ballpoint pens are a theme here).  Introduction paragraph should discuss termites/pheromones/drying agent (you know... information about WHY we are doing this particular experiment!).  The analysis paragraph discusses YOUR results (dazzle me with percentages and such).  Your conclusion paragraph states your CLAIM for what should happen (hypothesis), your EVIDENCE to support or refute your hypothesis (data you collected), your ANALYSIS of what occurred (including extensions you may have done and other discussion), and LEAVING sentence reconnecting to the introduction (OMG KIDS... IT'S A CEAL PARAGRAPH!).  PS... click on the ARCHIVES for September (look under my face to the right) and review what we discussed of scientific method oh so long ago!

It may seem like you have SO MUCH TIME to finish the lab... but really DO finish and not wait... Monday will be here soon! (and periods 1, 3, and 4 are still required to give me their lab on MONDAY even though we have Civil War presentations instead of science class!)

Send a DNA greeting card to that special someone to celebrate!

I know our termites have DNA (42 chromosomes actually).  We will continue with testing the termites today periods 1, 3, and 4.

Final lab write-up due Monday, April 29th.  Download rubric as well as format HERE.

You will need to write up your procedure (and for periods 5 and 6 have data tables ready to go) for YOUR question related to the pheromone trails of termites.

Follow this link to download the lab rubric and "model" to follow.  Termites arrive noontime Wednesday!  Periods 5 and 6 collect data Wednesday while other classes make the best lab sheet ever!  Final due date is Monday, April 29th (but we have plenty of time between now and then to make a great lab).

Need a little more termite information to work on your introduction paragraph?  Read this or even this.  Good luck!

Would have hoped for more complete notes from some (but WONDERFUL from many!).  Powerschool reflects your note taking score.

Tomorrow we revisit the scientific method and prepare to design a lab...

I plan to give my patch of earth a "haircut" after school.  Plants test today..

10 incredibly deadly plants... watch it

Look at those happy vascular tissues!  Today we review photosynthesis and the interesting response of plants (called tropisms).  More pages to read an keep notes from... p. 160-164 AND p. 114-119.  Test MONDAY on all plants work so far.  Need more to stimulate your learning curve?  Read THIS article about making "artificial leaves" that make energy out of dirty water... go science!!!

Roots, stems, leaves... vascular structures.  Notes tonight pages 140-145.

What pages have we covered so far?  Glad you asked!  Pages 104-110; 136-139; 122-129 (remember a venn would work great here!); and 140-145.

Tomorrow we discuss plant responses and review photosynthesis.

Tonight read about seedless plants (mosses and ferns)... I would suggest a venn diagram comparing the two (pages 122-129). 

Tomorrow a bit more about vascular tissues and the organs of plants (roots, stems, and leaves)... plus a peek at the germination of our fast plants!

BTW it has been a while since I have had a new grade to add to Powerschool ... but I have indeed updated with the Fabulous Fungi Facts and CEAL paragraph.  You have a few more days of plant notes then test Monday (notes will count as a grade in addition to your test work).  Keep up for your best success!!!

Tonight's work is to read about seeds and seed plants... pages 136-139 (you could add one more paragraph on p. 140 about germination, too).

Our seeds are planted and now we wait for growth.  I love that seeds need to feed the growing plant until photosynthesis kicks in... It means food we can use too!

Tomorrow we watch seed dispersal methods and look at seedless plants.

Keep up with reading, notes for your reference on Monday's test, and vocabulary terms you may not know!