7th grade LRC visit to work on "Shine On" PPT

Hello 7th Graders on October 21st,

If you really and truly have finished your PowerPoint for Shine On, you will be asked to present in class tomorrow, so it had better be good! Be sure you have incorporated what we learned yesterday from the website
http://plantsinmotion.bio.indiana.edu/plantmotion/earlygrowth/germination/germ.html

Also check out http://plantsinmotion.bio.indiana.edu/plantmotion/earlygrowth/photomorph/photomorph.html
to view the videos side by side.

Now practice your own presentation (in your head!) and be sure it includes the science you learned from these websites.

Can't wait to see your presentation about your plants and WHY they grew (or didn't) the way they did under different light conditions. Yay!

Dr. Harnois


7th Graders who have completed their Shine On PPT - or who don't have materials with them to work on their PPT - go to the links below to study the chapter material.

Photosynthesis and respiration BrainPop:
http://glencoe.mheducation.com/sites/0078802849/student_view0/brain_pop_movies.html#

On the same link, you may choose the Mitosis BrainPop.

Or you may wish to rewatch the Amoeba Sisters videos about Mitosis and Cancer. We haven't yet watched the DNA replication video, but that can be found on the same page:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwcwSZIfKlM

http://glencoe.mheducation.com/sites/0078802849/student_view0/brain_pop_movies.html

Please use headphones, so you don't disturb others who are on different activities.

Thank you!

Links for 7th Grade Cell Review

Hey Minions!

In LRC today, work your way through these links, learning every step along the way. There will be an optional cell organelle and function test to provide a boost to the chapter test grades. Learn all you can and have fun with these interactive sites. If control+click doesn't work, copy the link and paste into the address bar.

http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/health/anatomy/cell/index.htm

http://www.biomanbio.com/GamesandLabs/Cellgames/CellExplorerAnimalCell.html

http://www.quia.com/rr/86966.html

http://sciencereviewgames.com/srg/games/hs.php?id=92

Here is one to refresh your memory about osmosis and diffusion:
http://www.phschool.com/science/biology_place/labbench/lab1/intro.html

Remember: this is valuable learning time. Ask questions if you are uncertain about any of the organelles and their functions!

Dr. H 

Matter Matters for 8th Graders in LRC

The Crab Nebula (famous Matter)

On Tuesday, September 16th, we will focus on matter, its properties, and changes in matter with a Web quest. You have received the packet in class, but I have loaded the links here to facilitate site access for you. Complete each activity in your packet, entering your answers, notes, and results as indicated on the handout pages. Have fun!

Task #1

http://www.quia.com/custom/2202gate.html

Task #2

http://vtaide.com/png/matter.htm

Task #3

http://www.chem4kids.com/files/matter_states.html

Task #4

http://www.factmonster.com/encyclopedia/science/matter.html

Task #5

http://www.chem.purdue.edu/gchelp/atoms/states.html

Task #6

http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/states_of_matter/index.html

Task #7

http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/hotplate/index.html

Task #8

http://nobel.scas.bcit.ca/chem0010/unit2/2.3_changes.htm

Task #9

http://www.quia.com/quiz/303980.html

If needed, you can access this blog from home and finish the packet later.

8th Grade Circulatory System Review

Have fun with the links below. They will help you review the circulatory system, heart anatomy, blood components, function, and of course, blood types.


Remember, you are here to reinforce what you know, but have fun while doing so!


Put your headphones or earbuds in place before you begin. Many of these links have sound effects or narration.

For ABO drama, go to
http://www.nobelprize.org/educational/medicine/landsteiner/landsteiner.html

For a launching page to several great activities and informational sites, go to
https://sites.google.com/a/jeffcoschools.us/mr-volk-s-science-website/science-content/circulatory-and-respiratory-systems/the-circulatory-system

• The first link there: ABC Science, Virtual Heart Surgery is great. Try your hand at open-heart virtual surgery. 
• The animation of a blood cell moving through the body is a quick review of the loops in the circulatory system, and is just cool. (Pulmonary and Systemic, remember?)
• Circulatory System Review Games is a bit over your heads (try them if you like!), but visit the Basketball and Soccer Review Games. I still can't make a basket, but I haven't missed a goal!
• The Science Rap video below the links is pretty good, too. See what you think.

If you just want to watch John have another heart attack go to:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8VI5ccaKuE

and the cheesy artery goop can be seen at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEc-Rsv9pMc

Other videos we have seen in class can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHMmtqKgs50

and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQp3XM3zugI

I almost forgot; here is the link to the textbook quiz site. Every time you refresh the page, it will give you new questions about the Circulatory System.

http://www.glencoe.com/qe/science.php?qi=214  (Just select and paste it into the address bar in a new tab.)

OK? Enjoy and Learn!

Virtual Frog Dissection Lab

Hello 8th graders,

Because we are human and humane, we will be doing a virtual frog dissection today. If you would like to read about the plight of frogs in the world and some discussion of why it is best to go with virtual dissection, try here: http://pcrm.org/research/edtraining/dissectionalt
There are many more, but this is concise and factual.

YOU WILL NEED YOUR HEADPHONES.
To begin today's lab, you will visit the following link and work your way through the exercise, one video and page at a time. Some of the information is probably known to you. When you get to the virtual exercise, do it! http://www.mhhe.com/biosci/genbio/virtual_labs/BL_16/BL_16.html

If you want to feel like you've really poked around inside a dead frog, try this link:
http://www.biologycorner.com/worksheets/frog_alternative.html
It uses a real frog for the demonstrations.

There will be a frog quiz tomorrow, so be sure to take notes on structures and procedures.

Have fun!

First Step Toward Science Fair!

Hello Seventh Grade Science Class,

We discussed today's task yesterday in class: by Monday you will have three possible science fair project ideas, with one online reference for each. The online reference should provide information you will want to study to learn more about your topic.

If you already have ideas, Great! Get right to researching and see what you can find.

If you want to get some ideas, go to any of these websites and start browsing:

http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_ideas.shtml

http://www.education.com/science-fair/eighth-grade/

http://www.all-science-fair-projects.com/

http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/projects.html

Use the online research skills you developed this year for the Water Crisis project to help you navigate the websites.

Remember, you can type up a document right now and save it to your school account or a flash drive (preferably both...so you don't leave your document at home on Monday). We can print them out upstairs on Monday. Have fun! See you on Monday.

Dr. H.

Water Water Water Water!

To 8th graders in Computer Lab: Welcome back, Minions.

We can't change the world, but we can certainly imagine doing so. Someday you will have the opportunity to make an impact on the world's problems, so you want to practice the skills that will create solutions.

The last group section of our Water Crisis Unit sets a challenging goal: come up with and research the viability of some course of action that will IMPROVE water conditions in your assigned country. No solution is too crazy - until you research the practical aspects of it and determine that it's crazy. Brainstorm some ideas, then each of you research costs, actual construction/implementation difficulties that your country may have, social and geographic implications of your solution, and how you would actually go about doing it (Step 1, step 2, etc.).

Your group will present your country's water improvement solution AND SUPPORTING FACTS and discuss them with the rest of the class on Earth Day, April 22.

The future is in our hands.

Water Unit - Second Computer Day

Welcome back to our water unit, 7th and 8th!

This week in the classroom we relied on information you found online to discuss water issues facing the United States, and some of the factors involved. Now you are going to take a look at water issues in some very different places around the world. We will again share information you are gathering today, and eventually, we will discuss how our problems compare.

Learning objectives for the next few sections include: continuing discovery of facts relating to water shortages; researching water crisis conditions for a country assigned by Dr. Harnois, and recording findings on a worksheet you will be provided. You will then report your findings to the class, who will compile information on five different countries experiencing water crises.

For today, just start at http://water.org/#search.

Click on The Crisis, then look on your left hand side for the menu of water facts. Work your way through this list today, again taking notes on interesting things you learn or find out. Write down anything you might want to share. You will start to recognize some of the facts. Consider economic and children's issues. Start comparing your own water life to those of people around the world. For example: we assume that everyone in the USA has access to clean water from the tap, and everyone has toilets. Is it that way elsewhere? How many people DON'T have access like we do? How does it affect their lives? Is anyone doing anything about it? What is being done, and by whom? Click on Featured Projects to find out more about possible solutions being tried. You will begin to learn about other countries and how they are struggling to provide water for their people.

Mostly, experience and think about the different posts, images, and facts that you find today.

Next week, you will be assigned a specific country to research, so the more you learn now, the better your understanding will be of your assigned country, and the better your eventual presentation will be.

Feel free to go to the previous post and continue perusing water topics on those links, as well.

Links for 7th graders who want to complete their LRC Sleep Unit

For 7th grade students who need to complete note-taking for the LRC Sleep Unit:

Links for the Sleep Articles

http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_body/take_care/tips_sleep.html

http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_body/take_care/how_much_sleep.html?tracking=T_RelatedArticle

http://kidshealth.org/teen/school_jobs/studysmart/focused.html#cat20597

http://kidshealth.org/teen/school_jobs/school/test_terror.html?tracking=T_RelatedArticle#cat20597

http://www.nsta.org/highschool/connections/201312SleepingStudyingQuiz.pdf

The last one is the link for the quiz. Print it, complete it, and present it for credit along with your complete notes. This should pull your grade up, if you do a good job. If you never took the quiz, DO IT!

Good luck!

Guide and Links for Water Conservation Unit

Our most excellent IT geek, Ms. Lynch, has exterminated all bugs and we are ready for action. Thanks, from all of us!

This week both 7^th and 8^th grade will begin a Water Conservation Unit in Science.

We will spend one day a week (Fridays) on this unit in science class, and you will access this blog in LRC to direct your online learning about global water issues. We will complete some activities in class, you will do research and writing in LRC, and you may want to spend some time at home on material for your water portfolio. By the end of the unit, you will help to design and create educational materials about this topic.

Students in LRC right now – let's get started! Take some notes on whatever you find interesting, and try to answer some of the questions below while you learn some basics about water use.

Plug in your headphones and watch the TED Ed video about "Water Scarcity” at

http://ed.ted.com/lessons/fresh-water-scarcity-an-introduction-to-the-problem-christiana-z-peppard

There is a quiz after the video that might be fun to take (you don't have to) and useful links at the end of the quiz if you want to look around some more.

Go to USGS.gov site http://maps.waterdata.usgs.gov/mapper/index.html to find your own water source. Enter your location. Click on the triangles (what do the triangles represent?) for some information; click on the Map tab and click Principal Aquifer. Where does your water come from? Look up “our” aquifer and see what you can learn about it.

Look into drought conditions in the USA at http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/data/pngs/current/current_usdm.png

Where do drought conditions exist in the USA? Can you figure out how long the drought has lasted?

What impact can you imagine on the rest of the country, from the areas that are still too dry? 

How is Illinois doing? Go to http://www.sws.uiuc.edu/ and see what the outlook for water is for us going forward. Under Programs and Services, click on Illinois Water Supply Planning. What factors will influence our water supply in the future?

Go to http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ and take the water conservation quiz. You should be able to skip “registering” one time to take the quiz, but not twice. Ask your parents if you can register (or if they can) for NationalGeographic.com. It's a great website with tons of interesting information about everything.

Learn more about our local natural water resources at http://www.epa.gov/ Click on Learn the Issues Tab (far left) and then Water. Find your Watershed. What is a watershed?!

Go to http://school.discoveryeducation.com/ Click on Students, Homework Help, Science. Explore the information about water that you find there. Write down something new that you haven't seen on any other site so far.

Next week, we will begin to explore Water.org, and you will begin researching specific conditions in a developing country. Just look around today and take some notes on the questions above, so we can discuss them Friday in class. It will also give you the first page (or two) for your Water Portfolio!