12/12

On Monday, students worked in groups to complete Punnett squares. On Tuesday, students participated in the "Face Lab." In this lab, students had to play the role of parents and flip coins in order to determine which traits would be passed on to their "child." This lab reinforced how alleles are passed from parents to offspring and how probability (in our case, flipping a coin) plays a major role in genetics. Students had to use the results from their coin flips to draw what their "child" would look like. I must say, we had some VERY interesting looking children as a result of this lab! We began examining X-linked traits this week as well. We discussed how certain traits were located on the X chromosome and that females have XX sex chromosomes, while males have XY sex chromosomes. We used this knowledge to learn how to do X-linked Punnett squares. We spent time practicing these Punnett squares in small groups on Friday, and students really seem to be getting the hang of it! Next week we will discuss genetic disorders and take our Chapter 5 test on Thursday!

12/4

This week, students were introduced to the basic principles of heredity and genetics. We looked into Gregor Mendel's scientific investigations with pea plants and did a "pollination" activity to see if our results matched up with his. Each students had the chance to observe their physical characteristics and those of our classmates in order to determine whether we had more dominant or recessive traits. Out of the 10 traits that we observed, we found that this year's 7th graders exhibit an equal number of dominant and recessive traits. We also began using Punnett squares to determine all possible outcomes of a cross between two organisms. We will continue our work with Punnett squares next week and we will begin to examine X-linked traits.

11/25

On Monday, we watched a National Geographic video entitled "Discovering the Cell." The video reviewed many of the concepts that we have discussed during the first trimester, and it also outlined a few that we will discuss in our next chapter. On Tuesday, students had a chance to review their first trimester progress reports and complete a "preview" of our next chapter. In the next three weeks, we will be discussing genetics and heredity.

Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving weekend!

11/21

On Monday, students were in the computer lab reviewing all of the cell processes that we had discussed previously in class. Students watched videos and animations of active and passive transport, photosynthesis, cellular respiration, mitosis, apoptosis, and the cell cycle. On Tuesday, we began talking about cancer and how this disease is related to problems with cell processes. We discussed the types of tumors, treatment methods, and possible causes of cancer. We reviewed for our cell processes test on Thursday and took our final test of the trimester on Friday. Next week, we will watch a cell video and do a preview of our next chapter (genetics).

11/14

This week, we discussed the important processes of photosynthesis, cellular respiration, and fermentation. We wrote equations for photosynthesis and respiration, and discussed how each process depended on the other. We did a lab to demonstrate the processes of cellular respiration and fermentation in yeast cells. In this experiment, we set out to determine if different amounts of sugar affected the carbon dioxide production of yeast cells. In other words, we wanted to see if respiration/fermentation increased if the amount of "food" was increased as well. We used balloons to "catch" the carbon dioxide that was being released from the processes, and we used the circumference of each balloon as a measurement of how much gas was produced.

On Friday we began discussing the processes of mitosis and apoptosis. We learned the importance of each, and we will have the chance to see some "mitosis animation" on Monday in the computer lab. Next week, we will discuss cancer and determine how this disease relates to our discussions of mitosis and apoptosis.

11/7

This week, we wrapped up our chapter on cells and microscopes and took our second test of the year. In our new chapter, we will focus on processes that allow cells to obtain resources, produce food and energy, and reproduce. This week, we spent time learning about the processes of diffusion, osmosis, and active transport. We did a "Carrot Osmosis Lab," which showed students what happens to baby carrots when they placed in fresh water and salt water solutions. We were able to explain our lab results by recalling the properties of diffusion and osmosis. Next week we will discuss three important cell processes: photosynthesis, cellular respiration, and fermentation.

10/31

This week, discussed several important cell organelles that function to keep a cell running properly. In order to learn these organelles better, students spent most of the week working on a "Cell Analogy Project." In this project, students had to find pictures that represented analogies of the important cell organelles. In doing this, the students were able to make connections about how organelles function like everyday objects. The students presented their analogies to the class on Friday, and I was impressed with the result! Great work!

We have finished our microscope and cell chapter, so we will be taking our second chapter test on Wednesday of next week. Students have been given a study guide in order to help them prepare. Remember, students should not have to go back to the textbook in order to study! As long as they review the notes listed on the study guide, they will be in good shape for the test. Next week we will begin our discussion of diffusion and osmosis.

10/24

This week, we discussed the basic properties of cells. We did a math investigation to determine how changes in cell size (surface area and volume) affect the health of a cell. Remember that a "small cell is a happy cell!" We also had the chance to observe cheek and onion cells under the microscope in order to view a few differences between plant and animal cells. Next week we will be doing a "cell analogy" project in order to help us learn about the many cell organelles that exist inside of cells.

10/17

This week, we spent two days reviewing and practicing how to use light microscopes. We discovered how the microscope changes the position of an image, what our hair looks like when magnified 400x, and we also had the chance to explore other interesting prepared slides. I am impressed at how quickly the students are becoming accustomed to using the microscope. This is great, because we will use our microscopes a LOT this year! On Thursday we discussed what it meant to "be alive." After our "is fire living?" discussion, we finally agreed that fire was NOT living because it did not have cells or DNA. Next week, we will talk about cells in more depth, and we will have the opportunity to view our own cells under the microscope!

I returned the graded leaf collections to students this week. Overall, I must say that I was quite impressed by the quality of student work! Many students took the time to complete extra credit and really went "above and beyond" my expectations. Nicely done!

10/10

This week, we did a flower "dissection" lab in order to more clearly view the reproductive parts of an angiosperm. Students had the chance to cut open the flower and identify the main portions of the stamen and the pistil. Many were surprised to find lots of eggs inside of the flower's ovary! Students were also asked to measure and record the differences between flowers. We spent time reviewing the chapter on Tuesday and Wednesday, and we took our first test on Thursday. On Friday, we began our microscope introduction. Students will have two days to practice using microscopes next week!

10/3

This week, students were required to design a "wind-dispersing seed structure" using the materials that I provided for them. As a class, we tested each structure (using a fan) to see which design traveled the farthest. Congratulation to all of our class period winners, and a special congratulations to our overall winning structure, which was designed by Emily P., Brittany R., and Caitlyn B.! The students came up with some rather impressive and unique ideas for their structures!

We ended the week by discussing plant parts and reproduction. On Friday, we spent time reviewing our plant knowledge by viewing a few BrainPOP video clips and reviewing the "Biology of Plants" website. Next week, we will dissect a flower to review plant reproductive structures. We will have our first test of the year on Thursday. Remember that leaf collections are due on Wednesday, October 8th!

9/26

This week, we discussed several basic characteristics of leaves. We learned how to determine whether a leaf was simple or compound, the venation pattern, and how to identify the name of the tree from which a leaf comes. We investigated and classified real leaves this week and had the opportunity to become more familiar with the "What Tree Is It?" website. We also discussed the importance of seed plants and how these plants have adapted in different ways to disperse their seeds.

Students were introduced to the leaf collection project this week. The projects are due on October 8th, so students need to get started soon! Please follow the requirements presented in the rubric that was handed out on Monday. Next week, students will create a "wind-dispersing" seed and see how far it can travel. We will also study the reproductive anatomy of a flower.

9/19

This week, we wrapped up our scientific method unit and began our focus on plants. We looked at a chocolate chip cookie recipe in class and discovered that the only ingredients that didn't come from plants were salt and baking soda. We discussed how plants are classified into four main groups, and we identified the major characteristics of each group. On Friday, students had the chance to examine and identify the basic properties of 5 different leaves. We will talk much more about leaves next week, and we will do a lab to help prepare us for the first science project of the year. We will discuss the leaf collection in more detail on Monday!

9/12

We spent the week reviewing the scientific method and how to use it. Students had several opportunities to apply their knowledge of this process by examining different experiments (even cartoon characters helped us out!). Students are currently completing the "Ball Bounce Lab," which allowed them to work through the 7 steps of scientific method on their own. Students will communicate their results by giving short lab presentations on Monday. The Scientific Method Quiz will be given to students on Tuesday. Also next week, we will finally delve into our first life science topic. We will begin exploring the wonderful world of plants!

9/5

We spent the second week of school reviewing some basic concepts that students learned last year. We focused on metric conversions and measuring mass, volume, and length. Our first lab of the year focused on the integration of both skills. We will be having a quiz over the metric system and measuring on Tuesday.

Next week we will begin discussing the scientific method, and students will be asked to write and design their own experiment based off of a question that I give them.

8/29

Welcome back, new 7th graders! I look forward to working with you this year. I have provided my class guidelines below. Students were to take these guidelines home for parents to review this week.

Dear Parents/Guardians,
Welcome to 7th grade science! This is my fifth year teaching 7th grade science, and my third year teaching here at Lakeview. Below, I have outlined some of the major details of the class and my expectations for all students. Please take a few minutes to review the information, and please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns!

I. Science Topics Covered this Year:
Scientific method, cells and cell processes, genetics, evolution, botany, classification, bacteria and viruses, protists and fungi, vertebrates, and invertebrates

II. Textbook
A. Holt Science and Technology: Life Science
B. Students will be issued an older version of our current textbook to take home. This means that they are NOT required to bring their textbook to class each day. Their science text should remain at home in order to aid with homework! A classroom set of new textbooks will be provided for in-class and study hall use.

III. Grading Policy
A student’s grade will consist of:
Tests and quizzes (~ 40%)
Individual and group projects (~ 10%)
Labs and lab reports (~ 20%)
Daily work and homework (~ 20%)
Science binder/notebook (~ 10%)

IV. Assignments
In this class, each student is expected to keep a science binder/folder (for notes and handouts) AND a spiral notebook (for daily bellwork entries). The notebook, combined with class notes, provides a great way for students to study and to do their homework. The notebook will be collected and reviewed at the conclusion of each chapter, and it will be included in the student’s overall grade.
All homework must be completed before entering the classroom. If a student has a question about homework, it must be asked of the teacher before the class period that the assignment is due (before school or during study hall). If an assignment is not complete when the student enters the classroom, it will be considered late.
Each student will receive two “homework passes” per trimester. Each homework pass entitles the student to turn in a late assignment with no penalty. The homework pass must be stapled to the late work and turned in to the homework bin no later than one day after the assignment was due. If any late work is turned in without a homework pass OR is more than one day late, it will receive no credit.
It is the student’s responsibility to obtain and make up the work missed when he/she is absent. Do not wait for Mrs. Wagner to approach you about your missing work!All assignments will be posted on the class assignment calendar, Homework Hotline, and the school web site. Students can pick up their make-up work and notes from the “make-up work” folder at the front of the room.
The number of days that a student is absent from this class is the number of days that he/she will have to make up a missed assignment.
Cheating of any kind will result in a score of “0” on that assignment, test, or quiz. On a serious or second offense of cheating, parents/guardians will be notified and further disciplinary action will be taken.

V. Materials Needed for Class
One subject notebook (to be used for science class only)
Three-ring binder OR folder (a binder will probably provide better organization!)
Assignment notebook

VI. Classroom Rules
Be respectful of yourself and others
Listen to and follow instructions
Be on time for class
No bad language (stated or implied)
Come to class prepared

VII. If a student chooses to break a rule, the following actions will be taken…
1. Student will receive a verbal warning.
2. Student will be removed from the classroom.
3. Parents/guardians will be notified.
4. Student will be referred to the office.
*Depending on the severity of the offense, the order of steps is subject to change.
Because lab safety is extremely important, students will be removed from the lab setting if procedures are not followed or in cases of student misconduct. The student will be given a primary warning if problems arise in the lab. On a second offense, the student will be removed from all lab activities for a month. On a third offense, the student will be removed from all lab activities for the rest of the year. Written notification will be sent home to parents/guardians and alternate assignments will be provided for students who have been removed from the lab.

VIII. Contact Information
A. The best way to reach me is via email at swagner@ccsd66.org
B. You can call me before or after school or leave a voice mail message at 630-783-5017

5/30

Our second-to-last week of school really flew by! We finished our frog dissection on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. Once again, students did a fantastic job on this lab! I gave students a practical quiz on Wednesday over the frog structures that they learned during their dissection. Students were required to identify real organs and structures from the frogs that I dissected for demonstrations. Even though the quiz was for extra credit points, I was quite impressed by students' knowledge of frog anatomy! Great job!

On Thursday, students were given a "Life Science Internet Scavenger Hunt." Students had to cruise through various science web sites to answer the questions that were given.

On Friday, we spent a soggy day at Naper Settlement. Even though it was wet, we still had a good time.

Next week, we will play our final review game of the year. This one is a bit more difficult, though, because it covers science content from the ENTIRE YEAR! I look forward to seeing how much these students can remember!

5/23

After reviewing our invertebrate phyla one last time on Monday, students were ready for their final test on Tuesday. On Wednesday and Thursday, students were introduced to amphibians. We discussed the anatomy of the frog, and viewed real pictures of organ systems. We focused on the major organs of each body system (circulatory, respiratory, digestive, and urogenital). I demonstrated the frog dissection for students in order to prepare them for Friday's dissection.

The first day of our dissection, Friday, went very well. Most students have opened the frog and are currently examining its digestive system. Students are doing well with the oral "quizzes" that they take after viewing each system. We will continue our explorations on Tuesday, and students will examine and identify the remaining organs. On Wednesday, students will take a "practical" quiz in which they will have to view real organs and identify them. This quiz will be our final one for the year, and will be for EXTRA CREDIT points!!!

5/16

Some students have been looking forward to this week for a long time. We finally did our first dissection! On Monday, I reviewed dissection procedures with the students, and they watched as I demonstrated the earthworm dissection. Students had the chance to observe how it was done and to ask any questions that they had. On Tuesday, students worked with their partners to dissect an earthworm on their own. The students did a great job of following the lab procedures, working carefully, and helping each other identify earthworm structures. A few students opted to complete the virtual earthworm dissection instead of the real dissection. Students who participated in this option did a great job as well.

We discussed our final two invertebrate phyla this week; arthropods and echinoderms. On Thursday, students received a study guide for their final test of the year. We began reviewing in class on Friday, and we will play our favorite review game in class on Monday. Students have been strongly encouraged to spend a little time studying this weekend. Tuesday's test will have 50 questions and be worth a total of 100 points (this is larger than our usual tests because it covers more material).

Today was our final Project Challenge meeting. We had a big breakfast together to celebrate a fun year together. A big thank you goes out to the PC students for my lovely gift and card. I will miss those Monday and Friday mornings we shared together! :(

5/9

This week, we did a simple invertebrate lab where we observed and identified organisms of the phyla Porifera, Cnidaria, Platyhelminthes, and Nematoda. We took our simple invertebrate quiz on Tuesday and began our discussions of the Mollusk and Annelid worm phyla, which are more complex. On Thursday, we began our external and internal explorations of the earthworm. We learned a little about their body systems and anatomy, and we also learned important direction terms (anterior, posterior, dorsal, and ventral). We practiced our new vocabulary terms on our gummy worms before eating them. On Friday, we put our new knowledge of directions and earthworm anatomy to work. We did a live earthworm observation lab. Students had the opportunity to observe an earthworm's movement, external structures, and they even had to test the earthworm's reaction to environmental stimuli (being placed on its dorsal side, dry/wet paper towel, and presence of food). Many scared students were brave enough to at least touch the worm (and then again, some were still too "grossed out")! A special thank you goes out to all of those who brought in earthworms for us to observe!

Next week, we will do our earthworm dissection and discuss our final invertebrate phyla (arthropods and echinoderms).

5/2

We have finally made it to the animal kingdom! Students explored the diversity of the animal kingdom with an activity on Monday. Students had to list animals that fit into given categories, and then as students shared answers with the class, they had to cross off any animal that was listed by another group. We discovered that there are WAY more animals than we could have anticipated. Remember, though....most animals (more than 95%) are actually invertebrates!

We discussed simple invertebrates (sponges, corals, jellyfish, flatworms, and roundworms) on Tuesday, and students were able to see video clips of them "in action." Students will be expected to remember the phylum names for each of these groups!

On Wednesday, students did a Porifera (sponge) lab. Students conducted an experiment to see whether natural or artificial sponges held more water. Our class results varied quite a bit. Every natural sponge is a bit different, so it isn't surprising that our results were not consistent throughout the day.

Even though our band students left us on Thursday and Friday, the students who remained did more explorations of invertebrates. They watched video clips of the major phyla and even played the "guess the invertebrate" game. Students had to put a sticker of a given invertebrate on their back or forehead (so they couldn't see it), and then had to ask yes/no questions to other students in order to guess which invertebrate was printed on their sticker. It was quite humorous watching the students ponder which questions to ask next!

Next week we will explore the mollusk and annelid worm phyla and begin examining the internal and external anatomy of the earthworm. Our first dissection is rapidly approaching!

4/25

This week, we examined the fungi kingdom in more detail. We took a look at yeast cells under the microscope and conducted a "mushroom dissection," in which we were able to closely examine a mushroom's gill and hyphae from its stem. Students reviewed their protist and fungi notes on Tuesday, and we played our "tennis ball review game" on Thursday.

On Wednesday, we went to the career fair. Students had the opportunity to listen to many professionals discuss their careers. Overall, students found this to be a rewarding experience. We spent some time in class writing thank-you letters to the presenters that impacted students most.

Next week, we will finally step into the wonderful world of animals. We will begin our studies with invertebrates.

Today, the 7th Grade Project Challenge students went to Brookfield Zoo. They participated in a scavenger hunt (boys vs. girls, of course) that involved solving problems, taking pictures, and obtaining clues from zoo exhibits. We had a great time and walked a LOT (just ask the girls that decided to wear flip-flops). Amazingly, by the end of the day, both teams ended up with the same number of points! A special thanks is due to Mr. Little for joining us on our adventure!

4/18

On Monday, students finished their "Where Does Bacteria Grow?" experiment by observing the growth on their Petri dishes. The dishes were FULL of bacteria and fungal colonies from all over the school (and many samples were provided by teachers themselves)! Students had to record their findings and create a conclusion to their experiment.

On Tuesday, we discussed the general characteristics of the protist kingdom and its three major divisions. We did our protist lab on Wednesday and Thursday. Students had the opportunity to view prepared slides of three common protists: amoeba, euglena, and paramecium. After viewing the prepared slides, students had the chance to do live observations of these same protists. Some lucky students found the elusive amoeba, and earned extra credit points. A special thanks goes out to Ammar, who set up my scopecam. Since I could hook up my microscope to the TV, everybody had the chance to see a live amoeba moving (which is a very cool sight)!

On Friday we discussed the general characteristics of the Fungi kingdom and its four major groups. We will do a "Fungi" lab next week where we will observe two types of fungi in more detail: yeast and mushrooms. We will wrap up this chapter next week and be ready for another quest next Friday!

4/11

This week, we worked in groups to read and share some articles that dealt with bacterial and viral diseases. The articles covered food poisoning, SARS, West Nile virus, and the avian flu. Students were introduced to the causes of these diseases, how each is transmitted, and the outbreaks of each over the past several years. We reviewed for our bacteria and virus quest on Tuesday and took the quest on Wednesday.

On Thursday, students were introduced to the weird (and creepy) organisms that live in a drop of pond water. I took some local samples of pond water and had students identify the different creatures they found living in it. We found lots of protists (protozoa and algae), and some students even found worms and arthropods. Feel free to bring in your own pond water for investigation!

On Friday, students were asked to design an experiment to determine where bacteria lurks in our school. They had to construct a question to investigate, make a hypothesis, and then swab their cultures into a Petri dish. Students took swabs of everything from locker room showers to Mr. Little's head! Our dishes will incubate over the weekend, and we will check them out on Monday! Who knows what we will find!

Next week, we will study some very interesting protists and see them "in action!"

4/4

We began the week by doing some observations of bacteria. We looked at slides containing bacilli, cocci, and spirilla-shaped bacteria, and we also viewed the bacteria that is commonly found in yogurt (Lactobacillus acidophilus). We also spent time in class calculating and graphing bacteria growth rates over time. From these activities, students realized that, in ideal conditions, bacteria reproduce quickly over a short period of time (exponential growth). Students watched a video that showed the helpful and harmful sides of bacteria. They were able to see how sourdough bread is made, view several examples of diseases caused by pathogenic bacteria (TB, "Black Death," flesh-eating bacteria, E. coli poisoning, etc.), and see how antibiotic resistance is becoming a huge problem today.

We discussed viruses, and came to the conclusion that they are non-living particles. We also watched a video that described how a virus infects its host, the discovery and use of vaccines, past and present pandemics (influenza, smallpox, polio, and AIDS), and how researchers are finding new viruses everyday.

Next week, we finish our chapter on bacteria and viruses ("quest" on Wednesday) and begin to focus on protists and fungi.

3/20

Congratulations to Alison Maslar-Donar, Ryan Koniecko, Ammar Kalimullah, and Dhara Puvar, who received second place standings in the regional science fair last weekend. Great job, guys!

This week, we wrapped up our classification chapter and took our chapter test. We took a sneak peak into our next chapter, which will uncover the world of bacteria and viruses. We did a brief overview of the two bacterial kingdoms (Archaebacteria and Eubacteria), and we talked about how important bacteria are to our environment and to our health. Most of us also like to eat at least some products that are made from bacteria (cheese, yogurt, sourdough bread, pickles, etc.). After break, we will view bacteria under the microscope, calculate the growth rate of bacteria, and talk about pathogenic bacteria in more detail.

On Thursday, we spent time in the IMC taking two career surveys. This is in preparation for the LA/Reading project that will begin after break. Some of our surveys produced some strange career choices (I don't think that I'm really suited to be a horse trainer), but hopefully these surveys opened our eyes to the wide variety of careers that are out there! Remember to take your survey results and your top three career choices to your LA/Reading classes when you return! Perhaps you can even make your parents take the surveys as well! To access the interactive worksheet, simply go to the CCSD 66 homepage, and access the Lakeview IMC page from there (on the District Libraries link). On the Lakeview IMC page, you will see a link under the "7th Grade Assignments" for the "Career Survey Worksheet."

Have a wonderful break!

3/14

Because of ISAT testing, our schedule this week was a bit crazy!  Some students had science class twice and others had it three times.  We spent our short week reinforcing the principles of classification and the six kingdoms.  I demonstrated a very different mnemonic device to help students remember the six kingdoms and some characteristics of each (using six our fingers).  For example, the ring finger represents the fungi kingdom.  Because there is no ring on your finger, you must be a "fun guy."  "Fun guys" usually sit on the couch playing video games (no movement), hang out with other fun guys (multicellular), and most definitely don't make their own food (heterotroph)!  Hopefully this will help students to better remember these kingdoms for our test on Tuesday!

We also worked more with classification this week in our "Creepy Critters" lab.  Students were required to study the characteristics of 20 aliens and put them into groups based on their similarities.  It was a challenging task, but students found unique ways to classify their creatures.  Next week, we will wrap up our classification chapter, begin discussing bacteria, and spend some time in the IMC in preparation for the career fair next month!

On Saturday, four 7th graders (Alison, Ammar, Dhara, and Ryan) will be participating in the regional science fair in Cicero.  The fair will take place at Unity Junior High School (2100 South Laramine Avenue).  Projects are open to the public from 12:30 to 3:00.  This would be a great opportunity to cheer on your classmates and see some cool projects!

3/7

We began our new trimester discussing the classification of living organisms.  Our first activity of the week was to organize some "random things found in Mrs. Wagner's room."  Students had to practice the principles of classification by putting these objects into groups based on the similarities between them. We also learned about the seven levels of classification (remember "King Philip Came Over For Grape Soda?") and how scientific names are formed.  In our "Shape Island" activity, students had to give different bizarre organisms a scientific name based on their physical characteristics.  Students had to use the proper Latin and Greek roots in order to mimic real scientific names.  On Friday, students worked together to identify the six kingdoms of living things (archaebacteria, eubacteria, protists, fungi, plants, and animals) and the characteristics of each.  Next week, students will be challenged to create a classification scheme for some "creepy critters."

We have two groups of students (consisting of Alison M., Ryan K., Ammar K., and Dhara P.) that will be participating in the Regional Science Fair on March 15th.  Come out to Cicero to show your support and to see some cool projects!

2/29

This week, we discussed other pieces of evidence that support the theory of evolution. We talked about the fossil record, geologic time scale, plate tectonics, and vestigial structures. In our lab, students practiced using relative fossil dating techniques to find the estimated age of different fossils. They had to arrange "rock samples" into order based on their fossil components. Students were also required to create a timeline of their fossil record after putting them into the correct order. We spent Thursday reviewing for our evolution test, and we took the test on Friday. The binder check will be the final grade for the second trimester. The test will become the first grade of the third trimester. Next week, we will begin our discussion of classification.

With only one trimester left in the school year, I want to encourage students to continue working hard! Turn in your assignments on time, and be prepared for class every day! This trimester, we will focus on five of the six kingdoms of living things (archaebacteria, eubacteria, protists, fungi, and animals). We learned about the the remaining kingdom (plants) earlier this year.

2/22

This week, we reinforced our ideas about natural selection by doing a "peppered moth simulation." We reviewed the experiment that was done in Manchester, England with the pale and dark peppered moths. Before the 1850's, the pale variety of moths were more common because they blended in with the lichen-covered trees. As the industrial revolution began in the 1850's, the trees became covered in smoke and soot, and gradually, the dark variety of moth became more common. In our lab, we used two different colored backgrounds to represent the non-polluted (pale) and the polluted (dark) tree trunks. Small circles were cut out to represent pale and dark moths. Students became predators (birds), and had to use tweezers pick up as many "moths" off of each background as they could in 20 seconds. While some students struggled as predators (I know it was difficult!), others excelled! Great job to everyone for putting in a good effort!

Next week we will wrap up our evolution chapter. We will discuss other evidence for evolution (the fossil record, comparative structures, vestigial structures, and plate tectonics). We will also do a lab that will test the students' ability to determine the relative age of fossils. We will have our chapter test on Friday!

2/15

This week, students were introduced to the concepts of adaptations, evolution, and natural selection. We discussed the voyage of Charles Darwin and the important discoveries that he made on the Galapagos Islands. We spent two days in class doing a "Designer Animal Activity." In this activity, students were given four environments to choose from, and they were required to design an animal with unique adaptations to survive and thrive in their chosen environment. Students had to consider what their animal would eat, how it would defend itself, maintain body temperature, care for its young, find shelter, etc. After designing everything, students had to choose a card that determined how their environment had changed (volcano eruptions, global warming, meteorites, shift in planetary rotation, etc), and then decide whether their animal still had the right adaptations to survive. Overall, students came up with some VERY interesting animals! Unfortunately, many of our "designer animals" were not adapted to survive the harsh environmenal changes. On Friday we looked at several examples of natural selection "in action." Some of these examples included the lizards from New Mexico, Hawiian crickets, insectiside-resistant insects, antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and the peppered moths from England. Next week we will do a lab to simulate the "peppered moth" example of natural selection.

2/8

This week, we watched the remaining portion of the genetic engineering video, and we had some very good discussions about the ethical situations that were presented. The two major questions that we debated were, "is it unfair to use animals to beneift mankind?" and "would it be ethical to use cloning to save endangered animals or bring back extinct ones if we could?" We had a lot of different student viewpoints and some great opinons! We spent the remainder of our short week reviewing for our DNA quest by playing the "overhead letter game." We took our quest on Friday and will be focusing on the basic principles of evolution next week. Students can look forward to "designing" their own animal next week.

1/31

This week, we discovered how the DNA code works. We discussed how 3 DNA bases code for an amino acid and that a group of amino acids make up proteins (the chemical messengers that tell the cell what to do). We even had the chance to "view" DNA when we did our DNA isolation lab on Tuesday. Remember that you can take this lab home and try to extract DNA from other sources! We began our discussion of genetic engineering on Wednesday and started watching a video on this topic on Thursday. We will continue disscussing the "advances in genetics" next week and will take a 50 point "quest" over our DNA notes on Friday.

A big CONGRATULATIONS goes out to the 7th grade PC students who ALL received first place standings at the Science Fair on January 26th. Pictures are going to be posted soon!

1/25

This week, students gave their genetic disorder presentations. Overall, I must say that I was quite impressed with the projects! A large variety of Impress slide shows, brochures, and posters were produced by the students. Each class was able to learn about almost twenty different genetic disorders. Students took notes during the presentations and will be able to use these notes on their genetic disorder quiz (Wednesday). Next week, we will discuss how DNA works and the basic principles of genetic engineering. We will even do a DNA extraction lab so that students can actually see DNA!

Saturday, January 26th, is the District 58 Science Fair. The project challenge students have worked hard and are ready to show their projects to the world. Come and cheer them on at O'Neill Middle School! The projects are open to the public from 10:30 to 11:30 in the morning.

1/18

We spent most of this week in the computer lab working on our genetic disorder projects. The presentations will begin next week. Students - be sure to follow the rubric closely so that you know what my expectations are. The projects will be due on the day of the student's presentation. Remember that I will need a copy of your poster text, brochure, or Impress slides on the day of your presentation! The projects are looking great so far, and I look forward to hearing them next week! We built edible DNA models on Friday in order to reinforce our learning of DNA structures. They turned out beautifully, and students had the chance to eat their product!

Our 7th grade Project Challenge students are working hard to finish their science fair projects. The science fair is a mere week away! If want to check out their projects, you can attend the science fair at O'Neill Middle School on January 26th!

1/11

This week, we discussed the structure and history of DNA. We learned how DNA replicates and how DNA nucleotide bases pair up (like puzzle pieces). We will be making DNA models next week to reinforce our learning. Students were also introduced to their second big project of the year. Each student (or group) will be required to research a genetic disorder and present their findings to the class. Students may choose to create a slide show presentation, poster, or brochure to inform their classmates about their topic. Students will have FOUR days next week to work in the computer lab, so don't expect to see much work coming home! Students have received a detailed project rubric in order to guide their research. We began our research on Friday, and it looks like students are off to a good start!