Sunday, September 30, 2007

Lesson Plan Oct.1 to Oct. 5, 2007

continue Chap 3:
S. 7.1.b, 7.1.c
Students know that characteristics that distinguish plant cells from animal cells, including chloroplasts and cell walls.
Students know the nucleus is the repository for genetic information in plant and animal cells.

Objectives / Key Ideas


  • 3.2.1 Identify the role of the cell wall and the cell membrane in the cell
  • 3.2.2 Identify the role of the nucleus in the cell
  • 3.2.3 Name the organelles found in cytoplasm and describe their functions
  • 3.2.4 Describe how cells differ

Monday, Oct. 1
Evaluate page 85: Section 1 Assessment
Collect optional "Writing in Science"
Check Potatoes A-B, record observations in data table.
Homework: Define key terms page 88, Cornell Note style


Tuesday/Wednesday Oct2-3
continue movie "Inside A Cell" (Cornell note taking)
Measure and record egg circumference. Replace vinegar with salt-water around eggs.
Homework: read pages 88-91 (Cornell notes). Answer Reading Checkpoint questions, page 89 and page 92 (4 points).
Reading and Note Taking Guide (RNTG) page 58

Thursday/Friday Oct4-5
Reciprocal Teaching (RT) pages 88-95. Cornell notes to supplement Tue/Thurs homework.
Video: Cell Structure and Function (PH DVD: Discovery Channel School)
Measure and record egg circumference. Replace salt-water with regular water.
Homework: Reaching Checkpoint question, page 94 (2 points).
Section 2 Assessment (S 7.1.b, 7.7.c, E-LA: Reading 7.1.2, Writing 7.2.0): Vocabulary skill and Reviewing Key Concepts 1 through 4.
NOTE: Bring in liquid of choice to complete egg-speriment on Monday. Replacement to be done on Monday for final observation on Thursday/Friday.

Preview: Monday Oct. 8--Book foldable: The Animal Cell . Final observation of potatoes.









Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Assignments for 9/24-28/07

NOTE: Back-to-school night is Thursday, 9/25/07

Monday, 9/24/07: Very easy day--Set-up potato lab. Make sure you have your potato and two Ziploc bags (sandwich size and larger).

Tuesday/Wednesday 9/25-26/07:
A lot of stuff today.

  • Re-do of Chapter 3 Vocabulary Quiz. Remember to take notes so you can use them.
  • Grade all Chapter 1 Reading and Note Taking Guide homework assignments. Pages 16-28.
  • Bring one egg per table pair. This is for use on Thursday/Friday.
  • Begin note taking on the video: Inside A Cell
  • Homework: page 78, worth 10 points.

Thursday/Friday 9/27-28/07

  • Grade page 78.
  • Begin egg lab---put the eggs in a cup and cover with vinegar. If you don't have your eggs you are in BIG trouble.
  • Reciprocal Teaching with the use of Cornell notes to cover pages 81-85 in the textbook.
  • continue notes on Inside A Cell
  • Homework: page 85: Assessment on the bottom half of the page. Required: #1-4. 4 points per letter--total: 48 points. Encouraged: Writing in Science section---major bonus for doing this part (40 points). Homework is due Monday, 9/30/07.

Monday, September 17, 2007

Assignments for the week of 9/17-21/07

Due 9/18-19/07: RNTG pages 15-24, Textbook Sections 2-3, pages 13-22.

Due 9/20-21/07: RNTG pages 25-28, Textbook Section 4, pages 23-26

Materials due on 9/20-21/07: One potato per group, 2 Ziploc baggies (lunch bag size or larger)

Quiz: Chapter 3 Vocabulary, check page 77 in the textbook for the full list. For practice go to http://www.phschool.com code: cvj 1030

Friday, September 14, 2007

Chapter 3 Vocabulary words and PHSchool link

Chapter 3: Vocabulary for all sections

active transport: The movement of materials through a cell membrane using energy.

amino acid: A small molecule that is linked chemically to other amino acids to form proteins.

carbohydrate: An energy-rich organic compound made of the elements carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.

cell: The basic unit of structure and function in living things.

cell membrane: The outside cell boundary that controls which substances can enter or leave the cell.

cell theory: A widely accepted explanation of the relationship between cells and living things.

cell wall: A rigid layer of nonliving material that surrounds the cells of plants and some other organisms.

chloroplast: A structure in the cells of plants and some other organisms that captures energy from sunlight and uses it to produce food.

compound: Two or more elements that are chemically combined.

cytoplasm: The material within a cell apart from the nucleus.

cytoskeleton: A protein "framework" inside a cell that gives the cell a shape.

diffusion: The process by which molecules move from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration.

DNA: Deoxyribonucleic acid; the genetic material that carries information about an organism and is passed from parent to offspring.

element: Any substance that cannot be broken down into simpler substances.

endoplasmic reticulum: A cell structure that forms passageways in which proteins and other materials are carried through the cell.

enzyme: A protein that speeds up chemical reactions in a living thing.

Golgi body: A structure in a cell that receives proteins and other newly formed materials from the endoplasmic reticulum, packages them, and distributes them to other parts of the cell.

lipid: Energy-rich organic compound, such as fat, oil, or wax, that is made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.

lysosome: A small, round cell structure containing chemicals that break down large food particles into smaller ones.

mitochondria: Rod-shaped cell structures that convert energy in food molecules to energy that cell can use to carry out its functions.

multicellular: Consisting of many cells.

nucleic acid: Very large organic molecule made of carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, and phosphorus, that contains the instruction cells need to carry out all the functions of life.

nucleus: The control center of the eukaryotic cell that directs the cell's activities and contains the information that determines the cell's form and function.

organ: A structure in the body that is composed of different kinds of tissue.

organ system: A group of organs that work together to form a major function in the body.

organelle: A tiny cell structure that carries out a specific function within the cell.

osmosis: The diffusion of water molecules through a selectively permeable membrane.

passive transport: The movement of materials through a cell membrane without using the cell's energy.

protein: Large, organic molecule made of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and sometimes sulfur.

ribosome: A small grain-like structure in the cytoplasm of a cell where proteins are made.

RNA: Ribonucleic acid; a nucleic acid that plays an important role in the production of proteins.

selectively permeable: A property of cell membranes that allows some substances to pass through, while others cannot.

tissue: A group of similar cells that perform the same function.

unicellular: Made of a single cell

vacuole: A sac inside a cell that acts as a storage area.

Study link: http://www.phschool.com/
code: cvj 1030

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Vocabulary Quiz 1

PHSchool.com has a quiz, 10 questions, that covers the vocabulary we need for this week.

Website: http://phschool.com
On the left, approximately half-way down you will see two rectangles for the web code. The code is: cvj 1010.

Going to this section will allow you to practice with the vocabulary and take a quiz. The quiz button is located on the right of the screen.

Friday, September 7, 2007

New Vocabulary

New and revised vocabulary words with definitions:

biology: The study of life

classifying: The process of grouping together items that are alike in some way.

communicating: The process of sharing ideas with others through writing and speaking.

complementary: Any two colors that combine to form white light or black pigment.

control: The part of an experiment to which you compare the results of the other tests.

controlled experiment: An experiment in which only one variable is manipulated at a time.

data: Facts, figures, and other evidence gathered through observations.

development: The process of change that occurs during an organism's life to produce a more complex organism.

function: A process that enables an organism to survive.

hypothesis: A possible explanation for a set of observations or answer to a scientific question: must be testable.

inferring: The process of making an inference, an interpretation base on observations and prior knowledge.

life science: The study of living things.

making models: The process of creating representations of complex objects or processes.

manipulated variable: The one factor that a scientist changes during an experiment; also called the independent variable.

observing: The process of using one or more of your senses to gather information.

operational definition: A statement that describes how to measure a particular variable or how to define a particular term.

organism: A living thing.

predicting: The process of forecasting what will happen based on past experience or evidence.

qualitative observation: An observation that deals with characteristics that cannot be expressed in numbers.

quantitative observation: An observation that deals with number or amount.

responding variable: The factor that changes as a result of changes to the manipulated, or independent, variable in an experiment; also called dependent variable.

scale model: A model that accurately shows the proportions between its parts.

science: A way of learning about the natural world and the knowledge gained through the process.

scientific inquiry: The diverse way s in which scientists study the natural world and propose explanations based on evidence they gather.

structure: The way an organism is put together as a whole.

variable: A factor in an experiment that can change.

Thursday, September 6, 2007

First Assignments

Defining basic science words using Wikipedia has proven to be a bit more difficult that I imagined. Most of the students did well, but some just copied the Wikipedia writing without any mind crunching so that it would appear in the own words.

The words are: concept, process, evidence, research, science, observe, quantitative observation, qualitative observation, inference, predict, classify, model, scale model.

Wiki Answer has proven a useful alternative. The drawback is that you have to know what questions to ask. Yahoo.com seems to be better than Google when requesting definitions due to its direct linkage to Heritage Dictionary.