Just like that, our first month of the school year is gone! Here is a quick review of some of the awesome learning taking place in our classes over the last month.
Forensics: We wrapped up our first introductory unit by learning about the various fields of forensics as well as some basics about the criminal justice system. My students were fascinated to learn about some high profile cases and their connections to forensics. Now we have moved on to the pros and cons of eyewitness accounts, as well as how to document a crime scene. Biology: You are what you eat! We have been learning all about the large molecules that make up living things - carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and nucleic acids. In lab we built models of these structures as well as investigated their functions. We explored proteins in more details by learning about how enzymes affect reactions in the body. And I think my classes might be a little tired of me playing cheesy songs as I found several to help them remember all of this important information! Zoology: Did you know that 97% of all animal species do not have backbones? My students were surprised to learn this too! We began learning characteristics of invertebrates, specifically the simplest of those - sponges! We were also thrilled at the arrival of many of our new specimens thanks to the Zooty Zoology grant awarded through Donors Choose! In other news, we have a new classroom critter! This ring neck snake hatchling has quickly become the most popular student in class :)
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Here we are, already beginning our 2nd full week of school! We are off to a great start and in some ways it feels as though we never left. I have been enjoying seeing many familiar faces in my classes, as well as learning some new ones! This year, I will be using this blog space to recap some of the highlights of each class over the previous week. Please check the individual class pages for more specific information.
Forensics: After reviewing a bit of lab safety, we dove right into an introduction of forensic science, the branches of forensics and some basic law process and terminology. Everyone is anxious to get to what they consider the most interesting topic - whether it is collecting evidence, comparing fingerprints or DNA analysis. Biology: As a required EOC course, we have already been laying the foundation for being well-prepared for the End of Course Test this December. We are wrapping up our first unit, which included a review of lab safety, as well as characteristics of life, the metric system and the scientific method. Zoology: The focus of our first days in Zoology has been VOCAB! Animals are so much fun to learn about but sometimes it is like learning an entire new language. We have familiarized ourselves with terms that will come up throughout the course as well as basic characteristics of all animals. We also completed a fun lab activity that investigated if gummy bears would grow or shrink in various liquids. As for myself, I was thrilled to learn that I have received funding for 2 grants - Pets in the Classroom and a Donors Choose project for Zoology supplies! I cannot wait to receive these materials and help bring some awesome opportunities to my students. |
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Photo used under Creative Commons from Rushen!