August Recap

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 :)