All Categories - Button's Place

Day 172

5/20/2016

Only one more Friday and this year is done! Only 2/45ths of the year left!
The AP Biology students finished their discussion of vaccines and what it means to vaccinate kids. We saw some examples of poor choices that parents made and the lack of scientific evidence supporting a link between autism and vaccines.
The Biology students did a mini research assignment on a specific bone and a specific muscle.
The Chemistry students reviewed the structure of fats, both saturated and unsaturated. We wrapped up our discussion of diet and caloric intake.

Day 171

5/19/2016

2 weeks from today is the last day of school!!!
The AP Biology students went to the library again today for Final Project work. It's due 1 week from tomorrow!
The Biology students discussed bones and muscles! We learned cool stuff about cervical vertebrae, bones of the hand and that old woman from India.
The Chemistry students learned about why food items, when baked, "rise". We talked about the difference between baking powder and baking soda. Cakes are good!!

Day 170

5/18/2016

Day 170?? That means the year is 17/18ths of the way done. Only1/18th left to go!
The AP Biology students discussed vaccines that the new (and frightening) phenomenon of parents choosing not to vaccinate their children. This is, frankly, an unbelievable misuse of information from sources that are best described as misguided. Vaccinate your kids or risk death!!!!
The Biology students finished up the heart rate investigation and any remaining work on the heart diagram. We will be having an exam on human body systems 1 week from today!
The Chemistry students began charting what they eat so we may analyze the caloric value of what we have been eating for a 3 day period. We reviewed the Baking contest stuff too.

Day 169

5/17/2016

Only 2 Tuesdays left after this one!
The AP Biology students got kicked out of the library today because of some scheduling snafu which is a really bad word if you know how to translate it. We talked about the Final Project and I even read them a book that my son wrote for Physics class 9 years ago. It was funny.
The Biology students began a little heart rate investigation where students will learn about heart rate and how behavior can change heart rate. We will continue this lab tomorrow.
The Chemistry students watched some more of Food Inc. We also talked about the annual Chemistry baking contest where students compete for prizes and much, much more!

Day 168

5/16/2016

Man, this year flew by. Not that it's done yet, but pretty soon!
The AP Biology students went to the library today to work on their Final Project. We will be doing that a few times over the next couple of weeks.
The Biology students discussed the human heart today. Not the myriad of feelings that dwell within the pulsing life force of humanity but the course of blood through the chambers that make up the unfeeling, cold muscle. They also did a coloring of the heart in an effort to learn its structures.
The Chemistry students began the Food Chemistry Unit today by discussing the structure of carbohydrates and proteins. We also began watching Food Inc. which is a really cool movie about the food industry in this country.

Day 167

5/13/2016

Do you realize that there is only 2 more Fridays left in the school year?? Yup, Only 2. Only 2 Mondays too!
The AP Biology students watched a really cool thing about Alzheimer's Disease and the search for a cure. One drug company, Genentech, was featured in the video. My sister-in-law works there so I texted her during class and she offered insight into the progress of the drug study. She said it could be "revolutionary". Awesome.
The Biology students took the Brain Structure Quiz today. It was pretty easy, I think, if your frontal lobe was working okay. Not to say that students who did poorly have crappy frontal lobes.
The Chemistry students took the Organic Chemistry Exam today.

Day 166

5/12/2016

I had Jury Duty today but I didn't get picked because the trial is supposed to last 6 - 8 weeks and my students would miss me too much and rush the courthouse demanding that I be returned to my classroom.
All of my classes continued what they were doing yesterday. Pretty much.

Day 165

5/11/2016

Day 165?? That means the school year is now 11/12ths of the way done. Only 1/12th of the year left.
The AP Biology students went to the library today to see where books come from. That and the students worked on their Final Project.
The Biology students reviewed all the functions for 14 important parts of the brain. We're gonna have a quiz on this material on Friday.
The Chemistry students continued their review of the material from the Organic Chemistry Unit. A big test on Friday!

Day 164

5/10/2016

Does everyone know that there are only 180 days during a school year? Yeah, 180 days. That's it. No wonder we're like 92nd in the world in science and math. Well, maybe not 92nd.
The AP Biology students got the AP Biology Final Project details today. We will be working on this during the next couple of weeks along with some other cool science stuff.
The Biology students took their last look at brain anatomy today. We're gonna have a quiz on brain anatomy and function after a bit of a review tomorrow.
The Chemistry students began a 2 day review of the Organic Chemistry material in preparation for the exam on Thursday. I tell you, we're getting down to it, aren't we?

Day 163

5/9/2016

And so we begin the last 10% of the school year. Man, that first 90% went quick.
The AP Biology students took the Advanced Placement Biology Exam for 2016 today. From what I heard, it was, as usual, pretty tough. Ah, Biology. That vixen of knowledge.
The Biology students finished the Reaction Time Activity by analyzing their speed at which they completed the 4 tasks assigned to them. We're almost done with the Nervous System.
The Chemistry students made esters out of alcohols and carboxylic acids by using a condensation reaction. And boy, were those esters smelly. In a good way.