Blog Archives - Button's Place

Day 121

2/28/2017

Day 121 marks the final 1/3rd of the school year. March will be over, then Spring Break and next thing you know it will be September and we do it all over again.
The AP Biology students checked out some organisms that I liberated from a vernal pool right behind my house. We saw an expectant Cyclops which is something not everyone can say. Lots of algae and paramecium-like organisms, too. And even some Fairy Clam shrimp. I think.
The Chemistry students reviewed the activity from yesterday and most students did very well. We also checked out the composition of our atmosphere and what it is like to jump out of a capsule from around 128,000 feet up. You reach speeds around 750 miles per hour. I swear.

Day 120

2/27/2017

I saw this on Saturday night.......

Steph is so awesome.
The AP Biology students read a passage from The Hot Zone. It depicted what happens to the human body when ravaged by a real bad virus like Marburg. Pretty sure some poetic license was used to describe some things but it was still fascinatingly gross.
The Chemistry students began the Gas Unit by attempting to discern whether or not certain items, like a pogo stick or a paper airplane, would work on a planet that is just like Earth but with no atmosphere. It turns out that air is pretty important.

Day 119

2/24/2017

Another Friday is here! And with comes the hopes and dreams that only a weekend can fulfill.
The AP Biology students kinda had a chill day, as the kids say nowadays. We turned in the disease brochures and voted on the best one. An overwhelming majority chose Jaycie's and Marlena's Sam and Ella's BBQ which actually sounds pretty good right about now.
The Chemistry students took the Nuclear Chemistry Exam today. Next stop, the wonderful world of Gases and their chemistry.

Day 118

2/23/2017

Day 118? That means the school year is 59/90ths of the way done. Only 31/90ths left to go! Is that right? Check it!
The AP Biology students chatted about a bunch of stuff like the lytic cycle, transduction, staph infections, strept throat and other stuff. We're really into this short unit on microorganisms now. Next week: the wonderful world of protists!
The Chemistry students wrapped up the review for the Nuclear Chemistry Exam which happens tomorrow! A super weird thing happened today. Somehow, Alyssa and Sydney outsmarted me. Yeah, I know, I don't know how they did it either! Maybe I fell out of bed while I was sleeping and got a concussion I don't know about. Wait! I got it! Somehow, those 2 drugged me just to make fun of me! Oh, I'm gonna get my revenge!

Day 117

2/22/2017

This week is going by fast. You know, as I get older it seems like these weeks just fly by. Maybe that's a bad thing.
The Chemistry students began reviewing stuff for the Nuclear Chemistry Exam which will take place on Friday, February 24th. We went through a bunch of stuff today including, but not limited to, radioactive decay, half-life problems and fusion. We also found out that way too many people haven't seen Back to the Future. What the heck?
The AP Biology students spent the period (and the Advisory Period) completing their research on their chosen disease. The brochure they are producing is due on Friday! Tomorrow, we will be back in class.

Day 116

2/21/2017

There's a lot of water in Shasta County right now. Did you notice that? I mean a lot!
The Chemistry students had a quiz today on radioactive decay and half-life. We reviewed a little bit before the quiz and then I let 'em have it. The quiz, I mean.
The AP Biology students did some further research regarding their chosen disease. we went over to Mr. Safford's room so we could use the iPads for the research.

Day 115

2/17/2017

Another Friday and, boy, what a Friday it was. Things happen that are not expected and you have to scramble to account for these things. Makes us better humans? Maybe.
The AP Biology students began a little fun project on microorganisms and disease. They will produce a brochure selling a selected disease to the highest bidder. You know, like some rogue government that wants to infect another country. Something like that. Don't worry, I'm not advocating mass genocide. There will be actual learning along the way.
The Chemistry students did a short activity on nuclear decay. Hopefully, the students know have a good idea what alpha and beta decay is. We're gonna have a quiz on this on Tuesday.

Day 114

2/16/2017

I'm hanging in there with this pneumonia stuff but I still don't feel quite right.
The AP Biology students saw the end of a dramatic presentation on what it would be like if a mutation occurred in a virus that normally infects pigs or bats and jumps into the human population and wreaks havoc. Scary.
The Chemistry students finished the activity on radioactive decay by completing a graphing activity that should show how distance from a radioactive source can be both safe and mollifying, if that's a word. We also talked about half-life and saw how to solve some problems associated with half-life.

Day 113

2/15/2017

Well, I made it back today but I barely made it. I was so tired at the end of the day I wasn't sure what I was even saying. What did I say anyway? Stuff about radioactive things, I hope.
The AP Biology students go a treat today. I made them watch a movie on disease and disease transmission which is scary and should teach those students that come to school when they're sick a lesson!
The Chemistry students began an activity on radioactive decay and what the effects of shielding and distance is on radioactivity and exposure. We try to finish that up tomorrow.

Day 112

2/14/2017

Wow. I have pneumonia. Thanks all you students that came to school sick! I'm gonna try to come in tomorrow.
The AP Biology students started on the Chapter 19 Reading Guide on Viruses which makes total sense because we're starting a new unit on Microorganisms and Disease which is pretty cool if you don't count stuff like death and pneumonia.
The Chemistry students checked out a video (a film really) on the Manhattan Project.