Friday, 29 September, 2017

ESSENTIAL QUESTION: How do interactions among organisms impact the changing environment?

BENCHMARKS: SC.912.L.17.5

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:  Students will be able to:

-Identify the different roles of organisms in any ecosystem.

-Explain that different types of organisms exist within aquatic systems due to chemistry, geography, light, depth, salinity, and/or temperature.

-Investigate the chemical factors (pH, oxygen, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, phosphorous, and salinity) in aquatic systems.

-Explain how succession changes ecosystems over time.

-Recognize the potential changes to an ecosystem resulting from seasonal variations, climate changes,    

  and/or succession.

BELL RINGER- EOC Review   SC.912.N.1.1 Scientific Thinking 

A scientist performs an experiment to see if acids have an effect on the health of a particular type of plant. Three sets of plants were treated with acidic solutions of known pH while the control set was treated with a solution of neutral pH 7.

Which is the best conclusion for this experiment? 

A. Acid has no effect on the health of this type of plant.

B. High acidity is helpful to this type of plant.

C. Low acidity is harmful to this type of plant.

D. High acidity is harmful to this type of plant.

VOCABULARY: commensalism, ecosystem, global warming, greenhouse effect, invasive species, mutualism, parasitism, predation, primary succession, secondary succession, succession, symbiosis, abiotic, biome, biotic, biodiversity, climate, producer, consumer, decomposer, aquatic

HOME LEARNING: HL 5 Human Impact

AGENDA

WHOLE GROUP

Students completed the above bell ringer on their bell ringer sheet, which should be kept in the yellow folder.

We collected HL 4 and distributed HL 5.

Students received the vocabulary for this unit, which you must pick up from me or check your folder, since I forgot to scan the sheets!

I also forgot to show the study jams video on aquatic ecosystems, but you can watch it by visiting the following link:

Aquatic Ecosystems

Students then discussed and took notes on aquatic ecosystems. You can find the information in a movie version of the power point below.

Students spent the remainder of the class period in individual review and checking their seed germination experiment.

Wednesday, 27 September, 2017

ESSENTIAL QUESTION: How do interactions among organisms impact the changing environment?

BENCHMARKS: SC.912.L.17.5

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:  Students will be able to:

-Identify the different roles of organisms in any ecosystem.

-Explain that different types of organisms exist within aquatic systems due to chemistry, geography, light, depth, salinity, and/or temperature.

-Investigate the chemical factors (pH, oxygen, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, phosphorous, and salinity) in aquatic systems.

-Explain how succession changes ecosystems over time.

-Recognize the potential changes to an ecosystem resulting from seasonal variations, climate changes,    

  and/or succession.

BELL RINGER- Look at the Everglades Food Web and answer the following: (give each student a handout)

Use this picture to answer the questions below.

-What might happen if a specific plant or animal was removed from the food web. 

-Which organisms would be affected the most? 

-Do you think that ecosystem would be able to find a balance? 

-What would happen if you introduced an exotic species, let’s say a tegu lizard or a Mayan cichlid fish?

Watch the video and re-evaluate your answers.

VOCABULARY: commensalism, ecosystem, global warming, greenhouse effect, invasive species, mutualism, parasitism, predation, primary succession, secondary succession, succession, symbiosis, abiotic, biome, biotic, biodiversity, climate, producer, consumer, decomposer, aquatic

HOME LEARNING: HL 4 Food Web

AGENDA

WHOLE GROUP

Students completed the questions based on the food web above. I forgot to scan the actual chart, so get your official copy from your folder if you were absent. We reviewed and revised our answers based on classroom discussion.

Students then completed placing all handouts from topic 3 in their notebook and completed the questions and summary section, in preparation to begin a new topic.

Students also received Home learning four, which can be found above. 

Students finalized the handouts and information for topic 3 in their notebook, including questions and summary.

Students then put together the remaining pages in their notebook, which consisted of pages:

5: the log to record scores on major District exams, for each benchmark.

6: individual independent assignment log

7: year at a glance

8: major projects/papers for the year

a: Costa's leveled questions for the left hand column of the Cornell notes.

b. examples of quality questions for the left hand column

c and d: standards that will be tested during the 8th grade Science FCAT. This includes all the big ideas taught in 8th grade and the     annually accessed standards from 6th, 7th, and 8th grade that will be included on the test.

inside back cover: contact information/password log


Students completed the set up of the seed germination experiment.
Students spent the remainder of the period in individualized study.

Monday, 22 September, 2017

ESSENTIAL QUESTION: What makes something alive?

BENCHMARKS: SC.912.N.1.1

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:  Students will be able to:

-Describe the processes of living things.

BELL RINGER: Students will receive BR justification sheet and do the first question

SC.912.N.1.1 The Nature of Science

VOCABULARY: nutrition, transport, respiration, excretion, synthesis growth, regulation reproduction, metabolism, homeostasis

HOME LEARNING: HL 3  Succession

AGENDA

WHOLE GROUP

students completed the question above on a special EOC review sheet, to be kept in their yellow folder.

Students then reviewed Hl 2 The Martian and the Car.

Students received HL 3 on Succession, as seen above.

Students began set up for the seed germination laboratory.

Students completed notes with handouts for topic 3.

Wednesday, 20 September, 2017

ESSENTIAL QUESTION: What makes something alive?

BENCHMARKS: SC.912.N.1.1

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:  Students will be able to:

-Describe the processes of living things.

BELL RINGER: Is it Living?

VOCABULARY: nutrition, transport, respiration, excretion, synthesis growth, regulation reproduction, metabolism, homeostasis

HOME LEARNING: HL 2  The Martian and the Car

AGENDA

WHOLE GROUP

Students completed the bell ringer is it living. It will go in the center of the newly set up Cornell notes page. Be sure to add this new title in your table of contents.

Students watched the video on characteristics of living things. You can see the video below.

Students took notes on the characteristics of living things. You can find the slide show presentation, in movie form below. Be sure to include each of the different characteristics in your notes.

Students then completed an exit ticket on characteristics of living things. You MUST have an admit in order to complete this exit ticket, which serves as an assessment!

Next class, we will set up the seed germination lab and our lab books.

Wednesday, 06 September, 2017

Students took the Biology Baseline exam today in class.

Next class, we will make up the exam for absent students and continue with the essential question what makes something alive?

Friday, 01 September, 2017

ESSENTIAL QUESTION: How can we use the scientific method to solve a problem?

BENCHMARKS:  SC.912.N.1.1

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:  Students will be able to:

-Evaluate a scientific investigation using evidence of scientific thinking and problem solving

BELL RINGER- Scientific Method Variables quiz

SUPPLIES/TECHNOLOGY:  white board and markers, computer(s) with internet access, LCD projector, pennies, droppers, beakers, water

VOCABULARY: problem, hypothesis, materials, procedures, variables, test and outcome variables, conclusions

HOME LEARNING: NA 

RESOURCES: Mr. Spiegel will do small group DI with reading resources;

AGENDA

WHOLE GROUP

Students took the quiz on variables.

Students completed the scientific methods activity drops on a penny, including the write up of the CER.

Students will take the baseline exam next class.