Time is zooming by. We've got 3 weeks of school left, and I have no idea how that happened!
Week 31-
Monday- Our school invested in two sets of chromebooks (as we only have 2 computer labs and they're always full). I grabbed on and had the kids do some research on genetic mutations. Had to do some backwards trickery to get around the web filter, but the kids enjoyed learning about the horrible things that can go wrong with our DNA.
We used Mrs. Rubello's "Research of a Genetic Disorder" found here. (Control + F and type in 'disorder')
Tuesday- The kids completed their unit reviews. I usually give it to them a few days before the test and say "do it" but they always forget. I allotted a day for them to work on it in class and this worked out far better.
Wednesday - Trashketball review game!
Thursday - Genetics Test
Friday - Natural Selection and Evolution is our final unit for the year. As always, vocab is our first stop. Our words for this unit:
Organism
Species
Population
Natural Selection
Artificial Selection
Evolution
Fitness
Physiology
Taxonomy
Dichotomous Key
Variation
Behavior
Week 32
Monday: We took notes on adaptations and behaviors. This was mostly a review day. I've finally (during the last month of school) figured out exactly how long they can tolerate notes per day.
We did an activity where they were given three different organisms (I copied a bunch of pages out of this book of Unusual Creatures. They had to read about their creature, tell me an internal adaptation and an external adaptation, and how each of those helped it survive in its environment. The kids LOVED learning about strange things like the glass frog, and flying snake.
Tuesday: Notes on Variation and Fitness. We also did another activity (these half notes/half activity days go by quickly and no one gets bored). The kids were given a Biome (I printed out the biome info from an old c-scope lesson) and they had to invent an animal that was fit to live in that environment.
The animal had to be realistic, natural, and not something that was already alive. No mythical creatures either (much as I love me some fantasy).
They had to draw their creature and answer questions like:
What is its food source?
Does it have an adaptation to help it find food?
What is its habitat (ground, trees, water)
Does it have any defenses against predators?
Etc.
Wednesday: Vocabulary quiz and Natural Selection Notes.
We ended up with extra time, so I had the kids grade each others' vocab quizzes. Saved me a lot of time and hassle.
Thursday: Natural Selection Lab. I think this one might have originated in C-scope as well.
Each group received:
A styrofoam bowl with holes of various sizes cut out
A bag of beans (well, sort of)
25 rice
25 split peas
25 black beans
25 kidney beans
45 lima beans
A plastic container to catch their beans in.
They began with 5 of each bean in their bowl. They shook their bowl gently about 10 times. The beans that fell out "died" because they weren't fit for their environment. The ones that stayed in the bowl survived.
They counted and recorded the number of each that lived and died and recorded it on a chart. The dead beans went back into their bag. The ones that lived "reproduced" so we doubled the population. If they had 3 kidney that survived, they added 3 more kidney.
They repeated the shaking 4 more times.
The kids loved this lab, and they really got a chance to see how populations change over time.
Friday:
Artificial Selection notes.
Today's activity was also pulled from c-scope (either they have good stuff this unit, or I'm lazy at this point in the year. No need to re-invent the wheel, I say)
They were given a packet including many different breeds of bees. They picked 2 breeds of bees, wrote down 2 pros and 1 con for each. They then 'bred' the bees, carrying over 2 of the pros and 1 of the cons to make a hybrid.
They then bred their hybrid with a third bee to make a SUPERBEE.
I was really proud of how this week went. It was well structured, well timed, and enjoyable for the kids and myself.
Good to know I've finally figured out how to teach...with 3 weeks remaining.
I'm looking forward to this coming week. We're doing taxonomy and dichotomous keys. I made an insect key and leaf key myself, and I can't wait to share those!
Hope you're all having an excellent end of the semester!
~Ms. Kat
Week 31-
Monday- Our school invested in two sets of chromebooks (as we only have 2 computer labs and they're always full). I grabbed on and had the kids do some research on genetic mutations. Had to do some backwards trickery to get around the web filter, but the kids enjoyed learning about the horrible things that can go wrong with our DNA.
We used Mrs. Rubello's "Research of a Genetic Disorder" found here. (Control + F and type in 'disorder')
Tuesday- The kids completed their unit reviews. I usually give it to them a few days before the test and say "do it" but they always forget. I allotted a day for them to work on it in class and this worked out far better.
Wednesday - Trashketball review game!
Thursday - Genetics Test
Friday - Natural Selection and Evolution is our final unit for the year. As always, vocab is our first stop. Our words for this unit:
Organism
Species
Population
Natural Selection
Artificial Selection
Evolution
Fitness
Physiology
Taxonomy
Dichotomous Key
Variation
Behavior
Week 32
Monday: We took notes on adaptations and behaviors. This was mostly a review day. I've finally (during the last month of school) figured out exactly how long they can tolerate notes per day.
We did an activity where they were given three different organisms (I copied a bunch of pages out of this book of Unusual Creatures. They had to read about their creature, tell me an internal adaptation and an external adaptation, and how each of those helped it survive in its environment. The kids LOVED learning about strange things like the glass frog, and flying snake.
Tuesday: Notes on Variation and Fitness. We also did another activity (these half notes/half activity days go by quickly and no one gets bored). The kids were given a Biome (I printed out the biome info from an old c-scope lesson) and they had to invent an animal that was fit to live in that environment.
The animal had to be realistic, natural, and not something that was already alive. No mythical creatures either (much as I love me some fantasy).
They had to draw their creature and answer questions like:
What is its food source?
Does it have an adaptation to help it find food?
What is its habitat (ground, trees, water)
Does it have any defenses against predators?
Etc.
Wednesday: Vocabulary quiz and Natural Selection Notes.
We ended up with extra time, so I had the kids grade each others' vocab quizzes. Saved me a lot of time and hassle.
Thursday: Natural Selection Lab. I think this one might have originated in C-scope as well.
Each group received:
A styrofoam bowl with holes of various sizes cut out
A bag of beans (well, sort of)
25 rice
25 split peas
25 black beans
25 kidney beans
45 lima beans
A plastic container to catch their beans in.
They counted and recorded the number of each that lived and died and recorded it on a chart. The dead beans went back into their bag. The ones that lived "reproduced" so we doubled the population. If they had 3 kidney that survived, they added 3 more kidney.
They repeated the shaking 4 more times.
The kids loved this lab, and they really got a chance to see how populations change over time.
Friday:
Artificial Selection notes.
Today's activity was also pulled from c-scope (either they have good stuff this unit, or I'm lazy at this point in the year. No need to re-invent the wheel, I say)
They were given a packet including many different breeds of bees. They picked 2 breeds of bees, wrote down 2 pros and 1 con for each. They then 'bred' the bees, carrying over 2 of the pros and 1 of the cons to make a hybrid.
They then bred their hybrid with a third bee to make a SUPERBEE.
I was really proud of how this week went. It was well structured, well timed, and enjoyable for the kids and myself.
Good to know I've finally figured out how to teach...with 3 weeks remaining.
I'm looking forward to this coming week. We're doing taxonomy and dichotomous keys. I made an insect key and leaf key myself, and I can't wait to share those!
Hope you're all having an excellent end of the semester!
~Ms. Kat
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