Email Updates Science 2010-2011 – Vol. 5 – Number 6 – January 19, 2011
Greetings from Mr. Brewer,
You are receiving this email because either you are a student or the parent/guardian of a student in one of my Seventh Grade Science classes at Eckstein Middle School. This is the sixth edition of many update emails to follow.
Please respond with any feedback about the email updates, daily reminders, etc., that you wish to comment on. Thanks.
In this mailing you will find:
1). What have we been doing in the last few weeks?
2). What will we be doing in the next few weeks?
3). First Semester Grades Comments and/or Questions
4). Long-Term Assignment for Science Night May 5, 2011
5). Field Trip March 1, 2011
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1). What have we been doing in the last few weeks?
In the second quarter we investigated bacteria in our classroom using agar cultures in Petri dishes and learned that bacteria always reproduce exponentially. Students wrote their results in a formal lab.
We investigated the reproductive processes of plants by dissecting several flowers and learned the names of each individual part. Each student made a pollination story cartoon (either written or on computer) to explain the role of seed dispersal and the growth cycle of plants. Following that we focused our attention on the difference between several of the animal phylums — invertebrates, vertebrates, and insects. We focused on being able to compare and contrast the similarities and differences between each phylum. Currently we are investigating fungus through several different types of labs: making cream soda to explore yeast and mushroom reproduction with spores, etc.
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2). What will we be doing in the next few weeks?
In the second semester, we will address ecology and human interdependence of the environment by focusing on the of the importance of native and invasive species throughout our environment. The majority of our studies will focus the Human Body System by examining the circulatory system. We will have the opportunity to feel a sheep heart so that we could learn how the most important muscle in our body — the heart — looks and works.
We will focus our attention to the importance of the circulatory system and how it affects our overall health. We will examine how the field of bioengineering makes it possible to better treat heart diseases. We will simultaneously be examining the importance of how health effects the ability of the heart to function effectively.
At the end of this unit students will have the opportunity to try their own expertise at developing an alternative blood vessel in much the same way that a bioengineer would test common materials. Students will write their results in a formal lab.
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3). First Quarter Grades Comments and/or Questions
The first Semester concludes on January 27, 2011. All late and missing work must be submitted on this firm date in order to be counted and graded for the first semester final grade. Thanks for your efforts.
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4). Long-Term Assignment for Science Night May 5, 2011
The entire Science Department will be participating in Science Night May 5, 2011. The 7th grade will present either choose one of two types of a presentation: (1) a research project on the Human Body Systems related to diseases, drugs (and the effects on the body), or health care careers. (2) a terrarium/aquarium based inquiry scientific investigation. These will be discussed in class during the first week of February.
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5). Field Trip March 1, 2011
The 7th grade is going on a field trip! We are going to the National Geographic lecture series at Benaroya Hall and the Washington Park Aboretum on March 1, 2011. Look for information to come home during the second week of February.
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Thanks for your support and understanding.
mabrewer
http://www.mrbrewer.org
