Wednesday 10/31/12

EQ: none

VOCAB: vocab cards due today (36 total for biochem unit)

HOMEWORK: none

CLASS RECAP:  Biochem exam day

Friday 10/26/12

Thank you to those students to attended the review session last night! 

EQ:"What should I study for the biochem exam?"

VOCAB: 36 terms total

HOMEWORK:
-Vocab cards due on Monday (October 29th)
- BIOCHEM TEST ON MONDAY!!!!

CLASS RECAP: Today in class, students handed in their post lab questions from the Saliva Amylase Lab.  Then students participated in a "Give one Get one" activity to review for the biochem exam on Monday.  Students then had an opportunity to ask me questions about things they wanted to review for the test.


Answer keys:
2.3 Visual Quiz KEY 
2.4 Visual Quiz KEY
Biochem Puzzle KEY

Thursday 10/25/12

EQ: "What properties affect enzyme action?"

VOCAB: denature

HOMEWORK:
- Post lab questions due on Friday
- Biochemistry Vocab cards due on October 29th
(36 terms total exclude competitive inhibitor and non competitive inhibitor)
- Biochemistry Test on October 29th

CLASS RECAP:  Today students finished their two Enzyme worksheets and got them corrected.  Students then completed a biochem review puzzle.  Then students reviewed four properties that affect enzyme action:
1) ph
2) temperature
3) enzyme concentration
4) substrate concentration

Students then worked for the rest of the period on their biochem study guide. 

Wednesday 10/24/12

EQ: "How does an enzyme like Amylase aide in digestion"

VOCAB: denature, competitive inhibitor, noncompetitive inhibitor

HOMEWORK:
- Post lab questions due on Friday
- Biochemistry Vocab cards (38 terms total) due on October 29th
- Biochemistry Test on October 29th

CLASS RECAP:
Today students reviewed what we observed during yesterday's Amylase lab.  I reviewed the expectations for the post lab questions and they will be due in class on Friday.

Students then worked on two enzyme assignments in groups of two.  Students brought their papers to me to be checked as they finished. 

Tuesday 10/23/12

EQ: "How does an enzyme like amylase aide in digestion?"

VOCAB: none

HOMEWORK:  Study for biochem exam on October 29th.

CLASS RECAP:  Today students completed the Salivary Amylase lab.

Textbook Trouble?

Hey guys,

For those of you who have been having trouble logging into your textbook- Please read on. 
I heard back from the textbook company, and they offered a few suggestions and a link to a video giving directions for Internet Explorer 9.  This is their response:

"The error the students are receiving is due to a compatibility issue within Internet Explorer 9.  To fix this issue please run in compatibility view.  Once the student’s are on their homepage, please go to the Tools menu of Internet Explorer > Select "Compatibility View".  Once the page reloads try accessing the eText again.  I have also included a link to a video with the instuctions below."
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/How-to-use-Compatibility-View-in-Internet-Explorer-9http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/How-to-use-Compatibility-View-in-Internet-Explorer-9 "

Please let me know if you are still having trouble accessing the book by commenting on this post with your name, period, internet browser, and a brief description of what you have tried. 

Thanks for your patience with our first year trying the online books!  

Monday 10/22/12

EQ: "What is the purpose of enzymes?"

VOCAB: none

HOMEWORK:
- Read entire Lab "Salivary Amylase Lab" and answer pre-lab questions.
- Dress for lab tomorrow
- Biochem Exam on Monday October 29th

CLASS RECAP:  Today students handed in their quiz corrections from the Macromolecule quiz.  Then students reviewed enzymes from Friday.  (Periods 1 & 2 participated in a stapler race to demonstrate the affect that enzymes have on chemical reactions.)   Then students learned about how we digest foods in our mouth.  Students learned that we contain an enzyme called amylase which breaks down starch into sugars.  Students learned about the lab we will be performing tomorrow in class.

Friday 10/19/12

EQ: "What is an enzyme?"

VOCAB: activation energy, reactant, product, enzyme, substrate, active site

HOMEWORK:
-Quiz corrections due on Monday
-Biochem exam on October 29th

CLASS RECAP:  Today in class students learned about enzymes and they took notes in their Biochemistry notes. 

Thursday 10/18/12

EQ:  "What is a chemical reaction?"

VOCAB: activation energy, products, reactants, enzymes 

HOMEWORK: 
         Due tomorrow- Dr. Border letters due in Google docs
         Due Monday-  Quiz corrections
         Start studying for Biochem exam

CLASS RECAP:  Today students received their graphing homework.  We reviewed the expectations for a scientific graph and then students took a Final Five quiz on graphing.  Students then learned about chemical reactions.

Wednesday 10/17/12

EQ: "What is a chemical reaction?"

VOCAB:none

HOMEWORK:
      due (10/18)-   Complete front page of Enzyme & reaction notes using your online textbook.
      due (10/19)-   Dr. Border letters are due in Google Docs (you don't need to print them out)
      due (10/22)-  Quiz corrections made on another piece of paper stapled to the original quiz

CLASS RECAP:  Today students turned in their graphing homework.  We spent time reviewing the graphing techniques we learned yesterday. 

I spent time today talking about the poor results on the Macromolecule quiz.  Averages were very low.  We spent time discussing the rigors of a CP course, and different techniques you can use to study science.  Students are supposed to use the test corrections as a good method to study for their upcoming biochem exam. 

Tuesday 10/16/12

EQ:  "How do we use graphs to predict trends in data?"

VOCAB: none

HOMEWORK:
      due (10/17)-  Graphing worksheet
      due (10/18)-   Complete front page of Enzyme & reaction notes using your online textbook.
      due (10/19)-   Dr. Border letters are due in Google Docs (you don't need to print them out)
 
CLASS RECAP:  Today students learned how to graph scientifically.  Students worked on a class example of how to properly graph data.  We learned how to use that graph to draw a line of best fit and predict data.



PS.... if you comment on this post before Wednesday October 17th at 12:00 you will receive extra credit on your Biochem exam! 
You must include in your post:
- your name
- the period you have science
- your favorite thing about science class.  :)
- any questions you have about the current unit. 

Monday 10/15/12

EQ:  "How do we identify macromolecules by their shape?"

VOCAB:  none

HOMEWORK:  Dr. Border Letter due this Friday (10/19)

CLASS RECAP:  Today students reviewed for the Macromolecule Quiz by playing a spirited game of "Name that Macromolecule" using the SMART response clickers.  Students then took the Macromolecule quiz. 

Friday 10/12/12 CLASS ACTIVITY

BIO STUDENTS!!!  

Please follow the directions below when you arrive at my blog.

1)  COPY DOWN TONIGHT'S HOMEWORK:
-->    QUIZ MONDAY on Carbon Compounds. 
-->    Dr. Border Letters due on OCT 19th (next friday)

2)  TAKE OUT YOUR LAB FROM YESTERDAY

3)  LOG IN TO YOUR GOOGLE DOCS ACCOUNT.   You can access this account from the school website at www.yssd.org.   On the left hand side of the website you should find a tab that says Google docs.  Log in to your account using your school username and password.

4)  GO TO YOUR GOOGLE DRIVE TAB.  Along the top of the Google docs website you should see the word drive.  This tab will take you to a list of the documents that have been shared with you.

5)  SIT QUIETLY AND WAIT FOR CLASS TO BEGIN.

Thursday 10/11/12

EQ: How do we identify different macromolecules?

VOCAB: no new words  (29 so far)

HOMEWORK:  Finish the Macromolecule Review Worksheet.  QUIZ ON MONDAY on Carbon Compounds.

CLASS RECAP:  Today in class, students performed the CSI Stomach contents lab.  Students took on the role of forensic chemists and tested stomach contents for different major macromolecules (Carbohydrates, Starch, Lipids, and Proteins).  Students will use the test results from today's lab to construct a report to Dr. Border of the Lancaster County Coroners office.  The report will describe the testing process and results to Dr. Border.  (More information on the specifics of the report tomorrow in class)

PLEASE NOTE!!!!  PERIODS 5/6,  7/8,  and 9 should report to room 20 (upstairs computer lab) for class tomorrow! 

See pictures from the lab below  :)

Wednesday 10/10/12

EQ: How do we identify macromolecules?

VOCAB: none  (remember you should have the first 29 vocab words defined)

HOMEWORK:  Read the ENTIRE lab that we will be doing tomorrow in class.  Underline the important steps of the procedure.  Dress for lab tomorrow! 

CLASS RECAP:  Today students finished the Carbon Compound notes on the 4th macromolecule- Nucleic Acids.  Students then completed the Macromolecule Review worksheet.  Students then learned about the lab that they will be performing tomorrow. 

EXTRA CREDIT OPPORTUNITY!!!!

Hey there blog readers... If you are a loyal Daily Serving of Science reader- here is your chance to score some extra credit on your upcoming Carbon Compounds quiz.

All you have to do is come up to me in the beginning of the class and hand me a piece of paper with the following information.

1) your name
2) the period you have science
3) the sentence "Facts are the air of scientists. Without them you can never fly."

Due in class on 10/10/12

Tuesday 10/9/12

EQ:  "What  is a nucleotide?"

VOCAB:  nucelotide

HOMEWORK: Define vocab words (29 total)

CLASS RECAP:  Today in class, students started by reviewing their 29 vocab words and identifying the words they were unfamiliar with.  We spent time reviewing these words as a class to reinforce their definition.  Then we reviewed some information about proteins and took the rest of the protein notes from the Carbon Compounds powerpoint.  Then students learned about nucleic acids.  At the end of the class, we spent time reviewing the biochemisry vocabulary words.

Wednesday 10/3/12

EQ:"How do we polymerize macromolecules?"

VOCAB:  Dehydration synthesis,  Hydrolysis reaction

HOMEWORK:  Read section 2.3 and answer questions 1-3 on page 49.

CLASS RECAP: Today students created graphic organizers from the terms monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides that we learned yesterday.  Students listed three examples of each of these types of carbohydrates. 

Students then learned about dehydration synthesis and hydrolysis reactions.  Students took notes in their Carbon Compounds notes packets. 

(Some sections had time to start the Macromolecule Review worksheet) 

Tuesday 10/2/12

EQ: "How do monomers and polymers relate to biology?"

VOCAB:monomer, polymer

HOMEWORK: none

CLASS RECAP:  Today students started class by finishing the graphic organizer of organic compounds that we left class with yesterday.  Then students learned about how there are four categories of organic compounds (Carbohydrates, Proteins, Lipids, and Nucleic Acids).  Each of these categories are large macromolecules that are also known as polymers.  Polymers are made up of many repeated units called monomers.

Students took notes on Carbohydrates and learned that Carbohydrates are composed of sugars.   Students each took on the role of a sugar molecule (either glucose, galactose, or fructose). 

At the end of the period, students practiced what they learned in a game called Carbon and Compounds. 

Monday 10/1/12

EQ: "What does organic actually mean?"

VOCAB: organic

HOMEWORK: Post lab questions due tomorrow

CLASS RECAP:  Today students played a review game to review for the water quiz.  After taking the quiz, students learned that the word organic actually means "anything that contains carbon".  Students started to create the first part of a thought web about carbon compounds.  We will finish the web tomorrow in class.