Science

Bob and I began teaching the boys the Periodic Table two weeks ago. We started with electron configuration and moved into the reasons why the P.T. is organized the way it is. The guys seemed to enjoy it, especially with games like P.T. Bingo and Alien P.T. They really liked the logic questions. We tried to use lots of activities to keep them interested and by the end of the week they were doing quite well. Now we have moved into valence electrons, lewis dot formation, and bonding. Today I went over ionic, covalent, metallic and polar covalent bonds. They will need lots of practice with this, but I think I am definitely learning how to teach this a bit better. Hey, fourth times a charm.

Later this week we hope to do a lab testing the properties of ionic compounds vs. covalent molecules. Next week we are working towards a test on Chapters 5 and 6, right before the end of the term.

Students did a lab with agar cubes of different sizes to see why cells aren’t larger than they are (oxygen can’t diffuse to the middle fast enough).  I did a demo with eggs with shell removed with vinegar.  One was placed in distilled water and it gained weight due to osmosis and one placed in salty water lost weight.  We started a DNA unit on friday with a informational packet that had them answer questions and color the different parts of DNA.

Students prepared for and took a Cell Test.  Then students did a diffusion lab involving dialysis tubing that is permeable to iodine but not starch.  Iodine turns purple in the presence of starch so they can quickly see that only iodine diffuses across the selectively permeable membrane.  Next week they will do a lab involving different sized agar cubes and determine what limits cells from being larger than they are.

Students will take the invertebrate test.  We then start learning about vertebrates and will do a frog dissection.  Content comes from the textbook and lecture.  Last Friday I took 9 kids to see the Hall of Human Origins at the Nat. Hist. Museum.  The trip was voluntary.  We studied evolution earlier this year before the new hall was open.  I will take kids on Friday afternoons until every student that wants to go gets a chance to (Most likely no more than two more weeks).

Week of April 23:

We learn about echinoderms and arthropods.  Students do a crayfish dissection.  The content comes from lecture, textbook, and pre-lab readings.

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