Scratch and the Golden Angle ... 137.5 degrees

AP Biology - Monday and Wednesday, we got a start on biochemistry.  On Wednesday we started our regeneration lab using locally obtained planaria from Holland, KY.  We also played a game of biochem poker for a review on how to make polymer from monomers.  On Monday, we will hand our our new textbooks before heading to cell science.  The regeneration lab will continue for two weeks.

Selected Topics in science met Tuesday and today.  On Tuesday we started a planaria lab (emphasis on ecology).  This lab will continue for two weeks.  Today we worked on biochemistry and the food we eat.  We will finish this discussion tomorrow and start our Great Plant Growing Contest ... good luck to all.

Computer Programming II met today first block and started on their second problem using Scratch.  This problem was to generate a picture of a flower from our pollinator garden using looping statements and numeric variables.  We will continue programming this problem tomorrow.  On next Tuesday, we will start our third problem generating sounds and music.  Many students used sunflowers for their computer generated drawing ... we talked about fibonacci numbers and the golden angle 137.5 degrees (seed dispersion in sunflowers, coneflowers and others ... see pictures below show the type of spirals we are trying to generate with a mathmatical formula) ...

Computer Programming I classes are working with Karel the Robot programming.  We are finishing our problem called "Pick the Corn" and many students have started on "Grand Prix of Karel".  This is a contest problem we will check problems next Thursday.  Grand Prix is our last easy problem before starting on problems that use decision statements ... if/then, if/then/else and while/do.