Fall Colors, Enzyme Catalysis Lab and Betelgeuse ...

Tomorrow in AP Biology we will doing our enzyme lab ... using catalase to breakdown hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen.  We will graph our results over different time periods and calculate the rate of reaction.  This is our fourth of 13 required labs to be conducted over the school year.  I will post some pictures later in the week.

A good summary of this lab can be seen on Bozeman Science:
http://www.bozemanscience.com/ap-bio-lab-3-enzyme-catalysis/

In Computer Programming I we will start our study of graphics and animation (in qBASIC) this week.

Computer Programming II on Tuesday will be working on new python problems using looping statements and decision statements.

Selected Topics continues their study of Astronomy this week with star developement (Betelguese and more) and designing a Space Truck for deep space travel ... a contest lab.

A great weekend to be outside and see the accessory photosynthetic pigments ... aka fall colors.  Trees behind our house above and below, fog this morning and our "pick your own free" Burl's Big Turnip Patch in Holland, KY.

Astronomy begins and jellyfish ...

We had a Teacher PD today and students were out of school.

Tomorrow is a "B" day ...

Tomorrow in Computer Programming II, we will be working on our final SCRATCH programs.  Our group SCRATCH projects have been assigned and are due the week before Christmas break.  We are checking our Chapter 7 programs tomorrow.

In Selected Topics in Science students will be building their planet models.  We will be going outside to build our solar system model on Thursday.

I still have a few students to program check in Computer Programming I.  Most students are finishing their multiple choice Countries and Capitals problem.  We have been working the SPC() and TAB() commands, as well as, FOR/NEXT statements using the STEP command.

On Wednesday, in AP Biology, we will be handing in the Mitosis/Meiosis Lab and Photosynthesis Lab writeups.  We will continue on genetics ... modes of inheritance, pedigree building and some genetics stories to solve. Next week on Monday, we have our Enzyme Catalysis Lab using catalase.

This weekend Sue Neal and I flew to Baltimore to see our youngest daughter run in the Baltimore Marathon ... we had a great time.  We stopped by the National Aquarium.  I thought the jellyfish exhibit was great!

http://www.aqua.org/explore/baltimore/exhibits-experiences/jellies-invasion

Fall Break Ends ... Monarch Migration continues!

It rained every day of fall break except for Wednesday!  We have a full week ahead but there will be a Teacher Workday a week from tomorrow.  The Monarch migration continues and we have had dozens visiting the flowers around our yard.  I drove over to Bowling Green today and saw several Monarchs crossing 231 with a few dead along the road.  Pictures of Monarachs below ...

AP Biology - Tomorrow in AP Biology, we will finish the paperwork for the two labs we did before the break.  These lab writeups are due on Wednesday.  We will starting our study of genetics this week.

Computer Programming I - We started qBASIC before fall break.  We will continue to work on READ/DATA statements.  We will also be checking problems we completed before break.

Computer Programming II - We will be wrapping up SCRATCH programming over the next few weeks with our group project due before Christmas.  We are starting to work on python problems and we are about ready to break out the raspberry pi computers.

Selected Topics in Science -  In this class, we are finishing our earth science / weather unit before spending a few weeks studying astronomy ... solar system, stars and the universe.

Lots to do before we head out for Thanksgiving break ...

Photosynthesis Lab and Fall Break!

Selected Topics in Science - We will continue our Earth Science unit after Fall Break ... plate tectonics and weather continues.  Our astronomy unit is next ... solar system, galaxies and the universe.

Computer Programming I - Several students are finished with our first seven easy qBASIC programming problems.  We have started on more difficult problems using READ/DATA, FOR/NEXT and single dimension arrays.  Lots of sorting problems.

Computer Programming II - We will finish up on SCRATCH programming after break and assign final projects which are due before Christmas.  We are in Python programming full-time after fall break.  Also, we will break out the raspberry pi computers before Thanksgiving break.

AP Biology - We did a redo (very rare) on the photosynthesis lab using spectrophotometers on Friday.  Students used much better lab technique and the results were better.  Students in action below ...

I hope you all have a great break and our seniors make some time for college visits!

 

 

Light frost last night but Monarchs still migrating ... sunset this weekend.

One day, then Fall Break ... Monarchs

We have one more day before Fall Break.  Hopefully, some of seniors will be visiting schools over fall break.

AP Biology - Tomorrow will be an "A" day.  In AP Bio, we will be redoing the photosynthesis lab we did on Wednesday when only a few people had read their lab.  In twenty years of teaching AP Biology, this is the first time we have had to redo a lab because most students could not complete it in a block period.  Not good!

Selected Topics - We are still working in our Earth Science unit.  We analyze the weather report each day and today, we worked on reading weather maps and drawing in isotherms and isobars.  We have one more week in earth science before moving on to astronomy.

Computer Science I - This class has started writing programs in qBASIC.  Tomorrow, we will work on READ/DATA statements.

Computer Science II - We are still writing programs in Scratch and have started Python.  Today, we looked at some LOGAL and pHET science simulations in preparation for our final group projects.  We have made good progress in this new class over the first nine-week period ...

While working outside after school, I saw a dozen Monarchs.  Six were on one butterfly bush.