Transpiration Lab and BlueJ

AP Biology classes started their Transpiration Lab this week.  Students used potometers to measure water loss from brocolli plants under four different conditions (light, wind, mist and room conditions).  Most did not complete the stomata density portion of the lab and will finish this on Monday.  We have one lab remaining before wrapping up the AP Investigations for the school year.  Some of the AP Bio students are going on the MarineLab trip during Spring Break.  Some picts from the lab this week above and below.

Computer Science II students are on their fifth station rotation (arduino, raspberry pi computers, python graphics and finch robots).  We continue to work on python and java (using BlueJ) during their days not in this rotation.

Computer Science I classes are finishing their study of Visual BASIC with an animation problem.  Most students will be working on SCRATCH after Visual BASIC.

In Selected Topics in Science, students just finished a study of Vertebrates.  We will spend a couple of days before Spring Break studying Ecology.

Finch Robots, Python and BlueJ

AP Biology this week finished up their Excel model of Odum's Silver Springs Study ... a study of energy flow through an ecosystem.  We will finish ecology tomorrow and move on to Plants on Monday.  We have two investigations remaining for the year and we will be finished with the labs. 

In Computer Programming II, we continue our stations of arduino microcontrollers, Finch robots, Python graphics / animation and raspberry pi computers.  In addition to our station work, we are working on python programs using functions.  Today, we began preparations to move to JAVA from python with a "Hello World" program using the BlueJ IDE.  We will finish the year with an end of course project and JAVA.

Below on our python programs ... the Flowershop Problem, thanks Daniel.  Also, TJ and Alex runs their SNAP program with their Finch robot working through a roadblocks problem.

In Computer Programming I, we are working on the last three problems in Microsoft Visual BASIC.  The last Visual BASIC problem is an animation problem in a gaming format.

Selected Topics in Science has moved from Invertebrates to a study of Vertebrates.  We have a dissection to cap off our Animal study unit.  On the horizon is human organ systems.

We are planting flats of wildflowers in preparation of Patriot Pollinator III ... lots of coneflowers and several species of milkweed.

Food Chains, Invertebrates and Good Weather

It appears we will get in a full week of school this week after nearly 20" school and low temperatures.  Lots of interruptions on return and tomorrow is club schedule.  Our girls basketball team is in the state tournament ... Good Luck!!!!!!!!

AP Biology is working on Investigation 10.  We are doing an Excel spreadsheet model to show the flow of energy in kcal in a freshwater ecosystem.  We are using H. T. Odum's  (the father of modern ecology) Silver Spring, Fl study shown below.  Students were given a value for the amount of sun received on a square meter of the ecosystem and the percent of light converted by the producer level.  We will finish these models on Monday.



Computer Programming II rotated stations.  Below is Kendra's arduino project using switches and a LED light (a dimer circuit) today while her lab partner was at the SEC tournament.  Python programming problems using functions continues through next week.

Computer Programming I classes are working in Visual BASIC.  Checking problems this week them moving on to our last problem set that includes animation of objects.

Selected Topics has their Big Bird test tomorrow ... bird identification of Midwest birds.  Also, we are still working on our invertebrate unit.

Finally, a pict from the snow storm last week ... an ice crystal near a small spring.

AP Bio Test and ACT tomorrow ... Monarchs

Good luck to our juniors on the state-wide ACT test tomorrow.  I have several juniiors in my classes and know they will give a good effort for themselves, their school and their community.  The ACT is a reading bias test and some our students are not good readers and will struggle.  Your best will be always be enough!



Today in AP Biology, we took our second cumulative test of the year.  Multiple choice today and grid-ins/FRQs during the first half of the class on Wednesday.  We will then move on to ecology ... important topics will be energy flow through ecosystems (food chains), symbiosis, biomes and biogeochemical cycles.  We have a lab (Investigation 10 - Energy Dynamics) scheduled for next week.

Computer Programming I will continue work on a math tutoring program in Visual BASIC today and tomorrow.

Selected Topics (working in animal science / invertebrates) and Computer Programming II (students will rotate to new stations ... Arudino, Raspberry Pi, Finch robots and Python Graphics) on Thursday.  With the ACT on Tuesday, this is the only day they will meet this week.

Will Spring ever arrive?  Warm tomorrow but then, snow again on Wednesday night.  The Monarchs in Mexico will be heading north ... check out the Journey North link below.  We have started planting wildflower seed in flats for Patriot Pollinator Project III ... lots of milkweed and nectar plants (coneflowers, compass plants and cup plants).

http://www.learner.org/jnorth/monarch/spring2015/update022615.html