Genetics, SNAP and Karel

Today we started the second full week of school.  In Selected Topics in Science, we worked on Genetics ... Punnett Squares and the CitiBank Genetic Problem.  We have two long-term labs going on ... Regeneration Lab using Planaria and The Great Plant Growing Contest.  We start nearly every Monday with "5 of Everything".  Today was 5 trees you should know ... Tulip Poplars, White Oaks, Shagbark Hickory, Sugar Maples and Sassafras.
Tomorrow our study of genetics continues (sex-linked traits like red-green colorblindness) and ABO blood types. We have a separation science lab to do tomorrow ... The Waldo Lab (A forensics simulation using chromatography).

Pictures below are of our modeling lab last week.

In Computer Programming II we started programming our Snappy Bird project.  In Computer Programming I we are still working on Karel the Robot ... using if/then, if/then/else and while/do statements ... We are finishing our Grand Prix of Karel tournament tomorrow.  Good luck to all!

A small buck from a walk this week for my hunting students!  Best butterfly picture of the weekend (Easter Tiger Swallowtails ... female and male) and a pict from the walk in the woods.

First days of school 2015-2016 and butterflies ...

Has the Monarch migration started?  While bush-hogging today, I saw eight.  This one was in a zinna flower bed at our house.

After two days of PD last week, students arrived on Wednesday.  Lots of housekeeping work with tons of forms the first day but, we got a start in all classes.  By Friday, we were able to get some projects rolling.

Computer Programming I started with a graphical logic trainer ... Karel the Robot.  We have worked  through some problems (five) without decision statements.
    Around the Block
    Pick Up the Package
    Take Out the Trash
    Pick the Corn
    Grand Prix with Karel
All these problems can use the define-new-instruction and iterate commands.  We are hoping to have Grand  Prix finished toward the end of next week and we will do a solution check at that point.  Students working on their Karel problems below in the Media lab (new Dells this year!)

https://www.cs.mtsu.edu/~untch/karel/

In Computer Programming II we finally got started after some login problems to the Cloud via the Snap website.  We are starting the year with Snap (UC Berkeley).  It is similar to Scratch (MIT) but, is one of the perferred languages for the AP Computer Science Principles class (scheduled to be offered for the first time in 2016-2017).  We have started our first problem set.

http://snap.berkeley.edu/

Selected Topics in Science started the Regeneration Lab using Planaria on Thursday.  Planaria are freshwater flatworms found locally.  After a light/dark test, student cut their planaria into two parts.  In about 10-14 days, the posterior ends will grow and head.  Next week we will start the Great Plant Growing Contest and study biochemistry.

On the farm this weekend ...

Most of the Tiger Swallowtails have started to show some wear and tear.  Below, a Question Mark (an Anglewing eating deer scat) ... with a fly in the background. Below the Question Mark is a Black Swallowtail. 

A few of the Tiger Swallowtails look like they recently emerged ... on coneflowers and cupflower.

First Week of School 2015-2016

Last week, I attended a bus drivers PD on Wednesday.  I drove with Chris Prock, a shorter in town route.  We caught up on old softball trips. We had parent-teacher conferences on Thursday evening.  I had over 70 students/guardians stop by for classroom information.  Also, several former student came by to visit.  It is always good to hear their stories.

We have teacher PD on Monday and Tuesday.  First day for students will be on Wednesday.  Lots to do before then.

Below is a picture of our honeybees cleaning up the honey from wax cappings after we extracted honey last week.  Below that for my hunter boys I have and have had in class, a group of bucks behind our house eating clover.  Took this picture tonight about dark ... poor quality.