Biology Schedule for Nov 17th - 21st

Monday: Students will watch videos on cloning, genetic screening, and genetic therapy. Next we’ll review for the test. Students will spend some time on group study.

Tuesday: Test on chapter-9.

Wednesday: Discussion on sec-10.1, early ideas about evolution, and sec-10.2, Darwin’s observations. Do the study guides for homework.

Thursday: Students will get some class time to work on the study guides from sec-10.1 & 10.2. We’ll discuss sec-10.3, Theory of Natural Selection. Do the study guide for homework.

Friday: Students will watch the videos on Darwin’s observations and theory of natural selection. Next we’ll have an open discussion in the class to express their thoughts and ideas.

Earth Science Schedule for Nov 17th - 21st

Monday: Discussion on sec-14.1, Water beneath the surface and sec-14.2, Wells and springs. We’ll learn about the rock properties that affect groundwater, porosity, permeability, zones of groundwater, topography of the water table, conserving groundwater, ordinary wells and springs, artesian wells and springs, hot springs, and geysers. Do the work sheet and section reviews for homework.

Tuesday: Discussion on sec-14.3, Groundwater and chemical weathering. We’ll talk about caverns, sinkholes, stalactites and stalagmites, natural bridges, karst topography. Next we’ll watch videos on groundwater and erosion. Do the worksheet and section review for homework.

Wednesday: Students will work on the chapter review in groups during class.

Thursday and Friday: Students will work on their extension skills. They will research the source of the fresh water used in their community, how much of it is groundwater, how solid wastes are disposed off in their community, what measures are taken to protect the groundwater supply from contamination, etc. and will write a report that summarizes their findings.

JA 7A Science Schedule for Nov 3rd - 7th

MAJOR PROJECT: Students are working on a science project: To design and build an Earthquake-Safe House. This project is due on November 7th and it is worth 200 points. This project was assigned on Oct 23rd. If students or parents have any questions regarding this project, please contact me at 855 8661 (Ex-34).

Monday: Students will work on an activity "can bracing prevent building collapse". Later we'll go over sec-1, 2 and 3 on Earthquakes to get ready for the test on tuesday.

Tuesday: Test on Earthquakes. After the test students will get a new handout on "Volcanoes and plate tectonics". We'll discuss about converging boundaries, diverging boundaries, volcanic belts, and hot spot volcanoes. Work on the study guide.

Wednesday: Students will get some time in class to work on the study guide from sec-1. Then we'll discuss sec-2, Properties of magma. Students will learn the physical and chemical properties of magma, viscosity of magma, and magma composition. Later they will watch a video on Volcanoes.

Thursday: Discussion on sec-3, Volcanic eruptions. Students will learn about the kinds of volcanic eruptions, stages of volcanic activity, monitoring volcanoes, science and history of volcanoes. Next they will work on the study guide.

Friday: "Earthquake-safe house" project is due today. Students will present their projects to the class.

Biology Schedule for Nov 3rd - 7th

Monday: Discussion on sec-8.7, Mutations. We’ll learn about point mutation, frameshift mutation, chromosomal mutations, impact on phenotype, impact on offspring, and mutagens. Later we'll watch a movie on mutations. Do the study guide for homework.

Tuesday: DNA double helix model is due today. Discussion on sec-9.1, Manipulating DNA. We’ll learn how scientists use several techniques to manipulate DNA, restriction enzymes cut DNA, and modeling forensics. Students will work on the study guide in groups and finish it for homework.

Wednesday: Discussion on sec-9.2, Copying DNA and sec-9.3, DNA fingerprinting. After watching the video we’ll have an open discussion to express student’s opinions. Work on the study guide for homework.

Thursday: Discussion on sec-9.4, Genetic Engineering and sec-9.6, Genetic screening and Gene therapy. After the discussion we’ll watch videos and discuss how science and technology is making a huge impact on the society.

Friday: BIOZINE! Students will go on to classzone.com for the latest biology news and updates on all BioZine articles.

Earth Science Schedule for Nov 3rd - 7th

Monday: Discussion on sec-12.1, Weathering Processess. We’ll learn about mechanical weathering, ice wedging, abrasion, chemical weathing, hydrolysis, carbonation, oxidation, acid precipitation, etc. Later we’ll watch a video on weathering. Do the w/sh and section review for homework.

Tuesday: Discussion on sec-12.2, Rates of weathering and sec-12.3, weathering and soil. Our main focus will be on rock composition, amount of exposure, climate, topography, soil composition, soil profile, etc. Later we’ll work on soil chemistry lab.

Wednesday: Discussion on sec-12.4, Erosion. We’ll talk about soil erosion, accelerated soil erosion, soil conservation, gravity and erosion, rapid mass movements, slow mass movements, erosion of mountains, erosion of plains and plateaus. Next we’ll watch a video on ideal website. Do the w/sh and section review for homework.

Thursday and Friday: Students will work on their extension skills. They will do research on the Dust Bowl in the 1930’s in the Southwestern United States due to poor farming practices. They have to find out what ways the farmers damaged the soil and what farmers in that region are doing now to prevent a recurrence of the Dust Bowl.

JA 7A Science Schedule for Oct 27th - Oct 31st

MAJOR PROJECT: Students are working on a science project: To design and build an Earthquake-Safe House. This project is due on November 7th and it is worth 200 points. Most of the students got their plans approved and the students who haven’t gotten it approved yet should get it done by Monday. If students or parents have any questions regarding this project, please contact me at 855 8661 (Ex-34).

Monday: Discussion on sec-2, Earthquakes and Seismic Waves. We’ll talk about the types of seismic waves, measuring earthquakes, and locating the epicenter. Students will get time to work on the study guide in class and they have to finish it for homework.

Tuesday: Students will work on the skills lab; finding the epicenter. They will measure, infer, estimate, interpret data, draw conclusions, communicate, and explore their ideas.

Wednesday: Students will get a new handout on the “Monitoring Earthquakes”. We’ll discuss how seismic waves can be detected, the seismograph, reading a seismogram, instruments that monitor faults, motion detectors, using seismograph data, etc.

Thursday: Students will work on section-3 study guide in groups for part of the class period. Next we’ll discuss sec-4, Earthquake safety. We’ll talk about the earthquake risk, how earthquakes cause damage, steps to earthquake safety, and designing safer buildings. Do the sec-4 study guide for homework.

Friday: Students will work on the skills lab: design a seismograph. The skills focus on this activity are designing, evaluating, troubleshooting, working with design constraints, communicate, and the impact on society.

Biology Schedule for Oct 27th - Oct 31st

Monday: Discussion on sec-8.2, Structure of DNA. We’ll talk about the four types of nucleotides, model of DNA’s three-dimensional structure, X-ray evidence, the double helix, and the base pairing rules. Do the study guide for homework.

Project: Student should make a simple model of the DNA structure. It should include the four types of nucleotides and it should be a double helix.

Tuesday: Discussion on sec-8.3, DNA Replication. Do the study guide in class and finish it for homework.

Wednesday: Discussion on sec-8.4, Transcription. The main ideas in this topic are: RNA carries DNA’s instructions, transcription makes three types of RNA, and the transcription process is similar to replication. Students will get some class time to work on the study guide and they should finish it for homework.

Thursday: Review sec-8.1 to 8.4 during class to get ready for the test. Students will study for their test in corporate groups.

Friday: Test on ch-8.