Ms. Dang's Biology Website

A Mon 23 and B Tues 24

Before a Cell Energy and Transport Quiz, students were given a review. The review consisted of a Clarification Table, where we clarified two terms Photosynthesis and Cell Respiration, and a Comparison Table over the two types of Cell Energy. Students also turned in their Cell Energy Project today. After the quiz, students were given an Interactive Notebook Check 3. Here is the Table of Contents if you need it.

Homework: Finish INB Check 3

A Thur 19 and B Fri 20

Cell Respiration Exercise Lab! Any time left over, students were to work on their projects.

Homework: Finish Projects --Due 11/23-24. Quiz over Cell Transport and Energy as well as INB Check 3 on Monday and Tuesday before Thanksgivings!

A Tues 17 and B Wed 18

Today, we reviewed Photosynthesis and went over Cellular Respiration. Students were also introduced to a project over Cell Energy that is due next week A Day Mon 11/23 and B Day Tues 11/24.

Cell Respiration INB pg. 69-70
In pg. 67: Choose the correct description from the following terms for Cellular Respiration:
     -used in plant cells OR used in animal cells
     -needs oxygen OR needs carbon dioxide
     -releases oxygen OR releases
     -occurs in mitochondria OR occurs in chloroplast
Through Activity pg. 70: Frame Notes and PPT: Cell Respiration
Out Activity pg. 69: Label the letters in the diagram (last slide of powerpoint presentation)

Homework: Work on Projects!

A Fri 13 and B Mon 16

Today, students are given the opportunity to look over the benchmarks they took to help prepare for the real district benchmarks (Dec. 4, 7). Afterwards, students are given a WS: Photosynthesis Frayer Model.

Homework: Finish Photosynthesis Frayer Model

A Wed 11 and B Thur 12

Today, we started our new unit with Photosynthesis.

Photosynthesis INB pg. 67-68
In pg. 67: Choose the correct description from the following terms:
     -used in plant cells OR used in animal cells
     -needs oxygen OR needs carbon dioxide
     -releases oxygen OR releases
     -occurs in mitochondria OR occurs in chloroplast
Through pg. 68: Photosynthesis FRAME notes and PPT: Photosynthesis
Out pg. 67: Label the letters to the diagram (last slide of powerpoint)

Homework: Finish the OUT activity pg. 67 and put together your notebook. To help, here is the INB Table of Contents.

A Mon 9 and B Tues 10

Students took a test over Cell Structure/Functions and Transport. After the test, students worked on a WS: Chloroplast vs. Mitochondria (glued to pg. 64 of notebook).

Homework: Finish Chloroplast vs. Mitochondria WS

A Thurs 5 and B Fri 6

Students took a practice benchmark today and received a review for their exams Monday/Tuesday over Cell Structure and Transport.

Homework: Study for test!

A Tues 3 and B Wed 4

We will finish up any last presentations today in class and take a quiz. Today, we finished up Cell Transport with Passive Transport.

INB pg. 59-60
IN Activity pg. 59: Describe in detail the 3 different ways a cell membrane can actively transport materials across the cell membrane.
Through Activity pg. 60: PPT: Cell Transport-Passive Tranport and WS: Cell Transport Note Template

Homework: Finish the Notes on pg. 60. Test next week on Monday/Tuesday 11/9-10 

A Fri 30 and B Mon 2

Biomolecule University Project due Today!! We will be doing presentations all day today in class. Students will also do an Interactive Notebook Check 2.

Homework: Study for quiz (cell organelle functions and properties of water). It is a hard quiz, you need to be able to apply your knowledge (i.e. In what organelle are amino acids bonded together?) Please go over this link about properties of water if you need a quick review.

Note: Test Corrections are due today! Last day to turn in any late work is Wednesday 11/4.

A Wed 28 and B Thurs 29

Cell Models DUE TODAY (test grade) at the beginning of class! Today, we will cover PPT: Cell Membranes and PPT: Cell Transport-Active. Don't forget about the Biomolecule University Project, which we will present in class A Days 10/30 and B Days 11/2. We will also review properties of water before the quiz.

Cell Membrane and Active Transport INB p. 57-58
IN Activity pg. 57: What type of biomolecules make up the cell membrane? What does each biomolecule do for the cell membrane?
Through Activity pg. 58: PPT: Cell Membrane and Cell Membrane Note Template; PPT: Cell Transport-Active (need to scroll down to slide 35 to the end) and Active Transport Note Template
OUT Activity pg. 57: Create a scientific drawing of a cell membrane. Must include and label both layers of phospholipids, protein channels, cholesterol, and carbohydrates.

Homework: Study for QUIZ (cell organelles and properties of water) and finish Biomolecule University Project!

A Mon 26 and B Tues 27

Today, we will be continuing our new unit over cell structures and transport. We also went through a quick PPT: Cell Organelles as a review of the readings done last class period.

Students have started a project for cells where they will make a Cell Model with poetic labels. We will have class time to work on this project. This model is due at the beginning of class A Day 10/28 and B Day 10/29. 

Homework: Work on Biomolecule University Project--Due A Day 10/30 and B Day 11/2. (Biomolecule University Guidelines and Rubric)

A Thurs 22 and B Fri 23

Today, students will be starting a new unit over cells. Students will do two main idea readings and then start working on their Cell Models.

The first Main Idea Reading is about "Cell Size" and "Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Cells." Students are to read the passage for the main idea, supporting details, and examples. The second Main Idea Reading is about the "Eukaryotic Cell Structures -- Organelles." Here, students are to identify the main idea, supporting details, and whether the organelles are found in animal, plant, or both types of cells.

INB pg. 55: Main Idea Reading for "Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Cells" and "Cell Size" [Note: I only have hard copies of "Pro and Euk Cells Reading" so it must be done in class or during tutorials.]
INB pg. 56: Main Idea Reading for "Eukaryotic Cell Structures"

Afterwards, students received a Cell Model Project Guideline and Rubric and begun building their cell models. We will have class time next class period to work on this project. Cell Model Project is due 10/28-29.

Homework:
--Work on Cell Model Project due 10/28-29 --Bring materials to class next class period. You will have lots of time to work on it!
--Work on Biomolecule University Project due 10/30-31

A Tues 20 and B Wed 21

Biochemistry Test and work on projects.

Homework: Work on projects. Make playdoh!!!

A Fri 16 and B Mon 19

Today, students received a Biochemistry Review for their test next class period! We also had laptops today to work on our Biochemistry University Molecule Project. (Rubric for project)

Homework: Study for Test!

A Wed 14 and B Thurs 15

Today, we finished up Enzymes with a PPT: Enzymatic Energy. Students also took a quiz today that covered enzymes (see notes on pg 37 and 43-44). [The quiz is not easy; it is not straight from the notes. Most of the questions are application questions.] After the notes and quiz, students did an interactive notebook check and worked on their projects.

Enzyme Lab WS on pg. 47
PPT: Enzymatic Notes on pg. 48

Homework: Test Tuesday. Projects are due A days 10/28 or B Days10/29.

A Fri 9 and B Tues 13

Enzyme Liver Lab: This lab must be done in class or during tutorials.

Homework: INB Check next class.

A Wed 7 and B Thurs 8

Finished Enzymes with a PPT: Activation Energy on pg. 44

Reviewed Circulatory, Respiratory, and Endocrine System

Circulatory System Cloze and PPT: Circulatory System
Respiratory System Cloze and PPT: Respiratory System
Endocrine System Cloze andPPT: Endocrine System

Biomolecule University Project and Rubric

Homework: INB Check Wednesday!

A Mon 5 and B Tues 6

Today, we had an introduction to enzymes and worked on the Circulatory and Respiratory System.

Enzymes pg. 43-44
In: What are the different types of enzymes (4)? In which organ are they found in and what do they digest (type of biomolecule)?
Through: PPT: Enzymes
Out: Pop Quiz

Circulatory and Respiratory System pg 45-46
Body System Flow Chart Handout

Homework: Finish Circulatory and Respiratory System

A Thurs 1 and B Fri 2

Dissecting of a food menu. Each student is given a menu from a restaurant and they must rewrite 2 appetizers, 2 entrees, and 2 desserts in the form of which biomolecule are found (e.g. protein meat, lipid ranch dressing). This should be on pages 37-38 in the INB.

Today, we will be covering the Digestive System, Nutrition Labels and what type of enzymes digest what type of biomolecules.

Digestive System
pg. 39 IN Activity: Digestive Diagram
pg. 40 THROUGH: PPT Notes: Digestion

Nutrition Labels
pg. 41 IN Activity: What does a nutrient label tell you about the food?
Pg. 42 THROUGH: WS: Nutritional Label Questions; WS: Nutrient Label
pg. 41: OUT Activity: Why is it important to have nutrition labels? How can this impact your daily activities?

Homework: Human Body System: Endocrine

A Tues 29 and B Wed 30

Students took notes on a template WS: Macromolecules over the four different types of biomolecules: lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, nucleic acids. A powerpoint presentation was also presented. The template and notes should go on pages 37 and 38 in the Interactive Notebook Spiral. For the "digested by and enzyme" part of the template, don't worry about it yet, we will complete it when we cover the digestive system.

Afterward a flapbook was created (1 sheet of paper folded hot dog style with four section flaps). Each flap was dedicated to one biomolecule. Inside each flap for each biomolecule, the following information should be found:
1. Structure of biomolecule
2. 2 jobs or things the biomolecule is good at
3. 2 examples of the biomolecule
4. 3 foods each biomolecule can be found in

Homework: Finish Flapbook

A Fri 25 and B Mon 28

Ecology Farm Presentations

Note: 1 day late is max 70, 2 days late is max 50.

A Wed 23 and B Thurs 24

Ecology Quiz and finish projects.

Homework: Project DUE 9/25 (presentations in class)

A Mon 21 and B Tues 22

Students finished notes PPT: Ecology in INB p. 33-34. The rest of the class, about half of the class time, was left for finishing projects.

Reminder: Projects are test grades and are due on Friday! Quiz next class period.

A Thurs 17 and B Fri 18

Students took some notes PPT: Ecology in their INB p. 29-30. Only the first half was completed (from beginning to the end of Succession). Students then completed an activity covering population growth. A WS: Deer Population Study covers what can affect the deer population to make it either grow or decline in INB p. 31-32.

Homework: Finish INB p. 31-32

A Tues 15 and B Wed 16

Students worked on Main Idea Reading over Community Relationships. The main idea, examples, and supporting details were recorded on a WS: Main Idea Template. The In activity was a WS: Food Chains and the Out Activity was a WS: Trophic Levels. Time left over was devoted to projects.

Homework: Projects!

A Fri 11 and B Mon 14

Students did a ws that had questions over the reading WS: Food Webs, What's for Dinner. The rest of the class period is left for completing projects.

Homework: Projects!

A Wed 9 and B Thurs 10

Students worked at 4 different stations regarding the different nutrient cycles: Water, Phosphate, Nitrogen, and Carbon. Students started a project: Ecology Farm Projects which are due 9/25 for A days and 9/26 for B days. The projects will be graded on according to the Ecology Farm Project Rubric.

B Days students will take a short (easy) quiz over the 8 characteristics of life.

Homework: Finish Nutrient Cycles INB and work on Ecology Projects
Pg 19-20 Carbon Cycle
In p 19: Name as many things as you can that makes or releases any form of carbon
Through p 20: Draw a diagram of the carbon cycle.
Out p 19: Based on your knowledge of the carbon cycle, what do you think might happen if vast areas of forests were cleared?

Pg 21-22 Phosphate and Water Cycle
In p 21: Name as many parts of the water cycle as you can
Through p 22: WS: Phosphate and Water Cycle
Out p 21: No out activity

Pg 23-24 Nitrogen Cycle (MUST be done in class or tutorials)
In p 23: Give the information found in the Periodic Table about Nitrogen.
Through pg 24: WS: Journey as a Nitrogen
Out p 23: Summarize your journey as a nitrogen atom.

 B Tues 8

Students made a foldable about the 8 characteristics of life.

Homework: Finish foldable. Quiz on Thursday

A Fri 4
We will briefly talk about our WS: Ecology Farm Projects. Students will be developing the carbon cycle. I will give them some sources and sinks of the carbon cycle and each student must develop their own carbon cycle diagram.

Homework: Take home your INB (Interactive Notebook is your 5 subject spiral) to finish your THROUGH activity on page 15, the carbon cycle diagram. Remember to get your parents to look over your INB and sign the INB Guidelines on page 3.

IN Activity top of pg. 19:Name everything that you can think of that either makes or uses any form carbon.

THROUGH Activity pg. 20: [Using the following information, make a diagram/illustration of the carbon cycle. Use arrows and pictures to indicate the production or use of carbon. (i.e.CO2 in atmosphere --> plant use for respiration (photosynthesis), burning factory releases CO2 --> atmosphere).]
Biological Processes: photosynthesis, respiration, decomposition
Geochemical Processes: erosion, volcanic activity
Mixed Bio-Geochemical Processes: burial and decomposition of dead materials under pressure converts to coal and petroleum
Human Activities: mining, cutting and burning trees, burning fossil fuels

A Fri 4 and B Tues 8

Students will finish putting their Interactive Notebooks together and review the PPT: 8 characteristics of life. We will also begin to talk about our Ecology Projects.

A Wed 2 and B Thurs 3

Students finished "Theory, Theory" and the students started to put together their Interactive Notebooks. These notebooks are used everyday in class and serves as a record of their learning in biology. Students will be bringing home this notebook occasionally for parents/guardians to see what we are doing everyday in class.

Homework: Please get the syllabus and parent letter signed and brought back next class day. Finish bringing in your class supplies.

A Mon 31 and B Tues 1

Students worked on a worksheet where the emphasis was on a "Hypothesis vs. Predictions." We then did an activity, "Theory, Theory" where the students examined 5 different theories and they had to determine which one was most scientifically correct.

A Thurs 27 and B Fri 28

Lab Safety and Observation skills were today's topic. Students worked on a Lab Safety Worksheet and did two labs pertaining to their observation skills, See Run Get Do and Inquiry Cubes.

We also discussed the scientific method and the difference between a hypothesis and a prediction.

A Tues 25 and B Wed 26

Today was a welcome to biology class day. Students received their supplies list and created their class rules and social contracts. We also dived right into science by doing a "Mystery Bag Lab."