Wednesday + 6th grade family homework

6th grade: After we corrected homework and checked our eggs, we began to learn about heredity. Students received a traits worksheet that they filled out. Their homework is to take the trait sheet home and check on family members to see which of the traits they have. We briefly discussed Punnett Squares and will finish that tomorrow.

7th grade: We finished reviewing chromosomes, proteins, heredity and traits.

6th grade Homework

6th: We covered a lot of material today. First we checked on the eggs. The corn syrup egg is losing water, while the other eggs are gaining water. We call the movement of water through a cell membrane osmosis. Osmosis is the diffusion of water molecules from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration. Because it takes no energy, osmosis and diffusion use passive transport. Active transport is movement requiring energy. Then we reviewed photosynthesis and its relationship to respiration. We talked about osmosis occurring during dialysis. We covered briefly mitosis and meiosis and then discussed how cancer is caused by cells dividing too rapidly. Students are to read B46-B65. But the homework is on B55 1-5 complete sentences.

7th grade: We drew and identified chromosomes, centromeres, centrioles and chromatids. (It is pretty bad when the spell check only recognizes 1/4 if those words ) Hopefully that will help the students keep all the "c" words straight. Then we corrected the Oompah punnett squares. Finally we started a short video about genes, traits and many other things that we have been studying.

A note from the school board went home with each student. Milk has gone up to 50 cents. A student is only allowed to get behind four days on paying for lunch. After four days the student can buy an alternate lunch of milk and the main dish at a cost of $1.55. This also applies to reduced lunch students. This alternate lunch will continue for four days. If the student has not made arrangements for their lunch bill to be paid they will be required to bring a sack lunch or go without lunch until payment is made.
This policy will begin December 1st.

Monday

6th grade: We began our experiment today with eggs. Students wrote a hypothesis explaining what they thought would happen to a shell-less egg in corn syrup, one in salt water and one in green water. We will weigh the eggs each day to see what is happening. We discussed the words osmosis, diffusion, equilibrium, active transport and passive transport. Students then worked on their biomes.

Some sixth graders have not turned in their animal reports or posters. Those reports and posters are now only able to earn 60%.

7th grade: As we too have been discussing cells the students went to see the 6th grade experiment on eggs. They also finished their Oompah punnett square. We will check it at the start of class tomorrow.

Tuesday and we are starting Thanksgiving Break

6th grade: Students gave their oral reports today. Oddly, even after two due dates, some students still didn't turn in their reports. At this point they can earn 60% The reports and posters were generally good.

7th: We did a fun worksheet today teaching the mechanics of punnett square. The Oompahs had blue dominant faces, orange recessive faces and incomplete dominance in hair with Blue, Red or Purple hair. It was fun and I think students could understand the squares and probability.

Have a grateful Thanksgiving and see you on Monday!

Monday

6th grade: Today we made cells from construction paper. Those few who did not finish came in during TALL. If you are still not done, be at school at 7:30 and I will have the door open.

7th grade: We practiced meiosis and mitosis in a dance today. I think that students got the idea. Then we watched a video that showed the stages of meiosis.

Thursday - end of the trimester

6th grade: Students worked on their plans to make their cells on Monday. Tuesday they will give their oral report. Please be prepared.

7th grade: Students started learning about meiosis and were told the grades to their tests.

I will spend the next day correcting the late papers and getting the last grades in.

Wednesday

6th grade: We corrected the papers we have been working on for two weeks and was last night's homework assignment. About 1/3 of the students did not have them done. This is not acceptable. Thanks so much for those of you that got them done on time. Others turned in their oops cards, others went into the lab and worked on it. Work must be done on time and in on time.

7th grade: We took our ISAT Prep test today. Students generally did well.

Students will be allowed to watch the girls play in their tournament tomorrow. Classes will be about 45 minutes long. That is about how long classes used to be, should be interesting.

Tuesday 7th grade test tomorrow

6th grade: If students finished their red questions and 1-5 B2-B15, then they have no homework, unless, of course, some didn't turn in their poster or report, and that is due. All posters were due today. Reports were due if you were able to type it at home. Those needing to use the school's computers had to take a few extra days. Please get your things turned in. Today we worked on the red questions and on our biomes.

7th grade: Students reviewed for the test tomorrow.

Monday 6th reports and posters due tomorrow

6th Science: Today students worked on drawing their biomes. Tomorrow, all students who have the capability to type their report at home have that report due. All posters are due tomorrow no matter the availability of a computer. Students whose computer runs out of ink can email me the report at cjwinward@blsd.net however, they still need to bring the rubric and rough draft so they can staple them together with the report.

7th Science: We reviewed for the ISAT prep test that will be taken on Wednesday.

Thursday

We had a wonderful Veteran's Day assembly today. The students were well behaved, the choir and band were excellent and the speech and video were motivating.

6th: We learned about populations, communities and ecosystems today. We also learned about food chains. Remember to get your reports done and your posters too. Posters are due the 15th, and so is your report if you can type it at home.

7th: Students practiced with probability. They wrote a hypothesis if they flipped coins twenty times, how many would be heads and how many would be tails. We also finished yesterday's assignment.

Wednesday - problem with report due date

6th grade: Our reports are still due on the 15th, sort of. I promised the students who did not have access to a computer at home time to type their reports in the computer lab during TALL. However, three out of the four days this week TALL has been used for other things and students were unable to get in and type. Therefore, the final paper, for those who cannot type at home, is due the 22nd, which is the following week. Posters are due on the 15th.
In class today we finished filling out the surveys we did for TALL yesterday. Then we took notes and discussed how living things are put together, cells > tissues > organs > organ systems > organisms

7th grade:We worked some more on punnett squares and heredity. We took an inventory of different character traits to see if dominant alleles, recessive alleles or neither one were the most common.

Veterans Assembly tomorrow at 10. If you know of a veteran that should be honored, please have them come.

Tuesday - Voting so the schools can transfer money from buildings to books

6th grade: We learned about different types of cells. Students did a worksheet about cells and then we went around the room and looked through the microscope at water, yeast, onion skin, salt, sugar, sand and tomato skin. Students then drew the substances they saw.

7th grade: We took the punnett square to the F2 generation in an activity using the vocabulary words that we learned yesterday. Then students finished their dog. Then we drew what the F1 generation would look like.

Voting! Today there is an election that will allow the district to move money from the building fund to the book fund. We would appreciate you supporting this so we can purchase books for our schools. Thanks so much.

Monday Homework 6th grade fix test

6th grade: Today we reviewed the test and students were allowed to take them home and fix them according to the instructions sent home after the last test. Then students worked on an in class assignment while I showed them their grades and discussed how they could improve when needed.

7th grade: We are working on heredity. Students made paper dogs and tomorrow we will discuss the different possibilities of characteristics.

Veterans's assembly is on Thursday at 10 A.M.

Thursday Daylight Savings ends on Sunday! 7th grade fix tests

6th graders took their test today. I should have it corrected by Monday and then students who choose to can fix their tests for half of the missed points. We are starting on a new section in the book and students had time to read it today.

7th graders got their tests back today. They can fix them and have them back to me on Monday at the start of class. The fixed test has to be on a different sheet of paper, complete sentences even on the matching questions, and it must be stapled to the first test. In class we started learning about heredity.

Tuesday 6th test Thursday 7th test Wednesday

Picture retakes are on Wednesday - make sure you have the money for them. This will also be the time for team pictures, band pictures and choir pictures. so make sure that you are addressed appropriately.

6th: Today we practiced using the metric and standard systems of measurement while learning about vertebrates. We also studied invertebrates for the test on Thursday.

7th: We finished going over the questions for the test on Wednesday.

Monday late 6th test Thursday 7th test Wednesday

Hi, so sorry this is late, with the Halloween Dance after school yesterday, I did not get back to get this done. However, I have about 10 reports left to grade and so I hope to hand the all back on Wednesday, if all goes well.

6th grade: we finished studying about vertebrates and watched some very interesting videos about birds and mammals.

7th grade: we studied for the test that will be on Wednesday

Wednesday will be picture retakes at about 10:16 - 11:35. If you want a picture redone, please bring the money for your pictures.