TEST DAY FOR UNIT B: HUMAN BODY

Today student took their first test over the Human Body. There are 15 questions that cover the major concepts that we covered in class. The students also had a lab practical over the eye and frog. Students had to identify the organs and their function. Before students left they had to turn in their frog dissection lab report. As students took their test I graded their next four assignments in their notebook.

Homework: Have a great weekend!

You will know on Monday what your final science fair project is!

Activity #29: Unit B Review

Today students reviewed Unit B: The Human Body. We reviewed the digestive system, the respiratory system, the circulatory system, and the nervous system. We talked about the parts and functions of each system. We also talked about the important concepts in each system. As we reviewed, the students took notes about what we talked about. We also reviewed the following dissection: Eyeball, frog, brain, and heart. The students will have to tell me what part I am pointing at and the function of each part. Finally, I answered any last minute questions about unit B!

Homework: Study for Test/ Frog Dissection Lab Report Due Tomorrow!

Activity #28: Heart Problems

Today students read about Heart Attacks and blocked arteries. They took Cornell Notes on the reading and wrote a summary about the reading. We talked about how the coronary artery bring oxygen into the heart which if blocked can cause a heart attack. We also talked risk factors that can lead to high blood pressure or heart attack: age, male or female, fats, diet, overweight, or heredity. Finally students filled in their inner conversations chart on the reading: What they noticed, what they wondered, and where they got lost.

Homework: Lab report due Wednesday. Study for Test!

Test on Human Body!

Interaction of Body Systems

Today students learned how our body systems interact. They also reviewed the major concepts that we have discussed throughout unit B: Body Works. Students played on teams which was their group, and participated in Body System jeopardy. Groups rotated and answered questions that were either review questions or questions about the interaction of body systems. If teams got it wrong they lost points and other teams could steal the points. If teams answered correctly they were awarded the points. Students wrote down important questions or concepts in their notebook throughout the game.

Homework: Frog Dissection Lab Report Due Wednesday

Alert: Unit B Test is Wednesday!!!!!

Frog Dissection

Today students participated in our Frog dissection. We started off class by setting up the lab report.

I: Question
II: Hypothesis
III: Procedure/Materials
IV: Data
V: Conclusion

Next, students started dissecting the frog. As they dissected the frog they had to take out 8 different organs and place them on their corresponding chart. The students then drew pictures of the organs and filled in a Venn diagram of the similarities and differences of a frog and human body.

Homework: Finish Conclusion and lab report. Due Wednesday October 27th.

Activity # 25: Healing Heart

Today students participated in activity 25:Healing Heart. This activity included students watching a documentary on heart surgery. Students had to respond to 4 questions in the movie.

1. How has surgery and technology changed over time?

2. What were some concerns who have from the movie?

3. What are some issues with heart transplants?

4. What are other ways to prevent and treat heart problems?

Homework: Make sure to talk to parents about science fair!

Reminder: Parent Teacher Conferences Tomorrow!

Science Fair Introduction

Today we started talking about science fair. Students have a choice to work by themselves or with a partner. This project is student based and the majority of the work will be done outside of the classroom. Students are responsible for choosing a project and question that they can actually test. The project needs to be school appropriate and may not involve animals. The project has to be measured and only one variable can be changed. Today we went into the computer lab and students researched topics that they want to do for science fair.

Homework: Must have 3 different ideas (questions) for science fair.
Please talk to parents about your ideas and working with a partner or by yourself.

Attention: Please tell parents to come to parent teacher conferences this Wednesday October 20th from 4:00-7:30 to see all your teachers.

Unit B Quiz and Heart Dissection

Today students took the first quiz over unit B which mostly covered the circulatory system. The questions covered activities 20-23 and students were able to use their science notebooks. After students finished their quiz, they observed a sheep's heart. They wrote down the size, shape, texture, and color of the heart. They also followed the path of blood through the heart with their fingers. Finally, students had to write a summary about the heart.

Homework: Students need to write down ideas about science fair and decide if they will work with a partner in their class or work alone. This is due Monday and should be written in their planner.

Activity #23: Heart Parts

Today and Tomorrow during block days students are investigating the structures and functions of the heart. We will start off class by reviewing the three characteristics of the heart which are: the heart pumps blood around our body, the heart has valves, and the heart pumps blood in one direction. Next, students will read about the parts that make up the heart as well as their functions. As we read, students will create 4-corner vocab on the new words which are veins, arteries, atrium, ventricle, and valve. Next students will color the diagram of the heart showing where oxygen is present and absent. Finally students will write an essay of how our heart works.

Homework: Student need to write a one page essay on the function of the circulatory system and how our heart works. This is due Friday October 15th.

Hint: There will be a quiz over our body on Friday.

Activity #21-22: Heart Pump and Muscle

Today students examined how are heart is like a pressure bulb. They both have valves, they both pump in one direction, and they both pump liquids. Students experimented with two pumps to find out these characteristics of the heart. Next, students examined how our heart is a muscle. We first did 4-corner vocab to define muscle, draw a picture, and use it in a sentence. Next students looked at how our heart is like a muscle which contracts and expands to pump blood throughout our body. Finally, students RAPP a paragraph of how our heart is like a pressure bulb.

Activity #20: Circulatory System

Today students participated in activity 20 which was an introduction to the circulatory system. Students learned how the respiratory and circulatory system work together to provide oxygen to our muscles and our body. Students watched a movie about working out which explored how our muscles need oxygen and how lactic acid can build up. Students then answered six questions that were covered in the movie. Finally, students wrote a summary about main idea of the movie.

Activity #19: Eye Dissection

Today students participated in the cow's eye dissection. We started off class by reviewing how the eye is part of the nervous system. Next each group got an eye, and student made external observations. They had to write about what they saw, shape, color, texture, and any other observations. Next students cut open the eye and started separating the parts of the eye. They then were quizzed on what the function is for each part of the eye. Finally, students had to write a reflection about what they learned in today's dissection.

Homework due today: Progress Reports!

Activity #18 Nervous System

Today students are working on Activity #18: Nervous System. Students will start the day out by reviewing the 3 main parts of the nervous system, the brain, the spinal cord, and nerves. Then students will zoom in on the parts of the brain. We will discuss the structures and functions of the brain. After we discuss the parts, students are going to dissect the brain and make observations about what they see. Students will end the class by looking at the parts of the eye and discussing how we see to prepare us for the eyeball dissection on Friday!

Homework: Progress reports are due Friday!

Activity #17: Gas Exchange

Today students participated in activity #17 Gas Exchange. We started by defining gas exchange, respiration, and indicator. Next students learned about the indicator BTB and how blue represented oxygen and how yellow represented carbon dioxide. Then student each had a plastic bag and straw. In the plastic bag students put water and BTB. Next students blew into the straw and noticed that it changed to yellow. They then added NaOH to turn back to blue. They count the number of drops and recorded their data. We finally made a graph. of the results. This showed how we breath in oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide.

Activity #6: Respiratory System

Today students did activity #16: The Respiratory System. We began class by assigning each student different pages to read about the respiratory system. The students silently read their assigned pages. After 5 minutes of reading, the students then took turns teaching the rest of their group about what they read. Each member had to tell the rest of the class what the main idea was from their reading and any important details that they learned. Next, students answered 4 questions about the respiratory system.
1. How is respiration different from breathing?
2. What are two functions of the respiratory system?
3. What is the pathway in which air goes to your lungs?
4. What gases are exchanged in the respiratory system?

After students answered these questions, they had to fill in the structures of the respiratory system on their worksheet.

Tomorrow: Gas Exchange Lab!

Homework: Progress reports were sent home today. They are due back this Friday with a parent signature!

Activity #15: Digestion Reading

Today students participated in activity #15 which was a reading about the details of our digestive system. Students learned two new vocab words which were nutrients and absorption. Students did the 4-corner vocabulary activity with these new words which include the word's definition, a picture the resembles that word, and a sentence that includes that word in it. We discussed how our stomach digests food with the help of hydrochloric acid and how our teeth use mechanical break down to cut food into smaller pieces. The final activity of the day was to write a paragraph that explains the function of the digestive system.

Next week: We will study the respiratory system and the nervous system. We will dissect the brain and eyeball next week as well!

Have a great weekend!