Activity #38 Plant vs Animal Cells

Today students participated in Activity 38: plant vs. animal cells. Students started the day by reviewing what microbes are. Next students took their weekly assessment over infectious diseases and microscopes. Then students looked at an onion plant cell and a human animal cell under the microscope. They drew detailed pictures of the cells. Then students completed a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting plant vs animal cells. Finally students came up with 3 characteristics that plant cells have that animal cells do not have.

Homework: color plant and animal cells. (Due the following block day!)

Activity 35-36 Microscopes

During Block Days this week in Life Science, students will be introduced to the microscope and use it to observe different types of microbes. Before students start looking at slides, they have to understand the different parts of the microscope and the function of each part. Next, students will rotate around the room using different microscopes to observe different microbes, which are organisms too small for your eye to see. Then students will describe the size, shape, and color of the microbe and they will draw what they see. Finally, students will be quizzed on the different parts of microscope.

Activity 32-33: Vectors and Carriers

Today students analyzed the difference between vectors and carriers. First, we discussed and defined carrier: a person who has no symptoms of a disease but still passes it on to someone else. Next, we defined vector: an organism other than a human who passes on a disease without getting sick. Then, we defined epidemiologist: a scientist who studies the path of an infectious disease. After we discussed these important terms, student watched a video on the Bubonic plague. While watching, students answered 4 questions:
1. In 1900, what did the government do to try to stop the plague?
2. Draw a diagram showing the spread of the Bubonic plague.
3. What is the vector of the Bubonic Plague?
4. In 1906, scientists finally knew what causes the plague, what did they do this time to stop the spread of the Plague?

Finally, students wrapped the day up by discussing how Malaria spreads and what we could do to stop the spread.

Activity #34 : The Story of Leprosy

Today students read a story about the infectious disease, Leprosy. As they read they took cornell notes on main ideas and details about the story. Next, students wrote a summary about the story and wrote to inference questions and answers that relate to the story. Then, students wrote a personal response to the story and explained how it was important to them. Finally, students took their weekly quiz over infectious vs non-infectious diseases.

Homework: Work on Science Fair!

Answers to Quiz

Herpes= Infectious
Asthma= Non-infectious
Heart Attack= Non-infectious
Flu=Infectious

Have a great weekend!

Activity #31: Range of Diseases

Today students worked on researching a particular infectious disease. First, our class read about how scientists study disease. Our new word for the day was PSA or Public Service Announcement. Next, each group picked a different infectious disease packet which contained important information about the disease. Each group read the disease and carried out an inner conversation chart when reading the packet. After students finished reading, they wrote down the following information about their disease:
1. Description of Disease
2. Symptoms of Disease
3. How Disease Spreads
4. Picture of Disease

Finally, students created a PSA poster about their disease to present to the class!

Review Test and Science Fair Packets

Today students reviewed unit B: Human Body. Students received two scores, one for knowledge and one for processing. Next students finalized their science fair question and received a packet that they need to keep in their binder. Finally, students graphed their results for activity #30.

Activity 30: It's Catching

Today students started unit C: Micro life. We started the unit by exploring how infectious diseases spread in a community. Our two new words were infectious and disease. Students modeled how a disease could go from person to person. Next we totalled the number of people infected and tomorrow we will graph the results.

Tomorrow: You will get your tests back and you will receive science fair packets.