PARENTS / GUARDIANS:
5/30: Students will begin the Frog Dissection Inquiry. This Inquiry Work Sample requires 4 written parts: Background and Questions, Methods, Results, Conclusions to be completed by the last full day of classes 6/7 for grading. The full set of background and dissection notes and Frog Dissection Inquiry directions are available on the Learning Activities page!
5/29: Students will take the Quiz 25.1 and 15.2 and Quiz 25.3 in class: they should have meanings written for VA 25.1, VA 25.2 and VA 25.3 terms, Nervous System and Endocrine System diagrams
5/25: Students will review 25.2 in class, then we will move on to reading 25.3, vocab alert 25.3 and Endocrine System diagrams
5/24: Students need to read 25.2 on their own if they did not complete that during class today, and complete Nervous System diagrams.
5/24: Makeup Day: students can retake any quizzes from this quarter and grade them. Students who have good quiz grades can work on 25.1 vocab and diagrams
5/23: Students read and work on vocab notes for section 25.1, and the Nervous System diagrams. Students completed and reviewed Two Nervous in class today.
5/22: We took quizzes on sections 24.1 and 24.2 in class today.
5/18: Students will read section 24.1 and complete the Digestive System diagram. The 24.1 quiz will be on Tuesday, 5/22.
Quizzes for 23.1, 23.2 and 23.3 have been moved to Thursday, 5/17
5/15/2012: Students will read 23.3 and work on Respiratory system terms on VA 23.3
5/14/2012: Students will read 23.2 and work on Lymphatic system terms on VA 23.2
5/11/2012: Students had opportunities today to retake quizzes from the first half of the quarter. Students should complete VA 23.1 and their Blood Circulation sketch over the weekend.
5/10/2012: Students are taking the 22.4 quiz today, on the Integumentary System, then will read 23.1, study vocab on VA 23.1, and sketch Blood Circulation
Friday, 5/11 will be another class day for students to retake quizzes, or have their Plant Informative Essay graded, as needed. Students will continue work on 23.1
5/3/2012: Students took the 22.2 Quiz today, then read 22.3 and began working on VA 22.3. They will work on Muscle Pairs on Friday or on their own time, and take the 22.3 quiz on Tuesday
5/1/2012: Students have read 22.1 and should have VA 22.1 complete. Students have read 22.2 and should have the VA 22.2 and Joints and Tissues sketches complete by Thursday for the quiz. Students took the SRI reading assessment during Science today.
4/26/2012: Students have opportunities to retake quizzes from chapter 12 this Friday 4/27. For best results, they need to have notes written for theirVocab Alert terms, have the ch. 12 notes packet competed, and have their Plant Leaf lab sketch and their Flower Dissection sketch
The Plant Informative Essay is due at the beginning of class on Friday, 4/27!
4/23/2012:
We spent the entire period last Thursday allowing students to finish preparing for the 12.3 and 12.4 quizzes by completing vocab notes, sketches of leaf and flower parts, and rereading the section. Students took the 12.3 quiz today, Monday 4/23, and will take the 12.4 quiz tomorrow, Tuesday 4/24.
4/17/2012: Students need to get the following items done for the 12.3 and 12.4 quiz on Thursday: Vocabulary alerts (12.3 & 12.4), plant leaf lab sketch, chapter 12 notes, and flower dissection sheet.
4/16/2012: Students are now learning about seed plant structures in sections 12.3 and 12.4
4/11/2012: We started quarter 4 yesterday with Introduction to Plants, chapter 12.
check the Science Activity Log page for what students need to complete to prepare for success on the 12.1 and 12.2 Quiz on Friday 4/13
4/3/2012:
Students checked and submitted correctly completed Creature Features keys on Monday 4/2 in class. Students marked as Missing need to either fix errors or complete the key before Friday, then have it checked it class to earn a Mastery grade on this performance assessment.
Tomorrow, Wednesday, 4/4, students will take a quiz on sections 9.1 and 9.2. Students may use these items on the quiz:
VA 9.1
VA 9.2
Keys to the Kingdoms
Friday, 4/6, students can have their Creature Features key checked in class and / or retake the 9.1, 9.2 Quiz
3/21/2012:
Students began Creature Features, a graded performance assessment due 4/2. This project must be original, not copied from any other student. They will also complete a quiz on 9.1 concepts and vocabulary on 4/2
3/20/2012:
Students are completing VA 9.1, Levels Classification, Shape Island and Shark Key for practice with section 9.1 concepts
3/15/2012:
Evolution Storybook will be collaboratively graded in class today: that project can be regraded on Friday, 3/23 for a higher grade!
Friday, 3/16 is a retake day to accomplish these tasks:
-retake quizzes from 7.2 as needed
-retake quizzes from 7.1 as needed
-have journal entries 1, 2, 3, or 4 graded or regraded
-have Letter to Lamarck graded or regraded
-grade retaken quizzes
Quizzes tomorrow, Feb 22, covering chapter 7, section 1, and the Gray Beginnings reading. The following items can be used on these open-material quizzes:
-VA 7.1
-Forelimbs activity - due 2/22
-handwritten notes / diagrams from class or readings
Students are currently studying evidence presented in chapter 7, section 1, and in the Gray Beginnings readings about earth history. The following activities need to be completed:
Reread chapter 7, section 1 while completing VA 7.1
Reread Gray Beginnings packet while completing VA 7.1
VA 7.1 - due 2/21
Earth timeline -due 2/17
Nature Journal Prompt #3
For the 7.2 Assessment on Monday, 2/13, student need to have these items completed that they can use on the open-material quiz:
VA 7.2 (DLL)
DLL Study Guide (2 pages on background ideas)
Hornet Bird Data Analysis (2 graphs and Data Questions)
they also need to thoroughly reread the Darwin's Living Legacy summary (Charles Darwin Class Reader) along with the graphic novel illustrations as they develop familiarity with the ideas and vocabulary, along with page 162 and page 165 of the text. They may also want to read the version of the same material in the full chapter seven, sections 2 and 3
Life Science students are currently working on concepts about change over time, related to chapter 7, section 2 (7.2)
Darwin's Living Legacy (DLL)
Nature Journal
DLL study guide for article
Hornet Bird Data Analysis
Vocab Alert 7.2
Quarter 3 has begun
Final Quarter 2 grades are available on PAL
NEW THIS QUARTER!!!: Students will be logging all the time they spend on each learning activity. They will include both in-class time and any additional time they spend completing activities.
Expect to see activities listed as they appear on the Science Activity Time Log, and expect to see some amount of time listed for each activity. We will post average total activity times we spend in class on this table. Your student should have this minimum time listed, but their totals may be more if they complete activities after class.
Students will also add up total time for each category (assessment unit). This may help students understand the connection between investing time learning and gaining understanding and skills (indicated by grades).
This log must be in class every day to record times, and must be kept in the binder with the science materials to record times for activities outside of class!
All quarter 2 quizzes must be retaken by Thursday, January 26 End of Quarter!
Quiz 6.2 #2 will be in class on Wednesday, 1/25: students can use their Cornell notes and Vocab Alert to show understanding of vocab terms and processes
Quiz 6.2 #1 evaluated understanding of protein synthesis: students used their Birth of a Protein diagrams and their Vocab Alert to show understanding, and the skill of complementation
check out the Transcription and Translation playlist and the Protein Synthesis (6.2) playlists on my YouTube site: MrTMMontgomery http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL83572EC901789B29 and http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBC2C000889EDCDE6
VA6.2 must be completed, using C-notes 6.2, Mighty Mutation Maker http://nature.ca/genome/04/0413_e.cfm (SILENT SUBSTITUTION, MISSENSE SUBSTITUTION and NONSENSE SUBSTITUTIONS are explained in that activity) and Birth of Protein
Students need to demonstrate understanding of RNA structure, and structures and processes of protein synthesis, including Transciption and Translation!
For Thursday, 1/12 and Friday, 1/13:
on VA 6.2, RNA Processing is also known as modification
We will be completing meanings of VA6.2 terms from a diagram we are making next week. Fill in summarized meanings from C-notes 6.2
Complete the messenger RNA Model
Complete the Protein Bracelet
Bring them both COMPLETED to class to assess on Tuesday, 1/17
For Winter Break:
complete the DNA model
replicate the lower 6 nucleotides
Complete any learning activities for sections that you have a low grade on the quiz
-low grades are almost always caused by NOT completing all the details of the activities - many students say they are done, when they have neglected important details
- make sure you understand what you are doing in the activities- going through the motions and 'getting it done' does not guarantee that you have learned the concepts
Enjoy the winter holidays!
Online heredity activities: http://nature.ca/genome/04/041/041_e.cfm
Here's my Meiosis playlist on my MrTMMontgomery Youtube channel:
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7ECF0E6A47F16B5A AFTER you are done with the activities below
Complete the Meiosis Organizer (in learning activities):
- draw a parent cell going through each phase of meiosis as shown in Meiosis Organizer packet - Keep colors for chromosomes and alleles consistent
- add a label for each part in the phase you first drew it (from VA 4.3 and VA 5.2)
- add a written description for each phase
- NOTE: illustrations in the book do not include all the phases (VA 5.2 shows which phase each step number in the book shows); illustrations also do not include the alleles on the long chromosomes
Complete VA 5.2 and have completed VA 4.3
Complete the Fertilization Notes on separate paper
Quiz 5.1, parts I and II will be graded today, 12/5. We are starting in on 5.2: Meiosis
Students need to complete Genetics with a Smile and GwS Wrapping It Up by Monday, 11/28, so we can continue that project. They need to also complete the Bikini Bottom Genetics 1. The 5.1 quiz will occur as early as Wednesday!
For quarter 2, we are using the proficiency scale for assessments (quizzes).
For future assessments (after 4.2 and 4.3 quizzes), the grading scale has changed to better recognize student achievements in learning!
Quizzes and other assessment grades: are earned when students correctly answer these percentages of items:
90% + = Mastery +, 80-89% = Mastery, 65-79% = Proficient,
50-64% = Developing, 30-49% = Emerging, <30%=Beginning, not taken=MISsing.
Grades are recorded on the proficiency scale: 0=B, 1=E, 2=D, 3=P, 4=M, and 5=M+, weighted as a multiple of 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5. MIS and Beginning count as 0.
Assessments can be retaken through the Friday before the last week of each quarter, during FIRST 20 minutes of lunch only on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Students need to complete the Eukaryotic Cell Cycle booklet and complete meanings for VA 4.3 terms by Monday for the 4.3 quiz! They completed the Prokaryotic Cell Cycle in class.
2nd quarter has begun: 4.2 quiz is a quarter 2 grade and can be retaken. Other quizzes are from quarter 1 and are final!
4.2 Quiz on Thursday, 11/3: have VA 4.2 completed, with explanations of chemical symbols and equations, cell energy organizer, and read 4.2 readings (section 2.2 from another book)
Only quizzes from the last two weeks of the quarter can be retaked during the last week of the quarter!
All quiz retakes from 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, Microscopes, 3.2 and the microscope focus performance assessment need to be completed and graded by the end of Friday, 10/28. 3.3 quiz on Monday, 10/24- have VA 3.3 done, Plant / Animal Venn, Cheeky Little Cells sketches (on separate sheet) and sketch of plant cell, showing chloroplast, large vacuole and cell wall, practice with Plant Animal Cell Parts self-quiz, Building a Eukaryotic Cell and Cell Crossword
3.2 quiz Thursday, 10/13- have 2 types of cells, Why do cells have to be so small? (small cells), Math Break on p. 65 (all steps worked out) and VA 3.2 done
midterm grades: its not too late to change. Future assessments and retaking quizzes can improve grades before the final end of quarter grades.
Microscopy Quiz Thursday 10/6 w/ Focus on the Leaf quiz
Quiz 3.1 was Monday, 10/3
Quiz 2.3 grades in gradebook. We took the whole peroid on Tuesday, 9/27 for students to retake that quiz, in the quest for academic EXCELLENCE!
quizzes 2.1 and 2.2 on PAL! check it out- retakes available for higher grade
Check week 4 total on 1st quarter learning log and sign and date it, please!
Make your student record their homework (out of class) learning on the log every day!
Welcome to Mr. Montgomery's Life Science Website
check out daily planner entries and the full syllabus on the pages above
