Weeks 1 & 2 - The Eye, Vision, and Perception
(March 3, 4, 6 & March 10, 11, 13)
Measure your blind spot:
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/chvision.html
Benham's Disk - the explanation:
http://www.exploratorium.edu/snacks/benhams_disk/index.html
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/chvision.html
Benham's Disk - the explanation:
http://www.exploratorium.edu/snacks/benhams_disk/index.html
Week 9 (February 24, 25, & 27)
Robotics
Students will work in teams to create a robot from one of the Ollo Robotics kits. Students may choose from varying levels of difficulty, and they will need to work as a team, dividing responsibilities, to assemble the robots.
Week 8 (January 28, February 18 & 20)
Engineering a Catapult
This week students are given several materials, and they are challenged to build the catapult that will hurl a marshmallow the greatest distance. The following link shows many examples of catapults built with materials similar to those our students will use.
Week 6 (January 13, 14, & 16)
and Week 7 (January 27, 28, & 30)
Crime Scene Investigation and Forensic Sciences
During week 6 and 7 students will explore the mysteries of crime scenes and forensic medicine. Investigations include collection and identification of trace evidence, serology--blood typing, DNA extraction, forensic entomology, chromatography, and casting.
NOTE: No human tissue or blood products are used in the blood typing activities, and students will extract their own DNA (from cheek cells using a Gatorade mouth swish.)
Extended Learning:
DNA Information and Student Activity + Questions:
NOTE: No human tissue or blood products are used in the blood typing activities, and students will extract their own DNA (from cheek cells using a Gatorade mouth swish.)
Extended Learning:
DNA Information and Student Activity + Questions:
dna_and_dna_extraction_lab.docx | |
File Size: | 1976 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Blood Spatter Analysis:
http://news.discovery.com/human/life/csi-knowledge-how-bloodstain-pattern-analysis-works-infographic.htm
Forensic Entomology--Crime Scene Interactive:
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/crime-scene-creatures/interactive-determine-the-time-of-death/4390/
http://news.discovery.com/human/life/csi-knowledge-how-bloodstain-pattern-analysis-works-infographic.htm
Forensic Entomology--Crime Scene Interactive:
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/crime-scene-creatures/interactive-determine-the-time-of-death/4390/
Week 5 - December 16, 17, 18
Chemical Reactions - Polymers
During week 5, students will explore the world of polymers, making and investigating some that bounce, slime, stretch, swell, and puzzle us. Hydrophilic and hydrophobic compounds and products will be created and studied.
Week 4 - December 9, 10, 12
Chemical Reactions - Gas & Heat Production,
Catalysts & Precipitates
During week 4, students will learn about precipitates, gas production, and heat in chemical reactions. Students will make things fizz and foam, produce heat and use it up (exothermic and endothermic reactions.) Students will see how heat from chemical reactions is used in some common products. Catalysts, such as heat and yeast, will also be investigated.
Preparation for Weeks 2 & 3 - November 18, 19, 21
& December 2, 3, 5
Brain Dissection & Creating a Podcast in MovieMaker
This week students will dissect a sheep brain and identify parts of its anatomy. Students will compare the sheep's brain to a human's. Using iPads, they will record video and stills of
their dissections. During Week 3 - after Thanksgiving break - students will use
MovieMaker on laptops to create a podcast.
Two sites offer good tutorials on the sheep's brain:
External anatomy: http://faculty.weber.edu/nokazaki/Human_Physiology/Laboratory/Sheep%20Brain%20Dissection1.htm
Internal anatomy:
http://www.gwc.maricopa.edu/class/bio201/brain/brshpx.htm
Here are some sites with great information about the human brain:
http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/stories/spacescience/brain/
http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/humanbody/brain.html
their dissections. During Week 3 - after Thanksgiving break - students will use
MovieMaker on laptops to create a podcast.
Two sites offer good tutorials on the sheep's brain:
External anatomy: http://faculty.weber.edu/nokazaki/Human_Physiology/Laboratory/Sheep%20Brain%20Dissection1.htm
Internal anatomy:
http://www.gwc.maricopa.edu/class/bio201/brain/brshpx.htm
Here are some sites with great information about the human brain:
http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/stories/spacescience/brain/
http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/humanbody/brain.html
Preparation for Weeks 8/9 - October 28th, 29th, and 30th
Programming with Scratch - Virtual Frog Dissection
During the last two sessions of the trimester, STEM students will learn about the programming application Scratch, created at MIT. Scratch is a free download (http://scratch.mit.edu/) that makes programming easy and user-friendly. For the subject of the programming investigation, students will use images of the frogs we dissected during weeks 2 and 3 to create a virtual dissection. Students will program individual organs to separate from the frog's body and become identified by a dialog box that is programmed to appear. There is room for individual variation depending on skill level, with more thorough dissection models and voice-over options for those interested in creating a more detailed virtual dissection.
The skill of Scratch programming enables students to expand their technological and presentation skills, as well as their programming experience. Later STEM classes will combine robotics with programming. The techniques we will be using during the next two weeks can be applied to any number of projects. From cartoon characters to scientific images and mathematical figures, Scratch 'Sprites' bring things to life with animation.
The skill of Scratch programming enables students to expand their technological and presentation skills, as well as their programming experience. Later STEM classes will combine robotics with programming. The techniques we will be using during the next two weeks can be applied to any number of projects. From cartoon characters to scientific images and mathematical figures, Scratch 'Sprites' bring things to life with animation.
Preparation for Week 7 - October 21st, 22nd, and 24th
Students will build a simple battery-powered robotic called a drawbot as they investigate the components of a mechanized system--sources of power/power storage, motors, and connections. Students will examine alternatives to battery power, and they will learn how to easily build mechanized systems out of parts from broken toys and household items.
No advance preparation is needed. |
Preparation for Week 6 - October 14th, 15th, and 17th
Regeneration and stem cells - This week we will investigate a living example of tissue regeneration--the planarian--a flatworm with an amazing ability to regenerate all of its body parts from small pieces of an individual worm. Students will learn about regeneration--a process found in starfish along with some lizards and amphibians--but best demonstrated with planaria. Students will investigate the correlation of tissue regeneration in planaria with current stem cell research.
This link provides information about the planarian. Please review it before class. http://www.exploratorium.edu/imaging-station/research/planaria/story_planaria1.php
The following link explains what stem cells are. http://www.exploratorium.edu/imaging-station/research/stem_cells/story_stem_cells1.php This document gives important information about the procedures we will use to handle, investigate, and house our planaria. http://media.hhmi.org/biointeractive/activities/planaria/planaria_regen_activity.pdf |
Preparation for Week 5 - October 7th, 8th, and 10th
Chemistry - pH, pH Testing, Acids and Bases, Photosynthesis, Respiration
This week we will learn about pH, the properties of acids and bases, how to run several kinds of pH tests, and how pH influences our everyday lives. We uses acids and bases in medicine, cooking, cleaning, batteries, farming, and for many other purposes.
Living things experience and cause changes in pH at the cellular level and around themselves in their environment. Plants experience changes during photosynthesis (how green plants make energy--their food--from sunlight.) Consumers (all living things than are not green plants and must eat to get their food) use cellular respiration to get energy out of food. We will look at how pH is affected by photosynthesis and cellular respiration.
Please review the following web sites for information to help you prepare for this week's STEM.
pH/Acids & Bases - http://www.ducksters.com/science/acids_and_bases.php
Photosynthesis - http://www.ducksters.com/science/photosynthesis.php
If you would like to make your own red cabbage pH indicator, you can find more information and instructions at the following site.
http://chemistry.about.com/od/acidsbase1/a/red-cabbage-ph-indicator.htm
This week we will learn about pH, the properties of acids and bases, how to run several kinds of pH tests, and how pH influences our everyday lives. We uses acids and bases in medicine, cooking, cleaning, batteries, farming, and for many other purposes.
Living things experience and cause changes in pH at the cellular level and around themselves in their environment. Plants experience changes during photosynthesis (how green plants make energy--their food--from sunlight.) Consumers (all living things than are not green plants and must eat to get their food) use cellular respiration to get energy out of food. We will look at how pH is affected by photosynthesis and cellular respiration.
Please review the following web sites for information to help you prepare for this week's STEM.
pH/Acids & Bases - http://www.ducksters.com/science/acids_and_bases.php
Photosynthesis - http://www.ducksters.com/science/photosynthesis.php
If you would like to make your own red cabbage pH indicator, you can find more information and instructions at the following site.
http://chemistry.about.com/od/acidsbase1/a/red-cabbage-ph-indicator.htm
Preparation for Week 4 - Sept. 16th, 17th, 19thChemistry - Chemical Properties, Changes and Reactions
This week we will begin our two week study of chemistry, specifically, chemical properties and chemical change in reactions. Students will perform a number of investigations that include: oxidation (of fruit, iron, and copper, the effects of acid on oxidation reactions, copper corrosion and copper-plating); flammability (demonstration); combustibility (demonstration-flame colors and effects produced by different chemicals); chemi-luminescence (glow sticks, student make luminescent and fluorescent solutions.)
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During Week 4 and Week 5, students will use different indicators to test pH of various solutions, and they will learn how to make an indicator solution. Students will create and observe neutralization reactions. During Week 5, students will study the chemical reactions of photosynthesis and cellular respiration, and they will see how pH is affected by these reactions.
There are no preparation activities for Week 4 - I don't want to spoil the fun! |
Preparation for Week 3
Using iPads, we will review the first part of our frog dissection using the following link:
http://frog.edschool.virginia.edu/Frog2/Dissection/Organs/organ1_intro.html
We will continue dissecting our specimens and look for more organs and organ systems
http://frog.edschool.virginia.edu/Frog2/Dissection/Organs/organ1_intro.html
We will continue dissecting our specimens and look for more organs and organ systems
Preparation for Week 2 - August 26th, 27th, and 28th
& Week 3 - September 9th, 10th, and 12th
Frog Dissection
This link will take you to a very informative virtual dissection.
Please review the external and internal anatomy.
http://www.mhhe.com/biosci/genbio/virtual_labs/BL_16/BL_16.html
Below are the dissection guide worksheets we will be working with for the next two sessions as we investigate frog anatomy and how organ systems function.
You will receive copies of these in class.
Please review the external and internal anatomy.
http://www.mhhe.com/biosci/genbio/virtual_labs/BL_16/BL_16.html
Below are the dissection guide worksheets we will be working with for the next two sessions as we investigate frog anatomy and how organ systems function.
You will receive copies of these in class.
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Think about it.
- Consider systems in living things and think of one that functions similarly to a non-living 'machine' or mechanism.
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Preparation for Week 1 - August 19th, 20th, and 22nd
Reverse EngineeringThis week we will investigate reverse engineering--studying how things are made by taking them apart. We will look at how structure and function are related and how they come together to make 'mechanical' systems work--both living things and in machines.
Engineers learn about technologies, mechanisms, and systems through reverse engineering. By analyzing the structure and function of a device or part, engineers can improve upon previous designs.
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Check out this link: |
This web site shows examples of simple mechanisms and how they work. Look for parts you think might be in a wind-up toy.
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This short article explains the basic mechanisms and energy storage in wind-up toys.
http://www.ehow.com/how-does_4907935_windup-toys-work.html |