Lesson 1 - Monday, Nov 17
Housekeeping: We started today’s lesson by setting up our Science Notebooks for INV#3 – Animal Cells, in which we will be A) describing animal cells by observing and drawing them and taking special note of their shapes, and B) comparing animal cells for the purpose of documenting their similarities and differences. To take our first step toward this investigation, we…
1. Setting up our Science Notebooks by making an entry in our Table of Contents and creating a title page.
2. Using plastic petri dishes to draw four, properly spaced circles per page on four different pages for a total of 16 designated spaces in which to make our animal cell drawings.
3. Watching and listening to Dr. M as he showed students the similarities and differences between the monocular light microscopes (which we will use for INV#3) and the binocular light microscopes (which we used for INVs #2 & #3).
Homework: C period students have been asked to glue two microscope handouts onto the back pages of their Science Notebook by the start of their Wednesday lesson.
Lesson 2 - Tuesday, Nov 18
Housekeeping: After getting a brief introduction to Planarians, students spent today’s lesson using their microscope skills to find, focus, and draw planarian specimens found on two different slides (‘whole mount’ and ‘cross section’ specimens). Today is only part one of INV#3 – Animal Cells, in which students are ‘hunting’ for animal cells in a variety of pre-prepared, stained microscope slides.
Homework: E period students have been asked to glue two microscope handouts onto the back pages of their Science Notebook by the start of their Thursday lesson.
Lesson 3 - Wed, Nov 19 (C, D) & Thu, Nov 20 (E)
Housekeeping: After briefly looking at some 40x, 100x, and 400x images of the Planarians and determining if any of the specimens contained visible cells, students spent another lesson using their microscope skills to find, focus, and draw another planarian specimen (this time one showing the digestive tract) and an earthworm specimen highlighting the intestinal region. Today is part two of INV#3 – Animal Cells, in which students are ‘hunting’ for animal cells in a variety of pre-prepared, stained microscope slides.
Homework: D period students have been asked to glue two microscope handouts onto the back pages of their Science Notebook by the start of their Friday lesson.
Lesson 4 - Friday, Nov 21
Housekeeping: After briefly looking at some 40x, 100x, and 400x images of a planarian and an earthworm and determining if either of the specimens contained visible cells, students spent another lesson using their microscope skills to find, focus, and draw…
1. Human cardiac (heart) muscle
2. Compact bone (decalcified) taken from the femur (thigh bone) of a small mammal
3. Hyaline cartilage (the most common type of cartilage)
4. Tendon tissue (teased)
Today is part three of INV#3 – Animal Cells, in which students are ‘hunting’ for animal cells in a variety of pre-prepared, stained microscope slides.
At the end of today’s lesson Dr. M asked students to put their Science Notebooks into their student mailbox for checking/grading.
Homework: As per the TASIS MS school homework policy, there is no weekend science homework (due on Monday).
Announcements...
The DRIVING QUESTION of our current unit is: How do the microscopic structures and functions of a cell explain what it means for something to be alive?
C & D period homework collection days: Wednesday & Friday.
E period homework collection days: Tuesday & Thursday.
Including this week, there are 7 weeks of school to complete before the end of the Fall Semester.