It’s a Wonderful Life!

What’s Happening in Biology

for the week of

Nov 9- Nov 13, 2009

Dear Parents and Guardians,

 Progress Reports went home today!!  You will notice that there are 2 columns at the beginning that show the number of points that were earned last nine weeks. This information was inserted so that the grades will be calculated for the whole semester. If you did not see a progress report e-mail me and I will e-mail you their grade.

 If your child has a zero that zero should be and can be made up. Projects can be updated and corrected for additional points.  There is no reason your child should have a failing grade in Biology.

Study guides were sent home today for our test on Tuesday. The test on Tuesday will be on Heredity. I have attached the study guide for your review.  We will work every problem in class on Monday.

On Thursday, we will start our unit on Energy, Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration. If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s grade please contact me.

 The week ahead!

M = Review for Heredity Test

T = Heredity Test

W = NO SCHOOL – Veterans Day

H = Intro to Energy Unit

F = Enzymes and factors that speed up chemical reactions.

 Have a great weekend!

Mrs. Balkcom

What’s Happening in Biology

for the week of

Nov 2- Nov 6, 2009

Dear Parents and Guardians,

 This week in Biology we learned about heredity, different modes of inheritance, and how to work Punnett squares.  We were unable to visit WMR Elementary school on Tuesday due to the rain.  We have rescheduled the trip for this Tuesday Nov 3. I had intended to send home progress reports but we have a new grade book system and it is not combining the 1^st nine weeks grades with the 2^nd nine weeks grades.  I think I have found a solution and I am going to try to send them home Monday or Tuesday. 

  The Week Ahead!

 M = Genetic disorders

T = WMR School visit

W = Pedigrees

H = Pedigrees

F = Cloning

 Please email me if you have any questions.

 Have a great Halloween Weekend!

Mrs. Balkcom

What’s Happening in Biology

for the week of

Oct 26 – Oct 30, 2009

Dear Parents and Guardians,

We have now completed our unit on Cell Reproduction and will start our unit on Heredity on Monday. This unit will take about 2 weeks.  On Tuesday, we will visit Wrights Mill Road Elementary school where we will share our taxonomy projects with Mrs. Reynolds 2^nd grade class.  We will walk to WMR during our class time, share our projects and return by the end of the period. Students will not miss any other classes.  I look forward to this visit because the 9^th graders really enjoy visiting even though they can get very nervous right before it is time to share.

 Progress reports will go out next week as well. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns about your child’s grade.

 The week ahead!

M = Intro to Heredity

T = Visit to WMR/watch Mitosis movies

W =Popsicle genetics

H = Movie GATACA (will be in Horizontal training)

F = Punnett Squares

 Have a great weekend and hope to see you at the FACES 5K at Richland Elementary School on Sunday at 1:30. For more information visit http://www.auburnschools.org/FACES/.

 Thanks,

Mrs. Balkcom

What’s Happening in Biology

for the week of

Oct 12 – Oct 16, 2009

Dear Parents and Guardians,

 Wow! This week has flown by.  Pep Rally was a blast and the Meow Mix Team won the spirit stick!! Congrats every one on a job well done! On Thursday and Friday we worked on our mitosis claymations. Students have these on their computers you should take a look if you have time.  The students have done an excellent job on creating their claymations. The final movie is due on Friday Oct 16. Next week we will look at asexual reproduction, meiosis, transcription, translation and mutations.

 Please be on the lookout for progress reports. They went home today!

 If your child has a zero that zero should be and can be made up. If your child would like to improve their project grades they can be updated to earn additional points. Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns.

The week ahead

M = Asexual Reproduction

T = Importance of meiosis

W = Identify steps and products of meiosis

H = Transcription Translation

F = Mutations

Hope you have a great weekend!
Mrs. Balkcom

What’s Happening in Biology

for the week of

Oct 5 – Oct 9, 2009

Dear Parents and Guardians,

On Tuesday, we completed Unit 3 and have started on Unit 3B- cell reproduction. Students will be learning about the structure and function of DNA, the cell cycle, mitosis, meiosis, transcription and translation. This unit will take about 3 weeks.  It is often one of the hardest units due to the content. How cells replicate, divide and how gamates are formed is often hard for the students to visualize and relate to thus making it hard to understand.  I have given the students their guiding questions for this unit.  Please take time to quiz them on this material and check for understanding.

This unit’s project will be to develop a movie using clay to act out the steps of Mitosis. Students will take pictures to capture each step and turn those pictures into a movie.  It is very similar to how old cartoon were created scene by scene.  The majority of this project will be completed in class. All pictures will be taken in class and then turned into a movie.

 Progress reports will go home on Thursday or Friday. Pep rally is Thursday.

 The week ahead

M = Genes, chromosomes and karotyping

T = Mitosis – Online Root tip/Claymation storyboard

W = Mitosis Claymation (Picture taking )

H = Mitosis (Work on making movie)

F= Asexual reproduction

 If you have any question or concerns please let me know!

Have a great weekend!
Mrs. Balkcom

What’s Happening in Biology

for the week of

Sept 28 – Oct 2, 2009

Dear Parents and Guardians,

 I just wanted to let you know how impressed I was with the cell movies that were presented in class today.  Your children did an outstanding job!! If you would like to see the work just go to : http://biologywithmrsb.pbworks.com/Cell-Movies. These are just a few examples.  There are many more excellent movies that students have not yet posted to the wiki page.  Thank you for all of your support and patience with helping your child with their projects. I would also like to thank everyone who sent food for our cell- a – bration day. The students had a great time today!

We have now completed Unit 3A and we will have our Unit Test on Tuesday.  We will review on Monday. Students have been given their study guides. They should have the majority of it completed over the weekend.  I will go over the answers on Monday however the study guide is long thus they should already most of the answers completed before class. On Wednesday we will start Unit 3B which is Cell Reproduction (Mitosis and Meiosis).

The Week Ahead!

M = Review for Unit test

T = Test on Unit 3A (Cell structure and function)

W = Explore why cells are small

H = Identify the structure and function of DNA

F = Explain how DNA replicates

 Progress Reports went home on Thursday.  If you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact me.  I have also attached a copy of the study guide in case they realize they left the one I gave them somewhere.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Mrs. Balkcom

What’s Happening in Biology

for the week of

Sept 21 – Sept 25, 2009

Dear Parents and Guardians,

 We have started our unit on Cell Structure and Function.  This week we learned the difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, the difference between animal and plant cells as well as the parts of each cell. We also started making our cell movies. Students will present their cell project on Friday September 25 in class. This will be our Cell – a- bration day. Students are asked to bring in food that reminds them of a cell organelle.  Students will be required to explain how their food represents a part of the cell. This food is to be shared with their classmates. Food is optional and is not in any way linked to a grade. This is just a time to celebrate our accomplishments this year.

 I have attached a copy of the Cell Movie Rubric for your review.

 The week ahead

M = Osmosis

T =  Diffusion

W = Osmosis vs Diffusion

H = Active Transport/ Assign Study Guide * Test on Tuesday Sept 29.

F =Cell Movies

 Have a great weekend!

Mrs. Balkcom

What’s Happening in Biology

for the week of

Sept 14 – Sept 18, 2009

Dear Parents and Guardians,

 We have officially completed Unit 2 and are on our way to Unit 3. Unit 3 will be on the structure and function of cells. We will create a cell movie that identify the parts of the cell and their functions, this will be their unit 3 project.  This project will mostly be completed in class a few of the students may have to finish them at home if they do not use their time wisely.

 Progress reports went home today. Please make sure your child does not have a D or F.  If they are in the D or F range they are not turning in work mainly their guiding questions.  Please be aware that if a student has a zero that zero can be made up by completing the assignment. Also project grades can be updated when the work has been completed.

 If you have any question or concerns please let me know.  Overall the grades are outstanding and your students are working very hard to do their very best work.

 Have a great weekend!

Mrs. Balkcom

 The week ahead:

M = Intro to the cell – Prokaryotic cell

T = Identify structure and Function of eukaryotic cells (Cell Movie)

W = Review structure and function  (Cell Movie continued)

H = Plasma Membrane

F =Set up Egg Osmosis Lab and complete cell movies

What’s Happening in Biology

for the week of

Sept 8 – Sept 11 , 2009

Dear Parents and Guardians,

 We have complete another successful week! Next week we will be completing Unit 2 on Taxonomy and Classification. Unit 2 projects are due Friday Sept 11, 2009.  Rubrics and project descriptions can be found on the webpage under class notes/ Unit 2. I hope everyone has a wonderful Labor Day weekend planned.

 Next week at a glance:

 M= Holiday (Labor Day)

T= Dichotomous Keys (Assign Study Guide)

W = Dichotomous Keys

H = Review for Unit 2 Test

F = Unit 2 Test.

 Progress reports will be sent home again next week on Friday. 

I hope you all have a wonderful and safe Holiday!

Mrs. Balkcom