It’s a Wonderful Life!

What’s Happening in Biology

for the week of

May 11 – May 15, 2009

Dear Parents and Guardians,                

Hello Everyone!

The end is very near and we are trying to finish up our Taxonomy unit and review for our final.  We will have our unit test on Friday. Students will receive their study guides for the taxonomy test on Wednesday.  Students have already started their study guides for the final in Biology.  Everyday there are 15 – 20 questions on the board that they write down on their paper and then I go over the correct answers with them. The questions that are writing are very similar to the questions on the exam.  Please check to see that your student is taking advantage of this opportunity.  I am having them write the questions so that it will help them to remember.  I have found that when we do a few daily they seem to respond better.  On Friday progress reports went home make sure you have seen it. If not I can e-mail you their grade.

This week at a glance

M =  Eubacteria and Archaebacteria

T = 9^th grade Field day

W = Study Guide and Protista Kingdom

H = Dichotomous keys and Review for test

F = Taxonomy test and review for semester exam.

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

Thanks,

Mrs. Balkcom

What’s Happening in Biology

for the week of

May 4 – May 8, 2009

 Dear Parents and Guardians,                

 Hello Everyone!

 Hope everyone is staying well. Last week we walked to WMR elementary school and shared our photosynthesis books. I think the majority of the students really enjoy reading to the 2^nd graders.  The students did a great job with the 2^nd graders. I was very proud of their maturity and how well they interacted with the younger students.  

We only have a few more weeks and school will be out.  This week we will be conducting many of our dissections (fish, earthworm, mussel and fetal pig). I know some students are a little nervous about the events but we will get through it.  There is always one in the group that is will to cut while the others watch. We will soon start preparing for the final.  We will work on the study guide in class daily (10-15 minutes) and then the week of the final the students will take home the completed study guide.  This Friday is the 9^th grade field day.  A flyer was sent home last Friday with the following information:

 The 9^th graders are gearing up for field day.

Field day is Friday, May 8^th

9:00-2:00

We need some help to make this day a day to remember:

450 individual size bags of chips

450 canned soft drinks

Lots of bottled water and ice

450 individually wrapped desserts.

Those of you who are able to contribute items, please take items to school and label them 9^th grade field day.

If you are able to come and help please email me at clc0818@aol.com

9^th Grade Parents:  Cindy and Stephen Naughton

  This week at a glance:

 M = Animalia Kingdom Vertebrates

T = Animalia Kingdom InVertebrates

W = Plant Lab

H = Plant Lab

F = 9^th grade Field Day

 If you have any questions or concerns please contact me. 

 Thank you!

Mrs. Balkcom

What’s Happening in Biology

for the week of

April 27 – May 1, 2009

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Hello Everyone!

I hope everyone had a great weekend. We are getting so close to the end of school and the students are ready to be out of school.  We are still busy working and covering concepts that will be on their High School Graduation Exam. Progress reports went home on Friday.  If you have not seen one please let me know and I will be happy to e-mail you their grade.  Please make sure you are keeping up with what is going on at school so that your child can finish up the year strong.  Our last unit should be interesting to the students because we will begin our dissections. I am in the process of planning 2 walking field trips. One will be to Wrights Mill where our students will read their photosynthesis books to 2^nd graders. The next will be to the high school where we will visit Mr. Arrington’s aquatics program.  More information will come once the dates have been finalized. If you have any questions of concerns please let me know!

This week at a glance:

M = Animal Adaptations

T = Water, Carbon and Nitrogen cycles

W= Review for Ecology Test

H =  Ecology Test

F = Intro to Taxonomy Unit

Thank you!

Mrs. Balkcom

What’s Happening in Biology

for the week of

April 20 - 24, 2009

Dear Parents and Guardians,

We are currently learning about Biomes, predator –prey interactions, symbiosis and other ecology topics.  Most students enjoy learning about interactions that take place in the environment.  Students are working on a Biome project that is due this Friday.  They can complete the project in PowerPoint, Word, on a poster or even create a diorama. I do not care how they present their work as long as it has the following components:

a.       Name of your Biome

b.      Where is your Biome found

c.       Describe the climate including temperature and rainfall amounts?

d.      Include a map of your Biome

e.      Describe what the land looks like Include 3 pictures.

f.        Identify 10 animals found in your Biome include pictures of the animals.

g.       Identify 10 plants found in your Biome include pictures of the plants.

h.      2 interesting facts about your Biome

i.         Example of predator prey relationship for your Biome

j.        Energy pyramid showing relationships for your Biome

k.       Example of Symbiosis from your Biome

l.         Adaptations needed for plants and animals to survive in the biome

m.    Ecological concerns or issues

Students will be given about 15 minutes daily to work on this project. Students will receive progress reports this week. Please make sure that your child does not have any zeros related to work not being turned in.  We are getting to the short rows and will soon run out of time to get work turned in. I have attached  this guiding questions for this unit. All test are made form the guiding questions. Students who complete and study their guiding questions usually do better on the test.

This week at a glance:

M = Energy Pyramids

T = Team Field Trip to Shakespeare Festival

W =Symbiosis

H = Limiting Factors

F =  Adaptations/Natural Selection

Thank you for all or your support! If you have any question or concerns please let me know!

Mrs. Balkcom

We will continue working on our Energy Unit. We will learn about the light and dark reactions on Monday and Tuesday. On Wednesday, we will move to cellular respiration and the Krebs cycle. Finally, we will compare and contrast photosynthesis and cellular respiration.  The unit test will be Tuesday, April 14, 2009. The students will receive the study guide on Friday.

On a personal note, I would like to thank everyone for their prayers and support during this very difficult time in my life. In the early morning hours of Wednesday we lost my niece to CF. She was 28 and leaves behind a 7 year old son. We have much to be thankful for including having her as long as we did but we are human, thus selfish, and would like to of had her longer. Thank you for your patience while I have been out of class dealing with this personal loss.

This week at a glance:

M = Light Reactions

T = Dark Reactions and Calvin Cycle

W = Glycolysis and Transition reaction

H =  Krebs cycle and Electron Transport system

F = Photosynthesis vs cellular respiration

If you have any questions or concerns please contact me.

Thank you,

Mrs. Balkcom

 What’s Happening in Biology
for the week of
March 9 - 13, 2009

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Thanks,
Mrs. Balkcom