Wednesday, September 24

In AP biology, we began taking notes on Chapter 6 - Metabolism.

In physical science, we finished up review sheets and played a review game for tomorrow's quiz. If you bring your completed study guide to the test, you will get 2 points of extra credit.

Tuesday, September 23

Today was an arts & crafts day, we made a 3-d representation of a cell membrane, complete with a lipid bilayer and several types of proteins.

In physical science, we started working on the review sheet for Chapter 4 & 5. The quiz will be on Thursday.

Monday, September 22

In AP Biology, we revisited the osmosis and diffusion lab, answering questions and working on the water potential calculations. Below is a good video to explain water potential. After that, we finished our notes for chapter 5, talking about osmosis, diffusion and active and passive transport.

In physical science, we finished up our periodic table notes and worked on a giant periodic table out in front of the school.

Thursday, September 18

In AP Biology, we performed the first part of AP Lab 4 - Osmosis and Diffusion. We got some results from our dialysis bags and left the potato pieces to soak overnight in the different sugar solutions.

In physical science, we did some ACT Practice and then worked on an "Alien Periodic Table" that helped lay out some understanding for the periodic table. This activity helped show that even though the elements in the periodic table are all different, they have similarities that change from one to the next in a predictable manner. You can see how these were originally arranged (before I cut them up) in this document.

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

In AP Biology, we went over Chapter 5's review questions and started the notes about Chapter 5 - Cell Membranes. Tomorrow, we will do AP Lab 4: Osmosis and Diffusion. Dress appropriately and bring your notebooks!

In 2nd period physical science, we finished our atomic discovery timeline and put it up in the hall. You can see the finished product below.

In 3rd period physical science, we worked on some review questions for Chapter 4. If you missed, those questions are listed below:

Pg. 105 #1-7
Pg. 112 #1-7
Pg. 118 #1-5
Pg. 121-122 #11-17, 27-29

The videos of the day were about what happens when a coin is put in a block of dry ice:

and the chemical reactions that happen every day inside your iPhone:

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

This morning I had a doctor's appointment, so in AP Biology, we worked on review questions for Chapter 5.

Second period Physical Science worked on review questions for chapter 4.

Third period Physical Science finished up their atomic discovery time line. A picture of the finished product is below.

Monday, September 15th, 2014

In AP Biology, we finished our notes from Chapter 4 and did a lab where we looked at different types of cells, including single-celled organisms in pond water. The weekly schedule can be found here.

In Physical science, we finished notes about atoms and watched a cool video from IBM where the pictures were made up of individual atoms. You can watch it below. Click around after the video for some behind the scenes info. After that, we started to work on our atomic discoveries timeline.

My YouTube Channel

I have started a YouTube channel so that I can share videos of labs we do in class as well as a collection of the videos of the day and other cool videos that I come across.

Go subscribe at www.youtube.com/user/MrDavisRHS1

Friday, September 12

In AP Biology, we got through most of the notes for Chapter 4 - Intro to the Cell. We will have a lab next Monday, so be prepared.

I included the two videos of animal and plant cells on my YouTube channel, so check those out if you want a good review: https://www.youtube.com/user/MrDavisRHS1

In physical science, we had a short pre-lab and started talking about Chapter 4 - Atomic Structure.
There were a few videos of the day today. The first was from TED-Ed about just how small atoms can be:

Then we watched a couple about JJ Thomson's experiments that led to the identification of electrons.

Also, here is a video about Rutherford's gold foil experiment

Thursday, September 11

In AP Biology, we looked at examples of primary literature and did some research of our own. Your annotated bibliography will be due Monday, September 15th with five sources.

In physical science, we took a step away from science and watched a documentary on the attacks of September 11, 2001. I've shared a link to a better quality version the video below if you want to finish watching from where we left off.

102 Minutes That Changed America

Wednesday, September 10th

In AP Biology, today was test day for Chapters 1-3. As extra credit for this unit, I am offering 20 points for any AP student that enters the National Geographic AP Student of the Year essay contest. The contest description and rules can be found at http://ngl.cengage.com/assets/html/stuyrawd/ .

To get credit, you simply write and enter an essay and print out the essay and your confirmation page or a screenshot of this page. The prompt is simple: "What are you doing to change the world?" The prize is a trip on one of National Geographic's student travel expeditions.

In 2nd period physical science, we tested our water filter and glove projects. The winner for the insulated glove was Chad McCoy. The clearest water was produced by Tori Moody and Matt Adams and Taryn Anderson tied for the most water recovered!

Third period physical science took their test on Chapters 1-3.

Tuesday, September 9th

Today in AP Biology, we reviewed a few topics that will be on the test and worked on word maps to represent Chapters 1, 2 & 3. Those used the vocabulary and made connections between the main ideas and their parts. Images for those are below. I also shared the topics for each essay, hopefully you wrote them down.

As a reward for visiting this page, here are the actual essays with their point values so you can plan or practice them before the test.

Chapter 1 Word Map

Chapter 2 Word Map

Chapter 3 Word Map

In 2nd period physical science, we took our test on chapters 1-3. The challenge for building a water filter or insulated glove will be tested out tomorrow, Wednesday, Sept. 10th.

In 3rd period physical science, we played a review game. The test will be tomorrow.

Monday, September 8

In AP Biology, several people were out so we worked on the suggested study questions for Chapters 1-3. Those questions are:
Chapter 1: "Testing Yourself" # 1, 4-11, 13 15
Chapter 2: TY #1-8, 10-15, 17
Chapter 3: TY #1, 3-30
Also look at the Understanding Vocab questions

Here is a video that might help while reviewing for the organic molecules part of the test. In fact, this Bozeman Science YouTube channel is super helpful with almost every topic in biology, for future reference.

In physical science, we played review baseball for the test tomorrow.

Friday, September 5

Friday was an odd day for our schedule. We had first and second block and then activities in the auditorium and a pep rally for the football team.

In AP Biology, we finished our Chapter 3 notes on organic molecules.

In 2nd period physical science we worked on a test review sheet for our test on Tuesday, Sept. 9th

September 3

In AP Biology, we went over Chapter 3 homework and began taking notes on Chapter 3 - Organic Molecules.

In physical science, we started our individual project building water filters or insulated gloves. In this project, you will design a water filter or an insulated glove using materials chosen for their given physical properties.

We also worked on an in-class challenge to create a hot air balloon. We will have to continue this tomorrow as only a few people were successful.

September 2

In AP Biology we designed and carried out an experiment to examine the behavior of insects, pill bugs in our case. This is based on AP Biology Lab 12: Fruit Fly Behavior .

In physical science, we went over yesterday's homework and started with a lab that examined what happens during a phase change (ice melting into water). We specifically concentrated on what happens to the temperature. Then we took some notes on Chapter 3 - States of Matter. There weren't many notes and we were able to finish them.

The video of the day is about a substance that has properties of both a liquid and a solid - oobleck. We might spend a day to make this and show it off to the younger grades.

Here is the dry ice video that we were watching 4th period:

September 1st

The weekly schedule for AP Biology is linked here. We went over last week's homework for Chapter 2 and finished up the notes for that chapter.

The video of the day is an awesome one that really shows the cohesive power of water:

In physical science we finished the notes for Chapter 2 - Properties of Matter and did a demo where we looked at the chemical properties of aluminum and magnesium in response to heat.

For physical science, there are review questions for Chapter 2:
pg. 44 #1-6
pg. 51 #1-6
pg. 58 #1-7

The video of the day is about a weird type of matter - dark matter: