Investigations in Science 7 – October 19, 2018

Announcements:

We cannot say THANK YOU enough to all the amazing volunteers that helped us
with Finance Park (or will be helping us shortly)! We are so grateful for your
support!

Coming Up:

 Photosynthesis
 Cellular Respiration

Dates:

 October 19 - Finance Park Field Trip

 October 23 – Red Ribbon Week – Crazy Sock Day
 October 23 – Make Up Picture Day
 October 24 – Red Ribbon Week – Team Jersey Day
 October 25 – Red Ribbon Week – Wear Red Day
 October 26 – Red Ribbon Week – FMS Gear/Colors Day
 October 26 – SGA Dance at 7:00 pm
 October 31 – No After School Activities
 November 1 – PTA Meeting at 7:00 pm
 November 6 - No School
 November 7 - Early Release Day
 November 7 – No After School Activities
 November 8 – No After School Activities
 November 9 - Medieval Times Field Trip
 November 12 - Early Release Day
 November 12 – Parent/Teacher Conferences
 November 13 - Early Release Day
 November 20 – No After School Activities
 November 21 - Early Release Day
  November 22-23 – No School
 November 29 – FMS vs. Rosa Parks Basketball Game
 December 6 – International Night
 December 11 – Winter Concert at Blake HS at 7:00 pm
 December 20 – Volleyball Tournament

What we did this week:

My classroom has been turned into a hydroponics laboratory (with TONS of
fish to keep us entertained)! Every group had to work through the design process
including troubleshooting and redesigning. I am very impressed with all the
projects! Groups started collecting data on their plant and will continue to monitor
for a few weeks (measuring the height, counting the leaves, observing the color,
and testing the pH of the water). Students know that based on their observations
they can change their project at any time. I posted all the projects on my website
if you want to look at the different designs.
We also met and made decisions about what we want to do with our basil
plants. Groups got to plan what type of nutrient solution (food), medium (what is
holding up the plant), and type of system they want.
Tuesday, we completed an interactive to see how the cell reacts different to
photosynthesis during the different seasons of the year. We also took notes on
chromatography. We talked about how it is a process that separates different
pigments. This information was helpful for our lab we will complete next week.
Then, we focused on photosynthesis. Today we will do a chromatography lab
where students rub a piece of spinach on chromatography paper using a coin. The
bottom of the chromatography paper (filter paper) is then placed in rubbing
alcohol. The plant material starts to move up the filter paper by the end of the
class and the different materials will separate. We will notice that the material
inside the cells contains both green and yellow pigments. Students discover that
the function of a plant’s pigment is to absorb light energy for photosynthesis. We
also completed an interactive to see how the change in temperature during the day
and night affect photosynthesis.