Weekly Newsletter IS7 - October 15th

What we did this week:

This week, we looked at the different parts of the plant. On Open House, the
substitute did a jigsaw with the students. Each person at the table became an expert on a
particular part of the plant and then came back to their table to share what they learned
about the particular part of the plant. They all recorded their information on a graphic
organizer.
Tuesday, we looked at the characteristics of plants and how they attract
pollinators. Flowers use shape, size of petals, color and scent to attract different
pollinators. Some examples we named are that hummingbirds are attracted to the color
red and flies are attracted to bad smelling flowers. Students used our NEW
CHROMEBOOKS to complete an interactive to match flowers to their pollinators. They
then read about what pollination was and worked with their groups to determine the main
characteristics that affect successful pollination.
Wednesday, we interrupted our learning about plant pollination to focus on how to
conduct pH tests. I noticed that the daily plant observations were not going as smoothly
as they should be. We are continuing to make daily observations of our basil plants by
measuring the height, counting the leaves, observing the color, and testing the pH of the
water. We conducted a lab with our lab groups where we tested the pH from 7 different
samples that were obtained from different teachers, and tried to match an unknown
substance to one of the samples by only conducting a pH test. We were looking to see
which teacher, had a chemical spill and didn't clean it up. Many students found that I was
the messy teacher that didn't clean up after herself. When the lab was done, we again
went back to trying to match pollinators to plants by using information on the plant as well
as the pollinator. Groups were writing a BCR that explains their logic behind which plant
matched which pollinator by explaining what pollination is as well as what characteristics
that plants have that will attract organisms to it.
Today, we will finish our BCR about pollination as a check for understanding and look
at the factors that affect plant growth that include both genetic and environmental. We
looked at how light, water, temperature, nutrients, and genetic factors can affect plant
growth.
Students should be finishing up their review sheets this weekend and they have an
assessment on Monday. All information on the assessment can be found on the review
sheet.

Next week, we will have a number of different labs. All labs are graded in 7th
grade and put in the formative category. They are not retakable so I talk with the
students about completing quality work particularly while completing labs.
Coming Up:
Topics:
Plant Parts and Reproduction
Photosynthesis
o Chromatography Lab
o Zebrina and Photosynthesis Lab
o Evidence of Photosynthesis Lab
o Cycling of Matter during Photosynthesis Lab
Dates:
October 19 - Environmental Factors and Plant Growth Assessment Monday - 2 BCRs
and 1 graph
October 19 - Review Sheet due (attached)
October 26 - Photosynthesis Assessment - 1 BCR and 9 selected response
November 2 - No School