Schedule for the rest of the week

Because of the PLAN test given today, all of my classes are at different points in our discussion of Sponges and Cnidarians.  Tomorrow will be used to "catch up" and get back where I planned for each class to be.  

1st period:  We will finish sponges and continue on with our discussion about Cnidarians.

3rd period:  We will take our Chapter 26 Section 1 Quiz and then pick up where we left off with Sponges.  From there, we will move on to our discussion of Cnidarians.

4th period:  You all are right on schedule!  We will discuss Cnidarians!

The remainder of the week will consist of a review day (Thursday) and Chapter 26 Test (Friday).  Hope you all have a wonderful week!

Fruit Lab Tomorrow!

Tomorrow is an exciting day in our class!  After spending the past several weeks and three chapters studying the different types of plants, tomorrow is a fun lab day for us!  We will be discussing the different types of fruits and sampling both ordinary and exotic fruits!  Some of the different types of fruits that we have learned about are:  pomes, drupes, aggregate fruits, multiple fruits, hesperidiums, and berries.  We will be able to sample each of these types of fruits!  

With all that being said, this is your official reminder to bring the fruit that you signed up for!  Hope you all have a great evening and are looking forward to class tomorrow!

Plan for the Week

Hello everyone!  Hope you all had a great weekend!  Here is a brief summary of our plan for the week:

Today:  We discussed reproduction in gymnosperms and angiosperms.  We also reviewed the life cycles of both gymnosperms and angiosperms and reviewed floral anatomy.

Tuesday:  We will sign up for what fruit you are going to bring on Friday.  In addition, we will discuss pollination, the development of fruit, and seed dispersal.  

Wednesday:  We will take our quiz over Floral Anatomy!  Make sure you look over your flower diagram and are label to label each structure and identify certain structures as male or female.  We will use the remainder of the class period to review for your Chapter 24 Test.

Thursday:  We will be taking the Chapter 24 Test.  After the test, you will use the iPADS to go on a "fruit webquest" to discover the different types of fruits in preparation for our lab tomorrow.

Friday:  First and third periods will collaborate with Mrs. Hurlbert's Culinary Arts class to identify the different types of fruits and to sample regular and exotic fruits!  Fourth period will have this same experience.  We just won't be able to collaborate with culinary because of class schedule.

Well...that's the plan for the week!  Looking forward to it!

Leaf Test Tomorrow!

Don't forget that you have your leaf lab test tomorrow!  There will be live specimen of leaves in the lab for you to identify their characteristics.  Here is a quick review of the characteristics you are responsible for:

• Simple vs. Compound
• If compound, then odd pinnate, even pinnate, or bipinnate
• Opposite or Alternate arrangement on the stem
• Petiolate or Sessile
• Leaf Margin (entire, serrated, lobed, or parted)
• Leaf Venation (pinnate, palmate, or parallel)

After the leaf test, we will be discussing Chapter 24 Section 1  as we continue our Plant Unit.

See you tomorrow!

Chapter 23 Test Tomorrow!

After reviewing for your test today, you should be prepared to take the Chapter 23 Test tomorrow.  Make sure that you study and have completed your Section 1-5 Review Guides and your Chapter 23 Study Guide.  Also, if you were not able to finish your writing assignment in class, that needs to be turned in tomorrow!

Friday will be your Leaf Test!  I will have live examples for you to look at and identify the characteristics of.  You will also need to know how to use a dichotomous key to identify tree species based on leaf characteristics.  We practiced this LOTS on our leaf walk yesterday!!!

Have a great afternoon!

Leaf Walk Tomorrow!

Now that we are leaf experts and are able to identify the different characteristics of leaves, we will go out in the field to use our leaf knowledge to identify trees!  We will be taking dichotomous keys and field guides with us to be able to identify species of trees based on their leaf characteristics!

Please dress accordingly!  Tennis shoes or old boots are the most appropriate footwear.  Also, wear something fairly warm as the temperature may be cool.  

Most of you did very well on your leaf quiz today, so you should feel prepared to venture out into the field and use what you have learned!

See you tomorrow!!!

Leaves, Leaves, Leaves!!!

Today, we spent the entire class period studying the characteristics of leaves.  By now, you should be able to distinguish:

• Simple vs. Compound
• If compound, odd pinnate, even pinnate, or bipinnate
• Petiolate vs. Sessile
• Parallel, Palmate, or Pinnate venation
• Entire, Serrated, Lobed, or Parted margin
• Opposite, Alternate, or Whorled arrangement on the stem 

Please do not forget to complete your "More Leaf Practice" worksheet for homework.  In the coming days, you will be putting your knowledge of leaf characteristics to the test in the classroom and in nature.  

As of today, it looks like your Leaf Quiz will be on Monday, and we will go out into the field to look at leaves on Tuesday.

Coming Back after the Long Weekend!

I hope everyone had a wonderful long weekend!  

Today in class, we started Chapter 23 which is an in-depth look at roots, stems, and leaves.  Don't forget that your Chapter 23 Vocabulary Crossword Puzzle is due tomorrow for a homework grade!

Hope you have a great (rainy) afternoon!

Chapter 22 Test Tomorrow!

Please don't forget to study for your Chapter 22 Test tomorrow!  Your Chapter 22 Packet will also be due at the beginning of class tomorrow.  In that packet, you should include:

• Sections 1-5 Review Guides
• Chapter 22 Study Guide

Also note that this week is HOMECOMING and a 3 day week for students.  Thursday will be Parent Teacher Conference Day, and Friday is an Inservice Day.  

Dress up days for HOMECOMING:
Today- Favorite College Team or NASCAR driver Day
Tuesday- Stoplight or Act your Age Day
Wednesday- School Spirit Day

Chapter 22 Section 1-3 Vocabulary Quiz Tomorrow!

Don't forget to study your vocabulary words for the Chapter 22 Section 1-3 quiz!  You have 21 words to know for the quiz!  After our quiz tomorrow, we will be looking at moss and fern structures under the microscope.

The Academic Boosters is hosting Open House tonight at 6:30 p.m.  Many teachers should be available for parents to talk to and meet with briefly.

Have a great afternoon!

Chapter 21 Test Tomorrow!!!

Tomorrow is your Chapter 21 (Fungus) Test!  Please study and have the following items ready to turn in:

• Section 1, 2, and 3 Review Guides
• Your Fungal Writing Assignment (3rd and 4th periods; 1st period did not get to this yet)

Make sure that you have studied and are prepared to take the test.  Studying the summary chart in Section 2 is a good way to organize the 4 different phyla and their reproductive structures.

Parents:  I sent home progress reports yesterday.  All students should have a copy of all their graded assignments with their overall grade as of Monday.

Chapter 21 Section 2 and 3 Quiz Tomorrow!

Hope everyone enjoyed the fermentation lab that you conducted today!  Everyone did a fantastic job!

Don't forget...tomorrow you will have a quiz over Chapter 21 Section 2 and 3.  We will also be reviewing our experiment from today and reviewing for our chapter test on Thursday.

See you tomorrow!  Hope you have a wonderful afternoon!

Chapter 21 Section 1 Quiz Tomorrow!

First of all, thank you to all three of my Biology II classes that brought in their fungi for extra credit!  We got to look at a diverse population of fungus at the beginning of class, and it was a great experience!

Don't forget that you have your Chapter 21 Section 1 Quiz tomorrow!!!  It is a 10 question quiz.

You will also get progress reports tomorrow to give you an idea of where you are in the class and what improvements, if any, need to be made.

Hope you have a great afternoon!  See you tomorrow!

~Mrs. Lawson~

Starting Chapter 21

Today, we began our discussion about fungi.  We discussed characteristics, the 4 major phyla, and how each of those phyla reproduce.  We also worked on a review guide for each of the two sections that we covered.

There is no homework for the weekend, but those two review guides will be due Tuesday, September 11th.

Hope everyone has a fun and safe weekend!  Go Rebels!!!

Chapter 20 Test (Protists) Tomorrow!

Please do not forget to study for your test tomorrow!  Use the study guide and key term review to help you study along with your notes!

These are the items that you will turn in tomorrow for your Chapter 20 Packet:

• Protist Packet (given at beginning of the chapter, has coloring diagrams)
• Chapter 20 Study Guide 
• Key Term Review

If for some reason, you did not have the homework assignment for today finished, you need to finish it before tomorrow to avoid another bad grade!

Hope everyone has a wonderful evening!

Animal-like Protist Table Due Tomorrow!

Don't forget to finish up your animal-like protist table for homework tonight.  We will finish our labs in class tomorrow and possibly start a new lab looking at our plant-like protists species.

As always, if you need any help with any assignment, please come see me during study hall!!!

Have a great afternoon!

End of Chapter 19...Beginning of Chapter 20

After our test today over Chapter 19 (Bacteria and Viruses), we started working on a concept map over our Chapter 20 topic:  protists.  This concept map helps to organize the different groups of protists and their major characteristics.  We will be taking an accuracy based grade over the concept map tomorrow.

Hope everyone did well on the test!  If you were absent today, you should be ready to take the test tomorrow during study hall.  I will try to grade the tests as soon as possible and as soon as everyone in your class has taken his or her test.

Hope you have a fantastic afternoon!

~Mrs. Lawson~

Bacteria and Virus Quiz Tomorrow!

Don't forget that you have a quiz tomorrow over Section 1 (Bacteria) and Section 2 (Viruses) tomorrow at the very beginning of class!  You should also complete the Section 3 (Bacterial Control) review guide and the key term review.

Hope you have a great evening!  See you tomorrow!  

Mrs. Lawson

P.S.  Tomorrow is our Friday!!!  :)

A Look at the Upcoming Week!

Because of handing out textbooks, my classes are at different places.  But, here is what you can expect over the next couple days:

We will continue our discussion of viruses (1st period) and discuss how we control and stop the reproduction of bacteria and viruses.  We will have a quiz on Thursday about bacteria and viruses, and we will also review for our Chapter 19 Test that day.  So yes, it does mean that you will have a test on Monday over Chapter 19 Sections 1-3.  Don't look at it as an opportunity to forget you are having a test, but look at it as an extra day (Friday) to study and prepare!  

There was not a homework assignment for tonight!  See you tomorrow!

Mrs. Lawson

P.S.  Good luck to the Boys and Girls Cross Country teams at their first meet tonight at Daniel Boone!!!

Bacteria Groupings and Shapes Practice for Homework

Hello classes!  Tomorrow in class, we will finish up our "Poisoned Picnic" activity for about the first 20 minutes of class.  We will also go over the Homework Quiz that we took today over Chapter 19 Section 1.  After we finish these two things, we will begin our discussion of viruses and the diseases that they cause!  More exciting and disgusting pictures are coming your way!!!  :)

Please don't forget to complete your homework tonight!  You need to complete the Bacteria Groupings and Shapes Practice.  They will be turned in at the beginning of class and will be taken for an accuracy grade!

See you tomorrow!

Mrs. Lawson

Bacteria Review Sheet due on Monday!

Don't forget to complete your Chapter 19 Section 1 (Bacteria) Review Sheet over the weekend if you did not complete it in class today.  We will have a homework quiz over that section first thing in class.  

I also have a fun, problem-solving lab for you to do on Monday. 

Don't forget your fees if you haven't paid them already!  They buy YOUR lab supplies!!!

Have a great weekend!  GO REBELS!!! 

Biology I Review Quiz Tomorrow!!!

Remember students:  tomorrow you will have your first quiz!  It is over the Major Biology Concepts notes that we took in class Tuesday and Wednesday and the Biology I Review sheet that you completed last night for homework.  No diagrams will be on the quiz!  Please come see me in study hall if you have questions!

Also, please remember to bring in your $15 Lab Fee if you haven't already.  It will be used to buy your lab supplies!!!  The more money I receive, the more supplies I am able to buy for you all!

Hope everyone has a wonderful evening!  See you tomorrow!

Things to Remember!!!

Lots of information was given out to students yesterday and today!  Here is a list to help you remember what needs to be returned to school:

1st period:

• $15 Activity fee (for school)
• $15 Biology fee (for lab supplies)
• Rights and Responsibilities Sheet signed by parent
• Emergency Medical Sheet for clinic
• Student Data Sheet
• Email Communication form
• BYOT form
• Parent letter sent home by Mrs. Lawson (100 daily grade when returned with parent signature)
• Internet Permission form (allows Mrs. Lawson to publish pictures of students doing lab activities on the blog)
• Roll of paper towels (for extra credit)

3rd and 4th periods:

• $15 Biology fee (for lab supplies)
• Parent letter sent home by Mrs. Lawson (100 daily grade when returned with parent signature)
• Internet Permission form (allows Mrs. Lawson to publish pictures of students doing lab activities on the blog)
• 3rd period:  box of tissues (for extra credit)
• 4th period:  bottle of hand sanitizer (for extra credit)

Hope these lists help you remember everything you are supposed to bring back to school with you!  Have a great evening!

Welcome Back to the 2012-2013 School Year!!!

Welcome Back Students and Parents!  I hope you all have had a wonderful summer!  I am excited to be back in school and am looking forward to meeting each and every one of you!  

A little about this blog:  I am teaching three sections of Biology II this semester.  I am going to try to update this blog at least every other day with important events in our classroom as well as project, homework, test, and quiz reminders.  I am going to do my best to keep all three of my Biology II classes on the same schedule.  That being said, no matter what class period you are in, the reminders, notes, and information on this blog should apply to you.  When there is an exception, it will be noted in the blog post.

Students:  I am excited to meet you and be your teacher for this semester.  I encourage you to check this website on a daily basis to make sure that you are aware of any assignments, tests, or quizzes that you are responsible for the following day.  Many of you are permanently attached to a technology device that can get on the Internet, so I encourage this website to be one you check frequently.  There will be extra credit opportunities in class based on information you will find on this blog.  Be prepared!!!

Parents:  I also encourage you to bookmark this page and check it frequently.  It is always a positive thing for parents to be involved with what their children are doing in school.  On this site, you will be able to see when they have homework, quizzes, and tests.  With your permission, you can also see them participating in classroom activities and labs.  There are places for you to leave comments, and you are always welcome to email me at courtneylawson23@gmail.com or courtney.lawson@sullivank12.net.  I check both of these emails daily and will respond quickly to any email sent to me.

Again, I am very excited to be starting this school year.  Please be on the lookout for reminders...this first week of school is full of them!  There will also be an extra credit opportunity sometime during the first week of school!!!

Update for the Spring Semester

Hello all!  I have been a little behind on my posts so far this semester, and I apologize for that!  Starting next week, I will do my best to post on a daily basis concerning daily classroom activities and test and quiz reminders.

This semester I am teaching three different classes:
3rd period- Anatomy and Physiology
4th period- Environmental Science
5th period- Biology II

When checking assignments and tests, make sure that you are looking under the correct class period for information.  

Today in class:
Anatomy will be taking a quiz over our Integumentary System notes from yesterday and continuing our discussion of the dermis and its accessory structures.

Environmental Science will be reviewing for our Chapter 4 Test that will take place on Monday.  Students should study their materials over the weekend. 


Biology II will be starting our new chapter on Plants.  This is a survey chapter so students will be learning about bryophytes, ferns and their relatives, gymnosperms, and angiosperms.  Today, we will be discussing and taking notes over the introductory materials and bryophytes.  If Chapter 22 Section 1 and 2 Review Guides are not finished in class, they will become homework for the weekend.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!
Mrs. Lawson