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!