Today we started in with a review of the guided reading from yesterday and I introduced an assignment for a Venn Diagram project.  I want it to be our first poster-size project of the quarter to replace what we have on the walls in the commons area from 3rd quarter.  This assignment goes as follows:

Directions:

1. Make a list of 5 organisms, including yourself that reside in and around a certain habitat.

2. Create a list of biotic factors and abiotic factors for each organism within its specific habitat. Remember, An organism interacts with both the living and nonliving parts of its habitat.

3. Provide a picture of the organism and its population within its environment for each of the five habitats.

4. Create a Venn diagram connecting the organisms and show what resources they share and what resources they don’t.

5. Label these concepts on the picture: organism, habitat, biotic factor, abiotic factor, species, population, community, ecosystem.

6. Be creative! Make it as colorful and informative as possible.

Here is an example of a 5 set Venn Diagram:

So we’re back now and into the first section of our Environmental Science text.  We worked through the big idea of the first section and did a guided reading in class.  They should have it done, but if for any reason they don’t, it is homework.  We’re going to move a little faster these next few weeks, so they should be aware and paying attention in class.

Intro into Environmental Science today.

CRT test day today.

Today we went through each question on the review and found the page numbers in the books.  It’s up tot he kids to write out the answers to the quesitons and hand them in before the test.  The big test is tomorrow.

Today we started our hard and heavy CRT review.  It will be a 50 question, 100 point SUMMATIVE grade on Wednesday.  I want to make sure each student is well prepared for it so I made a review sheet and we started identifying page numbers and answering questions on the concepts.  This is their only homework.  It’s kinda lengthy and the kids should be done finding page numbers by tomorrow so we can get the questions answered by Wednesday.  The review sheet is a formative assignment due Wednesday at the beginning of class.

Today we had a quiz over Patterns of Behavior and Animal Intelligence.  The kids don’t like my quizzes, and that makes me sad.

Today we went over a review sheet that covered this week’s material in order to prepare for Friday’s test.  After that we watched a PBS/Nova video on Bird Brains and how they acquire language.  Very interseting stuff!

Today we started watching a couple of cool videos on how NOVA/PBS about the intelligence of animals.  I’m going to be including this stuff on the quiz this week so I’ve asked the kids to take notes.  Wow, do they hate that.

Today we went through the guided reading over section 5.2 on Patterns of Behavior.  I also assigned a cool body language assignment.  The kids have to pick 5 subjects throughout the day and observe their behavior.  They have to observe their subject, describe where they are at, what they’re doing, what their body language is and try to identify what their subject’s emotional state is.  Are they nervous, anxious, confident, angry, happy and so on.  They need to describe the positions of their subject’s body and make connections to how that subject may or may not be feeling.  It should be interesting stuff.