Holiday giving ... With a Science Twist!!

Your students will have a blast with this dichotomous  classification key!

(It's educational ... sort of ....)

Very rarely in my high school biology classes do we have the time to devote to a holiday activity.  I make an exception each year for this fun, but very important activity.  I do this activity each year to remind my students of the importance of community service and “giving back” to our community. 

The purpose of the activity is very simple:  To put together stockings of candy and Ziploc bags of toiletries that can be donated to a local charity.

This is a free download from my TpT store, and is suitable for grades 5-12. Click here to download.

Just before Thanksgiving, I place a donation box in my room.  I explain to my students that I am collecting their spare change for a service project that we will do just before school is out for the holidays.  I talk briefly about being thankful for what we have, and that we have an obligation to help others who are less fortunate than us.  I ask them to place their donations in the collection box whenever they have a bit of change in their pockets to spare.  I encourage them to give what they can, and that all donations are a personal and private matter.   I accept the donations for about 3 weeks prior to the activity.  The students are not allowed to ask each other how much they donated, etc.  I use this change to purchase the items needed for the activity.  

Students will use the dichotomous classification key to identify each of the candies and each of the toiletries seen above.  Each item has been given a very special and unique name for this fun activity!  Ok, I'm going to admit that the science is a little "shaky" in this activity, but the students deserve a break from time to time, and they do love doing this activity.

The end result is that you have stockings of candy and bags of toiletries to donate to a food bank, a nursing home, a homeless shelter, or other charity of your choice.

I hope you have a wonderful holiday season with your students and families!

Secondary Smorgasbord: A Buffet of Resources for Secondary Teachers

The Secondary Smorgasbord Theme of the Week??

Free and Fabulous!!

I am super excited to be participating in a new monthly blog hop / linky for secondary teachers.  This terrific idea is the brainstorm of two friends Darlene Anne Curran (The ELA Buffet) and Pamela Kranz (Desktop Learning Adventures).  I was fortunate enough to finally meet both new friends this past summer at the TeachersPayTeachers convention in Las Vegas.

The idea behind this blog hop is to provide you secondary teachers with some new ideas, tips for your classroom, free teaching materials, and anything else we can think of.  So welcome to the first installment of the Secondary Smorgasbord!  The theme for this month is "Free and Fabulous!"  Be sure to click on the links in the first paragraph of the post so that you can grab all of the awesome free teaching materials.

What is on the smorgasbord menu from Science Stuff?  I have decided to highlight two freebies that I have in my store.  Both are simple one-page references tables, but I have used both of these in just the last week!  If you are a biology or a chemistry teacher you know that both of these play a very important role in our classes.  I know you already have these tables, but I have spruced them up to make them attractive for our students.

For the Biology teachers:  Here is a chart of all 64 mRNA codons and the amino acids they code for.  This is a must-have during your unit on DNA, RNA and Protein synthesis.  (Click image or red text to download freebie.)

For the Chemistry teachers:  This is a table of electronegativities.  This is a must-have during units on the periodic table and bonding.  Click image or red text to download freebie.)

Again, be sure to check out all the posts / freebies by clicking the links in the first paragraph.  I hope you find something you can use!  Be sure to watch each month for the Secondary Smorgasbord Buffet of Resources!

An InLinkz Link-up

Evolution and Classification Warm Ups and Interactive Notebook Pages

Do you love teaching about evolution or dread it?

I am the biggest biology nerd ever, so I love ALL of biology.  But I really, really, really love teaching about evolution, followed up with classification.  My first year biology students have very poor (and uninformed!!) ideas and knowledge about evolution.  For many of them, it is the first time they have been taught about it.  Others come with a lot of misinformation.

This makes for such a fun teaching situation!  Just for kicks, ask your students about their opinions on the topic of evolution BEFORE you teach them the unit. I am always amazed at their misconceptions and poor knowledge base.  When you have finished teaching your unit, ask the students again about their opinions.  I love that over the course of a couple of weeks the opinions of many will be changed, and the knowledge level of all has been increased.

And the best part?  There is never a dull moment in class.  I love the discussion and the questions and the arguing!  I love to see the wheels turning in their brains.

Since this material tends to be new for most of my students, I developed a set of 61 warm ups / bell ringers / interactive notebook pages to use during the unit.

There are so many ways to use these pages.  I have my students keep a "Biology Warm Up Notebook."  It is a perfect way to review and reinforce material from the previous day, and it is a fantastic classroom management tool. 

My students come in, grab the warm up and get right to work. By the time I have finished taking roll, answering questions, dealing with the "stuff" that we teachers always have to deal with, my students are settled down and are already hard at work. There are too many pages to be completed in class, so I often use them as homework assignments, and review guides for the unit test.

Keeping a "warm up" notebook provides a perfect way to
review for the semester exam or end of course testing.

Below is a table of contents.  The 61 pages include all of these titles.

Here is a look at format.....

As always, I hope you are having a terrific year with your students.

Links to all Warm Ups / Bellringers/ Interactive Notebook Topics:

Introduction to Science

Cell Structure and Function

Ecology

Genetics

DNA, RNA, and Protein Synthesis

Evolution and Classification

DNA and RNA and Protein Synthesis: Warm Ups or Interactive Notebooks

There are so many possibilities for these interactive pages!

The concepts involved in a unit on DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis are difficult and complex. Although this is one of my most favorite topics to teach, I fully realize that some of my students will struggle and will have a hard time "visualizing" the information.

I began "dabbling" with the use of warm ups / bell ringers / interactive notebook pages at the end of last school year.  I was pleased with the results, but wished I had started my students on this path from the start of the school year.  So this year, I did.  I love the flexibility of the different ways they can be used:  Interactive notebooks, warm ups, bell ringers, exit slips, homework assignments, or short daily quizzes.

This set on DNA and RNA is actually the 5th set of these activity pages that I have completed. If interested, here are the previous blog posts on the other 4 sets:
Introduction to Biology: Great Classroom Management Tool
Biology Interactive Notebooks (Cell Structure and Physiology)
Ecology Warm Ups
Genetics Activities for Interactive Notebooks

I ended up with 35 student pages in this set on DNA and RNA.  They have a really good range in difficulty.  When taken in order, the first few pages are very basic, and they increase in complexity as you move through the entire set. Teachers of middle school students will find plenty of pages that are suitable for their students, and the high school teachers will find the advanced topics they need to move their students to a higher level.

The 35 pages have a good mix of question types.  Some pages require drawing, while others require more problem solving and critical thinking skills.  But the key element of every page is reinforcement and review of the concepts and details of protein synthesis.

Below you will find the titles of the 35 pages included in this product.

DNA and Replication Titles (14 pages):

·    The Early Experiments

·    The Basics of DNA Structure

·    Nucleotides

·    DNA: Label It!

·    Complete the Drawing

·    Can You Draw It?

·    DNA Structure

·    DNA Replication

·    A Detailed Look At Replication

·    Proofreading the DNA

·    Repairing the Damage

·    The Genetic Code

·    Deciphering the Code

·    Thinking Critically About DNA

RNA and Transcription Titles (8 pages):

·    Differences Between DNA and RNA

·    RNA: The Big Picture

·    Types of RNA

·    Overview of Transcription

·    Steps to Transcription

·    Transcription: Complete It!

·    RNA Processing and Editing

·    The Genetic Code

Translation and Protein Synthesis Titles (5 pages):

·    Overview of Protein Synthesis

·    Translating the Code

·    Translating the Code 2

·    Mutations

·    Mutations 2

Gene Expression Titles (3 pages):

·    Gene Expression in Prokaryotes

·    Gene Expression in Eukaryotes

·    Cancer

Genetic Engineering Titles (5 pages):

·    Changing the Living World

·    Manipulating DNA

·    Cell Transformation

·    Transgenic Organisms

·    Thinking Critically About Genetic Engineering

These are fantastic for your interactive notebooks.  

Thanks for stopping by my blog.  I hope you are having a wonderful school year!

Links to products in my TpT Store:
Introduction to Biology Warm Ups
Cell Structure and Physiology Warm Ups
Ecology Warm Ups
Genetics Warm Ups
DNA, RNA, and Protein Synthesis Warm Ups

"Meet and Teach" with these Fabulous Teacher/Authors!

What is the "Meet and Teach" eBook?

This is one eBook you are not going to want to miss! Recently, Brain Waves Instruction, Literary Sherri, and Getting Nerdy with Mel and Gerdy combined forces to compile three separate eBooks that are packed full of "ready to teach" lessons and pages.

Specifically, there are three different eBooks:  One for Science and Math, one for ELA, and one for Humanities.  Each eBook has contributions from 25 teacher/authors.  Each author was asked to submit two pages to the eBook. The first page is the "Meet" page.  You will find fun information about each teacher, such as their favorite things and why they love teaching their subject. The second page is the "Teach" page.  This page is a ready-to-print and ready-to-teach free item.  It has everything you need!  Simply print the page and start teaching.

Here is a sneak preview of the two pages I submitted to the eBook;

As you can see, the "teach" page above is ready to be printed and passed out to your students.  The pages are sample pages from my biology interactive and warm up notebooks.

There are some really fabulous ideas and free resources included in all three eBooks.  You will not be disappointed in this free download!

Ready to download your free eBooks?  Click on the images below to download the book of your choice, or all of them!

An InLinkz Link-up

Onion Root Tip Mitosis Squash Preparation Protocol (Step by Step Chromosome Squash Method)

This post outlines a step by step onion root tip mitosis squash preparation protocol for biology teachers looking to prepare chromosome squash slides.

When you can smell the onions at the end of my hallway, you know it is time to study cell division and make chromosome squash slides. Even after more than 30 years of teaching, this remains one of my favorite biology labs. Students experience everything from frustration when a slide does not turn out to real excitement when they peer into the microscope and realize they made a good one.

What exactly is a chromosome squash?  

A chromosome squash is a slide preparation technique that uses actively dividing cells from an onion root tip to show the different phases of mitosis under a microscope.

How long is this lab?  

This lab takes several days to complete. A short amount of class time is needed to start the onion roots growing. After about five days, students cut the root tips. You should then allow at least two additional class periods for slide preparation and microscopy.

Are there safety precautions that should be followed?  

Yes. This lab requires the use of concentrated hydrochloric acid. It should be conducted in a well ventilated lab with access to a fume hood and an eye wash station. Students must wear safety goggles and lab aprons at all times.

Onion Root Tip Mitosis Squash Preparation Protocol

Begin by purchasing onion sets from a local feed and seed store or a biological supply company. For variety, I typically use red, yellow, and white onions. The color of the onion does not affect the outcome of the lab, but students enjoy growing them, and the lab tables look great when they are full of sprouting onions.

The next step is to "plant" the onions. As you can see in the photo, you will need small plastic cups and toothpicks. A 50-mL beaker works well, also. Students insert three toothpicks into each onion to form a tripod and suspend the onion over a cup filled with water. This setup takes about 20 minutes of class time. Root tips are typically ready for use after about five days.

The root tip is a region of rapid cell division. As the root grows, cells divide continuously, making this tissue ideal for observing mitosis. Once the root tips reach a length of approximately one inch, use a razor blade to cut the roots away from the bulb. Place the root tips in 70 percent isopropyl alcohol. The alcohol kills and preserves the cells, and because many cells are actively dividing, they are often arrested in one of the phases of mitosis. The root tips must soak in the alcohol for at least 24 hours before slide preparation.

Day 5:  Roots are long enough to be cut.

Ready to make the slide?  

It is important to forewarn students that this procedure is not perfect. Several attempts may be required before a slide is clear enough to observe the phases of mitosis. This trial and error is part of the learning process and helps students develop patience and laboratory skills.

To begin slide preparation, remove a root tip from the isopropyl alcohol and place it in a solution of hydrochloric acid and ethyl alcohol. After the appropriate amount of time, transfer the root tip to Carnoy’s solution. Next, place the root tip on a microscope slide and cover it with aceto-orcein stain. While the tissue is in the stain, students should finely chop the root tip using a razor blade. For best results, thorough chopping helps separate the cells.

The final step is the squash technique. Place a cover slip over the chopped root tip and apply gentle, even pressure with your thumb. This spreads the cells into a thin layer suitable for viewing under the microscope.

Place the prepared slide under the microscope and examine it for cells in the different stages of mitosis. Because this technique can be challenging, multiple attempts may be necessary before a clear slide is obtained.

When students finally observe a successful slide, the excitement in the lab is immediate and contagious. I encourage students to take photographs of their slides using their cell phones. While I have never quite mastered this skill myself, students are surprisingly good at capturing clear images.

Have fun teaching!

Frequently Asked Questions: Onion Root Tip Mitosis Squash Preparation

What is an onion root tip mitosis squash?
An onion root tip mitosis squash is a slide preparation technique that uses actively dividing cells from onion root tips to observe the phases of mitosis under a microscope.

What materials are needed for an onion root tip chromosome squash?
This lab requires onion bulbs, water, small cups or beakers, toothpicks, razor blades, microscope slides and cover slips, 70 percent isopropyl alcohol, hydrochloric acid, ethyl alcohol, Carnoy’s solution, and aceto orcein stain.

What stain is used for onion root tip mitosis squashes?
Onion root tip mitosis squashes are commonly stained with aceto orcein or acetocarmine to make chromosomes visible during the stages of mitosis.

What are the steps in the onion root tip mitosis squash preparation protocol?
The procedure includes growing onion roots, cutting and preserving the root tips, treating the tissue with acid and alcohol solutions, staining the cells, chopping the root tip, and gently squashing the tissue under a cover slip to spread the cells.

Why are my chromosome squashes unclear or difficult to see?
Common issues include insufficient chopping of the root tip, too much or too little pressure during the squash, overstaining or understaining, or using root tips that are not actively dividing.

Genetics Problems and Activities for Biology Interactive Notebooks, Warm Ups, and Bell Ringers

Genetics is the name, and warm ups, bell ringers and interactive notebook pages is the game.  

This idea is on fire in my standard biology classes!  I admit that my students were dubious (at best) at first, but now all are on board, and I am loving the daily routine.  I would call what I am doing a "warm up notebook."  The short review that each page provides for my students each day is proving to be invaluable.  But there are so many other uses for these activity pages.  They make fantastic homework assignments or short daily quizzes.  They are perfect for your science interactive notebooks.  And my students are starting to realize that their notebook is going to be awesome in December when it is time to study for my semester exam.

In earlier blog posts, I wrote about how to set up the notebooks, and pretty much exhausted the topic of the merits of these warm up /bell ringer activities.  You can check out the earlier blog posts by clicking these links:

• Biology Warm Ups and Bell Ringers: Great Classroom Management Tool
• Biology Interactive Notebooks
• Ecology Warm Ups and Bell Ringers

The latest topic to be added to my bell ringer arsenal is Genetics.   Here's a preview of what is included:

 

I have divided the pages into three different categories:

There are 34 pages for the student.  Each printed page has two identical warm ups.  The only thing you have to do is print the pages and cut them in half.  Complete answer keys are also included.

A couple of examples of student work....

I hope that I have given you some new ideas for your classroom, and I hope you are having a wonderful school year.  Here are the links to the warm ups I have posted to date:

Introduction to Science

Cell Structure, Function and Physiology

Ecology

Genetics