Waiting for Genesis

If you have come to this site from the OHS website, note.  I do not plan to use my blogs this year in anticipation of the district mailing home login information for Genesis program.  This will allow students and their family to access live attendance data, grade data and for some classes assignment information.  I intend to use the assignment posting feature to replace my blog. 

If the district does not make the login information available within the first three-four weeks I will return to the blog.
Ryan

Water Test Lab & assingment note cover sheets for graduation portfolio

After finishing notes on Water pollution students were introduced to the Water Test lab (150 points, due 3/3/2011) where they will test local water samples for a variety of pollutants.  Today they needed to construct a rough draft of the lab, we will conduct the experiments next class.

Students were also given time to discuss and write reflections on an assignment from class that can be used as evidence to demonstrate growth in a school wide outcome for the graduation portfolio.  These refelections are worth 20 points and are due by 3/3/2011.

Water pollution & progress reports

We have been studying water resources and pollution. 

I handed out copies of student grades to provide context for the 4th term grades that will be sent home from the school in about two weeks.

Water

Today we finished looking at water resources (global>national>CA & SFBay).

Students worked in groups to complete an activity that introduces concepts related to the pollution of water resources.

Biomes posters

Students ended up with the whole period as time to complete the posters, take notes on posters presented by other groups and study for the test next class.

Test on 2/2/2011 Biodiversity/Activism/Biomes ~150 points; part multi-choice, part short answer and an essay that can be finished at home.

Biomes Poster and Test update

In effort to encourage students to produce meaningful posters and to better prepare for the upcoming test I extended the poster due date to Monday of next week.  Students will only have enough time to paste print outs on to the posters during class Monday.  The test will be on Wednesday with a take home essay that may be completed in class.

Biomes poster

Today is the second and last day students have had to research information about a specific biome.  On Thursday students will create posters to share the information with the class and there will be time for test review.  Students will have a test on biodiversity/environmental justice/biomes next Tuesday.

Seed lab Final draft

Students had ~ 60 minutes to write the final draft of the lab.  So many students are not turning in work this semester I required all students to turn in labs today completed or not.  If the lab was turned in today as incomplete the student may complete it and turn in a completed lab for up to full credit next class. 

Endangered Speiceis Biography & Activism presentations

Presentations were scheduled to be on 1/13/2011; only three groups were prepared.  I offered the remaining four groups a chance to present on 1/18 for late credit. Only one group presented for late credit.

Seed Germination lab

Students set up and started the seed germination lab where they will compare germination rates under varied conditions. 

Students need to come to class everyday (Tuesday and Thursday) to collect data.  40 points of the 140 point lab are earned by doing the daily data collection.  I am available before school, at lunch and after school on Tuesday.

Data collection and clean up will be on Friday and Wednesday of next week students will have time in the computer lab to construct the final draft of the lab.

Semester Grades

I gave out semester grade sheets on 1/4/2011.  The grade sheets provide detailed assignment data used for determinging semester grades.  I give these grade sheets to students for their use, they are not requried to have them signed by a parent. 

Endangered Species Biography & Activism Project

Finals week in teams of two students were introduced to the project, they had ~100-120 minutes to conduct research on a species and activism type.

On 1/4/2011 Students were to use the research, a template and rubric to write an essay on the activism type and the endangered species.  Each student writes one of the two papers for an individual grade out of 80 points.

On 1/6/2011 students were given to plan out their presntation (a rough draft/outline of presentation is due at end of period for 20 point, group grade.

Presentation will be next week.