Biology Students Conduct Dissection Labs

Biology and AP Biology students have spent the last week or so dissecting organisms that express different complex developments and adaptations to their environments. So far, dissection labs have included Phylum Annelida (earthworms), Class Insecta (grasshoppers), Phylum Echinodermata (starfish), Subphylum Vertebrata (perch), and Class Amphibia (frogs). In the photo, Biology student Arlette Garcia shows off her masterfully dissected perch specimen.

AP Biology Salute!

27 courageous 10th-grade students just completed a year of AP Biology and sat for the AP Biology exam last Monday. It was tough, but they stood strong, and are hoping for a score of "3" or better on the test, which can earn them credit for Introductory Biology from many colleges around the country. To reflect on their experiences in AP Bio, students will enter comments to this posting to share the trials and tribulations as well as the successes and insights they learned over the course of the year.

Kingdom Animalia

Pairs of biology students have created PowerPoint presentations to teach and learn about each of the 10 phyla that make up the Kingdom Animalia. Comments to this posting will include interesting tidbits about the different phyla, including some photos of cool organisms!

Kingdoms

Students have been working in small cooperative groups to research one of the six Kingdoms of organisms. Some worthy PowerPoint presentations and oral presentations with visuals have been presented to peer groups. One group which studied the Kingdom Fungi has dedicated a poem to this important category of organisms.

FUNGI

Do you know something over 430 million years old?

Fungi usually consist of mushrooms and of molds.

Mushrooms range in color, mostly commonly like gray

they are some of the most unusual organisms today.

Originally grouped with plants because they are immobile and rooted

some used as drugs just to help you get "zooted"!

Genetically-Modified Foods Rap

Our resident rapper, Julian E. Brunson, wrote the following rap describing his feelings about genetically-modified foods:

What u know about tomatoes, potatoes, soybeans and peas
All I know they ain't no good for me
or no good 4 u
So what you betta do, when they put them on ya plate
Look and say ewww or probli say ill
and you need 2 chill
U betta know the deal, I don't even think that stuff is real
They fill ya stuff with all kinds of toxins
sumbody did dat crap 2 me, we'd be boxin'
I'm tryna tell u dat it ain't even healthy
And da makers sit back and get wealthy
and y'all jus' keep puttin' it in da fridge,
Man, da companies don't even feed dat stuff 2 they kids.

Gene Mutations

Biology students have been researching gene mutations. We will be posting interesting findings for you below.

Engineering Day at Drexel U.

Take a look at your classmates participating in Engineering Day activities. Students built model cars with K-Nex trying to see which would survive a downhill crash into a cinder block using the least amount of force. Chemical engineering of new substances including insulating foam made of polyether and slime that had the ability to bounce was a lot of fun! Making instant (and very yummy) ice cream using liquid nitrogen provided a sweet ending for our luncheon. The day ended with a shuttle bus and walking tour of Drexel's campus.

Want to play a game and at the same time contribute valuable data to an engineering experiment that aims to teach a computer to have emotions? Go to http://schubert.ece.drexel.edu/~lloyd/game/ to sign up!

Careers Seminar at SLA - January 9th

Several of our 10th grade girls attended a seminar at the Science Leadership Academy, presented by WICT, Women in Cable and Telecommunications. There was a lively panel discussion by about 15 prominent women who lead in all areas of cable television and associated fields. Some were vice presidents of national offices for Comcast and others were in human relations, engineering, government relations, among other interesting fields. All of the women stressed the importance of getting and continuing a good education beyond high school to achieve such status in the corporate world. They also stressed the need for strong skills in mathematics and science. Go to their website to find out more about WICT and internships available through various companies, including Comcast, which offers a summer internship for high school students. Visit www.wictphiladelphia.org for more information.

Science Projects

Wondering how to do your Abstract? Go to: http://school.discoveryeducation.com/sciencefaircentral/scifairstudio/handbook/abstract.html
to see a good example.

TYPED SCIENCE PROJECT REPORTS ARE DUE NOT LATER THAN JANUARY 18.