Human Biology: Introduction to Immunity

Update: We are back!  Two of the kids had their presentations on diseases ready.  They gave brief presentations.  I started the quiz on the immunity questions at the end of Chapter 7.  The kids were stumped.  We spent 30 minutes discussing each question before doing a POGIL immunity packet together.  Wilkie had a great analogy for primary and secondary immune response.  A primary response is like saving a document to a jump drive, transferring the drive to a copier, and finally (slowly) printing directly from the jump drive to the copier.  A secondary response is like taking an original hard copy and printing it.  Yes, that is all we did for two hours yesterday.

Today we are beginning Immunity--right after the blood flow quiz.  Our textbook (Human Biology 14th edition by Mader) has a scheme of blood flow through the body (p.103).  After the quiz, we're going to review a tons of terms in Chapter 7, make paper and clay antigens, and do Immunity with POGIL (Immuniity Student Copy).

We only finished the quiz and the overview today.  Next week is VBS and no class.

We spent time discussing vaccination and Edward Jenner.  We used the analogy of police, military, Homeland Security, sheriff’s office etc. for immune defense in the body.  For example, B-cells are like police traveling through the blood and lymph systems.  We also talked about macrophages having loads of lysosomes, cell organelles loaded with enzymes.  Basically, we went over the chapter together.  The kids are going to prepare presentations on their favorite virus, such as Ebola and read the next chapter.  Next time, we’ll make paper and clay models, present viruses or diseases, and quiz. Also, I have the POGIL Activity cited above to complete.

Human Biology: Blood

Last week we went over Blood: components, blood types, red blood cells, and white blood cells.  The kids wanted to type blood again.  So we did.  Fun!  We also discussed sickle cell anemia with this activity and ABO blood types (POGIL). Lastly we sketched blood microscope slides.

Apologia Biology: Equipment

Update: www.shopgoodwill.com has an escience kit up for bids today.  It looks like a chemistry kit.  It’s a perfect example of the kits I like most: thermometer, test tubes, graduated cylinder, pipers, goggles, beakers, etc.  I canabalize these escience kits for supplies.  There’s a Galileo glass thermometer available, which would last five minutes in my classroom.  I am tempted to bid on the kit.  I’m not because I have two large bins full of these same materials.

Are your kids at church camps?  Are you prepping for fall?  Yes, I’m back promoting www.shopgoodwill.com.  Today there are loads of microscopes—even a full size skeleton.  I saw a pack of anatomy flash cards, too.  I encourage you to registar. Goodwill does NOT save credit card or PayPal information, just your name and address.  It’s important to check the shipping.  I’ve been using Goodwill online for several years.  Initially, I made that mistake a few times and did not check the shipping and was stung.

I always compare with Amazon and eBay, too.  I factor my max bid and shipping when I compare prices.  I have purchased graphing calculators, microscopes, escience kits, Microscope slides, molecular model kits, stethoscopes,and blood pressure cuffs. These purchases are a gamble.  However, whenever I have had a problem, the shop has been terrific.  For example, my husband is going to teach two teens how to play guitar.  I bid on a guitar; the shop emailed me that the guitar was not as described, but was pretty battered.  They issued a full refund.

Right now, we are using a plastic skeleton from Target I bought for $15.  (This one is similar and available on Amazon.). After buying several microscopes from Goodwill, this summer we’re using a digital microscope (available on Amazon) attached to a laptop.  We focus the slide, print a screen shot, and the kids have a static image to sketch.  One laptop serves three or four kids.  (I bought used chrome books from Goodwill, too.).

I shop local thrift stores, too.  I was all over the used book table at the Home School Conference. Many of the Goodwill stores are posting their best items online rather than in stores.  Take a look.    Try a search with “science kit” or “microscope” and see what pops up.

Human Biology: Circulatory System and Blood

I’m prepping my lesson for Thursday.  I want to finish Circulation, review how to take blood pressure, what is pulse, diastolic and systolic pressures, and flow of blood through the heart and body.  Chapter Six is Blood.  This hematology packet/lesson is a great introduction to blood disorders.  After the review of Circulation, we’ll sketch microscope slides of blood.  I’m using both microscope slides and Histology images, (these, too.). Once we finish sketching blood, we will work on ABO and rH with this POGIL activity.  I plan to review Punnett Squares of ABO and rH groups, too.  Here is a tutorial.  I think all of the kids have performed blood typing before.  I’m ordering a couple kits in any case.  Then we have loads of vocabulary to conquer.  I need to break down Greek and Latin roots with the kids and get them in the habit of looking up the word’s etymology, such as ‘ology’ means ‘study of’.  I’m pretty sure we won’t finish everything.  If we do, we’ll work on blood disorders.  This activity with clay and plastic tubing demonstrates sickle cell issues.  The link has a case study, too.  I like to have four or five different activities each class.  The two hour class flies.  Fun!

Quick update: Only two kids attended class.  We quizzed on the bones in the skeleton and blood flow through the heart and body.  After we reviewed ABO blood groups and Punnet Squares.  We completed the ABO activity.  That’s it.  I did start reviewing terms.  One of the kids hadn’t done Punnett Squares.  The ABO lesson took most of class.

Apologia Chemistry: Periodic Table Cards

I just assigned the fall Chemistry Class summer homework: Periodic Table Cards based on this activity from the Journal of Chemistry.  The kids make cards for Groups 1,2, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18.  Group 1 is red, 2 orange, 13 yellow, 14 green, 15 blue, 16 purple, 17 pink, and 18 black.  If the kids follow the same color scheme, they can play the game described in the article cited above.  Apart from the transition elements, most of the elements the kids need to memorize are here.  We’ll color blank periodic tables using the same color scheme.  This activity helps the kids to learn the names and symbols for the elements.  For each element, the child draws an image to help remember the element, such as a balloon for helium, a salt shaker for sodium, or a banana for potassium, nearly every single time.  The kids can write the information on index cards and mount them on to construction paper or simply color the edge of the index card the correct color for the family.  Kids can complete the research and the index cards in an afternoon—or stay up until midnight the night before class resumes.  Below are photo examples.