Here is a plug for Chemmatters!

One of my favorite resources is  Chemmatters, a magazine sponsored by the American Chemistry Society, for high school students.  This month there is an article, What’s in a Marshmallow?, which is germane to Biology and Chemistry.  Here are free articles available digitally, and organized by topic.   The Teacher’s Guides have questions and answers for students.  The articles and questions are great as supplemental reading assignments. I’ve subscribed to Chemmatters for years.   Take a look!

Nuclear Chemistry or Random Thoughts on Monday

 A long time ago, I took a course on nuclear energy for teachers.  When time permits, I like to add this topic to my Chemistry or Physical Science classes. Start with The Harnessed Atom. (Here is the teacher’s edition, which has background and answer keys. Here is the website with the presentations.). Let me share some additional resources: RadTown Radiation Exposure, more RadTown Radiation, Average Dose Worksheet, and  Nuclear Decay equations. 

Most of these resources target Middle Schools students.    I find most of the material suitable for high school students.  The Harnessed atom resources seem a bit scattered.  The Oakridge website has the teacher’s edition, student edition, activities, downloads, and slideshows.  Take a look!

Genetics Pedigrees

 This week my kids are learning about genetic pedigrees. Here is a slideshow with information about constructing a pedigree.  Here, here, and here are worksheets.  

We are working on Sex-linked Inheritance, too.  Here, here, and here are worksheets.  Yes, most problems involve red-green color blindness and hemophilia.  

The kids are testing on Genetics, too this week.  If time permits, we’ll work on karyotypes, too.

Eldon Blood Typing Lab

 Today, the kids tested their blood.  (We did some genetic problems, debriefed the simulated blood lab,  and spreadsheet instruction, too.  Here is the Genetics test I wrote based on several problems sets we used.). We used the Eldon Blood Type Test Kits.  (Packs of five are available from Amazon and Walmart for $33-34.). Kids like doing blood tests.  Well, most of them do.  There is always one kid who is a bleeder.  I had gauze and tape ready.  I didn’t realize some Eldon kits come with one lancet and others two lancets. As long as the kids only use the lancet on their own fingers, it does not matter.  We had to do a complete clean-up because my husband passes out at the sight of blood.

Candy Chromatography!

 I love candy labs.  Have you tried Candy Chromatography?  Here are chromatography instructions with background information about food dyes.  Try doing chromatography with water-based markers, M&Ms and Skittles, Food Dyes, or  Black Ink Pens.  Use thicker coffee filters to make the strips.  Later this year, the Bio class is going to do this lab, Plant Pigment Chromatography, with fresh spinach leaves.  

Blood Testing Part One: Simulated Blood Tests

Today, Biology class met in person!  We did two simulated blood tests.  The first was homemade.  Here is another homemade, simulated blood type lab.  This sounds obvious.  It isn’t.  The kids need to see what agglutination looks like.  I made up home-made Type A and Type B blood with Anti-A and Anti-B sera.  The kids need to see what agglutination or clumping looks like.  Next we used Innovating Science Simulated Blood Typing lab.  The kit is $45.  It pays to do the homemade lab first.  We had some trouble with the Anti-B sera in the kit?  I had an older refill kit and a new Innovating Science lab kit.  The Anti-B sera in the older refill kit did not clump.  Next time, I will buy the kit just before we do the lab, or a month before we do the lab.  The kids must write out the Punnett squares for each combination of possible parents and explain who the father is and why.  This is so much fun.  Thursday, we are doing the real blood tests.

Family Science: Science Tricks!

 Let’s start with the water trick.  Here is another description of the trick with an bit of an explanation of surface tension or intermolecular forces.  I like to use the water demo when I broach the topic Why is water wet?  

Another good trick is the Straw through Potato trick.  Try it through an apple, too.  Here are ten more science magic tricks.  Let your kids test the tricks and plan a magic show.  A nice finale is Kid-Friendly Elephant Toothpaste.

Many of you and your families are cooped up inside.  Add a little magic to your science plans.

Snow Day!

 I am forging ahead with Biology Co-op class despite the snow and ice.  This year, Biology meets in person.  However, almost every class has one person meeting remotely.  We’ve been hit hard with COVID.  We have large families; sometimes siblings are ill, making it difficult for mom to drive.  Happily, remote learning is in place.  I use it for Snow Days.  I sent the links in advance and loaded screenshots of the worksheets to this Jamboard.  Here are the worksheets: #1, #2, and #3.  Here are the slideshows I’m using for class: #1,   #2, and #3.  Not ideal.  We’ll make it work.  (The image below is from the first snow storm.  I took the photo the night after we returned from Florida, the day after I95 was closed and the power had been out for two days.)

Centrifuge and Digital Microscope at Good Will

 Good Will has this listing with a centrifuge and digital microscope.  There are pipettes, glass beakers, microscope slides, goggles, etc in the kit.  I have had a centrifuge in my classroom and never used it—even for AP classes.  However, if your kids do expanded AP Biology level experiments, this listing may interest you. The pix are from the listing.

Star Wars Science Kits

 Good Will online has several listings for Star Wars Science kits.  Below are a few pix with kits.  We like the Jedi Force trainer, a static electricity toy.  My husband, Rob, teaches Physics and uses these toys for demonstrations.  Paul, eleven, likes to play with them, too.  Good Will has these kits listed frequently.  Don’t forget to check the shipping costs!  Good Will online represents Good Will stores across the nation. Some stores inflate the shipping weight and tack on hefty handling fees.  My target price for these kits is $20 with shipping.

Genetics Update

The Biology Co-op class just resumed.  My husband, my son, and I visited family in Florida before my son was deployed as a priest chaplain to the Arabian Peninsula.  We returned to an ice and snow storm which had knocked out power for three days.  Several of the families contracted COVID; some are on their second or third COVID infection.  So, we just resumed class today.  Six kids met remotely owing to COVID.  We went over this Mendel slideshow and worked through problems on this Punnett Square worksheet.  (Here is a more complicated genetic crosses worksheet.  Here is another set of practice problems and the answer key.). We’ll be working on the problem sets, terms, such as homozygous and heterozygous, and start dihybrid crosses.  The western forecast next week calls for more snow.  Sign.