Working Hard

The science classroom has been filled with very busy young people.  Seventh graders have been designing experiments to study the property of solubility.  Students were presented with some materials and challenged to design and implement an investigation of their own.  They’ve engaged in the scientific process of asking a question, identifying the independent and dependent variables, stating an hypothesis, developing a procedure, collecting data, and analyzing and reflecting upon the results.  Students are gaining a strong understanding that scientific inquiry is not a linear process.  Instead, it is circular in nature with opportunities to rethink, revise, ask new questions, and develop additional investigations.

Eighth graders have been studying how traits are passed from one generation to another through different inheritance patterns-autosomal dominant, autosomal recessive, codominance, incomplete dominance, and X-linked.  They have been analyzing a case study in order to help a couple understand the likelihood of a disease being passed onto their children.  The willingness of the students to delve deeply into understanding how, why, and if a trait will be passed on has been wonderful to witness.

Tashlich Ceremony

REMINDER:  Tomorrow MJDS students and teachers will walk to Klode Park to participate in a Tashlich ceremony.  It is supposed to be hot tomorrow.  Please make sure your child is dressed appropriately and is wearing comfortable shoes.  Students may also want to bring sunscreen.  Also, tomorrow is a noon dismissal.  It will be a wonderful day of celebrating together!

 

Rock Climbing at Devils’s Lake

REMINDER:  Seventh graders will be rock climbing at Devil’s Lake this Thursday with Adon Kaufman and me.  Please make sure your child is prepared for the day–sunglasses, water bottle, sunscreen, bag lunch, appropriate clothing.  Pick up is at MJDS at 5:00 pm.  I am so excited for this day.  It is a wonderful experience!

And, we’re off!

It is only the third week of school and I am thrilled to see the focus, drive, intellect and energy of the 7th and 8th graders in science class.  The 7th graders are seeking to answer the driving question, “How Can I Make New Stuff from Old Stuff?”, as part of a chemistry unit.  They have been challenged to design an experiment to study the effects of specific variables on the solubility of a solid.

At the same time, the 8th graders are pondering the question “Why Do I Look The Way I Do?”  in their study of heredity and genetics.  They’ve determined that the best way to study heredity is to be able to “see” traits as they are passed from one generation to the next.  To do so, they will be investigating the traits of generations of plants.  In preparation for this, they dissected a flower to study angiosperm (flowering plant) reproduction.

Most important, is what I am hearing and seeing in class on a daily basis.   I am hearing students ask deep, thought-provoking questions.  Questions that are driving the learning process and keeping them focused.  I am seeing a willingness of students to challenge themselves and embrace the idea that making mistakes fosters learning.   I am seeing pairs or small groups of students collaborating effectively to consider various ideas and attempt to solve a problem.  The commitment of these students to their learning is inspiring.  We are definitely off to a great start!