Monday 12/3:
We conducted the big pineapple enzyme lab in class today. Each lab partnership was involved in a different portion of the experiment as we were trying to determine which fruit juices had the enzyme bromelain present. Bromelain is an enzyme which breaks down collagen, a protein that is responsible for gelatin becoming a gel. We also
tested to see the effects of pH and temperature on the enzyme. In each test tube we included some gelatin. The goal was to see if the gelatin became a gel - if it did that meant there was no enzyme breaking apart the collagen but if the gelatin remained a liquid, it meant that there is an enzyme present breaking apart the collagen.
All of the test tubes were made and put in the fridge over night. The students should have been working on creating picture procedures and generating a blank data table to fill in during class.
Tuesday 12/4:
I was not in class today so that students checked their results from the day before. then they had the rest of the period to work on the write for the lab report. The lab report was due on Thursday,
Wednesday 12/5:
For the first half of class, we went over the results from the lab and I took any questions about the report. Then we went over a few practice examples to prepare for the enzyme quiz tomorrow.
Thursday 12/6:
To start class today I gave the students the 7 objectives that deal with enzymes. I gave the students 10 minutes to partner up and discuss the information in each objective with their partner. Then I answered any questions before the start of the quiz. The quiz was 20 questions and many students did quite well. When the quiz was over,
we took some time to clean up the test tubes from our lab.
Friday 12/7:
We started the day by going over the enzyme quiz and the mitosis quiz from a little bit ago. then we had a short conversation about ATP and ADP and how they relate to eachother and why they are so important for
the cell. Then the students got into groups and worked through a packet to help reinforce the ideas about the packet. Anything the students did not finish in the packet became homework.
We conducted the big pineapple enzyme lab in class today. Each lab partnership was involved in a different portion of the experiment as we were trying to determine which fruit juices had the enzyme bromelain present. Bromelain is an enzyme which breaks down collagen, a protein that is responsible for gelatin becoming a gel. We also
tested to see the effects of pH and temperature on the enzyme. In each test tube we included some gelatin. The goal was to see if the gelatin became a gel - if it did that meant there was no enzyme breaking apart the collagen but if the gelatin remained a liquid, it meant that there is an enzyme present breaking apart the collagen.
All of the test tubes were made and put in the fridge over night. The students should have been working on creating picture procedures and generating a blank data table to fill in during class.
Tuesday 12/4:
I was not in class today so that students checked their results from the day before. then they had the rest of the period to work on the write for the lab report. The lab report was due on Thursday,
Wednesday 12/5:
For the first half of class, we went over the results from the lab and I took any questions about the report. Then we went over a few practice examples to prepare for the enzyme quiz tomorrow.
Thursday 12/6:
To start class today I gave the students the 7 objectives that deal with enzymes. I gave the students 10 minutes to partner up and discuss the information in each objective with their partner. Then I answered any questions before the start of the quiz. The quiz was 20 questions and many students did quite well. When the quiz was over,
we took some time to clean up the test tubes from our lab.
Friday 12/7:
We started the day by going over the enzyme quiz and the mitosis quiz from a little bit ago. then we had a short conversation about ATP and ADP and how they relate to eachother and why they are so important for
the cell. Then the students got into groups and worked through a packet to help reinforce the ideas about the packet. Anything the students did not finish in the packet became homework.
What to watch for...
Monday 12/10:
Today we are going to begin our discussion of photosynthesis by talking about leaves and their structure and focusing on the pigment in plants that aid in photosynthesis. We will complete two labs - one
where the students will split the different pigments of the plant and one where the students will view the structure of a leaf underneath the microscope.
Tuesday 12/11:
Photosynthesis occurs in two major steps. Today we will focus our attention on the first stage called the light dependent reactions. This is called light dependent because it requires light. the students should expect to do some reading about this stage for homework.
Wednesday 12/12:
Today's major focus will be on the second stage of photosynthesis called the Calvin Cycle after Melvin Calvin who won the nobel prize for his work in 1961 for his work in chemistry discovering this cycle. The goal of this stage is to make G3P which can be used to make glucose. Again students should expect to do some reading this evening.
Thursday 12/13:
We are going to take today to process the information of the past two days and use this as a review day about photosynthesis.
Friday 12/14:
We are going to have a quiz covering the process of photosynthesis .This quiz is difficult due to the fact that photosynthesis is a very complicated process.
Students should also anticipate a test on the Thursday or Friday before break. If the students will not be present on this day, they need to communicate with me about scheduling a time before break to
take this test.