Weekly Newsletter IS7 - October 30th

What we did this week:

Monday, we started off with a lab to show evidence of photosynthesis in plants.
We looked a chemical called bromothymol blue. It is a dark blue color and in the presence
of carbon dioxide, it turns yellow. We watched a demonstration of someone blowing
bubbles through a straw into the bromothymol blue and watching the color change from
blue to yellow. Then we watched a demonstration of 3 different air tight test tubes which
all contained carbon dioxide rich bromothymol blue (so they were yellow in color). Two of
the tubes contained a plant elodea. One of those test tubes that contained elodea was
wrapped in foil so that light could not get to the plant. The other two test tubes were
placed in direct light. We noticed the test tubes that had elodea and in the direct light,
the bromothymol blue changed from yellow to blue because the elodea was using the
carbon dioxide to go through photosynthesis. The test tube that was wrapped in foil and
no light could travel to the plant, the bromothymol blue stayed the yellow color because it
was unable to go through photosynthesis and was not able to use the carbon dioxide. You
can see the experiment at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpgZG9T0y34
Tuesday, students took an assessment on photosynthesis. This will be on the 2nd
quarter grade and there will be retakes offered.
Wednesday, we started to look at cellular respiration. Cellular respiration is a way
that cells produce energy. We got the colored beads back out that we used last week and
first created the same reactants and products for photosynthesis. We had beads that
represented carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. We put them together in groupings to create
molecules. Then, using 5 clues listed on the worksheet, students were trying to guess what
the chemical formula is for cellular respiration. Students are not marked incorrect if they
didn't guess correctly.
Thursday, we completed another lab where we were looking at evidence that carbon
containing compounds can react with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide. We attempted
this lab and it wasnt working so we pretended to do the following procedures and I showed
the students what the results should have been. We put warm water in 2 plastic bottles.
We put a spoonful of sugar in one bottle and a spoonful of yeast in both bottles. We
placed a balloon over the lip of the bottle and swirled the bottle to mix the substances
together. We took measurements of the circumference of the balloon at 2 minute
intervals for a total of 8 minutes. We found that the balloon with the yeast (a living thing)
and sugar (food for the yeast), was expanding because it was going through cellular
respiration and creating carbon dioxide which was inflating the balloon.

Today, students are watching our first Bill Nye of the year on cells. Then they
will be reading an article on cellular respiration to hopefully clarify a few things. Then
they will be completing a few fun puzzles on cells.
Announcements:
Students should be finishing up their review sheets (attached) by Tuesday night
and they have an assessment on Wednesday. All information on the assessment can be
found on the review sheet. The review sheet will be collected at the time of the
assessment. I do not accept late homework.
We are in search of any 2 liter bottles for a lab we will be completing 2 nd quarter.
If you have any empty 2 liter bottles, please send them in with your child. Thanks in
advance.
Coming Up:
Topics:
Cellular Respiration
Hydroponics Systems
Dates:

October 30 End of Quarter 1

November 2 - No School
November 4 - Assessment on Cellular Respiration - 3 Short Answers (BCRs)
November 4 Dine Out Night El Andariego Restaurant
November 5 Medieval Times Field Trip