Investigations in Science 7 January 19, 2017

What we did this week:

Monday, we finished dissecting a sheeps eye. In order to learn how your eye works
with the nervous system, we dissected it to see the different parts. Students were
amazing during the dissection. Some students that were skeptical of the dissection,
became our team captains and read the procedures to the groups so that the members of
the group, knew exactly what to do. Pictures are up on my blog. Some of the students
mentioned to me at the end of the class how much fun it was even though they were the
most scared initially.
Wednesday, we began learning about the digestive system. We took a quick look at
the main organs that make up the digestive system (mouth, esophagus, stomach, small
intestine, and large intestine) and learned about the functions. We also saw a visual using
yarn that shows approximately how long each organ in the digestive system is. Next week
will be filled with lots of labs that will help the students see what happens in each organ of
the digestive system. We will also have 3 MiniQuizzes (quizzes that are very short and
should only take a few minutes to complete that cover what we learned the day before).
Today, we will focus on the mouth and esophagus. We will start by putting a Saltine
cracker in our mouth (carbohydrate) for 5 LONG minutes. The starches in the
carbohydrate will break down into glucose molecules so if the students have acute taste
buds, they should notice the Saltine cracker changing from a salty taste to a sweet taste.
There are enzymes found in our saliva that start this process. Then the students will
model the esophagus by trying to push a bead through a straw. Their fingers pushing the
bead through, model the muscles that are in our esophagus that go through peristalsis to
push our food to our stomach.

Announcements:
Next week is the last week of the quarter. All assignments that I will be collecting
next week will be on 3rd quarters grade. My gradebook will be closing on Tuesday so please

have your child take care of any missing work and turn it in no later than Tuesday, January
24.
Donations? With the many dissections we complete during 7 th grade science, we
wash our hands A LOT! If you are willing to donate a bottle of hand soap, it would be
greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Coming Up:
Topics:

Digestive System

Dates:

January
January
January
January
January
January
January
January
January

20 - No School
23-26 College Awareness Week
24 College Spirit Day
24 My Gradebook Closes for Quarter 2
26 - PTA Winter Dance at 1:00
26 - Last Day of Quarter 2
27 - No School
30 First Day of Quarter 3
31 Town Hall Meeting - Period 2