extra credit due Friday, Dec 14

You have two opportunities for extra credit.

#1
Create a Venn diagram comparing prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.
You can earn up to 100 points, and your grade will be based on three factors: a) neatness, b) thoroughness, and c) accuracy. You will need an excellent Venn diagram to earn the full 100 points.

#2
Create a comic strip explaining how a virus attacks the human body and how the body responds to that attack. You can earn up to 200 points, and your grade will be based on four factors:  a) neatness, b) thoroughness, c) accuracy, and d) creativity.

These are due by Friday, Dec 14.


.

Extra credit & baby pictures

First, there is an extra credit opportunity for this week. Find some science related news story using a major news website and then answer the following questions about the story.
1. Who is the story mostly about?
2. What did that person do to get him or her in the news?
3. When was this done?
4. Where was this done?
5. Why is this important?
6. How did the person do whatever the person did?

The better your answers are to those questions, the more points you will earn. Each question is worth up to 15 points. Write your answers on a sheet of paper and bring the paper to class on Friday, Nov. 30.

Here are some links to website that you might use for this assignment.

• CNN science
• Fox News science
• ScienceNews.org
• ScienceDaily.com
• Yahoo News science

Finally, since so many students have asked to see baby pictures, I'm including some info on my newborn son.

His name is Hudson Taylor Sabin. All of my kids are named after Christian missionaries, and I've written a little essay about each one's name. So, if you're interested, you can read about their names at these links:

Charlotte Moon, Mary Mitchell, and Hudson Taylor.

And here are some pictures.



This is Mary holding Hudson and Charlotte holding a small toy someone gave Hudson. You can only see part of Hudson's face, but you can see his sisters love him.




Hudson Taylor




Mary holding Hudson again.




I took this picture while I was holding Hudson.



Extra credit opportunities 2 and 3

Opportunity #2


Click this link to read "The (kids') eyes have it." Then, answer the following questions on a paper that you will bring to class on Friday, Nov 16. Questions 1-5 are worth 10 points each, and the paragraph for #6 is worth up to 50 points.

1. What was the independent variable?
2. What was the dependent variable?
3. What was one controlled variable?
4. How did scientists explain the conclusion?
5. Why were the results were surprising to some scientists?
6. Write a summary paragraph explaining what you learned from this news article. Be sure to include labels and underline two terms from the Word Wall.

Bring your paper to class on Friday.


Opportunity #3

Read the article "Virus Treatment Could Target Acne." Then write a one paragraph summary, of the story. Be sure to include labels and underline two terms from the Word Wall. This is worth 50 points. Write your paragraph on a paper and bring it to class this Friday.

Extra Credit #1

If you choose to do this extra credit assignment, you must bring the assignment to class on Friday, Nov 16th, which is the day I return to school. This assignment is worth up to 70 points. Each correct answer earns you 10 points.

Click the link to read the article, "Risk-taking linked to Ritalin." Then, write the answers to the following questions on a paper you will bring to class on the 16th.

1. What was the independent variable?
2. What was the dependent variable?
3. What was given to the control group?
4. What was given to the experimental group?
5. What were three controlled variables?
6. What was the conclusion?
7. Why is this research important?

.

Extra Credit due Thurs, Oct 18

This week, you can earn up to 150 points of extra credit. I have included links for five stories about recent scientific research. And for each story, there are three simple questions. You can earn up to 10 points for each question that you correctly answer. But, to earn the full points, you need to write your answers in complete sentences, and the answers need to be correct. Write your answers on a sheet of paper and bring them to class. This is due Thursday.

Click the link in the article title to open a browser and read the article. Then, answer the questions.

"Poor Sleep Hampers Vaccines"

1. What was the independent variable?
2. What was the dependent variable?
3. What was the conclusion?


"Zap Sweet Potatoes to Boost Antioxidants"

4. What was the independent variable?
5. What was the dependent variable?
6. What was the conclusion?


"Fun Veggie Names Ups Kid Intake"

7. What was the independent variable?
8. What was the dependent variable?
9. What was the conclusion?


"Eye Movements Do Not Reveal Lying"

10. What was the independent variable?
11. What was the dependent variable?
12. What was the conclusion?


"Give Time to Feel Less Time-Squeeze"

13. What was the independent variable?
14. What was the dependent variable?
15. What was the conclusion?

.

Extra Credit, due Friday, Oct 12

This extra credit opportunity is worth up to 300 points, depending on how well you do on the assignment.

Last Friday, students wrote an essay explaining the changing hypotheses related to Kennewick Man. Then, on Monday, we created bubble maps outlining the key details for each hypothesis. For extra credit, students can use what they learned creating the bubble map to write new, and improved, essays.

Just like before, I am going to give you the first paragraph, and the main ideas for paragraphs 2, 3 and 4. Then, you will need to complete the whole essay with your own conclusion paragraph.

Introduction paragraph: The story of Kennewick Man illustrates how scientists often change their hypotheses as they learn more information. Shortly after Kennewick Man was discovered, scientists thought the skeleton was just a couple hundred years old. Soon, however, they realized the skeleton was much older. Eventually, as scientists pieced together the Kennewick Man puzzle, new ideas developed about how people first inhabited North America.

paragraph 2 main idea: One of the early hypotheses about Kennewick Man was that he was an American settler from the 1800s.

paragraph 3 main idea: As scientists continued studying Kennewick Man, they formed a hypothesis that he was far more ancient than they originally believed.

paragraph 4 main idea: The investigations into Kennewick Man have led some scientists to change their ideas about how humans first came to North America.

Finally, don't forget to write your own conlcusion paragraph.

Remember to include paragraph labels, and underline at least two terms from the Word Wall in each paragraph. Here are some of the terms that you might use: scientific inquiry, scientific method, investigation, experiment, hypothesis, data analysis, conclusion, and procedure.

Write your essay and bring it to class on Friday.

Here's a picture of the bubble map created in one of the classes.

Extra Credit due Tues, Oct 9

This extra credit assignment is due Tues, Oct 9. Each question is worth 20 points. So, you can earn a total of 100 points.

Read the article, "Stalking Plants by Scent." Then, answer these questions:

1. When the dodder first sprouts, how long can it survive without finding food?
2. How did scientists test the idea that the dodder can smell?
3. Why doesn't the dodder grow toward wheat plants?
4. How can this research help farmers?
5. What characteristic makes dodders unique compared to other species of plants?

 Answer the questions and then give the paper to me before class on Tuesday.

Extra Credit due Friday, Oct 5

For extra credit, you can create Word Maps for the following vocabulary terms:

hypothesis
independent variable
dependent variable
controlled variable
control group
experimental group

Each Word Map is worth up to 20 points, depending on the quality of the work. Make sure you have good definitions. We have covered them in class many times.

You do not need to create all 6 Maps in order to earn points. You can earn points for each one you complete.

You can print out this template or write the Word Maps on your own paper.


.