SciHawks

Bio: We'll have our final review session this afternoon (MONDAY) from 3P to 6P! The room number will be posted on the Teachers' Workroom door. Come prepared with Regents questions and your Core Curriculum guide and/or Review Book.
This is your last chance to elevate your grade for tomorrow and to clarify anything that is giving you trouble or to reinforce your current knowledge with further examples.
Here's to doing as well or even better than my Chem classes; they set the bar pretty high!

JUST IN CASE you can't get to the review session, here is a link to the online Regents Review Live! program that is broadcast each year on WNYE for all Regents Bio students in NY.
Click on the "watch" link and you can watch the statewide review session!

Congrats to my Chem classes, who did well on the Regents. I can only generalize for now so here are some class accomplishments:
We had ONE perfect score/one hundred! I'll notify that student via email tonight. Congratulations! A perfect score is always rare but was even harder to achieve on this Regents.
Period 7 had a class percentage average of 93 and Period 9 had a class percentage average of 84.
Given that 85% is considered mastery-level learning, you all have much to crow about.
Also, nobody failed so, to those of you who were "struggling", thanks and good for you for stepping up your game. In fact, nobody even came within 8 points of the borderline.
I'll have more details tomorrow.
Again, goodtimes to ALL!
-Mr. C.

Here is a link to the June 2008 Chemistry Regents scoring scale; once again, the scale gives only seven possible scores between 90 and 100. It's difficult to get an explanation but I provide the scale for your information.

I won't have the scantron results until tomorrow/Wednesday morning but I will update this blog with the results as soon as I see them.
I am proud of the way that most of you took the exam:
you "went the distance" by checking your work, making sure that your responses answered exactly what was asked for, and drawing/writing/illustrating/calculating WITH units your predicted answers. That, per se, will get you a higher score than you would have received without such care but also you have the satisfaction of knowing that you tried your best and couldn't have done more; after all, you only take this exam once in your life.
There were a lot of un-eaten bagels at this morning's review session but, as long as you prepared well, that should suffice.

So, I hope to report good tidings tomorrow!
Good luck on your other Regents exams!
p.s. if you forgot your textbook today, email me and then return your text to the Principal's Office.

Just finished our review session in which we had a great variety of questions/topics covered.
Reminder: BRING IN YOUR TEXT tomorrow if you have not already done so.
Other things to bring: BLUE pen, BLACK pen (for your colorful illustrations on the test), pencils (for graphs), THE non-graphing calculator that you have practiced with and know easily how to use by now.

FINAL REVIEW: tomorrow/Regents morning from 9:30 AM to 11AM outside; I'll be in the stands at the girls' lacrosse field by the side of the high school. I'll bring bagels - good carbs for thinking during the Regents.
I'll answer ANY and ALL questions that you have about Chem or test-taking!

For each of the past four Regents, I posted this timely advice; as I scrutinized the Regents exams then, I could see that the advice was taken to heart and spectacular results ensued. So, let's do the same this year:
Most students are not as good test-takers as they could be. When they get through a test, they just sit and squirm or stare at the ceiling and do nothing until time is called. Here's what you can do instead:
Here are some tips on how you can thoroughly check your Regents exam if you finish before our classes' 2.5 hour minimum test time (though I encourage you to go the distance and put in an "A-game" 3-hour effort.

1. After you SLOWLY and carefully re-read a given question, carefully read your response and make sure that it contains the KEYWORDS from the question and, most importantly, that your response ANSWERS the question. You can always add clarifying details to your answer. Do not let space be a concern. You may write outside the boxes as long as you draw an arrow showing the continuation of your answer.

2. Make sure that your answer is EASILY readable/legible. PRINT BLOCK CAPITAL LETTERS IF YOU HAVE TO. Carefully cross out anything that you are editing out and clearly write in what you are correcting.

3. DRAW PICTURES/DRAW DIAGRAMS/ DRAW PICTURES/DRAW DIAGRAMS!!! to enhance your explanations EVEN/ESPECIALLY if you did not initially do so!. This may be the single best tip that I can give you. A clearly drawn and LABELED picture can organize your thoughts and it also paints a thousand words.

4. Plug your numbers back into the question to make sure that they produce the correct total. Check all values that you (mis)READ off of the Reference Tables.

5. Add SPECIFIC EXAMPLES of anything that you are writing about in general.

6. Directly above your solved quantitative answer, write the GENERAL EQUATION for the specific calculation that you did and make sure that you placed the numbers AND UNITS (that you correctly labeled from the question) in the correct location in the equation and that you didn't leave out any part of the equation.

If you follow these tips thoroughly, you WILL improve your test score ; also, performing these steps will keep you engaged and productive for the entire allotted Regents time.

A lot is riding on your performance. I will see and check everyone's complete test including scrapwork. You should display/demonstrate every sound test-taking technique that you now know.

My classes over the past few years certainly followed this advice and we lived happily ever after with 21 perfect scores, fifty-four 99's or 98's and a 95 class average, too.

Good luck to Cicale's 2007-2008 Chem classes tomorrow! Win like Curlin did on Saturday!

Chem: Time for final studying and consolidation of your chem knowledge so that you can be accurate, thorough, and confident on Tuesday's Chem Regents.
Monday: 3P-6P in Room 243 - lots of time to get all of your review questions from the essential review files answered.
Tuesday: I plan to have a morning last minute review session outside by the lacrosse field stands. Check this blog for updates on the time.
I posted the annotated Chem Reference Table so you can practice marking up your legal cheatsheet (as long as you mark it up right AFTER the Regents start time is called!).
I also posted some "quick and easy" general Regents review files that are good for last minute review.
Good luck to all on Tuesday!

I've given two Regents review sessions for Chemistry (today and yesterday). Remember, the room number for each session is posted just outside the Teachers' Workroom door.
The turnout on Thursday was very good but only four students attended on Friday. Those of you who are in the direst need of Regents review (based on quarterly and course performance) did not attend. You should study with a tutor frequently until Tuesday otherwise you are preparing to do poorly when you do not have to do so.
There are still some review sessions on Monday and Tuesday. Check Blackboard for an updated calendar on Sunday.
Study hard. Do well.

Bio- we went over the Lab Skills exam and some more Regents questions.
NOTE: the Bio department decided to make the exam worth 50 points instead of 100 points (because the exam was only 20 questions and only half of the period was given for the test).
So, if you got 16 out of 20, which is 80%, the grade book will show that you got 40 out of 50 (which is also 80%). The net effect is that this test will not affect your grade as much as a 100 point test would.
Well, we have one final task: to do REALLY well on the Regents exam, which is the culmination of all of the objectives of our course in one test. Please take advantage of the extra help sessions (CALENDAR IS POSTED ON BLACKBOARD; for ROOM #'s, SEE OUTSIDE THE TEACHERS' WORKROOM on the day of each review; also, see future blog posts) and ask as many questions as possible so that you can:
1. discover what you do not know
2. clarify any concept or explanation that confuses you
3. practice your test skills
4. practice writing/constructing a correct and logical response to the SPECIFIC question that is asked.
BOOST your course grade with a great performance and maximum effort on this Regents exam!


Chem - Congratulations! I hope that this year of chemistry initiates your realization and deepens your curiosity about how the universe within you and around you functions/works/changes.
Everything involves chemistry in some way; it is the central science and you may find that you'll want to continue to develop your knowledge of chem or, at least, practically apply some time in your future. Fortunately, I didn't have to lie/oversimplify to/for you in this course to get the main concepts across. If you know the BIG THREE: Zeff/OPELs , Magic Triangle/Moles, and Le Chatelier, then you know most of the important stuff in all of chemistry!
We looked at the quarterly exam; use that test as a continuing part of the self-analysis of your strengths and weaknesses.
Please take advantage of the extra help sessions (CALENDAR IS POSTED ON BLACKBOARD; for ROOM #'s, SEE OUTSIDE THE TEACHERS' WORKROOM on the day of each review; also, see future blog posts) and ask as many questions as possible so that you can:
1. discover what you do not know
2. clarify any concept or explanation that confuses you
3. practice your test skills
4. practice writing/constructing/calculating a correct and logical response to the SPECIFIC question that is asked.
You have time to improve your Regents score!
BOOST your course grade with a great performance and maximum effort on this Regents exam!
I'll try to find a "cool" room for tomorrow's review, if possible. See teachers' workroom door for room number.

Bio- today we took a mini-lab test and then we gathered together our lab folders from this year.
We'll do some final in-class Regents review in the first of our two periods tomorrow. After that, please come to as many extra help sessions as possible so that you can have more experience with and confidence on the Regents exam.

Chem 7/8 - Tomorrow, bring in a glass bottle WITH A CAP for our silver mirror redox souvenirs!
We took the multiple-choice part of the quarterly and then did some Regents review.
Based on your experience with this test, you know how much you have retained or forgotten. The Regents experience will be similar so use this last week to THOROUGHLY prepare for your Regents exam. Check the Regents review schedule on Blackboard.
All's well that ends well!

Chem 9- Tomorrow, bring in a glass bottle WITH A CAP for our silver mirror redox souvenirs!
We took the multiple-choice part of the quarterly and then did some Regents review.
Based on your experience with this test, you know how much you have retained or forgotten. The Regents experience will be similar so use this last week to THOROUGHLY prepare for your Regents exam. Check the Regents review schedule on Blackboard.
All's well that nds well!

REMINDER TO EACH STUDENT: BRING IN YOUR TEXTBOOK. I WILL COLLECT YOUR TEXT ON TUESDAY OR WEDNESDAY.

Bio- check the Bio Master Lab List on Blackboard to make sure that all of your labs are done AND HANDED IN! Folders will be checked and finalized tomorrow and Wednesday.
Finish the B-2 Sections of the January 2006 and 2007 LE Regents exams and check your answers on Blackboard.
Tomorrow, we have another Part D Lab test but this one will only take 20 minutes and encompass general lab skills as well as the four NY State required labs. For practice, do the LAB SKILLS section of your review book (pages 163 to 176); I will post the answers to that section on Blackboard by 6PM!
Also, I'll post the Regents Review Schedule on Blackboard. I don't have the room numbers yet but I will update the calendar when I get confirmation on them.

Chem 7- we took the written-response part of the 4th quarter exam today and we will take the multiple choice part tomorrow. Doing past Regents exams is the BEST practice for the quarterly and for the upcoming Regents. On Blackboard, check out the annotated answers from our in-class Regents review.
Tomorrow, we will also finalize our lab folders. Check the MASTER LAB LIST on Blackboard tonight.

Chem 8/9- we took the written-response part of the 4th quarter exam today and we will take the multiple choice part tomorrow. We finalized our lab folders today; any late labs or corrections on incomplete labs will be accepted through Wednesday. Check the MASTER LAB LIST on Blackboard tonight.

Bio- HW: do both B-2 Sections that were handed out in class today. Check the "Bio Lab List" on Blackboard and check your lab grades to see whether you are missing any; you MUST complete and hand in ALL missing labs by next Tuesday! We will have a 20-question, multiple-choice lab test next Tuesday. Questions cover the state labs and general lab techniques learned throughout the year i.e. microscope techniques, measurements, etc. We did the January 2006 part D lab section today. Check the rest of your answers on Blackboard. We have three days to go; make them count by maximizing our review time. Come prepared with questions from our Regents. I will post another practice Regents for you to take this weekend.

Chem 7/8/9- we reviewed some of the August 2006 Regents; complete that test and check your answers on Blackboard this weekend. This will be good review/practice for the comprehensive Quarterly exam on Monday.

Bio- we did the Part D lab section from the January 2007 LE Regents and then we discussed the Diffusion Through a Membrane lab by applying the concept of selective permeability to some situations that showed different initial concentrations of substances on either side of a cell membrane. We noted that the SIZE and CHARGE of a particle/nutrient/molecule/ion determined whether the particle could pass through the pores in a cell membrane. SMALL molecules can easily diffuse passively through a cell membrane without the need of active transport/ATP use. LARGE molecules must first be DIGESTED/broken down to smaller molecules before they can diffuse through a cell membrane; some larger molecules can be ACTIVELY TRANSPORTED through a TRANSPORT PROTEIN channel that is embedded in the cell membrane.

Chem 7/8- took the Nuclear Unit exam.

Chem 9- took the Nuclear Unit exam and then we did/reviewed some of the August 2006 Regents.

Bio- we did Regents review on section C of the January 2007 LE exam.
We also covered some of the review book section 2 on "Life's Organization".

Chem 7- we reviewed for the Nuclear unit exam and also did some of the written response (part C) of the August 2006 Regents exam.

Chem 9- we reviewed for the Nuclear unit exam.

Bio- we began our Regents review by attacking the January 07 LE exam; I'm glad that the class is taking the review seriously because we all can learn a lot about how to take a test while also reviewing our course material in general. Over the next three weeks, save each of these annotated exams so that you can clearly see the connection between key words in the questions and the correct answers. Note the EXTREME words that are commonly used in WRONG answer choices. See, from our practices, how to properly construct a DETAILED correct answer that addresses all of the points required by the question.

I'll post the rest of our exam with proper annotations on Blackboard.

PLEASE practice taking your tests the way that they are annotated/marked up/drawn on in class. This method will ensure that you maximize your score and improve your understanding of these tests.



Chem 7- I'll hand out the hard copy of the nuclear review packet BUT I scanned a copy of the packet with basic answer key; download it from Blackboard.
We discussed the nuclear fission process that goes on in nuclear reactors as well as the uncontrolled fission required for a nuclear bomb. We looked at some of the benefits and problems of nuclear power. We contrasted nuclear fusion with nuclear fission and saw how these energy releasing processes convert nuclear mass into energy i.e. E= mc^2

Chem 8/9- I'll hand out the hard copy of the nuclear review packet BUT I scanned a copy of the packet with basic answer key; download it from Blackboard.
We discussed the nuclear fission process that goes on in nuclear reactors as well as the uncontrolled fission required for a nuclear bomb. We looked at some of the benefits and problems of nuclear power. We contrasted nuclear fusion with nuclear fission and saw how these energy releasing processes convert nuclear mass into energy i.e. E= mc^2
We then discussed food irradiation, which safely destroys bacteria on perishable foods without the use of chemicals/pesticides.

Bio- make sure that you have your red review books in class every day.
We will do Regents review and final lab folder check tomorrow.

Chem 7/8- we calculated the various permutations of nuclear "half-life" questions. Radioisotopes randomly decay but in such a way that the time required for HALF of the remaining sample to decay is a CONSTANT i.e. the "half-life" time of the given isotope.
We also discussed fission, the splitting of a heavier nucleus into lighter nuclei, and FUSION, the joining of two light nuclei (usually H) to form a heavier nucleus (usually He).

Chem 9- we calculated the various permutations of nuclear "half-life" questions. Radioisotopes randomly decay but in such a way that the time required for HALF of the remaining sample to decay is a CONSTANT i.e. the "half-life" time of the given isotope.

Bio- we discussed the Biodiversity lab, focusing on the various types of evidence that distinguishes closely related and more distantly related species: DNA evidence via gel electrophoresis, amino acid sequence evidence via DNA to mRNA to amino acid transcription and translation, comparative anatomy, and comparative cytology/embryology.

Chem 7- we discussed nuclear equations, showing that the mass numbers and the atomic numbers must balance on both sides of the equation.
We saw the criterion for an unstable radioisotope: either a too high or a too low neutron to proton ratio in the nucleus. Unstable nuclei emit one of four main types of particles: alpha, beta (-)/electron, beta (+)/positron, or gamma ray photons.

Chem 8/9-we discussed nuclear equations, showing that the mass numbers and the atomic numbers must balance on both sides of the equation.
We saw the criterion for an unstable radioisotope: either a too high or a too low neutron to proton ratio in the nucleus. Unstable nuclei emit one of four main types of particles: alpha, beta (-)/electron, beta (+)/positron, or gamma ray photons.
We also discussed the metal activity series lab.