An update from the Ithaca Sciencenter: The "Science Minutes: Write for the Radio Contest 2007" is now closed. Thank you to the elementary and middle school students who entered the contest in November and December 2006. The winners will be announced in early Spring 2007. Fifteen scripts will be selected, edited and recorded for broadcast. Lets keep our fingers crossed.

Just thought I'd share one of my favorite Christmas presents. This is a pineapple plant. It will be on display in the classroom to remind everyone that our food DOES NOT come from a grocery store, but from the soil...something we should all respect. Hope everyone is having a nice break. Happy New Year!

Today we went on the annual middle school holiday trip. This year we visited the sports complex in Homer and the movie theater in Cortland. We all had an excellent time. I hope everyone enjoys the holiday break with their friends and family.

Today we read over a few select pieces of writing. Thanks for all of your comments and feedback. There were some really good comments and a lot of you showed me you, yourselves, are excellent writers. Looking forward to tomorrow's field trip.

Today in Tri-sci we took the next steps in trying to solve our crime. We tested ink from the ransom letter to that of three sample pens. By comparing the ink spread we were able to narrow down the possibilities. This is a very cool lab that is actually a NYS required lab skill at the high school level.

SKYLER K., SCOTT D., and GEORGE M. get a close look at a little mitosis action in onion root tip cells. We used root tips because the cells are rapidly multiplying to increase the surface area for water absorbtion. Remember that we have a test Wednesday on Diffusion, Photosynthesis, Respiration, and Cell Reproduction. Make sure you organize your notes and handouts because you will get to use them on the exam. NOT your books, however.

Today DANIELLE S. brought in a baby mouse. Even though it looked like a naked mole rat, mice (like some mammals) are born without hair.

This week Mrs. Williams' class stopped by to do some science. Here they are working on the egg diffusion lab.

Hey guys,

Please remind your parents to come out and vote tomorrow on the building project!

Thanks,

-Mr. D.

Here is a pretty amazing article I just found. These discoveries illustrate that the oceans are truly the last frontier on the planet.

"A new type of crab with a furry appearance, near Easter Island. It was so unusual it warranted a whole new family designation, Kiwaidae, named for Kiwa, the Polynesian goddess of shellfish. Its furry appearance justified its species name, hirsuta, meaning hairy."

It is also very rare when a whole new "family" (remember KPCOFGS) is discovered.

MEGAN B. looks on as the mass of her egg is calculated. Today we witnessed osmosis, as our eggs' water surrendered to the outside corn syrup layer overnight. Make sure you do a GOOD job answering these lab questions. We did a very authentic scientific experiment here. Reread your data, and compare that to what we talked about in class relating to diffusion and osmosis. Don't forget to address your hypothesis as well.

Last night the 7th grade boys modified basketball team coasted to an easy victory over Moravia. Nice job guys.

Members of the 7th grade were in charge of the school store today. Props to Mrs. Aarne for taking charge of this. It is a great experience for the students to run something like this...plus it's fun.

These boys are in the middle of pouring corn syrup onto their eggs. So what do you guys think will happen to our bulging eggs after submerging them into the syrup for 24 hrs? Remember we've been talking about diffusion: the movement of particles from a high concentration to low.

Today we also finished the Jane Goodall IMAX film on chimpanzees and her committment to educate people around the world of their dire status. She is an amazing human being who has done a lot to conserve our closest living relatives. More Jane Goodall clips can be viewed here and here.

Learn more about Jane's Roots and Shoots program.

Today we witnessed that the acidic vinegar completely dissolved our eggshells, exposing the membrane. This is the same process by which acid rain ruins limestone statues and buildings. ALEN Q. and PETER F. add distilled water to their eggs for another 24 hrs.

DANIELLE S., JESSE S., and DANICA G. get ready to calculate the mass of their egg in preparation for the egg diffusion/ osmosis lab. Tomorrow we will see what happens to egg shell after being submerged in vinegar for 24 hrs.

Today Ryan Goupil came in to speak to us about parasites. He is a 3rd year Cornell student who is studying to become a veterinarian. Above, students get a closer look at the samples of heartworms, tapeworms, fleas, ticks, and hookworms Ryan brought in with him. Do you guys still want to be vets? = )

This week students handed in their 3D cell models. I was very pleased with the amount of effort put into these. Here are the models from BRYAN B., EMILY F., and JASON H.

Here is a great opportunity for interested students and families! This Sunday the Ithaca Sciencenter is offering free admission from noon-5pm. At 1pm there is a workshop called "Fun and physics of skiing and snowboarding" at 2pm a workshop on "Animal Tracks" and at 3pm there is a workshop on "Winter family fun and safety". So peel yourself away from the Nintendo Wii and go check out this incredible place filled with all sorts of cool activities!