Earth Science Class

Students in Earth Science are studying the oceans. In this lab, students are discovering the relationship between the amount of salt that warm and cold water can hold. The LabQuest with probes is being used as the data can be imported into LoggerPro or an Excel workbook. Students can then analyze the data. (Students will discover that warm water will hold more dissolved salt than cold water.)

Picture: Student uses silicon mitt to hold the hot beaker while stirring the water and salt. Second student is pouring additional salt in the beaker. A third student (not pictured) is recording the data with the LabQuest. The picture shows two students working together side by side using a hot plate, stirring rod, measuring spoons, ring stand, and LabQuest probes.

Biology Class Lab

This student is using a CCTV while setting up the LabQuest. This student will be gathering data on a seed germination lab using oxygen and carbon dioxide probes. The student’s hypothesis is that as the seeds sprout, the oxygen level will increase and the carbon dioxide levels will decrease. The LabQuest will collect the data at 5 minute intervals for 100 hours. After the data is collected, the student will analyze the data and draw conclusions about this information.

High School Science News--from Mrs. French

Science Class News

The students in physical science classes are studying Work, Power, and Simple Machines. The unit will end with students designing a Rube Goldberg machine using three to six simple machines. The goal will be to pop a balloon.

The biology class is studying flowering plants. Students will go to the greenhouse to compare the types of flowers on several plants. Student will identify parts of flowers and the function of the structure. Also, students will identify plants as either dicot or monocot.

The horticulture class is working hard starting vegetables for the annual plant sale. The sale will be held later this spring. Students have planted some herbs, peppers, and a few tomatoes so far. They will be planting more tomatoes and several types of flowers in the near future.

Horticulture Class News

Students in Mrs. French's Horticulture Class have planted various seeds and cared for the various plants in the ISVI Greenhouse. The week of May 3rd the various vegetable plants, herbs, and flowers were available for staff to purchase by donation. There were several varieties of tomatoes, sweet and hot peppers, assorted herbs, and several kinds of flowers.  Horticulture students were in the greenhouse during designated times to practice their skills as employees of a greenhouse. This was a great opportunity for the students. The donated funds went into the recreation fund to be used for student activities.

Butterfly Release

The classes of Mrs. Walker and Mrs. Hauck have been studying butterflies as a science project. They started with an egg and followed it through the four stages of egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, to butterfly. On May 6th the class gathered in the O & M Garden to release the butterflies. Following the butterfly release the classes sang songs about butterflies and enjoyed a picnic lunch

Studying Genetics

Students in Mrs. French's Science Class have been studying genetics. They are learning about Capital A's, lower case a's, and phenotypes. On the rabbit they are looking at the rings of color on the hair shaft. By tracking the genetics of the mother rabbit and the father rabbit they will be able to predict what color their babies will be.

Science Lab--Dissection

Pictured are students in Mrs. French's class doing a dissection lab. They began by learning to identify the tools in the dissection kit and how to use them safely. With supervision these students used the tools to separate and identify all of the parts of a pig's foot.

Lab Experiment

This student is in Mrs. French's Chemistry Class. He is working on an acid-base titration lab experiment. The student explained that an acid is added to a base to make the ph measure close to a 7 on a Labquest Meter.
He adds sulfuric acid into sodium hydroxide very slowly until a reaction occurs. A magnet is in the solution that moves and mixes the solution thorougly. He will continue adding the acid and measuring the data until it reaches the ph of 7 or close to 7. When it reaches a 7 it will be at a neutral state and the experiment will be completed.

Mentos Eruption

For a science project, Ms. Chambers took the elementary students outdoors with liters of diet soda and mint-flavored Mentos candy. They put a plastic tube into the opening of the soda bottle to create a geyser effect. Then they dropped the Mentos candy into the soda bottles and observed the reaction. The combination of the two items foamed at a rapid rate and spewed into the air. It was interesting and the students really had fun creating the high blast of soda.

Science Presentation

On October 18, 2010, Dr. Cary Supalo of Penn. State came to ISVI to give a presentation to students and staff.  As a blind chemist Dr. Supalo has overcome many challenges and he wanted to relay his experiences to ISVI students. He stressed the importance of education and told students that they can go to college and become whatever they want to be. He encouraged them to get involved in extra-curricular activites, to meet and know a lot of people. He relayed to students that one of those people could be the one who interviews you for a job in the future.

Dr. Supalo also gave students his secrets of success in college as a blind student. As soon as he received the syllabus he began working ahead. He always did reading assignments before they were assigned and attempted to do the homework before the lecture.  He stayed a week ahead in his reading and homework. He was never late to class or to appointments. He asked informed questions.

After his presentation Dr. Supalo answered questions from students and there were many. Students asked him about various careers and if he knew of a blind person that was in that career. Dr. Supalo gave an example of somone he knows who is in each career asked about.

With Dr. Supalo were eight students from the University of Illinois. They are members of Alpha Chi Sigma and are all majoring in either biology or chemistry. As part of the presentation, they demonstrated exploding hydrogen and oxygen.  They also met with the students of Mrs. French's Science Class to conduct an experiment.  Each student had a bowl of liquid homemade ice cream ingredients and the U of I students added liquid nitrogen to the bowl as the student stirred creating the frozen product in seconds. 

Aviation Lesson

Mrs. French teaches her students in Science Class a section about flight. Twenty of her students received a hands-on experience during a field trip to the Prairie Aviation Museum in Bloomington on October 11, 2010. 
The museum's volunteer co-coordinator arranged for volunteers, including veterans, aircraft mechanics, teachers and pilots to help students explore the museum. The students loved it! They climbed into helicopters and aircrafts, felt controls, tried on flight helmets, felt wings, and heard the recorded sounds of jet engines and helicopters. At many museums touching the exhibits is not allowed. The aviation museum is different. The students were encouraged to touch the items on display.