Year in Review: Science Students Visit the Body World Vital Exhibit

Spring 2011
The Science Center of Iowa
Des Moines, IA

Nine Metro science students and three teachers traveld to Des Moines on the last full day of school to see the Body World Vital Exhibit hosted at the Science Center of Iowa. It was a great day that included an IMAX movie about the human body, a tour of the science center and the new traveling exhibit, Body World Vital.

The Body World Vital Exhibit is an artistic and scientific display of human cadavers designed to both educate and inspire the public about the facinating world of the human body. Cadavers are planfully disected, undergo a process called plastination, and then placed in a final position for display. The exhibit gave students great insight into how the human body contains all the organs and tissues that makes us who we are.

Students in Metro's Biology classes had spent the trimester learning about the systems of the human body and this traveling exhibit seemed to be a perfect way to cap off the learning for the trimester. Students attending were selected based on their attendance, behavior, and credit earning in their science class this trimester. Students making the trip to Des Moines included: Jennica Christiansen, Allysa Colvin, Michele Brisbane, Marrisa Geers, Pam & Deb Jackson & Patrick Conlin.

Year in Review: Water Testing at McLoud Run

Spring 2011
Environmental Science

Metro's Environamental Science classes traveled to McCloud Run, Iowa's only urban trout stream, to conduct water quality studies as part of the IOWATER program, Iowa's Volunteer Water Monitoring Program. Students learned why and how to conduct the different tests in the classroom and then used their new found knowledge to complete their work in the field. All three sections of Environmental Science traveled to the stream during a three day period.

The data collected from the students tests was then uploaded to the states Water Quality Atlas, an online database that stores the states water quality data. The data is used by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources as well as local scientists, activists, and students to study the states water quality. Metro students have used other volunteers data to compare their sites data to other sites and also to study water quality of other areas. The Department of Natural Resources has conducted several large scale water quality studies as a result of volunteers findings.

Students tested the streams Dissolved Oxyen level, Nitrate levels, Phosphate levels, pH levels, Chloride levels, Clarity, and temperature.  They also got to enjoy the morning outside and take in some of the urban beauty of the stream and the wildlife surounding it.

Year in Review: METRO Robotics

Winter 2011
FTC-Iowa Championship Tournament
Iowa Memorial Union, The University of Iowa

In its first season the METRO Robotics team made a big splash in the robotics world. They not only competed in the state tournament; they also designed and programed two fully-functioning robots, pepped up two Barns n' Noble book fairs, took their robot to the state capital building, met the governor, presented a grant proposal to the Giacoletto Foundation and still had time to be part of the winning alliance for the tournament and win the Connect Award for getting involved in their communities and promoting robotics

Metro's first year of its new robotic program began in August with the unpacking of boxes containing shiny new metal screws and robot pieces in a classroom full of eager, yet skeptical students and concluded at the FTC-Iowa Championship Tournament this past march on the University of Iowa's campus.
Through out the fall students and staff had alot to do. Attending the Season kick-off event at Prairie Point Middle School to learn about the new game for this season; starting to learn how the pieces and parts fit together and how we can make them move; students presented to the Giacoletto Foundation board to request additional funds to purchase two program lap tops and spare parts; and students from the robotics class participated in Langford Team Training and worked with Clipper Wind of Cedar Rapids to solve an internal problem in their company.
The winter brought scrimmage season and Metro, being a new team, needed as much practice and experience as they could get. Metro had the start of a robot that would change drastically before the tournament in March and they used the two scimmage events they participated in to help them improve their designs and work out potential flaws. By March Metro had two fully functioning robots to use in competition. Bring on the tournament!

Metro students took their robot out on the road. Robotics students introduced their robot to the community at Metro's night @ Barns n' Noble explaining the program and allowing customers to test drive the robots. Robotics students also traveled to the state capital in Des Moines to meet with governor Terry Brandsted at the states Alternative Education Legislative day. The governer took the robot for a spin and posed with students for a picture.

Before Metro's Robots could compete on the "mat" there were a few additional hurdles that had to be overcome first. Hardware and software inspections occured first and after several attempts both robots passes inspection. Metro team members then met with the tournaments judges for an official judging period during which the judges asked students about their robots, their planning and designing, and how they interacted with the community.

Four students represented Metro at the FTC-Iowa Championship Tournament; Dan & Nathan Goodsen, Jessie Titus, and Rudy Young. The students worked tremendously hard throughout the day, driving, problem solving, and repairing with often minutes to spare and no rest in between. In the end their hard work paid off and after the qualifying matches they were selected to be part of an alliance in the elimination portion of the tournament. They helped their alliance navigate through all three rounds of the tournament including the finals which they swept for the championship. Metro's alliance teammates included a team from Mount Vernon, IA and a team from Wisconsin.

During the awards cerimony Metro was also awarded the CONNECT Award for promoting their team and robotics in their community.

Following the FTC-Iowa Championship Tournament Mark Geery from KCRG visited school to learn more about our program from the students.

I am very proud of my students for their hard work this season and I am looking forward to doing it again next year. Go Metro! For more information about how you can support our program go to the METRO Robotics website. For more information about FTC-Iowa or FIRST go to their websites.

Year in Review: Bess Bugs in Class

Fall 2011
Environmental Science Class

Students in Metro's Environmental Science classes learned basic ecological principles and about the diversity of life on our planet this past fall. Students spent several weeks making observations in the field as well as experimenting in class with several different species of life including our friends, the Bess Bug and several species of Protozoans (fresh water invertibrates that live in pond water).

The students explored the world of the Bess Bug (which is a safe & friendly beetle species) including where they live, what they eat, and basic "bug" anatomy. They also experimented with the bess bug to learn about its super human strength. Like many other insect species the bess bug can lift or pull many times its own weight.

Students lassoud their bess bug with dental floss and created a chariot out of a petri dish. They then added pennies to their "chariots" to test the limits of their beetles strength. This activity was addapted from a publication provided by Carolina Biological Supply Company and the animals were also purchased from this supplier. They are a great supplier of live organisms for investigation.

Students were a bit skeptical of having live insects in the classroom but once they got cofortable with the Bess Bug students starting naming their beetles and calling them things like "cute." Overall it was a great experience for our students and hopefully helped them build an appreciation for nature that they will take with them after graduation.

Year in Review: Student Environmental Conference

Fall 2010
National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium
Dubuque, IA

Science teachers Chuck Tonell & Mark Groteluschen took 5 Metro students to this conference which focus' on the Mississippi River Watershed and its impact on the Gulf of Mexico and the world's oceans. The conference brought together students and educators from the midwest, government agencies such as the EPA, DNR, NRCS, & US Fish & Wild Life Service, as well as museum & aquarium staff.

The two day conference featured boat trips on the Mississippi, a land tour of local Best Management Practices (BMP's), museum & aquarium tours, an overnight stay on the William M. Black dredge boat, and a catfish fry.

Metro students that participated were Michelle Brisbine, Jessie Titus, Justin Musil, Dan Goodsen, and Mariah Broadwater. The students did a great job representing their school and learned a lot about our impact on the Mississippi and  the Gulf of Mexico.

New to the Blog: Why Science

I would like to keep record of my classes activities, accomplishments, experiences, and funny moments. Although I have never blogged before I have heard that it is a great format for remembering the past and sharing it with those interested in knowing.

A few warnings to anyone reading my blog:

I an a science teacher; your lucky I am typing this and not writing it.
I am a horrible speller but I don't let that bother me and neither should you.
As noted above, I am a science teacher and may tend to ramble, over-elaborate, and potentially annoy you at times.

Let the fun begin!