Food Bank Wrist Bands!

Mr. Forde's advisory has been selling orange wrist bands (see above) for $1 to support the Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County. We would like to thank all of the students and staff who supported us. We are ready to donate over $250 to help the needy in our own part of Connecticut!

Thanks so much for caring!

Mr. Forde and advisory!

What is Meiosis?

Hi All!

We have learned about mitosis. Now what in the world is MEiosis?

For a preview click on the following link.

Mitosis vs. Meiosis

At the end of Meiosis cell have only half as many chromosomes as a normal body cell. Why would it want only half the number of chromosomes?

Mr. Forde :-)

Enrichment post #8- Punnett Squares

Try these punnett square links and let ne know how they worked!

A punnett square calculator!

Here are some Punnett Square practice problems that will be tough...but worth trying. Don't peek at the answers until you give them a try! :-)

Practice problems

Good luck...Mr. Forde :-)

enrichment post - #7 -Build DNA!

source- biology corner.com

Hi All,

From a focus on cells to a focus on the genetic material within the cell that makes us who we are!

Fo fun try the link below and select the building DNA activity. This will teach you more about the structure of the DNA molecule.

Build DNA

You may try the others also, but they may be a bit complicated until we cover the concepts in class.

All the best and see you soon!

Mr. Forde :-)

New Eyes- helping others

HI All,

A student in my advisory, Haley, is collecting eyeglasses in order to help children and adults who cannot afford their own. Do you have old eyeglasses that you would be willing to donate?

Help Haley to help others with this worthwhile project!

Bring them to room 231 ASAP!

Mr. Forde :-)

The mitosis song!

The words to the Mitosis song!

“Mitosis”
(sung to the tune of “London Bridges Falling Down”)

In mitosis cells divide, cells divide, cells divide,
In mitosis cells divide,
For cell reproduction.


In interphase chromosomes duplicate, duplicate, duplicate,
In interphase chromosomes duplicate,
For mitosis.

In prophase we now see chromosomes, see chromosomes,
see chromosomes,
In prophase we now see chromosomes,
In mitosis.

In metaphase chromosomes all pair up, all pair up,
all pair up,
In metaphase chromosomes all pair up,
In mitosis.

In anaphase chromosomes move apart, move apart,
move apart,
In anaphase chromosomes move apart,
In mitosis.

In telophase there are two new cells, two new cells,
two new cells,
In telophase there are two new cells,
In mitosis.

From.... NSTA's Science Scope September 2007

Mitosis Quiz tomorrow

Hi Bloggers!

The quiz tomorrow is on the stages of mitosis. You will be shown cells in various stages and you are to guess if there are in Interphase, prophase, metaphase, anaphase or telophase.

For example, what phase do you think this cell is in?



If you said, Metaphase (because the chromosomes are lined up) then you were correct!

Good Luck,

Mr. Forde :-)

Week of 12/17 Protists!

Another Busy Week!

The protists arrived and we were back on the microscopes! On Monday, Wednesday and Friday we observed and asked meaningful questions about paramecium, euglena, stentor, blepharisma, and more! It was exciting to watch them move and interact and allowed us to refine our microscopy skills.

Here is a website with a few images of the organisms we observed:



Click Here

Here are some links that will allow you to learn more! Write some notes and submit them for extra credit!!

1) Protist Link #1- good info

2) Protist Link #2- good video clips

3) Protist Link #3- colecting and studying protists

Have a great break!

Mr. Forde :-)

Week of 12/10

Hi All,

Last week we reviewed the process of respiration and we discovered tat it occurs in the mitochondria, uses oxygen and simple sugars (glucose) to produce energy (in the form" of ATP) and produces water and carbon dioxide gas. I asked questions of the group like, "Why do we breath? and "Why do we eat?", in order to see if you could make the connection from breathing and eating to what happens in the mitochondria. We also discovered that without the "powerhouses of the cells", cells would have no way of getting the energy they need to live.

Next, we turned out attention to Mitosis:



Please remember to finish your flip-books and review the stages on the provided notes. Remember IPMAT..(interphase,prophase,metaphase, anaphase, telophase).

Also, think you all for signing my birthday card on Monday. I appreciated the warm wishes.

Mr. Forde :-)

Girls Rock at Science Competition!

See the details at this NY Times link.

Click here

*This may require a registration on the NYT web site....don't do this without parent permission!!!

Mr. Forde :-)