12/18/14

Occupations
By Oscar and Bryan

Middle schoolers have been busy in Occupations for the last 4 weeks. We have been working on some
important projects having to do with animal and plant cells and their interior organelles, and also looking at
microscopic things under microscopes.
Ahmad Sims says we have been doing a project talking about animal and plant cells, by comparing them to
another object, like the movie Finding Nemo, a house, or a school. Toby explained hes doing a sponge
puzzle where you match the organelles function to the organelle. Alexa, informed us her project was a debate
with a few other students. On a daily basis, students either work on their long-term projects assigned to them,
but if they are done with that, they will work on assignments from their other classes.
Students favorite part about Occupations is the cell project weve been doing, and that we have the
choice of what kind of project we are going to do. On the day before Thanksgiving Break, we looked at
various living things under microscopes, like pond creatures, leaves, onions, and cheek cells. The bug looked
really hairy up close recalled Ahmad. You could actually see the chloroplasts in the leaves added Oscar
Nollette-Patulski. Kenneth says the microscopes are his favorite part so far this year.
Earlier in the year we were studying the parts of a plant and learning about phloem and xylem, and got help
from Todd Quick of Peach Ridge Farms with planting our apple trees. Bryan Nunez spoke that Its not about
taking notes, we do fun projects. Last week, all of the students presented their projects.
Overall, many students say that they have a lot of freedom in science class, with an emphasis on animal and
plant cells and other tiny things. With our 6 week cell unit coming to an end, it is a mystery what science class
will be like next month. Im hoping for dissecting a frog wishes Oscar.