Biology: Testing for organic compounds

This week we discussed organic compounds. First we dispelled any myths about organic compounds being any healthier than regular old compounds. Likewise, if someone tries to charge you more money for an organic compound, don't fall for it! In chemistry, organic means relating to living things and containing lots of carbon atoms.

We used chemical and physical tests to find out whether the 6 foods in question (water, chicken soup, sucrose (table sugar and water), egg, margarine, and bread crumbs solution) contain proteins, fats, or carbohydrates (starches or glucose).

Biology: DNA, the Code for Life

This week in Biology we covered A LOT of ground...Phonecian alphabet, pictograms, merits of letter-based writing systems, DNA as code, protein synthesis, and we still hand time for a quick round of Biology Hang-man.

After a quick review of the nuts and bolts of how DNA codes for proteins, the kids did a simulation activity in which they decoded 6 genes into the appropriate amino acid sequences and then drew the resulting organism.