What’s happening at Deer Trail
Mrs. Meredith Davidsen
High School Science Teacher
- Hello and welcome to science! I have been a science teacher with Deer Trail school district since 2018, teaching many subjects for grades 7-12 science. I currently teach biology I and II, chemistry, earth science, physical science and middle school STEM. My educational journey began by completing a BS in Animal Science, and minor in German at Colorado State University in 1996. I then completed my MS in Cell and Molecular Biology at CSU in 1999. Following graduation, I worked for 10+ years as a laboratory manager in a University of Colorado research laboratory and then 8 years as a biology instructor at Colorado Community Colleges Online. My primary goal in teaching science at Deer Trail is to help students learn the fundamental concepts of science and understand how they apply to everyday issues and to their daily lives. Outside of school, I spend most of my time with my husband and five children working on gardening, canning, raising various animals (chickens, turkeys, and honeybees), and attending school academic or athletics events. I also volunteer as a 4H leader in Arapahoe County.
Class Description
Biology I
In this course, students study the structure and function relationship of cells with organisms and organisms with their environment. Students will study the basic structure of cells beginning with the basic biological molecules (protein, nucleic acids, lipids, and carbohydrates. The way that cells form subcellular structures, use energy to live and grow, and cause cell division will be explored. Basic genetics will be studied to demonstrate how traits are passed from one generation to another and how traits can change over time. How the environment affects a living thing’s ability to survive and how living things adapt to their environment will be studied. Finally, students will learn about the interactions organisms, including humans, have with their ecosystem. Lessons are designed to align with 2020 Colorado academic standards grade level expectations for science.
Biology II
In this course, students study explores specialty areas of biology in more depth than was covered in biology I. The prerequisite for this class is biology I. Students will study classification of living things, viruses, molecular biology, protists and fungi, plant structures, invertebrates, arthropods, vertebrate diversity and molecular biology in the first semester. In the second semester, we will focus on structure and function of amniote species, as well as study the systems of the human and other vertebrate species. Some dissection is required during the lab portion of this course. One hour of lab work or simulation is included per week. Lessons are designed to align with 2020 Colorado academic standards grade level expectations for science.
Chemistry
In this course, students will learn about subatomic particles and the reasons for which atoms combine to form molecules. Different forms of matter will be studied. Students will learn the history of the periodic table and become familiar with its use in modern chemistry. Different types of chemical reactions and the associated calculations will be used by students to describe natural and synthesized chemical events. Students will study standard chemical nomenclature. Conservation of matter and energy will be reviewed. Finally, students will gain knowledge of the ratios of reactants and products in chemical equations. Algebra I is a prerequisite. Lessons are designed to align with 2020 Colorado academic standards grade level expectations for science.
Earth science
In this course, students study the formation of rocks and minerals found within and on the earth’s surface. Students will learn about the history of the earth and the role of the earth in our solar system. We will also explore how plate tectonics affected the development of the earth as we know it today. Geological processes such as weathering, erosion, and sedimentation will be presented. The causes and effects of volcanoes and earthquakes will be
studied. Resources found on earth as well as the human impact on these will be explored. Finally, the Earth’s place in the solar system, galaxy, and universe will be investigated. One hour of lab work or simulation is included per week. Lessons are designed to align with 2020 Colorado academic standards grade level expectations for science.
Physical Science
Students in this course will study the way that atoms and forces constitute an important, although unseen, part of the world in which they live. Students study the nuclear composition of the atom, and how atoms interact to form molecules. Chemical reactions will be studied and the Law of Conservation of Matter will be explored. Students will also use cross curricular methods to study Newton’s Laws of Motion and use hands on methods to understand force, acceleration, velocity, and speed. Students will understand balanced and unbalanced forces, friction, and buoyancy. Transfer and conservation of energy will be explored. Finally, students will study and describe the different types of energy, describing waves and electrical energy. Lessons are designed to align with 2020 Colorado academic standards grade level expectations for science.
Middle School STEM
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) is a cross-disciplinary course that encourages students to be creative problem solvers and apply the skills they learn in science and math to real world problems. Students will be engaged by performing daily activities and experiments that combine each of the STEM disciplines. Curriculum for this class emphasizes problem solving through project-based learning, modeling, testing, engineering design, coding, and team work. Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are used to design and implement lessons in this course.
Mark Dille
Middle School Science Teacher
Class Description
HELPFUL LINKS
Arapahoe libraries homework help: https://arapahoelibraries.org/kids-subject/kids-homework-help/
PHET Science Simulations: https://phet.colorado.edu/
Anatomy corner: http://anatomycorner.com/
Bozeman science: www.bozemanscience.com
Tyler DeWitt: https://www.tdwscience.com/
Cells Alive!: https://www.cellsalive.com/
CK12 Braingenie practice: https://braingenie.ck12.org/
Chemistry for kids: http://www.chem4kids.com/
Elements quiz: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/physics/chemistry-elements.html
NASA student site: https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/learn/
American Chemical Society Games for Students: https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/students/highschool/chemistryclubs/activities/chemistry-games.html
Element Hangman Game: https://education.jlab.org/elementhangman/index.html
Chemical Formula Balancing Game: https://education.jlab.org/elementbalancing/
Converting with dimensional analysis: http://joneslhs.weebly.com/
Mole conversions checkup: http://www.sciencegeek.net/Chemistry/taters/Unit4MoleConversion.htm
Scientific notation: http://janus.astro.umd.edu/astro/scinote/