Help a Girl Out...with Dissections.

I'm gonna start this post by admitting: I've never been a huge fan of dissecting frogs and worms.  I'm just not into it.

Ironically, my school's lab will be "out of order" for the next two weeks due to some construction.

Long story short? We can't dissect this semester. Since my school is in "block scheduling", my first semester students will not get to dissect because they head to Social studies in a week.

Here's where you come in....

Anyone know any great websites with virtual dissections?

Please post below to share any thoughts or resources.

UPDATE: Here are the links I have compiled so far today :

(I will try to find the time to make this into a worksheet this weekend...)

Virtual Worm Dissection:
Tasks: 
1. Read the information at nature watch....
Questions on how to use taxonomic key http://www.naturewatch.ca/english/wormwatch/identifying_earthworms.html
and worm facts/labeling the picture http://www.naturewatch.ca/english/wormwatch/about/anatomy.html 
2. Read the information on Worm World. http://yucky.discovery.com/flash/worm/ and http://urbanext.illinois.edu/worms/3. View the pictures at Cornell site. Click on the pictures and then 
the circled numbers to read about the parts identified.
http://biog-1101-1104.bio.cornell.edu/BioG101_104/tutorials/animals/earthworm.html
4. Read the Manual. Self-check by labeling on the computer, then 
labeling the picture. on MHHE website. http://www.mhhe.com/biosci/genbio/virtual_labs/BL_14/BL_14.html

(+ maybe look at a virtual work tour http://www.naturewatch.ca/english/wormwatch/virtual_worm/Introduction.htm and use some diagrams from here: http://shs.westport.k12.ct.us/mjvl/biology/dissect/earthworm.htm)

Virtual Frog Dissection

1. Read information at http://www.allaboutfrogs.org/ and http://www.kiddyhouse.com/Themes/frogs/

2. Complete the virtual dissection at http://froggy.lbl.gov/virtual/

3. If possible, use the ipad app at http://frogvirtualdissection.com/

Other Virtual Dissections
 Virtual Cat Dissection (Gag!) http://bio.bd.psu.edu/cat/
Sheep Brain Dissection http://www.exploratorium.edu/memory/braindissection/index.html 
Rat Dissection http://www.umanitoba.ca/faculties/science/biological_sciences/lab15/
Cockroach, Pig, etc. Dissections http://biology.about.com/od/onlinedissections/a/aa112805a.htm

Real-Live Dissection Lab Links

Earthworm Dissection Lab Link 

http://www.middleschoolscience.com/earthworm2.htm
Frog Dissection Lab Link 
http://www.middleschoolscience.com/frog.htm

Edible DNA

Teaching DNA?

Your students will LOVE making DNA models out of candy!

All you need:

*colored marshmallows (i recommend letting them sit out and get stale for a few hours!!)

*twizzlers

*tooth picks

*towel or plates for the desks

*directions #1 OR directions #2

*rubric (coming soon!)

Materials:

Under Construction:

Ta'Da! 

Final Product:

This can be extended by "unzipping" and replicating the DNA...

View more Life Science ideas from A Middle School Survival Guide...

Flip Books in Science

Teaching Cell Division?

You GOTTA try Science Spot's Cell Division Flip Book Freebie! 

The 3 Materials You Will Need:

Cell Division Notes

Cell Division Flip Book Rubric and Directions (ah, so sorry! i promise upload it after the weekend. for now, see the preview below.)

Cell Division Flip Book

Here is the rubric and finished product:

I found it helpful to model the expectations on the document camera.
The rubric was a great opportunity for self assessment (seen above).

(Please give me feedback on the rubric.  I use rubrics often, but sometimes rush to create them.) 

Here is a student samples mid-cutting:

Cute, right?

Numbers About Me...Winter Break Style!

Helllooooo 2012!

As part of the "Numbers About Me" theme I have going on for my students math journals, 

(See Below...)

I gave them 10 minutes to write a story about their holiday break using numbers.  

(They were instructed to give as little or as much details as they wanted.)  

For example:

I was so excited for break to begin, I was counting down the hours! After school on Friday, I drove straight to the airport at 12:30.  I hopped on a plane for trip to Florida that took approximately 2.5 hours.  It was great to be in the sunshine! The weather was 82* in the day, which was about 40 degrees higher than it had been a few hours ago when I was in NJ! I was in Florida for 8 days with my family of 4.  I saw 2 dolphins, 2 manatees, 1 conch, 1 lizard, and many fish.  I ate two crazy things on my trip...alligator and octopus (ew, right!?).  The weather was energizing.  I went to the gym 2 times, rode my bike 2 times, and walked some...but mostly I just laid on the beach for 8 days.

They were then given 2 minutes max to share part or all of their story.

Followed by questions from their peers.

The activity wasn't originally part of my plan today.  Spur of the moment I felt that it was something one class needed before getting back to the grind.  
It was a big hit.