Newsletters - Harris County School District



Dear Parents,

The purpose of this newsletter is to give you an overview of what your child will be learning during our current unit of study in science. Please take a moment to look over the different sections of this newsletter. You will find background information to help you understand concepts we are learning, example questions, important vocabulary, and some extension activities you can do at home.

Parent Background:

All living things are organisms, and all organisms are made of cells. The cell is the basic unit of life. The cell is the smallest thing we call “alive.” Some organisms, like bacteria, are single-celled—are made up of only one cell. Most organisms that you see are made of many cells. In fact, plants and animals are made of thousands, millions, or even trillions of cells. Cells are found in all parts of plants and animals: the blood, bones, skins, nerves, roots, stems, leaves, etc.

From the simplest single-celled animals to the most complex multi-cellular ones, cells perform all of the chemical processes needed to sustain life. Cells vary in shape and form depending on the tasks they perform. All cells, except bacterial cells, have a distinct nucleus that contains the cell’s DNA. A microscope is needed to view cells. When a cell is viewed with a microscope, tiny structures inside the cell can be seen. These structures are the organelles and they perform specific functions in the cell.

A microorganism or microbe is an organism that is so small that it is invisible to the naked eye, or microscopic (can only be seen with a microscope). Microorganisms may be found everywhere in nature. Some microorganisms are helpful in baking breads and dough, or in biotechnology. Others are harmful when they are pathogens, or disease carrying agents.

| Students will know… |Students will be able to… |

|the parts of an animal cell; |Investigate how common items have parts that are too small to be seen without |

|the parts of a plant cell; |magnification |

|how to use a microscope; |draw & label the organelles of an animal cell (membrane, cytoplasm, and nucleus) and|

|the similarities and differences between animal and plant cells; and |state the function of each |

|what animal and plant cells look like under a microscope; how microorganisms |observe and recognize an animal cell, microscopically |

|benefit larger organisms |draw & label a plant cell (cell wall, cytoplasm, nucleus, chloroplasts) and state |

|how microorganisms harm larger organisms. |the functions of each |

| |compare and contrast the animal cell with plant cell |

| |explain the role and function of cells as the basis for all living things |

| |explain the similarities and differences of multi-celled and single-celled |

| |organisms. |

| |identify, sort, & explain how microorganisms are beneficial and harmful |

| |use a microscope to view microorganisms. |

Sample Test Prep Question #1

[pic]

The job of a cell membrane is to

A. produce food for the cell.

B. allow substances in & out of cell.

C. help the cell make more cells.

D. tell the cell how to live.

Answers:

1) B

2) A

Well what about the mature student having trouble with weight and mass? He couldn't tell his old tons from his Newtons

Sample Test Prep Question #2

2. A paramecium is a one-celled organism. Which of the following MUST be true about the paramecium?

A. Its one cell does everything it needs to live.

B. It can only live inside the cells of other living things.

C. It is the smallest living thing.

D. It causes dangerous diseases.

-----------------------

Students will be able to:

• Use fractions, decimals, & percents interchangeably

• Order and compare rational numbers

• Operate with fractions, decimals, and percents

• Find the absolute value of numbers

• Add, subtract, multiply, & divide integers

• Use ratios to compare quantities and solve problems

Examples:

1. Perform the indicated operations. Write your answers in simplified fractional form and then in equivalent decimal and percent forms.

a. Add: 3[pic]+ 1 [pic] b. Subtract: 4[pic] - 3[pic]

c. Multiply 5[pic]x 2[pic] d. Divide: [pic] [pic] [pic]

2. Jamil completed 82% of the problems assigned. Patrice finished 7/8 of the problems. Lamar did 17 out of 20 problems. Who did the most?

3. Write a math expression you would use to represent each situation.

a. What is the area of a rectangular plot that is ¾ mile long and ½ mile wide?

b. How many glasses of water can you pour from 4/5 of a jug if 1/10 of a jug will fill 1 glass?

4. You treated your mother to lunch for her birthday. You paid $5.45 for her lunch and $4.85 for your lunch. If you left a 15% tip, how much did you pay altogether?

5. In a survey on favorite fruits, 18 people chose apples, 12 chose oranges, and 10 picked pears. What percent preferred pears?

6. Roger’s mother baked banana bread. His sister took ¼ of the loaf to eat with her lunch. Roger’s mother left a note for Roger saying that he could eat 1/3 of what was left. Roger did what the note said. How much of the loaf of banana bread was left after Roger ate his portion?

Special Interest Articles:

▪ Add a highlight your point of interest here.

▪ Add a highlight your point of interest here.

▪ Add a highlight your point of interest here.

|Individual Highlights: |

|Inside Story – 2 |Inside Story – 4 |Inside Story – 6 |

|Inside Story – 3 |Inside Story – 5 |Back Story – 8 |

Here’s a funny!

Cells & Microorganisms Newsletter 2011-12

Volume 1, Issue 1

Vocabulary

Help! We will be creating cells.

Your child will be creating either a plant or

animal cell within the next few weeks. We will

send project information soon. The project will be due August 29th. This will allow students to finalize their projects on a weekend and bring it in on Monday.

Question:

What kind of parties do cells have?

Answer:

Celebrations

Ways Parents Can Help

Things you can do with your 5th grader…

1. Visit .

2. Visit the microbe zoo at to see both beneficial & harmful microorganisms. Great ‘Try This’ activities!

3. Draw or use art materials to create animal and plant cells. Label the parts and talk about each part’s job.

cell: the basic unit of function and structure of living things

cell membrane: a thin, outer enclosure of an animal cell that allows certain materials to pass in and out of the cell.

cell wall: the outer boundary of a plant cell; made of cellulose.

chloroplasts: a cell organelle that contains chlorophyll used in the photosynthesis process that “feed” the plant cell.

cytoplasm: the area between the cell wall or cell membrane and the nucleus, where many important organelles are located.

nuclear membrane: the outer boundary of the nucleus.

nucleus: an organelle in plant and animal cells that directs all the activities of the cell.

organelle: the “organs” or parts of the cell such as the nucleus, chloroplasts, etc.

beneficial: producing or promoting a favorable result; advantageous; helpful; useful.

harmful: of a kind likely to be damaging

microorganism: an organism that can be seen only with the aid of a microscope

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