Murder and a Meal in AP Biology at Vineland High School!
The Murder and a Meal lab is an activity where students use their knowledge of biological macromolecules to investigate a murder. In AP Biology, "macromolecules" refer to the four large, complex molecules essential for life: carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids; each of these is built from smaller subunits called monomers, and they perform diverse functions within living organisms.
The case:
AP Biology students are asked to help solve a murder. The victim's autopsy shows what they ate shortly before their death.
The lab:
Students use Benedict's solution, biuret solution, and iodine to test for macromolecules in the victim's stomach contents. The presence of certain macromolecules indicates where the victim ate and what they ate. It is assumed that the murderer ate dinner with them and will have similar stomach contents.
The goal:
Students analyze stomach samples from the victim and the four suspects that have been linked to the crime. The murderer is believed to have shared the victim's final meal.
This activity teachers the students about the science practices and the macromolecules.
The science practices that were used in this activity include:
>Concept Explanation-Explain biological concepts, processes, and models presented in written format
>Visual Representationce-Analyze visual representations of biological concepts & processes
>Question and Method-Determine scientific question and method
>Representing and Describing Data-Represent and describe data
>Argumentation-Develop and justify scientific arguments using evidence
It also falls under Unit 1 Chemistry of Life for content since students need knowledge of various chemistry and biochemistry materials. It was definitely a hit with the students!
Good luck to the Vineland High School Marching Band this weekend in the NJMBDA Competition!! If you want to see the show, come to Millville and check out all the bands. The start time is noon, and the VHSMB time slot is 12:45.
Mr. Adams and Ms. Salvitti's 3rd-grade class at Mennies celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month with a special guest reader, Ms. DeOro-Nada. Students enjoyed learning about her culture, making it a wonderful experience for the whole class. It was a fantastic day in Mr. Adams and Ms. Salvitti's classroom!
Today is National Custodian Appreciation Day, and we want to take a moment to thank our incredible custodians for their tireless efforts in making our schools shine. Your commitment to keeping our learning spaces clean and well-maintained does not go unnoticed, and we're so grateful to have you as part of our team!
Senior Ja'Leah Mayes and freshmen Taraja Williams and Maqi Golden are the Vineland High School September Dancers of the Month. These three dancers show up to class each day with positive attitudes, a great work ethic, and sheer determination! Ms.Hall is very proud of these deserving students!
We will be streaming the October 2 Board of Education Combined Meeting live at 5pm on our YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/live/s3Tp0SYaUWg?feature=share
Meeting agenda: https://bit.ly/4eJto7t
Ms. Moyer’s class at Mennies Elementary School celebrated Custodian Appreciation Day by making Mr. Ganci a card and giving him a special treat from Philly Pretzel Factory! We are so thankful for his hard work as he takes care of our school!
Durand Elementary School will be hosting a Fall Craft Fair on Saturday, October 19, from 11am-3pm at the school, 371 W. Forest Grove Road. The event will feature food trucks, ice cream, over 30 vendors, and more. See the attached flyer for more information.
Students in Mrs. Chance's fourth-grade class at Mennies are learning about and celebrating each other's cultures. They are creating posters featuring pictures and details about their own cultural backgrounds. The students will then share and celebrate their work with their classmates.
October is National School Principals Month, and we're sending a big thank you to all the amazing principals in Vineland Public Schools! These dedicated leaders work hard to make our schools the best they can be, supporting students, staff, and the community. Let's take a moment to show our gratitude and celebrate the incredible impact they have on our schools. Thank you, principals, for all that you do!
Don't forget - this Saturday is the Vineland Family Festival hosted by NJ First Lady Tammy Murphy! The event will feature free food, music, giveaways, support services and more. Please see the attached flyer for more information.
Those interested in registering for Motor Vehicle Commission services can sign up here: https://bit.ly/vinelandfestmvc
Mrs. Leone's class at Mennies had an adventurous camping-themed week! 🏕️ The students made s’mores and wrote step-by-step guides for the perfect treat, explored the sights, sounds, and sensations of camping using clues from their reading, and created animal footprints in playdough for a fun sensory break. They even enjoyed a cozy reading session inside classroom tents! 📚🔥 Students had a blast working with each other and learning all about camping!
Attention, winter athletes! A reminder that all physicals and recertifications for winter sports MUST be submitted to the school nurse by Friday, November 1.
Parents in need of a physical packet can download it from the athletics website here: https://www.vineland.org/page/athletics
Help Mennies School celebrate "Socktober"! During the month of October, Mennies will be accepting donations of new pairs of socks for our homeless shelters. Please see the attached flyer for more information.
Mennies School introduced students to the first Portrait of a Graduate competency: Responsibility. Classrooms participated in activities and lessons focused on responsibility, and each grade level recognized one student who demonstrated outstanding responsibility throughout the first month of school. Congratulations to the following students for receiving this prestigious award!
K: Joseph Ocasio
1: Noah Baker
2: Harry Ledden
3: Adaia Rodrigeuz
4: Whitley Turner
5 Cristhian Navarro Vazquez
Rossi students in the Champions Before and After Care program had a blast during their recent Hispanic Heritage Month party! They enjoyed trying new foods and playing games, all while celebrating the rich and diverse culture of Hispanic and Latino communities.
The Johnstone Middle School PTO is holding a mum sale fundraiser on Saturday, October 5 from 9-10:30am at Johnstone School. Please see the attached flyer for more information.
This week, Mrs. Schiavone’s Project Lead The Way students learned about the devastating effects of oil spills and their impact on wildlife, coastal ecosystems, and the economy. The students also learned about oil spills from years past and the financial and environmental costs associated with the clean-up. Their project included creating an ocean and an oil spill in their ocean, and they were given a budget to purchase cleaning products and clean up their "oceans!" They were amazed at the difficulty in the clean up, the devastating impact both long and short term, the financial costs, and the importance of oil daily.
Communication skills, commitment, and a positive attitude are just a few qualities that make a good team player. Johnstone Jaguars in Ms. Rivera’s team-building class played ‘Minute to Win It’ games to further develop these skills. 6th-grade students cheered on their team and even the opposing teams as they earned points by completing various challenges in under 60 seconds.
Ms. Rivera said, “Learning team building in middle school has an abundance of benefits. In just three short weeks, I have seen an improvement in the 6th graders’ confidence in communication, self-esteem, and collaboration skills.”
Meet this year's VHS AFJROTC new Alpha Flight Leaders for the 2024-2025 school year!
Group Commander c/Col Shipman, Erin
Deputy Group Commander c/ Lt Col Steele, Robert
Inspector General and Saber Team Commander c/ Lt Col Van-Osten, Christain
Group Superintendent c/ CMSgt Rodriguez Aponte, Valeria
Safety Superintendent c/ Maj Martinez, Aiden
Chief Personnel c/ Maj Lopez, Isaac
Personnel Officer c/ Gonzalez, Jaylani
Operations Support Squadron Commander c/ Maj Arrocho, Miana
Operations First Sergeant c/SMSgt Allen, Haldino
Mission Support Squadron Commander c/Maj Montana, Joseph
Chief of Logistics and Deputy Drill Commander c/Maj Gonzalez, Jaslynn
Chief of Public Affairs and Color Guard Commander c/Maj Robinson, Erika
Special Teams Squadron Commander and Drill Team Commander c/Maj Colon, Greg
APT Commander c/1Lt Zavala-Beant, Cynthia
Chief of Wellness c/Capt Rodriguez, Miguel
Congrats to all of the new Alpha Flight Leaders and their positions. They have all been working hard since the start of the school year, running the program, putting everything together to meet their goals, and planning events. We are all very proud of them for all their efforts!
