Frog Dissections!

This week was frog dissection week! We learned all about the internal anatomy of these amphibians with "double lives!"

UW-L Health/Science Building

A big thank you to Dr. Tom Kernozek and his physical therapy students at UW-L for inviting us and showing us how you use science, math, and technology every day! 

We tested our muscle activity and strength using electromyography.

Your brain sends electrical signals to your muscles to tell them to contract. More demanding tasks require stronger muscle contractions. Electromyography (EMG) measures the electrical activity passing through your muscles when they contract!

Are you really standing still?

You are constantly in motion, even when you think you are standing still, this movement is called postural sway.

Three sensory systems help us balance and sway less: vision, the inner ear (vistibular system), and our sensory organs (propioceptors).

We experimented with our balance while standing on one leg with our eyes closed and open to see what would happen if one of these sensory systems was eliminated!

We also used pressure measurements to examine our footprints and help answer the following questions:

• What kind of footprint do I make when walking?
• How does walking speed influence pressure?
• How does wearing a cushioned sock influence pressure?

In order to answer these questions we had to do two tests: one that looked at where we put the most pressure on our feet and one that showed how quickly we walk.

speed (m/s) = distance (m) / time (s)

Thanks again Dr. Tom Kernozek and all of his physical therapy students at UW-L! We had a great time! :)

Lincoln Track

 Excellent season Lincoln! :)

PAWS Assembly

Positive Achievements Within Schools 

The mission of the Lincoln Middle School P.A.W.S. program is to acknowledge the educational achievements and outstanding contributions of the students through a process of reinforcement, recognition and reward. 

Program Goals 
- to increase student attendance 
- to improve overall academic performance 
- to increase a positive school environment 
- to make it “cool” to get good grades and attend school 
- to recognize students in a positive way.

It's obvious we have a very talented and intelligent group of students at Lincoln Middle! Keep up the great work 7th graders! 

Hixon Forest Field Trip

Last Friday we went to Hixon Forest to help remove some of the invasive species of plants that live there!

We looked primarily for the plants of Buckthorn and Garlic Mustard.

         

Buckthorn

Garlic Mustard

An invasive plant has the ability to thrive and spread aggressively outside its natural range.  A naturally aggressive plant may be especially invasive when it is introduced to a new habitat.  An invasive species that colonizes a new area may gain an ecological edge since the insects, diseases, and foraging animals that naturally keep its growth in check in its native range are not present in its new habitat. We need to remove those invasive species in order to preserve the nutrients for the natural growing plants of the area.

Excellent job 7th graders!