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tional groups to be studied include aldehydes and ketones. There have also been many fun lab units in Chemistry II. Students have synthesized acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) and methyl salicylate (oil of wintergreen). In an earlier lab students produced the highly useful synthetic condensation polymer nylon. They also produced a very hard thermosetting polymer called glyptal.  The next laboratory unit will be over distillation, which is a very important separation method often used in organic chemistry.
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• Oral Interpretation- Kristen Gonsoir
• The oral interpretation team recently finished up its season with the State Oral Interpretation Festival in Watertown on December 6th and 7th. Three students represented Groton at this state event. Junior Jocelyn Peterson led the team with a fine performance at state in Dramatic Plays where she earned a superior rating. Senior Olivia Lone and sophomore Lily Cutler were in Poetry and Humorous Interpretation respectively where the each earned excellent ratings.
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• Debate- Kristen Gonsoir
• The debate team is about mid- season. Public Forum teams are currently debating the merits of a pathway to citizenship policy. Lincoln Douglas debate is debating whether or not attorney client privilege obstructs truth seeking. After Christmas break, the topics will change. Public Forum debate will then look at if the United States should provide development assistance or military aid to the Sahel region of Africa. Lincoln Douglas debate will debate whether developing countries should prioritize environmental protection over resource extraction when the two are in conflict.
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• Bio I - Mr. Kurth
• Biology I is a class for sophomores which is required to graduate. Currently we have been studying cell division or mitosis. We are in the process of discussing all of the steps of mitosis and what occurs in each. We will progress from mitosis which is asexual reproduction and makes identical copies of cell, to meiosis in our next chapter. which makes news cells which are not identical.
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• Life Science - Mr. Kurth
• Life science is a 7th grade level class. In is a mini version of our Biology class that the students will take when they get older. The students are now starting to discuss all of the six kingdoms, starting with the kingdoms archaebacteria and eubacteria. We will then progress through all of the other kingdoms ending with mammals.

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