Earth & Life Under The Microscope

According to this blog sumarizing research findings, they can! Glaciers are effecting the amount of gravity in certain areas of Canada. I doubt you'll be able to go up north to the area in question and bounce around like you're on the moon though, but it would be interesting if a local student did a Science project about the graviational force in that region. It would consist of someone timing how long it takes for an object to fall and compare it to other parts of the Earth. (Hey! It could be a project with participants from all over the world! ....hummm that's a thought, it would be perfect for 8th graders)

Link: http://www.livescience.com/environment/070510_odd_gravity.html

M 4/23-Presentations are this week beginning today! Be prepared. If you did not do a Backboard, you are still responsible for doing a presentation. Make sure the letter you will be reading has been signed by your parent or guardian.

T 4/24 and W 4/25- Complete the Measuring Hand Span Lab which we started in class.

R 4/26 and F 4/27- We have finished most of the presentations. There are a few left in each class.

Friday marks the end of grading period #2 for semester 2. You should be receiving Progress Reports in about 2 weeks. I wll be sending Grade Checks home during the next week.

M 4/16- Backboards due tomorrow!

T 4/17- Last day backboards will be accepted late is Friday. (-5 points per day late)

W 4/18- Last day backboards will be accepted late is Friday. (-5 points per day late)

R 4/19- Last day backboards will be accepted late is Friday. (-5 points per day late)

F 4/20- Be prepared to give presentations starting on Monday. See you Saturday in H-104 during Arts on the Green for extra credit points.

Your jobs:

1. Type your procedure for Science -O- Rama (if you do not yet have a topic, your project will be a report on a disease, see Mrs. Fischer for assignment sheet and start researching!)

2. After you have finished typing, you are to save the procedure in your digital locker.  Then click the "comments" button below this entry, and copy/paste your procedure as a comment to this assignment.  Make sure you only use your initials and period to identify yourself.  Do NOT type your full name, this is to protect your privacy.  As of Tuesday evening, nine people have submitted, but only 4 people followed directions about the initials.  If your work is not yet up, you must post by the end of Thursday (7 p.m.) to receive full credit.

    If you are doing the report on a disease for your Science-O-Rama project:  Research about the illness/ disease or disorder using the first three Navigation Links (right side of this screen), be sure to take notes (you may use AppleWorks/ ClarisWorks to do this) and to copy the web addresses for those sites you are looking at.  Use the assignment paper I handed out with your disease topic  to guide you in your research.

When finished with 1-2: 
3. Learn how to use a Sphygmomanometer
4. Practice taking your blood pressure using the Sphygmomanometer

M 3/12- Science-O-Rama Procedure was due today; we will be typing them today and tomorrow in class.

T 3/13- We were typing the procedure in class today; students should be finishing this tomorrow.  There will be a grade check going home by Thursday of next week (sorry, we ran out of time).

W 3/14- Show parents letter about Family Life; work on Science -O- Rama project

(Happy Pi Day!)

R 3/15-Show parents letter about Family Life; work on Science -O- Rama project

(Today is Green Day!)

F 3/16- No School Today (Inservice)

M- Science -O Rama Prodedure/ Research due March 12. 
(If you are doing an experiment, the procedure is due on the 12th.  If you are doing a model, the research is due on the 12th)

T- How does exercise effect the pulse?  (procedure #1-7; we will do procedure 8-9 in class tomorrow)
W- Time extended for last nights homework, students have an additional night to take the pulse before and after exercise.
R- Graphing the information from Data Table #2 in the pulse activity;
Four more days until the Science-O-Rama procedure is due.

F-Science -O-Rama procedure due in 3 days (due Monday!) Also, a letter was sent home (with students) to parents & guardians about Family Life. If you would like an electronic copy click for PDF07Family Life Letter (Eng).pdf (65.25 KB) English or
PDF07Family Life Letter (Span).pdf (65.5 KB) Spanish

(Sorry, but I do not have an electronic copy of the 1/2 sheet which goes over the day by day curriculum.
Last note, the first grading period ended today, expect a grade check to be sent home with students next week.

M- see computer entry below
T, W, R, F- Science-O-Rama Prodedure/Research due March 12

Today we're learning about Spreadsheets in AppleWorks...  We will write a simple function (the computer can do the math for you!), create a data table, and create a graph.

1. Open Appleworks, select Spreadsheet.
2. Set up a formula to find your percent on the ch. 7 quiz and on the notebook check.

= formula for computer to solve  
/ divide   + add   * multiply  - subtract  
( ) solve inside the parentheis first

Pretend that my score was 15 points out of 18 points possible.  To determine my percent, I'm going to divide my score by the points possible.  I set it up as:    =15/18   If I type this as my formula, the computer will divide 15 by 18.  Since I want to know my percent grade, I am going to multiply this quantity by 100....  =(15/18)*100  this will tell me my percent on the quiz.  There are other functions you can use (averaging to find the mean, median, mode, and many more!) to help you, this is the basics.

3. Set up a Data Table  (this means type your data into the computer using columns and rows)
4. Turn the Data Table into a graph (there is a button across the top of the program, or it is also in the drop down menus)
5. In your notebook, answer:  What are two things Spreadsheets can do?  How can I use a Spreadsheet in my life?

Homework tonight:  Survey 10 people (ask them the same question; it could be as simple as "How many hours of TV do you watch each day?"), record your results in a data table (in your Science Notebook).

By the way, other programs which can do the same as AppleWorks (if not better) are Microsoft's Excel, and Google has come out with an online spreadsheet tool.  Google's  would be useful if you are working in a group and would like to share the file.  Click here for more information on Google's spreadsheet tool.  (I must admit, this is new and I have not yet played with it).

More help with Spreadsheets in AppleWorks:  This link will allow you to download a file with sample project.

M 2/5- Science -O- Rama Project Part 1 (or Science Fair Project Question, and parent permission) due Thursday, 2/8.  Ideas are below and are posted outside of H-208.

T 2/6- Science -O- Rama Project Part 1 due Thursday.  To download and print the paper showing part 1, click on this file link: SciORamaPart1.pdf (57.49 KB)

W 2/7-Science -O- Rama Project Part 1 (or Science Fair Project Question, and parent permission) due Thursday, 2/8.  Ideas are below and are posted outside of H-208. If students did not use class time wisely, a textbook was sent home to continue working on chapter 7 workbook pages

Also, we will be having a quiz tomorrow, students will be allowed to use their notebooks while taking the quiz.

R 2/8- I ended up not collecting the Science -O- Rama Part 1's today, so students who have not yet completed this, have one more day, but I plan to collect them tomorrow (Friday)

F 2/9- Have a good weekend.

 

	Project Idea	Difficulty Level		Reference
	Are two eyes better than one?  Does the number of eyes used increase accuracy?	2		http://pbskids.org/zoom/activities/sci/pennycupgame.html	¿Son dos ojos mejor de uno?  ¿El número de la exactitud usada los ojos del aumento?
	Are you taller in the morning or at night?	1		Mrs. Donaldson	¿Es usted más alto por la mañana o en la noche?
	Can decalcified bones reabsorb calcium from solution?	4		w	¿Pueden los huesos descalcificados reabsorbar el calcio de la solución?
	Can I change the sleeping and activity habits of an animal?	3		w	¿Puedo cambiar los hábitos el dormir y de la actividad de un animal?
	Can I determine how a bird eats by looking at its beak?	1		w	¿Puedo determinarme cómo un pájaro come mirando su pico?
	Can the Fruit Loop color be identified by the taste?	1		Mrs. F
	Can you find out how much caffeine you consume when drinking tea?	3		w
	Carbon Decay Lab	4	*
	Do all Lucky Charms marshmallows  taste the same?  (effect of color on taste perception)	1		Mrs. F
	Do boys have better peripheral vision than girls?	3		http://pbskids.org/zoom/activities/sci/peripheralvision.html
	Do males or females have a better sense of smell?	2		w
	Do people remember audio or visual information better?	2		w
	Do proteins digest faster in acid or alkaline environments?	4		w
	Do smells effect seed germination?	2
	Do smokers have a better sense of smell than non-smokers?	1		Mrs. F
	Does age effect reaction time?	2		http://pbskids.org/zoom/activities/sci/reactiontime.html
	Does age effect your sense of smell?	2		Mrs. F
	Does caffeine affect a person's blood pressure?	2		w
	Does foot sweat help a plant grow? (growing seeds in sweaty sock vs. clean sock)	2		Mrs. F
	Does height effect your sensitivity of touch?	2		http://pbskids.org/zoom/activities/sci/sensitivitytester.html
	Does lack of sleep affect athletic performance?	2		w
	Does light effect the growth of mold on bread?	1		w
	Does noise effect a person's concentration?	2		w
	Does noise effect the growth of plants?	2		w
	Does temperature affect how long soda stays carbonated?	1
	Does the anti-viral Kleenex really prevent you from getting sick?	3		Mrs. F
	Does the hand you write with effect your directional hearing?	3		http://pbskids.org/zoom/activities/sci/clappingwhere.html
	Does your astrological sign effect your sense of smell (or memory)?	2		Mrs. F
	Does your eye color affect your vision?	2		w
	Does your sense of smell effect your sense of taste?	2		http://pbskids.org/zoom/activities/sci/tastevsmell.html
	Electromagnetic Spectrum diagram/model	2	research
	Genetic variation in desert lab	4	*
	How do different types of music affect pulse?	2		http://pbskids.org/zoom/activities/sci/drinkingstrawpulseme.html
	How does exercise affect blood pressure?	3		w
	How does temperature affect the amount of sugar/salt which will dissolve in water?	1
	How does the ear work?	2	research
	How does the eye work?	2	research
	How does the heart work?	2	research
	How does the size of a pumpkin compare to the number of seeds in it?  (replace pumpkin with any fruit)			w
	How long does it take water to freeze?  Will it freeze more quickly if the water is very cold to begin with?	2		w
	How many calories are in a peanut?	3		http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/projects/peanut.html
	How many teeth does a sand dollar have?	1		w
	How much bacterial growth develops on cooked turkey left out of the refrigerator?	2		w
	Is it safe to reuse the same water bottle over and over?	2		w
	Mini-museum of extinct animals or plants	2	research
	Model of an ecosystem:  Everglades,		research
	Model of the Ear (inner and outer)	2	model
	Model of the Eye	2	model
	Model of the Heart	2	model
	Models showing light as it is reflected, refracted, transmitted AND absorbed.	1	model	http://pbskids.org/zoom/activities/sci/periscope.html
	Scale model of the circulatory system	4	model
	something about taste and health of food?  Or tongue helping with digestion	4		http://pbskids.org/zoom/activities/sci/tonguemap.html
	What are ecosystems (or biomes)?  Where are some examples of the different ecosystems in California	1	research	Mrs. F
	What are the effects of acid rain on seed germination and plant life?	3		w
	What concentration of bleach is needed to kill mold?	3		w
	What is the pH (acidity) of many common substances?	2		w
	What liquid causes hands to wrinkle the fastest?	2		w
	What made the dinosaurs go extinct?  Research and present theories	2	research
	What plants can my socks grow?  Or What plants have seeds in my neighborhood?	1		http://pbskids.org/zoom/activities/sci/sockseeds.html
	What substance prevents (or slows) hands from wrinkling in water?	2
	What temperature do germs grow best at?	2		w	¿Cuánto energía está en un cacahuete?
	What type of leaves produce the best leaf rubbings?	1		w
	What type of wood absorbs the most water?	1		w
	What types of mold grow on bread?	2
	What works best to reduce an acid pH, home heartburn remedies or over-the-counter antacids?			w
	Where does my happy meal come from?	3	research	Mrs. F
	Which bean germinates the fastest?	1		http://pbskids.org/zoom/activities/sci/germinator.html
	Which colors heat the fastest?	2
	Which drink has more caffeine?	3		Mrs. F
	Which fabrics cool the fastest?	2
	Which fertilizer do plants like best?	2		w
	Which fruit has the most vitamin C?	2		Mrs. F
	Which hand sanitizer is the most effective?	3		Mrs. F
	Which liquid will cause a nail to rust the most, the fastest?	2		w
	Which plants are easiest to close offspring from?	2		w
	Which public places have the most germs?	3		w
	Which pedometer is most accurate?	2		Mrs. F
	Which soda increases blood pressure?	2		Mrs. F
	Which type of birds live around me?	1		w
	Which type of bread will get the moldiest?	1		Mrs. F
	Which type of bread will mold the quickest?	2		w
	Which vegetable has the most carbohydrates?	2		Mrs. F
	Who is Charles Darwin?  What is natural selection?  What is evolution?	3	research
	Will cut flowers last longer if stems have leaves or not?	2
	Will fruits or vegetables lose their moisture more rapidly?	2		w
	Appropriately labeled diagram showing natural selection in birds.	3	research
	Appropriately labeled diagram showing the types of drugs and the areas of the brain/body they effect	2	research
	Appropriately labeled diagram comparing the amount of sugar in one serving of  beverages appropriate for middle school students.	1	research	use sugar cubes
6th grade	Which water sealer works best at sealing wood?	2
6th grade	How does ice melt faster?  In the air, an oven, water or running water.	2		Good Eats
8th	3-D model of DNA	2	model
w= http://www.terimore.com/science-projects/easy-science-projects.htm

 

It is time once again to start thinking about a Science-O-Rama Project (also known as a "Science Fair Project").  Check back periodically to get due dates and updated information related to the project.  I divide the project process into 6 parts: 

Assigned on	Description	CA Standard		Due Date
Friday, Feb. 2, 2007	Topic/Question & Permission* from Parents/Guardians, and Teacher. (5 points)	6th grade 7	7th grade 7	Thursday, Feb. 8, 2007
	"Design an Experiment" with your Question, Hypothesis, Procedure. If you're doing a model/research project, your Question, hypothesis, research, and bibliography are due. (15 points)	7a	7, 7b
	"Sloppy Copy" builds upon previous works, and includes Results of the experiment and the Conclusion*. (30 points)	7b, 7c, 7d, 7e	7b, 7c, 7e
	"Backboard" turns the information from Part 3 into a visual presentation* (100 points)	7b, 7c, 7d, 7e	7b, 7c, (7d), 7e
	"Oral Presentation" describing Science Fair Projects to the class and why the project was selected. (100 points)	7b, 7c, 7d, 7e	7e
Science -O- Rama	Tour the projects, bring family & friends for extra credit! Join us at Arts on the Green Location to be announced. Time 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.			Arts on the Green

Have fun!

1. Look at the list of Science-O-Rama / Science Fair project ideas. scioramaideas.pdf (168.18 KB)  (This was not working on Friday during class.  I have now fixed it.)

If you have your own idea, talk to Mrs. Fischer about it.  You must get approval by Thursday.  See Week of 1/29 if you are interested in doing a group project.

2. Go to the website, The Secret of the Bones.  Complete the activity by identifying the classification of organism belonging to the skeleton.

3. In your notebook, write the Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, and Family of the Mystery Skeleton.  Also, copy 3 facts about the mystery organism.

4. If there is enough time, Check out Two Dream Science Trips.  Summaries of the trips are worth extra credit.

 

Welcome back to a new semester, a fresh start!

Our focus is answering the question, "what is life?", and to learn about the classification of organisms (emphasizing the different types of living things). Along the way, we'll be working on Science-O-Rama projects (also known as Science Fair) and learning about cell reproduction, and genetics.

Students will continue to have homework on a daily basis, although sometimes it will be part of a project. Expect daily additions to the Binder Reminder.