Bioindicators

https://www.flickr.com/photos/nostri-imago/3564689379

What is a bioindicator? A bioindicator is a living thing that is sensitive to changes in it's habitat. Scientist, Miners, and People use them to test for harmful things that could be in the air, water, or anything around you. Canaries, water fleas, and starfish are just a few examples of bioindicators. Miners used to take Canaries into mines because they were sensitive to harmful gasses. So if your canary suddenly dies well get out of the mine. Scientists can and do use starfish and water fleas to test the water. Just like the canary water fleas are sensitive to chlorine and other chemicals in the water. The starfish is sensitive to heavy metals and tell scientists if there is heavy metal pollution in the water.

S&EP

SP7

I used evidence to define my explanation when we had a class argument on whether the water fleas in the river where dieing because of chlorine or something else. Also when I argued that I do think that the chlorine is killing the fish.

Our way of electricity

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renewable_energy_debate

We have many ways of getting electricity. 6 of the ways we get it are Wind, Solar, Hydropower, Natural Gas, Geothermal, Coal, and Nuclear energy. Wind energy is when the sun heats the earth and creates wind. Then we build giant structures made out of steel called windmills that the wind blows and the force of the windmills spooks moving makes energy. Solar energy is when people put things called solar panels on their roofs the sun heats them up and they turn the heat into energy. Hydropower energy is when people use the water in streams to turn a wheel in the water which then makes energy. Natural gasses are dug up from the ground and burned to make energy. Coal is the most popular form of getting energy and is mined for and burned to create energy. Then there's geothermal energy which is when you drill a whole in the earth and you use the energy from below earths surface. The last of the 6 is Nuclear, nuclear energy is when we use nuclear things and fuse them together in a process called fussion.

S&EP
SP2

To show the greenhouse gasses and how they effect us we drew a graph of how the temperature is slowly rising over time. This relates to the way we get energy because the energy sources that we use can sometimes give out greenhouse gasses. Greenhouse gasses then create a layer around the earth that traps in heat and makes the earth warmer.

Greenhouse gasses and how the effect us.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Annual_world_greenhouse_gas_emissions,_in_2005,_by_sector.png



Greenhouse gasses are gasses such as Water vapor (H. 2O), Carbon dioxide (CO.2), Methane, Nitrous oxide (N. 2O), Ozone and Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Greenhouse gasses are called greenhouse gasses because they cause the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect is when to many greenhouse gasses are released into the air and they get trapped in the atmosphere creating a glass like layer over earth causing the heat to be trapped in the first few layers of the atmosphere causing the earth to heat up. Their for acting like a greenhouse. The heat of the earth has always been rising but when we heat up the carbon cycle and produce more greenhouse gasses we make it rise dramaticly.





S&EP
SP6

I explained greenhouse gasses and how they affect us when I did a online lab and answered questions about what exactly changes and how do different thing react to the heating of the earth and the gasses. I also explained how dramatically the temperature is rising and how if we don't do anything about it how much the temperature will rise through the online lab.

The Carbon Cycle

https://www.flickr.com/photos/timmeko/6106058409

Have you ever heard of the carbon cycle, but you didn't know what it was? Do you still? The Carbon Cycle is the Cycle of Processes in which carbon compounds are interconverted (which means when twos things are converted) in the environment that we live in. The cycle is when carbon dioxide enters the process of photosynthesis and returned into the atmosphere. But it does not go straight to the atmosphere. The animals eat it and when they die it is released. But that is not the only way, when we burn fossil fuels or create emission it is also released into the atmosphere to restart it's journey/cycle.

S&EP
SP6

I explained the carbon cycle through my work when I did a worksheet on the carbon cycle. I explained it by finding out where all the components of the cycle went and research if I was right. I explained it further when I helped a tablemate do theirs and we worked out the answers together so that they made sense and were correct.

Wind, Weather, Climate and Storms

https://commons.wikimedia.org/
wiki/File:Storms_in_California.jpg

https://commons.wikimedia.org/
wiki/File:Climate_map_USA.PNG

  

https://commons.wikimedia.org/
wiki/File:GreenMountainWindFarm_
Fluvanna_2004.jpg

What is the difference between Weather and Climate? Or weather and storms? Or what makes a storm a storm? Or even what is Climate? Are questions people ask. But what is the answer to those questions. Well lets start with the basics. What is Weather, Climate, Wind and Storms. Weather is the condition of the outside air or atmosphere at a particular time an place. It is made by Climate. That brings us to our next question, What is Climate? Climate is the Usual Temperature or Weather of a certain area at a certain time, this is also known as the Climate system. This affects long term decisions we make and long term trends in plants and animals. Wind is a the movement of air caused by the heating and spinning of the earth. The hotter the air the higher it rises the colder the air the lower it sinks. Then their is the Barometer. The Barometer is a thing used to weigh the atmosphere or measure air pressure. This is important because the air pressure affects weather. If the air pressure is high you can expect a sunny warm day, but if the pressure get low put on a coat and get inside because it's most likely going to be Cold, Windy, and Stormy. That brings us to storms. Their are many different types of storms. Like tornado's, rainstorms, thunderstorms, and hail or snow storms. These  are caused by many things like the water cycle, spinning of the wind, and hot and cold air masses coming together. There is one place in the middle of the ocean called El Nino. It is a mysteriously warm part that causes fish to die and many storms. The answers to the questions may seem easy after that. The difference between Weather and Climate is that weather is the condition of the air or atmosphere for a short period of time where as Climate is the measure of the weather of a certain place over a long period of time. The difference between weather and storms if weather is the atmosphere that day where as a storm is what may be the weather that day.

S&EP
SP6

I explained Weather through my notes when I defined what qualified as weather and what is weather really. I explained Climate through my notes when I defined what was the difference between weather and climate how does it affect us of other things, what is the difference between Climate and Weather, and What is Climate. I explained Wind and Storms through my note when I answer questions about them to help me learn and understand them better.

Peguin Home

We made a "Penguin" homes that had to keep a Ice Cube cold for twenty minutes. We made out house out of Styrofoam plastic, cotton, and air bags. After twenty minutes in the sun we still had 84% of our Ice Cube. If we had to do this project again I might make another layer on the outside to make it more insulated. I also would have Insulated the lid of the cooler more so we lost less of the cold air.

Backwards-looking

I did not know much about heat and insulation before the project. I also did not know much about what insulated well and what didn't. I also did not know much about the topic of heat movement.

Inward-looking

I really like the piece of work that I did. I really like the many layers that we put in for insulation. My least favorite part of the project was the lid because I thought that it could be more insulated. What I enjoyed was the building of the project and actual project.

Outward-looking

I would give the project an A because not only did we meet all the requirements we exceeded them. Also we had 84% of our Ice Cube left so we had most of our ice cube left and that means that it was well thought through and well built.

Forwards-looking

If I had a chance to do this project again then I would probably insulate the top more, bring the materials on monday so that we had more time, and spend more time on the answering questions part of the project. I also would check the requirements before we made things to meet them so that we did not have to go back and fix the mistakes.

Heat and Heat Transfer

http://www.spectrose.com/modes-of-heat-
transfer-conduction-convection-radiation.html

            What is Heat? Heat is a form of energy when things get hot the molecules move faster and the object then has more energy. When things get cold the molecules slow down and the object gets cold. Like when you rub your hands together really fast to make them warmer. When you rub your hands together that make friction which makes energy which makes heat. But have you ever wondered why your feet start to burn when you walk on sand at the beach on a sunny day, or why when you stir a hot drink with a metal spoon the spoon gets hot, or why does the side of you that faces the fire get really hot? The answer to that is heat transfer. There are three different types of heat transfers, Convection, Radiation, and Conduction. Convection is the simple movement of heat, hot air rises cold air sinks, like when you walk barefoot on the sand at your favorite beach on a sunny day and you feet start to burn. This is because the hot air in the ground rises into your feet. Convection is the transfer of heat through fluids. Radiation is when heat is transferred to another object through electromagnetic waves. When you get warm from sitting by a fire it is because the fires heat is being transferred through electromagnetic waves to get to you. Last but not least we have Conduction. Conduction is the transfer of heat when two objects are touching. When you stir a hot drink or a hot cup of soup with a metal spoon and the spoon gets hot this is because the heat from the hot substance is being transferred to the spoon by conduction.

S&EP
SP2

I drew a picture of the three types of heat transfer so that I could better understand them. This helped me because I was able to see how the three types of heat transfer worked and how it looked when it worked. This also helped me differentiate the different forms of heat transfer from each other by seeing the way that they worked.

Solids Liquids and Gas

https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/images/1839-three-states-of-matter

The three most common states of matter are solid, liquid, and gas. First it starts as a solid. A solid is the part of matter when theirs almost no energy and the energy particles are clumped together. Solids have a definite size and shape. Then when the energy particles get farther apart they move faster and faster then it turns into a liquid. This process is called Melting. 
     Once the solid has melted it turns into a liquid. A liquid is the state of matter where the energy particles are still close but not as close to each other as the solid was and they are moving faster and getting faster as they move away from each other. A liquid takes the shape of it's container. Then when the energy particles start moving farther and farther away they get faster and faster. Then the energy particles get so fast and so far away that they turn into a Gas. This process is called Evaporation.

S&EP

SP6

I explained the three states of mater through my work when I took notes and did a worksheet on the three states of matter and their differences and similarities.  I explained the three states of matter also when explained what they did and how they moved through the exercise / movements on how it would be to be the particles in these three states of matter.

My Superhero

We made superhero's in our science to explain genetics. First we choose an animal with super powers. Like a flying squirrels ability to fly. Then we created our first super hero off of the animals abilities. We had to come up with a name, their powers, what they looked like, an origin story, their environment and epigenetics. Then we had to mate them with a super villain and make a baby then we had to find out what the babies name, powers, outfit, and genes would be. Then we had to make a villain side of our superhero and had to give it a name, change 4 body systems and write their powers, origin, and about the body systems we choose.



Backwards looking:

I didn't now much about the subject of superheros and genetics before I did this project. I did know somethings about genetics and super hero but they were just small and mostly the basics. I think that I definitely could have known a lot more as a whole to begin with but I think that I knew enough to make it through the project

Inward Looking:

I feel really good about my finished project and I really like what I did for my superhero and I really like the fact that we had lost of times do I could prefect it. I really like my  villain because it mirrors my superhero but sense the body system changed it has more powers and it stronger. What I don't care for though is my epigenetics. I don't like this because I feel I could have done better on it.

Outward looking:

If I were to give this a grade I would give it an A because it has some good work in it and it meets and exceeds all of the expectations. But I wouldn't give it an A+ because some of the stuff only meets the expectation. I would also give it an A because it has at least all of the needed things and has over a paragraph for

Forward looking:

Mutations.

http://biologypop.com/dna-mutation-info/

Have you ever wondered how the differences in our genes com about? The answer to that question is Mutations. Mutations are when your genes are copying the DNA before cell divisions certain mistakes or typo's are made. This is very common in people. Because of Mutations we have 60 different things our parents didn't have. Some versions of Mutations are when the cell adds another base which is called an Insertion Mutation, deletes a base which is called a Deletion Mutation, or substitutes a base for another which is called a Substitution Mutation, or it shifts the DNA over one which is called a Frame shift mutation. Mutations could be good or bad depending on where they are found. But most of the time they are neither  good or bad just different. The only kind of Mutation that will or could be bad it a Mutation in the cells that make and control the proteins your body produces. Sometimes these Mutations can be passed down to children. Sometimes Mutations have no or little effects on you or the way you look. Other times they can have big affects. Most ways that mutations happen are natural but sometimes they happen because the thing has been genetically modified. You can see many genetically modified things in foods.

S&EP

SP6

I constructed an explanation of Mutations when I came up with ways my superhero that I created got mutations that turned her into the superhero that she was. I also explained it when I made my came up with reasons why her DNA was changed and how. I finally explained it by adding what type of mutation she got.

Non-Mendelian Genetics.

https://www.pinterest.com/explore/most-beautiful-dogs/

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/354658539376495192/

Have you ever wondered why animals and plants can be multiple colors if Mendel thought that they could only be one? Or why some animals have two different colored eyes? This is called Incomplete dominance or Co-dominance. Incomplete Dominance is a blending of two different Dominant traits that make a third trait that is a blend of the two traits. The third trait is the trait that will show up. Co-dominance is when the two original traits ore combined to make a multi colored or spotted trait/phenotype. This is called non-Mendelian genetics because Gregor Mendel thought that their could only be a recessive and a dominant trait and that their could not be two of a certain trait. The puppy (above left) and the flower (above right) are two examples of this. They are both an example of co-dominance. 


S&EP

SP6

I explained Non-Mendelian Genetics through my notes in class because I made sure that everything that I wrote I understood. Also so that I wrote down everything that I felt explained Non-Mendelian Genetics so that I could fully explain and understand Non-Mendelian Genetics.