Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Grade 7 Week 9: First Vertebrates

We also begin our final section before the exam. We begin looking at tthe first vertebrates: fish, amphibians, and reptiles.

What special characteristics do fish have for survival under water?
How are amphibians adapted to life in water and on land?
Why do they have to go back to water?How are reptiles able to survive completly out of water?
How does it make a shell around its egg?
How does it have scaly skin?

This week's contract asks you to again choose one unique species of the selected Chordate phyla. This friday you will share the characteristics of your vertebrate.

Grade 8 Week 9: Natural Resources

This week we egin our final section before our unit exam. We will be looking at natural resources, how we use them and what effects that has.

What are natural resources?
How do we use natural resources in our daily lives?
What are the effects, good and bad,of our use of natural resources?
How do you recycle around the house?
Where do you take recyclables around here?
What does it cost?What happens to stuff after you throw it in the blue bin?What do you do to conserve natural resources?
Does conservation really save money and resources? How much?
This week's contracts ask you to look at your own use of natural resources. Come to class on friday and talk about how your lives are affected ny natural resources.

Monday, November 22, 2010

Grade 7: "Invertebrates of Planet Earth"

Over next three days, we will be wrapping up our invertebrate unit with another look at invertebrates in a seleceted Planet Earth episode.

What types of inverebrates do you find in that habitat?
How are they adapted for survival?

Also, do not forget that the final day for your Science News presentation is this Wednesday. The Science news worksheet can be found in the Resources section of the wiki.

Grade 8: "Death Cat Canyon"

This week we finish our unit on fossil evidence for the Geologic Time Scale by taking a closer look at one of the most famous sites for fossils and remains in North America: the La Brea Tar Pits. To this end, we will be watching the Science Channel special titled "Death Cat Canyon."
What things have we learned from the remains at La Brea?

Also, do not forget that the final day for your Science News presentation is this Wednesday. The Science news worksheet can be found in the Resources section of the wiki.

Monday, November 15, 2010

Grade 7 Week 8: "Advanced" Invertebrates

This week we finish our look at the diversity of invertebrates by looking at the more complex phyla: mollusks, echinoderms, and arthropods.

Compare and contrast the different phyla of invertebrates that we have discussed.

The insect collection is out to showcase invertebrates. Take a look at it and take another look at some of the EC Challenges like the birding photography or the aforementioned insect collection. You are also more than welcome to give a few suggestions on similar projects that showcase a diversity of living things. All are done just like we did the herbarium: collect and describe.

Week 7 contracts can be found here.

Grade 8 Week 8: Geologic Time Scale

This week we take what we have learned about fossils, relative and absolute age, of earthquakes and volcanoes, and all changes to the Earth to describe Earth's history in what we call the Geologic Time Scale.

How are fossils and other evidence used to describe the geologic time scale?
What trends do we see over the whole geologic time scale?




This week's contract asks you to continue the construction of our class Geologic Time Scale.

Monday, November 1, 2010

Grade 7 Week 7: "Simple" Invertebrates

This week we shift gears from plants into animals. As we have done with plants, we want to again showcase the vast diversity of living things these next few weeks.

Give us a few examples of how invertebrates adapted for survival?

Freshwater Hydra (Cnidaria) in our class tank.


Freshwater Flatworm(Planaria)


While we are on the subject, while you are studying the diversity of living things why not take another look at some of the EC Challenges like the birding photography or the insect collection. You are also more than welcome to give a few suggestions on similar projects that showcase a diversity of living things. All are done just like we did the herbarium: collect and describe.

Week 7 contracts can be found here. Over the next few weeks, with WKCE testing and assemblies, schedules will be different. So, this weeks contract will be spread over the next two weeks, due November 12.

Check this out:
Biology4Kids.com: Invertebrates
hosstuffworks.com - Invertebrates: Animals without backbones - a video 3rd hour used for a presentation

Grade 8 Week 7: Fossils

Our next few weeks we will be taking a look back in time. The Geologic Time Scale chronicles life on Earth and how it changes.



What evidence is there for the current understanding of our geologic time scale?
How do fossils form?
How can we tell the age of a fossil?

Do you have a fossil you would like to share with the class? Worried that it would be lost at school? Submit a photo and all the info you have on the fossil to the classes virtual museum. You can bring the fossil in for a picture or submit a picture.



Week 7 contracts can be found here. Over the next few weeks with WKCE testing and assemblies, schedules will be different. So, this weeks contract will be spread over the next two weeks, due November 12.