Check this out next time you are bored...Purposegames.com

http://www.purposegames.com/games?c=14&so=mp

I just "discovered" this site. It is chock full of scientific games that cover what we have studied this year and other topics you might be interested in. 10 points extra credit if you:

- Find and play a science game on Purpose games that is about something we have learned about and submit a written review of it.

If you register, you can create your own games and hold tournaments but please be careful and make sure you have your parents' permission before doing so. So far it is a safe site, but you can never be too cautious. Have fun!!!

Ecosystem project for Period 4B and 5B

Project #1 for this nine weeks: Build and bring in a 3-D model of an ecosystem energy pyramid/food web. It needs to have labeled examples of producers, consumers, and decomposers arranged in their appropriate trophic levels. It also needs to show and describe the flow of energy through the pyramid.

Rubric:
- Total points- points

10 points- Project is in 3-D

10 points- Project focuses on only one ecosystem (choices include forest, desert, freshwater, open ocean, jungle/rain forest, estuary/Everglades, savannah)

30 points- Project includes and labels the following:
- at least 3 producers/autotrophs
- 4-5 examples of herbivores
- 2-3 tertiary or secondary carnivores
- 1 apex/top predator
- 2 examples of decomposers

20 points- Project shows how energy flows through the ecosystem and explains whether energy increases or decreases at each trophic level

10 points- Project explains how abiotic and biotic factors in that particular ecosystem interact and affect one another.

Total: 80 points (10 point bonus if you do a coral reef, late Jurassic, late Cretaceous, or Ice Age ecosystem)

The due date is set for May 21. No extensions or revisions will be made. Consideration will be given for unavoidable absences but you have the better part of 3 weeks to complete this assignment. This is an individual assignment, no teams. I want to see what each person can do with the information we are learning. Helpful references and sites will be forthcoming.

Homework for 4B/5B

1. Finish/complete the History of Whales Timeline

2. Research the chambered nautilus and record what type of environment it lives in and how its eyes have adapted for it to survive.

More links

For 2A, 3A, and 6B:

Here are some links to the carbon and nitrogen cycles. I will be going over these in class so it would be good to study them at home.

http://www.teachersdomain.org/asset/tdc02_img_ccycle/


http://www.teachersdomain.org/asset/lsps07_int_nitrogen/

Here's a link to the different relationships that inhabit a reef colony.

I will be displaying this during the next full class we have.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/survival/coral/index.html

Another pyramid idea

1) Get a styrofoam cone.

2) Mark off the different trophic levels on the cone and label them accurately and accordingly.

Follow the rest of the steps that are in the previous post.

How to make the energy pyramid (just one idea I had)

Periods, 2A, 3A, and 6B:

In conferencing with many of you, I have seen that you are already researching the information to create your pyramid, but are confused as to how to make it 3D. I am going to give you a couple of ideas on how you can own this particular piece.

1)Get about 4 or more styrofoam shapes (disks, blocks, or spheres)of decreasing (small to large) size.

2) Stack the shapes with the largest on the bottom and with each size getting smaller as you reach the top.

3) Label each different shape accordingly (i.e. which trophic level it is?).

4) You can use actual models or pictures for your organisms. Make sure they are at the appropraite trophic level.

5) Remember to have a printed explanation of how the sun's energy flows through the trophic levels of your chosen ecosystem.

6) Be creative! Decorate your pyramid to reflect the ecosystem you have chosen.

Energy Pyramid and Pedigree project due dates and info

As I stated/will state in class, the latest possible turn-in period for the Ecosystem Energy Pyramid (2A, 3A, 6B) and Pedigree projects (4B, 5B)will be March 15-19. Projects will not be accepted after that week due to the close of the nine weeks at about that time and you are strongly encouraged to complete and turn in your projects as early as possible. Anyone who turns in a quality project before the deadline earns a 5 point bonus.

In the meantime, here are some helpful websites of information:

2A, 3A, 6B (Ecosystems)

http://www.marietta.edu/~biol/102/ecosystem.html#FoodChainsandWebs4

http://www.learner.org/workshops/sheddinglight/highlights/highlights6.html

http://www.mbgnet.net/

http://www.vtaide.com/png/foodchains.htm

Terms to know/use in your project:
autotrophs: the producers that make their own food

consumers: they consume or live off of other organisms. (herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, parasites)

decomposers: Also called detritovores- they eat the dead things.

trophic level: the l=different levels of energy flow throughout an ecosystem.

4B/5B

http://faculty.clintoncc.suny.edu/faculty/michael.gregory/files/Bio%20101/Bio%20101%20Laboratory/Pedigree%20Analysis/PEDIGREE.HTM


http://dbs.umt.edu/courses/biol101S04/labs/Wyrick_s04/14_human_pedigree_analysis.htm


http://www.uni.edu/walsh/genetics.html

4B/5B homework(due Friday)

http://www.hobart.k12.in.us/jkousen/Biology/2factor.html


Go to the above link and complete the three problems there. Due during class this Friday.

Period 2A, 3A, and 6B homework

(HW)- Using what we have learned about interactions, define and describe what happens during:
Symbiosis
Mutualism
Commensalism
Parasitism
Predator-prey
For each one, include whether there are positive, negative, or neutral interactions. It is possible for there to be more than one type.

10 points, due by Thursday (A-Day) and Friday(B-Day)

4B/5B Homework- complete the Punnett Square sheet

Here is a link to the sheet if you need another one:http://www.uni.edu/schneidj/webquests/spring04/madscientists/punnet.pdf

And here is a link to some helpful information:http://schools.utah.gov/curr/science/sciber00/7th/genetics/sciber/punnett1.htm

Upcoming Periods 2A, 3A, 6B

Ecosystems (2/16-2/19):
- You will need to know the difference between biotic and abiotic factors.

- Define population, community, and ecosystem.
- Project #1 for this nine weeks: Build and bring in a 3-D model of an ecosystem energy pyramid. It needs to have labeled examples of producers, consumers, and decomposers arranged in their appropraite trophic levels. It also needs to show and describe the flow of energy through the pyramid.

Rubric:
- Total points- points

10 points- Project is in 3-D

10 points- Project focuses on only one ecosystem (choices include forest, desert, freshwater, open ocean, jungle/rain forest, estuary/Everglades, savannah)

30 points- Project includes and labels the following:
- at least 3 producers/autotrophs
- 4-5 examples of herbivores
- 2-3 tertiary or secondary carnivores
- 1 apex/top predator
- 2 examples of decomposers

20 points- Project shows how energy flows through the ecosystem and explains whether energy increases or decreases at each trophic level

10 points- Project explains how abiotic and biotic factors in that particular ecosystem interact and affect one another.

Total: 80 points (10 point bonus if you do a coral reef, late Jurassic, late Cretaceous, or Ice Age ecosystem)

The due date is set for March 15-19. No extensions or revisions will be made. Consideration will be given for unavoidable absences but you have the better part of 3 weeks to complete this assignment. This is an individual assignment, no teams. I want to see what each person can do with the information we are learning. Helpful references and sites will be forthcoming.

Current/Due Assignments for 2A, 3A, and 6B

*Plants vs Fungi Foldable was due on 2/8 and 2/9 for full credit. Those who have been unable to complete this assignment due to absence or grade recovery may still submit it for full credit by the end of this week.

Plants vs Fungi should include the following for both sides:
- What adaptations do plants/fungi have to help them survive?
- How do plants/fungi get their food?
- How do plants/fungi reproduce?

*Types of Plants Foldable will be checked for to-date completion this coming Friday and Tuesday (2/12 and 2/16). It should include the following sections:
- Vascular Plants vs Nonvascular Plants
- Seed Plants vs Seedless Plants
- Angiosperms vs Gymnosperms


Each section should include how the two are alike and how they are different. many of you have done well with this.

*Respond to the following guiding question: How are plants and fungi alike? How are they different?

*Moss and Fern Lab was today and yesterday. See me for make-ups.

*Flower Parts Lab will be this Wednesday (3A), Thursday (6B), and Friday (2A).

* 25 interesting facts for plants and fungi due by this Friday.

We start ecosystems next week.

Period 3A Plant VS. Fungi

Guess what the stinkiiest plant in the world is the Reflessia. It is red with yellow spots. It has a whole in the middle in which desposites its stench. Okay that was a fun fact now here is a fact about plants around the world.
Did you know that plants to reproduce they drop seeds that fall to the ground and grow or blow away and grow somewhere else. Also the leaves/needles of a plant shade the dry from drying out. Last but not least plants use water and sunlight to create there own food in which is like a sugar substance.
Thats it for the fun facts on plants.

By: Branden
Per.3A
1/29/10

per. 3A Plants vs. Fungi

Question two, by Marlaina.

Q:How do plants and fungi get their nutrients?

A:Fungi gets their nutrients from hyphae. The hyphae is an individual filaments that contains cyptoplasm and one or more nuclei. Also enzymes digest the food.

Plants get their nutrients from the sunlight. They get energy through their roots.

Per. 3A Plants vs. Fungi

Question one , by Brianna

Q: What adaptations/structures do plants and fungi have that help them survive in different environments?

A: Adaptations that help a plant survive is chlorophyll. This captures energy from sunlight. Another adaptations is chloroplasts. A plant needs a cuticle. This prevents the plant from drying out. A plant also needs a vacuole which stores water. The cell membrane surrounds a plant cell while the cell was supports the plant cell.

Adaptations that help fingi survive is the nonmotile organism. This obtains food by decomposing matter.

This is what I learned about the adaptations that plants and fungi have to help them survive!

Period 2A: Plants vs Fungi

2. Q. How do plants and fungi get their food?
A. Plants get their food from four main sources...
1. soil,
2. sunlight,
3. water,
4. carbon dioxide.
While fungi gets theirs differently...
1. Saprophytic fungi uses dead matter.
2. Parasetic fungi gets their's from living organisms by taking nutrients.

by: Angel ;P

Period 2A

1. Q: What adaptations do plants and fungi have that help them to survive in different envirements?
A: plants survive by getting energy from the sunlight to make food, carbon dioxide and water. plants are producers. fungi survives by needing water, sunlight and carbon dioxide. they need organic material and moisture. they live almost everywhere. they reach new areas through spores and carried by winds. spores are nessecary to find new food sources.

By: Nina :)

Period 2A: Plants vs. Fungi

Plants:
3. Plants first create spore. This is the sporophyte stage. Then in the gametophytes stage, eggs are produced and fertilizled. Spores are made again to start the cycle over.

Fungi:
3. The Fungi has spore producing parts. The Fungi has to be in a living organism in order to produce. Once the Fungi is in a living organism, it reproduces and the fungi multiplies.

By Rachel :)

*Allele- a certain trait or characteristic; usually designated by a letter (N for neck length)

*Big letters are dominant alleles; small letters are recessive alleles (N= long neck; n=short neck)

*Genotype- what you get when two alleles are put together from a mother and a father to create a certain characteristic or trait in the offspring(baby). They have to be the same letter but can be both big (dominant-NN), both small(recesive-nn), or one big and one small (Nn)

*Phenotype- the characteristic or trait that we see. Determined by the alleles that are present.

NN- the phenotype is long neck because both alleles are dominant

Nn- the phenotype is long neck because the dominant allele is always stronger

nn- the phenotype is short neck because both alleles are recessive

Galaxies webquest link

http://msclark-moore.com/astronomy/html/webquest/process3.htm

This is a link for a galxies webquest that periods 4B and 5B will working on next week (1/19). Check it out and take a look at it.

Advanced homework

Homework for Periods 2A, 3A, and 6B: Revise your previous assignment with a better definition of "Domain" and examples of each of the three recognized Domains. You can use this link for assistance:

http://www.biology.iupui.edu/biocourses/n100/2k43domainnotes.html

The "Previous Slide"

Here are the categories you are to define:

Didn’t King Philip Come Over For Great Spaghetti? (that’s my mnemonic, you can create your own if you like). And the categories are:

Domain
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
Species

Homework for Periods 2A, 3A, and 6B

Define each of the categories from the previous slide. Then use this classification scheme to classify the following organisms:
*Bottlenose dolphin
*Sago palm
*Pfiesteria piscicida (an algae that can cause red tide)

*List and briefly describe the three domains of organisms.

Due on 1/11 if I see you on an A-Day and 1/12 if I see you on B-Day

Upcoming Assignments/Close of second nine weeks

Advanced Classes:
- Organism Classification Notes and Opening Activity (1/6-1/7)
HW: *Define each of the categories from the previous slide. Then use this classification scheme to classify the following organisms:
Bottlenose dolphin
Sago palm
Pfiesteria piscicida (an algae that can cause red tide)

List and briefly describe the three domains of organisms.

(1/8 and 1/11)
- Dichotmous Key Activity
- Dragon Breeding and Classification
- Organism Classification Webquest

Accelerated/Gifted Classes:
- Completing/Analyzing Science PMA (1/6)
- Universal Law of Gravitation and Kepler's Laws Gizmo (to be assigned at home and then gone over in class) (added to blogs as of 1/5, due by 1/8)
- Heleocentricism vs Geocentricism/Heat and Energy Review (1/12), Test on Heat, Energy on (1/14)
- H-R Star Chart Activity on (1/19)

Nine Weeks Ends on 1/21