Study Review for Macro to Micro Lessons 1-6 and 9

Here are some documents to help you guide your review for the assessment on Thursday December 19th.  

Click here for the Study Guide.

Click here for the Review Packet.  

Some of you needed the Lab Sheets from Lessons 3.1 and 2.3 on the black worm and WOWBug.

Click here to access the WOWBug Lab Sheet.

Click here to access the black worm Lab Sheet

Here is the Parts of a Flower and Answers.- click to access.  

Cabbage White Butterflies have Hatched!

We have one of our first sightings of the Cabbage White Butterfly.

Here is a picture of it in the first instar stage.

Cross Pollination and Parts of a Flower

Today we went over parts of a flower and pollinated our Wisconsin Fast Plants.

Here is an example image of the labeled parts.

Here are some images of today's class.

Macro to Micro Update - December 9th Week

We have been immersed in growing Wisconsin Fast Plants, corn and bean seeds.
Our Wisconsin Fast Plants have just sprouted flowers and will be cross-pollinating them this week.
The corn and bean will be used to compare monocot and dicot plants.

Here is the Lesson #9 Reading Link

We also just received our Cabbage White Butterfly Eggs and have placed these on the radish leaves.  We should see the larva emerge soon!  Here are the eggs under the digital microscope.

December 2nd Reading- Wisconsin Fast Plant

Lesson #5 - Reading Link

Monday November 18th - Wisconsin Fast Plants

Students were focused and working hard today as every science group built a planter and sowed both Wisconsin Fast Plants and radish seeds. We will be using these plants to examine the role of water and minerals in the growing system, look at at plant's life cycle, and explore the plant's connection to the cabbage white butterfly. We're hoping to see Fast Plant sprouts by the end of this week!

Please go to this link to read more about Wisconsin Fast Plants. Students should be reading "Nutritional Needs of Plants" on pages 47-49.

Wednesday November 13th - Microscopes!

NOTES FROM YESTERDAY:
Here are the notes we took yesterday (Tuesday Nov. 12th) in class on the parts of a microscope and also the different magnifications of the objective lenses.  

Today's goals for science were for students to:

• Understand the purpose of microscope parts.
• Understand and apply basic elements of a scientific sketch
• Explore and understand how to use a microscope

After some great work over the past few days, students were finally able to take what they have learned about microscopes--the history, the purpose, the parts, etc.--and apply it to a hands on activity.

We kicked it off by going over "How to Use a Microscope" and applied the instructions towards our microscope labs. 

Students used "Guidelines for Scientific Drawings" to create their own sketches.

The class was unleashed to apply all of their knowledge to the "e" lab.  They took newspaper cuttings of the letter "e" and examined it through the lens of compound microscopes.  Their sketches and observations were recorded here.

 Homework Tonight:  Continue reviewing material and handouts about microscopes and sketches.
Also read pg's 26-27 "Microscope Pioneers". Answer questions on Page 21 A-C.

Today's scientists at work...

Friday Nov 8th - Starting to work with Microscopes

Today our students revisited their definitions of "What does it mean to be living?"

After that, they moved onto using hand lenses.  They studied text in their book as well as pennies to try to find distinguishing marks.  Many were able to locate initials of the artist who created Lincoln's portrait.

  Next week we will explore light compound microscopes, how to focus into a specimen and what a good scientific sketch is composed of.

November 6th - Starting a New Unit - Macro to Micro

Today we started our New Unit- Macro to Micro.

The learning goals were:
1. Identify and list physical characteristics of organisms.
2. Understand how organisms earn there scientific name.

Students constructed a working definition of physical characteristics/traits.

They also learned new vocabulary:

• taxonomy
• nomenclature
• binomial nomenclature

Here is the link to today's reading - Macro to Micro Lesson 1.

Complete the reading on "What is an organism?" p. 8-11

Key for practice quiz

Here is a key for the practice quiz posted below. Check your answers and keep practicing!

Practice Quiz Key

November 4th - Study for Ecology Assessment!

Be sure to study tonight and review for tomorrow's assessment!

Final Study Guide-  Click here to acces.

Final Practice Quiz Worksheet - Click here to access

Invasive Species and Ecology Review

Today students reviewed some ideas in ecology with the following questions.

Four check-in questions:

1. Compare and contrast a food web to a food chain.  Which is more realistic?  Why?

2. How does a modeling program like Ecobeaker help us in science?  What are its limitations (What can't it provide for us)?

3. List three different trophic levels found in an ecosystem.  Give a specific organism that can be linked to each of the levels and what it feeds on (how does it get its energy?).

4. How does the energy in a food chain transfer from one trophic level to another?  How much energy actually passes from one organism to another organism?

We also started to discuss the America's Most Unwanted Project.

Here is the link for the project

Here you will find resources, graphic organizers, and the rubric.

Tuesday and Wednesday October 22nd and 23rd

Students worked through Ecobeaker Ex #3 today - Big Fish Little Fish.

Goal: Students should gain a solid understanding behind a trophic cascade.  They should understand that a change in the population of one organism in an ecosystem has a direct impact on the other organisms within that ecosystem.

We are also digging into the idea behind invasive species.

Here is an article from Science Magazine on invasive species.

Native Frogs Beat Invasive Toads

and here is a video on aquatic invasives

CNN Student News - Link
2:51 - 5:45 on the Invasive Species Lionfish.

Monday October 21st - Invasive Species

Here are the links for today's discussion on invasive species.
Specifically we will be looking and reading about Northern Pike.

Portland Press Herald Article

and

Bangor Daily News

Two questions to consider:

1. How did the pike get to Maine and where do they populate?

2. How are people combatting the infestation of pike?

October 18th - Food Webs

Today you will be completing a food web of a habitat you are familiar with.

Have fun and be creative!

Here is an example of an Arctic Food Web to help guide you.

Food Web Project

Directions: Create a food web for an ecosystem that is nearby. For example a

forest, stream, backyard, saltmarsh, or beach. You are encourage to choose an

ecosystem that you are familiar with. You should organize your food web so that

relationships between organisms are demonstrated (like we did in class).

Vocabulary to keep in mind:

organism

ecosystem

decomposer

food web

producer

consumer

trophic level

Required Items

Your food web should:

• have 15 - 20 organisms represented in the food web.
• identify the name of each organism.
• include arrows to indicate the flow of energy.
• have at least 2 of every trophic level represented (decomposer, producer, consumer).
• show many organisms interacting.
• contain a sketch for each organism.
• use a ruler to draw straight lines.
• contain color.
• contain a title (example - A Tidal Pool Food Web).
• contain your name and group.

October 17th - EcoBeaker Go Fish

Students are working on the 2nd Exercise - "Go Fish" in the EcoBeaker Program.
This exercise looks at what happens to the different trophic levels when an organism is removed from the lake habitat.

Here is a link to the worksheet. - "Go Fish"

Students need to work hard to collect good data from the modeling program, analyze the data nd come to good conclusions backing up their ideas with supporting evidence.

Be good scientists and have fun!

October 15th and 16th - Ecology

Today we started a new Unit of Ecology!

Students were introduced to the concepts of modeling and simulations.
Students have access to an amazing technology resource in EcoBeaker Maine Explorer.  This modeling program takes them into a Maine Lake and how the organism interact within it.
Here is an image of the program.

Students are working through vocabulary concepts on a Google document seen here.

We also completed a Sciencesaurus reading on food webs and food chains.  In the reading the different trophic levels were introduced and defined.  That reading can be found here.

Finally here is a link to a fun food web interactive site.  - GouldEdu.au

Week of October 7th - Greatest Scientific Discoveries

Greatest Scientific Discovery Presentations!

There have been amazing presentations digging into the good science and discussing impacts of discoveries on our society.

Polio Vaccine,

Global Warming,

Jet Engine,

Printing Press,

Chemotherapy,

Pasteurization

... to name an few...

Monday September 30th and Tuesday October 1st

Students had a work day for their Greatest Scientific Discovery Projects.  Project page linked here.
Here are two important links to:

• Suggestions on Presentations and
• Greatest Scientific Discovery Rubric

We also had a review day in class and students organized materials together to study with.  

The key materials that should be reviewed are:

• Vocabulary of an experiment page. (see link)
• Check-in scenarios #1-5
• Readings: Bills' Cake, LifeSaver Article, Scientific Method Article
• Example experiment - Growth of plant and amount of sunlight.
• Penny Lab Post Lab and Aluminum Boat Post Lab.

The Quiz Format will be:

1. Short Answer

2. Matching 

3. Scenario given with questions (just like the Check-ins).

Good Luck and Happy Studying!

Thursday September 26th - "Sea" Trials for the Aluminum Boat Lab

Students were immersed in the study of buoyancy.

Students created great designs, constructed amazing boats and had lots of fun!

Here are some photos from todays's class!

Tonight they will be going back to the drawing board.   They will reflect on their observations, analyze their results and modifying their designs.  Re-testing will occur tomorrow!

Monday September 23rd - Wednesday September 25th

The kids are doing great work experimenting like scientists!

So far the student have been challenged to take on two different experiments:

The Penny Lab  and  The Aluminum Foil Boat Lab.

Additional Information on Parts of an Experiment.
Here are the notes from a Guided Note Sheet for Students to Access.  
Here also is a link to an example breakdown of an experiment on the Effect of Sunlight on the Growth of Plants.
Finally here is a link to the Lab Conclusion and Post-Lab Question Expectation Sheet.

The Week of September 16th

The students were digging into parts of an experiment this past week.

We completed focused readings on "The Scientific Method- Variables and Controls" as well as "Bill's Cake."  Our goal was to expose the students to vocabulary used in experiments and a specific example to ground their understanding.

Here is a list of the essential vocabulary:

• question
• hypothesis
• experiment
• procedure
• data
• variables- independent variable and dependent variable
• constants
• control
• conclusion

Friday September 13th - Exploring Parts of and Experiment

Today we explored parts of an experiment through a reading called, "Life Saver."  The reading explores a study conducted to see if softer baseballs are actually safer than harder baseballs.

Click the image of the article to access the entire article and questions.  

Our students will become familiar with the vocabulary used in conducting an experiment such as:

• independent and dependent variables
• control
• constant
• hypothesis

Once familiar with the language and expectations then we will perform some of our own experiments in class, collect the data and create our own conclusion!

Tuesday and Wednesday, September 10th and 11th

In the past two days we worked with Mystery Tubes and kicked off the Unit Project- The Greatest Scientific Discovery.

The Mystery Tubes got at the basis behind science inquiry.  Students are asked to determine the interior construction of the covered mystery tube.  They worked in small groups, posed hypothesis, tested their hypothesis, and often needed to rework their initial thoughts

The Greatest Scientific Discovery information can be found here on our shared Google Site.

We started the class by reading Snowflake Bentley and making connection of what is good science and his contributions to the world.  Students will have the task to choose a great invention or discovery and persuade us why it is the "Greatest Scientific Discovery" of all time.

Friday September 6th and Monday September 9th

We read an article on Asteroids and Dinosaurs which discussed good scientific practices and the study of how dinosaurs became extinct.  After we completed the reading as a class highlighting the main ideas in each paragraph the students were challenged to attempt some follow-up questions.

The final question was a constructed response.  We supplied the students with:
1. A product descriptor on a scientific constructed responses and
2. A rubric on how we assess scientific constructed responses.

The students have until Wednesday to make any changes to their responses.  Today we supplied them with anchor constructed responses showing them what a "meets" and "exceeds" looked like.

Thursday September 5th

Today we reviewed the Mystery Box Activity and allowed students to sketch and discuss what they felt was on the bottom of the cube.  Here is a look into some of their work:

We followed up this activity with a reading on Asteroids and dinosaurs: unexpected twists to an unfinished story,  explaining Walter Alverez exploration into the extinction of dinosaurs.  All of this draws out practices that describe "good" practices in science.

Today, we brainstormed some ideas about our essential question, "What does good science look like?" We will continue to build on these ides over the next few days.

We also worked to apply some good science by observing and collecting data on a Mystery Cube. Can you figure out what's on the hidden panel? Remember, use evidence to support your ideas and don't jump to conclusions!

September 3rd - Tuesday

Today in class we took some time to organize our binders and look at the following quote:

“The whole of science is nothing more than a refinement of every- day thinking” (Einstein, 1954, p. 283).

We will look at science practices in terms of having a science toolbox and build on the skills needed to be successful.

Mr. Cuthbert 7th Grade Science Class - Welcome

Welcome Back to School.

This year we are going to challenge all of you to think and act like scientists!