Eewww! That smells gross!

Today we had a lot of success with our soil bacteria cultures. We also learned about the basic parts of a bacterium as well as how quickly one bacteria can turn into 5,000 billion billion bacteria. You can watch the video clip we watched in class below the picture.



We also continued to practice how to identify controls and variables in an experiment. You have no written homework for tonight, other than to study for your test on Friday. Tomorrow we will be reviewing for your test.

Soil Bacteria and Controls and Variables

Today we talked about what it means to have a controlled experiment and set up our own lab to culture soil bacteria. Over the next few days, we should have agar plates that resemble the one below.After setting up our experiment, we used the Simpsons to practice identifying controls and variables in experiments.

Homework: finish the back of the Simpsons controls and variables worksheet. Note: These two problems are harder than the three on the front of the worksheet. Just try your best. You can do it!

Here's a math hint for the Krusty the Clown problem:
50% (or half of 30) =15
So... if the new itching power is advertised to last for 50% longer that the original itching powder (which lasts 30 minutes), the new itching powder lasts for 45 minutes, then the advertisement is correct.

Study Guides for Your Test on Friday

Your homework that is due on Monday is the post below this one. Don't forget to do it!

If your name is listed below you are staying in H period science. If your name is not listed below, you will have science with Mr. Ogilvie during B period.

Carlo
Malcolm
Richard
Francesca
PaulAdam
Jose
Antonella
Gabriella
Gianromano
Isabella
Ivan
Jonatan
TomiEdoardo

Below are the study guides for your test on Friday on the soil. Click the pictures to make them larger. The picture will open and be the size of a word document. There is a list of questions and a list of vocabulary.

Food Webs

Today we learned about food webs and how energy, nutrients and elements flow through living things. Homework: Read about Bacteria, Fungi and actinomycetes here. For each topic: Bacteria, Fungi and Actinomycetes write down three things you learned and two questions you have. This means you should have a total of 15 complete sentences. You must write in your own words. If you choose type this assignment, you must bring a printed copy to class.

Berlese Funnels and Dichotomous Keys

Today we went outside and you collected samples for your Berleses funnels. Hopefully on Friday we'll have some organisms to look at :)

We also learned about Dichotomous Keys and created our own for the class. For homework, due on Friday, you will need to make a dichotomous key for the organisms pictured below. There are lots of different ways to make a key, so it's OK if yours is different from someone else's key. Please work on your own to complete this assignment. You do not need to print out the pictures, just write your key in your notebook and bring it to class on Friday.

Click on the picture to make it larger.

Element Sharing and Experimental Design

Today students shared the elements that they researched over the weekend. We are now going to move forward from the inorganic (elements/nonliving) to the organic (living) things found in the soil.

Tomorrow we will be making Berlese funnels and begin talking about how we will classify what we find.
The illustration above shows how it works: a funnel (E) contains the soil (D), and a heat source (F) such as an electric lamp (G) heats the litter. Animals escaping from the dehydration of the soil descend through a filter into a preservative liquid (A) in a receptacle (B).

Homework None: