Weekly blog(3/2/18) Layers of the earth

http://www.sunapeeschools.org/smhs/staff-directory/mr-baker/earth-science/earth-as-a-system

Summary

          There are two different types of layers on the earth: The Compositional layers and the Physical layer (aka Mechanical layers). The compositional layers are composed of The crust, Mantle, and Core. The physical layers consist of  the lithosphere, asthenosphere, mesosphere, outer core, and inner core. The compositional layers (in my opinion) are easier to remember and that is why we learn them first. But the Physical layers directly describe what that layer is like. 

S&EP

           I constructed physical, mental or conceptual models to represent and understand phenomena when I took starburst and cut it up to simulate weathering. Then I took the "sediment" and squished it into sedimentary rock. Then I put it in a bag and added heat and pressure to make it like marble. From there I melted it. Then when it hardened it was like igneous rock. This was to simulate the rock cycle.

XCC

          I believe than it is cause and effect because plates turn and press and that creates earth quakes and mountains and fissures. Earthquakes can also cause volcanic eruptions because some earthquakes are caused by magma not tectonic plates, and those might cause volcanic eruptions.

Project Blog (2/16/18) Invasive Species

Summary

          In this project we chose to learn about an Invasive species or Endangered species. I chose to learn about an Invasive species. An invasive species is a species that was taken to a new place and then there was nothing to eat it so it's population exploded. These species are usualy dangerous to the natives. Sometimes these natives become endangered. Endangered species are when there are not many of that population left.

Backward-Looking

          Before this, all I knew about the Ice plant was that it is Invasive. I had no idea that the Ice plant was edible. I also have no idea that it was from south africa. I did not know that it could grow so fast. I learned that it was sometimes brought to stabilize railroads.

Inward-Looking

          I am very happy about this piece of work. I liked how we had the dioramas to show how the ice plant came. I also liked how we had a live specimen. I did not like how fragile the spinning part was. This because it was made out of legos.

Outward-Looking

          What I did differenty is that I did not make a digital model. My process was similar because I mosyly followed the rubric. I would give myself a B on the project. This is because I missed some minor points on the model. These included soem items on the checklist.

Forward-Looking

           What I would improve is not thinking I'm done before I am. This set me back and I almost did not cite my sources. When I look at the peice, I would like to improve upon how unstable the spinning mechanism was. I would look more closely at the rubric. This would help me with detail.

Weekly Blog (2/9/18) Ice Plant

https://www.flickr.com/photos/nostri-imago/2857478405

Summary:

          The Carpobrotus Edulis or more commonly known as the Ice plant (shown left) is very invasive to California. It grows very fast. It is mostly found in beaches, highway exit dirt islands, and around railroads. It was brought to America when people wanted to build quickly on beaches and railroads. The ice plants would stabilize the ground around the buildings and railroads. But now it has spread and become almost uncontrollable. It is edible to most animals, but they don't really like it's taste I guess. It is also perfectly edible for humans and the latin word Edulis (part of it's name) directly translates to eatable. 

S&EP:

http://plantsvszombies.wikia.com/wiki/Snow_Pea/Gallery

          I did lots of research about the plant and learned many things. Those things include; where the ice plant comes from, that it crowds out other plants, and that it is edible, etc. This shows how not all plants are necessarily good for the environment. I am also planning on trying to eat some of it because it is "eatable". I did a LOT of research to make sure that it is NOT dangerous for humans. I did not find any side effects of eating it but apparently it is best pickled.

XCC:

          This impacts of  Ice plant in the Americas is Cause and Effect. This is because you plant it, it spreads rapidly and kills other plants. There are several special eradication programs to try and get rid of this awful plant such as the California Native Plant Society. When they do they're work, there are less horrible Ice plant in California. So hopefully we can one day get rid of ice plant (shown in first picture).

Weekly Blog (2/2/18) Symbiosis

https://www.zbglobal.com/goby-fish-pistol-shrimp-know-thing-two-alliances/

Summary

          Symbiosis is when two different organisms interact with each other in a positive or negative way. There are different types of symbiosis. There is Mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism. Mutualism (shown in picture) is when both organism benefit. Commensalism is when one organism benefits, and the other one doesn't care. Parasitism is when one organism benefits, and the other is harmed.

S&EP

           I identified my variables and controls of an ecosystem, which were the number of predators and prey. To do this, we used a program. In the program we chose how many of each animal. This brought me closer to mastery because now I understand better how ecosystems are balanced. You have to have an amount of predators so that the prey does not over populate, but also so they are not over hunted.

XCC

            The relationship between animals is cause and effect. If there are two many predators the prey will die. If there are not enough predators, the prey overpopulates. Also, in mutualism, if one species is not there, the other suffers. In parasitism, if there is no animals to feed the parasites, the parasites die.

Project Blog (1/26/18) Biogeochemical Cycles

https://pmm.nasa.gov/education/water-cycle

Summary

          In the project we made cartoons based off biogeochemical cycles. There are a lot of biogeochemical cycles on earth. Water cycle, carbon cycle, nitrogen cycle, phosphorus cycle, and sulfur cycle. Mine was the water cycle. It turns out that there are a lot of steps involved and it is not as simple as it seems.

Backward-Looking

          Before the project I thought I knew everything about the water cycle. But, there is a lot more to it. Instead of it just being; Condensation, Precipitation, Runoff, Evaporation, there is also transpiration and infiltration. I also did not know that there were more cycles; carbon, nitrogen, etc. There are so many of cycles that I did not know about.

Inward-Looking

            I really liked my finished product of the cartoon. I really liked that the drawings were clear and neat. I did not like how I started coloring in marker and later switched to colored pencil. But, I found a way to make it work (kind of). I did not like this because it looks kind of uneven. I found it satisfying coloring and seeing my drawing start to pop and look nice.

Outward-Looking

         My approach was different because cartoon was circular instead of linear. I did this because it demonstrates how cycles go in circles. My process was similar because I did research, then drew the cartoon. If I were the teacher, I would say that the arrows in the middle of the circle are confusing. I would give this piece an A- because it has everything it is supposed to have but, it is slightly confusing.

Forward-Looking

          If I were to do this again, I would know my supplies so that half of my coloring isn't in marker. Next time, my goal would be to review all the guidelines before I start on the final draft. I would also have a clear plan before my final draft. One thing I would like to try that other people did, is neater hand writing. It was not all easy to read in my finished product.

Weekly Blog(1/19/18)Water Cycle

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwil2Lu0pu
XYAhUByWMKHcuyDNMQjB16BAgAEAU&url=http%3A%2F%2Fslideplayer.com
%2Fslide%2F10628721%2F&psig=AOvVaw1mlh00aRk5VFjkP4s4ry3h&ust=1516495036115974

Summary

          The water cycle is way more complicated than just the usual 4 steps: evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and runoff. It also includes, infiltration and transpiration. Infiltratration is the process when the ground absorbs water. Transpiration is the process that is when a tree loses water through it's leaves and is pretty much just evaporation from a plant. Infiltration and transpiration connect because when infiltration happens, the plant absorbs the water out of the soil, then the plant brings the water to the leaves where they perform photosynthesis or the water evaporates and this is called transpiration.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&sou
rce=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjlh
bWSrOXYAhVS42MKHVCKA0oQj
B16BAgAEAU&url=http%3A%2F%2
Fhoopmanscience.blogspot.com%2F
2012%2F01%2Fgrade-8-week
-11-water-cycle.html&psig
=AOvVaw1mlh00aRk5VFjkP4s
4ry3h&ust=1516495036115974

S&EP

          I constructed physical, mental or conceptual models to represent and understand phenomena when I made a cartoon of the water cycle (aka Hydrologic Cycle). This helped me understand this concept better because I had to do research, to find the information I needed.  I drew a cartoon  that  helped me visualize the process more. For condensation I drew my character (a water droplet with a face) in a cloud. For precipitation I drew him falling and it was scared.

XCC

          I realized that the water cycle has a lot of cause and effect because if nothing evaporates, then there will be no condensation. Then with there being no condensation that means no precipitation. The sun makes water evaporate, and as I just said, the water cycle can not happen if there is a missing step. If there was no water cycle, then nothing would be alive because the water cycle includes water going into the soil and going into plants. We then eat the plants etc. food chain. So without the water cycle then nothing would live because nothing could get the water they need to survive.

Weekly blog (1/11/18) Photosynthesis

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjJocKs2NHYAhUL3mMKHZizCHQQjB16BAgAEAU&url=http%3A%2F%2Fd
ata.allenai.org%2Ftqa%2Fphotosynthesis_L_0424%2F&psig=AOvVaw2IBYUEJxT-PgewcpOkmu2r&ust=1515821247200216

Summary

     Photosynthesis is the process of taking Carbon Dioxide, Water, and sunlight, and creating food for the plant. There are a lot of cycles like this in the environment. There is the Water cycle, Carbon cycle, Nitrogen cycle, Sulfur cycle, and Phosphorus cycle. The cycles each have a time when they are biotic and a time when they are abiotic. Biotic means alive, and abiotic means not alive.

S&EP

"http://www.jbprimaryscience.co.uk/_/rsrc/1468886917412/animals/Rabbit
%20and%20foxes%20simulation.png?height=153&width=200"

     I used models to explain and predict behaviors of systems, or test a balance of animals as I question why you need foxes to keep rabbits alive if the foxes kill the rabbits? I was confused at first because how would foxes help the rabbits by killing them. As I learned more I found out that without foxes, the rabbits would overpopulate. That would make it so that food like grass was more scarce because it would eat all of the food supply. But there's foxes eating the rabbits, the rabbits will not overpopulate and eat all of the grass

     XCC

     The idea that if there are not enough foxes, the rabbits would overpopulate is an example of Cause and Effect. This is because the rabbits (the primary consumers) eat grass and if there are too many of them they will run out of grass and start dying. But if there are foxes(the secondary consumers), then they would eat the rabbits before they overpopulated then everything is happy (except the rabbits that get killed). But if there are too many foxes, they would kill off the rabbits and then they have no food. So this is why there should be a good balance of producers, consumers, secondary consumers etc.