12-19-09 Blog

This week in science we learned more about DNA, the size order of cell parts, and how a cell compares to other things.

We learned more about DNA by reading sections of a DNA book and doing some simulations online. One thing I learned about DNA is that it is the main form of nucleic acid. Also, it carries genetic information and controls reproduction. Another thing I learned is that proteins are made up of amino acids. This is important to know about because our body is full of DNA.

We learned about the size order of cell parts by brainstorming with our groups. Here's the list our group came up with

1. atoms
2. molecule
3. adenine
4. base pairs
5. strand DNA
   
6. chromosome

This is important because an experiment can be completely inaccurate if the person conducting the experiment got one of these items mixed up with another.

We learned about how a cell compares to other things by creating an analogy. For example, I said that a cell is like a house. Ribosomes are like light bulbs and the house structure itself is like the cell wall. This is important to know because when trying to think of an organelle's function, you can think about the analogy and what each part of the home compares to in a cell.

12/12/09 Blog!

This week in Science, we learned about relationships between base pairs, m-RNA, t-RNA, and how cells make protein.

There are four different DNA bases:

1. Adonine
2. Cytosine
3. Thymine
4. Guanine

Adonine is always paired up with Thymine, and Cytosine is always paired with Guanine. The base pairs are the DNA code. We learned about the relationships by looking at a picture of DNA, and observed that there are four different DNA base pair colors. This is important to know because to understand DNA, you must understand the way base pairs work.

We also learned about m-RNA and t-RNA. m-RNA is messenger RNA. Its job is to copy the code the DNA has. t-RNA is transfer RNA. Its job is to bring pieces. RNA stands for ribose nucleic acid. It has one sugar backbone and no oxygen. We learned about this by doing a class simulation of how cells make protein. This is important to know because RNA is vital in the creation of something made with the help of DNA.

Finally, we learned about how cells make protein. To learn about this, we did a class simulation of how cells make protein. First, Someone had a code. Next, another person copied that code, crumpled the paper it was on, and threw it to our table. Our table decodes the message and finds that it says: put yellow on green. After that, we told two people to each bring a piece to the building table. Finally, we had one of the people that brought a piece bring the product to the thinking table. We figured out what parts of the cell each person represented. For example, the original person to have the code represented DNA, and my table represented ribosome, which read the code. This is important because protein is an important process that the cell goes through.

12-5-09 Blog!

This week in Science we learned all about photosynthesis, respiration, and fermentation. Photosynthesis is the process of plants converting light, CO2, and H2O to make food(glucose) and oxygen. We learned about this by making flow charts and having class discussions and using legos to help us. Respiration is the process of plants using food and oxygen to make food(glucose) and energy. We also learned about this by making flow charts, having class discussions, and using legos to help us. Fermentation is Anaerobic Respiration, or respiration without oxygen. We learned about this by conducting an experiment and realizing that the experiment we did dealt with fermentation. Knowing about these things are important because it's helpful to know about what goes on inside of plants.

We also discussed in class weather or not we can live without plants. We cannot live without plants because they are a vital part of our survival because they ultimately provide us with Air(O2) and food(glucose). This is an important concept to understand because we should know what's vital to our survival.

11/21/09 Blog!

This week in Science we learned and talked about many different things.

We learned about Prokaryotic cells and Eukaryotic cells. I learned that Plant and Animal cells falls into the Eukaryotic category and that Bacterium falls into the Prokaryotic category. Prokaryotic cells are simple, their DNA floats around, they have a membrane, and no nucleus. An example of a Prokaryote is E.Coli. Eukaryotic cells onthe other hand, are complex, their DNA is in their nucleus, and they have a membrane also. An example of a Eukaryote is a frog, and an example of a eukaryotic cell are Red Blood Cells. This is important so that we know how to correctly categorize cells.

We also learned about Photosynthesis and Respiration by discussing and doing research. Photosynthesis happens in the cell's chloroplast. The equation for photosynthesis is: C6H12O6. Respiration is basically 'the breathing' of cells. This is important to know because these words will commonly be used throughout our Science careers and it is important for us to know what they mean.

Finally, we talked about what plants need to survive, and came up with CO2, H2O, and Sunlight. To test this our group conducted a CO2 experiment involving providing one spinach leaf with CO2, but depriving the other. The independant variable in the experiment was the CO2. This is important because it allows us to prove our theories and grasp a better understanding of them.

11/5/09 Blog!

This week in Science, we learned about organelles and their functions. Here are some examples of organelles and their functions:

• Nucleus- The DNA- gives cells their own unique characteristics-found in both Plant and Animal Cells
• Vacuole- helps cells digest and release waste- found in both Plant and Animal Cells
• Cell Wall- Protective barrier, helps cells maintain shape- Plant cells have them, Animal Cells do not

To learn about the cells and their functions, we drew and labeled pictures of an Animal Cell and a Plant Cell. Also, we made a chart, making one column labeled Function, one labeled Organelle, and two check-boxes- one for Plant Cell and one for Animal Cell. We also made lists of 5 different types of Animal Cells, Plant Cells, and Bacteria Cells. This is important to know because cells are all around us.

We also learned about Paramecium by doing research and trying to find them under a microscope. Since paramecium are commonly found in moist areas, we observed a slide of pond water under a microscope and saw a small oval shaped organism racing around from side to side. It is important to know about Paramecium because although they are small they are also effective. Paramecium provide as food for other organisms and provide oxygen. So Paramecium make a big environmental impact.

10/31/09 Blog

This week in science, we learned about plant and animal cells and their differences and similarities. We learned about them by making four slides: potatoe with blue stain; potatoe with with red stain; potatoe with non-stain; and grass. We then viewed each slide under both high and low magnification. I noticed that in all of the potatoe slides, in both high and low magnification, the cells are mainly made up of circles, small and large. The grass, however, did not have many circles in its structure. It is important to know about animal and plant cell structures because we are composed of and surrounded by them.
We also learned more about cells by learning about their structures and functions by discussing them with our class and doing some research, and finally making a chart:

• Structure-Function
• cytoplasm-holds everything in place
• nucleus-controls everything that goes on in the cell
• cell wall-protection, structure
• etc.

This is important to know because throughout our science careers we will constantly be dealing with cells. Also, we are surrounded by and composed of them.

Kt's 10/25/09 Blog!!!

*Just so you know, I was absent from school Thursday Oct. 22 and Friday Oct. 23*

This week we learned how to perform a Gram Test to determine if our chicken bacteria collected in the petri dish is gram positive or negative.
To learn about this Jillian and I conducted a gram test with Mr. Finley and another group. Some steps of the test include:

• Sterilize needle
• Put distilled water on slide
• Rub sterilized needle on agar
• Drop 5 drops of different chemicals on slides

Our test results were gram negative because it did not retain the crystal violet dye and turned pink. So, I believe the chicken could have had proteobacteria. Some types of proteobacteria include Salmonella and Shigella.
It is important to know how to conduct a gram test because throughout our future science carrers we will often have to know whether something is gram negative or gram positive.

This week in Science we also talked about different types of bacteria such as Tetrabacillus, Staphlyococci, and diplospirillum. We learned these by putting together parts that make up bacteria. For example, I could cocci on the end of diplo and get diplococci, meaning a pair of circular bacteria. This is extremely important to know in science because you must know these terms when identifying bacteria to know what you're looking at.

10/17/09 Blog!!!

This week in Science class we focused on our list of objects consisting of:

• demonstrate knowledge of a microscope
• learn how to use it-what each part does
• know names of parts
  
• how to hold microscope
• know how to make a slide (wet mount dry mount)
• Test the materials sent from CHD
  
• Enter your own objectives
• Conduct at least two experiments-one microscope & one petri
• Analyze blood results
• And some more...

So we had a lot to do! My group tested a pot/chicken in a petri dish and pond water under a microscope, after we studied for and took our quizzes. Before we could conduct our experiments. we wrote out procedures for them. We learned how to do experiments by learning about microscopes and petri dishes, getting mini-lessons on making slides, talking about science safety, and having class discussions. It is very important to learn how to conduct an experiment now because as we grow up, we'll be doing more and more experiments. Also, if we are involved with experimenting or if we are scientists when we're older, this is something we'd have to know how to do with ease.

We also talked about small organisms this week. We learned about them by studying a simulation that focuses in on tiny organisms such as Paramecium and tRNA. It is important to know about these little organisms because: 1- they are all around us and 2- AS we continue experimenting as we grow up, these might be organisms involved with the experiment we are conducting, and I think that it's important to know what you're experimenting.

Kt's 10/10/09 Blog!!!

This week in science we learned more about what's inside our petri dishes, cell and virus structures, and microscopes.
We learned about our petri dish contents by studying them and looking at the amount of colonies (when bacteria reproduces into lots of bacteria) each dish had. We then discusses the characteristics of the colonies.
We learned about cell and virus structures by researching them and drawing labeled pictures of a cell and virus. This helped me understand them A LOT more because it showed me what they really look like and the different features and charicteristics each has. For example, without having to personally research and draw a bacteria cell, I would not have learned what a Ribosome or, converter of food to energy is.
To learn about microscopes, my group and I took a look at one. Also, I attended a mini-lesson from Mr. Sagen on dry/wet mount slides which I learned a lot from. One thing I learned in the ini lesson is that pipettes are used to apply liquid on a wet mount slide.
It is important to know about what is inside of our petri dishes because I believe it is silly to perform an experiment such as ours without understanding it. Next, it is important to learn about virus and cell structures because #1 They are all around us and #2 They largely affect our petri dish experiment. Finally, it is important to know about the proper use of a microscope and slides because they are great, useful tools and they are something you use your entire science career to view important things in.

10/4/09 Blog!!!

This week in Science, we learned more about the Truman Middle school's band absences and looked for an explanation and evidence to back it up. We also learned about swabbing bacteria.
Some things my group and I discovered about Truman middle school band this week include:

• They competed in a band competition with Jackson Middle school
• The bands went to a restaurant following the competition
• One of the restaurants the schools visited received negative health inspections
• All kids that were ill had stomach aches
• The concert was outdoors in a park in a Pavilion
• The Pavilion is right next to a lake
• The Wast Nile Virus was going around the community that Jackson and Truman are in

Using these observations, we were able to come up with two hypotheses:

#1: " We strongly believe that the ill students were infected by the West Nile Virus, a disease transmitted through mosquito bites. The concert was outdoors in a park where mosquitoes are very likely to be found in the Springtime. Also, the pavilion is next to a lake that many students socialize at, and water attracts mosquitoes. Plus, many kids that were swimming in the lake got sick!

#2: " The Cheep Chicken Hut could have gotten students sick with food poisoning, but one of the parent's of a child that had gone to the restaurant and got sick in an interview stated that she strongly believed her child was sick with the flu, not food poisoning."

It is important for us to know how to expolre and dig into a siuation like this and come up with hypotheses because these types of things happen everyday. So, to know what to do and how to do it, you can have the advantage of being capable of figuring out why it's happening.

This week we also learned about swabbing bacteria and where to do it. First, we thought of what areas of bathrooms are good for swabbing for bacteria-free surfaces, and what areas of bathrooms are good for swabbing for bacteria filled surfaces. We decided that the handle of the paper towel dispenser would be clean, and that the urinal handle would be dirty. So, our group then journeyed to the boys bathroom to swab those areas. We then rubbed the two separate swabs on different areas of the pitre dishes that we had received. I believe that the one side we rubbed the dirty swab on will grow and grow and take over the dish.

It is important for us to know about this because while learning about clean and dirty ploaces, we're learning about the interesting spread of bacteria. Scientists have to do this all the time. For example, they could set up a similar experiment if trying to find out if somebody is infected with a disease. So, an ill person could have their saliva swabbed. Then, a person who may or may not be ill can also have their saliva swabbed, and if the pitre dish has bacteria growing on both sides, the other person is clearly infected with the disease.

9/25 Home Work

In science this week we learned about categorizing things and defining them. We made three categories that anything can go into: living, non-living, dormant, dead, and possibly organic.
We learned these ideas by discussing different objects and things and talking about how we could categorize them. For example, we would look at something like a seed. Then , we would analyze it and it's characteristics of life, meaning we'd ask ourselves things such as: does it resperate; does it react to stimuli; does it show growth/development, and other things. We came to the conclusion that because it does not have all of these characteristics, but that it can have them in the future, so it therefore is dormant. We then observed and analyzed other items and categorized them.
Being able to evaluate something using the characteristics of life is very important in Science because it helps you understand how to label or categorize something. For example, if a scientist has something and he has to figure out whether or not it is living, he can take a look at a list of the characteristics of life and evaluate the characteristics of the item.

Science This Week!

This past week in Science, some science ideas I learned were how diseases can spread and be tracked, what it means for something to be alive, and characteristics of viruses and bacteria and other things.

We learned how diseases can be spread by giving each person in our class a vile of liquid that was either contaminated or non-contaminated. We then swapped liquids with classmates, causing most healthy people to become infected by someone else that's infected. To track where the disease began, we made a web of who we each switched with, then who those people switched with. By doing this we were able to narrow down the original diseased person to two people, which in my opinion is pretty good.

We learned about Viruses and Bacteria by coming up with and sharing what we believe are their characteristics.

It is so important to know how to track disease because in order to properly vaccinate/control disease outbreaks so that the disease can be put an end to. For example, if there are outbreaks of a disease going on around the world, doctors monitor where they are occurring, then send people to that location to vaccinate and control the disease spreading there. I believe that without disease tracking there would be a lot more people becoming ill of or dying from illnesses.

Thanks for reading!