Mr. Gonzalez's Science Classes
We have three 6th grade Science classes and two 8th grade Science classes blogging here from the Pacific Northwest in Chimacum, WA! Sixth graders are learning a bit about Mt Saint Helens, environmental science through fresh water ecology, and physical science this year. Eighth graders are learning about life science this year. Please join us as we learn Science by exploring our world.
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Article posted September 27, 2011 at 10:19 AM GMT-8 •
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This last week my class was studying biomes. My group was assigned temperat deciduous forests, but somehow we ended up doing idegenous forests. We did some research after we discovered our mistake. We found that indigenous forests are almost the same as temperate deciduous forests.
Article posted September 27, 2011 at 10:19 AM GMT-8 •
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Article posted November 1, 2011 at 10:00 AM GMT-8 •
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Battle of the muscles.
In 1980 zebra muscles invaded the great lakes and effected the lakes ecosystem. They came from ocean going ships that had had attached to during the ships trips. Zebra muscles clogged in-take pipes of ships and power stations and billions of dollars went into the damage. The Zebra muscle can only live on hard submerged surfaces such as rocks.
Not long after the zebra muscles took over the great lakes, the Quagga muscle got into lake Michigan, and now they are effecting the balance of energy in the lakes ecosystem. Quagga muscles can live on most submerged substrates such as docks and boats and other things like that.
Over time, there has been a big decrease in the zebra muscles and the Quagga muscles have grown dominant.
What is Ecology?
Ecology- from the Greek words Oikos, meaning ‘house’ and Logos, meaning ‘study of’.
12.4 miles of soil from the surface down is were life can live. Ecosystems have 2 parts. Aboitic factors and Biotic factors. Organisms depend on these factors for energy. When a new species comes to a Ecosystem it can disrupt or change the stability dramatically.
The Artic
Animals in the arctic are in grave danger because the ice is melting. Animals such as Polar Bears. The largest land prediters and the largest of 8 bear types. A male Polar Bear can grow up to 10 Ft tall and can way up to 1,700 pounds. A Female Polar Bear can weigh half of that. Polar Bears have special adaptations so they can survive the cold, such as the dark skin they have under their white fur, which takes in the suns energy. The paw-pads are made ruff so they don’t slip on the ice. they also use their paws when swimming since they're very usefull. the front paws of a polar bear 'propels' the bear forward while the back paws-or legs- are used to stear. wouldnt it be easier if we had that when we swimmed? They can even swim 100 miles from shore. The polor bears fat even helps him swim because it gives them buoyancy!
In 1973 and international treaty was sighned by countries inhabited by the polor bears. The goal was to protect, and manage the population of them (the polor bears).
Article posted November 1, 2011 at 10:00 AM GMT-8 •
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Article posted September 29, 2011 at 10:07 AM GMT-8 •
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The north pole is an ocean sized piece of ice, where the temperatures drop so low if you spit you can hear it crackle into ice before it reaches solid ground. When it becomes summer in the southern parts of the Arctic Circle the sun melts away snow and ice to reveal land that during the short summer season is composed of mosses, shrubs, and lichens. Of which the herbivores eat.
The Herbivores include hares, lemmings, and caribou, and in turn the carnivores, which include wolves, bears, and foxes, eat the herbivores.
The plankton in the oceans support a large diversity of the eco-system, this includes the Grey Whales (which are baleen whales) eating habits, these whales also eat crustaceans in the arctic seas.
Grey Whales have the longest migration of any animal, they go on a 14,000-mile journey that takes 2-3 months and begins in their breeding lagoons in Baha California, Mexico.
The largest carnivore on land would be the polar bear, they are also the largest of the bear species. A male grows up to 10 feet tall and can weigh 1700 pounds, a female weighs about half that. Scientists estimate there are about 25,000 left and 60% live in the Canadian arctic.
Polar bears have a special adaptation that allows them to survive the harsh conditions of the arctic, their hair is translucent and hallow which contains air that insulates the bear, its skin is dark and absorbs the suns energy, the bears small ears and tail reduce heat loss.
The bears also have a layer of blubber that gives them buoyancy in water and also helps them stay insulated to keep out the cold, these bears are so insulated that sometimes the only heat that shows up on heat radar is their noses. Their paws are especially adapted to the arctic,the front paws are large to better propel them in water and the back are used to help them steer,the pads are also rought to keep them from slipping on the ice and broad to use like a snow shoe in the snow. Most polar bears eat almost anything but their diet consists mainly of seals,the way they hunt them is they wait at their breathing holes in the ice and attack them when they come up for air.
Vocabulary:
Phytoplankton,usually microscopic,photosynthectic organisms mot algae and diotoms found in water.
Article posted September 29, 2011 at 10:07 AM GMT-8 •
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Article posted October 4, 2011 at 12:01 PM GMT-8 •
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through this experience of learning about the african savanna here are some things i learned for animals that live there i know one of there main animal is the monkey and others like the giraffe, lion, and different kinds of deers. for socialology i learned that the people of the african savanna are killing elaphants and using thier tusks for ivory and alo global warming was affecting climate changes in the forests of the african savanna and forcing monkeys to migrate to open feilds and attracting more and more predators. for weatherology in winter the climate is dry and in hot times here it has cold weather there, mostly the sun is always shining.for plants i know there are many different trees because of the many woodlands.
Article posted October 4, 2011 at 12:01 PM GMT-8 •
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About the Blogger
I started my teaching career in South Central Los Angeles teaching in modified to full bilingual 4th and 5th grade classes. Then I moved to WA State where I have taught mainly 6th through 8th grade. I have enjoyed the culture clash but notice that kids are the same everywhere :o)
My areas of interest are science and technology but I also love studying ancient cultures and learning about different peoples and cultures.
