Energy Resources Research Project

The 6th graders are working on a research project that will be counted as a test grade.  To assist them with finding the information, below are several resources that the students can use to complete the asssignments.

• 6th grade textbook (page 141)
• www.odec.ca/projects/2006/wong6j2/home.html
• http://www.childrensuniversity.manchester.ac.uk/interactives/science/energy/discovermore/advantages.pdf

Science - Mr. Cox

Today in class we worked the entire period making comic strips of a rock on it's journey through the rock cycle. The assignment "Journey on the Rock Cycle Comic" is due Friday. Students have the opportunity to earn 10 points extra credit if they choose to color it was well.

Rock Cycle Video

Here is the link to a neat vvideo we watched in class today:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks3bitesize/science/environment_earth_universe/rock_cycle/activity.shtml

Earth Layers Drawing

Hopefully this will help students complete the homework which is due tomorrow.

Hamster

Download now or watch on posterous

p66.mov (8826 KB)

Hampster

Environment Quiz Review

"Bio" means "life"
The prefix "a-" stands for "not"
Biotic refers to the living part of the environment
Abiotic refers to the non-living part of the environment


The levels of classification of the environment are (from small to large):
-Organism - a single living unit
-Population - a group of organisms of the same species
-Community - different populations consisting of a variety of species living in the same area
-Ecosystem - the living and non-living parts of the environment

*Make sure you can identify these from descriptions and pictures of these terms and apply them to scenarios.

On the way to the skate party!

Homework Help - DR Ch 10

Test

I just wanted to test this new feature out.

Science Nine-Weeks Test Tomorrow

Students will have a nine weeks test tomorrow which covers the following material.  I will be available tomorrow before school as well if any students would like to take/finish our in-class review clicker quiz.

• Safety (fire blanket, fire extinguisher, MSDS binders, safety shower, eyewash station, gloves, aprons, safety goggles)
• Lab Equipment and its uses (triple beam balance, microscope & its parts, beakers, measuring equipment)
• Test-taking strategies learned from class and warm-ups
• Reading charts and graphs to find information
• Cell types (eukaryotic and prokaryotic) and how to tell the difference
• Cell Theory
• Living-Non-Living
• Three Domains
• Six Kingdoms
• Dichotomous Key (only one question on this)

Please email my cell phone (questionmrcox@gmail.com) if you are interested in me sending you a copy of the PowerPoint we did today as a review.

Dichotomous Keys

Yesterday we learned about dichotomous keys and how they help scientists classify.  There was an online activity we used in class to demonstraintroduce these.  Here is the link to that website: http://www.lnhs.org/hayhurst/ips/dichot/index.htm

SIx Kingdoms Foldable

The students ahve been working on a foldabe to help them better learn about the six kingdoms of the current classification system for organisms.  I have included the following pictures to help the students who are having a little bit of trouble with the assignment.  The assignment is worth TWO GRADES!  It is due on Friday the October the 8th, or students may turn it in tomorrow for an extra 5 points (on both the grades).

Foldable layout:

Requirements Page:

Six Kingdoms Notes:

Cells/Classification Quiz Review

There will be a 13 question multiple choice quiz in class tomorrow.  Below is a quick review of the topics covered and some of the information students should know to be prepared.

Prokaryotes - all are single-celled(unicellualr) organisms
                    - consist of both eubacteria and archaeabacteria
                    - lack a nucleus and membrane bound organelles
                    - DNA forms loops
Eukaryotes - contain a nucleus and most have membrane bound organelles
                  - largest cell type
                  - all multicellular organisms are make of eukaryotic cells
Archaeabacteria - live in extreme environments
                          - hot springs, underwater volcanos, swamps
Eubacteria - most common type of bacteria
                 - live almost everywhere on earth
Methods of cell movement: Cilia (little hairs), Psuedopodia (false feet), Flagellum (whip-like tail)
Three Domains: Bacteria, Archaea, Eukaryota
*there will also be a couple of microscope questions pulled from the last test

Uploaded Science Videos

Please check out the newest science videos I'v uploaded to my YouTube page.
http://www.youtube.com/user/questionmrcox
They show a lot of the material we have looked at under the microscope in science class.

Cell Vocabulary

Below is a list of the terms and definitions students need to know regarding cells.  These were given to the students as notes Friday 9/10/10 which need to be in thier science notebooks under Assignment #12.

Microscope - an optical instrument that uses a lens or a combination of lenses to produce magnified images of small objects, especially of objects too small to be seen by the unaided eye

Cell  - the smallest structural unit of an organism that is capable of independent functioning, consisting of one or more nuclei, cytoplasm, and various organelles, all surrounded by a semipermeable cell membrane.

Nucleus - control center of a cell, which contains the cell's chromosomal DNA; is a membrane-enclosed organelle found in most eukaryotic cells. It contains most of the cell's genetic material

Single Celled/ Unicellular - having or consisting of a single cell

Multi-cellular - having or consisting of many cells

Organism - an individual form of life, such as a plant, animal, bacterium, protist, or fungus; a body made up of organs, organelles, or other parts that work together to carry on the various processes of life

Eukaryote - organisms that contain a nucleus and membrane bound organelles

Prokaryote - organisms that lack a nucleus and membrane bound organelles
 
*Unpacked TEKS definitions are adapted from SAISD, ScienceSaurus, and from thefreedictionary.com.

First Science Test Thursday 9/16/10

There will be an upcoming test on Thursday 9/16/10.  The test will cover: Notebooking, Safety, Triple Beam Balance (parts and usage), Microscope (parts and usage), and the vocabulary on cells.  Basically, everything covered in class so far.  The students have all the material covered and in thier science notebook to study. I will later post the cell vocabulary we are covering.

Microscpes and Magazines!

Today the students got to use the microscopes to take a closer look at what (or how) magazines are printed.  I have included a sample magazine picture of myself doing a double heel-flip ollie... OK, so it really isn't Mr. Cox, but you could probably tell by the long hair.

The first image is of the magazine as viewed by the naked eye.  The image was then magnified at the right pant leg.  The second shows it through the microscope at the low power objective (or a total magnification of 40x).  The third shows it through the microscope at the high power objective (or a total magnification of 100x).   The students were surprised to find that the pictures were actually printed using a plethora of tiny dots!

Using Microscopes

Today the students took notes on how to use and care for microscopes as well as how to create a wet mount.  These will be practiced tomorrow in an investigation as the students discover the secrets behind the color in some of thier popular magazines.

Legend for Microscope Puzzle