Do you like being outside?

Do you enjoy spending time outside? What is your favourite thing to do? Where is your favourite place to be? What do you see when you are there? What is the temperature? Are there animals you can see or only evidence of animals? Today as we being thinking about ecosystems and the importance of our the natural world, we will discuss the living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) components. We will then draw diagrams of these places, labeling the items to show their interconnection. We will also record some notes to focus our learning!

Let's start by taking a closer look at what is considered an ecosystem.

https://www.brainpop.com/science/ecologyandbehavior/ecosystems/

After watching the video, how would you describe an ecosystem?

Welcome to Room 28!

What Do Effective Researchers Do?

Le garcon qui joue des tours

Check out some of the final videos created by 7D, 7E and 7F by viewing the links in the comments.  It was wonderful to see the students so engaged right to the wire! Great job, students!


Le garcon qui joue des tours - 2017-18 from Mrs. Steinhoff on Vimeo.






French from Mrs. Steinhoff on Vimeo.

Bacteria - The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Today we will continue our research on bacteria. Remember that your job is to research about 2 types of bacteria and create a poster or comic strip to demonstrate your understanding. Think about the following information when researching:
What is the name?
What does it do?
Where is it found?
How does it affect humans? Nature? How much does it take?
What is the shape or size?
What is special about this bacteria?

What is goal for research today? How much will you plan to get down? What will "working on this project" look like?

Microbes Game and Info

 

Decomposers - The Beginning, Middle and End!

Over the past few weeks we have been discussing ecosystems and more recently, food pyramids. We know that food pyramids are a visual representation of how plants and animals interact and depend on each other to ensure their sustainability. We probably have a good understanding about plants and animals, but we are now going to focus on a sometimes lesser known aspect - Decomposers. We will take notes while watching some videos to see that examples of decomposers are fungi and bacteria. You also see that these decomposers can be very tiny - even microscopic! Let's take a closer look!



Today you will choose a type of decomposer and begin a research project identifying it's characteristics. After you have a good understanding of your decomposer, you will create a short comic strip with speech bubbles to depict "A Day in the Life!"

Later we will be looking soil samples to see if we can find any of these decomposers in action!

To start, let's look online to make a list of possible "characters" for our adventure!

Fungi - Diversity of Life

Bacteria - Diversity of Life

Can a species come back from EXTINCTION?

What does it mean when a species goes extinct? Are they truly gone forever?

Today we will take a closer look at endangered and extinct animals and what their survival (or extinction) means to the sustainability of the Earth's deeply diverse ecosystems.

We will begin by watching a Brain Pop video where Tim and Moby learn more about the causes of extinction. Next, we will do the quiz together to show your understanding.  Finally, there are two activities you can do in small groups to record your understanding. You may need to watch the video again so you can be sure to pick up all of the important information.

Boundless Biomes

https://askabiologist.asu.edu/explore/biomes

Desert Biome

Computer

https://askabiologist.asu.edu/sites/default/files/virtual-reality/desert-biome-VR-360/index.html

Smart Phone

https://askabiologist.asu.edu/sites/default/files/virtual-reality/desert-biome-VR-360/index.html

Google Cardboard

https://askabiologist.asu.edu/sites/default/files/virtual-reality/desert-biome-VR-360-GC/index.html

Rainforest Biome

Computer

https://askabiologist.asu.edu/sites/default/files/virtual-reality/rainforest-biome-VR-360/index.html

Smartphone

https://askabiologist.asu.edu/sites/default/files/virtual-reality/rainforest-biome-VR-360/index.html

Google Cardboard

https://askabiologist.asu.edu/sites/default/files/virtual-reality/rainforest-biome-VR-360-GC/index.html

Temperate Forest

Computer

https://askabiologist.asu.edu/sites/default/files/virtual-reality/temperate-forest-VR-360/index.html

Smartphone

https://askabiologist.asu.edu/sites/default/files/virtual-reality/temperate-forest-VR-360/index.html

Google Cardboard

https://askabiologist.asu.edu/sites/default/files/virtual-reality/temperate-forest-VR-360-GC/index.html

Tundra Biome (all)

https://www.youvisit.com/tour/emily.m

Other Informational Sites to Check Out! 

http://5gbiomes.weebly.com/

http://interactivesites.weebly.com/biomes.html

Apps for iPad/ Smartphone

Jaunt VR

Discovery VR

Sites in VR

Within VR

Youtube VR

Google Cardboard

Expeditions

Fulldive VR

EcoTrivia

Good Resources: http://glencoe.mheducation.com/sites/0078617464/ (see below)

Self Check Quizes

http://glencoe.mheducation.com/sites/0078617464/student_view0/chapter3/section1/self-check_quiz-eng_.html

http://glencoe.mheducation.com/sites/0078617464/student_view0/chapter3/section2/self-check_quiz-eng_.html

http://glencoe.mheducation.com/sites/0078617464/student_view0/chapter3/section3/self-check_quiz-eng_.html

Quizlet

https://quizlet.com/subject/biomes-quiz/

http://studyjams.scholastic.com/studyjams/jams/science/ecosystems/biomes.htm