Weekly blog 10/9/16

Summary: This week we learned about photosynthesis and respiration. The reactants of photosynthesis are carbon dioxide and water. Then the Products of Photosynthesis are glucose/sugar and oxygen (This takes place in the chloroplast). Reactants are the ingredients of the process and the products is what was created from the reactants. Then for respiration the reactants are oxygen and glucose/sugar. The products of respiration are carbon dioxide, water and also a large amount of energy (This takes place in the mitochondria).

Image link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cellular_respiration

SP3: Planning and carrying out investigations
A major practice of scientists is planning and carrying out systematic investigations that require clarifying what counts as data and in experiments identifying variables.

Did you plan and carry out an investigation?

(Mostly when we do a investigation, lab, or experiment)

In class we used a website called gizmo and used simulations kind of like an experiment for photosynthesis and respiration. 

Image link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photosynthesis

Weekly blog 9/30/16

Image link: https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/primer/basics/dna

Summary: This week I learned about CHONPS which is carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur. I also learned about Carbohydrates which has a monomer called monosaccharide and an example of carbohydrates is starch like potatoes or corn. I also learned about Lipids which has the monomer called fatty acid and an example of Lipids is fats like a candle. Then there's proteins with monomer called animo acids and an example of proteins is meats like beef or lamb but beans also count. Then Nucliec acids has the monomer called nucleotides and an example of Nucliec acids is DNA and RNA.



SP2: Developing and using models
Models make it possible to go beyond things you observe and simulate a world not yet seen. Models enable predictions of the form “if…then… therefore” to be made in order to test hypothetical explanations.


Did you build a model, draw a picture, created a concept map, etc?

I sketched a picture of Charbohydrates, proteins, Lipids, and Nucliec acids.

Project blog 9/25/16

Image link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cell_(biology)



Summary: I learned about cells and their functions and why they should become president of cell land. The function of the cell wall is to keep plant structures upright and protect the other organelles in the plant cell. The function of the cell membrane my candidate protects the animals in the animal cell and helps the cell keeps its shape. The function of the cytoplasm is to keep everything together like a bowl of jelly except for the nucleus. The function of the golgi bodies is to store and pack nutrients and works with cytoplasm. The function of mitochondria is to create energy for the cell and is the powerhouse of the cell. The function of the ER (Endoplasmic Reticulum) is to store protein in sacks and there is a rough ER and a smooth ER. The function of the Chloroplast is to create energy for the plant cell and to absorb sunlight during photosynthesis. The function of lysosomes is to dispose of waste in the cell and the function of the vacuole is like a storage bubble for nutrients and the cells waste.











Background - Looking
How much did you know about the subject before we started?
Before we started the cell wars project all the cells I knew were cytoplasm, cell wall, and chloroplast. I also only knew the difference between the plant cells and the animal cells. I knew that the cell wall protected the cell and that it was only in plant cells. I also knew that some organelles were just in one cell like just in a plant cell or just in an animal cell. I also knew what animal and what plant cells looked liked because animal cells are red and round. Then plant cells are ovals or a square and are green.


Inward - Looking
What did/didn't you find frustrating about it?
Some things that I found frustrating about this project is that I had to find research on both my organelle candidate and also the other organelle candidates. I found these things frustrating because it was a bit hard to understand how some of the other organelles functioned as well as my own. What I didn't find frustrating was citing the resources because it was kind of fun finding the information on a page like a scavenger hunt. I also didn't find creating the video frustrating because it was fun creating the video. One more thing I found frustrating was smearing other candidates because most of the smears already said a lot of common facts about the organelles.


Outward - Looking
If you were a teacher, what comments would you make about this piece?
Some comments I would make about this piece is that me and my group tried our best in this project. I would say this because I know that everyone did their best and also tried their best. I would also say that I could've put more information in our video than we already did about both the other organelles and also our organelle. I would say this because I wanted to have more information in the video because we didn't put that much info about our own organelle and not that much about the other organelles. But other than these comments I have nothing to complain about or say about our project.

Weekly blog 9/18/16

Image link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cell_(biology)

Summary: I learned more about cells and the origin of cells. Some cells such as the mitochondria and lysosomes can be useful but can sometimes cause diseases such as the mitochondrial disease and the lysosomal disease. But the cell I'm researching with my team mates is the cell membrane and the cell membrane is like the barrier between the cell and viruses. The cell membrane is also similar to the cell wall except the cell wall is only in plant cells while the cell membrane is in both animal and plant cells. There's also the origin of cells, the first cell is called prokaryotic cells and eukaryotic cells. Prokaryotic cells were the first type of cell with not many characteristics similar to the cells we know today. Then there's eukaryotic cells which are the cells we know today with a nucleus and other organelles.


SP8: Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information:
A major practice of science is to communicate ideas and the results of inquiry—orally; in writing; with the use of tables, diagrams, graphs and equations; and by engaging in extended discussions with peers.

Did you research something, used the CITE-IT strategy and then “told” the class about it?

OR

Did you present something to the class?


My team mates and I researched about the cell membrane and then we will tell the class information about the cell membrane through our video. We also cited our information on a google doc.

Weekly blog 9/11/16

Image Link: http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-membrane-permeability.htm

Summary: This week I learned more about cells and we started a project about it. The cell I'm researching with my team mates is the cell membrane. The cell membrane protects the other cell organelles and has 3 responsibilities. Number one the cell membrane protects other organelles, two the cell membrane communicates with other cells and can tell what type of cell it is, and 3 the cell membrane transports molecules and ions by only letting in things that wouldn't harm the cell. The location of the cell membrane is the outer layer of the cell. The cell membrane can also change its shape.


SP8: Obtain, evaluate and communicate information
A major practice of science is to communicate ideas and the results of inquiry—orally; in writing; with the use of tables, diagrams, graphs and equations; and by engaging in extended discussions with peers.


Did you research something, used the CITE-IT strategy and then “told” the class about it?
I researched about the cell membrane and then cited the websites on a google doc.

Weekly blog 9/4/16

Image link: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Differences_between_simple_animal_and_plant_cells_(en).svg


Summary: this week we reviewed the scientific method and we learned about manipulated variables and responsive variables. The manipulated variable is the variable that's changed and the responsive variable is the response of a variable being changed. Then we leaned about cells and cells make up all living things while atoms make up all living and non living things. Another thing is that cells were discovered do to a scientist looking at his teeth and he found bacteria which is a type of cell. Then the 3 rules of cells are 1. Cells make up all living things, 2. Cells reproduce from a cell that was already alive, and 3. Cells are part of the base of a structure.


SP6: Constructin explanations and designing solutions
The goal of science is the construction of theories that provide explanations about the natural world.  explanatory power.

Did you explain something through your work?

Answer: yes while we wrote down our notes in class about the cell theory we are explaining it through our notes.

Weekly blog 8/26/16

Summary: This week we learned about lab safety. A few rules are to make sure there's no food in the lab area, make sure to wear safety goggles, tie back long hair, etc. You also can't pour chemicals in the sink without the teachers permission. You also can't leave your lab area messy and unorganized. You can't block emergency exits, leave your stuff/backpacks on the floor where people can trip, and you can't leave a burner unattended.

S&EP: Asking Question and Defining Problems
A basic practice of the scientist is the ability to formulate empirically answerable questions about phenomena to establish what is already known, and to determine what questions have yet to be satisfactorily answered.

This week we established the rules of doing a lab and asked questions on why we should do those rules. We also asked questions of how and what to do in a situation. For example if we burn our hand then we have to put it under water and tell the teacher.


                                                                           
         Image source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8e/Bunsen_burner.jpg