Weekly Blog 3/27 - 3/30

Image Source:

http://sciencewitheberhart.weebly.com/uploads/2/1/7/1/21711460/3427790.png?874

Summary:

Elements are pure substances that are composed of one type of atom. They cannot be separated into a simpler substance through physical or chemical means. A compound is a pure substance composed of two or more different elements joined by chemical bonds. You can identify a chemical reaction due to color change, odor change, etc. DISSOLVING IS NOT A CHEMICAL CHANGE.

S&EP:

SP6: Constructing explanations and designing solutions

This week I performed SP6. I performed SP6 this week by when in the castle problems they had asked different questions and was given different clues to find the right element. This is SP6 because I designed solutions for the different rooms in the 'castle'.

XCC:

Cause and Effect

The cause is something like baking powder and vinegar being put together and the effect is a reaction like an explosion of some sort or how the vinegar bubbles up. The parts used for the experiment are the cause and the effect is a chemical reaction.

Weekly Blog 3/20 - 3/24

Image Source:

http://www.popsci.com/sites/popsci.com/files/styles/large_1x_/public/periodic_table_large.jpg?itok=0gYVEwsY&fc=50,50

Summary:

The periodic table of elements has names for the columns of elements like the halogens or noble gases. There are 8 A columns while there are 10 B columns. There are metals, non-metals and metalloids on the top part of the periodic table. The atomic number can be found by the number of protons in the atom. And the atomic mass is the number of protons, neutrons and electrons in the atom.

S&EP:

SP5: Using mathematics and computational thinking

This week I performed SP5 because I worked on a paper where we had to use math to find the number of neutrons are in a specific atom. This is SP5 because I used math to find the number of neutrons in specific types of atoms.

XCC:

Patterns

The pattern is in the periodic table. You can look at the periodic table and see that it partly goes in order of atomic number but it also goes in columns of what you can call families like the last column that family is called the Halogens. This is the pattern in the periodic table of elements.

Weekly Blog 3/13 - 3/17

Image Source: 

https://d2gne97vdumgn3.cloudfront.net/api/file/vnqdG4PQSyKYLsPMLFU6

Summary:

Atoms are made of three components, protons, neutrons and electrons. The nucleus of the atoms if the middle where the protons and neutrons are. You would enlarge the atom to the size of a stadium and the nucleus would be smaller then a marble. If there are more protons than electrons it is called a cation while if there are more electrons to protons then it is called a anion.

S&EP:

SP4: Analyzing and interpreting data

This week I did a work sheet and showed how to find if an atom is a cation or anion. And I used a drawing to show what element I created using protons, electrons and neutrons. This is SP4: Analyzing and interpreting data because I used a table to show if a atom is a cation or anion and I used a drawing to show what element I created.

XCC:

Cause and Effect

When there are more electrons than protons the electrons is the cause while the effect is the atoms becoming a anion. Or if you have a atom where there are more protons than electrons then the cause is the protons while the effect is the atom becoming a cation. The change in electrons and protons is the cause while the effect is the atom becoming a cation or anion.

Project Blog Endangered Species

Image Source: 

https://www.polydesmida.info/tasmanianmultipedes/img-key/bvw.jpg

Summary:
The blind velvet worm hunts by shooting sticky slime at prey. The scientific name for the blind velvet worm is the Tasmanipatus Anophthalmus. This worm lives deep in rotting logs within dry eucalyptus or sclerophyll forests. Much about this worm is unknown as research of these worms requires logs to be broken up which destroys the habitat for the worms. Only two major events happened on the timeline of the blind velvet worm, 1996, Blind Velvet Worm added to the IUCN list, 2006, a wild fire burnt about 30,000 hectares in the St. Marys area which could've decreased Blind Velvet Worm numbers.

Backward-Looking:
How much did you know about the subject before we started?
I didn't know about the blind velvet worm before this project started. I knew about other worms but never knew about this one specific worm. We were actually were trying to look for a random species for the bonus points. We came across the blind velvet worm and decided to give it a go. But other than knowing about some worms I didn't know anything else about this subject.

Inward-Looking:
How do you feel about this piece of work? What parts of it do you particularly like? Dislike? Why? What did/do you enjoy about this piece or work?
I wasn't the proudest of this work as there could've been more info on the Blind Velvet Worm if there was more information on the internet and IUCN list. I liked the searching through different endangered species to choose our animal for your endangered species project. I disliked research because very little information was provided for the Blind Velvet Worm. I liked working with my team as well and the all worked well.

Outward-Looking:
What grade would you give it? Why?
I would give this work a B+. I would give it this grade because the info was pretty precise and there. But the infographic was unfinished and needed a little more work on it. The information on the research was precise but lacked details on population of the remaining worms. Little details were provided for major events on Blind Velvet Worm timeline for the IUCN list.

Forward-Looking:
One thing I would like to improve upon is ... 
I would like to improve the amount of effort that went into this project. More effort could've been used for the research. The presentation that we were supposed to do could've gone a lot better if we submitted and presented it. The infographic needed more effort to finish as it wasn't finished. This is what needed more effort put into it.

Weekly Blog 2/17 - 3/3

Image Source:

http://68.media.tumblr.com/6f33dc907f91c09ba1acdd4bf1a186f3/tumblr_myeb528fVw1rxyvj1o1_500.jpg

Summary:

The blind velvet worm is also known by its scientific name, Tasmanipatus anophthalmus. This worm lives in decaying logs in dry eucalyptus or sclerophyll forests. There are many threats to the worm including wildfires, firewood collection, destruction of micro habits due to collectors and research workers. There are also more ways to help the blind velvet worm including make signs and videos to raise awareness of the blind velvet worm at your local community, banning firewood collection in areas known to where the blind velvet worm lives, ban or disallow forest clearings, etc.

S&EP:

SP3: Planning and carrying out investigations
This week me and my team carried out investigations on the blind velvet worm. This SP3: Planning and carrying out investigations because we conducted research on the blind velvet worm and where it lives, how much of the population are left, etc.

XCC:
Stability and Change
The blind velvet worm is the system here and the population could be stable but a wildfire or firewood collection could cause the population to change. The blind velvet worm is the system while the change is firewood collection or a wildfire.