Synergy Middle School Science 08-09

Migrate to the new blog for 09-10!

tifftai — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 02:54:09 +0000

It’s a new school year and I’ve made a new blog! (I promise this will be the last time. I’m just sticking to one blog from now on.)

Come and visit!

www.synergyscience.wordpress.com

Seafood Watch

tifftai — Wed, 20 May 2009 05:16:54 +0000

Your homework reading came from a website for the Seafood Watch, which is a program from the Monterey Bay Aquarium that is designed to raise consumer awareness about the importance of buying seafood from sustainable sources.

Please check out the site. Download their Regional guide and their Sushi guide for environmentally responsible seafood eating. If you don’t like seafood, no problem! Pass on the information to others.

For your homework, you will look at the Seafood Guide link here.

Making a Coral Reef and the Fabulous Sea Cucumber

tifftai — Mon, 18 May 2009 04:14:11 +0000

We had a great time at the museum!

I had meant to show this before we went but here it is anyway. A brief video about creating the coral reef:

And here’s the one showing a sea cucumber do its thing:

Homework for the Week of May 18

tifftai — Mon, 18 May 2009 04:09:51 +0000

1) Read “What are vertebrates?”

2) Complete HW#30: Ask the Fish

Block I: Wednesday, May 20

Block II: Friday, May 22

Block III: next Tuesday, May 26 (You will have block class on Tuesday because Monday is a holiday.)

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1) Read “What’s troubling our waters?”

2) Complete HW#31: Leftover Salmon

Due date:

Block I: next Wed., May 27

Block II: next Friday, May 29

Block III: next Thursday, May 28

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This week’s homework is all inspired by the band, Leftover Salmon. This band is from Colorado and they describe themselves as “Polyethnic Cajun Slamgrass.” I started listening to them in high school. They are a crazy fun band to see and dance to.

Here’s some tracks:

Ask the Fish

Jokester

Study guide Diagrams

tifftai — Tue, 12 May 2009 01:14:09 +0000

Homework for the Week of May 11

tifftai — Mon, 11 May 2009 13:21:33 +0000

MARINE BIOLOGY TEST DATES:

Block I: Wednesday, May 13

Block II: Friday, May 15

Block III: next Monday, May 18

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1) Complete Study Guide

2) Write 3 questions/answers on the wiki

Due date:

Block I: Monday, May 11

Block II: Tuesday, May 12

Block III: Thursday, May 14

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STUDY FOR THE TEST!

*Use flashcards, make up your own questions, use the study guide on the wiki, concentrate on the concepts that are difficult for you, play jeopardy, and make sure you have all of the readings!

Phylum Mollusca-Class Gastropoda

tifftai — Thu, 07 May 2009 00:26:32 +0000

Gastropods!

Snails, slugs, and nudibranchs!

Abalone, whelks, and limpets!

Shells of various marine gastropods

Family Olividae

Family Muricidae- This gastropod has its operculum closed.

Family Conidae-These snails hunt and immobilize their prey by using a modified radula that is launched out like a harpoon along with a poison gland.

Family Haliotidae-Abalone do not have an operculum. The inside of an abalone shell is iridescent and quite beautiful.

A video about nudibranchs!

Phlyum Mollusca- Class Cephalopoda

tifftai — Mon, 04 May 2009 06:32:53 +0000

Cephalopods are so awesome!!

Pictures do not do them any justice.

Here are videos to see them in action:

This one is in Spanish but I think you guys can figure it out. Octopuses are amazing!

Dramatic footage of Cuttlefish:

Vampryrotheuthis (The Vampire Squid from Hell)

Homework for the Week of May 4

tifftai — Mon, 04 May 2009 06:21:31 +0000

**We’re going to the Academy of Sciences on Thursday!!!!!*****

1) Read “Echinoderms”

2) Complete HW#29: Gone Under Sea

Due Date:

Block I: Wednesday

Block II: Friday

Block III: next Monday, May 11

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3) Complete Marine Biology Study Guide

4) Add your questions/ answers to the class wiki. Instructions are in the Study guide. Please let me know if you have any trouble logging in. You can leave a comment here.

Due date:

Block I: next Monday, May 11

Block II: next Tuesday, May 12

Block III: next Thursday, May 14

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Musical Notes:

“Gone Under Sea” is a song by the British band, Electrelane. I would describe them as an experimental blend of Stereolab/My Bloody Valentine/Velvet Underground with a splash of Andy Warhol.

Here’s the song:

Gone Under Sea

Phylum Mollusca-Class Bivalvia

tifftai — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 18:30:22 +0000

Bivalves are molluscs that have two shells attached at a hinge. Unlike other molluscs, they do not have a radula. They siphon and filter food particles from the water. Some bivalves attach themselves to a surface, while others burrow in sand or sediment. Some bivalves, like scallop, clap their shells together and swim!

Here are some examples from this class:

Here's Tridacna derasa, the smooth giant clam or southern giant clam. The spherical items on the right hand side of its shell are sea squirts, enjoying a free ride! The sea squirts aren't contributing anything to the clam (except, perhaps, making it more photogenic), but the clams do live in a symbiotic relationship with algae, just as coral do, but in a more sophisticated way. The giant clam has a system of channels which branches out to all parts of its mantle, and the algae live in these channels. The clam can discard old algae if there are too many or if overheated, or retain all of them if it needs more.

California mussel (Mytilus californianus)- These mussels are attached to the rock with byssal threads.

And here’s the fabulous swimming scallop in action:

Class dissections!