Matter Cycles

Food is a vital part of our survival. There are also abiotic factors influence our survival, such as water. Three important elements that are critical for us and other organisms are carbon, nitrogen and oxygen. Today, we modeled how nitrogen moves through the ecosystem.

What to know about nitrogen:

• Most of the air we breathe is nitrogen
• Special bacteria break the nitrogen down so plants can use  it
• Animals can only get nitrogen from plants (either directly or indirectly)
• Nitrogen is released through decompostion

Period 1 HW only: Complete the 3 questions about the carbon cycle.
Period 2 & 4: Don't think you are getting off easy. You have to do the worksheet for CW on top of Friday's lesson.

Energy in the ecosystem

Just when you thought we were done talking about energy the topic comes up again in a completelyt different unit!

Every living thing needs energy. We get our energy from food, since we can not make our own. Plants, however, can make their own. They get their energy from the sun. When we consume food we only get a little bit of that energy from the item consumed.

HW! Illustrate/describe an item of food you eat back to the energy source (the sun). Be sure to give all links.

Life in the environment

Spring break is over and it is back to the daily routine. Just think...June will be here before you know it!

Our lessons this week are focusing on the interactions that take place in the environment. We have discussed succession (how the environment changes over time) and food webs/chains. We will continue these ideas tomorrow by using the Smartboard.

The third marking period ends tomorrow. All missing work is due and will not be accepted past this date.