Testing Time

Students will be taking the NJASK 8 in LA, Math and Science this week. Students are reminded to not only give the test their best but to get to school on time, eat a good breakfast and get good night sleep.

During this week there is no assigned homework. Students are working on a animal design project that is done during class time. Completed projects are due by Monday, May 3. See link at upper righthand corner for project details and grading rubric.

Test review

This week we are reviewing for the NJASK Science and our class test on the living and nonliving environment. A practice test was given today to famaliarize you with the format and to identify your strong/weak areas. The rest of this week will be dedicated to refreshing your memory on science concepts. Also, a study guide was given for Friday's class test. The study guide should be completed by Thursday. Left your study guide in school? Click here.

Relationships in the ecosystem

Through a class activity, we discovered that organisms can share a relationship with one another. This is called symbiosis. We looked at 3 specific forms: mutualism (+/+), commensalism (+/0), and parasitism (+/-). The signs in parentheses show how the organism either benefits or not benefits.

HW: Complete both sides of the worksheet. Use your notes to help you.

Test on Friday: Living/Nonliving environment and taxonomy. A study guide will be given to help you organize your notes to study from

The remainder of this week will be dedicated to prepping for the NJASK 8 Science. Please ask me for help on concepts you need help with.

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.

NJ ASK 8 Science

You should have received an informational booklet regarding state testing in April. Yes, there is a science state test (April 30). We will be reviewing concepts the week before state testing. I also am more than happy to put together material on concepts you know you need help in.

Check out this site to practice some concepts.
http://glencoe.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0078778115/student_view0/standardized_test_practice.html

Also, access Study Island from the district site for more online practice!