earthworms and caffeine

Friday we conducted our lab to see if caffeine plays a role in how an earthworm behaves. If you were absent use this information to complete your lab report. You are also welcome to come during lunch to conduct the activity.

Observations:
Dry petri dish ~ stayed in 1 spot, moved really slow
Water petri dish ~ tmoved around more than the dry dish, moved towards side of the dish, stuck tail end out of the water
Caffeinated solution: moved immediately when placed in solution, twisted/coiled its body

Blackworm notes

Just in case you lost or did not copy the notes in class.

Blackworms on Prezi

Cells

Friday you will be having a notebook quiz on blackworms and WOWbugs. We completed notes on the WOWbug today. Organize your notebook for Friday (and come prepared for class!). Don't have the notes? Check the Info section on the side.

The rest of the class time we spent defining organelles in plants and animal cells. Tomorrow we will go over the cell organizer and work on labeling the structures. All of this will prepare you for Inquiry 7 later this week.

The trip to Gettysburg is this week! The weather is looking like it will cooperate.

WOWbug questions

Just in case you missed the focus....

Copy the following questions and answer using pages 24-25.

1. What is an entomologist?
2. How did this bug get its nickname?
3. How did Dr. Matthews first find the WOWbugs?
4. What did the WOWbugs do that made him angry?
5. What behaviors of the WOWbug make them great for the science room?

Earthworm lab

Here is the start of your lab report for tomorrow's lab. this will be a test grade. It is your responsibilty to write out GOOD procedures. The lab is not in the textbook.

Problem: Does caffeine have an affect on an earthworm’s behavior?

Hypothesis: (Answer the problem)

Materials:

• One earthworm
• 3 Petri dishes
• cup of water
• cup of caffeinated solution
• graduated cylinder

Procedures (You must write your own. Think about how you would test your hypothesis)

Blackworms and WOWbugs

I have not been able to post daily updates. Been having some computer problems but I think it is all ok now.

This week we have been observing live organisms: blackworms and WOWbugs. Notes were taken on the balckworm and compared to an earthworm. Then we observed behaviors of the WOWbug using the camera and video micrscope. In class you sketched a WOWbug.

HW: Complete Inq 2.3 Student Sheet. Be sure your drawing is done correctly w/ 5 structures labeled (use pg 25 for help). The readings in your text book will help with the reflection questions.

Also finish writing lab procedures for tomorrow's lab.

Space Day 2010

We took a break from organisms today to celebrate space. The eighth grade science classes were visited by Lockheed Martin. Hopefully you learrned about the different careers available in the field of space and technology. We even had a chance to investigate the forces that work against a helicopter. To learn more about Space Day visit http://www.spaceday.org/

The microscope quiz has been pushed back to Monday. Use the weekend to review your vocabulary. I am also collecting Student Sheet 3.1 (Blackworm lab) on Monday. Use pages 34-38 in the textbook to help you answer the questions.