Month: May 2023

Hello Everyone,

We are doing some research on indigenous organisms of British Columbia, to be more connected to the place we live in.

Our purpose in doing the research is to become familiar with the organism, to practice finding information about classification, and to also have details we can use to make an art project, which will be part two of the project.

I provided a list of BC organisms (plants, animals, and fungi), and everyone chose one to work on. Everyone is working on a different organism so we can broaden what we find out as a class, and information can be shared with all of us about the biodiversity of B.C.

First, do some research on your organism, after you have read the background handout I provided on the ecoprovinces of B.C.

Answer these questions in your journal:

1.  What is the scientific name for the organism?  (Latin name)
2.  How would we classify the organism?  (Kingdom, Phylum, etc.)
3.  Where would we find the organism in BC?  (biome, ecoprovince, ecosystem, towns, areas)
4.  What are some of the unique adaptations and characteristics of your organism?
5.  Is there an Indigenous name for your organism? Any Indigenous stories you can find about your organism?
6.  Is there a use for your organism by other organisms including humans? Do Indigenous Peoples of BC have a use for it?
7.  Is the organism an autotroph or heterotroph? How specifically does your organism get its energy?
8.  Does the organism have a relationship with other organisms (symbiotic, parasitic, etc.)?
9.  Is your organism a consumer, producer, or decomposer?
10.  How would I identify this organism in the wild if I was looking for it? What are its key features to look for?
11.  Is this organism endangered at all? Are there any problems it has currently?

 

Please put the notes from these questions in your journal. You do not need to write all of the sources of the information, but do make sure you use legitimate websites and be critical thinkers about whether your resources are good ones! Part two to come after we do this research!

This research is due May 19th, Friday, so we can move on to the next step.

 

Ms. D

As a reminder, please USE your journal and your notes from our discussions to help. In addition,  you have been given readings in class which are in your binder, and there is the Biodiversity in Crisis book we read in class.

This e-port is due next Wednesday May 17th.

Title:  Nature Connection May 10th

Questions:

What does it mean to be abiotic and biotic? Provide examples of each.

How do we know something is alive? What are the criteria?

What makes an ecosystem healthy and how is interdependence part of that?

What is a keystone species? Give an example.

How do we classify organisms?

Why do we classify organisms?

What does the word biodiversity mean and why is it important?

What are autotrophs and heterotrophs?

What does it mean to be sessile and mobile?

As we design an artificial intelligence to do classification of organisms, what are some things that can interfere with getting accurate results? (discussed during workshop)

Why are the sacoglossan sea slug and red tree coral a bit harder to classify as a plant, animal, or fungi?

What is a consumer, producer, and decomposer?

Where does the flow of energy come from in an ecosystem?

What are the other cycles beyond a water cycle in our Earth systems?

How is biodiversity in crisis? Please provide examples from the book in class.

 

 

Thank you for making an e-port entry in your child’s e-port blog! They have created the questions, and here they are:

TITLE:  Parent E-Port for Student Led Conferences

QUESTIONS:

1.  How do the rumblebots move forward?

2.  What was your questions on the wonderings board and what type was it?

3.  What are the gerbils names?

4.  How were the sculptures made?

5.  What strengths did your child say they had on their resume?

6.  What kinds of breaks can you take on the break board?

7.  What did we make in the Reaction or No experiment?

8.  What molecule did you create at the molecules station?

9.  What was your favourite part of student leds and why?

Hello Everyone!

Independent Project Presentations are June 12th! That time is coming up soon, so we are moving into the next phase of our preparations. Here are the next steps:

1.  NOTES TO MS. D:  Notes should be done at this time. Clean up your notes and save them to the link Ms. D will email you for “One Drive Independent Project Notes and Documents”, or show them to me if you have them in your journal. As discussed, taking notes and documenting your research is a major part of your mark for this project.
2.  FINISH PRIMARY RESEARCH:
   1. If you did a lab experiment, make sure you have done a write up for it using the scientific method.
   2. If you conducted an interview, create a document with the questions and answers from it. Include your interview in your bibliography.
   3. If you did a visit or observation of something, then document it with pictures and notes in a MS Word document.
   4.  If you did a model or project, take pictures of the model as it is being developed, and document your process with a reflection in MS Word.
3.  BIBLIOGRAPHY:
   1. Today we went over how to do a bibliography and how to document a book, website, encyclopedia, interview, image, or graph.
   2.  Please go through your notes and begin to put these into a bibliography on MS Word.
   3.  Don’t forget to use a hanging indent.
   4.  Label the bibliography BIBLIOGRAPHY along with the TITLE of your topic and your NAME.
   5.  Bibliography entries are presented in alphabetical order, from A – Z.
4.  PRESENTATION:
   1.  We brainstormed presentation ideas in class. There are many options.
   2.  YOU MAY NOT MAKE A POSTER. I will not be giving out posterboard for this project. But, you can make anything that will easily stand on a table. We don’t have enough wall space or locations to hang posters.
   3.  You can have a trifold, but it is not required. Trifolds are not available at the school, but there are options at dollar stores, Staples, and Michaels. It isn’t required to spend money on one, though. Find some big pieces of cardboard, bend it into three sections, and we can cover with large paper found here at the school.
   4.  Your project needs something visual to look at and something to read.
   5.  Your project display will include a copy of your bibliography (not your notes.)
   6.  People like to interact with things when they visit you — your experiment, handouts, a game, a slideshow on PowerPoint, pictures on your trifold, a model, etc.
   7.  If you create a handout such as a word find, crossword, ZINE, brochure, please do it in black and white, and Ms. D is happy to make copies for you so you can hand them out to everyone who is coming. Deadline to request photocopies is June 8th in the morning.
   8.  Space provided during presentations will depend on how much you have for stuff! So, you may get a small individual desk, or a half table, or have to share a table with others. We will work out logistics of that as soon as I see what people have created.
   9.  You may use a laptop or iPad if you have a slideshow or PowerPoint. Your PowerPoint can have research written in it, but do not have it as the only way to communicate information to the public, as it won’t get read on presentation day.
   10.  Any item you make, take a picture of it and label it. Ms. D will be asking for any digital items you have to post on the BLOG to share with the public beyond our in-person event.
   11.  Supplies. Request supplies ASAP from Ms. D so she can help you get what you need to make this project happen! I have art stuff you can use, and the school has paper. We just don’t have trifolds.
5.  Reflection and Marking:  After your project is done, you will post an e-port entry about how it went for you, in class on June 13th. Ms. D will then respond to that e-port with comments about how the project went for you. I have a general rubric for the project to share with you, but we have talked about key criteria:
   1.  Must have documented research notes
   2.  Must show questions you have asked
   3.  Must have a list of resources and a bilbiography showing you spent time on the project, worthy of the research time you have been given since end of January
   4.  Must have primary research option
   5.  Presentation must include some writing and visuals
   6.  Project must have a completed reflection, where you talk about what went well, what you learned, and what you would do for the next time.

Time will be given in class, but now is an important time to ensure you have time carved out at home to work quietly on things you may not be able to finish in class. Please bring things to class you are working on, as I will be giving you class time, and you need something to work on!

Do not do the entire project at home, as then I cannot see you have done the work yourself, and you will be bored or distracting others during our project work periods.

I look forward to supporting you with this event and presentation!

Ms. D