Science

2022-2023

Biology – Wolves and Body Systems

This term we’ll be studying the sea wolves of the Great Bear Rainforest, and their critical place in this unique ecosystem.

We will be working with the book The Sea Wolves: Living Wild in the Great Bear Rainforest, by Ian McAllister and Nickolas Read.

To start us of, we’ll be exploring what it means to be a mammal. A good place to begin your mammal research is at:

• www.earthlife.net/mammals/welcome.html
• www.kidzone.ws/animals/animal_classes.htm

Here’s a short video/audio clip from the American Museum of Natural History: www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jw74pfWfxA

Also, the Discovery Channel:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YSCLSFm2eA&feature=related

Your first bit of homework will be to complete What it Takes to be a Mammal (Frayer Model).

Here are a couple of websites to help students deepen their research into pack
hierarchies:
ThinkQuest
http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0212280/intelligence.htm
Wolf Country
www.wolfcountry.net/information/WolfPack.html
Wolf Worlds
www.wolfworlds.com/wolf-social-structure.html

Takaya Lone Wolf (CBC’s Nature of Things)

https://www.cbc.ca/natureofthings/m/episodes/takaya-lone-wolf

2021-2022

Some good research sites!

Your PINK “Wonder/Genius” question worksheet has many good websites listed on the back page. Here are some more.

• Safe Search Kids
• PBS Science Kids
• National Geographic Kids
• Kiddle
• Kindinfo
• Wonderopolis
• Dog Pile
  

  Remember to Google “~for kids”

  – Type in what you want to search, end with “…for kids”.

  Don’t forget the Maywood library also has good research sites!

   

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Term 1 –  Biology – Body Systems

Grade 5 and 6 students have been learning the various human body systems required by the BC curriculum for their grade. Grade 5’s have been looking at digestion, circulation, respiratory and urinary systems, while the grade 6’s have been exploring the nervous, hormonal, reproductive, and muscular systems. They will be submitting their notes and KWL quadrant worksheets for their first homework submissions.

Big Ideas covered this term:

• Multicellular organisms have internal systems that enable them to survive, reproduce and interact within their environment.
• First Peoples concepts of interconnectedness in the environment.

• Basic structures and functions of body systems: digestive, circulatory, excretory and respiratory (gr.5)
• Basic structures and functions of body systems: reproductive, hormonal, nervous, and musculoskeletal (gr. 6)
• Identify First Peoples perspectives and knowledge as sources of information.

Core Competencies explored this term include:

• Demonstrate a sustained intellectual curiosity about a scientific topic (Body Systems)
• Communicating ideas, explanations and processes in a variety of ways.
• Experience and interpret the local environment.

Key Questions:

• How do organ systems interact with one another?
• How is the knowledge of bears, behaviour and ecology of bears reflected in First Peoples’ lives (past and present)?

YouTube clips:

Digestive System:

Respiratory System:

Circulatory system:

Urinary system:

Reproductive System:

The Reproductive System

Hormonal System:

Nervous System:

Muscular System:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVL-8zr2hk4

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Some good research sites!

Your PINK “Wonder/Genius” question worksheet has many good websites listed on the back page. Here are some more.

• Safe Search Kids
• PBS Science Kids
• National Geographic Kids
• Dog Pile

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2020-2021

CLIMATE  CHANGE

To end the school year, we will be taking a closer look at Climate Change, starting with the Carbon Cycle.

Here’s the Bill Nye video we watched in class. Here is another Bill Nye video you can watch – Climate Change 101. (S03E10).

• What’s the Deal with Carbon. Click here for the video
• Let’s dive deeper into CARBON. Exploring Carbon
• Here’s a kid friendly look at Climate Change video
• Check out NASA’s Climate kids website

And finally, this one’s for Sam.  Project Learning Tree is great! Check this out: 12 Videos to Help Us Understand Climate Change.

UNIT 3 Test in the Geologic Time Scale –  May 17/19th

• Don’t forget to study for this test! All of your PowerPoint notes, worksheets and labs should be reviewed.
• Some of you have been asking about specific definitions for some of our vocabulary listed. We’ve been talking about the fossil record and geologic time scale for months now, but there has not been a specific definition provided. If you’re still unsure about FOSSIL RECORD, take a look at this Science Dictionary link provided.

Geologic Time Scale:

The geologic time scale is the “calendar” for events in Earth history. It subdivides all time into named units of abstract time called—in descending order of duration—eons, eras, periods, epochs, and ages. The enumeration of those geologic time units is based on stratigraphy, which is the correlation and classification of rock strata. The fossil forms that occur in the rocks, however, provide the chief means of establishing a geologic time scale, with the timing of the emergence and disappearance of widespread species from the fossil record being used to delineate the beginnings and endings of ages, epochs, periods, and other intervals. 

– from Britannica.com

Continental Drift – Term 3

This week we learned about the theory of Continental Drift. Please refer to this week’s PowerPoint notes for more information.

Here is the Brain Pop video I showed: Continental Drift video

Here is another link I didn’t get a chance to share with you: http://d3tt741pwxqwm0.cloudfront.net/WGBH/conv16/conv16-int-tectonic/index.html

Referencing Your Work

Here is your bibliography assignment (click the link to download the material): How to Reference Your Work.

Useful link for the Lucy Blog:

Prehistoric Life During the Pliocene Epoch

Geologic Timeline – Term 2

Some videos…

How the Earth was formed

• This was the first, shorter one we watched in class.

The Making of Earth and Moon

• Great visual with music, showing the formation of the Earth – set to music! I did not show this one but it is COOL! Watch it!

History of Earth in 9 Minutes

• We showed this one in class

Mass Extinction Project

The handouts (click on link):

• Extinction Project – planning sheet
• Researching Notes

Start here:

• Big Five Mass Extinction Events

• https://www.discovermagazine.com/the-sciences/mass-extinctions

Try these research sites:

• kiddle

• kidinfo.com

• bbc.com

• brititshmuseum.org

• pbs.org

• si.edu

• National Geographic

• wonderopolis.com

Remember to Google “~for kids”

– Type in what you want to search, end with “…for kids”.

Don’t forget the Maywood library also has good research sites!

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Your Immune System

You’ve been given a reading package to help you better understand how  your IMMUNE SYSTEM works. On the LAST PAGE, there are questions for you to answer. These questions match the cartoon linked below.

1. Read the FULL cartoon in the link below to find out how the body protects you from the bad guys.
2. Complete the whole last page of the reading package.

Go to this link for the full cartoon. https://www.meganllewellyn.com/how-vaccines-work 

The Theory of Evolution, Natural Selection, Diversity and the Survival of Living Things

In the news: Oldest carving in East Asia found

Evolution videos

Adaptive Radiation

Bill Nye – Evolution episode

Disney’s Video on Adaptations

The Peppered Moth Simulation Lab:

http://peppermoths.weebly.com/

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Science Celebration (Methodology and Fair Tests)

A letter to families, outlining the science project expectations and schedule will be sent home soon. Here is a list of the things to do or read, as laid out in the schedule. Please read (see below links) by the listed due dates.

• Complete the Topic Selection Wizard
• Read “The Scientific Method“
• Read “Your Question“
• Read “Background Research Plan“
• Read “Finding Information“
• Read “Bibliography“
• Read “Research Paper“
• Read “Variables for Beginners“
• Read “Hypothesis“
• Read “Experimental Procedure“
• Read “Materials List“
• Read “Laboratory Notebook“
• Read “Conducting an Experiment“
• Repeat your experiment at least 3 times.
• Read “Data Analysis and Graphs“
• Read “Conclusions”
• Read “Display Boards“
• Read “Final Report“
• Read “Abstract“

I am using the Teacher Guide for science fair projects, as suggested by our district science team. More about Science Buddies can be found at their website.

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Biology – Wolves and Body Systems

Evidence of Learning

• Ch. 1 reading and questions
• Ch. 2 reading and questions
• Ch. 5 reading and questions
• What is a mammal? (worksheet)
• VENN Diagram #1 – Wolves and Humans HABITAT
• VENN Diagram #2 – Wolves and Humans ADAPTATIONS
• Indigenous peoples’ understanding of INTERCONNECTIONS, SUSTAINABILITY, TRANSFORMATION and other new terminology (KWL worksheet/word wall)
• Body Systems work-sheet (What is a system; naming the body systems)
• Wolf Inquiry Question (Wonder) + research

Salmon Scavenger Hunt

For your SSH you’ll be researching online resources to help answer as many questions from the SSH worksheet you’ve been given.

You can work as a team, so divide and conquer!

There is not one place for you to look to answer these questions. You will have to search different sites, such as:

• The World Wildlife Fund –> https://www.worldwildlife.org/
• PBS “Empty Oceans” –> https://www.pbs.org/emptyoceans/

You probably won’t finish in the allotted time, but don’t worry! Just do the best you can.

Biology

This term we’ll be studying the sea wolves of the Great Bear Rainforest, and their critical place in this unique ecosystem.

We will be working with the book The Sea Wolves: Living Wild in the Great Bear Rainforest, by Ian McAllister and Nickolas Read.

To start us of, we’ll be exploring what it means to be a mammal. A good place to begin your mammal research is at:

• www.earthlife.net/mammals/welcome.html and
• www.kidzone.ws/animals/animal_classes.htm

Here’s a short video/audio clip from the American Museum of Natural History: www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jw74pfWfxA

Also, the Discovery Channel:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YSCLSFm2eA&feature=related

Your first bit of homework will be to complete What it Takes to be a Mammal (Frayer Model).

Here are a couple of websites to help students deepen their research into pack
hierarchies:
ThinkQuest
http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0212280/intelligence.htm
Wolf Country
www.wolfcountry.net/information/WolfPack.html
Wolf Worlds
www.wolfworlds.com/wolf-social-structure.html

Takaya Lone Wolf (CBC’s Nature of Things)

https://www.cbc.ca/natureofthings/m/episodes/takaya-lone-wolf

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Bears and Body Systems is covered in Term 2. Assessment will include:

• Reading/ questions from The Salmon Bears, by Ian MacAllister and Nicholas Read
• Visual dictionary of terms (written definition and picture to match)
• YouTube video notes (see links below).
• We will continue into third term with a group inquiry project.

Big Ideas covered this term:

“Multicellular organisms have internal systems that enable them to survive, reproduce and interact within their environment”

“First Peoples concepts of interconnectedness in the environment”

• Basic structures and functions of body systems: digestive, circulatory, excretory and respiratory (gr.5)
• Basic structures and functions of body systems: reproductive, hormonal, nervous, and musculoskeletal (gr. 6)
• Identify First Peoples perspectives and knowledge as sources of information.

Core Competencies explored this term include:

• Demonstrate a sustained intellectual curiosity about a scientific topic (Bears and Body Systems)
• Communicating ideas, explanations and processes in a variety of ways
• Experience and interpret the local environment

Key Questions:

• How do organ systems interact with one another?
• How is the knowledge of bears, behaviour and ecology of bears reflected in First Peoples’ lives (past and present)?

YouTube clips:

Digestive System:

Respiratory System:

Circulatory system:

Urinary system:

Reproductive System:

Hormonal System:

Nervous System:

Muscular System:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVL-8zr2hk4

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Chemistry – Classifying Matter (Mixtures)

Ch. 5: Matter is made up of moving particles

• The Particle Model of Matter
• Phases of matter and how they behave (fixed mass, volume, shape?)

Ch. 6: Matter can be classified

• Pure Substances and Mixtures
• Classifying mixtures
  • Homogeneous vs. heterogeneous
  • Classifying mixtures – mechanical, suspension, solutions, + emulsions
• Extra terminology: atom, molecule, chemical compound, element, solution, solvent, solute

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Astronomy & Extreme Environments

**The Spaceship Tour Guide assignment is due no later that Nov. 22 for both divisions 4 & 5** 

Brochure template: brochure template

Please see the Google Classroom for more information on the assignments and for assignment and criteria documents downloads.

The assignment: Solar System Adventure – Brochure

The Criteria/Self-assessment: Criteria for space cruise

Some useful links for your upcoming projects!

NASA Space Place 

Great source of information with videos and easy to understand explanations.

Nine Planets Tour of the Solar System – This is an excellent source of information.

Enchanted Learning– All About Astronomy – This site is a wealth of information from the planets to your weight on other worlds to jokes and worksheets about space.

Star Child – This site has lots of information and some activities. There is some great information about space suits here. Try level 2 for upper intermediate classes.

Kid’s Astronomy – A great site for researching the universe, our solar system, space exploration, stars, black holes, and galaxies!

Chemistry

This term in Chemistry we covered matter, mixtures and solutions, and Plants and Connecting to Place. We had a Tea Tasting lab (solutions) and learned that some plants have medicinal value. We also learned that plants have seasons and that to retrieve the value in plants we need to know WHEN to harvest the plant, and also WHAT part to harvest (the root, leaves, or berries). We made salves (emulsion) that medicinal value, learning that infusions help us to extract the medicine.

We finished the term with a special plant walk with indigenous plant specialist, Cease Wyss, who told us many stories of plants and their special qualities. Thank you, Cease! Though it was a rainy day, it was great to learn so much from you!

We also went to Science World and participated in a Chemistry Lab, learning about pH, solutions and reactions. What a great day!

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Big Ideas covered this term:

“Multicellular organisms have internal systems that enable them to survive, reproduce and interact within their environment”

• Basic structures and functions of body systems: digestive, circulatory, excretory and respiratory (gr.5)
• Basic structures and functions of body systems: reproductive, hormonal, nervous, and musculoskeletal (gr. 6)

Core Competencies explored this term include:

• Questioning – scientific inquiry and observation
• Planning – posing questions that lead to investigations
• Applying and Innovating – contribute to collaborative approaches, design projects and generate new ideas
• Communicating – communicate ideas

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This term we will be learning about BODY SYSTEMS. Students will be working in groups of 1-3 people, researching a body system of their choice. This inquiry project will take several weeks, completing Term 2. Please ask your child about the system they are researching and ask them about their “deep” questions…