The Anatomy of a Chicken Egg

Have you ever wondered what you are eating when you eat eggs?  Well, today we found out exactly what everything is called inside an egg and what their functions consist of for a growing chick.

We broke open an egg and observed it with a magnifying glass.  After cracking an egg, one can see something somewhat gooey inside the eggshell.  This insulates the contents of the egg.  The shell is the hard outer membrane. The yolk is similar to the placenta in humans.  It provides nourishment to the developing chick.  The white spiral bands on either side of the yolk are called chalazae.  They hold the egg yolk in place.    The part of the egg that is the egg white is called the albumen.  It contains water reserves for the growing chick.

We labeled the parts of the egg as shown above.

shell = outer membrane = protection
inner gooey part of shell = inner membrane = insulation
yolk = food source for the developing chick
squizzly white bands = chalazae = holds yolk in place
egg white = albumen = water reserves for the chick

Suggested Resource for this Lesson Shown Below

Life Science Lesson 17

Simple Animals

1. Explain how coral reefs are formed. How do the tiny animals get their food? How do algae help the corals?

Corals are just small animals called polyps that look like sea lilies. They build a large skeleton out of calcium, and add to the whole skeleton complex by growing and dying.
The corals get food in many different ways. They usually reach their tentacles out of gaps in the skeleton to catch plankton at night. But, there are algae cells living inside the polyps, and they photosynthesize to make food for the coral.

2. Explain the difference between a host organism and a parasite.

A parasite is a creature like a leech which both use another organism to feed upon. The organisms they feed upon are called Hosts (I am NEVER going to a game show AGAIN :-D).

3. List two important traits of each of the following phyla:

a. Poriferates (sponges) have pores which they take in food from. Also, they produce both sperm and eggs in one individual.

b. Cnidarians (jellyfish, hydras, anemone, and coral) all have a cavity in the middle of the animal, which uses the animals that drift into the cavity for food. All Cnidarians have a kind of tentacle, used to catch food.

c. Plathelminthes (flatworms) are the simplest animals that have organs. The have eye spots but no anus.

d. Nematodes (roundworms) are simple worms with a digestive system. These worms do have an anus.

e. Annelids (earthworms and leeches) have bodies that are divided into segments. Earth worms also have several hearts.

d. Mollusks (slugs & snails, limpets & clams, octopi & squid) all have a mantle (like the shell on a snail, or the overlap behind a squid's eyes). Mollusks also have a foot (like the bottom of a snail or the tentacles on a squid).

4a. Create an underwater color community.

Freshwater


Saltwater

EXAM

1. What does Porifera mean and how does it describe the anatomy of a sponge?

It means porous, and sponges are porous because they take in water, nutrients and small animals.

2. Why do members of the Cnidaria phylum have tentacles that contain stinging cells? How do they use the stinging cells?

Because they use their tentacles to ensnare prey. If the prey is not stunned, it will just swim out and away. When an animal is touched, the nerves in the Cnidarian's tentacles react, and the stingers shoot out like harpoons. This paralyzes the animal so it can be sucked up by the tentacles.

3. How do polyps (within coral reefs) get food from water? How do algae help the polyps?

Polyps reach tentacles out and catch passing zooplankton. They only do this at night, because at day, parrot fish or other baddies with eat their tentacles before they can hide them in their skeletons. Polyps collect algae for even more help. The algae lives inside the polyps and produces extra food through photosynthesis.

4. What specific aspect of the behavior of many types of worms classifies them as parasites?

Parasites are organisms that live on or inside other animals. They use their body as a quarry, mining out blood, nutrients, or other sources of food.

5. Name two ways in which earthworms are beneficial to other organisms.

(1) Food.

(2) Fertilization.

6. Name two common member so of the Mollusca phylum.

Squid and Snail.

Ocean Habitat

California counted out 26 seashells and placed them on a blue tie dyed silkie. A notecard with the word "fish" was placed near the area of the ocean habitat where California had put some sharks. We used a small house fern for seaweed.

We discussed the fact that there were 26 sea shells in our ocean and 26 letters in the alphabet. California used his fish notecard to spell the word "fish" on the fridge with magnets.

We also learned a new vocabulary word: fragile. California knows that the shells in our ocean are fragile and that means they are easily broken and he needs to be careful when he handles them.

This will be an ever expanding project as we learn more and more about ocean habitats.

Science Lesson 33

1. What are the three different types of muscles? Give an example of each.





Skeletal Muscles are muscles that move when we want them to. Such as your arm, legs, neck, etc.



Smooth muscles are muscles that move on response to environment, such as food going down your esophagus.



The Cardiac Muscle is only one; the heart. It is both a muscle and an organ. It beats by itself.



2. Slowly stand up, take a few steps around the room, and then return to where you began. Feel and observe all of your muscles that move and the muscles that move them.





a. Make a list of the joints that moved as you moved.





Legs, elbows, shoulders, ankles, toes...



b. List any muscles that were moving while you moved that were not striated muscles.





Intestines, esophagus (I ate a vitamin), stomach, heart.



3. Find out the names of several skeletal or striated muscles; find out what they are attached to and what they do.





The Soleus is a small muscle on the side of the back of your leg. It is one of the many muscles that control the movement of your leg. Others that do that include the Extensor family, the Tibialis muscle, and the Peroneus muscle.



4. Think of five or more people you know who are good at using their muscles in some way. What do they do? Does it make them healthier overall? How do they avoid injuries?





Lets see... Mom:



Whenever she has time, she does yoga. She also does a good combination of pilates and hardcore exercise. She does pilates, cardio, and yoga. She is starting to build up an immunity to the painful stretches and routines. I guess you could say she enjoys it...



Dad works out in the gym every day, usually does bench presses and weights. He often lifts us up, and works out like that. We often go on bike rides together. He enjoys it thoroughly, and rarely feels much pain.



Caeden has full energy and is always climbing something, running, or jumping. He loves it, but usually is injured.

I also know me, of course. I often do acrobatics, such as... well, climbing on bookshelves, jumping off beds, and scaling curtains. I enjoy it thoroughly [as it lasts :( ]. I do annual summer swimming class.

Ryan, my best friend, does lots of sports and fitness. He does hockey, baseball, and soccer. It cuts into his day, but he enjoys it in a grudging sort of way. He has never hurt himself doing it, though.

5d. Make two lists. One consisting of ten voluntary movements and the other consisting of ten involuntary movements, which occur on a regular basis.

VOLUNTARY

Typing

Flexing

Chewing

Stretching

Punching

Walking

Swimming

Jumping

Stomping

Ducking

INVOLUNTARY

Heartbeat

Breathing

Blinking

Teeth Chattering

Muscle Twitching

Pupil Dialation

Goosebumps

REM

Hiccuping

Yawning

EXAM

1. What are the three types of muscles in your body?

The skeletal, smooth, and cardiac.

2. Which kind of muscles control the pupils in your eyes?

Smooth.

3. Which type are your arm muscles?

Skeletal.

4. Which type is your heart?

Cardiac.

5. What two parts of your body does a tendon connect?

Upper and lower limb.

6. Why is it important to stretch before sports or other exercise?

To make sure that you don't hurt your joints by immediately leaping into an activity.

Science Lesson 31

1. What is lymph?





Lymph is another fluid that runs through your bloodstream. It carries fats and sugars to tissues. It is important because it carries nutrients to tissues as opposed to blood carrying nutrients to organs.







2. What happens in your lymph nodes?





Lymph nodes create white blood cells. They also collect them and send them to where they should be at various places in the immune system.

3. What is the difference between an open organ system and a closed system. Give examples of each.

A closed organ system is when an organ system doesn't let anything in or out. An example is the circulatory system. It circulates what is already brought into the body by the respitory system around the body. An open system is quite the opposite; it takes in (air/solid) and releases (air/solid). An example is the digestive system. It takes in food and drink, and, er... recycles it, spewing it out the other end.

4. What is a hormone?

A horomone is a special chemical generated by various glands around the body. They allow the do things normally restricted by the human species, such as growth spurts and quick thinking.

5. Tell which endocrine gland is acting in each example.

a. You are feeling tired and worn out, so you drink some sweet hot chocolate and feel like a million bucks. Pancreas.

b. You are 16 and your voice is changing. Privates.

c. You are riding your bike and slam on the brakes to avoid hitting a dog. Adrenal.

d. The dog begins to chase you, so you begin to pedal as fast as you can to outrun the dog. Thyroid.

e. You are a newborn baby and you double your body weight in the first two weeks of your life. Pituitary.

6c. Experiment: Put two cups of water in two different pots. Cover one pot with a lid. Let the water heat for about 10 minutes. After 10 minuts has passed, take both pots off the stove and count to 10 slowly. Then take the lid off the pot and hold your hands one foot above each pot. Which hand feels hotter? Which hand has more moisture on it? Which pot do you think represents the human body on a hot day with lots of clothing on? Which pot represents the human body on a hot day with fewer clothes on?

The hand that was over the covered pot got hotter. This is because the heat built up over time, and was quickly released. The same hand also had more moisture because the other pot's moisture escaped while the covered one retained it's. The one with the lid on was like a human bundled up in clothes on a hot day. The other one, the one that let moisture ("sweat") out, was like a kid with less clothes, on the same day.

EXAM







1. What is the function of the lymphatic system?





It creates and carries white-blood cells for the body to exploit.



2. What is the function of the spleen?





It removes worn-out blood cells from the bloodstream.



3. Which gland in the endocrine system produces insulin?





The pancreas.



4. What is the function of insulin?





It keeps the blood sugar just right.



5. Which glands control changes in hair growth, voice and sexual organs during the teenage years?





The................um.................privates......... . . .

Science Lesson 26

1. Explain the difference between oxidation and digestion.

Oxidation is the process of using fuel to make energy. Digestion is the process of making that fuel. They rely on each other to keep the body running.


2. Write down everything you eat in one day. Then compare the foods you ate to the foods shown in the food pyramid. How was your diet different? How was it similar? Di you eat many foods not shown?

I can already rule out meat. Whatever happens today, I will still be vegetarian.

Rice Cereal (Grain)
Dried, Chocolate-covered Mangoes (Fruit)

Cucumber, Cheese, and Hummus Sandwich (Lots of Protein, and Dairy)

Cheese Quesadilla with Red Pepper (Protein with Vegetable)

COMPARISON: First of all, I don't like that your food pyramid included no protein besides meat. Meat is murder. Icky icky murder. Also, I ate some foods that weren't shown, such as the pita bread in the quesadilla, and mangoes.

Though that's okay. Actually, eating different and exotic foods like that gives you more nutrition that just plain ole' bread, because it is made of a lot of different things; that allows a change from the straight wheat of bread.

Below is an example of a vegetarian food pyramid that includes non-meat protein sources.



3. Why are vitamins and minerals called micronutrients?

Because they have very little concentration in foods.


4b. Make a nutrition collage.




EXAM

1. Why does a potato taste sweeter after you have been chewing it for a while?

Because starch has sugar locked inside it. Saliva (which by the way is secreted more when you chew) breaks down the starch outside to get to the sugar inside.


2. What is the difference bewteen complex and simple carbohydrates?

Starches (complex) are more advanced than sugars because it's like a crystal. It has other nutrients locked inside it, such as starch. Sugars instantly release their contents when chewed.


3. Why are fats important in our diet?

They add energy if you are instantly active afterwards.

4. How do our bodies use vitamins and minerals? Are they essential to our health?

Absolutely. Vitamins and minerals help organs grow, brain tissue develop, and many other things happen faster than usual. They are great to help you grow up to actually have a good heart, brain, and immune system. If you have, say, lots of OMEGA-3 as a baby, you'll have a really strong neural system.

5. Name three important minerals and three important vitamins.

Potassium, Iron, and Fiber. Vitamins A, B, and C

Life Science Lesson 6 and Exam

1. Identify each of the parts of the seedlings.

Only the bean plants survived. I shall describe their roots. On some specimens there seem to be more roots on 2/3 grown seedlings than fully grown, so I shall use one of those as an example. The fiborous roots do not come from the taproot, they just branch off of where the taproot comes from. The taproot is all hairy with root hairs. It is very simple, but efficient.


The stems are very different. I have five specimens of various stages of growth, and only two have stems. All the others, well, they are unusable. On a 2/3 grown specimen, the stem is shaped like a very very small ?. On a full grown specimen, it is tall and straight.


As for leaves, the same is apparent. The two older specimens are the only ones to have leaves. The 2/3 grown seedling has leaves folded up in a tight trange.. They will probably unfurl as it gets older. On a fully grown specimen, there are only leaves on top, and four of those.

2. Using a head of cabbage, a stalk of celery and a clove of garlic, slice each in half and draw/label the parts that can be identified.



(left click to see more detail)

3. Explain the functions of the parts of a green plant.

Leaves absorb sunlight.

Stems process all minerals and water and store them.

Taproots take in water and minerals from the branch roots and cart them up to the stem

Branch roots absorb water and minerals.

Buds contain flowers and leaves.

Bud scales mark the place for new branches.

4b. Research carnivorous plants. Find out what specialized mechanisms these plants have that enable them to capture and eat bugs. Write a three paragraph paper describing how they do this. Use the names of some fo the plants you learned about.

A carnivorous plant is a plant that preys on insects. They get their food by trapping insects. Carnivorous plants are normally found in poor soil conditions where a regular plant that receives food by photosynthesis couldn’t live. The soil that they live in also doesn’t have lots of nutrients. Some can grow to be three feet tall or more. The carnivorous plant’s leaves usually grow close to the ground, so there is plenty of room for a pitfall trap or a flytrap. The stalk of the plant can bear flowers in spring or early summer.

The Venus flytrap is probably the most well known carnivorous plant. Insects are attracted to it by its sweet smelling and tasting nectar. Their trap is activated by an insect rubbing against two of its tooth like hairs (*Gasp in horror*). The trap can shut in less than a second and it closes by the triggering electric charges. Within 30 minutes after capturing the insect the trap is tightly shut and filled with digestive juices. After trapping an insect the trap will remain closed for 8-10 days. The plant cannot be tricked if something falls it because it will probably only touch one hair. For the Venus flytrap’s trap to work the prey must be fully inside the trap to be surrounded by digestive juices.

Pitcher plants are shaped like a pitcher of water. They can grow from 2-3 inches high to 3 feet high. Larger animals like frogs have been digested in the larger species. They have a flap above the opening of the pitcher. This prevents rainwater from getting in the trap. They have sweet nectar near the pitcher’s rim. Their insides are slippery, so that once the insect is inside the pitcher it is pretty hard to get out. At the bottom of the pitcher is where the digestive juices are and where it will digest the insects.

Bladderworts live in water. They have no roots; only stems and branches. Some grow to about 8 inches long. Bladderworts eat water fleas, mosquito larvae, and other small water critters. Water critters are attracted to the Bladderwort by its antennae. Water critters assume it is algae. Then the insects are trapped in the plant’s hollow trap. The traps are called bladders. Their leaves have trigger hairs attached like the Venus flytrap’s. The transparent trap then swells up like a water balloon. The trap will usually digest and catch prey about 15 times before dying.

EXAM

1. What are the two main types of root systems. Describe each one.

Fibrous and Taproot. Fibrous roots branch off the taproot, spreading root hairs everywhere. Taproots are thick, main, water-sucking roots. A carrot is a taproot.

2. What are the main functions of roots in green plants? Name and describe three functions.

Roots absorb water, nutrients, release used Carbon Dioxide, and keep the plant from falling over, and store collected nutrients.

3. What role do leaves play in the function of a plant?

Leaves absorb sunlight that is to be transferred into sugars.

4. Name at least three parts of plants that are commonly eaten by humans. Give an example of each.

Roots: Carrots, and potatoes, Stem: Celery, and lettuce, Fruits: Avocados, and Tomatoes.

Life Science Lesson 10: Flowers and Plant Reproduction

1. Obtain a flower. Closely examine and identify its parts. Draw a picture of the flower, identify and label the parts of its reproductive system.

I did! See pic below.

2. What are the three ways that pollination can occur? Describe each one.

Self-Pollination: Is when a flower's pollen touches it's own stigma.

There are two kinds of cross-pollination: Insect and wind. Insect is when a bee or butterfly carries pollen from one flower to another. Wind is when wind blows pollen to another flower. This probably happens very rarely.

3. Make a list of ten plants that your family eats and decide whether the parts you eat are fruits or seeds or both. Record your resulsts.

Avocado Enlarged Ovary, Fruit

Tomato Enlarged Ovary, Fruit

Carrot Root, Vegetable

Celery Stem, Vegetable

Broccoli Bud, Vegetable

Soybeans Seed, Vegetable

Oranges Enlarged Ovary, Fruit

Potatoes Root, Vegetable

Grapes Enlarged Ovary, Berry

Strawberries Enlarged Ovary, Berry

4b. Press flowers to make stationary, framed wall art, flower prints using paints etc.

I finished my flower press. See below.




EXAM

1. What is the difference between and angiosperm and a gymnosperm. Give 2 examples of each.

Angiosperms are flowers and deciduous trees. They are different from gymnosperms because they can grow flowers and their leaves stop photosynthesizing in fall and winter. A maple or sea daisy is an angiosperm. A coastal redwood or a Japanese fir is a gymnosperm.

2. What does deciduous mean? Give and example of a deciduous plant that you know.

It means they lose their leaves in fall. An example is a Trembling Aspen (see pic of Trembling Aspen below).
3. What are the main parts of a flower? Describe each one in a few words or a sentence. Assume that the flower has both male and female reproductive parts.

Petals are colorful leaves that form a ring around the flower's reproductive parts. Petals attract insects so they can pollinate the flower.

Pistils are female parts that, if pollen touches the top, an egg down inside the pistil is fertilized.

Stamens are male parts. The top bead, called an anther, contains pollen grains. Inside each pollen grain is a sperm cell. *coughFLAGELLUM!!!cough*

4. Name three ways tha ta flower can be pollinated. Why is pollination so important? What do you think would happen if there was no more pollination of flowers on earth?

Self-Pollination: Is when a flower's pollen touches it's own stigma. There are two kinds of cross-pollination: Insect and wind. Insect is when a bee or butterfly carries pollen from one flower to another. Wind is when wind blows pollen to another flower. This probably happens very rarely. Pollination is important because without pollination, no fruit can grow. Most animals would starve.

Without pollination, all the fruit would disappear quickly. The herbivores, with nothing to eat, would starve. The carnivores, with the herbivores gone, would starve too. The humans might stay along a bit, but with fruit gone, there would be a huge economical crash. After all that, the humans would starve. Earth would be perfectly suited for life, but have none except for ocean life. A playground for genetic experiments, if you please.

Life Science lesson 7 & Exam

1. Try to determine the composition of the soil used for your seedlings.

The soil inside my bean cup is very nutrient-deprived. It is potting soil. We have not gone to a park yet for rich soil.

2. Go to a local garden center and find three different types of fertilizers both manmade and organic. List the recommended uses, sources of materials and minerals in each and application.
Note from Mom: Two types of organic fertilizers were available for this assignment. Manmade fertilizers were not included due to their potential hazards to health.

Organic:

E.B. Stone Organics' Rose & Flower Food
Ingredients
Natural
Various ingredients derived from:
Blood Meal, Feather Meal, Bone Meal, Dried Chicken Manure, Bat Guano, Alfalfa Meal, Kelp Meal, and Potassium Sulfate.

Bacteria
Bacillus Subtilis
Bacillus Lichenformis
Paenibacillus Polymyxa
Bacillus Azotoformans
Paenibacillus Durum
Bacillus Pumulis
Streptomyces Lydicus
Trichoderma Harzianum

Soil
Calcined Clay

Fungi
Glomus Intraradices
Glomus Mosseae
Glomus Aggregatum

How to Use:
Feed your roses as new growth begins in the spring by spreading 1 1/2 cups of fertilizer evenly under each plant starting 8 inches from the base and working out into the drip line. Mix it lightly into the soil and water the area.

Feed with 1 1/2 cups of fertilizer every 8-12 weeks throughout the growing season.


E.B. Stone Organics' Citrus & Fruit Tree Food
Ingredients
Natural
Various ingredients derived from:
Blood Meal, Feather Meal, Bone Meal, Dried Chicken Manure, Bat Guano, Alfalfa Meal, Kelp Meal, and Potassium Sulfate.
Bacteria
Bacillus Subtilis
Bacillus Lichenformis
Paenibacillus Polymyxa
Bacillus Pumulis
Paenibacillus Durum
Bacillus Pumulis
Streptomyces Lydicus
Streptomyces Greiseus
Trichoderma Harzianum
Trichoderma Viride

Soil
Calcined Clay

Fungi
Glomus Intraradices
Glomus Mosseae
Glomus Aggregatum

How to Use:
For first year trees, apply approximately 3/4 cup per month. In most areas, application may start in February repeated throughout the growing season. When possible, work the fertilizer lightly into the soil before watering.

3. Do you have a flower or vegetable garden? Yes.

a. What kind of plants do you grow?
An orange tree, assorted succulents, mint, aloe vera, snapdragons, African daisies, daisies, petunias, raspberries, morning glories, grapes, echinechea, jasmine, blueberries, bacopa, beans, elephant ears, pholox, verbena, kangaroo paw, sea daisies, roses, bougainvillea, mandanveilia, gara, begonia, cyclamen, and rosemary.

b. How do you keep the soil healthy and fertile so that plants will grow? We use a mixture of potting soil and store bought compost in our pots, and water the plants weekly.

c. We do use fertilizer. It is organic and it is the exact same fertilizer that I used to answer # 2

d. No. We do not compost (though we want to) because most bins are very very expensive.

4b. Research different home composting methods.

Compost!
Compost is a substance made of rotted materials that slowly becomes a rich kind of mulch. Actually, the mulch is the non-compressed, half rotted stuff at the top of whatever container you are using. The humus (a black, fully, rotted, compressed soil-like material) is the stuff at the bottom, which is extremely good for plants.

Composting helps the earth, because if you compost, you channel around half of your trash into something the helps life thrive. Of course, hotter is better, because heat makes things rot faster.


Compost rots because microscopic creatures eat the food and plant matter, leaving only leftovers and, er, micro-poop. Microorganisms are microscopic simple bacteria that eat just about anything. They are the reason why things rot. They do other things, like enriching the soil. Some add nitrogen to the soil, making it more nutritious.

The best kind of compost is a layered, “compost sandwich.” The bottom must ALWAYS be made of sticks to allow drainage. The best style is: Twigs, soft material (Like green plants and soft vegetable scraps), hard material (Like leaves, orange peels, and small sticks), soft, soft, hard, soft, soft, hard, and so on.

Before I move on to another method, I need to explain the two basic needs of compost:
1. Water. A hose will do. Do not overwater. The best kind of compost is one that has the texture of a full sponge, not the water of a full sponge.
2. Air. It will also smell rotten if you don’t give it air. Want to know why? That is the smell of dead bacteria. You need bacteria for you compost. Bacteria and microbes are the chemical magicians of compost.

Another method to get good compost (besides waiting!) is by turning. Turning can be done in many ways, from flipping the bin over and shaking, to using a premade crank to stir the compost. It causes a chemical reaction that makes the top mulch turn into good, crumbled, cakelike humus.

Another kind of compost is sheet composting. It is like a substrate pile of whatever you are using on whatever you are fertilizing. Basically, throw some hard material on the ground and let it rot naturally. The problem with it is that you can’t throw kitchen scraps in, only plant material.
Also, it rots very slowly.

Another way (this is the best way for us) is worm compost.
Many people know the value of worms in their garden. Worms are great decomposers, especially red-wigglers and African night crawlers. If you have only kitchen scraps, or if you live in an apartment, composting with worms is the way to go.
Worms are best kept in a closed worm box. They like darkness and dampness.

Compost is a perfect way to keep a self sustaining home and garden.
(If you want to compost NOW, call 1-800-GRO-DIRT)
Click here to see a video about "How to Compost":
http://video.gaiam.com/services/link/bcpid1586371772/bctid1840781718

EXAM

1. Explain the functions of soil in the terms of how it is used by a plant.
Plants absorb the nutrients in the soil and use it to be healthy (like multivitamins).

2. Explain the difference between dirt and healthy, living soil.
Dirt has zero microbes, is dry and dusty, and has very little minerals to offer. Soil has maximum in all of the above (microorganisms, moisture, and minerals).

3. How do organisms in soil help plants get nutrients that they need to grow? Give an example of one type of organism that does this.
They decompose dead plant matter into tiny bits that can be easily consumed by the roots. An example is Nitrogen-Fixing Bacteria (which I fondly call NFB), which takes nitrogen out from the air and turns it into healthy minerals.

4. Why is organic matter important to healthy soil?
They add nutrients through waste products, and keep soil loose.

Life Science Lesson 5 & Exam

(the above photograph is a visual growth timeline of the bean seeds that were planted during this lesson)

1. Grow seedlings and measure them for their rate of growth.

Radish, tomato and bean seeds were planted in biodegradeable containers.

2. Continue to observe your seeds for a week.

Only the bean seeds survived. The radish seeds and tomato seeds were dumped out and disposed of by the gardner as well as being blown about by Santa Ana winds.

3. Prepare a growth chart.

Here is my growth chart. I say Approx. Day, because I found several specimens of different ages and made an approximate timeline (see photo at the top of this post for a visual timeline).

Day 2 Seed gets paler. The coat is going soon.

Day 4 Coat splits.

Day 5 Tiny root emerges (Germination!).

Day 6 Root gets much bigger.

Day 13 Large root system is apparent. Baby leaves start to unfurl.

Day 20 Seedling is fully grown.

4. Explain what three requirements were necessary for your seeds to grow.

1) A seed needs soil to provide foundation for it's roots to grow.

2) Water softens the seed's coat so it can crack and sprout.

3) Heat provides energy to jumpstart the process of sprouting.

5. Explain why soaking seeds in water helped them to sprout more quickly.

The tough seed coat softened and allowed the embryo to break through.


6. Explain three ways that seeds can be dispersed.

1) The fruit can fall off and rot away.

2) The seeds can be carried by the wind.

3) The seeds can be softened and dispersed by animal droppings.


7. Think of a reason why certain types of fruits are so bright and colorful and how this might benefit these different types of plants.

Bright and tasty fruits would appeal well to animals, and therefore be eaten, and the seeds would be spread around by poop.

8. b. Make a list of five different ways a seed can be dispersed (you may use the ways already described in this lesson and/or research others).

1) The fruit can fall off and rot away.

2) The seeds can be carried by the wind.

3) The seeds can be softened and dispersed by animal droppings.

4) Seeds can be moved by rushing water.

5) Other times seeds can stick to animal's fur and be dropped later.

* Spend some time outdoors and look for ten different plants and figure out which type of dispersal each plants uses.


Daisy (Witnessed in action!)
Wind dispersal

Orange (Witnessed in action!)
Fruit

African daisy (Witnessed in action!)
Wind

Rose (Witnessed in action!)
Drops seeds

Raspberry
Fruit

Blueberry
Fruit

Grapes
Fruit


Extra Credit: A Poem about Seed Dispersal

In the Spring.
A seed with a ring
Of feathers
floats by
Where is it going? In the sky.
It plants itself down near a stone
As the wind whistles in a melodious tone.
A few days later, a plant is born!


EXAM


1. How does the growth and reproduction of plants differ from that of animals.

Plants grow their whole lives, and produce seeds instead of internal or external eggs.


2. Name three ways in which plants are extremely important to life on Earth.

Other animals eat plants to produce energy to grow. Plants breathe (carbon + oxegen) (C + O x2) Carbon Dioxide, and breathe out oxygen. We can't breathe CO2, and it also stuffs up the atmosphere. Plants create rich soil (compost) when they decompose, thus creating a safe, rich home for other plants and microorganisms.

3. What are the three main parts of a seed? What is the purpose of each part?

1) Seed coats protect the soft embryo inside, and keep bad stuff out.

2) An embryo is a baby plant that starts to get bigger and bigger once the seed's needs have been met.

3) Endosperm is the plant's original food that it grows on, and keeps the embryo from dying and not being able to grow.


4. What are the three main requirements for a seed to begin germination?

Heat, water, and soil.

5. List and describe three ways that seeds can be dispersed.

The fruit can fall off and rot away. The seeds can be carried by the wind. The seeds can be softened and dispersed by animal droppings.

Life Science Lesson 4 Exam

1. List thre three main parts of a cell and describe their functions.

Nucleous. The Nucleous controlls all parts of the cell, as well as cell division.

Cytoplasm. The Cytoplasm is the mixture of Ribosomes and goop. All the cell components are housed here.

Cell Membrane. The Cell Membrane keeps the cytoplasm from sloshing out as well as the components.

2. What is the function of the cell wall of the plant?
It keeps the cell rigid so the entire organism dosen't bend over.

3. In a plant cell, what specialized organelle captures the energy from the sun?
Chloroplasts.

4. Why do animal cells lack cell walls?
So that things can move in and out of cells. That's why a flake of skin doesn't cast a shadow.

5. Name three examples of tissues and organs in a human being.
Nerve tissue, skin/cartilage tissue, and heart tissue. Gallbladder, skin, and liver.

Life Science/Cells: Making a Healthy Vegetarian Gelatin Cell

There's no "candy" in this cell. It is all healthy preservative free,dye free and vegetarian. There's no icky stuff in our recipe. Just dried pineapples, dried fruit leather, dried fruit twists, dried papaya, grapes, organic white chocolate chips etc.



Dissolve vegetarian jello in 2 cups of boiling water and stir.



Add your cell components.



Put it in the fridge until it is firm...and eat it.

*The word above "Envelope" is "Nuclear".

Recommended resources for learning about cells...
 

Life Science Lesson 4 Cells

Assignments 1 - 3

1. Describe three differences between a plant cell and an animal cell.

The vacuoles in plant cells are bigger.

Plant cells have chloroplasts.

Animal cells don't have cell walls.

2. What is the difference between an organ and a tissue? Give at least three examples of each and guess which organs contain which tissues.

A tissue is a group of cells that work together.

An organ is a group of tissues that work together.

Nerve tissue, skin/cartilage tissue, and heart tissue.

Gallbladder, skin, and liver.

3. String of Energy, Quark, Electron, Proton, Nucleus, Atom, Molecule, Lattice, Cell, Neuron, Tissue, Organ, System, and Organism.

Life Science Lesson 3 Biology

Assignment 1
Review the notes you made for assignment 3 in lesson 2. Make a list of the stimuli that you remember in each place. Make a list of senses that detected the stimuli and the responses that you made to the stimuli.

the Waterfall
the Fish
the Ducks
the Rocks
the Pigeons

I used Sight and Hearing.


Assignment 2

You are a living organism. If you could not get all the things you need from your environment in order to survive, you would die. Make a list of the requirements you must fulfill to ensure your survival.

Plants for food. Plants grow berries and nuts and fruits for us to eat; We don't really need meat.
Plants for air. Plants filter what we breathe out CO2, and take the C(arbon) out and leave the O(xygen).
Air. Air reacts with the carbon in our cells and creates another gas, CO2.
Water. Water keeps our body hydrated.
The Sun. The sun creates warmth and allows the plants we need for food to grow.


3. The Common Gray Squirrel is very common around my house. It is extremely adaptable
when it comes to food, and has been known to eat everything from grapes to seeds to banana peels. It can get these things because it has large claws for climbing. The Brown Bear, however, is definitely just not adapted for city/people survival.

Assignment 4b Living and Non Living Things in Watery Environments
Pond obsevation: Observe how nonliving things and living things depend on each other.

I went to the pond yesterday and saw many different things. All the ducks flocked around the many different ponds and squabbled for bread, quacking. They were all Mallards and mostly male. The pigeons were countless in number, and I saw several rarities. There was a brown and white pigeon, and a black and white skinny one. They never went into the water, even when forced, and did not fly much. There were several 6-inch waterfalls, making shy gurgling sounds, and lots of boulders, tumbled into the pond/stream like large stepping stones. If one was careful, one could cross the pond using them.

There were large koi and Red-Eared-Slider turtles.

The entire place was in a captivating balance.

I made a sketch of the entire place.

Life Science Lesson 2: Environment

Assignment 2

2. Review your lists and then:

a. For each item on all three of these lists tell if it is living or nonliving.

1. Hatching egg. (LIVING)
2. Behaviour change. (LIVING)
3. Gaining/losing weight. (LIVING)
4. Ice melting. (NONLIVING).
5. Sugar dissolving into water. (NONLIVING).

b. For each item that changes quickly enough to notice, describe what is happening that causes you to notice change.

When an egg cracks, you are alerted of a change in the nature of the egg via brain. Same with number 2, 3, and 5. Number 3 you are alerted because, according to the scale, your measurements are different than last time.


Person's appearance changing.(LIVING)
Plant growing.(LIVING)
Tadpole--Frog.(LIVING)

(With all these things, you only notice changes with your own memory, and of course Time.)

Pupils dilating. (LIVING).
Electrons moving [?]. (NON-CORPOREAL).

Life Science Lesson 2 Exam

1. Write a definition of environment in your own words.

An environment is an ecosystem, a city, of different things that maintain the entire stability of the world around them. Different organisms and even non-living things occupy different places in the fabric (and behave) in such a way that the sheet of an ecosystem hold together. An environment is a place that requires all of the different things above to live and stay in order. A shopping mall, i.e., needs good economy, customers, and companies willing to form alliances. A rain forest needs trees for shelter for caterpillars, and caterpillars to eat dead leaves to keep the soil good for the trees. It goes in a circle.
Do you see the mental picture?

2. In what ways do YOU react to changes in your environment? List and describe at least three different ways.

a. When it is over, say, 90 degrees outside, my body starts to perspire, and that evaporates, taking heat with it. (Which, I have noticed, never works OR makes me hotter. Our sweat glands must be in mid-evolution. This is plausible, since we're not the most intelligent species on the block {Dolphins are, and this is no Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy reference}, and therefore not the top rung of the ladder which is as follows: )

Squid |.-.|, Crow ) :/\ Horse : (:|) Pig :oI Cat/Dog ;^{ Ape (:)| Man :<) Dolphin --'_>

b. If it gets colder, I manually (Not automatically) start to get more active to maintain my body temperature.

c. In fall, when fruit in my garden is at it's most ripe, I react by harvesting it for food for survival.

3. Do all living things change? List changes that you have observed in three living things in your environment recently.
a. My cats shed more when it's hot.
b. Trees lose their leaves in fall.
c. Flowers stop blooming in the winter.

4. Do non-living things change? List changes that you have observed in three non-living things in your environment recently.
a. My computer responded to me pressing the power button.
b. The TV turned on.
c. An electron moved.

Life Science Lesson 2: The Environment

Assignment 4b: Evening Observations; at least an hour after the sun has set, go out without any source of light. Stay out for 20 minutes. Describe your observations.

A WALK IN THE NIGHT
There were big tall trees that might be trembling aspens. The leaves went in big thick spirals around the trunks. There was a dark sky with light pollution blocking the stars. We went through an alley. There was a vine with big purple flowers climbing the side of a garage. There were white roses in our neighbor's yard, more stems than flowers. There was a large green plant with gigantic frond-like leaves. A person had big gray rocks in his front yard. There were not many sounds except people and average city sounds. I was very cold.

Life Science Lesson 2: The Environment

Assignment 1

1. Make three lists
a. List 5 things in which change is easily observed.

1. Hatching Egg
2. Behavior change
3. Gaining/losing weight
4. Ice Melting
5. Sugar Dissolving into water

b. List 3 things that change slowly or that are unnoticeable.

1. Person's appearance changing with age
2. Plant growth
3. Tadpole to Frong

c. List 2 things that change to fast for us to notice.

1. Pupils dilating
2. Electrons moving.

Life Science Lesson 1: Science and the Scientific Method

Assignment 4d. Animal Observation: Spend time observing an animal. When does it like to sleep? When does it like to play? Pose a hypothesis about its behavior. Observe and see if you made the correct assumptions.

My cat Bast likes to play with string, but it has to be moving and dangling above his head.

HYPOTHESIS CORRECT

Bast chooses to eat at certain times of day, such as night.

INCORRECT

Bast likes to lay in the sun to warm hinself and sleep.

CORRECT

Cats have bad days where they scratch, and good days where they want to be petted.

CORRECT

Life Science Lesson 1: Science & the Scientific Method

Assignments 1 & 2.

1. Conduct Your Own Experiment.

Observation: How do clouds form from snow?

Hypothesis: In the summer the snow melts and runs into streams, which run into the sea. The cold water combined with lukewarm water (and hot western sun!) creates steam, which rises up and gets colder. The cold water vapour then condenses into a cloud.

Experiment: using plastic wrap, tape, water, home-made playdough, a cooking tray, and ice, I can create a model of the hypothesis above.

Results: 10:53 Experiment started.

11:00 Ice melting. Should add more hot water.

11:03 New hot water added.

11:05: Inside of tray appears foggy... steam?

11:07 One ice cube melts.

11:08 Ice cube blocking entrance to warm water basin melts.

11:10 50 mL of very hot water added.

11:11 Condensation sighted!

Duration: 18 minutes.

Water Cycle Biosphere sucess!

Hypothesis correct!

Conclusion: Cold water + Hot water = Vapor/Condensation.

Did what was supposed to do.

Method could be improved.

Variation experiment possible.

Experiment may not apply to personal life.


2. Observation vs. Hypothesis:

An observation is something that you notice. You ask a question about how, or why.

A Hypothesis is a possible answer for that question.