How Plants Think and Talk and Intelligence of Animals

Do Plants Talk and Communicate?

Animal Intellegence

Seed Dispersal Lab

Observation pictures students took.

Click here to access the Seed Dispersal Lab Document

Make a copy and rename.

Maybe a way to get some ideas

Video on seed dispersal

Study Guide for Ecology Part II Assessment - Classification, Structure and Function of a Plant.

Study Guide for  Ecology Part II Assessment

Macro to Micro- Lessons 1, 5, and 9.

MS-LS3-2.

Develop and use a model to describe why asexual reproduction results in offspring with identical genetic information and sexual reproduction results in offspring with genetic variation.

MS-LS4-2.

Apply scientific ideas to construct an explanation for the anatomical similarities and differences among modern organisms and between modern and fossil organisms to infer evolutionary relationships.

Click here to access the Science Study Guide

Quizlet available here

Pollination and Pollinators

Here is the layout of the foldable.

Great images of corn and pollination.

Click here to see site

POLLINATORS
What is harming bees?

BBC Documentary

Silence of the Bees - PBS Video

Time Article on the decline of bee populations.
Click here to access

Smithsonian Article shows US Mapping of Bee Decline
Click here to access

The Hidden Beauty of Pollination 

Ted Talk

The Death of Bees Explained

Parts of a Flowering Plant

Amoeba Sisters and Pollination

Today you will be observing and identifying the structures found in flowering plants. 

You will need the following Google Slide

Click here to access

Flowers Blooming

Classifying Flowering Plants

Complete the following reading

Lesson #9 - "The Wonder of Flowering Plants"

p. 116-119

Click here to access the pdf.

Here is a link to the questions on the reading "The Wonder of Flowering Plants" p. 116-119

Flowers and Pollinators

Parts of a growing plant- germination

Link to Reading on pdf on Seed to Seed

Click here to access

Link to Google doc for Questions

Click here to access

Link to Science of Spring Page

Click here to access

Arizona State - Master Gardener

Seed Biology

Maine DMR Closure Site

Thank you, Dr. Beal. We learned so much about the life cycle of Mya Arenaria!

Click here to see the closures in and around the Yarmouth area.

Oysters showing the power of filtering water.

20-50 gallons per day

Link to a video and NOAA Site on Red Tide and Human Health

Click here to access

Readings on Mollusca and images of soft shell clams

Reading#1  on:

Mollusks - Click here to access

Anatomy of Soft shell clam

Anatomy of a Mussel

Reading #2 on:

Worms - Click here to access

Classification of organisms.

Here is a link to the Google Doc breaking down the classification of a Dog tick and Earthworm.
Click here to access

Drag and drop understanding the Phyla of Animals
Click here to access

Here are some links on the classification of insects.

Click here to access
Click here to access - insect id

This one has a catchy beat to it.

Classification and Taxonomy

Students identifying traits and behaviors of black worms.

Science Channel - History of Classification
Click here for Video

Click here to access Brain Pop Video

Macro to Micro
Click here to access the online text.  
Please read p. 8-11
"What's in an organisms name?"

Click here to access the Guided Notes Sheet
Complete the guided notes defining taxonomy and binomial nomenclature

Classification Video

Black Worm Reading - Macro to Micro

Click here to access Black Worm Reading - Lesson #3

p. 34-37

Ecology Study Guide

Ecology Review Sheet and Study Guide

Click here to access

Quizlet

Click here to access

Be sure to go back and review all the Blog posts!

Invasive Species

Whom am I? Activity.

Who am I example - Click here to access

Who am I template- Click here to access

Topic Vocabulary:

• native
• non-native
• invasive species

Essential questions:

1. What makes an organism native?

2. How do non-native and invasive species effect our local ecosystems?

3. How have humans impacted our ecosystems by bringing in invasive species?  Give a specific example.

11 - Top Most Invasive Species

List of Maine Invasives

Click here to see Aquatic Invasives

Click here to see Insect Invasives

Full list of Maine State Invasives

Vital Signs Invasive Species Cards

Click here to access

Biomes

Essential Questions:

How many biomes are there in the world?
Why are biomes classified the way they are?  

What adaptations do organisms need to live in each biome?

Choose from two of the 4 videos to watch.

Arctic Biome - Click here to access

Desert Biome - Click here to access

Rainforest Biome- Click here to access

Deciduous Forest - Click here to access

Questions to check your learning.

Click here for quiz

Extra resources to 5 main biomes:
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/glossary/gloss5/biome/

Ecology for Kids
http://kids.nceas.ucsb.edu/biomes/

NASA Mission: Biomes
https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Experiments/Biome/

Biomes, Ecoysystem, Habitat, Niche

Biomes Video

Ecosystem 

Habitat Video

Niche Video

Adaptation and Species Interaction reading

Click here to access

Answer the questions 1 a, b; 2a, b; and 3a, b on page 31 (last page of the reading)

Vocabulary:
Traits - Dominant, Recessive
genes
mutations
Adaptation
Heredity
Natural Selection
Evolution


Reminder on Genes and Traits

1. How did snakes benefit from gene mutation?

Adaptation Video

1. How did the owls evolve over time?  

2. Which trait is favored?  

3. Why was this a factor caused by climate change?

Phet Simulation on Adaptations and Traits.

Click here to access the Google document to go along with the simulation.

Peppered Moth Simulation

Click here to Access

Food Web Project and Helping Video Links

Watch this video on food webs and how biotic and abiotic factors in an ecosystem are connected.

Amoeba Sisters Video on Food Webs and Energy Pyramids

Food Web Project

Directions:

Create a food web for an ecosystem that is within the State of Maine. For example a forest, field, stream, backyard, saltmarsh, or beach. You are encouraged to choose an ecosystem that you are familiar with. You should organize your food web so that relationships between organisms are demonstrated (like we did in class).

A good way to start:

Brainstorm organisms within an ecosystem (you should have 15-20)

Place the organisms into groups: producer, consumer, decomposer (click to find more).

Use the following graphic organizer if needed.

Vocabulary to keep in mind:

organism

ecosystem

decomposer (click here to learn more)

food web

producer

consumer

trophic level

Checklist of Required Items

Your food web should:

• have 15 - 20 organisms represented in the food web.
• identify the name of each organism (this should be specific, do not just list fish or tree).
• include arrows to indicate the flow of energy (going in the direction that the energy travels)
• have at least 2 of every trophic level represented (decomposer, producer, consumer).
• show many organisms interacting.
• contain a sketch for each organism (computer printed images are OK if you do not like to draw).
• use a ruler to draw straight lines.
• contain color.
• contain a title (example - A Tidal Pool Food Web).
• contain your name and group.

Ecology Introduction and Vocabulary

As we begin our new unit on Ecology, here are some important links to get us started:

Link to Sciencesaurus Reading:

Click here to access

Link to Ecology Vocabulary
Click here to access
Make a copy, Replace "Copy of" with your last name, and move to your science folder.

This article links to the food chain that we completed today in class.  It also discusses the idea of invasive species and their impact to an ecosystem in Maine.

Tackling Maine's Pike Problem - Portland Press Herald

Click here to access the article

Videos on Food Chains

Food Chain Game

Click here to access

Further articles that have links to invasive species and food chains in the State of Maine.

Portland Press Herald

and

Bangor Daily News

Pike Portland Press Herald Article
Troubled Waters for Wild Brook Trout
Click here to access questions


Read and and pay close attention authors view points. 
Portland Press Herald Article.

Mayday Gulf of Maine in Distress

Click here to access

Trophic Cascades and the Wolves of Yellowstone

Introduction to Ecosystems

NGSS Standards:

MS-LS2.A.2 ( Middle School Life Sciences ): Growth of organisms and population increases are limited by access to resources.

MS-LS2.A.3 ( Middle School Life Sciences ): In any ecosystem, organisms and populations with similar requirements for food, water, oxygen, or other resources may compete with each other for limited resources, access to which consequently constrains their growth and reproduction.

MS-LS2.B.1 ( Middle School Life Sciences ): Food webs are models that demonstrate how matter and energy is transferred between producers, consumers, and decomposers as the three groups interact within an ecosystem. Transfers of matter into and out of the physical environment occur at every level. 

MS-LS2.C.1 ( Middle School Life Sciences ): Ecosystems are dynamic in nature; their characteristics can vary over time. Disruptions to any physical or biological component of an ecosystem can lead to shifts in all its populations.

How the Wolves Changed the Rivers

Link to Worksheet - Click here to access.

Another link to PBS Documentary on the Wolves of Yellowstone.

Ideas to consider:

1. What is a biotic factor vs an abiotic factor?

2. What is a trophic cascade?

3. How does one organism impact another?

Informational essay writing

Introductory Paragraph - Click here to watch

Introductory Paragraph Guide

Informational Essay Google Document Descriptor and Rubric

Task: You will be researching and writing an informational editorial article on an ecological or biological topic. You should choose a current event that is of high interest to you in order to share your knowledge and enthusiasm with your audience.

Skin Cancer and Types

Skin Cancer Types

Click here to access the webquest

SCI Skin Cancer Site Link

Skin Cancer Types

Animated Video on Melanoma