Gracie

WEEK 1: April 13, 2009 1.Through this past week we have learned quite a bit. We have learned a lot about how an atom is put together. We learned that every atom has protons, neutron, and electrons. Also that there are two seperate places that the atom parts go into. First there is the nucleus, which consists of the protons and neutrons. The nucleus is not very big, actually it is 1/100,000 compared to the whole atom, and it would be the size the top of a pin in the middle of a football stadium. Then the next part is the valence shells, which each can hold different amounts of electrons.

2. Many other things that we learned were how to read and identify the periodic table. Like that there is groups and periods, also that they are in numerical order. We learned what each element consists of and many other things. For example; the atomic mass, the atomic number, and the different types it is. Like if it is gas, solid, or liquid. Also we learned how many electrons, protons, and neutrons there are or might be. If you know these things then it would be easy to make the model representing the certain elements.

3. Athough we learned about many things, I am still wonder how all the scientists that help create this theory found out about atoms. I don't get how they found them because they are so tiny and because they are made of mainly air.

WEEK 2: April 17 1. In science we packed quite a bit of learning into one week. First on Monday we had to do an activity called “Where’s AL” which was slightly confusing at first. Then we had to cut out and glue all of the families together. Although the families had to stay together I figured out how to re-arrange them by there finger amount, but them still staying with each other. After we finished we helped the other students. This activity helped us learn about the periodic table and better understand it. 2. Another thing that we learned in science was about compound elements. We also did an activity on this to learn how elements can combine. We cut out “elements” and had to put them together according to the combinations provided. Using the periodic table, we got to recognize what each chemical symbol looks like. After that we wrote the chemicals that were combined. Then we wrote the Ion charges and the chemical forms. So overall this activity was fun and we learned many new things about it.

3. Still I am a little confused about how when you combine the elements there sometimes is a reaction but then there isn’t sometimes. Also I would like to learn more about what chemicals do have major reactions. Finally I was wondering if there are certain classes that the reactions happen, or if they are even called classes? All in all, these are some of the things that I learned and that I am still confused about and what I would still like to learn.

WEEK 3: 1. This week we learned many things like conservationof matter. We did a lab yesterday which helped everyone better understand matter. We did many different trials proved that each one was different. Also I learned that our two ingredients, vinegar and baking soda, had a reaction together. They bubbled up and fizzed, which then caused the third trial to blow up a balloon. This is one thing that I learned about all this conservation of matter this week from our lab.

2. Another thing that I learned about this week in science was the different sources of energy. For example Potential and Kinetic energy. Which there are very many examples of for each of these energies. There are five different sources for each of these two energy levels. Potential has chemical, stored, gravitational, water, and finally nuclear. For Kinetic energy there is also five sources which are solar, sound, electricity, motion, fire and radiation.

3. One thing that I need to work on is balancing out equations, because I was gone that day and kind of get it. But if I work on it then I am sure that I will get it good and really understand it. 1. In this week of class we learned many things about frogs and there adaptaions that they have to use and have in their habitat. Some of these adaptations are their tongues. Their tongues are attached to the front of the mouth to make it easier to catch prey. Another adaptation is frog's webbed feet, which helps them be able to move and swim faster underwater. Finally an adaptation frogs have to survive in their habitats is its nintitating membrane. Which is a clear membrane attached to the bottom of the eye and it helps because as soon as frogs dive into the water, these come up and then they can see underwater with this. 2. Another thing that I learned while disecting frogs is where to find organs and see what they are there for. While disecting frogs i learned that the liver is the biggest organ, and that the stomach is quite small but can hold a lot, inclding whole insects. We figured this out when we opened up our stomach and inside there were several cricket legs and body parts. Also we learned to find out whether or not the frog was a female or a male, which you could tell after locating the kidneys. 3. Something that I am still confused about is how frogs have two sets of different teeth. I never located the teeth on the top of the mouth, and I never figured out why they needed these teeth.
 * Week 4:**