Maddie

May 19, 2009

1 and 2.) In science class this week we learned about frog dissection. On the first day we just did the external anatomy including the tongue, eye balls, and different membranes. We noticed hoe the tongue was attached in the front of the frog’s mouth, whereas a humans tongue is attached in the back. On the second say we cut open the frogs on their ventral sides and looked at their organs. A frog’s liver is huge and made up of three parts. They also have little worm-like yellow things called fat bodies. When some of the groups cut open the stomach they found bugs like beetles and flies that hadn’t been digested. The third day we studied the urinary tract system. The female and male frogs are different. They males have testes and the females do not.

3. A question I have about dissecting frogs is how people do it when the frogs are still alive since when we did it the frogs were dead. I wonder if it still hurts of if it’s cruel. I heard that they just paralyze the frogs, but wouldn’t that hurt them? Do they get the frogs from a farm or just find them?

April 23, 2009


 * 1) In science class this week I learned about energy. There are two main types of energy; kinetic and potential. Kinetic is the energy of motion and potential is stored energy. Thermal energy is an example of kinetic energy and an example of potential energy is gravitational energy. When the sun is shinning on you its kinetic energy because the suns rays are moving towards you and hitting you. Gravitational energy deals with your position of where your at. Gravity normally keeps you on the ground!
 * 1) Another thing I learned in science this week is about balancing equations. The Conservation of Matter Law states that both sides of the equation have to be equal, so if you have two hydrogen on one side you have to make its o there is two on the other side. By using multiplication it’s easy to do this. Every element in the periodic table uses this law when in an equation like water is H20, and when making the equation there is only one hydrogen on one side until you make it even.
 * 1) What I am curious about in science is why the equations have to be even. I no it’s because they are supposed to be equal on both sides to make it work out, but why? If it’s supposed to be even why didn’t scientists just make it so the equation starts out even so it’s easier to work with. Maybe it's not possible to do that though or something. Another thing that I want to learn about is how the Conservation of Matter Law was thought up and made. I wonder who made it up.

April 17, 2009

1. In science this week I learned about elements in the periodic table. We learned how compounds are two of more different elements combined. Mr. Burtis also taught us how ions and compounds work in an activity with cutting and gluing. Some compounds are reactive to different elements too. Some can become deadly acids or gasses. They are also metals, non-metals, or metalloids. They each have different characteristics.

2. This week in science class we also did a lab involving elements and compounds. We took different elements like magnesium, zinc, copper, lead, and other and did different tests on them. We smashed them, tested the conductivity, and tested their reactions with hydrochloric acid. They all reacted different to the different tests. Some of them bubbled up and released gasses, some broke when we hit them with the hammer, and some did nothing. 3. What I’m curious about in science is how many different elements there are in the world and how they are made. I wonder how scientists discover or made the different compounds, or what made them decide to make them. Did they make them for scientific or medical purposes? I wonder who the fist person to make a compound was and how famous they are for it.

April 13, 2009

1. In science last week I learned how to make a Bohr Models. To make Bohr Models you have to take the atomic mass minus the atomic number to find the number of neutrons to put in the nucleus, and then the atomic number is the number of protrons in the nucleus. Then, the number left after subtracting the protons and neutrons is the number electrons in the valence shells. The first shell holds 2 electrons, the 2nd and 3rd holds 8, and the 4th and 5th holds 18 electrons. 2. In science last week I also learned about the periodic table and how it works. I learned about how depending on what period the element is determines the number of electrons in the outer valence shell. Also, when you leave out groups 3-12 people can find out how many energy levels there are in the element. The background color tells whether the element is metal, non-metal, or a metalloids. The chemical symbol color tells whether it's a solid, liquid, or gas. 3. What I am curious about in science is how atoms were first discovered. They are so tiny it seems like they would be impossible to see them. I don't no how the first scientist discovered the protrons, neutrons, and electrons because they're even smaller! It's also weird to think that all objects are made up of atoms. Looking at objects like tables and other things they seem very solid while atoms are mostly made up of empty space! What were studying is really interesting.

Journal Requirements

 * Date and title for each entry
 * At least 3 lines of text for each prompt using the normal, default text size.
 * Two entries for prompt #1: //In science class this week, I learned . . .// Use science words and vocabulary used in class.
 * One entry for prompt #2: //What I am curious about in science is// . . ..
 * Written response to a teacher question