Biodiversity

In today's class, Grade 9 students worked to fully understand what is meant by biodiversity and what affects biodiversity. They defined key vocabulary such as species richness and extirpated.

Homework
Complete today's learning tracker

Test 2

Today Grade 9 students wrote a test demonstrating their knowledge and understanding of concepts covered so far.

Biome Presentations

Grade 9s presented their very informative presentations on biomes today:
http://prezi.com/jg8w0ypgllpz/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Bt-zQcLfKw-IHzijj-vKUPMudvCNCmC9ULhGeI-ItXo/edit

Homework
Study for Monday's science test

Field Study

Today, the Grade 9 class visited the Credit River Conservation Area to conduct a field study. They made observations and recordings about abiotic factors such as temperature of air and soil, wind speed, amount of sunlight, canopy, and numbers of vertebrate, invertebrate, bird, and aquatic species.

Homework & Reminders

• Biome presentations tomorrow
• Science test on Monday

Equilibrium & Change

In today's lesson, we learned about natural and human-caused disturbances such as fires and mining that upset the equilibrium in an ecosystem. Students learned that succession is a process that allows life to return to an area. We examined examples of primary and secondary succession. For primary succession, we visited the Surtsey Research Society website to view pictures of the formation of the island and succession by lower and higher plants and bird life.
http://www.surtsey.is/pp_ens/photo_map_1.htm

We also viewed the following YouTube that explained succession clearly.

Homework & Reminders

• Complete q. 1 - 4 on p. 82
• Biome project due Friday
• Field study trip tomorrow
• Test on Monday

Presentations

Today, Grade 9 students presented their Carbon and Nitrogen Cycle Presentations.

We spent the remainder of class time taking up yesterday's homework questions and going over the practice OSSLT quiz that students did.

Homework & Reminders

• Bring in your trip permission form if you haven't already
• Complete yesterday's learning tracker if you haven't already
• Work on Friday's biome project
• Field study trip on Thursday

Services from Natural Ecosystems

Grade learned about the cultural value of ecosystems, the products that are derived from ecosystems, and the services that ecosystems provide to communities. They feel that the value of ecosystems is $priceless$.

Homework & Reminders:

• Nitrogen & carbon cycle presentations take place tomorrow
• Complete today's learning tracker
• Complete Q. 3 - 5 on p. 79
• Field study trip on Thursday, September 25 - forms due on Wednesday

Terrestrial & Aquatic Ecosystems

In today's science class, we learned about the characteristics of Canada's biomes, and about marine and freshwater ecosystems. Students also participated in  OSSLT practice work. Grade nines have been challenged to use a format of their choice to represent the features of a biome at risk anywhere in the world.

Homework & Reminders:

• RSA Animate of Biogeochemical cycles due Monday, Sept. 22
• Biome project due Friday, Sept. 26
• Tentative field trip, Thursday, Sept. 25
• Complete p. 59 q. 1 & 4
• Complete p. 62 q. 1, 2, 3, 5, 6

Limiting Factors on Ecosystems

In today's class we discussed how each organism has an optimal range in which it thrives, and a tolerance range in which it survives. Grade 9s understand that this refers to biotic limiting factors such as light, nutrients, temperature, water, etc. Students enjoyed viewing slides that depict various biotic species-species interactions such as predation, parasitism, mutualism, commensalism, and competition.

Homework & Reminders:
Complete questions 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8 on p. 55

Biogeochemical Cycles

We spent the first part of our lesson was spent finishing up what we started yesterday. We discussed three types of ecological pyramids that show the energy, biomass, and numbers in an ecosystem. Grade 9 students did not complete their Rain Forest Food Web that was assigned as homework yesterday. This needs to be completed for tomorrow.
The remainder of the time was spent describing biogeochemical cycles. We described how water, nitrogen, and carbon is cycled through the lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere. Students also got to see an RSA Animate of the biogeochemical cycle. Students have been challenged to create their own RSA Animate of either the carbon cycle or the nitrogen cycle. They have a rubric with specific expectations. The RSA Animate is due Monday, September 22, when students will share their product with the class.

Homework & Reminders:

• Complete yesterday's Rain Forest Web
• Complete Q. 2 - 8 on p. 47
• Complete Q. 3 - 10 on p. 51
• Prepare materials for your RSA Animate

Ecological Niches & Food Webs

In today's class we described the unique ecological niche that a Black Bear occupies as a result of what it eats, what eats it, and how it behaves. Students examined food chains and food webs. They understand that food chains and food webs not only show what eats what, but also the transfer of nutrients and energy through an ecosystem. They described an organisms trophic level based on its position in a food chain. They also described the impact of removing or introducing an organism to an ecosystem. Students began creating a Rain Forest Food Web.

Homework
Complete your Rain Forest Food Web - use the colours specified to show interactions between trophic levels

Terry Fox Run

We did not have Grade 9 Science class due to the Terry Fox Run.

Aquatic Ecosystems

Today, Grade 9s got to start the practical part of their investigation into the factors that affect aquatic ecosystems. The used pop bottles to house their ecosystems. They distributed all the biotic and abiotic factors they were provided between the ecosystems. The Grade 9 students had a lot of fun with this activity.

Test

Today's class time was spent writing a test on ecosystems.

Invesitgation Introduction

We did not have a full science period today due to a gym period at the park. Students were however introduced to an investigation they will be conducting into the factors that affect ecosystems. They prepared pop bottles that will house their aquatic ecosystems. For homework, they should research how much dilute sulphuric acid, garden fertilizer, and salt they should add to 1 L of pond water to mimic the concentrations found in ecosystems as a result of human influence.

Homework

• Study for tomorrow's test
• Research acid, fertilizer, and salt amounts
• Bring gloves

Photosynthesis & Respiration

In today's class, Grade 9s learned about the complementary processes of photosynthesis and respiration. They took turns explaining the process to the class. They then completed a chart comparing these two processes as a way of showing their understanding.

Homework & Reminders

• Study for Thursday's test
• Answer questions 1, 2, 4, 5, and 11 on p. 41 of the textbook

Exit Ticket

Students received back an Exit Ticket that they completed last week to show their understanding of the spheres of the Earth. The level on the ticket will NOT count toward their science grade but helps students understand their strengths, weaknesses and next steps. The ticket includes feedback on how students could improve the response they have given. We spent today finishing up Friday's lesson on the components of an ecosystem. We took up and discussed student responses to questions they completed for homework. Students completed another Exit Ticket today. Students will be writing a science test on all concepts we have done in class including what we will cover tomorrow and Wednesday. The test will be written on Thursday.

Reminders:
Science test on Thursday

Components of Ecosystems

Today we learned that ecosystems are the interactions of abiotic and biotic components. Students found it interesting that the wastes and products of living components are also considered biotic. We lifted a rock behind a portable to observe biotic and abiotic components of the ecosystem underneath. Students used a Venn Diagram to classify items they have used recently as biotic and abiotic. They were surprised at how many items were both biotic and abiotic.

Homework & Reminders:

• Sign your safety contract if you haven't already
• Read p. 33 - 35
• Complete the Check Your Learning questions on p. 35

 

 

The Spheres of the Earth

Today we covered the spheres of the Earth. Students took turns naming the spheres as well as describing them. We made a scale model of the Earth that gave us a lot of insight into the dimensions of some of the Earth's features. Parent's, ask your teen what they found surprising in the scale model activity.

Homework & Reminders:

• Sign up as a follower of the blog
• Complete the Check Your Learning questions on p. 31

Understanding Ecosystems

After taking a couple of minutes to learn something new about each other, the Grade 9 Science class dove right into work on our first unit - Biology. We discussed the course outline and the order in which units will be taught this year. We will be conducting experiments through the course of the year. This needs to happen with a focus on safety. SJA's Science Safety contract explains the rules and procedures for conducting experiments. Please take time to read through and sign the contract. We discussed what is understood by the term 'sustainable ecosystems'. Students read and discussed scenarios where changes were being observed in the environment.

 Homework & Reminders:

• Read and sign SJA's Science Safety contract
• Complete Q. 3 of Something to Lose p. 21
• Read p. 29 & 30 before tomorrow's science class
• Bring your science notes and textbook to class everyday
• Sign up as a follower of the blog if you haven't already