Animal Profile: Ants

I thought this video about the communication of ants was pretty cool. The 2nd video shows some ants communicating in a dispute for territory. After watching the videos, please respond in a comment below:

1. What are some of the ways in which ants communicate?
2. Do they communicate on purpose? Explain.
3. The last part of the 1st video asks the question "What organism is more successful: Ants or Humans?" How would you answer that? Why?

Cell Processes FlipQuiz

Use this to review for the Cell Processes Quiz tomorrow. Keep track of your points with a partner!
Here is the link to the CELL PROCESSES FLIPQUIZ if you can't get this to go full screen.

Animal Profile: Pygmy Seahorses

Learn what you can learn about these amazing animals. The Pygmy Seahorse is a tiny master of camouflage that is very dependent on their environment. The males have the babies, too, which is crazy. Please watch these videos and then answer the questions below.

1. What are some of the lengths that scientists had to go through to keep the pygmy seahorse alive in captivity? 
2. Who has the babies? 
3. What is the size of an adult pygmy seahorse? 
4. Are there other animals that have “pygmy” in the title? What are they? 
5. In your opinion, what is the most amazing thing about pygmy seahorses?

Hydra: The Animal That Wouldn't Die

I found this video about Hydra, a tiny freshwater animal, to be fascinating. These animals, which reproduce when they are just two days old, should be expected to die after about a month. The hydra being studied (and fed) have now been alive for over 8 years. What's the hydra's secret? Watch the video. Learn what you can about the story. Leave your thoughts in a comment below.

 

1. What's so neat about hydra? How do they live so long? Explain anything that you found interesting about the animal and/or video.
2. What does this story have to do with cells?
3. Anything else? Feel free to share!

Seeing the Invisible

I thought this was a creative video of what we've been learning about. After watching this, I'd like you to answer a question: What would it have been like to discover this new world of life?

The Relative Size of Cells

Check out this website about the size of cells. They're seriously small, right?

Now, spend some time on this site about the scale of the universe. Are cells actually small? 

Graphing Gallery Walk Reflection - Day 1

Collecting Data Google Form

Please fill out this form today. The data we collect today will be used for something we do tomorrow.

Socratic Seminar Eval and Reflection

Well, the "Socratic Seminar on Mindset and Failure" came and went. Hopefully you were able to share your knowledge and point-of-view on this subject with your classmates. I say this because your opinion/knowledge matters. A lot.
Below is a link to your partner evaluation and your own reflection on the discussion we just had (and the research that led to it). Please include anything you might have wanted to say, but did not get the chance to. Show me what you know about Mindset and Failure. Thanks.

I'd also like you to fill out this "Mindset" Form. We'll see if anything has changed since before your research.

The Beginning

I'm writing this (the first post of our blog) on Meet the Teacher day. You probably remember it like it was last week. It was. I must say that the energy in the building is pretty neat (especially when compared to an empty school all summer!). When we start out, at least in my case, a lot of the energy is from nerves. You might ask yourself some questions. Who are these people? What are they like? Can I trust them? Are they nice/mean/fun/outgoing/shy? Can I be myself around them? What do they think about me?
We don't know each other very well yet, but we will. It's going to be awesome. Here is a thing that tells a little bit about me.

Can you do something for me? I'd like you to do a quick 3-2-1 activity.
3 - Identify three things that you learned about me or your classmates today.
2 - Name two things that make you excited or nervous about the upcoming school year.
1 - Name one thing that you know a lot about.