Zebra Mussels

Today in class we started off by going into our article groups and read an article.

We then went over the the story we read last class about Zebra Mussels and talked about it for a while. We then did two questions that related to the story and we had to make a chart about the negative and positive things in Zebra Mussels being in the Great Lakes. Then at the end of Class we watched a video.

Next is Lucas

In class today we did a article that talked about how fish will evolve to different temperatures. The we talked about the blog about last class on extinction and endangered species. In today's class we talked about what happens when a new species is brought into an ecosystem. After that we talked about how a lion would change a whole ecosystem at a farm with lots of other smaller animals. We learnt 2 new vocabulary words fist one was introduced species it is an organism that is not native to the place or where it is considered introduced. It has been accidentally or deliberately transported to the new location by human activity and also we learnt invasive species it means an alien species whose introduction does or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health. Towards the end of the class we talked and read about the Zebra Muscles they attatch to every object the started in Ontario and went down to the golf of mexico plugging pipes and hydro plants.

Endangered Species

Yesterday we read about endangered animals, bald eagles being one, and how the number of them was declining because the toxins in the air were effecting the shell which was making them weak there for the eggs were breaking and the birds were dieing. We were then assigned some questions.

Today in class we started by reviewing the questions we did last day, and discussed them as a class. We then went on to a reading (page 16-19 in textbook did questions 1,3) on endangered and extinct species. We learned about passenger pigeons and how the number of them drastically decreased due to commercial hunting/removing forests and "stool pigeon". The reading also talked about how humans are mostly to blame for the large number of endangered species (rate of extinctions=80 species per/year) some examples include: Global warming, and expanding cities which are reducing the sizes of the ecosystems.

We finished the class by watching a short video on the Burrowing Owl.

Next is Ryder

Endangered Animals

Yesterday in class we watched a video about how herbicides can be harmful to frogs and that there are other things we can do like use boiling water, vinegar or pull the weeds out. Scientists suggest we should not use herbicides but in the end society decides whether or not we use it.

We learnt about endangered animals and disscussed what people could do to help to do to prevent it like making safe places for them to live. Then we watched another short video about how many of the endangered species are found in the oceans and that they once killed 3/4 of whales without realizing it.

We then read about bald eagles, there were a lot in the 1700's and 1800's but there was decline in the 1900's. The causes of this might have been because the eggs of the eagles would become thin and would brake easier due to the toxins.

Next is Ashley

Food Webs

Today in class we received a booklet about food webs. Food webs are just like different food chains put together with a variety of plants and animals.

In the same booklet we learnt about food pyramids. There are different types of food pyramids. They can tell you the mass of the animal or how many animals you need to produce enough energy for the larger animal that eats it. On the bottom of the food pyramid is a producer. ex: grass. Above that are the primary consumers. They are usually herbivores. ex:mouse. Above that are the secondary consumers which can be carnivores or omnivores. ex: snake. On top of the pyramid are the tertiary consumers which are usually carnivores. ex: owls.

After that we did the questions at the end of the booklet.

Next time write will be Shayla.

(written by Jamie)

Farm Food Web

Frogs and ecosystems

Today in class we started off by listening to the article presentation. Then we discussed the frog questions from last day. We also talked about how frogs effect our ecosystem, and how they are a major part in more then one food chain and that the frog is a good indicator if an ecosystem is healthy or not.