Category Archives: Science 9

Ecology Scrapbook Portfolio

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Observe an organism:

  1. Biosphere: Birds are an integral part of the biosphere as they inhabit diverse ecosystems and play vital roles within them. They interact with other organisms, such as insects and plants, through predation, pollination, and seed dispersal. Birds also contribute to the overall biodiversity and ecological balance of the biosphere.
  2. Atmosphere: Birds are uniquely adapted to the atmosphere, as they possess wings and are capable of flight. They navigate through the air, utilizing different air currents and thermals for efficient movement. Birds interact with the atmosphere by migrating over long distances, seeking favorable climates and food sources.
  3. Hydrosphere: Birds interact with the hydrosphere, which encompasses bodies of water, in several ways. Many bird species rely on aquatic habitats such as lakes, rivers, and oceans for food, nesting, and migration. They may dive or wade in the water to catch fish, amphibians, or invertebrates. Some birds, like seabirds, spend a significant portion of their lives at sea, utilizing the marine resources within the hydrosphere.

4.  Geosphere: Birds primarily interact with the geosphere for nesting and shelter. They utilize different materials like twigs leaves, and soil to construct their nests. They may also forage for insects, seeds, or small animals on land, interacting with the geosphere indirectly through their food sources.

Biological community

  – Producers – 

Producers can be described as autotrophs, an organism that can produce their own food via the process of photosynthesis

   – Consumers  –

Consumers are organisms that obtain their energy by consuming other organisms. Because they can’t produce their own food they rely on consuming other organic matter from producers or other consumers.

    – Decomposers –

Decomposers take on an important role in decomposing/breaking down organic matter such as dead organisms. They release nutrients back into the environment allowing them to be used by producers.

Ecologically linked

– How might a food web that includes a consumer that is a threatened species (in low numbers) be affected if the consumer population continues to decline? –

If a threatened species in a food web continues to decline, it can disrupt the balance of the ecosystem. This can lead to changes in the populations of other species, affecting the overall structure and stability of the ecosystem. This is mainly because ecosystems are exactly that, a “system” and for that, any disruptions within the system can cause adverse effects within the entire ecosystem. The decline of the threatened species can also have cascading effects, impacting other species and potentially leading to shifts in community composition. Additionally, the loss of the threatened species can result in the loss of important ecological services it provides to the ecosystem. Overall, the decline of a threatened species can have significant impacts on the health and functioning of the ecosystem.

Energy fluency

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Dear Honourable George Hayman,

I hope this letter finds you in good health and high spirits. I am writing to express my concerns and share my thoughts regarding electric vehicles (EVs) and their impact on our society and the environment. As a resident of Vancouver, I firmly believe that the promotion and adoption of EVs are essential steps towards achieving a sustainable and greener future.

Firstly, I would like to commend the government’s efforts in supporting and incentivizing the use of electric vehicles. The initiatives have significantly contributed to the growth of EV adoption. These measures have not only helped reduce greenhouse gas emissions but have also raised awareness about the importance of sustainable transportation.

However, despite the progress made, there are still a few concerns that I believe warrant attention and further action. One significant concern is the availability and accessibility of charging infrastructure. While the charging network has expanded considerably in recent years, there are still areas where EV charging stations are limited. I urge the government to continue investing in the development of a robust and widespread charging infrastructure to alleviate “range anxiety” and encourage more individuals to switch to electric vehicles.

Moreover, the cost of electric vehicles remains a barrier for many potential buyers. Although prices have been gradually decreasing, they are still relatively higher compared to traditional internal combustion engine vehicles. I would like to request the government to explore additional financial incentives and subsidies to make EVs more affordable and accessible to a broader range of consumers. This would accelerate the transition to clean transportation and make it an economically viable option for more individuals.

Furthermore, I would like to emphasize the importance of educating the public about the benefits of electric vehicles. Many misconceptions and myths still exist surrounding EVs, including concerns about range limitations, battery life, and charging times. Increasing public awareness through targeted campaigns and informational resources would help dispel these misconceptions and encourage more people to embrace the advantages of electric vehicles.

In conclusion, Honourable George Hayman, I appreciate the steps that have been taken towards promoting electric vehicles in our province. However, I believe that there is still room for improvement, particularly in expanding charging infrastructure, reducing the cost of EVs, and educating the public. I kindly request your continued support and consideration of these concerns as we work together towards a greener and more sustainable future.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to witnessing further advancements in the adoption of electric vehicles and the positive impact it will have on our environment.

-Diego

 

Ask –

  • What are electric vehicles?
  • What are the benefits of electric vehicles?
  • How do electric vehicles impact the future?
  • Are electric vehicles more affordable than gas-powered vehicles?

Acquire –

I exclusively relied on Gale Engage for my project research, a newly discovered search tool. Although unfamiliar with it initially, I quickly grasped its functionality and found the entire process remarkably seamless. It efficiently provided me with precise answers to my queries. If a particular piece of information was not available in one source, I seamlessly moved on to the next. My experience with Gale Engage was highly satisfactory, and I intend to utilize it again in future endeavors.

Analyze –

During the creation of my Sway, I employed various methods to gather information efficiently. Initially, I utilized a provided paper graphic organizer, systematically addressing each critical question and noting down relevant information. However, I soon encountered a challenge with recording entire urls onto the paper. To overcome this hurdle, I opened a separate Word document where I could conveniently compile and organize the sites I was using. This approach significantly improved the research process’s flow. Once I had gathered all the necessary information, I transferred everything from my paper to the Sway, bringing my project to completion.

Assess –

Overall, I consider this project to be a reasonably successful endeavor. While I eventually managed to find all the required information, it did present some challenges along the way. I encountered difficulty in certain parts due to the need for different wording variations of each question to locate the specific answers I was seeking. This aspect occasionally caused frustration, but on the whole, the research phase proceeded smoothly. Although I believe I provided satisfactory answers to the questions, I would have preferred a more comprehensive response had I been able to access additional information. Despite the extensive searching involved, I managed to compile decent answers. As for the Sway portion, it initially posed some challenges, requiring trial and error to achieve the desired formatting. However, after seeking assistance and persevering, I successfully resolved the issues and attained the desired outcome.

Stop Motion Mitosis and Meiosis

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– Analysis Questions –

1. Was mitosis or meiosis easier to model?

-> Both were rather straightforward as there are many references online and models that we were given that                           depict the correct each stage looks.

2. What was the most challenging thing in making your movie

-> The most challenging thing was drawing each frame precisely so that it would all seem as if it was flowing as                      one coherent unit through each phase.

3. What was the easiest thing to do in making your movie?

-> Putting everything together as all clips were already in order and it took minimal effort to put everything into one                  video.

4. How could you improve your movie? 

-> Probably by focusing more on making the drawings cleaner and move accurate just so it looks smoother.

5.  Thinking about how you worked with your partner, what were some of the challenges and successes of working in a group?

-> Some days were slower than others and we didnt feel like working on anything and would push it to the next                        day, however we figured out what worked for us and got it done.

6.  Why is Mitosis important? In other words, what is the point of cells performing Mitosis?

-> Mitosis is important because it allows cells to grow and repair themselves

6.   Why is Meiosis important? In other words, what is the point of cells performing Meiosis?

-> Meiosos is important because it allows for the formation of gametes, which are necessary for sexual                                   reproduction

Stop Motion Video:

D41E5A44-80DA-41

Planning Sheet:

 

Electric House Solution Fluency

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Define – One of the most prevalent problems we faced when constructing our electric house was needing a place for the battery to sit so the wires would connect to the battery hands-free. Having the battery be included in our house design instead of lying it on the table to turn on our lights was a problem that we decided to tackle using technology. We crafted a plan to create a holder that had the ability to flow with our our house design while adding both practicality and colour to our circuit.

Dream – We dreamed a solution that would support fixing our situation and for that we chose to create a battery holder. The battery holder we planned on designing would fit the battery snug providing a way to secure our battery. We thought of going through with this process using an online tool called tinker cad which would be used in designing our battery holder. Tinkercad gave us all the right tools that we would need to approach the situation. We thought of making a rectangle that was slightly larger than the battery itself and creating a pocket that would fit our battery. Our battery moving out of place was a common interference that we had however an easy fix could be made that would make our design much better. We brainstormed many possible designs and made sure to get the measurements just right

 

Deliver – The main goal was to maintain the battery’s stability and for that we began designing our battery holder. The battery holder would be equipped with a flat base only slightly larger than that of the battery chamber providing a stable base. We measured the battery to be sure not to make any errors and so that are battery would fit snug into the holder with no extra room so it wouldn’t fall out. One of the most challenging parts was getting the dimensions precise which took a quite a bit of thought. With the lack of experience in 3D design it was harder than it seemed. However, we didn’t get distracted and kept pursuing the finishing of our design.

Debrief – Overall this wasn’t the most riveting thing I’ve ever done as 3D design isn’t something I enjoy; however we were successful in constructing our final product which is what matters most. We were able to solve our issue of having the battery disconnect/ fall every time we tested our loads in our house.