Science 9

Stop Motion – Ecological Cycles on Mars

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Our task was to create a stop motion video of the 5 cycles for necessary substances on Mars and how to recycle them.

a/What the heck is STOPMOTION?

Stop motion is a series of photos taken one after the other. When you put them together in a video, it seems as though the images are moving.

 

b/ Name what app & equipment your team will use?

Stop motion studio and we will be using paper to draw all of our images and write all of our notes, drawing supplies, a ring stand, scissors, flashlight and a phone

i/ Who is on your team?

Kennedy, Katie C, Micole, Aileen, and Evelina

 

ii/ What is each members task?

 

Kennedy will research the steps for water and draw some pictures for the video

Micole is doing the editing of the video and researching nitrogen

Aileen is doing the drawing for the video and researching phosphorus

Katie is doing the research for oxygen and the drawing for the video

Evelina is doing the research for carbon as well as some drawings for the video

 

Everyone will write out their notes on small pieces of paper to add to the video as well as drawing out their own pictures to go with their video

 

All of us will also help Micole out with the editing and the production of the videos

 

Sources for the water cycle information:

http://www.windows2universe.org/mars/interior/Martian_water.html

https://www.nasa.gov/pdf/146558main_RecyclingEDA(final)%204_10_06.pdf

 

Biome Sway – Reflection

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Today, Mitchell, Maya, Nighina, and myself made a collaborative sway on four different biomes found in our world. First, we each picked a biome and started the research project with specific roles. Mitchell found the pictures for each biome, Maya found a few videos for each biome, Nighina made a works cited page, and I found graphs for each biome. Then, we all wrote our own text for our biome, including facts and information written in point form. Finally, we put all our finished products together and made one collaborative sway.

Overall, I think our process worked out pretty well. Everyone was open to every idea and we combined them together to create the best possible presentation. There wasn’t really a lot of conflict that we faced throughout the process, which was a key part of our success. Something I think we could improve on is our communication because at times it was hard to figure out where everyone was in their work because we didn’t really communicate where were at. It made it harder to put together the final product and have it all in one piece. However, I think that we created a solution for ourselves and everything worked out in the end. I really enjoyed doing a collaborative project like so and I hope to do another one in the future!

 

 

The Life of a Genetic Mutation – COL

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Cri du Chat Syndrome

I am known as the 5p deletion or the Cri du Chat syndrome. I am a genetic mutation caused by the unknown disappearance of chromosome 5. This mutation is believed to take place during the development of the sperm and egg together. During this process, the chromosomes start to divide up even more and they travel to certain numbered bands. Throughout their journey to the proper band, they could break off and a translocation would occur. This is when the chromosome 5’s, my chromosomes, split up and rearrange themselves and then they find a new place to relocate or, in some cases, they disappear. Now depending where I decide for these chromosomes to go, the severity of my syndrome may worsen a lot. No doctor has found an answer to me yet, never mind ways to prevent me. All they know is that my syndrome is produced from a missing piece of chromosome 5 and that’s where it all goes wrong.

cdc

My host, Sophie was born today. She is one of the 20,000-50,000 newborn babies that I affect all the time. Her parents had tested the amniotic fluid in the first trimester of pregnancy and they found out that she was going to have the Cri du Chat syndrome while she was still a fetus. When she was born, she had a very low body weight, a small head, widely set eyes, and a distinctive high-pitched cry like one of a cat. Little do her and her family know that Sophie will not only struggle with her outside appearance but her intellectual abilities as well.

cats-cry

As she grows older, her growth will be very delayed, She will have ears that are low on the sides of her head, eyes that are slanted downwards, and potentially partially webbed fingers and toes. She will struggle with her speech and everyday motor skills. As it turns out, Sophie was diagnosed with one of the more severe cases of my syndrome, as well as a heart condition, therefore she will have to not only have to see a speech therapist but she will need to learn sign language as well, since communicating with others will be a challenge. She will have trouble walking and depending on how much the deletion of my chromosomes have affected her, she may never fully be able to walk on her own. She will visit a physiotherapist to help strengthen her muscles and practice ways to keep her body as mobile as possible.

cri-du-chat

Since Sophie’s case of Cri du Chat syndrome was quite severe, I will have affected her life span because of the cardiovascular issues she obtained since birth. Sophie’s family will do their best to give her the best possible life by going to as many medical professionals as possible. They will lean on therapists for support as they all try to help her reach her fullest potential and give her the best life possible.

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The making of this mutation story started by a series of questions that I had proposed about the Cri du Chat syndrome:

What is Cri du Chat syndrome?

How many kids are born with this syndrome?

What happens to the chromosomes in this syndrome?

What are the causes of Cri du Chat syndrome?

What are some of the symptoms you may experience with this syndrome?

What are other signs of Cri du Chat?

How is this syndrome diagnosed?

Are there any forms of treatment for this syndrome?

How is the chromosome 5 typically made?

cri-du-chat-2

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Sources

https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/cri-du-chat-syndrome

 

https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/001593.htm

 

https://www.genome.gov/19517558/learning-about-cri-du-chat/

 

https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/cri-du-chat-syndrome

 

https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/chromosome/5#conditions

 

https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/cri-du-chat-syndrome/

Sources for photos:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cri_du_chat

http://www.forgottendiseases.org/assets/CriDuChatSyn.html

http://simplebooklet.com/publish.php?wpKey=FYvqGkZS7qLe277cVKavJL

https://bhsgenetics2009.wikispaces.com/Cri+du+Chat+Syndrome?responseToken=bfabb32b3754a8d99b27774b83d2863e

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Creating the Story

The tools I used during this research process were:

US National Library of Medicine

National Human Genome Research Institute

Victoria State Government

NORD – National Organization for Rare Disorders

YouTube 

All of my information that I collected while doing my research were from sites online but my main focus for my research was to have credible information/sources. I made sure to verify and back up any of the information that I found from one of these sources and check it against another credible source. Luckily, I was able to find some sites made by the government that had some awesome information that I could include in my research. I made sure to only include the information that was being shared on multiple websites, not just one so that I could be sure that it was correct. I retained the most information possible from these sites and they provided me with excellent material, worthy of going into this assignment. I also made sure that the information that I included in the story was actually pertinent to Sophie’s life – I didn’t take any extra information just for the sake of using it. By the end of the research process, I had collected enough material that would be able to form a strong structured story, telling about Sophie’s life as well as a story that could educate others about such a horrible condition.

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Debrief

Overall, I think the process of creating this story went well and flowed pretty smoothly. I really enjoyed going into depth about the Cri du Chat syndrome, and by doing so we also got to analyze a real-life example of mutations. For the most part, I am happy with my end results and what I have discovered about genetic mutations but I think for next time, I should really have a good comprehension for the actual mutations (mitosis and meiosis) because I didn’t really understand them that well at first. This made it challenging for me to understand what was actually going on with the chromosomes. I eventually started to get it but it took awhile and stalled the research and writing process. In the end, I can definitely look back on my work that I did and say that I have a much better understanding for mutations, mitosis, and meiosis and that I completed a good assignment that has helped me have a feel for what actually goes on in our bodies.

Static Race

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In our science lesson today, we used fur to charge the lucite sticks which then moved our ruler by using static electricity. In this challenge, we raced our classmates to see who had the best methods and materials for the key to success. The winning team got their ruler to spin around ten times without being touched at all, only using the charged lucite sticks (static electricity). We took snapshots and video footage of our race from the beginning to the end. It was a fun way to learn about and experiment with the use of static electricity!

Our video: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B9ATFh7T5ONSM2NhaUpHQ3FyZlk

Science App Review

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Problem: 

Many people need a periodic table at hand when performing tasks in chemistry that involve one or multiple elements. Also, some people have trouble remembering a lot of information at once (ex: the charge of the element and its atomic mass).

Ideas to Solve This Problem:

There are many solutions to this problem, but many of them are not practical for our digital devices and way of learning. To start off brainstorming ideas, we should ask a few questions first:download

  1. Is it practical? Is it a good fit for our digital learning?
  2. Is it accessible? Can everyone, depending on their circumstances use and access this app?
  3. Is it reliable? Is the source that this app is made up of credible?
  4. Does it help solve the problem? Does it aid your learning of chemistry and the periodic table or is it not very useful for what you are learning about?

From our brainstorming session, the information that I collected was that we need an app that has truthful information and it is an accessible  and practical tool to everyone using it.

A few of the apps that seem like a good fit for what we are looking for are:

  1.  K12 Periodic Table of the Elements
  2. Chemistry Formula Practice
  3. Khan Academy

Finding the Right App

After experimenting and investigating these apps a little more, I decided that since our dream was to have an accessible app that has good information for everyone – experienced users in this area or not, The K12 Periodic Table of Elements was the perfect app for this study. periodic-table-image

 

 

Using the App

While investigating this app, I noticed a few great key things:

  1. The app is basically an online version of a periodic table (which is what we were looking for in this situation)thumbnail_img_1829
  2. It featured all the elements in a traditional periodic table
  3. However, it had settings where you could change the layout of the table, depending what you were looking for at that time. For example, if you wanted to find all the elements with the same outermost orbital, you just click that setting and it shifts the table to become accustomed to your needs.
  4. It had the all the elements sorted by colour into their families like a traditional periodic table, along with a legend that guided you if you still weren’t sure what you were looking for.
  5. When you clicked on any element, it would become enlarged and it would model all the information possible about that certain elementthumbnail_fullsizerender-1. For example, from the periodic table itself, you could only see the formula for that element as well as the atomic number and the atomic mass. When you clicked on it, you then could see all the other pertinent information such as the name of the element, the outermost orbital, the Lewis diagram, the melting/boiling points, etc.

Although there are many pros to this app, there are a few cons as well.

  1. While I explored this app, I couldn’t find any study guides (tests/quizzes)  for chemistry or just parts/elements of the imagesperiodic table in general.
  2. A surprising thing I noticed as well is that I couldn’t seem to locate the charges of each element, even when they were enlarged. That is a big downfall since the charge of the element is crucial to be able to answer questions and create scientific formulas.

How does this app help users build skills or learn content?

I think this app helps users build great skills and learn good content thumbnail_img_1830because it has many perks about it as I mentioned before. You get a lot more important information from this app (online periodic table) than just an image of a periodic table, since that only gives you a limited list of pertinent info. It is a good option for those who have trouble visualizing diagrams and images in their heads since this app gives you an instant picture of whatever you might need.

How intuitive is the app? Is it self-explanatory or does it take a long time to figure out?

This app is pretty self explanatory for the most part since it is just an online periodic table. For me, I had no trouble navigating my way around the app. Even if you were struggling to find your way, there thumbnail_fullsizerender-2are two help buttons at the top right hand corner. One is a question mark (which explains how to use the app) and an “i” (explains the idea and info to this app). Personally, I would say this app is straight forward and doesn’t require a whole lot of effort to find your way. It is also very practical and accessible and that’s amazing since that was one of the main goals for this app.

 

What innovative elements does the app utilize?

thumbnail_img_1834A few of the best innovative elements that I found impressive in this app were that the table can change its form/shape depending on what you want/are searching for. Also, everything on the table and on the app is colour-coded by family or by category that you have chosen so it is super simple to find where everything is.

Debrief

The overall quality of this app was very good. Despite the fact there were no charges stated on the elements, I found it a useful tool for myself and I think that others would too. For the most part, there was good quality information listed on this app that could benefit anyone trying to learn more about chemistry or the periodic table of elements. I would definitely recommend this app to others.

Sites for some pictures:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/k12-periodic-table-elements/id480742053?mt=8

http://www.keyword-suggestions.com/M2QgcXVlc3Rpb24gbWFyaw/

http://www.clipartlord.com/category/school-clip-art/science-clip-art/chemistry-clip-art/page/2/

 

Chemical Exploration – Oxalic Acid

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What?

  • organic crystalline solid substance
  • the formula to create this acid is C2H2O4
  • dangerous corrosive material that can burn if it comes into contact with skin
  • a poisonous type of acid
  • typically used for cleansing (products) and/or bleaching
  • found in various rhubarb branches, wood sorrel, and other types of plants
  • its botanical names are: Rumex, Citrus Lemon, and Acidum Oxicalum

When?

  • Discovered by Scheele in 1776
  • When he discovered it, he mixed it with sugar and nitric acid
  • Scheele named his oxidation “Saccharic acid”
  • Usually was used with a mixture of some type of potassium or calcium

How?

  • It can be used in many ways such as:
  • Bleaching/cleaning materials (ex: bleaching wood or stone, staining wood, etc.)
  • Stain remover (ex: from wood, stone, vinyl, etc. floors, even fabrics)
  • Rust remover (ex: in any kitchen/bathroom, sinks, bathtubs, etc.)
  • Other unique uses such as floor polish, developing film (photographic), and removing calcium from water with waste in it

Why?

  • Many safety precautions include:
  • Toxic and corrosive material – handle with care (wear protective gear to protect your skin from any contact with the substance)
  • Make sure to have protective safety gear on at all times when dealing with the substance (ex: gloves of some sort, a lab coat, safety goggles, etc.)
  • Always mix oxalic acid in an area with lots of fresh air so that you don’t inhale any poisonous fumes (wear a dust mask if needed)
  • Is very destructive if coming in contact with any sort of skin (will burn right through), so it is necessary that you are wearing protective clothing at all times
  • Can burn your throat and/or stomach if consumed, make sure you keep the substance away from your mouth or anywhere it could get inside your body
  • The substance is toxic enough to cause kidney problems, resulting in kidney stones, followed by potential kidney failure
  • Can also cause severe issues with joints if consumed in any way

 

How Much?

  • Rhubarb leaves have approximately 0.5-1.0% of Oxalic acid in them
  • In order to get poisoned by eating rhubarb leaves, you’d have to consume around ten pounds
  • Even by consuming a minimal amount is running the risk of getting oxalic acid poisoning
  • Oxalic acid has a sour taste, so that’s what makes rhubarb leaves taste sour
  • People don’t typically eat wood sorrels but there have been traces of oxalic acid found in them
  • Like the rhubarb, if consumed, it probably wont poison you, however, you still run the same risk of getting oxalic acid poisoning

Who?

  • Scheele, a scientist in the 1700’s
  • He was testing different concoctions and came up with Oxalic acid
  • He mixed sugar and nitric acid together and created Oxalic acid, just byimg_4260 chanceimg_4262

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