Eco- Jars!

Hi All!

This week we will plan and create eco-jars. These sealed ecosystems will allow us to think about the abiotic and abiotic factors that we would need to include to ensure success in a sealed jar that will NOT be opened once it is sealed!

Here is one might look like in the planning stages.



Please bring in large mouth jars that could support an ecosystem.

See you tomorrow!

Mr. Forde :-)

Living or not and population study.

Hi All!

Here are a few shots from a couple of activities we accomplished this week.

The first images are from our 1/2 day wednesday activity known as Living, Non-living, Once Living. The teams did a great job deciding which words belong on each list. It wasn't as easy as it sounds.







Another interesting activity happened today. We learned the terms biotic and abiotic and the we tried our hand at a population study. We headed outside and looked for different tree populations on part of our campus. Here are some had working students trying to identify their trees.





Let me know what you thought of these activities!

Mr. F :-)

Sewer Lice!

What did you think of this activity?

Did it make you think?

Mr. Forde :-)

Original Mealworm experiments!

HI All!

Last week went by so quickly!

We discussed and learned more about testable and researchable questions. We reviewed our last experiment and designed a new one of our own. On friday we tested them out and collected our own original data. Great job Black Team! After 5 periods of original experiments I was pretty beat! :-)

Here are some images of the kids at work. I am sorry that I could not get you all!



Next week we will talk about LIFE. What is it? How do you know something is alive? The we will start covering some ecology basics.


Mr. F :-)

Tell me about your experiment for tomorrow!

Hi Black team!

Let me know what you are doing tomorrow!!

Post your ideas here for all to see!




See you tomorrow!

Mr. Forde :-)

Mealworm Experiment - 9/8/09

Here we are conducting our recent (today) mealworm experiment where we tried to determine whether or not mealworms prefer water, salt water, sugar water or a vinegar solution. Ask you local black team scientist about their findings and why they think things turned out the way they did!

Week one- Black Team Science!

Hi All,

We had a great start to science class this year! I have really enjoyed getting to meet the students.

We started off by getting to know one another and setting up our binders and interactive science lab notebooks. The students also learned how to use this blog and the format for producing current event reports for science class. We then discussed whether or not we possessed the characteristics of a scientist. I believe that most students were convinced that they actually do have the traits of a scientist!



We next focused on descriptive writing and finding details in class and then observed meal worms and generated an "I notice/I wonder chart".

See the movie below.

Next week we will conduct and experiment that I have designed with the meal worms and write a lab report. We will then learn about the differences between testable (investigable) questions and researchable questions. The students will then generate a testable question related to the meal worms and decide on an investigation that they would like to conduct in teams.

I am looking forward to a relaxing weekend but can't wait to see what we will create next week!

Enjoy the 3 day weekend!

Mr Forde :-)

Mealworm Observation- Kids in action.

Alien Song

Back to School! 2009 - 2010

Hi to all incoming black team 7th graders!
(and all of you lurking 8 th graders)

Welcome to the blog. You'll be seeing a lot of this web page during the school year. I use it continuously to enhance and support my class. It is also an easy way to access me outside of class time and a great way to learn more on your own about the world of science.

Please note the links on the right. You'll find links to the black team page, homework hotline, and my cornell notes. (These will change over time.) I also post review game links and extension links.

Also, note at the bottom of this post where it is labeled "comment". Click there to leave a response to this message. Select "anonymous" and then you won't have to join blogger. Sign your name though, so I know who you are!

Our first unit will be ecology, which we will cover until early november, then we will learn about cells, genetics the human body and lastly food preservation/microbes.

Drop me a line to say hi ....and let's get this show on the road!

Mr. Forde

This is me!