Ecosystems

  We are making ecocolumns in class.  An ecocolumn is a terrarium inside a connector with a aquarium on the bottom.  The aquarium can have snails or guppies, we used snails.  In the terrariums you could use bugs sometimes potato bugs, crickets or/and roley polys.  We used crickets.

For people who don't know a terrarium is like a aquarium but for bugs.  We know that because terra means earth.  A terrarium is a field or any place where bugs can live or grass can grow

Photo by Garden Atlanta



  The bottom is a aquarium where we keep our snails and plants.  The reason you need the plants is because the plants will give out O2 (oxygen).  The snails will take the oxygen and give out CO2 (Carbon dioxide)which is what the plants need.  You also might also want to put algae for the snails to eat or they might eat the plants, my snails ate some of our plants off.

Photo by Dabney B.

Have you ever had an aquarium?

Have you ever had a terrarium?

 

Photosynthesis

  We haven't learned much about photosynthesis but I did some extra research.  Photosynthesis is when plants take the carbon dioxide and sunshine they can make oxygen.  We humans and animals use the oxygen and give out CO2 (carbon dioxide).  That is the cycle of humans and plants, we give CO2. Plants take CO2 they give O2 and we take that oxygen.

 Photo by Elva O'Sullivan

Sometimes if you put a snail underwater and a plant the plant will live even if the plant can't get carbon dioxide underwater.  In class we made aquariums we put snails and elodea in the water.  Even though the plants can't get any CO2 the snails will give them the carbon dioxide that they need.

 Have you ever tried an experiment like that with plants and snails?

Field Trips

  This year we have so far gone on to field trips.  One of the field trips was to a farm we went there for sukkot the harvest holiday.  The other was a field trip to a corn maze We also got to see a duck race there.


  For the corn maze we got a map and had to go by numbers and paths.  While we were doing that we had a sheet of places where we had to go and find facts about that place or something in that place.  After when everyone got out we all went to go watch a duck race. I thought chuck won but everyone had a different opinion.                                                                                                                            

                                                        Photo by Lulu Hoeller

  The other field trip was to a farm.  At the farm we picked fruits, flowers and beans.  We picked kale, cucumbers, tomatoes, honeydew and green beans three different kinds of green beans to be exact.  We also got to help pick out weeds                    

                                                   
                                                                         Photo by clio 1789

                                                      Have you ever been at a farm?

                                                      Have you ever been through a corn maze?

Increase and Decrease

  I learned how to decrease and increase by percentages   The way that you decrease is the same as increase with one extra step, subtracting. 

• The first step is subtracting the numbers.  For example, 60 - 18 = 42.  
• Than after that you divide 42 by the original number 60 divided by 42.  
• Since this is impossible we add a zero 420 divided by 60 = 70. That is increase. 
• To decrease you do 100 - 70 = 30 that is decrease.  This answer stopped early but you usually need to add zeros for a little longer.

 

Digital Passport Learning

  Going on Digital Passport has been a learning experience for me.  I think the biggest thing that I learned is that if you get something off the internet you shouldn't post it because you have to give credit to the author.  It doesn't have to be in big letters it could be right under the picture or even at the end.  If your making a video and you use pictures from online you could make credits and put the pictures name(s).

   I think that the way they can get the kids to tell their story is very amazing.  The stories really pushed me to stop and think that is possible.

Our First Skype

  Last Friday we Skyped with MJGDS for the first time.  I  think it went really well.  I think it went really well because we all met our partners, we had a check in with our partners about where we were in the book and we each had questions for each other.  I was one of the three kids that got to ask a question.  I think it was good this time but next time it will be awesome!!!


  Next time we Skype it will be with another school.  I do not know what the school is called but they have also been reading Out of My Mind.  The Skype will be a lot better even if they only have four kids.

  Did you ever Skype anyone?

Out of My Mind

  I think the story of Ollie the fish in Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper is significant.  I think this is because this was Melody’s first pet and she really loves Ollie.  When Ollie was dying she really cared a lot and did everything she could to save Ollie.  If Ollie could have been replaced she would not have tried that hard.

 I think that Ollie is like Melody because they are both trapped behind behind what they want to say. Like Melody does not want to be treated like a kindergartner.  That is like how Ollie must feel behind the glass or that is at least what I think and what Melody thinks.

 Melody must feel bad and sad when her mother ignored her.  She feels sad because she was ignored when she "yelled" and because her only pet died (until later on in the book).  She will also feel bad because she was treated like she did not know anything.  Of course she "knows a fish needs water."

                                                 

How would you feel if you were ignored?

How would you feel if you were Ollie?