Scientist Day

Scientist Day, Fall 2016

Each class learned from a different scientist to discover different types of careers and what it is like to be a scientist. Special thanks to all of our scientists for their time to either visit or FaceTime with us!

Guest Speaker: Tamlyn, South African Penguin Rescue SANCCOB
We talked to Tamlyn from South Africa and she worked with penguins and studied them. We learned that penguins are actually sometimes very aggressive and that some penguins are getting hurt by humans. Humans are penguins biggest threat and that we need to recycle more. Global warming is making penguins food (fish) move because the water is too warm for them and this causes the penguins not to have food.
- Diego

Guest Speaker: Lorena Ellis, University of Texas A&M Galveston, Marine Biologist
During scientist day, we talked with a marine biologist in Texas A&M Galveston. She talked about how the waste that gets deposited in the ocean usually ends up in the Great Pacific Trash Patch, which is a big patch of trash that is two times the size of Texas. We also learned about the trash that causes turtles to get injured and hurt, they include plastic, fish hooks, and more. Sea turtles eat anything they see, including the bad things. She told us many ways that we can stop the trash in the ocean including, using reusable water bottles, picking up trash, and not single use plastic.
- Varunika, Jaanvi, Tulsi

Guest Speaker, Randy Johnson, Horticulturist, The Dallas Zoo
We learned about gardening and composting from Randy Johnson. We also learned about the importance of picking the right plants for a garden. In addition to that we learned that you should use native plants and the borders in your garden should be abstract, not straight. We also learned that we should use a variation of vegetables and flowers.

- Abhijay and Scott

Guest Speaker, Mount Rainier Park Rangers

On scientist day I learned a lot about what a park ranger does.The mystery animal was a north spotted owl which is a pretty rare and endangered owl.It is very habitat specific so it only lived in North California and South Canada.It eats snowshoe hair rabbits and flying squirrels.The bard owl and golden eagle eat it.

- Harjas

Guest Speaker: Dr Robyn Olney, Pathologist
On scientist day we learned about what pathologist's do, and how they help patients. We could to see body parts real live like lungs, heart, babies that are still forming, and more. She taught us how they find out if someone has cancer, and she gave us a lesson on the body parts. We also learned about the integumentary system. Some things I learned is that smoking causes the lungs to have big wholes in them verses healthy lungs which have microscopic holes. We learned about cancer, and what they do to patients with breast cancer. Also, we learned that sometimes certain body parts have to be removed due to a problem. For example, sometimes people's tonsils need to be removed because their is a problem, or it isn't functioning properly. Those are some we learned yesterday from Dr. Onley.
- Krithi

The Skin Lab

This six weeks, our focus in science was the integumentary system, also known as the hair, the skin, and the nails. To learn about each of the function of the system we did a lab. To show how the skin protects the body from injuries and infections, we did an experiment to see how the receptors in our body react to stimuli. To demonstrate waste removal, we learned about sweat glands and how they release toxins. Lastly, to demonstrate homeostasis, we learned about how the arrecotor pili muscle contracts so that the temperature in your body can stay balanced.
- Neha and Prerana

Image created by Pranavi G.

Sleep Study

Every one has a day where they're so caught up in finishing up all of their work that they brush off the matter of getting enough sleep. We all have thoughts that are along the lines of 'It doesn't matter, I'll get more sleep tomorrow'. The truth is, getting enough sleep is so important that it could have a lasting effect on your sanity and cause, potentially, death. It also causes function delays and failure in your endocrine system and nervous system because the body gets replenished every time the owner sleeps, and without replenishment, the organs aren't refreshed and can't work to their full potential.

We've been testing out how losing sleep causes the brain and muscles to react slower, and it's been proven that people who have less sleep and are more distracted or unfocused (effect of less sleep) which causes them to react slower. Getting enough sleep might be a matter that is never brought to the light of importance that it deserves, or be considered as a serious health issue, but in the future, it is everyone's hope that people learn to get enough sleep.
- Veda, Kavya, Sriya, Pranavi

Our class data from Reaction Time vs Hours of Sleep

If you don't get enough sleep, your reaction time will be slower. The lack of sleep effects your memory and attitude. While we are sleeping, the toxins that build up during the day in the brain get washed away making you more refreshed for the next day.
- Hafsa, Sandi, Michael

Cell Show What You Know Showcase

Look at some of these amazing projects that students created to show what they learned about cells.  I loved all of the creativity and unique ideas that they came up with but here are a few of my favorites.
- Mrs. D.

Arjun's Plant Versus Animal Cells

Bethany's Minecraft Cell

Aakash's Animation on Endocytosis

Tia's Plant Versus Animal Cells

Inside of Bethany's Minecraft Cell