Saving Earth

Guiding Question: How can we make the world a better place?

Project Idea #2: Write a Book for Kids on Saving Earth

"Our next project is writing a book and saving the Earth. We are most excited about it because we could be published in a real book in iTunes! This book will inform kids about how our actions can effect the earth, and how we can change our lifestyle to change the earth for the better."
- Cat and Katy

"Millions of years ago, humans were nothing but uncivilized creatures as good as animals, living ruggedly. As we look through time and see evolution, we see that humans have became something more and discovered so much about the world. However, humans completely overpopulating and taking over the world with their cities, homes, and yards hasn't necessarily been the best thing. In our science class, we are writing a Save The Earth book for kids. It revolves around the concept of how we have to take back our planet, and nurse it back to health. It also teaches kids that no matter what their age or home, they can help the world. The best part about the book is that it teaches simple, understandable methods of sprucing up your daily life to benefit the Earth. With hard work, an undeniable amount of resilience and effort, there is no doubt this book will turn out to be a success, because of how it reaches out to kids, and instead of speaking to their heads, it speaks to their heart."
- Veda and Jillian

Current book cover and title

Current chapter ideas

Environmental Pollutants

Guiding Question: How do environmental stimuli, such a pollution alter plant growth?

In class, we decided to figure how different pollutants affected onions. Our groups each got a different chemical to work with. (My group specifically has Ant Killer) Each day we recorded the average of the root growth of the onion. And on the third day, we added the pollutant. It didn't really do much at first but then it stopped growing and it started to break apart at the bottom.
- Najwa and Abbey

In class, we are doing a project on the ways onions respond to different kinds of chemicals we feed it. The purpose of this is to see how different things affect the environment when something contaminates water. This is because we are seeing what would happen if it happened to our water. I have learned that onions grow roots when you put it in water and that some different chemicals destroy the roots and make the onion deteriorate.
- Lindy

These images show the difference in root growth in an onion placed in water compared to an onion placed in acid rain.

Heart Smart Lab

Guiding Question:
How does the environment alter heart rate?

We just learned about the heart and how it works. We conducted an experiment to see how the heart would work when we were scared or nervous. We decided to watch a horror movie trailer and then we recorded our heart rates before and after. We learned that our heart rate increases because of a process called fight or flight. The process increases your breathing and heart rate to help your muscles move faster so you can either fight fear or run away.
- Lindy and Maria

In the Heart Smart ADI Lab, we compared how different levels of stress effects the heart rate. To do this, we solved math worksheets on different time limits. For the first trial, we had 30 seconds; for the second trial, we had 60 seconds; and for the third trial, we had 90 seconds. Once we complete down the experiment, we found that the heart rate for the first trial was much higher than the second and third trials. We learned that this was because stress triggers the body's "fight-or-flight" response. This results in an increased production of adrenaline, which releases sugar into the body. This sugar makes a person more energetic, and have a higher heart rate.
- Joanne