Although humans are primarily land dwellers, the Earth’s surface is largely water. The world’s oceans make up 99% of the planet’s biosphere and contain the greatest diversity of life. Even the most biologically rich tropical rain forests cannot match the biodiversity (measured by the number of species) found in a coral reef community. Rain forests, …
Life Beyond the Organism
Life does not stop with the individual body. There are still several levels of biological organization lying beyond the organism (but including it). POPULATIONS Of course, male and female organisms of the same species or ‘‘kind’’ can breed with one another. The result of such breeding is a population. A population consists of a group …
Spheres of Earth
The Earth, or our Ecosphere, is made up of different layers, both living and non-living. Before, we saw that the Earth's interior is made up of four layers: the crust, mantle, outer core, and inner core. The exterior, where we can directly observe, has four "spheres" as well. They are the biosphere, which is made …
A Pyramid of Life (…flipped!)
We use this model to understand the scale of what makes up life and, more importantly, where life begins -- at the cell.
Structure and Function of a Cell (As a City)
We compared the cell (which is where life begins) to a city, in order to better understand the function of it parts, or organelles. Nucleus: Government | Nucleolus: Governors | Chromatin: The Law Cell Membrane (if plant, Cell Wall): Border Security/Customs and Immigration Cytoplasm: Roads Ribosomes : Lumbar Yard Mitochondria: Power Plant Endoplasmic Reticulum: Delivery …
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Journey to the Center of the Earth
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=3FoSAHk7DMA&feature=emb_logo This is the first part of our understanding of our Mother Earth -- its interior. We learn that the Earth has four main layers: the crust, mantle, outer core, and inner core. As you watch, write observational notes about what you may find inside. Pay careful attention to the numbers and the data. Struggling …
Our Place in the Universe, and the Fragility of Life
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44cv416bKP4 For Environmental Science, we use this video to get an idea of the special the Earth is at the scale of the entire Universe. There are billions of galaxies, and within each galaxy billions of stars, and around hundreds of planets, but it is only around our Sun that we find Earth, our home, …
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Mental Health
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=petg12b36UA Mental Health Facts for TeensDownload
The Gaia Hypothesis
In 1974, James Lovelock explained that the Earth existed as a single living organism inhis Gaia hypothesis. He described how organic and inorganic components interactthrough complex reactions to balance an environment where life can exist. Lovelock’sGaia theory considers the evolution of a tightly integrated system made up of all livingthings and the physical environment: the …
Read Your Science News
Student Scientists, I encourage you to get used to reading science news on your own time. For extra credit, write a brief summary or response to any article you come across. Science and technology are tools that define the future. Learn and use the language, and feed your curiosity. Below are links so some popular …
Mr. Aly's Science Classroom 