Open the below file and read about and answer the questions for each animals adaptations on a separate piece of paper. Search the follow:
Organism
An individual animal, plant or single-celled life form Environment The surrounding or conditions in which a person, animal or plant lives. What are genetic traits? •Characteristics that are passed on to you (inherited) from you parents. •Genes in your cells carry the information that determine your traits. •Both plants and animals have inherited traits from their parents. Charles Darwin •Born in England (1809-1882) •Famous for his work on natural selection •Spent 5 years doing research on his ship the HMS Beagle •Wrote “On the Origin of Species”, which was hugely controversial Adaptation •A body part, feature, or behavior that helps a living thing survive and function better in its environment •Happens through natural selection Natural Selection •The process whereby organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring. •Favorable traits become more common over long periods of time. Darwin’s Finches •Darwin studied finches on the Galapagos Islands. •He theorized that 13 species had a common ancestor. •The finches have developed distinctive beaks through the long-time process of adaptation. •Each species of finches eat different types of food. Other Bird Beaks •A cone-shaped bill found in many birds, including finches, is good for cracking seeds. •Thin, slender pointed beak are used to pick insects off of twigs and bark. •Woodpecker have strong beaks which form a chisel for pecking holes in trees to get to the insects. •Birds of prey have hooked beaks used to bite and tear their prey. •Mallard duck’s bill are fringed to strain plants , seeds and small animals from mud and water. Other Examples of Natural Selection 1.In Nebraska deer mice that moved to the sand hill changed from dark to light brown to better hide from predators. ● 2.In one ecosystem, lizards adapted long legs that could climb better to avoid floods and reach food. ● Peacocks with bigger and brighter tails mate more often. Fainter colored peacocks are becoming rare. Selective Breeding •The process by which humans choose a plant or animal to breed based on specific traits. •This is done by choosing which plants or animals will sexually reproduced to create the desired offspring. Selective Breeding •Also called elective breeding •Only occurs when humans intervene •Adaptations happen over a shorter period of time than natural selection. GEOs – Genetically ENGINEERED Organisms •Engineered to contain foreign DNA that the organism could not obtain in traditional breeding. •Usually used to introduce a beneficial trait •Controversy as to whether GEO foods should be labeled as such Examples Corn - insect resistance Soybeans - herbicide tolerance Rice - vitamin enrichment Potatoes - virus resistance
Atoms
•Positive and negative charges begin with the atom. •Protons - positive charge •Electrons – negative charge •If the number of protons and electrons is the same, the atom has no charge or is neutral. •Atoms tend to gain and lose electrons easily. •Gain of electrons = negative charge •Loss of electrons = positive charge •A charged atom is an ion. •Because this atom is now positive, it will be attracted and bond to an atom with a negative charge. (opposites attract) Forces of Nature •Magnetic Forces – the attractive and repulsive forces between two poles •Electric Forces – occur when ions create attractive and repulsive forces •These two forces can work independently or together. •Electromagnetism – a force combining both electric and magnetic forces Magnetic Forces •All matter is made of atoms. •Negatively charged electrons spin around atoms. •When electrons all spin in the same direction, they create an invisible force known as magnetism. •The power of a magnet is known as the magnetic force of that magnet. •Magnets have two poles, north and south. •As poles come close to each other they either attract or repel. •Around these poles is an area known as the magnetic field. •The farther from the poles, the weaker the field. •Also, the stronger the magnet, the larger the field. Electric Forces •Electric charges create electric forces. •Like magnets, there are two types of charges – positive and negative. •Like magnets, the forces either attract or repel. •This is called static electricity, which does not move through a current. Electric Current •Rate of flow of charged particles •Electric charge is made up of protons (+) and electrons (–) •When electrons flow in a circuit, a current is produced. •Measured in Amperes (A) •1A = 1,000 mA milliamperes •1mA = 0.001 A The energy source (battery) gives energy to electrons and pushes them around a circuit from the negative (-) terminal to the positive (+) terminal of the cell. •Electric Field – the area around an electric charge that experiences the force exerted by the electric charge. •Impacting the strength of the electric field: •The farther from the charge, the weaker the field. •The greater the charge, the greater the field. Electromagnetism •Electric charges in motion create magnetic fields. •An electric current is a moving charge. •A current flowing through a wire is surrounded by a magnetic field. •This produces an electromagnet. •Wrap a wire around a piece of iron or steel to make the magnet stronger. •Increase the strength of the electromagnet by: •Increasing the number of loops of wire •Increasing the current or voltage Electromagnetism Uses •Unlike a permanent magnet, the strength of an electromagnet can easily be changed by changing the amount of electric current that flows through it. •Uses- •Hard drives •Speakers •Motors •Generators •MRI machines •Scrap yard magnets – to pick up heavy metal The 1st week of school, 7th & 8th graders will review and practice some of the Science classroom expectations highlighted below. Please take time to review them as well as the information listed on my website.
Information for students and parents will be posted on this website. Contact info, curriculum, items needed for class and even classroom notes and resources. I will update the website at least 3 times a week. When your child is absent; have them go to this website to get caught up what was discussed in the class.
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Erik E. Mason
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