How Big? - Checkout this Really Cool Website

How big is a dust mite?  What about a red blood cell?  Checkout this great website and get a view of some pretty small objects compared to the head of a pin.  http://www.cellsalive.com/howbig.htm

When you get to the website, click on "Start the Animation".  When the animation begins, click on the blue arrows next to the word "Magnification".  You can zoom in and out and get a real appreciation of things that are just too small for the unaided eye to see.  Have fun!

Learn to Observe - Checkout Your Soil and Earn a Reward

Sand, silt, and clay are the basic types of soil. Most soils are made up of a combination of the three. The texture of the soil, how it looks and feels, depends upon the amount of each one in that particular soil. The type of soil varies from place to place on our planet and can even vary from one place to another in your own backyard.  The surface rocks break down into smaller pieces and are mixed with moss and organic matter. Plants help the development of the soil. How?  The plants attract animals, and when the animals die, their bodies decay making the soil thick and rich.  

TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR SOIL AND EARN A REWARD!

Using a shovel, gather one or two cups of soil from your your home or farm and place into a Ziploc plastic bag.  (Try to dig your shovel into the ground at least 5 or 6 inches.)

Examine your soil sample and record your answers to these questions on a sheet of paper

• Does all of the soil appear the same ?  If not, what differences do you see ?
• What color is the soil?  (Try to be VERY specific)
• How would you describe the texture?  Is it sandy or does it feel more like clay?
• Do you see anything living in the soil?  (Use a magnifying glass to observe if possible)

Bring your bagged soil sample and your written answers to class on Friday, 23 September to receive a reward!

Sunscreen - How Does that Stuff Work? EARN A REWARD

Sunscreens stop harmful ultraviolet light from penetrating into your skin and they work in one of two ways. Some of them absorb (soak up) the ultraviolet light.  Other suncreens work by reflecting UV light away from your skin using chemicals like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. When it sits on your face, it works like a natural mirror that bounces away the harmful energy in sunlight so it does less damage to your skin. For reflective sunscreens to work properly, you need to apply them liberally and leave them forming a barrier on your face and body—in other words, don't rub them into your skin but let them dry on top, even if it makes you look like a ghost! 

EARN A REWARD!

(1)    Find a bottle or tube of sunscreen.  Look on the container and find the “active ingredients”.  Write down the name of Sunscreen product and the name of the active ingredients

(2)    Record three other ways to protect your skin from the sun

(3)    Did you know that overexposure to the sun can cause cancer?  Write two or three sentences to explain why this is true.  (If you are not sure, formulate your best guess!)

To earn your reward, record your answers on paper and provide to Mrs D by class on Friday!