GRADE 9 SCIENCE

UNITS OF STUDY: 

SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION SKILLS & CAREER EXPLORATION BIOLOGY (ECOLOGY) CHEMISTRY  SPACE

UNIT 1: 

SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION SKILLS & CAREER EXPLORATION

 

Sep. 1 -- Course Introduction & Scientific Career Brainstorming

Homework: With your parents, please read the letter sent home by Mrs. Wheeler about this grade 9 science course. Once you and your parents have both signed at the bottom, please detach the signature portion and return it to Mrs. Wheeler tomorrow.

 

Sep. 2 -- Using Scientific Models (Black Box Activity)

HW: Complete your diagram of a possible model for your "black box"  before tomorrow so that tomorrow we can start building your models in class.

 

Sep. 3 -- Using Scientific Models (Black Box Activity continued)

 

Sep. 4 -- Brainstorming Science Careers 

 

Sep. 8 -- Spinning Blimps Experiment

HW: Canadian Firsts

Read this website about "Canadian Firsts"; Discoveries & Inventions made by Canadians and then answer the following questions on looseleaf using full sentences. To hand in tomorrow:

 

1. a) What did Canadians launch in order to broadcast national television signals?

b) In what year was it launched?

2. a) In which year was Standard Time invented?

b) What is the purpose of Standard Time?

3. a) What is the "Beaver"?

b) What qualities make it special?

c) In which year was it developped?

4. a) What "Canadian first" was discovered by a female scientist?

b) Name the scientist.

c) In which year did she make her discovery?

 

Sep. 9 -- Spinning Blimps Experiment (continued)

HW: Canadian Scientists

For each of these Canadian Scientist (Frederick Banting, Alexander Graham Bell, David Suzuki, and one person of your choice from this list), list the following information using full sentences:

a) Birthdate (& Deathdate if no longer living)

b) Degrees held (write the name of the degree - click here to find the name that matches each acronym).

c) Explanation of the discovery/invention/work for which they are famous (in your own words).

 

Sep. 10 -- Spinning Blimps Evaluation

HW: Finish the homework assigned Sep. 9

 

Sep. 11 -- Assembly

 

Sep. 14 -- Understanding & Creating Graphs in Science 

HW:  Terrestrial Biomes

Do a little internet research & provide a 2 or 3 sentence explanation (in your own words) for each of the following biomes : 

a) Desert, 

b) Deciduous Forest, 

c) Coniferous Forest 

d) Tundra, 

e) Tropical Rainforest, 

f) Grasslands

 

BIOLOGY (ECOLOGY)

 

Sep. 15 -- Ecosystems & Biomes 

 

Sep. 16 --  Terrestrial Biomes

HW: Aquatic Biomes

Provide a 2 or 3 sentence explanation (in your own words) for each of the following biomes (you can read about the biomes at this site: http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/biomes/aquatic.php)

a) ponds & lakes

b) streams & rivers

c) wetlands

d) oceans

e) coral reefs

f) estuaries 

 

Sep. 17 -- Aquatic Biomes

HW: Grassland & Rainforest

Complete the following chart using the links in the chart:

BIOME	TEMPERATURES (highs, lows)	PRECIPITATION (totals, patterns)	PLANT LIFE (3-5 examples)	ANIMALS (3-5 examples)	WRITE 3 INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THE BIOME (locations, other names, records, …)
Grasslands
Rainforests

 

Sep. 18 -- Terrestrial Biome Map of the World

 

Sep. 21 -- Fall Equinox

 

Sep. 22 -- Food Chains & Webs 

HW: Trout/Salmon's effect on the Food Web

The following diagram is a food web for a small river in the Pacific Northwest United States:

Use the above food web to answer this question on looseleaf in full sentence form: What would happen to other species in this food web if the trout & salmon were to all disapper. Explain what would happen to the species that consume these fish as well as the species that are consumed by these fish (think - population sizes!). 

 

Sep. 23 -- Trophic Levels

HW: Trophic Levels.

Use the following food web to answer the questions below:

1. Write out as many different food chains (single pathways) as you can find in this food web.

2. Make a chart to list the producers, primary consumer, secondary consumers, tertiary consumers, quaternary consumers, etc. (like we did in today's notes).

3. Highlight all of the food chains in your answer to #1 in which there are both terrestrial AND aquatic species.

 

Sep. 24 -- Energy in Food Chains

HW: Study Notes

On looseleaf make notes in order to study for tomorrow's quiz. Use your class notes and the links on this website in order to make your study notes. To be handed in with your quiz. Your study notes should be divided into 4 sections on a sheet of looseleaf (each section should be one half of one side of your sheet):

- keyword definitions

- main concepts

- diagrams / charts

- other

 

Sep. 25 -- Ecology Quiz - open book

 

Sep. 28 -- Interactions of Humans and Wolf Populations

HW: Value of Wolves

Using the handout from today's class, chose 1 of the 3 viewpoints on what should have been done about wolves in Yellowstone National Park.

Use information from today's video, the handout, and your own internet research to write a 1 page report that supports the viewpoint that you have chosen.

(For a list of useful websites for this assignment, click here:  http://www.nelson.com/nelson/school/secondary/science/0176120955/studweblinks_unit01.html#1.4) 

 

Sep. 29 -- Carrying Capacity & Limiting Factors

HW: St. Matthew Island Reindeer

Read this article: http://www.gi.alaska.edu/ScienceForum/ASF16/1672.html         

(for a map of St. Matthew Island's location, click here: http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/foci/ice07/images_maps/BeringSeaShelf_3map.jpg)

a) Write a summary of the story told in this article using a maximum of 5 sentences.

b) Explain which limiting factors led to the St. Matthew Reindeer population first going higher than the carrying capacity, and then those that led to the population's extirpation.

 

 

Sep. 30 -- Homework Catch-up Day

HW: catch up on any overdue homework

 

Oct. 1 -- Photosynthesis, Cellular Respiration, and the Carbon Cycle

HW: Carbon Cycle

First, watch these 2 videos about photoysynthesis:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7lh4q_photosynthesis-song-by-peter-weathe_tech

& http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7lh5m_photosynthesis-video-by-peter-weath_tech

 

Second, read this website about photosynthesis: http://www.realtrees4kids.org/sixeight/letseat.htm

Answer the following questions about photosynthesis in full sentence form on looseleaf:

1.      Describe photosynthesis in your own words.

2.      How does photosynthesis benefit a plant?

3.      Describe 2 ways in which animals (including humans) benefit from plants performing photosynthesis.

4.      Explain where, in the plant, photosynthesis takes place.

5.   Write out the chemical equation for photosynthesis: ______ + _______ + _______ --> _______ + __________

 

Third, read the following website: http://www.worsleyschool.net/science/files/photosynthesis/page.html  

and answer the following questions in full sentences: 

 

6. . Write a definition of "cellular respiration". 

 

7.  Write the chemical equation for the "cellular respiration" reaction using words:  

______ + _______  --> _______ + __________+ __________

 

8 . In which cellular structure does respiration take place?

 

Oct. 2 -- Introduce Ecology Poster Project

HW: Intro. ecology poster project

Read the handout provided to you on your assigned topic (either fertilizer use, pesticide use, burning of fossil fuels, or deforestation). Answer the questions from your sheet in full sentences on looseleaf. 

Oct. 5 -- Hare & Lynx Population Interactions                         

HW: Finish hare & lynx population graph & questions

 

Oct. 6 -- Biodiversity Wrap-Up

HW: get your 1st ecology test signed & Tree Planting homework:

Read this website ( http://www.tree-planter.com/?navigation_id=90&page_id=196&article_id=331&page=1 ) and answer the following questions using full sentences:

1. Who hires treeplanters, and why?

2. How does a tree planter carry the seedlings with him or her each day?

3. Approximately how many seedlings can a tree-planter carry at once?

4. How much is a tree planter paid?

5. List 3 different challenges involved in tree planting.

6. List 3 different reasons why you might like tree planting.

Read this website ( http://www.tree-planter.com/?navigation_id=90&page_id=196&article_id=333&page=1 ) and answer question #7 in full sentence:

7. List the 7 characterisitcs that this site says are important for you to have if you to be a tree-planter (do you have what it takes?).

 

Oct. 7 -- Research Period for Ecology Poster Project

HW: Study Notes

On looseleaf make notes in order to study for tomorrow's quiz. Use your class notes and the links on this website in order to make your study notes. To be handed in with your quiz. Your study notes should be divided into 4 sections on a sheet of looseleaf (each section should be one half of one side of your sheet):

- keyword definitions

- main concepts

- diagrams / charts

- other

 

Oct. 8 -- Last Ecology Test

(Note that the makeup date for this test for any student that missed the test or needs more time has been changed to next WEDNESDAY, Oct. 14 at lunch in Rm. 304)

HW: Poster Section 1

Create a rough draft of the text that you will have on your ecology poster for section 1; Definition &  Use.

 

 

Oct. 13 -- Ecology Keyword Wrap-up

HW: Rough draft of poster project section 2 (Threats to ecosystems)

 

CHEMISTRY 

 

Oct. 14 -- The Periodic Table of Elements Introduction

HW: Rough draft of poster project section 3 (Promoting sustainability)

 

Oct. 15 -- Periodic Table of Elements (continued)

HW: Complete poster project

 

Oct. 16 -- Individual Work Period for Poster Project

HW: Complete poster project

 

Oct. 19 --  Individual Work Period for Poster Project

HW: Complete poster project

 

Oct. 20 -- Poster Project DUE + Physical & Chemical Properties of Matter

 

Oct. 21 -- Physical & Chemical Properties (continued)

 

Oct. 22 -- Atoms, Molecules, Elements, Compounds & Mixtures

 

Oct. 23 -- Lab: Identifying substances using physical & chemical properties

Did you miss the lab? Do the makeup lab at home:

 

Oct. 26 -- Complete lab writeup

 

Oct. 27 -- Chemical Formulas

HW: Chemical Formulas

Complete the following chart (the first example is done for you). We started this activity in class; finish it for homework.

Substance’s Name	Chemical Formula	List the different elements	How many atoms of each element are there?	Total number of elements contained in compound	Total number of atoms contained in compound
Sodium Bicarbonate (Baking Soda)	NaHCO3	Sodium (Na), Hydrogen (H), Carbon (C), Oxygen (O)	1 atom of sodium, 1 atom of hydrogen, 1 atom of carbon, 3 atoms of oxygen	4	6
Calcium Carbonate (Chalk)	CaCO3
Sodium Nitrate (Fertilizer)	NaNO3
Calcium Phosphate (fertilizer)	Ca3(PO4)2
Sodium Chloride (salt)	NaCl
Acetylsalicylic acid (ASA or aspirin)	C9H8O4
Acetic Acid (vinegar)	C2H4O2

 

Oct. 28 -- Models of Molecules & Structural Formulas/Diagrams

HW: Do last night's homework if you have not already done so. 

 

Oct. 29 -- Chemical Formulas Wrap-up 

HW: Understanding Chemical Formulas 

Finish this handout that we started in class today. 

 

Oct. 30 -- Homework catchup day

 

Nov. 2 -- Physical & Chemical Changes

 

Nov. 3 -- Atomic Theories & Models 

HW:  Physical & Chemical Changes 

Take the online quiz found at http://www.quia.com/quiz/303980.html and create a table on looseleaf with 2 columns; physical changes & chemical changes. For each example in the quiz, write the example under the correct column.

 

Nov. 4 -- Take Our Kids to Work Day

 

Nov. 5 -- Bohr-Rutherford Diagrams

HW: Bohr-Rutherford Diagrams

Complete the periodic table on today's handout by drawing the Bohr-Rutherford Diagrams for each of the first 20 elements in the periodic table.

Missed class? Click on the link in the title for today's lesson to learn how to draw Bohr-Rutherford Diagrams. Then print page 2 of this document: http://www.brandonsd.mb.ca/massey/staff/baraniuk/science10f/borhrutherford%20diagrams.doc to have the handout I gave to the class today. 

 

Nov. 6 -- Bohr-Rutherford Diagrams (cont.)

 

Nov. 9 -- Metals, Non-metals & Metalloids

If you missed today's class, you will need these 2 periodic tables in order to complete the homework:

A periodic table displaying each element as either a metal, nonmetal or mettaloid: http://www.windows.ucar.edu/earth/geology/images/periodic_table.gif

A periodic table displaying each element's state at room temperature: http://z.about.com/d/chemistry/1/0/X/u/PeriodicTableNaturalState.jpg

HW: Metals, Non-metals, Metalloids, & State of Matter

Create a chart/table that will allow you to list for each of the following symbols

(i) the element's name,

(ii) its state of matter at room temperature and

(iii) its metallic status (metal, nonmetal, or metalloid):

Al, O, Se, Hg, H, Fe, Ne, Br, As, Cu, He, B, Ca

 

Nov. 10 -- Periods, Groups, & Special Families of Elements

HW: Element Families

Complete the handout given out during class today.

 

Remembrance Day (Nov. 11th): Click here for a clip about Arthur Wilkinson, a Glebe alumni who fought at war. (works in Internet Explorer)

 

Nov. 11 -- Review: Chemistry

HW: Study Notes

On looseleaf make notes in order to study for tomorrow's test. Use your class notes and the links on this website in order to make your study notes (here is a list of keywords to help you study). To be handed in with your test. Your study notes should be divided into 4 sections on a sheet of looseleaf (each section should be one half of one side of your sheet):

- keyword definitions

- main concepts

- diagrams / charts

- other

 

Nov. 12 -- Chemistry Test

 

Nov. 16 -- Chemistry Test (continued)

HW: Graphene's Superstrength

Read this article: http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/articles/20081217/Feature1.asp

Answer these questions in full sentences on looseleaf: http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/articles/20081217/TZWorksheet.asp 

(only answer the 3 sets of questions under the science heading ... not the questions for social science or language arts).

 

Nov. 17 -- Chemistry Issues

HW: Chemistry Issues

Using your handout from class, finish answering the questions about the topic for which you are an "expert".

If you missed class do the work outlined in this link.

 

Nov. 18 -- Chemistry Issues (cont.)

 

Nov. 19 -- H1N1: Swine Flu

HW: H1N1 Swine Flu

1.What are the symptoms of swine flu?

2.How does swine flu spread from one person to another?

3.How do vaccines work?

4.What are some of the difficulties that can arise from vaccines?

5.Why is there more of a danger of a flu pandemic spreading globally now than there was hundreds of years ago?

Here are some websites that might help you answer some of the above questions: 

http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/alert-alerte/h1n1/fs-fr_h1n1-eng.php (symptoms & spread of H1N1) 

http://blogs.howstuffworks.com/2009/11/19/how-vaccines-work/ (vaccinations)

 

Nov. 20 -- Density 

HW: Density 

Use this interactive website (http://www.sciencejoywagon.com/explrsci/media/density.htm) to complete the following table (an example has been done for you):

Object	Mass (g)	Volume (mL)	Calculations	Density (g/mL)
Blue triangle	99	44	99/44	2.25

 

Nov. 23 -- LAB: What is the density of water?

HW: Water Density Procedure

Create a step by step (number each step) procedure that explains to a grade 8 student who hasn't learned about density how to calculate the density of water. The materials you will be given: a digital balance/scale, a graduated cylinder, water. 

 

Nov. 24 -- LAB continued

HW: Buoyancy

Go back to the website assigned for homework on Nov. 20. Add one last column to the chart with the name "Sinks or Floats". And for each object that you found the density of previously, record whether or not it sinks or floats in the water pail.

Answer the following question: What is the relationship between an object's density and whether or not it floats? 

 

 

Nov. 25 -- Buoyancy

HW: Study notes

You will be allowed 1 page of study notes only (double sided) for tomorrow's quiz on buoyancy & density.

 

Nov. 26 -- Quiz & Introduction of Space Unit

 

SPACE

 

Nov. 27 --  Video: Astronomy's Greatest Discoveries

HW: Catch up on any overdue homework