What's going on in Mr. Solarz' Class? - Mikey S

KinderPals Reflection

5/22/2018

What is the KinderPals Program?
In what ways do you think the program benefits the kindergartners? Try to explain several with support.
Why is the KinderPals program beneficial to 5th graders? Believe it or not, you should be getting something out of the program as well!
What challenges did you experience in KinderPals this year?
What improvements could be made to the program for next year?
Do you think the kindergartners enjoyed the stories from Peekapak? Why do you think that? Do you have any evidence to support your answer?

It is a program that helps kindergartners understand life skills at a young age. As fifth graders we teach them the skills like honesty, Courage and lots of others. This program is nice because it takes it down to kindergartner level of understanding.
I think it benefits them because like i said earlier it takes it down to a kindergartner level of understanding. Also it teaches them life skills that they will need in life.
I think it is beneficial for fifth graders because we get to work with younger kids and explain the skills to them this is a good skill for us because if someone didn't under stand something, we would have to take it down to an easier level of understanding. Just like how we do it with the kindergartners.
I didn't face a lot of challenges. But the ones I did face wore like my kindergarten buddy didn't understand something and I didn't know how to explain it any other way.
I like the program how it is. But I think they could maybe make some of the stuff slightly quicker to do because it is hard to get throw all of the activities and other things. Also maybe they could add in quizzes to make sure the learned something and because my kindergartner really liked them.
I think my buddy enjoyed the story's because when we read them to him he almost always had a smile on his face.

Testing Plant growth

5/14/2018

Independent Variable

Plant seeds in different kinds of soil (e.g. potting soil, perlite, sand, etc.)

Idependent Variables

Measure the height of each plant at certain checkpoints.
________________________

Evidence

We can record our data using measurements (in cm).
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Reflection/Synthesis

Answers

Name your Control Variables (What will stay the same for each of the three cups)?
Name the Independent Variable (What is it that is different for each of the three cups)?
Name your Dependent Variable (What is it that you are testing & recording data on?)
What data are you collecting to serve as Evidence to show how plants grow in organic material versus inorganic planting material?
Why is everyone starting with the same three cups? Why do we need to test so many plants?
What sprouts first in a seed: the stem or the root?
How do you know? How do the pictures below help explain your answer for #6?
Why do you think it goes in that order?

They did all have the same substance that the plant was put in.
All the plants grow to different heights.
How Tall the plants grow and if it will grow or not.
All but one of the plants that were planted in organic grow. In Inorganic all but five plants grow.
we need to test a lot Because if one dies, go missing (is not in the cup). Also it gives us more Information.
The root fist so it can get to water and so it is more sturdy. During this time it is still able to live off the seed energy.
It shows the seed with the roots growing out of it.
the seed has energy so it can live on that but it needs water. So water is more important at the time so it grows its roots first so it can get the water it needs. Then be the time the roots are made the seed starts to run low on energy. So it grows its stem next to get sun light to make it energy.

Plants As Producers

5/3/2018

Plants need energy and matter to grow. Where do plants get their ENERGY?
Where do plants get their MATTER?
Where do plants get their FOOD (be careful - this is a trick question)?
Why are plants called Producers?
What would happen if plants didn't have a way to get energy?
What would happen to animals if there were no plants to eat?
What are some of the LIVING components of a plant "system"? (A plant "system" is everything that a plant needs to survive and everything it produces.)
What are some of the NON-LIVING components of a plant "system"?
In what ways do the components of the system interact?
What matter is transported in and out of the plant system?

Plants get their energy from the sun, carbon dioxide, and water. The plant uses this stuff to make its food/energy.
They absorb water and nutrients from the soil and carbon dioxide from the air.
Plants don't get their food. They make it.
They are called producers because they make their own food.
They would die because every living thing needs energy.
Plants play the biggest roll in the food chain because they are the lowest item. They are eaten first.
The living components are animals, plants, fungi, bacteria.
it needs the sun, carbon dioxide, water, and soil. it makes are oxygen.
Most of the non-living components help plant live and grow. But most of the living stuff plants is not good for the plant like animals (the kill the plant when the eat it).
Carbon dioxide is transferred in and out of the plant. It comes is as carbon dioxide and comes out as oxygen.

Players in an Ecosystem

4/25/2018

Reflect & Synthesize:

Choose one of your Food Chains that you created and explain how it works.
Can a Food Web be considered a "system"? Why or why not?
What happens if a plant or animal all of a sudden disappears from the food web?
Using this food chain, "sunlight to apple to worm to bird to cat," How do organisms in this food chain get the matter they need for body repair and growth?
Using the same food chain in #4, How do organisms in that food chain get the energy they need for body warmth and motion?
What do you think happens to the matter that is NOT used by the organisms in a food chain or food web? Is it wasted or does something else happen?

In the bottom one the rabbit is eating the grass. But then gets eaten by the eagle.
Yes its a system, because its a system of wht eats what.
If a animal dies from the food web it could make all the other animals die.
They the get there matter from eating their pray.
The apple collects the suns energy when it makes it food. When a worm eats that apple he gets some of that left over glucose witch helps him.
It becomes wast.It is useless to the animal so the animal poops or pees it out.

Food - Matter & Energy

4/19/2018

Questions

On the human food label:

How do we find the energy (calories) per serving?
How do we find the matter (carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals)?
Where can we locate the list of ingredients?

On the pet food label:

Where can we locate the list of ingredients?
How do we find the percentage of different types of matter in the food?

On the human food label:

You look under Nutrition facts and it is there. Also it should be located at the top.
They are right under Calories. Should be located in the middle.
You look at the ingredients. They should be located at the bottom.

On the pet food label:

The ingredients should be located at the top of the label.
You should find them at the bottom of the label.

Reflection/Synthesis questions

As a result of looking at food labels, what did you learn about food?
Look at the ingredients of one human food label. Write down the food name. What ingredients came from animals?
What ingredients in the above food label came from plants?
What similarities and differences did you notice between the human food and pet food labels you looked at?
Choose an animal/insect from the ecosystem walk. What do you think it eats? Explain what you think it gets from its food.

I learned a few new things about food. One I learned that Dog food has a lot of stuff in it, and that Dog food and human food have a lot of stuff in common.
The food is tomato soup. None of the food came from animals in the soup.
Any thing with the word tomato and high fructose corn syrup. Also Corn syrup, soybean oil, carrot fibber, and spices.
They both had vegetables in them and salt these two were the ones that stood out to me tho.
I pick a squirrel. A squirrel gets its food from Nuts. Nuts come from trees. So a squirrel gets its food from trees.

More Reflection/Synthesis questions

What does food provide to animals, including humans?
Do the pet food and human food have the same nutrients? In what ways are they different?
Does a higher calorie count mean a food is better for pets to eat? What makes pet owners think that?
What is it in food that helps us repair our bodies and grow?
What in food helps us move and stay warm?
In what way does energy transfer when animals eat food?
Look at the nutrition label below for milk. How much energy is in the food?
What matter is in the food?

Food gives us matter and energy. Energy gives us the strength to do work, and matter helps our bodies heal.
They are pretty similar to each other but there are some differences. That human food has to list what nutrients is in it but pet food estimates the amount in it.
A higher calorie amount does not mean that it is healthier it depends on the nutrients it contains. Pet owners might think that more calories would give their pet more energy but it depends on whats in the food.
Matter helps animals and us repair our bodies from cuts, and scarps, etc.
Energy is the one that helps us move and stay warm because it gives our body the strength to do things (work).
Our body break down the food in to molecules and then we absorb it. Witch then converts it to energy.
The amount per serving is 160 calories. A serving is one cup. So in my opinion it is a lot for just one cup.
9 grams of fat, 8 grams of protein, and 11 grams of carbohydrates, vitamin A 30%, vitamin C 6%, calcium 30%, Iron 0%.

What is an Ecosystem?

4/10/2018

Lake Ecosystem Interactions

Within a system of living things

Ducks eat plants and bugs
Ducks eat the fish
Fish eat algae and other fish
Ducks get oxygen from the plants

Between living and non-living things.

Ducks breath air (oxygen)
Ducks swim in the water
Trees give the ducks oxygen
Fish swim under water

Lake Ecosystem Interactions

Within a system of living things

Fish eat fish and algae
Plants act as habitat
Plant gives oxygen to the fish
Grass gives the fish food

Between living and non-living things.

Fish need water to survive
Fish need oxygen
plants need soil to survive
Plant needs water to survive

Reflection questions

What kinds of living things (organisms) do you see in both pictures?
What other living things might be here, even if you can't see them in the photos?
Why might living things in these photos interact with each other?
Read the BIG IDEA below. How do these pictures depict an ecosystem?

Answers:

The living things I see in the photo with the ducks are obviously ducks and plants like trees. In the one with the one below the one with ducks there are fish and plants.
There might be bugs in both, but in the one with ducks their might be fish, and in the fish in there might be snails or maybe turtles.
The Plants interact with the ducks because they give off oxygen and the ducks need oxygen to survive and the plants also act as a sores of food. In the other one is kind of like the same thing the plant gives the fish oxygen and food but it also gives the fish shelter.
They have every thing you need to have to make up an ecosystem Animals, plants, etc. They are helpful because one is above water and on is bellow water so you get a better picture of an ecosystem.

Money Island and Vault Reflection

4/9/2018

Skills21 - Superhero Rehabilitation Program

4/9/2018

#WorldPoetryDay

4/3/2018

I was at speech.

The constitution of the kingdom of Dustania

3/21/2018

Click here for Bill of Rights

Reflection/Synthesis Questions:

What was the hardest part of writing your preamble? Explain how you overcame that challenge.
What is your favorite part of your preamble? Why is that part powerful and important?
What is the purpose of a preamble in a constitution? What does it do?

The hardest part was writing it in all. It was hard coming up with all the things you can do and can't do. I over came this by just siting down and thinking, and my parents gave me a few ideas for it.
My favorite part of my preamble is the beginning of it I feel that it is one of the strongest parts. It is important because with out it, it would sound funny and who would know which countries preamble it is.
The preamble is an important part of the constitution because it stats the main idea of the constitution.

5th grade classroom website