Science Rocks!
November 17-25: Before you leave for Thanksgiving Break make sure you have turned in: 1.) Your Yellow Perch Poster 2.) Your Dissection Scavenger Hunt 3.) Vertebrates Classwork Questions 4.) Your completed Yellow Perch Dissection Lab Work
Ms. Smith's Portaportal: http://guest.portaportal.com/MsLSmith
The Yellow Perch and Dissection Scavenger Hunt Websites are available using the Portaportal.
_______________________________________________________________________
Study Guide: Life Through Time Test #1
Directions: Find answers to the following questions and study daily to prepare yourself for the upcoming test on Life Through Time: 4.5BYA-410 MYA.
1.) What does the word evolve mean?
2.) What is an organism?
3.) What is a cell?
4.) What is an adaptation? Give an example of an adaptation.
5.) Do individual organisms or do species of organisms change, or evolve, over many generations?
6.) What's the difference between a structural adaptation and a behavioral adaptation?
7.) What are the similarities and differences between the land during 4.5 BYA -544 MYA and 544 MYA-410MYA? (Might be a good place to draw a Venn Diagram.)
8.) What are the similarities and differences between the water during 4.5 BYA -544 MYA and 544 MYA-410MYA? (Might be a good place to draw a Venn Diagram.)
9.) What types of plants lived during 4.5 BYA-544 MYA?
10.) What types of plants lived during 544 MYA- 410 MYA?
11.) What types of animals lived during 4.5 BYA-544 MYA?
12.) What types of animals lived during 544 MYA- 410 MYA?
13.) What organisms had the first eyes and the beginning of a brain?
14.) What organisms helped create oxygen on earth?
15.) What organisms suffered as a result of an increase in oxygen on earth?
16.) What advanced digestive tract evolved by 544 MYA? How was it different from other digestive tract systems?
17.) What are the similarities and differences between the weather and atmosphere during 4.5 BYA -544 MYA and 544 MYA-410MYA? (Might be a good place to draw a Venn Diagram.)
18.) What did the continents looks like during 4.5 BYA-544 MYA?
19.) What did the continents look like during 544 MYA- 410 MYA?
20.) What allowed for organisms to evolve from living in the ocean to living on land?
21.) Why were plants larger during 544-410 MYA than they are today?
22.) How do algae and moss reproduce?
23.) What are some examples of arthropods?
23.) What are the characteristics of the following organism groups: mollusks, segmented worms, arthropods, and echinoderms.
24.) What are the benefits of having an exoskeleton?
25.) How do the following organisms move and defend themselves: mollusks, segmented worms, arthropods, and echinoderms?
CHECK YOUR ANSWERS!!!!
Directions: Study daily to prepare yourself for the upcoming test on Life Through Time: 4.5BYA-410 MYA. Have someone quiz you, create flash cards, write down your own notes, organize your notes. Do what works best for you, to remember.
1.) What does the word evolve mean?
The word evolve means to change over time. We are particularly studying how species change over time. That's why we are looking at the tree of life.
2.) What is an organism?
An organism is a living thing from the six kingdoms of life.
3.) What is a cell?
A cell is the smallest structural living unit that can function independently.
4.) What is an adaptation? Give an example of an adaptation.
An adaptation is a feature or behavior that can improve an organisms' chance of survival.
An example of a physical adaptation could be the spiky exoskeleton's on the trilobites. This physical adaptation enables the trilobites to avoid predators. Another example of a physical adaptation could be the sharp quills that porcupines have. This prevents most predators from eating them. Size can be a physical adaptation too. For example, few animals eat an animal as large as the moose, because it would take too much energy to kill. Some animals, like chameleon's, have the ability to change colors to hide from other animals. This is called camouflage and is another example of an adaptation. In addition to physical adaptations, animals have behavioral adaptations that enable them to capture prey or to avoid predators. For example, skunks spray attacking animals with a bad-smelling liquid. When squid and octopuses are threatened, they release a cloud of ink so they can escape.
5.) Do individual organisms or do species of organisms change, or evolve, over many generations?
Species evolve over many generations. A species is a group of organisms that share similar characteristics and can reproduce among themselves. Humans are an example of a species. Gerbils are an example of a species. An individual gerbil, like the one we have in the classroom, won't suddenly evolve a pair of huge whiskers during it's life time; however, over millions of years, as the offspring of the gerbil reproduces, and the offspring of that offspring reproduces, tiny mutations occur. If the mutations help the gerbils live in an environment, then there might be more of those gerbils around. For example, if a gerbil was born with a mutation to have big whiskers, and those whiskers helped them get through small holes to escape cats, then it might be more likely that that gerbil lives to pass on its genes or traits to the next generation. Over time, all the whiskerless gerbils might be eaten by cats, leaving only long-whiskered gerbils to rule the world.
6.) What's the difference between a structural adaptation and a behavioral adaptation?
A structural adaptation is a physical feature or characteristic which allows an organisms to survive in its environment. For example, have a spiky exoskeleton is a structural adaptation, because it helps those organisms avoid being eaten. A behavioral adaption is a behavior which allows an organisms to survive in its environment. For example, when a skunk sprays predators, this is a behavioral adaptation, because it helps the skunk avoid being eaten.
7.) What are the similarities and differences between the land during 4.5 BYA -544 MYA and 544 MYA-410MYA? (Might be a good place to draw a Venn Diagram.)
The land 4.5 billion years ago to 544 million years ago was full of volcanoes, lava, and rock. It was an inhospitable landscape, where nothing, except anaerobic (non-oxygen breathing) bacteria could live. Towards 544 million years ago, some of the volcanic activity started to slow dang and the land began to cool.
The land 544-410 million years ago didn't have a lot of plants and animals on it. Plants evolved from algae and grew near the water's edges. This is probably because they hadn't had time yet to move inland. There were no seeds that flew in the air, so offspring of plants grew close by. The plants that did grow were very large. For example, there was giant club moss at this time. This is because there was not a lot of competition for sunlight and water. It was very humid, so the plants had lots of water to grow--just like the Redwood trees on the California coast. Again, these organisms were larger than what we would see today, because there was not a lot of competition for food and energy.
There was dirt during this time period as plants and animals began to decay. It was less volcanic, and very moist for the most part. There were varied environments, because a large portion of land was right around the equator, causing tropical conditions. There were also land towards the South pole, which would have been very cold.
8.) What are the similarities and differences between the water during 4.5 BYA -544 MYA and 544 MYA-410MYA? (Might be a good place to draw a Venn Diagram.)
During 4.5 billion years ago to 544 million years ago, there were simple, mostly soft organisms in the water. Lots of organisms lived in colonies, like sponges. The first organisms were single-celled, but over time, evolved into multi-celled organisms, like sponges. Flatworms lived in the water, and they developed the first "eyes," that could sense light, and the beginnings of brains. Jellyfish-like animals developed the first nerves and muscles. There wasn't a great deal of variety of organisms, because they hadn't had a lot of time to evolve. Algae started to form in the water, and this was the first organism to use the energy of the sun by photosynthesis. The algae started to provide oxygen to Earth's atmosphere.
During 544-410 million years ago there was a huge increase in water organisms. This is partly because the nutrient-richer water from melting glaciers, provided energy and nutrients for growing organisms in the water. There were a lot of trilobites in the ocean, and other hard-shelled animals. There is more variety and diversity of life in the water. Organisms have gotten larger and more complicated.
9.) What types of plants lived during 4.5 BYA-544 MYA?
Algae was the only type of plant living during this time period. Algae are very basic plant structures. over millions of years, through photosynthesis, they convert Earth's atmosphere to become oxygen-rich. Seaweed, which we observed in class, is a modern example, of a more complex form of algae.
10.) What types of plants lived during 544 MYA- 410 MYA?
Most of the plants during this time period were algae, mosses, liverworts, horsetails, and other moisture loving plants. All of these plants require moist/humid environments to grow in. This is partly because of the way they reproduce. Like algae, they release reproductive cells. These reproductive cells need to meet in a wet environment, so they can fertilize. The plants during this time period developed strong stalks and stems, because they needed them to grow tall, to compete for sunlight. Plants use sunlight to get energy and grow.
11.) What types of animals lived during 4.5 BYA-544 MYA?
Some of the animals that lived during 4.5 BYA to 544 MYA were sponges, flatworms, and jellyfish.
12.) What types of animals lived during 544 MYA- 410 MYA?
Some of the animals that lived during 544 MYA- 410 MYA were sponges, segmented worms, mollusks (squid, snails, clams), arthropods (millipedes, centipedes, crabs, lobsters, crayfish, shrimp, insects, trilobites, ticks, spiders, scorpions), sea squirts, echinoderms (sand dollars, star fish, sea urchins), and cnidarians (jellyfish, sea anemones).
13.) What organisms had the first eyes and the beginning of a brain?
The first organisms to evolve the first eyes and the beginning of a brain were the flatworms. However, the eyes of a flatworm are photo-receptors. They don't see like human eyes see; they can just sense light. The ability to sense light might help you avoid sunshine, so you don't dry out, or it might help you sense predators swimming above, so you can scurry under a rock.
14.) What organisms helped create oxygen on earth?
Algae were the first oxygen producing organisms. Through the process of photosynthesis, algae take in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, use energy from the sun to break it apart, and release oxygen. You see carbon dioxide is made of carbon molecules and oxygen molecules. The plants use the carbon to grow their stalks and leaves, and they release the oxygen into the air.
15.) What organisms suffered as a result of an increase in oxygen on earth?
The oxygen they produced at this time period killed some of the bacteria that could not live in an oxygen atmosphere; however, it allowed for many other organisms to evolve.
16.) What advanced digestive tract evolved by 544 MYA? How was it different from other digestive tract systems?
The digestive tract of the segmented worm was very complex for this time period. The segmented worm had a mouth where the food went in, and an anus, where the food went out. Many of the other organisms, like sponges, and jellyfish, only had small holes that food or nutrients ran through. The jellyfish had one opening for both the food and wastes to go in and out. Nutrients were able to cross the cell membrane of single celled organisms, and were packaged up in vacuoles to be transported out of the cells, but there was not one pathway for the food to travel through.
17.) What are the similarities and differences between the weather and atmosphere during 4.5 BYA -544 MYA and 544 MYA-410MYA? (Might be a good place to draw a Venn Diagram.)
Between 4.5 BYA and 544 MYA, the weather was very hot, with chance of volcanoes. Volcanic dust, thunder, lightning, and constant rain. Even the seas were hot. Later there was a cooling trend and worldwide glaciers make the temperatures very cold. The atmosphere was full of hydrogen, carbon monoxide, ammonia, and methane. You would die in these poisonous gases. Later the atmosphere was made of mostly nitrogen and oxygen. You could survive in these gases.
Between 544-410 MYA, the weather was very wet. Much of the Northern Hemisphere was under warm, shallow seas. There is a large chunk of land around the equator, which is very warm and tropical. There is also a large chunk of land around the South Pole, which is very cold.
18.) What did the continents looks like during 4.5 BYA-544 MYA?
During 4.5 BYA-544 MYA, the continents were all grouped together around the equator, into, basically one large continent called Pangaea.
19.) What did the continents look like during 544 MYA- 410 MYA?
The continents during this time period are broken into two larger continents. One of the continents is right around the equator. The other continent stretches from the equator to the South Pole. Most of the land is in the Southern Hemisphere. There are a lot of small chunks, or islands, that seem to be breaking apart from Pangaea.
20.) What allowed for organisms to evolve from living in the ocean to living on land?
Time is one large factor that allowed organisms to evolve from living in the ocean to living on land. It took millions and millions of years, for certain mutations to be selected for, which would eventually allow for an organism to live out of water. Also, the new atmosphere, which is rich in nitrogen and oxygen, allowed for many organisms to evolve that could use the oxygen. This was in great part to the help of algae.
21.) Why were plants larger during 544-410 MYA than they are today?
The plants were larger because there were very humid climates. Plants need water to live and grow, and the humid or moist environments allowed this. This is similar to the Redwood trees of today on the Californian coast. These trees can get so huge that you can drive a car through the trunk of one. That is because the moisture comes off the Pacific ocean, and keeps the environment wet and humid. Also, there weren't a lot of plants, because they had just evolved. This means, they basically had unlimited access to sunlight. They weren't competing for sun and nutrients to grow.
22.) How do algae and moss reproduce?
Both algae and moss reproduce by releasing reproductive cells. Algae releases reproductive cells into the water. These reproductive cells meet up, and can become fertilized in the water. Then they can start growing. Moss reproduces by releasing reproductive cells as well. That is why they live in moist environments, because those cells have to fertilize in wet/humid conditions.
23.) What are some examples of arthropods?
Arthropods are organisms that have no endoskeletons (bones inside the body), have segmented bodies, and have very similar nervous systems (a brain at the back of the head leading to a series of nerve bundles (ganglia) running down the back.
Some examples of arthopods are insects, like crickets and grasshoppers, beetles, spiders, centipedes, scorpions, lobsters, crayfish, crabs, trilobites, ticks, butterflies.
24.) What are the characteristics of the following organism groups: mollusks, segmented worms, arthropods, and echinoderms. How do the following organisms move and defend themselves: mollusks, segmented worms, arthropods, and echinoderms?
Arthropods are organisms that have no endoskeletons (bones inside the body), have segmented bodies, and have very similar nervous systems (a brain at the back of the head leading to a series of nerve bundles (ganglia) running down the back. Some arthropods rolls into a ball to protect themselves, so predators can't get to their soft underbellies or fit them into their mouths. Others have spikes on their backs. Some arthropods camouflage with the natural surroundings so predators can't see them. Some arthropods eat plants, some arthropods, like spiders, eat other arthropods, and some arthropods suck blood.
Echinoderms, such as star fish, sea urchins, sea cucumbers, and sand dollars, are usually found in the ocean, have a hard endoskeleton covered by a thin, bumpy or spiny outer layer. They are radially symmetrical, which allows them to sense food, predators, and other things in their environment from all directions. All echinoderms have a mouth, stomach, and intestines. They feed on a variety of plants and animals. For example, sea stars feed on worms and mollusks, and sea urchins feed on algae. Others feed on dead and decaying matter called detritus found on the ocean floor. They have no head or brain, but they do have a nerve ring that surrounds the mouth. They also have cells that respond to light and touch. A characteristic unique to echinoderms in their water vascular systems. It allows them to move, exchange carbon dioxide and oxygen, capture food, and release wastes. It is a network of water-filled canals with thousands of tube feet connected to it. Tube feet are hollow, thin walled tubes that each end in a suction cup. The animal is able to move by pushing out and pulling in its tube feet. Some echinoderms have rough skin and spikes to protect themselves. Others release chemicals or poisons.
Segmented worms have tube-shaped bodies that are divided into many segments. On the outside of each body segment are bristlelike structures called setae (pronounced SEE-tee). Segmented worms use their setae to hold on to the soil and to move. Segmented worms also have bilateral symmetry, a body cavity that holds the organs, and two body openings--a mouth and an anus. They can be found in freshwater, salt water, and moist soil. Earthworms, marine worms, and leeches are examples of segmented worms or "annelids." Segmented worms burrow into the ground to protect themselves. They also release bad tasting mucous. They use their setae to anchor themselves to the ground, and then contract their muscles to push forward.
Mollusks are soft-bodied invertebrates (they have no spine) with bilateral symmetry and usually one or two shells. Their organs are in a fluid-filled cavity. Most mollusks live in water, but some live on land. Snails, clams, and squid are examples of mollusks. All mollusks have a thin layer of tissue called a mantle. The mantle covers the body organs, which are located in the midsection. They also have gills--the organs in which carbon dioxide from the mollusk is exchanged for oxygen in the water. The mantle secretes the shell or protects the body if the mollusk does not have a shell. The shell is made up of several layers. The inside layer protects the soft body. The circulatory system of most mollusks is an open system. In an open circulatory system, the heart moves blood through vessels and out into open spaces around the body organs. The body organs are surrounded completely by blood that contains nutrients and oxygen. Most mollusks have a well-developed head with a mouth and some sensory organs. Some mollusks, such as squid, have tentacles. On the underside of a mollusk is the muscular foot, which is used for movement. Some mollusks eat algae, leaves and stems. They use their hard shells to defend themselves. Some squid release ink into the water, to blind their predators for a moment so they can escape.
25.) What are the benefits of having an exoskeleton?
An exoskeleton is a structural adaptation that can help protect an organism from being eaten by predators.