A cause and effect relationship is when one event or characteristic results in another.  Scientists attempt to understand and explain cause and effect relationships so that they can help prepare the world for future events and conditions, while searching for immediate solutions to prevent/reduce/address current problems and conditions.

Scientists often use the transitional "signal" words and phrases to indicate cause and effect relationships. You can explain a cause and effect relationship using these words and phrases, and/or identify cause and effect relationships written by other scientists upon spotting these words and phrases in published scientific studies.

As scientists, we make observations, and then allow those observations to inspire scientific questions. Consequently, these fascinating questions drive us to investigate for answers.  One observation scientists have noted worldwide is the dramatic increase in carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide in the Earth's atmosphere over the past 50 years.  What is the cause of this change?  What is the effect of this change?  You might ask?

Well, lets first take it back to the basic composition and function of the Earth's atmosphere.  The Earth's atmosphere is made up of a mixture of gases-- mostly Nitrogen, Oxygen, water vapor (the gas state of water)-- which is held in place by Earth's gravity.  The atmosphere acts like a blanket for the Earth, keeping it nice and warm, while protecting it from the Sun's harmful ultraviolet rays.  

The recent increase in carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide (also known as "greenhouse gases") in the Earth's atmosphere has a similar effect of adding more mass to a blanket: more heat gets trapped underneath, and the temperature rises. This phenomena of rising temperatures in the Earth's atmosphere due to the increase in greenhouse gases is called global warming.  But what is the cause of the increase in these greenhouse gases?  Here is what the students of MS 88 concluded upon examining a series of images and captions from an article published by NASA:

• “People want corn and corn products faster and cheaper.  As a result, more chemical fertilizers are used, which give off nitrous oxide.  Therefore, there is an increase in nitrous oxide in the Earth’s atmosphere.”
• “People around the world love McDonalds.  Consequently, the amount of livestock increases, which produce more methane gas.  As a result, there is an increase in methane gas in the Earth’s atmosphere.”
• "People buy more and waste more.  Therefore, landfills are packed, giving off a ton of methane gas.  This leads to an increase in methane gas in the Earth’s atmosphere.”
• “People love to drive big, fancy cars.  That is why more gasoline is burned, putting more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.  Therefore, there is an increase in carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere.”
• “People use and waste a lot of paper products.  Therefore, more forests, which usually absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, are cut down.  As a result, there is an increase in carbon dioxide lingering in the Earth’s atmosphere.”
• “People love their electronic gadgets.  Consequently, more fossil fuels are burned to provide electricity.  Therefore, there is an increase in carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere.”

To learn more about what other scientists are observing and predicting to be the effects of global warming, check out the following websites:

• http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/gw-effects/
  
• http://planetsave.com/2009/06/07/global-warming-effects-and-causes-a-top-10-list/
  
• http://www.climatehotmap.org/global-warming-effects/
• http://timeforchange.org/cause-and-effect-for-global-warming

Homework: Read at least two of the articles above.  Then write 3 different effects of the increase in carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide in the Earth's atmosphere.  Make sure to use the transitional cause and effect "signal" words (above), and write in complete sentences.  Use the example sentences to help get you started.  Remember, we are discussing EFFECTS this time, not causes.

• "The result of the increase in carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide in the Earth's atmosphere is ________________."
• As a result of the increase in carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide in the Earth's atmosphere, __________________."
• "The effect of the increase in carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide in the Earth's atmosphere is. _______________."
• "One effect of global warming due to the increase in greenhouse gases is ____________."

Setting goals and writing them down can significantly increase the likelihood of succeeding at something.  Not only does the act of doing these things provide us with direction and focus, but it holds us more accountable.  And feeling accountable drives us to take action!  Studies support this claim, and also recognize the benefit of involving others (friends, family, teachers, etc.) in the process of setting goals.

This school year, you will have a unique accountability buddy who will help support you in achieving your goals throughout the school year.  You will match yourself with a buddy according to the virtues that best describe you, and the virtues that you hope to develop.  If evidence supports this method as a way to increase our likelihood of succeeding, why not give it a shot in our own science classroom?

But what is a virtue?  A virtue is a positive trait or quality that is considered to make us better people. After self-evaluating your strengths and weaknesses in "following" the virtues of perseverance, empathy, patience, politeness, humor, self-awareness, forgiveness, hope, and confidence, you will pair yourself with an "opposite" accountability buddy.  In this way, you and your accountability buddy can motivate and support each other with new and different ideas and strategies for reaching your goals.

Below are the virtues we will use in our self-evaluation.  These virtues will also provide us with insight on the goals we should set throughout the school year, and strategies for reaching those goals.

Homework (Due Wednesday, September 25):  Bring in a picture that represents the goal you set for yourself this month.   We will hang this picture somewhere in the room to remind you and your accountability buddy everyday of your goal.  The picture may be a personal drawing/sketch, from a magazine, or printed from a computer.

Extra Credit:  Write a summary of an article published in the Harvard Business Review blog that outlines 9 things successful people do differently when setting goals: http://blogs.hbr.org/2011/02/nine-things-successful-people/

Below are a list of lab safety rules that are in our Student Science Laboratory Safety Contract.  These rules must be followed at all times.  Additional safety instructions will be given for each activity. No student will be allowed to participate in science activities until this contract has been signed by both the student and a parent or guardian.

Always
1.     Wash my hands after an experiment.
2.     Wear goggles and gloves when handling heat, glass, or chemicals.
3.     Handle equipment carefully.
4.     Follow directions exactly as they are given.  If in doubt, ask.
5.     Immediately notify a teacher when there has been an accident.
6.     Tie back long hair and roll up long sleeves.
7.     Clean up my work area and equipment after finishing an experiment.

Never
1.     Taste or smell chemicals without permission.
2.     Run or play around during a lab.
3.     Mix chemicals without permission.
4.     Use chipped or broken glassware.
5.     Reach across heat, fire, or chemicals.
6.     Wear open toed shoes.

Homework:  
1.  List 3 examples of students practicing lab safety, and 3 examples of students NOT practicing lab safety.
2.  Make sure to turn in a completed lab safety contract if you haven't already!  You can download a copy below.

Download the lab safety contract here:

Rachel Carson 
1907 - 1964

Rachel Carson was an American conservationist and marine biologist who is best known for advancing the modern global environmental movement.  Her controversial book, Silent Spring, brought attention to the dangerous effects she believed were caused by the use of synthetic pesticides.  The book ultimately inspired a nationwide ban on DDT and other pesticides, and the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Articles

• http://www.famousscientists.org/rachel-carson/
  
• http://www.rachelcarson.org/
  
• http://www.fws.gov/northeast/rachelcarson/carsonbio.html
  
• http://ecotopia.org/ecology-hall-of-fame/rachel-carson/biography/
  

Videos

• The Journal: Rachel Carson's Legacy 
  
• Biography.com: Rachel Carson

Charles Darwin 
1809 - 1882

Charles Darwin was a British naturalist who proposed the theory of evolution based on natural selection.  Natural selection is the process in which the stronger organisms survive to reproduce and pass on their traits (genes), while the weaker do not.  Darwin spent five years at sea on the HMS Beagle (boat), where he observed an incredible diversity of animal and plant species.  When the Beagle reached the Galápagos Islands, he noticed that each species was uniquely adapted to its immediate environment.  This observation led him to ask the questions that became the basis of his scientific explanation: living things have evolved in an orderly manner over many generations, and continue to evolve today.  After 23 years of study, he published his theory of evolution in The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection. 

Articles

• http://www.famousscientists.org/charles-darwin/
  
• http://www.livescience.com/474-controversy-evolution-works.html
  
• http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/151902/Charles-Darwin
  
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/darwin_charles.shtml

Videos

• Greatest Discoveries: Darwin's Story
• Greatest Discoveries in Evolution: Natural Selection
• Biography.com: Charles Darwin

Robert Hooke 
1635 - 1703

Robert Hooke was an English physicist and inventor.  Hooke proved that both combustion (burning) and respiration (breathing) require air, and that sound does not travel in a vacuum.  He was one of the first men to build a Gregorian reflecting telescope and to suggest that Jupiter rotates on its access.  Hooke also studied numerous objects under microscopes and was the first to use the word cell to describe the patterns he observed.


Articles

• http://www.famousscientists.org/robert-hooke/
  
• http://www.biography.com/people/robert-hooke-9343172
  
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/civil_war_revolution/hooke_robert_beavon_01.shtml
  
• http://www.roberthooke.com/

Videos

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuVofeYsJN
• Building a Life: Robert Hooke

Carl Linnaeus 
1707 - 1778

Carl Linnaeus was a Swedish naturalist who developed the modern classification system for naming plants and animals.  This classification system is called binomial nomenclature, which consts of two words, the first being the genus and the second the species.  For example, Homo sapiens, the scientific name of the human, is an example of binomial nomenclature.  His method of classification allowed for clear and easy descriptions of plants, animals and minerals. 


Articles

• http://www.anbg.gov.au/biography/linnaeus.html
  
• http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/history/linnaeus.html
  
• http://www.macroevolution.net/linnaeus.html#.Uje2f8akrMs
• http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/342526/Carolus-Linnaeus
  

Videos

• Greatest Discoveries: Classification of Species 
• http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nature-online/science-of-natural-history/biographies/linnaeus/
  

Louis Pasteur
1822 - 1895

Louis Pasteur was a French chemist who founded modern microbiology.   Pasteur established that germs cause diseases and infections.  Before Pasteur, people believed that diseases were generated spontaneously.  However, Pasteur's experiments proved that microorganisms are the true cause of many diseases. 
His early work with fermentation led him to invent to process of pasteurization.  He developed vaccines for anthrax, chicken cholera, and rabies.


Articles

• http://www.famousscientists.org/louis-pasteur/
  
• http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/scientists/louispasteur.html
  
• http://www.biography.com/people/louis-pasteur-9434402
  
• http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/445964/Louis-Pasteur
  

Videos

• About.com: Profile of Louis Pasteur 
• Biography.com: Louis Pasteur

James Watson & Francis Crick
(1928 -  ) & (1916 - 2004)

James Watson (American) & Francis Crick (British) are biologists who identified the structure of Deoxyribonucleic Acid, otherwise known as DNA.  By analyzing the patterns cast by x-rays striking DNA molecules, they discovered that DNA has the structure of a double helix, two spirals linked together by bases in ladder-like rungs.  Their discovery formed the basis of molecular genetics.  By understanding the structure of DNA, we better understand ourselves and our families through the study of hereditary disease, and the evolution of human life. 

Articles

• http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/watson_and_crick.shtml
  
• http://www.biographyshelf.com/francis_crick_james_watson_biography.html
  
• http://www.life123.com/parenting/education/biographies/james-watson-and-francis-crick.shtml
  

Videos

• People and Discoveries: Watson and Crick Describe the Structure of DNA
• http://www.biography.com/people/james-d-watson-9525139
  
• http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/watson-and-crick-discover-chemical-structure-of-dna

Do you ever play "copy cat" just to annoy your siblings?  And then dress in disguise to hide from them when they finally come after you?  Well, as it turns out, many animals in our kingdom exhibit this type of behavior.  Mimicry is when an animal copies the appearance, actions, or sounds of another organism or object to deceive predators, or simply to become undetectable to them.  Just like when Peeta disguised himself as a rock in Hunger Games to protect himself from the other tributes.

Take, for example, Monarch butterflies.  Monarchs (left) look very much like Viceroys (right).  They both have distinctive black and orange wings with white spots along their trim.  However, Monarch butterflies have a very bitter taste to predators, while Viceroys do not.  However, since Viceroys look like their unpalatable counterpart, they are often passed over.  Phew.

This type of mimicry happens underwater, too.  The comet fish (left) has a spot at the end of its tail, making it look very much like the eye of the poisonous moray eel (right).  So cool.  There are also many octopuses that can transform their colors and patterns in the face of dangerous sting rays and sharks.

So the next time your siblings get annoyed when you decide to be a "copy cat", just tell them you can't help it.  It's for survival!  They will surely love it.

Homework: Answer the below questions in your science notebook.  Copy the questions and answer them in complete sentences.
1.  What is mimicry?
2.  How are camouflage and mimicry related?
3.  Why do animals use mimicry?
4.  Give two examples of an animal that uses mimicry.  

Check out more great videos on animal/plant mimicry here:

Orchid mimicry - http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/news/ng-on-assignment/orchid-mimicry-ngoa/
Cuttlefish mimicry - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=In7n590GjxU, courtesy of Augustin (711)!

On the first day of school, we were challenged to build the tallest possible towers using only uncooked spaghetti and marshmallows.  As we built vertically (upward), we found that it became increasingly difficult to maintain strength and stability.  In fact, many of our towers toppled over after reaching impressive heights, leaving some groups with no choice but to start from ground zero. 

Rather than giving up, we wanted to learn from our experiences.  After testing different models, and observing other groups' models, we asked ourselves questions that directed us towards solutions.  What do the stronger, taller towers have in common?  Do certain shapes make more stable structures?  How does our groups' communication and teamwork affect the stability of our tower? 

Scientists are problem-solvers, and therefore, test and build to make things better.  Not to mention, faster, taller, stronger, cheaper, more durable, more comfortable, biodegradable, environmentally conscious, etc. (the list goes on).  This persistent questioning and desire to improve are evident in every scientist.  A good example of this are the scientists who are currently designing new respirator masks upon observing the inefficacy of the masks used during the aftermath of September 11, 2001.  The masks were so uncomfortable that "many yanked them off and left them hanging around their necks", causing many people to be exposed to "highly contaminated air that is suspected of making them sick".

Scientists are now "working on a new generation of respirator masks, not just for rescue and cleanup workers but to prepare for outbreaks of disease and for still another emerging threat: the accidental releases of nanoparticles, the microscopic, engineered fibers that are starting to be used in electronics, food, medicine and more".  Learn more about their progress here: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/10/science/improving-respirator-masks-to-put-fresh-air-in-reach.html?pagewanted=all

Although we have yet to test all of our new ideas on how to build the tallest and strongest possible spaghetti and marshmallow towers, we have recognized the value in experimenting with new ideas, identifying patterns, and maintaining clear communication within, and across, groups.  We look forward to testing these skills to solve problems throughout the school year.

Today, we learned about how simple observations can lead us to questions, which can in turn, lead us to search actively for explanations (answers).  Science is a way to develop explanations for what we observe, using the evidence we gather through our own experiments, and through the experiments of other scientists.  In other words, science is a way to learn about everything we see, things we can't see (too small or too big), taste, touch, smell, and hear on (and outside of) our planet.  However, do keep in mind that scientific explanations can change in light of new evidence.  For example, when we think about how sharks move, we tend to assume that they swim (duh?).  But just a few days ago, scientists in Indonesia discovered a new species of walking shark that lives on the ocean floor, using its fins to "shuffle around, wiggling from side to side as it moves".  This walking shark, named hemiscyllium halmahera, has completely changed how we think about sharks. 100 years from now, a typical 7th grader will no longer imagine a blue, sharp toothed, swimming shark when hearing the word, "shark". Therefore, as scientists, it is important that we continue to observe, question, and seek explanations, even when we feel that we know everything there is to know about something... such as sharks!

Homework: Find out where Ms. Shon saw the Leafcutter ant on the class website (shonscience.com).
Due: 9/11/13

This ant is a Leafcutter, which is a super cool species of ants that are fungus farmers.  They don't actually eat the leaves/petals themselves, but a fungus that grows on them.  Leafcutters cut leaves from the trees, carry them long and far, and then cultivate them in a safe place underground.  How freakin' smart, you might say?  Well, as it turns out, so have many scientists!  In fact, ants are the subject and inspiration of many scientific investigations, because ants are incredibly social and complex... just like humans!  Ants not only divide work according to size and skill, but they have unique ways of communicating to solve problems to ensure everyone is happy and fed.  Pretty cool, ay?

Leafcutter ants generally travel in long lines deep in the forest.  They leave a scent along the trail so they can find their way back to their underground nests.  They use their sharp jaws to cut leaves from plants, and then carry the large leaves on their backs.  This particular ant was likely taking the leaf back to its nest, where it was then passed on to an even smaller ant that chewed it into a pulp.  The pulp is then stored with ant feces (eww), and a fungus that decomposes the pulp grows.  This fungus is what the ants ultimately eat!  Nam nam nam! 

I tell you this story, in part, because I am obsessed with Leafcutter ants, but mostly because I think this story is a good reflection of how science "works".  Interesting observations, like the magically moving hot pink petal, lead to questions, and these questions lead us to ideas of how things work.  Science is all about testing these ideas (through experimentation in the lab/forest/ocean/outer space), and gathering appropriate and sufficient evidence to prove and explain these ideas.  These explanations solve problems, while deeply enriching our lives with an ever-expanding (and evolving) library of knowledge.  I look forward to exploring our curiosities (and formulating new ones) this school year through science, and developing explanations that could one day improve our environment and quality of life on the local, and possibly even global, level.