Gretchen Brinza
Email me!
  • Home
  • About Me
  • School
    • Louisville Middle School >
      • 2022-2023
      • 2021-2022 >
        • 6th Grade: Contact Forces/Collisions!
        • 8th: Patterns in Space and Sky
        • 6th: Bath Bombs
        • 8th: Climate--The Warming Arctic
        • 8th: Hail, Rain & Snow
        • 6th: Cups
        • 8th: Tsunami-Natural Hazards
        • 6th: One-Way Mirror
        • 8th: Mt. Everest & Other Mtns
    • Sauganash >
      • 2020-2021 >
        • 5th Grade >
          • Data in Science
          • Human Impact (+/-)
          • The Dead Raccoon
          • Clean/Dirty Water
          • Opening Routines
        • 6th Grade >
          • Healing
          • A Changing Landscape
          • Keeping Things Hot or Cold!?!?!
          • One-Way Mirror
          • Dogs (Well and Unwell)!
          • Opening Routines
      • 2019-2020 >
        • 5th Grade >
          • The Sky
          • Dead Raccoon
          • All Things Water!
        • 6th Grade >
          • Sick Dog
          • Mt. Everest
          • Cups
    • Alcott >
      • 2018-2019 >
        • 5th Grade >
          • Patterns in the Sky
          • Roadkill--Dead Stuff
          • Down the Drain...
        • 6th Grade >
          • Chickens!
          • Sounds From a Distance
          • Sick Dogs
          • Spooky ________!
      • 2017-2018 >
        • 5th Grade >
          • The Mystery Sun
          • Roadkill
          • Clean/Dirty Water
        • 6th Grade >
          • Changing Populations
          • Smelling Lots of Stuff
          • Seeing and Light
      • 2016-2017 >
        • 6th Grade >
          • Can I Believe My Eyes?
          • How Can I Smell Things From a Distance?
          • Where Have All the Creatures Gone?
        • 5th Grade >
          • Unknown Chemicals' Identities?
          • Data
          • Water Transformations
          • The Raccoon Mystery
        • Technology Integration
      • 2015-2016 >
        • 5th Grade >
          • Opening Procedures
          • Chemical Tests
          • Earth's Systems Science
          • Data (Moon, Daylight, Temp., Constellations)
          • Ships in a Field
          • Patterns
        • 6th Grade >
          • Opening Procedures
          • World of Wonder Projects
          • Can I Believe My Eyes?
          • How Can I Smell From a Distance?
          • Where Have All the Creatures Gone?
    • STEM Magnet Academy >
      • A Glimpse Into My Classroom
      • Fifth Grade >
        • 5th Grade: 2013-2014 >
          • Environmental Engineering (Part II)
          • Aerospace Engineering
      • Fourth Grade >
        • 4th Grade: 2014-2015 >
          • Environmental Engineering
          • Waves and their Applications for Information Transfer
        • 4th Grade: 2013-2014 >
          • Environmental Engineering
          • Transportation Engineering
          • Biomedical Engineering
        • 4th Grade: 2012-2013 >
          • Environmental Engineering
          • Transportation Engineering
          • Biomedical Engineering
      • Third Grade >
        • 3rd Grade: 2014-2015 >
          • Forces and Interactions
        • 3rd Grade: 2013-2014 >
          • Electrical Engineering
          • Acoustical Engineering
          • Optical Engineering
        • 3rd Grade: 2012-2013 >
          • Acoustical Engineering
          • Electrical Engineering
          • Optical Engineering
      • Second Grade >
        • 2nd Grade: 2014-2015 >
          • Geotechnical Engineering
          • Matter and Its Interactions!
        • 2nd Grade: 2012-2013 >
          • Geotechnical Engineering
          • Ocean Engineering
          • Packaging Engineering
        • 2nd Grade: 2013-2014 >
          • Geotechnical Engineering
          • Civil Engineering
          • Ocean Engineering
      • First Grade >
        • 1st Grade: 2014-2015 >
          • Optical Engineering
          • Sound
          • Plants--Structures and Processes
        • 1st Grade: 2013-2014 >
          • Materials Engineering
          • Mechanical Engineering
          • Agricultural Engineering
        • 1st Grade: 2012-2013 >
          • Mechanical Engineering
          • Materials Engineering
          • Agricultural Engineering
      • Kindergarten >
        • Engineers do what?
        • Forces and Interactions!
        • Earth and Human Activity
        • K: 2013-2014 >
          • Introduction to Engineering
          • Force and Motion
          • Fabric
        • K: 2012-2013 >
          • Introduction to Engineering
          • All About Fabric
          • Built By Nature
        • Check it out! >
          • Exciting News
          • National Engineers Week
          • Donations
          • Chicago Events
  • PAEMST
  • Other
    • STEM FAIR 2019
    • STEM Fair 2018
    • Tech-Class
    • Engineering Week
    • G.D.W.O.F.
    • MSU Urban STEM >
      • Summer Work >
        • Ultimate STEM
        • ImagineIT >
          • Phase 1
          • Phase 2
          • Phase 3
        • Deep Play
        • Quickfires
        • Reflections >
          • Summer
        • Cosmos
      • Fall Work >
        • Deep Play Group
        • ImagineIT >
          • Phase 4
          • Phase 5
          • Phase 6
      • Spring Work >
        • Leadership
        • ImagineIT

Using Computer Models to Help Explain Questions that Arise from the Data

5/23/2017

 
Picture
Everyone in the sixth grade claimed that the invasive sea lamprey had an impact on the trout's population.  Its advantageous structures (mouth, teeth, gills, swimming ability and total number of eggs) prove it to be a predator, but some of the data we found doesn't match up with that claim.

By 1980, the trout population was on the rise, and we would expect that the invasive sea lamprey's population would follow en suite.  But it didn't...and we see a steady decline to where it almost disappears by the time 2000 rolls around.  What other factors can be causing the trout's population to rebound while the lamprey's population to decline?

We did some research to learn of human impact to reduce the sea lamprey's success, like with the development of some barriers and chemicals to aid in a reduced population.  But is is possible that another organism can be competing with the lamprey for either its food, or maybe another resource it needs, like water or space?

Our best bets at figuring this out are to use a computer model that shows population changes between three organisms.  As these organisms compete for food and space, what happens?  We'll be using a computer based model to help explain this!
Picture

Claiming the Sea Lamprey's Impact on the Trout

5/21/2017

 
Picture
After a careful examination of the trout and lamprey's structures that could give them an advantage or disadvantage, sixth graders are using all the evidence they've gained to support a claim to the question:  Could the Sea Lamprey have a major impact on the trout population?  

They also spent time building physical models this week...it really gave insight into how each of the organisms' structures aided in its success or failure!  

We're still wondering if we have the whole picture to this trout mystery though, as there are points in the graph that don't match up with the whole predator/prey claim.  Hmmmmmmmm....

The best way to learn about the trout and sea lamprey is to...

5/10/2017

 
Picture
DISSECT THEM!

We'll be figuring out how various structures on both the trout and the sea lamprey could have aided in each of their successes or declines in their populations. Since the supply company didn't have trout or sea lamprey, we'll be using two similar organisms (perch and hagfish).  It's an exciting time in science for sure!

The Invader

5/10/2017

 
With the help of some fisherman's journal and some data collected on an invasive species, students are wondering if the trout's fluctuating population size may be more than an issue with it's natural predators or prey.  

INVADER ALERT!  THE SEA LAMPREY!
Picture
Picture

Connecting Food Options!

5/4/2017

 
Picture
So while sixth graders were uncovering what makes something food, they were also wondering just what the trout eats!

If they could figure out what the trout consumes, and at the same time figure out their predators, they could possibly determine what is causing a fluctuating trout population.

The big finding:  there are so many connections in the Great Lakes Food Web that the trout population can quite possibly be affected by one of MANY organisms.  By identifying both direct and indirect connections, students are gaining insight into this complex situation!

What makes something food?

5/4/2017

 
What makes something a food?  Through a fairly in-depth lab, sixth graders uncovered that all foods contain either sugar, starch, fat or protein.  Plants even contain these nutrients making them a food source.

Water, however, is not a food source.  While we need it, students uncovered that it contains no nutrient that defines it as food.  It doesn't give the body energy or building materials!  We'll be connecting this to the trout mystery!
Picture

    Lake Michigan

    I love that this unit hits so close to home with the Great Lakes!

    Archives

    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly