Central Park Five

After watching the documentary "Central Park Five" reflect on & answer the following questions:

1.  Describe 2 main themes that were a central focus of the documentary.

2.  What can you relate to that has happened in the movie?

3.  How did this event effect the lives of the accused after they were released from prison?

4.  How did science play a role (or not) in this court case?

5.  Do you think that the same thing could happen today?  Why or why not?

Forensics Unit Project

Groups of 1, 2 or 3

Create a crime scenario - BE CREATIVE!!  You need a setting, possible motive, victim info - in a story format with pictures.

You must include:

1. Fingerprint evidence - use the ink pads and provide samples.   Where were the fingerprints found?
2. Insect evidence - what insects are present on the body?  What does that mean for time of death? Which suspects have alibi's at certain times?
3. Footprint evidence - shoe size or foot length?  Provide a photo of the evidence and measurements.
4. Stride length evidence - show a photo of the evidence and the stride length measurements.

You need to have 3 suspects -

• including fingerprints for each suspect
• include a timeline for their alibi
• include their height
• ideas for motive (why might they want to hurt the victim?)

This assignment is a combination of story & photos of the evidence - create it so that someone ELSE needs to follow the evidence provided and solve the crime.

Forensic Entomology - Insects solving crimes

At a crime scene where a death occurs, insects can provide essential clues to help solve the crime - such as the time of death.  Ewww!

Choose two different insects from the list below to research & answer these questions about:

Blowfly
Flesh Fly
Dermastid Beetle
House Fly
Hide Beetle
Clothes Moth

1.  What is the main food source for the insect?
2.  How does it help determine the time of death at a crime scene?
3.  What is the time length and description of it's life cycle?
4.  Describe what the insect looks like and post a picture of it.


Links that may be helpful:

hide beetle
dermastid beetle
blowfly
wikipedia - entomology

DNA forensic research

DNA is found in the nucleus of all cells of all living things.  The order of the bases in the DNA make up the genetic code, which makes you different than the person sitting beside you & different than a mosquito.

Since each person has a unique genetic code, collecting and analyzing DNA at crime scenes helps to convict criminals by matching the DNA of a suspect to a sample found at a crime scene.

Your assignment is to find 2 different true crime scenarios that have used DNA evidence - one crime that the suspect was convicted due to DNA, one crime that the accused was freed due to DNA evidence.  Link the articles to your blog.  Once you have linked the articles, summarize them in an audio file using the iPads and the app called NOTABILITY - click the microphone at the top of the screen and start talking.  Export it to google drive and then you should be able to embed it in your blog (I think).

Summarize 2 articles in 2 audio files...

DNA Structure

These questions can be completed on paper or on your blog.  Use the information on your colouring sheet to answer them.

1.  What are the three parts of a nucleotide?
2.  What are the 4 bases that are found in DNA?
3.  What 2 molecules make the "sides" of the DNA ladder?
4.  What molecules make up the "steps" or "rungs" of the ladder?
5.  Which molecule do the bases attach to on the sides?
6.  Which bases are always paired together?

Once your colouring and questions are completed you will be making a DNA model with the following supplies:  straws, marshmallows & toothpicks.

Create your model and either label or make a legend of the following parts:

• bases (A,C,T,G)
• phosphate
• sugar
• hydrogen bonds

Post this to your blog (a picture of your model with the legend)

Fingerprint Assignment

Find an interesting article about a true crime that was solved by the evidence of fingerprints.  Read the article, summarize it on your blog, and post a link to your article.  Also post WHY you chose the article you did.

DO NOT CUT AND PASTE INFORMATION or use the first article that you find on google.

Once this is posted - have a look at the website below and complete the first web assignment - ROOKIE TRAINING (the easiest one).

CSI WEB ADVENTURE

Technology Design Assignment

Your assignment is to design a vehicle of the future following all of the criteria below.  Your information will be presented on a poster or be posted onto your blog.

Links for inspiration - 

Future car technologies

CNN - The future of driving

BBC - Cars of 2050
Mercedes Car of the Future


1.    Design – you will be creating a labeled drawing on a poster of the overall structural design of your vehicle (shape, colours, proportions). 

2.    Safety & Technology Features – Using your previous research on safety features & the links above as a guide, describe safety features of your vehicle within the following categories:

a.    Built in features (seat belts, indicators, air bags)

b.    New Technology (rear-view cameras etc.)

3.    Power – Using the video clips watched in class as guide, choose one of the types of alternative power and research the following via the webpages / links provided BELOW–

a.    How does the power source work?

b.    What are the materials required?

c.     What are the emissions and environmental impact?

d.    What are the costs of this fuel source – where and how would you refuel?

LINKS for RESEARCH:
Hydrogen Fuel Resources
Ethanol Fuel
Hybrid & Electric Cars

Egg Drop Blog Post

Your blog post for the egg drop must include:

1. Picture of your egg drop contraption (before picture)
2. List of materials used (be specific!)
3. Picture of your egg drop in action
4. Picture of your egg drop after 
5. Describe your results:  Success is an egg with no cracks at all - there are various levels of failure - cracked shell, egg white showing, egg yolk showing, completely broken.  Did you test it more than once?  Tell me about it here.
6. Learn from your classmates: What types of designs were successful?  Which types of designs were not?

Vehicle Safety

Choose any car and research it's safety features in the following three categories:

1.  Structure - materials, design, crash tests, crumple zones etc.

2.  Safety Features - air bags & side curtains, seat belts etc.

3.  Technological Features for Safety - reverse camera, blind spot indicators, mirrors, signals etc.

Post pictures and links to video that show the these safety features in action!

The Future of Transportation - Article Review

Using the link below browse through the 85 articles and find one that interests you.  Read the article, post the link on your blog and summarize the topic and main points of the article about transportation in the future.

Future of Transportation Articles

Parachute Design Challenge

Your challenge is to design & create a parachute that can carry an object to the ground to hit a 8X11 target with the slowest possible rate of descent.

Testing Data:

Drop height (m)
Drop time (s)
Velocity (m/s)

The LOWEST velocity is the best parachute in the class!

Post a picture of your parachute (in action)
Post your data 

Answer the following questions:
1.  As you were creating your parachute what adjustments or changes did you make to your design after you tried it out before the testing began?
2.  What forces act on the parachute during it's descent?
3.  What changes would you need to make to your design if you needed to transport a heavier object?

Paper airplane challenge

You have designed 2 different planes - one made for distance, one for flight time.  

Your blog post needs to include:

2 pictures - one of each of your planes - label which plane it is (distance or time) and label the 4 forces that are acting on the plane.

Your results - longest distance & flight time.

Old Assignment - Chemical Safety!

This is an old assignment that I am just posting the questions for - we did this in the first week of the semester... However, there are LOTS of you who have not completed it!

Chemical research – Lab Safety

Choose one of the following chemicals and research these questions:

·      What is it used for?

·      Why is it dangerous?

·      What are some precautions for it’s use?

·      Find it’s MSDS label  / WHIMS symbols

 CHEMICALS:

1. Metallic potassium

2. Metallic sodium

3. White phosphorus

4. Carbon tetrachloride

5. Chloroform

6. Mercury

7. Picric acid

8. Asbestos

9. Carbon disulfide

10. Ethyl ether

11. Potassium Chlorate

12. Hydrofluoric acid

Boat building

It's Interm Report Time!

Complete this reflection on your progress so far in Science & Tech 11.  This will be your interm report to share with your parents:

Work Habits:  Attendance - how many classes have you missed?  Why?  Do you come to class on time?  Do you come to class prepared?  Do you make good use of your class time?   Are you following the safety rules in the lab?

Assignment completion:  How many assignments have you completed?  What assignments are you missing?  Why?  Have you included your blog assignments in your totals?
What has been the most challenging assignment so far?  Why?

Assignment quality:  Are you showing your learning in your assignments?  Are you completing them to the best of your ability?
What assignment/post are you most proud of so far in this course?  Why?

Plan for success:  In class, I sat and talked with each of you about why you are in this course & what has kept you from being successful in Science in the past.  I would like you to think about whether you are following the same pattern in this class, and write about at least 3 specific things you need to do to be successful in Science & Tech this year.


Based on your reflection/work/progress so far in Science and Tech, provide a work habit of
Good / Satisfactory / Needs Improvement.

Unit 2: Transportation

Transportation is a technology that is ever-changing... What will the future hold?
A big part of society has been shaped by the available transportation - making the world more connected, providing the means to move goods, and creating cities & suburbs.

In a group of 4, you will be researching, comparing and evaluating different methods of travel to a destination of your choice (starting in Surrey to anywhere outside of BC in North America).  Each person will choose ONE of the following in your group - car, train, bus, or plane.  You will compare the mode of transportation for each of the following criteria:

Travel Time
Cost per person
Convenience
Environmental Impact
???

Each person will be "selling" their method of travel, posting their information on their blog (as a brochure, with information and pictures).

Chemistry Unit Project

Chemistry Unit Project – Science & Technology 11 UPDATED

You will be required to show your knowledge of the following information by creating a video, using pictures and props (or using the SHOW ME app on the iPads).  Your videos will need to be uploaded to YouTube and posted on your blog – you can use your phones or the iPads to create your videos.  We are completing this project instead of writing a unit test – please do your best to show your learning in science & tech so far this semester!  It is due at the end of class on Friday - we have 3 class blocks to complete the assignment and upload your videos.

IF YOU ARE USING THE SHOWME APP - MAKE AN ACCOUNT AND FIND THE URL OF THE PROJECTS THAT YOU ARE CREATING (GO TO SHARE VIA TWITTER)... POST THE URL TO YOUR BLOG.

 Knowledge – Safety

• ·      WHMIS symbols and categories

• ·      Describe / demonstrate 5 safe procedures to follow in the lab.

Household Chemicals

THIS PART IS NOT NECESSARY - AS LONG AS YOUR HOUSEHOLD CHEMICAL RESEARCH IS POSTED TO YOUR BLOG.

• characteristics of hazardous chemicals found in the household (your research)

• environmental issues related to the use of some common household chemicals

• methods of safely disposing of household chemicals (your research)

Acids & Bases

 Compare and contrast the properties of acids and bases & provide examples.

·      Describe how red/blue litmus paper works and how pH paper works.

·      Describe how we made a cabbage juice indicator and how it worked.

·      What is neutralization & how did we demonstrate a neutralization reaction in the lab?

·      Compare and contrast acid rain and ocean acidification.  How are each formed and what are some problems associated with each process?

Ocean Acidification

After watching the video and reading the article, complete the following questions about Ocean Acidification either on paper or on your blog.

1.  What is ocean acidification?
2.  What human activities have caused this problem?
3.  How much has the acidity of the ocean changed?
4.  How does the increased acidity affect animals in the ocean?
5.  How are pink salmon affected?
6.  How are coral reefs affected?
7.  How might ocean acidification affect you?
8.  What can you do to decrease CO2 emissions?

Household Chemical Research

Choose a category of household chemicals from the following list:

• air freshener
• carpet shampoo
• dishwasher detergent
• furniture polish
• drain cleaner
• oven cleaner 
• mold & mildew cleaner
• toilet bowl cleaner
• pesticide
• flea powder
• car wash & polish
• cosmetics

Research the category that you have chosen - complete the following questions:

1.  What are some examples of products within your category?  Find and post names and pictures.
2.  What are the main "active" ingredients in the product?
3.  What are the possible health dangers (to people/animals) of this product?
4.  What are the environmental problems associated with this product?
5.  Are there any special precautions/instructions for using this product?
6.  How are you supposed to dispose of this type of product?
7.  Are there other non-toxic or environmentally safe alternatives to this type of product?

 

Household Safety Symbols

Here are some safety symbols that I found on products around my house.  For each picture, describe what the safety symbol stands for (two words) and then guess which product it belongs to from the list below.

WD-40
Hairspray (X2)
Spray Sunscreen (X2)
Bug Repellent
Tire Cleaner (X2)
Carpet Cleaner
Disinfectant Spray

Pic 1:

Pic 2:Pic 3:Pic 4:

Pic 5:

Pic 6: 

Pic 7:

Pic 8: 

Pic 9: 

Pic 10:

PART 2:

How are you supposed to dispose of aerosol cans (such as hairspray, spray on sunscreen) in Surrey?
How are bleach and other cleaning products disposed of properly?
Why would you not be able to put these items in the regular garbage?

Welcome to Science & Technology 11

Welcome to Science & Tech 11!

Please check my blog often for updates and assignments - I am hoping that we can post most of our work to our blogs, creating a portfolio of our learning as the semester continues.

To start - please post your first assignment from earlier this semester - our SAFETY MEMES that you created with a partner.  You should have 5 different memes that depict 5 different safety rules being followed/broken...

2nd post - your Chemical Safety research questions (if you wrote it on paper, please hand in to me!)

3rd post will be observations in the form of pictures of our ACID / BASE lab.  We have completed three parts to this lab - please describe what is occurring in the pictures that you post.  This is done easily from the Blogger app on an ipod or phone.