Thursday, February 25, 2010

Micro Life Agendas

2nd February

- Show petri plates bread mold

- Discuss lab write-ups

- Show where students can get info to review from

- Discuss differences between bacteria and viruses and how they cause diseases

8th February

- Test February 17th

- Discuss grades

- One world – need to finish by Wednesday. Will write up on Wednesday

22nd February

- What is a mineral?

- How is it different than a rock?

- What are crystals?

- How are crystals made?

- How are minerals different from each other?

- How are minerals used? What is an ore?

23rd February

- Pass back and go over Micro Life Test

- Go over assignments on the wiki page

- Explain our activity

24th February

- Topic Today: Structure of the Earth – What do you already know?

- Key Concepts to learn today – What minerals are and how they relate to the structure of the earth.

- Do group activity to learn about minerals and update blogs and get assignments up to date.

What is a Mineral?

What is a mineral?
A mineral is a naturally occurring solid (meaning that it it happens naturally, does not need human influence) that is made up under different geological chemical pressures. It has specific physical and atomic structures, contrary to rocks.
How is a mineral different than a rock?
A rock is made up of 2 or more minerals, meaning it is a mixture of combination.
How are crystals made?
Crystals are made when water that is rich in minerals gets into the cavities or holes in rocks to form crystals over time. Crystals can take hundreds of years to form which is one of the reasons why crystals are so valuable
How are minerals different from each other?
Different minerals have their atoms or molecules arranged in a different order, giving them their different properties.
How are minerals used?
Minerals are used for different things. The human body needs a certain amount of minerals, and so minerals can be used to keep you healthy, but that is in small quantities. Everything we use in our daily life is somehow connected to minerals, from our faucets that have iron in them, to our light switches that have copper and aluminium, they are there daily for our needs.
What is an ore?
Ore is a rock that contains useful minerals that are extracted in the process of mining.

Why is Understanding the Structure of the Earth Important?

When we understand how the earth is made up (its structure) it can help us in many things. First of all, in a country like Qatar, this is important so we know how deep and where to dig to find petroleum and natural gas. In general it is helpful for studying the earth, for knowing how deep it is safe to dig, to know about the habitats of underground animals, and to be able to find gems and precious stones. Knowing the structure of the earth can also help us when we are studying minerals. Another very important things about knowing the structure of the earth is to find out where to dig for water, and knowing which parts of the earth are fertile for planting.
(both questions answered in one paragraph).

Monday, February 15, 2010

Immune System

Your immunes system is a system of tissues, cells and organs that help your body defend itself against germs. Your basic immune system starts with some general defense systems against pathogens, which are germs that can make you sick. Your first part is your skin, which is really like a shield that prevents pathogens from entering you body. Another part is the mucus in your nose, which prevents pathogens getting in through your airways, while the acid in your stomach can incinerate any pathogens that are on the food you eat. When a germ is able to somehow bypass you body's basic defenses, there are always white blood cells on patrol, looking for these germs, and when they recognize a germ, they kill it before it is able to preform damage. The problem happens when your body doesn't recognize a germ and it is able to multiply and make you sick, although your immune system will soon catch on and produce antibodies which can uniquely latch on to pathogens and can either handle them themselves, or call on white blood cell to do the fighting. Sometimes with bacterial infections, you need the aid of antibiotics to help fight off the bacteria.

Boogers

Boogers are actually a defense mechanism of your body, and if your body produces produces boogers, you should know that your immunes system is functioning properly. The air we breathe is never pure, and contains all kinds of dust and germs that would be harmful inside our bodies. Your nose is lined with mucus membrane, which is a specialized tissue that produces mucus, a slimy clear substance. This mucus traps all these unwanted germs as they enter the body, before they are able to proceed down onto your lungs, as well as containing enzymes and antibodies, that destroy these unwanted visitors. After the mucus is filled up with germs, it turn its greenish color, and becomes what we know as boogers. Your body produces about a 1/4 of a liter of mucus a day, and more when you are sick, to stop germs. Nasal hairs in your nose, called cilia, push your boogers to 1 of 2 places, either down your throat to be swallowed, or down you nose so you can blow them out.

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Swine Flu

The swine flu is a recent (9-10 month-old) epidemic, which is a disease that spreads quickly, and is hard to contain. The swine flu cannot be caught by eating well-cooked pork products, but by coming in contact with uncooked pig or swine. Scientists have actually discovered that it is a mix between 2 swine flu particles, 1 avian flu and 1 human.