Camouflage Hide and Go Seek

Way back in Unit 2 we talked about predator prey relationships and coloration patterns. Some coloration is sued by predators and some by prey to avoid notice. As promised, today we played camouflage hide and go seek. It looked a bit gray and rainy, but it was nice outside and no one complained about being cold. I took my camera, but did an awful job of remembering to take photos.

Many students brought camouflage clothing to wear, but students in tans, browns, grays, and even black did an excellent job of blending in the with the environment. The object of this game is to get as close to the prey (Me most of the time) without being seen. Students hide with one eye on me, and I look for as many of them as I can. I (and all the people I have found) close eyes and count again, and the remaining students move closer until everyone is found or we give up and see who got the closest. Pictured to the right: Ricky, TC, Logan, Jay, and Josh.

In first period, Brooke T won twice with her excellent camouflage and hiding skills. Josh S won the last round. Good times were had by all and an excellent discussion was had back in the classroom.

Fourth period was a smaller class, but we had lots of extra camo to go around, so some students loaded up and made head coverings with extra shirts. We tried a few new areas in fourth period with success. No one got as close, but there were plenty of new hiding spots to find. Here you can see of my fourth period students walking towards the woods.

The first round was a tie between Amber and Luke, the second round Dante won but he was pretty far away, no one won the third round because we found everyone, and the last lightning round was a three way tie between Amber, Nick, and someone I can't remember.

The hardest part is closing your eyes and trying not to look as you listen to everyone move closer. Some students really enjoy looking and some claim they can't find anyone. In first period, I got to hide a few times while Megan and a few others did an excellent job finding their peers. In fourth period, Morgan, Nick, and Luke were excellent spotters. Pictures is Brittany H, Amber, Kaythurn, and some unknowns closing their eyes while waiting for folks to rehide. I took this picture with my eyes closed while I was counting out loud.

Virginia Aquarium

Yesterday, many students had an exciting day at the Virginia Aquarium in Virginia Beach. The bus ride was long, but not as long and boring as most students expected. We ate lunch just as we arrived at the aquarium and then went to look at the exhibits.

Students were divided into groups and looked through the exhibits and examining the animals and answering the questions. The Virginia Aquarium is actually two building separated by a nature trail through the salt marsh and most were complaining how hot it was! It was pretty neat because you could see the fiddler crabs in the mud waving their arms around trying to impress the ladies.

Many students got a huge thrill out of touching the stingrays in the touch tank. I think stingrays feel like hotdogs - slimy but with a stiff structure. Another hit were the otters, which sometimes were sleeping and sometimes romping around. There were a lot of sea turtle fans and students were able to tell which were boys and which were girls (look how long the tail is). Students also learned how to tell boy and girl sharks apart.

After seeing the aquarium, students walked along a local beach completing a scavenger hunt and looking for sea shells. Many were surprised how much you could actually find on the beach and pleased that they knew what they were finding.

After a fast food stop for dinner, students climbed back on the bus for the long ride home. The rest area was just in time for a much needed break in the middle of the trip. Students arrived back at the school a little late, a little tired, but after having a good day.

Pictures will be shared soon. If you took some, please share them with me.

Jawless Fish

Today we discusses jawless fish. Jawless fish are primitive fish with a notochord instead of a backbone and a flat rasping mouth that cannot close like ours. As a result thes fish cannot bite... only scrape and hold on.

Pictured to the right, you can see five lamprey mouths and one lamprey head with blue eyes and seven gill holes.

Jawless fish include lampreys which are parasites and hagfish which are detritavores. Neither one will ever win a beauty contest.

Finishing up Crustaceans and Echinoderms

Today student's took a practical examination covering crustaceans and echinoderms. Most students thought it was pretty easy, but the ones I thought were hard they excelled at and the ones I thought were simple seemed to stump them. Here Becca puzzles over the bonus question.

First period doubled up and took their regular test today too.

On Monday we start talking about FISH and on Wednesday we will be going to the aquarium in Virginia Beach.

Computer Lab Wednesday

Great start on invertebrate projects with Ning. I left comments for each of you on your page about your progress. Please read these comments and ask questions if you have them.

Today's Goals

• Drag the 'Latest Activity' to the bottom of your page
• Finish the TEXTBOX requirements
• Work on Blog Posts

No videos unless I give you verbal permission. Stay out of YouTUBE... this is your warning.

Before you get started for today, try this out - http://quizlet.com/_r8vz as review for your tests. Review the terms if you need to, but otherwise play scatter and space race.

• First period I will not see you on Thursday. You have a test on Monday and a practical on Friday.
• Fourth Period you have a test on Thursday and a practical on Friday.

Computer Lab Day 2 and 3

Today your goals are

• sign into Gtest (your school email - directions below)
• Follow the Ning invite for invertebrate projects
• Set up your Ning Invertebrate profile

Directions for signing into GTest Email

1. Go to the homepage. Click on the Gmail button and sign into your gtest email.
2. The login for your gmail (if you have not changed it) is: Last-name First-Initial Middle-Initial so mine is JancaitisKT
3. The password (if you have not already changed it) is: First-Initial Student-Number Last-Initial so mine would be K46311J
4. It will prompt you to change your password. Please make it something you will remember.
   
5. In your email you should have an invitation to join Ning and the Invertebrate Fakebook Project.Follow the link.

Ning Profiles
When it asks for your name, put in the name of your invertebrate. For your profile picture, put in one of those clear photos that you found last time we were in the lab.

See Miss J for the handout of required parts to include. You need to get a lot accomplished. Do not waste time. If you have questions, get my attention and ask them. You can also put questions on the Green Dragon Nudibranch page online and I will answer them online after class.

Crustacean Echinoderm Molluscs Observations

Today students observed specimens of some of the organisms we have been discussing in class. Many students were surprised that these "specimens" were purchased at the grocery store and that some of them like the squid could be eaten. Perhaps I forgot to mention calamari?

For molluscs, students observed a mussel, clam, oyster, and squid. Students looked in the inside of the bivalves and some questioned why anyone would eat them. I think they were more surprised by how empty the shell actually was. The squid was a hit! Students were able to observe its siphon, the beak, feel the pen (the inner supportive shell), and see all the tentacled arms, plus it was leaking a little bit of ink. Dale, Nick, and Rachael had some excellent squid drawings.

Students observed horseshoe crabs and put together a miniature model. Students observed crustaceans like blue crabs, snow crabs, a lobster and shrimp that still had their heads.
Maria C (with a C) is impressed with the shrimp. Shrimp with heads are not easy to find because we queasy Americans often do not want to eat things that appear to be staring at us. Shrimp with heads have their legs too - those things that are on the tail that you are used to peeling off are actually swimmerets.

On the lobster, students had to identify the two claws - the shredder and the crusher. Students also looked the mouth and decided whether they thought a lobster had teeth. Brittany S, Luke, Kaythurn, and Raven get a closer look at the lobster and its claws.

Students compared two crabs - the blue crab and the snow crab. On the blue crab, they correctly identified it was a male and then took a look at the three types of legs. Crustaceans have ten legs, but on the blue crab the first pair are pincers, the next three pairs are walking legs, and the fifth pair of legs actually has a fin because the blue crab can swim. Snow crabs are a kind of spider crab and have a bumpy skin to encourage the growth of algae for camouflage. Alicia is checking out the blue crab - she checked out everything in this activity.

Students looked at the tests (endoskeletons) of sea stars, sea urchins, a sand dollar, and a sea biscuit. The hole or opening on the bottom in the middle is the mouth of the echinoderm. Sea urchin tests are bumpy from where the spines used to be attached.