Investigations in Science 7 February 17, 2017

What we did this week:

This week, we completed frog dissections. The PTA funds our frog dissections each
year. This is a lab that students will remember for a lifetime. This is our most expensive
lab that we complete each year. Thank you to all the PTA members for helping us fund
this lab. If you arent already a member of the PTA, you can join here:
http://www.fmsptamd.org/support-our-students

On the first day of frog dissection, we looked at how a tadpole changes into a frog
what types of things change. Students received their frogs, gave them a name, and then
we started by observing how the hind legs are different from the forelegs. We found
that the hind legs are more muscular, longer, and have more "toes." The hind legs help
with jumping while the forelegs help with balance.

We also observed the eyes. Did you know that the frog has a third eyelid called
the nictating membrane that acts like goggles while underwater?

Students then found the tympanum which is the circular eardrum. You can predict
if the frog is a male or female because the male tympanum is always larger than its
eyeball. Students predicted the gender, and some groups had to rename their frog. We
will know the gender for sure when we open the abdomen. If the abdomen is filled with
eggs, it is a female.

We also looked at the external nares on the frog (nose) and talked about
advantages of the external nares being on the top of the head. They are less likely for
predators to see them when they come up to breath = survival!

We observed the skin of the frog and determined many functions of the frogs skin:
camouflage, breath through it, drink through it, and some even have poison glands to
discourage predators (ours do not).

We started by looking at some adaptations that allow a frog to live on both land and
water, such as; gills turning to lungs, smooth skin, webbed feet, nictating membrane,
external nares (nose) on top of its head. Then we started to open the mouth to look
inside. They located the tongue and determined if it was attached at the front or back of
the mouth. I had some groups say, 'the tongue is stuck to the lip' until they realized it
was attached to the front of the mouth and not in the back. They measured the length of
the tongue as well. They saw that by being attached to the front of the mouth, the tongue
can out that much further and catch prey more easily. We also felt the inside of the
mouth for teeth. There are teeth inside the mouth but not like we have.

We then poked our probe, without using pressure, in the external nares to see
where it came out. We were essentially picking its nose with a tool to see where the tube
led to, which happened to be the internal nares. Not all groups were successful at finding
this tube.

In the back of the mouth, we found the glottis (the air tube) and the gullet (the
food tube). We found Eustachian tubes as well. Again, we poked with our probe to see
where they led to. We found that they led to the tympanum (ears). These tubes help the
frog equalize air pressure when it swims deep in the water.

We started to look at the digestive system of the frog. We took some

observations of the different organs and opened up the stomach to see if there was any
food that the frog had eaten. We also looked to see the layers of muscles in the stomach
of the frog. We took a look at all the systems and made some observations how they are
similar and different to the systems that are found in us. Some groups even were able to
see if they could find the brain.

I have uploaded many photos to my blog, some more graphic of the frog. If you
would like to see the photos, feel free to check it out.

Today we will have an open note/lab assessment for the frog dissection. Students
did not need to complete the lab fully in order to get 100% on the assessment.

Announcements:

We will be cleaning out our binders very soon but please do not have your child clean
out their notebook just yet. Check your child's agenda book for when we clean out our
binder. It should be next week.

The student vs. staff basketball game was on Thursday which is always our most
crowded game of the game. The game was tied, 55-55. They went into a free throw tie
breaker and the students won!

Coming Up:

Topics:
 Finish Menu Project
Start Inheritance and Variation of Traits Unit
Request for Proposal
Asexual and Sexual Reproduction

Dates:

February 15-17 MAP-R Testing in English classes

February 21-March 2 No After School Activities due to Outdoor Education
March 3 Half Day
March 7 Chipotle PTA Fundraiser
March 14 PTA Meeting 7:00 pm in the Media Center