OBSERVING METAMORPHOSIS IN THE LABORATORY!

If we are lucky we are going to be able to see one of the most interesting transformations in nature in the class, thanks to Ramón Paño from E2A that has brought 10 tiny tadpoles to the science laboratory.  Metamorphosis occurs in many species of animals and is always a fascinating change sometimes difficult to totally understand.
 We have studied metamorphosis in tadpoles and seen how the changes that occur are not only external but also internal. As you know, tadpoles have fins to swim, they are herbivores and have gills to breathe. Adult frogs have legs, lungs and are carnivores.
 This is a great opportunity to take a close look at this process. The changes will be published on Science Magazine!!

OBSERVING MOSSES AND FERNS

By S.Bastian

Mosses and ferns are simple non-flowering plants. We have observed them in the class and compared their characteristics.

By S.Bastian

 Ferns have very divided leaves called fronds. On the back of the fronds we have seen sorus, capsules that contain spores. Ferns are vascular plants. They have horizontal stems called rhizomes.

By S.Bastian

 Mosses have tiny leaves called phylodes. They absorb water through them. Their roots are only used to attach themselves to a surface, but they are called non true roots because they are unable to absorb water. Mosses grow filaments with capsules at the end that contain the spores for reproduction.
 María Cátedra from E1A has brought a fantastic sample of moss, where we have been able to see the filaments and capsules very clearly. We have also taken close up photographs of these to share on Science Magazine!

By S.Bastian

By S.Bastian

By S.Bastian

By S.Bastian

By S.Bastian

By S.Bastian

By S.Bastian

We have done scientific diagrams of both and labelled the parts.

EXPERIMENT - TRANSPIRATION IN PLANTS - By Lucía Sanz - E1D

 Lucía Sanz has done a great experiment to show transpiration in plants! As you know, three processees take place in plant leaves. Plants take in oxygen and expulse carbon dioxide through their leaves, this is respiration. They do this all the time, during the day and during the night. They also take in carbon dioxide, water and mineral salts and with energy from the Sun they convert these inorganic substances into organic substances. This is photosynthesis. They do this, only during the day. This is how plants make their own food. Oxygen is produced in this process and expulsed. This is why plants are so important on our planet, because they are oxygen producers, they oxygenate the atmosphere for other living things. Plants also elimante excess water through their leaves. The water they absorb through the roots is transported up the stem and the water that isn't used in photosynthesis is expulsed through the stomas. This is called transpiration.

 If you put a plastic bag over a leaf, after a few days you will find drops of water in the bag. This shows that plants release water through their leaves. 

This is exactly what Lucía has done. She put a tiny bag over one of the leaves and waited for three days. After this time you can clearly see the water that has collected in the bag!

 This is a great experiment Lucía and a great presentation. Thanks for sharing it with Science Magazine! 

Keep up the good work!!

VIDEO SUMMARY - Javier Rojas E1B

 Here is a good example of an activity you can do to learn more science, practise your english and at the same time obtain some extra marks.
 Javier has written an excellent summary of one of the short videos he previously watched on Science Magazine.
 Well done Javier! Keep up the good work!

MAKING A SCALE MODEL OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM

GROWING MOSS! By Arturo Pérez E2A

 Arturo Pérez has sent us these photographs of an experiment he has done at home. He found some moss and put a tiny bit on a piece of damp cotton wool in a plastic cup, and kept it in a dark, humid place. After a few days Arturo found that the cotton wool was completely covered in fresh green moss. He was able to observe the rhizoides and phyllodes. It's quite suprising how much moss has grown!

 As you know, moss is a non-flowering plant. It is the most primitive type of plant that exists. It has no true roots. It's tiny roots are called rhizoids and they are used to attach the plant to a surface, but they don't absorb water and mineral salts. This is why you can find moss growing on rocks, also on hard surfaces like walls, steps etc. Moss absorb water through their tiny leaves that are called phyllodes. This is why they only live when there is a lot of humidity in the air. They live in damp places. Mosses reproduce by spores. They form filaments with capsules at the end that contain the spores. Mosses release the spores quickly because as soon as it starts getting hotter and the air dries up, they die.

 Thanks Arturo for colaborating with this simple and interesting experiment!