NEW NATURE SPOTTING PHOTOS!

Check out the Nature Spotting section for new photos taken at Cañada de los Pájaros, Seville.

By Cristina Romero and Elena Pérez

PROTOZOA

CULTIVATING PROTOZOA IN THE CLASS

 Cultivating protozoa has also been a class project. We collected dry leaves from the school grounds and placed them in a bowl with water. After a few days we added some rice. We left this preparation for aproximately 2 weeks. After this time we made microscopic preparations and were suprised to see a wide range of protozoa. The protozoa varied in shape and size and also in their motility. Some moved very quickly with their cilia, others used their flagellum, some moved in circles. The most suprising was a protozoa that curled their flagellum like a spring and then stretched it very quickly in a like jumping movement. We identified this protozoa as vorticela. We also saw paramecium, cosmarium, navicula, vorticela etc. We were also lucky to see microscopic nematodes in some of the samples.

Check out these videos! You can see many moving protozoa!! These are two of our samples!!

SCIENCE FAIR PROJECT - PROTOZOA - By Álvaro Méndez

Protozoa panel by Álvaro Méndez

Protozoa

Protozoa are a diverse group of unicellular eukaryotic organisms.

Characteristics

Protozoa commonly range from 10 to 52 micrometers, but can grow as large as 1 mm, and are seen easily by microscope. The largest protozoa known are the deep-sea dwelling xenophyophores, which can grow up to 20 cm in diameter.

Álvaro making a model of Vorticela

Motility and digestion
Tulodens are 2 of the slow-moving form of protozoa . They move around with whip-like tails called flagella, hair-like structures called cilia, or foot-like structures called pseudopodia. Others do not move at all. Protozoa may absorb food via their cell membranes, amoebas, surround food and engulf it, and yet others have openings or "mouth pores". All protozoa digest their food in compartments called vacuoles.
Ecological role
Protozoa are an important food source for microinvertebrates. As predators, they prey upon unicellular or filamentous algae, bacteria, and microfungi. Protozoa are consumers, both herbivoresand carnivores. They also control bacteria population.
Reproduction
Protozoa can reproduce by binary fission or multiple fission. Some protozoa reproduce sexually, some asexually. An individual protozoan is hermaphrodite.
Classification
They are classificated into ciliates, mastigophorans, and apicomplexans. Most protozoa can move about on their own.
Human diseases
Some protozoa are human parasites, causing diseases. Examples of human diseases caused by protozoa:
Malaria
Amoebiasis

Information source - Wikipedia

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Alvaro's model of Vorticela. This protozoa "jumps" by  curling and stretching its flagellum.

                           

                                      Protozoa stand ready for the Science Fair

SCIENCE FAIR PROJECT - MEDICINAL PLANTS - By José Luis Benavente

Medicinal plants collected by JoséLuis Benavente 

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)

Infusions of rosemary are used for coughs , fever and painful digestions. Filter and drink three cups a day.

Oleander (Nerium oleander)

This poisonous plant in the hand of doctors can be converted into an excellent medicine .The pharmaceutical industry uses it for preparing cardiotonic and diuretic specialities .The hydroalchoholic extract of oleander acts on the movement of the heart.

Mallow (Malva silvestris)

For swollen gums and throats . In a cup of boiling water soak a teaspoon of mallow flowers for 10 minutes . Filter the liquid and use as a mouthwash . Repeat several times a day.

Orangetree (Citrus aurantium)

It´s used to prevent insomnia and nervous excitement . Put a cup of boiling water two grams of orange leaves , filter and sweeten with honey before drinking.

Nettle (Urtica dioca)

It is a infallible remedy for bleeding, it´s used as a remedy for sputum, also blood loss caused by menopausial disorders .The stinging nettle juice stops nosebleeds when introduced through the  nose, it´s also used as a multivitamin specially to increase milk production in women after child birth.

Thistle (Sylibum marianum)

Milk thistle is also used in many products to reduce the effects of a hangovers.

Bibliography - Text translated from "EL MARAVILLOSO MUNDO DE LAS HIERBAS" Editorial SA

Stand ready for the Science Fair

José Luis Benavente at the Science Fair 2013

José Luis Benavente explaining his project during the Science Fair

SCIENCE FAIR PROJECT - TURTLES - By Amaya Valdés



Male and female turtles

The turtle is a reptile characterised by having a wide, short trunk, and a shell that protects the internal organs of the body. Coming out of the shell are: the head and front legs, and behind, the hind legs and the tail.
The most important characteristic of the skeleton of turtles is that a large part of the spinal column is welded to the back side of the shell.

 The skeleton makes breathing impossible by movement of the rib cage si it is performed primarily by the contraction of the modified abdominal muscles. The skull has great features of primitivism.
Although lacking teeth, they have a beak covering its mandible, like the beak of the birds.
 Like all reptiles, turtles are ectothermic, which means that their metabolic activity depends on the external or temperature of the environment.
Turtles shed their skin, but unlike lizards and snakes, they do it gradually. They also molt the shields of the carapace, individually and apparently in no particular order.

Amaya Valdés working on her model of a turtle

Model of the internal organs of a turtle 

Model of a turtle with its carapace

Preparing the terrarium for the turtles

Stand ready for the Science Fair

Amaya Valdés at the Science Fair 2013

ORIGIN OF THE ATOM THEORY

Check out this interesting video about the origin of the atom structure theory. The study of atoms has changed from thinking that  atoms are static particles, to then finding that the electrons move around the atoms, now it is known that electrons do not follow the laws of motion and that the movement of electrons is unpredictible.

Click here!   http://science.howstuffworks.com/29430-assignment-discovery-origin-of-the-atom-theory-video.htm

ELEMENTS AND THEIR SYMBOLS YOU MUST STUDY

 Here is a list of elements and their symbols that you studied last year. It is convenient that you revise them again this year. Most elements have very similar names in spanish and in english but I have written next to the ones that differ a little more, the name in spanish too. You must study them for the next grade exam.

Go to the articles section to watch a really interesting video about the origin of the atom theory!

H – Hydrogen

Na – Sodium

K – Potassium

Mg – Magnesium

Ca – Calcium

Ba – Barium

Ra – Radium

Mn – Manganese

Fe – Iron – Hierro

Co – Cobalt

Ni – Nickel

Pt – Platinum

Cu – Copper – Cobre

Ag – Silver

Au – Gold

Zn – Zinc

Hg – Mercury

B – Boron

Al – Aluminium

C - Carbon

Si – Silicon – Silicio

Sn – Tin – Estaño

Pb – Lead – Plomo

N – Nitrogen

P – Phosphorous

As – Arsenic

O – Oxygen

S – Sulphur – Azufre

F – Fluorine

Cl – Chlorine

Br – Bromine

I – Iodine

He – Helium

Ne - Neon

Ar – Argon

Xe – Xenon

Rn - Radon