Jessica is Learning Classification! Seashell Lab!

In Science class, Jessica is learning about classification and the kingdoms of plants, animals, and more.


To apply her knowledge, she classified seashells by many different criteria. 

Stem Cell Position Paper

This position paper was a challenging assignment, a joint effort between English and Science classes. Jessica took a stand on the controversial topic of stem cell research. Position papers must be short and concise but power-packed with information.

Stem Cell Research and Single Organ Transplants

By: Jessica Guerinot 


The United States of America should support stem cell research leading to single organ transplants. If a citizen of the U.S.A has a failing heart, kidney, and lung or other vital organ, that doctors should use the organs from stem cell research. Ethically doctors and medical researchers should limit the outcomes of stem cell research to vital organs.

            Embryonic stem cells are undifferentiated cells that are totipotent, which means they can become anything in the human body, from a skin cell to a kidney or heart. Embryonic stem cells are found in a blastocyst, which is a newly dividing zygote, a fertilized egg. According to Marcovitz (2011), stem cells have another source: “Stem cells can also be found in the bodies of newborns and adults as well” (p. 17). The adult stem cells are pluripotent, which means “the ability of stem cells to change any other cells found in the body” (Marcovitz, 2011, p. 19). Stem cell research has serious potential for medical innovation in the future.

 By conducting research and applying the results to medical cases, doctors could save the lives of many patients. According to the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), there are currently 112,639 on organ donation waiting lists. Nancy Reagan, former first lady supports stem cell research by saying, "Science has presented us with a hope called stem cell research, which may provide our scientists with answers that have so long been beyond our grasp. I just don't see how we can turn our backs on this - there are just so many diseases that can be cured, or at least helped. We have lost so much time already, and I just really can't bear to lose any more." Overall, doctors could benefit thousands of people by conducting such research.

Stem cells can be easily made to benefit patients worldwide and help move the medical world into a more modern state. Altogether, stem cell research should be used for vital organs.

Veronica's Water Filter Lab Report

Jan 12, 2012

Final Draft

Lab Report

By Veronica Guerinot

Title: Cleaning and Filtering Water

Statement of the Problem:

One problem is that water is dirty. The water can be dirty with mud, soil and pollution. Veronica Guerinot wants to find out: how can people clean the water? Can the water be cleaned? Some filters are underground and they clean and filter the water that is being recycled from lakes, wells, and underground water that is being pumped from any of those. The Laguna Beach Wastewater Division is responsible for managing the sewage in the area. The Laguna Beach Water district regulates the quality of the water. The Water Quality Division of the City of Laguna Beach writes that they: “The Water Quality Division is responsible for implementing programs to eliminate discharges of pollutants to the municipal storm drain system and ocean.” In conclusion, there are many districts around the world, which recycle, filter, and clean water, so that humans can use it for drinking, bathing, and more. Veronica Guerinot is going to examine if it is possible to clean water through filters by doing a lab.

Hypothesis:

If water mixed with soil is filtered twice through a funnel and a filter, then the water will be cleaner. Most of the soil and dirt will be removed from the water.

Materials:

1.     Spoon

2.     Coffee filters

3.     Water

4.     Paper towels

5.     Soil

6.     Three clear plastic cups

7.     Two funnels

8.     Notebook paper

Procedure

First, stir a spoonful of soil into a cup of water, until the water is cloudy. Then place a funnel in a clean cup and place two of the possible filters, which include coffee filters and a paper towel. These two layers should be inside the funnel. Next, pour the dirty water through the funnel. Observe the water after it has passed through and record your results. Use the same dirty cup to prepare another cupful of dirty water. Now, place the second funnel in a clean cup and add two clean filters. This time, the two filters should be a coffee filter and notebook paper. The independent variable is the type of filter that is used. The dependent variable was the rate of how fast the water came out and the quality of the water. Now, observe the water and record your results.

Finally, compare how the two different filter systems clean the dirty water. Make an observation chart which includes Type of Filter System and Observations, split into two columns.

Results (Data) 

Table 1

Filter System	Observations
1. (Paper Towel and Coffee Filter)	We poured the mixture of dirt and water into the layered funnel, coffee filter, and paper towel. We watched it drip quickly into the plastic cup. The water came out with no dirt chunks in it, but had a slight yellow tint to it.
2. (Notebook Paper and Coffee Filter)	We poured the mixture of dirt and water into the layered funnel, coffee filter, and notebook paper. We watched it drip very slowly. It was dripping slowly from the notebook paper that held the water well instead of filtered it. The water had a yellower tint to it.

Both of the mixtures got thoroughly cleaned by the filters. They both had a yellow tint to them after it was cleaned, although number 2 had a more obvious tint to it. Number 2 also dripped out more slowly than number 1.  Number 1 poured out quickly.

Conclusions

The original hypothesis of Veronica Guerinot was correct. The water was cleaned very thoroughly after passing through 2 filters. Before it was cleaned, it was a dark cloudy mixture with dirt chunks throughout it. After it was cleaned, it was very clear, and only contained microscopic dirt chunks. The water also held a yellow tint. The filters were used like a strainer. At the end, the dirt chunks were still in the filter, but the water ran through into the cup.

Number 1 ran through the filter quicker and was more clear in color. Number 2 ran through slowly and had a more noticeable yellow tint.

Veronica Guerinot chose to do this lab because she knows that she will have to use this if the fresh water supply runs out. She will know how to filter water, so she will stay alive. Also, she will be able to help water pollution by helping filtering the water. She will be able to help reuse water by cleaning it. If Veronica Guerinot had poured more water into the filter and overflowed it, dirt could’ve escaped into the clean water collection. This did not occur during Veronica Guerinot’s experiment. Although, she did not precisely measure the amount of dirt going into the filters, this could have contributed to the yellowish tint.

Bibliography

http://www.lagunabeachcity.net/cityhall/wq/water_quality_division/default.asp

Science/English Interdisciplinary Unit

For 7th grade English class, Jessica is reading The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary Pearson, a young adult novel with elements of science fiction. The sequel to this book recently came out (The Fox Inheritance) and Jessica is excited to read that book as well. In class, we read a short story from the author which was from Jenna's friend Allys' perspective. We discussed this story and you can read the multiple perspective creative writing prompts below, which Jessica responded to.

In science class, we are discussing issues this book raises and gaining background on information about bioethics, stem cell research, neurons, and antibiotic resistance. Jessica will be writing a short "position paper on a similar topic. 

A.     Write from Allys’ perspective, her thoughts and feelings when she realized the truth about Jenna Fox at the time of the novel The Adoration of Jenna Fox.

Creative Writing Blogs

By Jessica 

Allys’ Perspective

It all made sense to me now. How Jenna could run so fast, was so strong, so smart, and so obedient. She was a creation not a person. An engineered machine. I sat in my bed looking at my stumps, my pallor skin, appalled she wouldn’t just let the world take her. Who would do this? Who would choose that…that lifestyle? Waking up every morning only to remember its not you fingers, not your heart? She mentioned she was in an accident, a terrible accident. Her parents! They knew she would die, and her father being the creator of BioGel figured he would try everything to save her…and did. He saved his daughter by replacing everything in her body.    I couldn’t believe it, I gasped. I had to tell the FSEB offices, they would be arrested for sure. For playing with life, blatant disregard of the law. I screamed only to find a tube in my throat. Tears welled up in my eyes. I held my breath and the monitor that made sure I had enough oxygen, started to beep immediately. My parents rushed in, their faces masked with concern. They removed the tube.

“What’s wrong?!” my mother screamed frantically.

“Nothing mom, nothing. I just need to tell you something,” I rasped.

“What, honey? Anything.”

“I need you to…to, turn Jenna in. She’s engineered, by her parents.”

I breathed  a sigh of relief as my mom nodded. The world shifted in front of my eyes and I slipped into darkness.

B.      

C.     Write from Allys’ mother’s perspective, as she decided to reconstruct Allys’. This scene will take place AT the same time as “The Rotten Beast” short story. 

 Allys’ Mom’s Perspective

After Mr. Fox told me he would save Allys   I was overjoyed. It was something I had never felt. This relief, this overwhelming sensation that everything would be okay. Everything was fine, Allys would live, my daughter would be living. When she woke up, it was the best day of my life. Until she was outraged. Bitter it wasn;t her body. Her body before had a stump for and arm, a stump for a leg.

Now she had long, slender fingers. He body was smooth and graceful. Her face was renewed, he long dark hair shiny and soft. He voice was a series of musical notes, entrancing. Dr. Fox told me she would be fast, so smart, and strong, she would still have her same memories and opinions though. Our Allys was her, living, breathing talking. When We brought her home she was stubborn. We had to lock her door, keep her confined. My husband was scare she would attack him. He spent his days out in the garden while I tidied and cooked tiptoeing around Allys’ feelings. Jenna came to the house one day. Allys looked at it and inspected it, it was ripe and fresh and absolutely mouthwatering, She peeled some of the skin and immediately put it back in the bag. She shuddered and went in to the garden. She ran. Allys ran. I never thought those words would leave my mouth. I sat down wondering how long it would take for Allys to realize we did this for her. How long she would actually want to run and play with her new arms and legs?

Mapping the Human Genome

Jessica is learning about the Human Genome Project as part of her genetics unit in 7th grade Life Science.

She watched a clip from the NOVA film "Cracking the Code of Life." Check out this movie here: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/body/cracking-the-code-of-life.html

Here she summarized some very complex scientific information:

The Human Genome Project

By Jessica

Nov 20, 2011

The Human Genome Project was designed to complete the following goals:

¨     Identify all the approximately 20,000-25,000 genes in human DNA,

¨     Determine the sequences of the 3 billion chemical base pairs that make up human DNA,

¨     Store this information in databases,

¨     Improve tools for data analysis,

¨     Transfer related technologies to the private sector, and address the ethical, legal, and social issues (ELSI) that may arise from the project.

Researchers studied genetic makeups of organisms. This was the first big scientific experiment to address potential ELSI implications from project data. A genome is all the data in an organism, including it’s genes. DNA is made up of four chemicals; adenine, guanine, thymine, and cytosine. The order of the As, Ts, Cs, and Gs is very important. Knowledge about DNA leads to ways how to diagnose, treat, and someday prevent thousands of disorder and diseases that affect us. 

Veronica: Cell Structure

Veronica learned about the parts of a cell and she did a great activity called "From Coffee to Carbon" about the scale of different kinds of cells.


Link to the lesson: http://teach.genetics.utah.edu/content/begin/cells/print/CoffeetoCarbon.pdf 


Cell Size and Scale Animation

http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/begin/cells/scale/ 

Jessica: Genetics and Heredity Unit!

Jessica is learning about genetics and heredity in 7th grade Life Science. 


http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/begin/traits/ 


Click on the link and then choose "What is Heredity?" to see a great animation about families and traits.


Last week, Jessica also learned about inherited traits, such as rolling your tongue: see picture below.

3-D Cell Model

Today in Life Science, Jessica made a 3-D Cell model using mostly edible items. You may wonder, how is cytoplasm like Jell-o? If you see her model including cell organelles, then you'll understand. Don't worry, pictures to come!