Coastside Science: August 2026

Monday, August 31, 2026

08.31.2026 - Science and Math board pics, Science extended write-up, Math practice for home.

Science

08.31.2026 - Monday - Week #4 - Science

Species of the Day: Pocket Gopher.

Gophers are in the Order Rodentia. Rodents have from teeth that continue to grow throughout their lives. The largest rodent is the Capybara (You can see those, in person, at the San Francisco Zoo.) One rodent we’ll be learning about is the Beaver. Beaver were trapped and hunted heavily but they are an important KEYSTONE SPECIES. They provide habitat and sustain the environment of several other animals both and land AND animals that spend some of their lives in the ocean!
Gophers provide food for owls, hawks, coyotes, and other PREDATORS.

II. Key Terms for week #4

A. Species

B. Taxonomy

C. Cell

D. Life

E. Energy

F. Organism

G. The formula for determining DENSITY

H. Food Web (Food Chain)

I. The Four Fundamental Forces of Nature.

1. Strong Force. 2. Weak Force. 3. Gravity. 4. Electromagnetism

(Homework: Put the four forces in order from strongest to weakest.)

III. Notes on a WATER MOLECULE..

A. After drawing a water molecule, which looks like a cartoon “Mickey Mouse” head … we added a positive CHARGE to the side with the ears. (The side with the two Hydrogen Atoms) and a negative CHARGE to the side with the oxygen atom. Recall …

1. Like charges REPEL.

2. Opposite charges ATTRACT.

IV. We showed a clip from the movie; “The Biggest Little Farm.”

A. Molly and John (and their dog Todd) move from LA to start a new life on a farm near Carpenteria / Santa Barbara. (You can actually tour this farm!)

1. What was “wrong” with the farm when Molly and John arrived?

2. Why did Molly and John want to increase the BIODIVERSITY of the farm?

Sunday, August 30, 2026

Science - Week #3 Quiz for those who could not take it in class :-) ... 35 min time limit

Test Link: https://www.classroomclipboard.com/854670/Test/3AC926DB-7C9E-4D99-BDF9-D1AAABB7042F

Access Code: star

Saturday, August 29, 2026

Week #4 Review / Preview

08.29.2026 - Saturday -

Week #4 Review / Preview - Science

Hi Scientists,

Over the last three weeks we’ve focused on establishing routines in the class (notebooks, seating charts, taking the notes and being ready for learning) while introducing some of the key concepts that will take us through the year. Especially VARIABLES in an experiment, how current events can relate to our class, and how the study of life really is a study of the fourteen billion year history of our universe.

We participated in experiments that illustrated the INDEPENDENT and DEPENDENT variables (Golf ball bounce) and had a bit of an introduction to GRAPHING these results. (Math connections with the Cartesian Coordinate System.) Two clips from “Mythbusters” were used. (Humid Baseballs and Helium-filled Footballs.) The experimenters changed one variable (The Independent Variable) to see if it affected the flight of the ball (The Dependent Variable.) Control Variables were all the factors that were kept the same during each TRIAL to help ensure accurate results.

With current events we studied some local species - to see how human choices affect their survival - and world news, especially the glacier collapse in Nepal, to connect our study of the water cycle to “real-world” events. Atoms and molecules are introduced and the water molecule is, probably, the most important molecule for life! Continental glaciers have shaped land forms and impacted evolution while mountain glaciers - which are in rapid retreat because of climate change - provide drinking water to BILLIONS of people worldwide.

Finally, connecting all of this is the scientific method. We’ll see how, about a century ago, scientists graphed the speed of galaxy movement away from us, against their distance away from us, to help determine the age of our universe! (Hubble and the red-shift of galaxies.)

By using the Scientific Method, applying what we’ve learned to current events, and using our observation skills, we’ll continue to explore the origins of our universe and life on Earth in week number four.

S. Forbes