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

 

Science

08.31.2026 - Monday - Week #4 - Science

1. Species of the Day: Pocket Gopher.
1. 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!
2. 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?