Today I received a reply to the discussion thread I posted on the UBC Gardens website suggesting that we order some Physarum Polycephalum off the Carolina Biological website. We did just that and learned that our order would likely arrive in a dormant state and we would have to revive it before setting in the maze. Mom also asked a very insightful question: How does it know to move around the walls of the maze and not just move over them? Do they put a repellent on it or something?
Today I received an answer from someone at UBC Gardens stating that we should just buy SM.
Today, I went to the UBC Garden’s website to try and find a SM expert or at least find some useful information. I didn’t find either, so instead I posted a question on their discussion board asking for help acquiring some. Tomorrow I will try SFU
Today, I brought some of the possible SM specimens we found yesterday. We looked at them under a microscope, and decided that they wouldn’t be of use because they probably aren’t what we’re looking for, and they must have dried out or something so they aren’t going to be doing any growing. Mr. Sarte has suggested emailing the UBC botanical Gardens to see if they can help us.
As we have done pretty much all we can on our inquiry at the moment, all we did today was discuss possible inquiries with a few other students and write some slime mold facts on the board.
Today, SCK and I filled out our Inquiry planner, and did more research on Slime Mold. Did you know SM prefers upright objects?
Yesterday, the Environmental group came up with the idea for slime mold related inquiries, today, we made it happen. SCK and I are going to try and get it to solve a simple maze. But first we have to find it. We are going to spend the next few days learning about it, collecting resources and maybe even coming into contact with a slime mold expert!
Today we showed our presentations. We didn’t do very well, but I did my best considering how many variables were unaccounted for or went wrong. I wonder what we could have done better, with everything that happened in mind?
Today, I finished doing what I could on our presentation. Tomorrow I will take a few more pics and incorporate what Kayla has written into the powerpoint.
Today, I spent the morning doing English (The Highwayman actually), and then this afternoon, I moved onto Inquiry work i.e. watering, measuring. I discussed with Shauna and Kayla about our presentations and graphs, deciding that we have so many variables to look at that we’re not sure where to go with them, so we’re going to talk to Mr. Truss about it on Friday. In the meantime however, me and Kayla are going to work on our presentation.