*Tweet tweet* Birds!! *Tweet tweet*

Heyy! It's me Sofia, and guess what!?! I'm gonna talk about birds!! But before I do I must, and yes must explain what I am going to teach you about before I start! So, here it goes......

• I will list 4 characteristics all birds!
• The difference between contour and down feathers!
• The official Georgia State bird!
• How do their feathers, air sacs, and their skeleton help them fly!
• Last of all, I will talk about one bird and and give you facts!

But anyways,  not all birds are so cute, sweet, and friendly!!




4 Characteristics about Birds!!

1. Well, all birds have no teeth, so that picture up there is fake!
2. All birds either have a beak or bill!
3. All birds have feathers!
4. All birds lay eggs!

Now, let's talk about the difference between contour and down feathers! 

Contour feathers!!

Well, contour feathers are the most specialized of the feathers. Contour feathers form the outline of the bird's body and gives the bird a streamlined look! These feathers are on the outer body, wings, and the tail. These feathers are what gives a bird it's unique colors and patterns!

Down Feathers!!

So, down feathers make up the under plumage of a bird! They are usually are under the contour feathers and are mainly used to keep insulation for the bird in the cold winter days! These feathers are not " hooked " together like the contour feathers are and are numerous in ducks and other water birds! Some species of bird pluck the down feathers and use them to keep their eggs warm! 

The Official Georgia State Bird!!

The official state bird is the.......................

BROWN THRASHER!!! 

The Georgia State Bird :D :D

Feathers, air sacs ,and bones!!

Well, finally I can talk about how their feathers, air sacs, and bones help them fly! Did you know that birds feathers are curved down to help the fly better. It gives them lift and that's how it makes it fly better!!


Do you wanna know how the air sacs help?! They help by giving the birds fresh air and helps the lungs out a lot! The air sacs keep replenishing the lungs with air! So the bird won't get short of breath when flying!

Last , but not least here is how their bones help them out in flying! Birds bones are nothing like our bones! They are the opposite of ours! Yes, their bones are very strong, but they are actually HOLLOW! They are light, hollow, but strong bones! Teeth are bones too so that's why they don't have teeth, it will weigh them down and won't be able to fly very good or at all!

The Toco Tucan!!



Well, guess what time it is!? No, it's not adventure time, it's time to talk about one special bird and that bird is the Toco Tucan!! Yep, thats it's real name the Toco Tucan!!! What a funny name!! :D Anyways, as you know tucans have very colorful bill's and are lot's of colors! Most tucans live in Central and South America! So, with that let's start with the awesome FACTS!!! :D :D :D

• Mostly live in Cental and South America!
• They mostly live about 20 years!
• They eat both plants and animals! (Omnivore!)
• They live in trees!
• They nest in tree holes!
• Some people capture and keep them as pets!
• Are very popular birds!
• Fly in flocks of 6 or more!

Awww! Looks like it's the end of this blog!! Well, I hope you learned a lot about birds and the Toco Tucan! Leave me comments and come back to learn about more sciency stuff next time!! BYE! :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

Do YOU wanna learn about REPTILES!?

Hey!!! It's Sofia!! Today on my blog I am going to talk about The Characteristics that all Reptiles have in Common! Also, How are they Different from Amphibians!??!  Plus, I will name ALL the different groups of reptiles!!!!!  :D :D :D But, did I forget something.... OH YEAH!  I will describe each groups characteristics and tell you, yes YOU  about an animal from each group! So, are we ready to start learning?!? FYI, there are 4 groups so it won't take long!

Well, basically reptiles have scales, dry skin, lay eggs and sometimes, just sometimes they give LIVE BIRTH! To do that they keep the eggs inside their body and when the eggs hatch they come out alive not in a egg! Also, reptiles have ear holes, 4 or no legs, and  they are cold-blooded and did you know that dinosaurs were reptiles before they all died harshly!?! Well, they were reptiles and I bet you can see the resemblance! Moving on..... here are 5 main reasons why reptiles are different from amphibians.....

1. Their are about 7,000 species of reptiles while there are about 5500 species of amphibians! 
2. Their skin is MUCH more scaly and dry than amphibians. Amphibians have ooey gooey skin.
3. Their eggs are VERY different! Reptiles have leathery, hard eggs and amphibians have jelly like eggs.
4. The purpose of each others skin is used in differently.
5. They grow differently.

Well, now that I got that out of the way let's talk about the groups of reptiles! There are 4 groups of reptiles!

There names are: Crocodilians, squamates, testudines, and finally the sphenodontias! They all are groups of reptiles so the animals classified in the groups are not that different in general, but in appearance they don't look alike because a alligator and a chameleon don't look too much alike!! All groups have ear holes, dry skin, lay hard eggs, and are cold-blooded. Have you ever seen a chameleon before? I have seen on before when it wasn't camouflaged! I have seen it when my cousin had one, before it died.... 



The Groups........

• One animal in the group crocodilians is a crocodile! Shocker! Crocodiles have large teeth and a powerful jaw! They live in swamps and rivers!
•  One animal in the group squamates is a snake! Most people think that snakes are super scary and that's the same with crocodiles! There are HUGE snakes called Anacondas and  Pythons! They can swallow you whole!
•  One animal in the testudine group is a turtle! They live in lakes, ponds, and rivers. 
• Last but not least in the group sphenodontias is a tuatura. Tuaturas live in New Zealand  and and are not very common! 

Well, that's all for this blog and you learned a lot about reptiles! Come back soon to learn more about some more awesome science topics!! Byeeeee!! :D :D :D 

2012.. Is the world really gonna end?!?!

Happy New Year! This is the year that the world is supposed to end on December 21, 2012...Blahhhh! :P
But HEY! Let's think about the good things about 2012!!! :) I mean like the world really isn't gonna end, right? Anyway,  when you come to think of it it's kinda sad how never, ever, never will there be a 2011 again, but that's how it's been for millions of years. I mean like we don't miss the year 1907, do we? Anyway, I will also talk about my News Years resolution , plus my holiday break! :)



Wow, I actually can't believe that people made a movie about that! Do you really want to think about the fact that one day the world will just go KA-BOOM and everyone is gonna die and never again you will see the light and breathe or anything again?!?!? I mean like people are posting pictures on Google that are of the earth blowing up, seriously!! :O





But, like I said the GOOD things about 2012!! So, let me begin!! 


What I am looking forward to in 2012!!
Well, let me begin by saying the break from school was really great! I got so many presents and my favorite one was my iPad! And for half the break I spent it on non-academic with my best friends!! To bad that's over! D: But,  I also saw a movie during the break around Christmas! 

Anyways, what the three main things I am looking for for 2012 are......

• I am gonna be a 6th GRADER!!! OH YEAH! :O
• My Birthday!! :) :) :) 
• My amazingly amazing phone!! 

My New Year's Resolution!! 

My New Year's resolution is....  To get more money in my wallet! Hahah! :D


Well, that's the end of my blog! :)  Come again next time for my SECOND blog of 2012!! :) :) :) 

Ribittttt! Ribittttt! Let's learn about...Amphibians! :O

Hey! It's MUAHZZLES! And today I am going to talk about AMPHIBIANS! Most people think EW, and some people think AWWE! ( I think YUCK! 0_o ) Everyone has their opinion! Let's start by telling you what you will be learning about, for my last blog post of 2011! D': But we are not talking about Kermit! :D

What you will be learning about.........

•  The 3 groups of amphibians....... ( That's foo sho! )
• The characteristics of all 3 groups of amphibians!

Before I start I will name the 3 groups of Amphibians!! Here we go....


The 3 groups of Amphibians.....

1. Anurans.....
2. Urodeles....
3. Apoda.... ( I'll tell you what these mean right after this! )

------_____-------______------_____------


The 3 groups......
Well, second of all I shall tell you ALL about the characteristics of Amphibians, but I need to tell you about the 3 groups so you can understand better, I hope! :D Enjoyyyyyyyyyy..........




Anurans.....

Over hear! I'm a toad!

Anura are frogs and toads!! You usually see them around ponds and lakes! :D

Look! I'm a frog! 

Did you know that this group is the most common and they have short bodies, strong legs, and no tails!
Most frogs have sticky feet to stick to the object they are climbing up so they fall off! Some frogs are even poisonous! The poisonous ones are the most colorful and sometimes the smallest! 




Urodeles....

Guess what! I'm a salamander!

Urodeles are salamanders and newts! They are super slimy! Hahahah! :D

Guess who?? It's a newt!

This group is common, but no as common as Anurans though! They have long bodies, short legs, and flattened tails used for swimming! Salamanders are very slimy! While newts are not really slimy. D:



Apoda....

Yozzy!  Caecilian in the house! :D

Apoda are ceacilians!!! Caecilians are worm - snake like creatures! You can say that they are just Santa Clause sized worms, Ew.  0.o  They are practically blind and their eyes are sensitive to light! :D :D :D


The characteristics!!! :D :D :D 


Well, amphibian stands for " Double Life ". It's not where if you die, you come back to life, but that would be so awesome!! :D  It actually is that amphibians live in the water half their life then go to land then come back to the water to breed! What a life! Hahaha! I like my life much more...... anyways, the amphibian comes from the greek! Thank you greek people! :D Hehehe. Also because they live in the water and land they begin with gills and then end living with lungs. The odd thing about them is that they breathe trough their skin. 


Amphibians go through, what they call, metamorphosis. Woah now! That's a long word! What does that long word mean you ask? Well, it is basically when and amphibian goes through and very, very drastic change of their body! We don't have that much of a drastic change because we still have the same things: Arms, legs, hands, feet, a face, a head, lungs, a heart, yeah I bet you get the point! :D Moving on!!! 




They have gills then lose them and grow lungs! It's not like WE lose a toe and grow and finger!  I mean like really! They have a tail and then lose it and grow legs and arms! Gee, but all amphibians have 4 legs and sometimes no legs! They all have webbed feet to help them swim and some don't have feet! But all have moist, smooth skin, or at least no hair or fur! They are also cold - blooded all their life!











Well, that'a all!! :D Thanks for reading my blog!! Come again soon to learn more amazing things! :D

SQUISHY FISHY!!! ._.

 

Hey! IT'S MUAH! You know why I am here and it is to teach YOU about fishy!!!! Yes, this time it IS the type of fish that you are thinking about!! They are called Bony Fish and in this blog you will hear lot's about them! 






These are the basic things I am going to teach you about....... ( ENJOY!!! )

1. How do fishy float?? ( Hmmmmm....)
2. Then the Roles of each fin!!! ( YAHOO!)
3. What's a lateral line ? ( Wonder, wonder! )
4. How does fishy breathe?  ( Do they really breathe? )
5. What does cold blooded mean???? ( Are they cold, Let's give them a scarf! : D )
6. What do fishy like to eat ? ( Not fish sticks! Lol! )
7.  Then I will talk about three of MY favorite fishies!!! 

   LET'S BEGIN!!! >>>>>>>>>>>>>

___________________________________

How do fish float????

• Fish use what is called......( Get Ready! ) a Swim Bladder !!!! OH YEAH! I bet you think that it's NASTY and that it is the bladder we think it is , but DON'T WORRY it's not! Here is pic! :)

It's the blue item! 

• Did you know that it inflates and deflates like are lungs!?  But it is not used in the same way, but it can be compared! Like when our lungs inflate, it inflates air! But the fishies , however,  uses  their swim bladder inflates water and deflates it back out through the gills. But WHY  you ask! Well, it's because when the swim bladder is inflated with water it sinks and when it is empty it floats! It's all because the water in his/ her swim bladder is heavy and makes him go down and when its empty and full of air it floats!

The roles of the fins!!!

• Now shall I describe the roles of the fishes fin??? I SHALL! So,  a fish has about 8 fins and you can count! In this diagram it displays the fins:  Anal fin ( 1 ) , Caudal fin ( Tail ) , Soft and spiny dorsal fins      (2) , Pectoral fins ( 2 ) , Pelvic fins ( 2 ) , and all the other important features a fish has! Not all fish have some of the fins displayed above!!! ._.  Now I am going to talk about each individual fin! YAY!

The Anal fin is used to.....

 Stabilize the fish while swimming! This basically used to keep it's balance in other words! Just like most people stick there arms out while walking on a balance beam! It is located on the lower side of the body near the tail.
But they won't fall off the ocean. :)



The to Pectoral fins are used for....


Turning can be used for tasting and touching! Also for support and the source of power for swimming.
It is located each side of the body near the head because there are 2.  


The Pelvic fin is used for...


 Slowing down some bony fishes and for stability. Did you know that it is located on the lower side of the body near the head. 





The Dorsal fin is used for...

To also keep it stable while it also is used for sudden direction changes. The fin is located at the upper side of the BODY!!! 



The Cadual fin is used for....

propulsion also known as the thing that pushes an item FORWARD! >>>>>> Vroom.  ._. It is located around the bottom and it is also known as the tail!



What's a lateral line?

That is it for fins! YAY! Now....What is a lateral line? Well, a lateral line is a line of holes that is located along the side of the fish's body on both sides of the body that sense vibrations in the water!!

How do fish breathe?

Fish breathe with there gills.
The gills take the oxygen out of the water the gills take up. He.


What does cold blooded mean?

Cold blooded means your blood is cold! Just Kidding! It means that your blood will adapt to your surronding tempreature!



What do fish eat??

Fish eat worms, clams, mussels, bugs, crustations, and some carnivors eat squid, fish, birds, frogs, and snails!

Next blog is part 2 and I will talk about my three FAVORITE fish, but the three are a Seahorse, Pirahana, and the silver dollar fish! Yayyyyy! Anyways.... Buh Bye! :)