EXAMS!

This week we will focus on exam review.  This exam is cumulative.  To prepare for this assessment you should use your notes, old test, notes, textbook and your old blog posts.  There are also powerpoints on the class website for all the chapters covered.  Also refer to the exam review sheet I emailed out last week.  There is also info on the exam format on this document.

Please use the comment section of this blog post to ask questions on exam content and review material.  I will make sure to look through your comments and answer all questions at least once a night.  Feel free to answer each others questions as well!

Good luck and happy studying!

More on the Human Body.....

As you you continue on in your investigation of the human body, I thought you might find these videos on various systems and phenomenons of the body interesting.....if anything else, I hope they teach you a few things that you didn't already know. 

The Human Body is AMAZING!!!!

Please take a few minutes to watch each video (they are all 3-4 minutes long), and write down any questions you have.  We will be discussing all of these clips on Monday.

Human Body 101

http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/player/science/health-human-body-sci/human-body/human-body-sci.html

London Taxi Drivers Brains’

http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/player/science/health-human-body-sci/human-body/human-body-sci.html

Science of Stress

http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/player/science/health-human-body-sci/human-body/human-body-sci.html

Bone Strength

http://videos.howstuffworks.com/discovery/6830-human-body-bone-strength-video.htm

An In-Class Assignment on the Human Body

Your Assignment:

Research your topic today in class and put together a 3 to 4 minute powerpoint presentation on your organ/system that you will share with the class tomorrow.....

Ready. Set. Go!

This is a VERY broad assignment, but you need to use time both effectively and efficiently. 

NO DISTRACTIONS!  

Focus your research on information found on this website: http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/health-and-human-body/human-body/

Images can be taken from others places, though.

Your presentation should provide others in the class with an overview of your topic.  Assume your audience knows nothing. Make sure to keep it interesting!

Topics you might want to include in your summary are:

·      Main functions of your system/organ

·      Explanation of your systems anatomy (visual aids will be helpful!)

·      Interesting facts on your topic

·      External factors that can affect the function of your organ/system

·      Diseases that can effect your organ

·      Development of your organ/system (are you born with it fully developed? Is it continuously changing growing??)

·      Fun/interesting facts

Assignments:

Brain

Matt

Dawson

Peter

Digestive System

Nick

Lucy

Heart

Austin

Mayze

Ava

Lungs

Cuyler

Annie

Skin

Megan

Sara

Shelby

Genes: It's All in the Family!

After collecting data on a variety of genetic traits and comparing your own sets of these traits to your classmates as well as your family members, take a minute to reflect........

Do any of the results surprise you?  Were you able to determine your genotype for any of the investigated traits?  Why or why not?  What about the genotypes of your family members?  Are there any other Mendelian traits that you looked into on your own?  I know someone mentioned hand-folding......

Also, could you create any pedigrees based on your findings?

 

Angiosperm Dissection in Action!!

Hot Topics in Genetics

The Task: Create an informative and engaging blog post on your assigned topic in the field of genetics

Specifics:

Your post must address/include the following:

·       A complete description of your topic with appropriate background information (note who your audience is- this needs to be thorough)

·       A brief explanation of your topic on a molecular level (how is linked to protein synthesis or the cell cycle)

·       A specific case study linked to your topic or current research/breakthroughs

·       Explanation of potential future breakthroughs in the field

·       Any ethical/moral issues related to your topic

You will be graded using the usual blog post rubric

Topics may include, but are not limited to:

Genetic cloning                

Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD)

Stem Cell Research                                                                                          

Behavioral Genetics

Gene Therapy                                                                                                            

Personal Genome Project

Human Genome Project                                                                        

Forensics

Genetically Modified Foods/Organisms                                                      

Genetic Testing

Genetics and the Law (Some Legislative Background)                  

HIV/AIDS Research

HPV Vaccine

Influenza Vaccine

                                                                                                            

Cancer Project Presentations

Hope you all are enjoying your long weekend!

When we get back to class on Wednesday we will pick up with our cancer research presentations.

Below is the rest of the schedule for presentations (I selected names randomly to come up with this order!)

Wednesday
Sara
Matt
Cuyler
Nick

Thursday
Shelby
Mayze


Let me know if you have any questions.  Otherwise, see you next week!

The Cell Cycle Gone Wrong: Cancer Research Project

To finish out our discussion of the cell cycle and mitosis, you are going to be researching and presenting on a class of diseases that make up the second leading cause of death in the United States: Cancer. Cancer is caused by uncontrolled cell growth and affects humans in a variety of ways. Cancer is caused by genetic mutations, or changes to the DNA sequence, that often arise as a result of carcinogens, cancer causing agents. For this project you will be researching one type of cancer and presenting the following information to the class:

•  Your cancer and its history, facts & figures
• Types of cancer (the various forms, if any exist)
•  The risk factors and genetic causes
•  Discussion of the biology of your cancer (how this cancer works on the molecular level)
• Treatments currently used or being tested to help those with cancer 

Project Requirements:

•  2-page paper summarizing the information above, including a list of sources used.  This paper must be uploaded onto your blog as a post
•   A  5-minute class presentation with a power point or prezi (this will also be uploaded onto your blog).

Resources:

            Below I have posted several online resources for you to begin your research. Your research should not be limited to these sources, however, and you may incorporate other print, online, or other media resources. The end of your report should include a list of sources, but I will not require a formal bibliography.

The National Cancer Institute

http://www.cancer.gov/

American Cancer Society

http://www.cancer.org/

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

http://www.dana-farber.org/can/default.html

Cancer Quest: Winship Cancer Institute

http://www.cancerquest.org/

Due Date: February 15, 2011

Grading:

             This will count toward one project grade and your grade will be divided equally between the paper and the presentation. You will be graded on the inclusion of all information above, the quality of your presentation, and your overall preparedness. You will have time in class to research and write, but you will be expected to do a great deal of work at home, as well.

GOOD LUCK! 

Does Photosynthesis Happen in the Dark?

Hopefully by now you have succesfully collected all of your data (I hope the extra day away didn't have any effects on your results) Now comes the write-up.....

Please complete the lab report that I handed out to you in class on Tuesday. For the conclusion, remember appropriate lab formatting (starting by re-stating your purpose and go from there). Make sure to summarize your findings, discuss experimental error (how confident are you that your results are accurate? and note, you cannot just cite "human error"!!!! That will peeve me.....)  Also include an answer to the question, "Do your results support your hypothesis? Why or why not?"  Please reference outside sources (your textbook or that fancy thing called the inter-web) to support your conclusion.

This lab will be due at the start of class tomorrow.

Questions can be posted below in the comments section.

Sorry I can't be there today.  Hope you all enjoyed your snow day yesterday!

Plants Are Awesome!!!!

Did you know that an average hectare of corn produces enough oxygen per hectare per day in mid summer to meet the respiratory needs of about 325 people?!? In Ontario, there are just over one million hectares of corn grown. This corn, via photosynthesis, produces enough oxygen for the annual respiratory needs of Ontario's 10 million residents in about 11 summer days! (From: "Corn and Photosynthesis")

Isn't that incredible??

This week we have taken on the amazing and essential process of photosynthesis. For this week's post I would like you to reflect on your understanding of the process so far. You have some creative liberty here, but your post at a minimum must incorporate a brief summary of the light and dark reaction within the process (please include inputs and outputs for each).

Cool facts on the photosynthetic rates and plants can also be incorporated.

Next week we will investigate various factors that can effect photosynthetic rates in plants. In your post, please propose two factors that you think may influence the rate of photosynthesis.

Make sense? Any questions on the post can be asked below. This post will be due Monday, but comments on classmates blogs will be due on Tuesday.

Carbon Fixation and the Calvin Cycle

Now that you've mastered the Light Dependent Reactions within photosynthesis, let's take a closer look at the Calvin Cycle (I know you're excited!!!)




For homework tonight, watch this video from Khan Academy on the details of the Calvin Cycle. Remember, the easiest way to learn the cycle is to count carbons. Bring any questions you have on the process to class tomorrow. Or write them to me in the comment section below this post.

Also, for those of you who were not in class today (I hope you're feeling better!). Here is a link to the video we watched in class today on the light reactions. Please watch it if you are feeling up to it.

Student Blogging: What else is out there????

As promised......

Here is the link to the blogs at La Junta High School in Colorado. Click on "Biology" and look through some of the student blogs. The 10th grade biology class there is taking on photosynthesis right now.....sound familiar?!?!?

Feel free to comment, but just make sure to be respectful.

Also, here's a link to a 10th grade student's chemistry blog that was just awarded 2010 Runner-Up Student Blog of the Year by Edublog. Thought it might provide some inspiration. Pretty cool. Maybe that could be one of you next year....

The Wonderous Wonder that is.....the ETC

For homework please watch the following two video clips on the ETC and oxidative phosphorylation. Both are from the Khan Academy video lecture series

The Electron Transport Chain
http://www.khanacademy.org/video/electron-transport-chain?playlist=Biology

Oxidative Phosphorylation and Chemiosmosis
http://www.khanacademy.org/video/oxidative-phosphorylation-and-chemiosmosis?playlist=Biology

Yeast in Action...Day 2

After a rather anti-climatic lab yesterday, students came back to check out their results today.......



How can you explain these results?!?!?

Cellular Respiration in Yeast

In class today you will be completing a lab exploring the process of cellular respiration in yeast. To do this, we will be investigating what happens when yeast are grown in a tube filled with water and sugar and sealed with a balloon....

WHAT HAPPENED????

After you complete the lab you will asked to answer a series of questions and analyze your data. Use your notes from class, the textbook, and any other online resources (just make sure to cite!) to help you in this process.

Here is a link that you might also find helpful:

GLYCOLYSIS EXPLAINED

Science Blogging

This weekend's assignment is fairly broad. The goal is for you to get a better understanding of all science blogs, other science bloggers (besides yourselves), and what they are writing about. I want you to see how they synthesize content and take on current, cutting issues in biology.
In order to do this, please complete the following tasks:

• Take some time to peruse through these science blogs. They have some great information on current topics in biology. Also, make note of any topics that catch your eye. You will be picking a current topic in biology to work with next week (details to follow.....)

http://blogs.nature.com/news/thegreatbeyond/

http://www.biologynews.net/

http://www.hhmi.org/news/

• Become followers of each of these blogs. We will refer to them on occasion throughout the year.

• Also, take a few minute to check out this website for educators and students on webtools. There are some pretty awesome ones out there. Jing, Prezi, and Glogster are just the beginning......the possibilities are endless.

http://cooltoolsforschools.wikispaces.com/

That's it! On Monday, we will discuss your findings a bit and I'll fill you in on the plan......

Have a great weekend!

Here is a quick video to show you how to create a line of best fit on an excel graph. I apologize for the audio- my voice is still pretty much gone form being sick! If you can't hear, hopefully you can still follow along and make sense of the steps. let me know if you have any questions. The data set that you will be using in on the class website along with the assignment.

There are three main types of osmoregulatory environments in which animals live: freshwater, marine, and terrestrial. Animals need to adapt accordingly to maintain appropriate water and ion levels (homeostasis) depending on whichever type of environment they call home.

Here are a few examples of anatomical/physiological adaptions that a variety of organisms have to maintain appropriate internal living conditions:

• Cartilaginous fishes such as sharks, rays, and skates, have plasma that is approximately isosmotic to seawater. This unusually high osmotic concentration (compared to that of other vertebrates) is maintained by high levels of urea and trimethylamine oxide (TMAO) in the blood.
• Freshwater fishes tend to take in water passively and remove it actively through the osmotic work of kidneys. They lose salts to the dilute environment and replace them by actively absorbing ions from the surrounding fluids into their bodies through the gills.

• Ticks, mites, and other terrestrial arthropods have the ability to extract water vapor directly from the air. The way they accomplish this is by producing very concentrated solutions that absorb water from air.
• Marine reptiles (iguanas, sea turtles, crocodiles, and sea snakes) drink seawater to obtain a supply of water but are unable to produce a concentrated urine that is significantly hyperosmotic to their body fluids. They compensate for this by the use of specialized glands for the secretion of salts in a strong hyperosmotic fluid. Salt glands are generally located above the orbit of the eye and nose in lizards.
• Because mammals cannot consume seawater, a different method of hydration needs to be found. They have highly efficient kidneys capable of producing very hypertonic urine. These animals also rely on metabolic water (water produced as an endproduct of cellular metabolism) and water from feeding on fishes and invertebrates.
• Elasmobranchs, marine birds, and some reptiles have a structure called a salt gland to secrete NaCl from their bodies. These animals require a lower internal NaCl concentration than the surrounding seawater, which causes a concentration gradient favoring the influx of salt. Therefore, they need a way to secrete it. The solution is provided by glands in the rectum of sharks and the skulls of marine birds and reptiles which produces a concentrated salt solution for secretion

Isn't that AMAZING!?!?!?

Here's your assignment for the weekend:

Pick an organism, either one mentioned above, or one you find out about on your own, and explain adaptations it has in place in order to assist in osmoregulation. Make sure to explain the environment it is up against as well. Videos, links, pictures, etc. might all be helpful in this write-up. Any questions can be posted in the comment section below.

Also, as I talked about in class today, here's a link to info on the kangaroo rat and how this little guy maintains appropriate internal water levels under very hot temperature conditions...

Have fun!

Biology as Art

The Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition is one of the world's leading forums for showcasing the beauty and complexity of life as seen through the light microscope. If you have a moment, check out the images on this link:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39608968/from/ET/?beginSlide=1

They are truly AMAZING!!!

Bacteria

This weeks blogging assignment: check out some examples of both "good" and "bad" bacteria listed below. Pick a bacteria from the list below or another that you know of and interests you and write about it. Things to include in your post: what does it look like? Where is it found? What function does it serve? What organelles does it posses that assist in structure and function? Is it a "good" bacteria or a "bad bacteria"?

Bacteria are an important group of living organisms. Most of them are microscopic and unicellular, with a relatively simple cell structure, lacking a cell nucleus, and organelles such as mitochondria and chloroplasts.

Almost 99% bacteria are helpful. Disease is caused by only a few of them. Water, food, and air carry bacteria from one person to another. Bacteria can be classified into three types on the basis of shape. The sphere shaped bacteria, rod shaped bacteria and spiral bacteria are the three types.


Helpful Bacteria

• Certain types of bacteria live in the intestines of human beings. They help in digestion and in destroying the harmful organisms. Intestinal bacteria also produce some vitamins required by the human body.
• Certain bacteria help break down lactose in the digestive tract.
• It is observed that Infants who were administered the bacteria Lactobacillus reuteri or Bifidobacterium had fewer and shorter episodes of diarrhea.
• Fermented milk containing the live bacteria Lactobacillus casei helps in eradicating harmful bacteria Helicobacter pylori in children.
• Saccharomyces boulardii is found to reduce the risk of antibiotic-associated diarrhea in children.
• Some bacteria present on the skin protect us from the spread of certain fungus.
• It was found that DNA damage was significantly reduced by all six strains of lactic acid producing helpful bacteria tested with the exception of Streptococcus thermophilus.
• There are many types of bacteria that live inside the mouth, nose, throat, and intestines of humans and animals. These bacteria get a place to live and feed while keeping other harmful microbes from taking up residence.
• Certain stomach bacteria may work harmoniously with our immune system. There are billions of stomach bacteria, which are friendly or beneficial bacteria.
• There are some friendly bacteria such as intestinal flora or micro flora which are good for human health. These healthy stomach bacteria are helpful to release many useful vitamins such as vitamin B and vitamin K, etc. The most important task that stomach bacteria do is to maintain normal pH level or acid level of human stomach.

Harmful Bacteria

• Certain bacteria act as pathogens and cause tetanus, typhoid fever, pneumonia, syphilis, cholera, food-borne illness and tuberculosis.
• Streptococcus bacteria may cause small infections like strep throat and some serious diseases like pneumonia. Certain streptococci may be fatal.
• Bacteria that usually live harmlessly in the body may cause infections when a person's resistance to disease is reduced in conditions such as AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome).
• Not all stomach bacteria are beneficial, some of the stomach bacteria enter the body through the mouth, and they can survive in the acidic conditions in the stomach and can cause serious diseases and can be fatal.
• Campylobacter is a group of bacteria that can create illnesses in humans and is a common cause of food poisoning.
• Harmful bacteria in food cause botulism, which can cause paralysis or even death if even one millionth of the bacterium is ingested.
• Yersinia pestis or bubonic plague, is a rod-shaped type of bacterium which is well known for its harmful nature. Bacteria-carrying fleas found on animals such as rats and mice transmit the bacteria that are believed to have caused the deaths of millions of people in human history.

(http://www.buzzle.com/articles/helpful-and-harmful-types-of-bacteria.html)