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?!?!?