What to do after the test on Wednesday?

1. After test, pick up book and go to pp 51-54.  Then in notes:
2. What is the role of mitosis?   
3. What happens during interphase?  And what are the 3 phases?  (look at Figure 2 on p 52).  
4. Describe the supercoiling of chromosomes   
5. Describe the events of the 4 stages of mitosis

Last 2 weeks of 2015!!

• Tues 12/8:  Chromatography Lab.  Complete lab hand-out and turn in.  Questions on Metabolic Rate Lab?  Read 8.3 in text (on website).  Switch this lab to Thursday!!
• Thurs 12/10:  Metabolic Rate Lab due through turnitin.com and a hard copy.  The Calvin Cycle and factors that affect photosynthesis.  Hand-out Review for Cell Respiration and Photosynthesis Test to be taken next Wednesday 12/16.
• Mon 12/14:  Review for Cell Respiration and Photosynthesis Test.
• Wed 12/16:  Take Cell Respiration and Photosynthesis Test.  Start Mitosis.
• Fri 12/18:  Phases of Mitosis.  Observe mitosis through microscopes and prepared slides of onion root tips.  

The Weeks of 11/23-12/4

• Tues 11/24:  Notes on first 3 parts of Cell Respiration. Computer Simulation of the parts. Finish getting 2.8 notes checked off.
• Mon 11/30:  Notes on the Electron Transport Chain.  Computer Animations.  Explain Metabolic Rate Lab and do trials.
• Wed 12/2:  Trials for Metabolic Rate Lab.  Enter your data in the class database.  Discuss data-processing and what you will need to do for the lab.  Lab due Thurs 12/10 through turnitin.com
• Fri 12/4:  Go over Calculations for Metabolic Rate Lab.  Overview of the process of Photosynthesis.  Inputs and outputs, location, pigments. and graphs.

When Finished With Cell Test, Outline These Points From 2.8 in IB Book

Get IB Book and go to pg 122 on Cell Respiration and cover these in your notebook: (To be checked off in class on Tuesday)

1. Describe cell respiration
2. Outline ATP as a source of energy
3. Outline the use of anaerobic respiration in cells
4. Discuss anaerobic respiration in yeast
5. Discuss anaerobic respiration in humans
6. Outline aerobic respiration

The Week of 11/16

• Mon 11/16:  Onion Plasmolysis quick lab.  Finish Egg Demo.  Calculate egg and potato percent mass changes for your class data.  Finish checking off Paramecium digestion lab.  Go over Davson-Danielli data-based questions.  Practice drawing cells and membranes for the test on Friday.
• Wed 11/18:  Review for cell and membrane test.
• Fri 11/20:  Take Cell and Membrane test.  When finished, start cell respiration.

The Week of 11/9-11/13

• Mon 11/9:  Notes on Transport across plasma membranes.  Start 2 osmosis demos:  egg in vinegar and then corn syrup and potato slices in salt water.  Finish data-based question on plasma membrane models (pp 28-30 in new IB books) and get checked off.  Finish bubble lab and membrane questions on back and turn in.
• Thurs 11/12:  Turn in Bubble Lab and Membrane WS if not already.  Notes on Active Transport.  Paramecium digesting pigmented yeast lab.  Onion plasmolysis.  Reweigh potato slices.  Rinse vinegar from eggs, reweigh, and cover with a type of sugar solution.  Hand out Review Sheet for Cell Test to be taken next Friday 11/20.

The Week of November 2-6

• Tues 11/3:  Using an oil immersion lens to view bacteria in a light microscope.  Overview of membrane structure.  Finish Microscope Lab.  Data-based question on changing models of the membrane from the IB book.  Do the questions in your notebook.  Microscope Lab due Thursday (completed hand-out and 6 well-labeled drawings with magnification calculated).
• Thurs 11/5:  Turn in Microscope Lab.  Bubble Lab.  Finish data-based question on membrane models.  Get checked off.  Complete the Bubble Lab questions and do the membrane questions on the back of that sheet.  Due Monday 11/9.

End of the Quarter!!

• Tues 10/27:  Cell Model Projects Due!!  Evaluate your own model and 3 others.  Hand back Biochemistry tests and do in-class test corrections.  More on the Microscope Lab.  Try to have at least 3 drawings done today (onion, green algae, and paramecium) and calculate magnification.  Turn in Cell Worksheet if not already.
• Thurs 10/29:  Last day of the quarter!  Deadline for any late work!  Looking at Live Specimens in the Light Microscopes.  Microscope Lab (6 drawings and worksheet) due next Tuesday 11/3.

10/12-10/22

• Mon 10/12:  Food Lab due through turnitin.com today!!  Questions on Biochemistry Review?  Test on Friday 10/16.  See Review Sheet.  Start Cells.  Introduce Cell Theory and work through the rest of the worksheet using IB text books.  
• Wed 10/14:  1st Period will be taking the PSAT.  Other classes will continue to work on Cell Worksheet and Cell Model Project.
• Fri 10/16:  Cell Test.  Intro to Microscopes and Magnification.
• Tues 10/20:  Using Microscopes to look at cork, onion, and pond water. 
• Wed and Thurs 10/21-10/22:  Parent-Teacher-Student Conferences!!
• Fri 10/23:  No School.

Food Lab due Mon 10/12

See your hand-out for instructions on the write-up, but essentially you need to include 1) The question: "Which organic molecules are present in (your 4 foods), ie pretzels, banana, cooked potato, and plain cheerios?"  2)  Procedures:  how your group organized itself.  Be specific, but you don't have to write it out as every little step  3)  Results:  you need to present all the results for your group, but I don't want you to simply cut and paste each other's results.  Discuss them at your table and present them in your own way.  Include initials of the student who took the data.  4)  Conclusions:  as a result of the results, which organic molecules were detected in each food?  Include limitations of the tests.  What cannot be concluded due to test limitations?   5)  Evaluation:  discuss the quality of your results.  What worked well?  What could have been more reliable?  How could you make the results more reliable.  What results do you trust more than others?  Cite weaknesses of the procedures and suggest improvements both to the way you perform the tests and in how you could have organized your work as a group.

Make it your own!  You will be submitting through turnitin.com.

Class ID:  10844710
Password:  sucrose

Let me know if you need any help using turnitin.com.  By now most of you should be well-versed with it, but if not, just come in.

The Weeks of 9/28-10/9

• Tues 9/29:  Structure of DNA and RNA.  Make DNA and RNA models with your table group.  Data-based questions on Chargaff's rules.  Read about discovering the structure of DNA and discuss the ethics of scientific competition.
• Thurs 10/1:  Finish up structure of nucleic acids.   Chemical tests for biological macromolecules.
• Mon 10/5:  Food Lab.  Testing common foods for different biological macromolecules.
• Wed 10/7:  Discuss write-up for food lab.  Due by next Monday through turnitin.com.  Review for Biochemistry Test to be taken next Fri 10/16.
• Fri 10/9:  No School!

Short Quiz on Friday 9/25

Be able to:

• Draw the structure of glucose
• Draw the structure of 2 named amino acids
• Show the dehydration synthesis between 2 small molecules to form a larger one
• Name 2 each of: monosaccharides, disaccharides, polysaccharides
• List 4 biological functions of proteins
• Distinguish between saturated and unsaturated triglycerides (bonding and resulting form/state of matter)

The weeks of 9/14-9/25

• Tues 9/15:  Work time on 2.1 questions.  Important properties of water.  Water Olympics Lab:  done in pairs (or 3's) and turned in.
• Thurs 9/17:  Finish Water Olympics if necessary and turn in.  Finish checking off 2.1 questions and go over.  Notes on carbohydrates, including types and condensation synthesis.  Notes on lipids, including saturated and unsaturated triglycerides.  Start data-based questions on pp. 81, 85, and 86. (we will finish these on Monday)
• Mon 9/21:  Finish data-based questions and go over.  Structure of amino acids and polypeptides. Functions of proteins.  Quiz on Friday
• Wed 9/23:  Finish going over Carbs, Lipids, and Proteins.  Making clay models!  If time, link the models.
• Fri 9/25:  Quiz on carbs, lipids, and proteins.  Finish clay model linkages.  Structure of nucleic acids.

Hey, what's on that quiz? ( on Fri, 9/11)

 Be Able to:

• Count sig. figs. and compute and round appropriately
• Use TI-84 to calculate standard deviation, t-test, mean, and n (number of stats)
• Figure out degrees of freedom, find critical value (using chart), and interpret meaning
• State meaning of standard deviation and ranges for 1 and 2 standard deviations
• Calculate uncertainty (high-low)/2
• Propagate uncertainty for adding/subtracting and multiplying/dividing
• Calculate number of organisms in a grid using values from several quadrats

The Week of 9/8

• Wed 9/9:  Get Significant Figures and Uncertainty Worksheet Checked off.  Do Statistics Assignment, including creating a frequency distribution graph.  Get Statistics Assignment Checked off.  Go over what will be on the quiz on Friday.
• Fri 9/11:  Questions?  Take Quiz on Significant Figures, Computing with TI-84, t-tests, and quadrats.  Finish statistics packet and get checked off.  When finished with that, do 2.1 questions in your notebook to be checked off on Tuesday, 9/15.

First Week of IB Biology!!

This is what you can expect in the first week and a day of IB Biology!!

• Thurs 8/27:  Intro to class, fill out student information sheet, demonstrate Early Work, hand out Safety and Academic Honesty contracts (due back signed by Friday, 9/4!), basic class rules, start Brine Shrimp Lab by counting cysts and hydrating them with 3% salt water.  On your own, please read the Classroom Expectations in the document section of this site.  Please bring a TI-84 calculator or equivalent to class on Monday!
• Mon 8/31:  Continue with Brine Shrimp lab by counting the live shrimp and calculating percent hatched.  Discuss how to calculate uncertainty.  Finish Brine Shrimp Lab calculations, showing work.  Use the TI-84 calculators to calculate means, standard deviations, and t-test.  Complete TI-84 hand-out (on the back of the Brine Shrimp hand-out).  This double-sided hand-out is due Wed 9/2 at the beginning of class (actually you will have about 20 minutes to complete it).
• Wed 9/2:  Go over standard deviation, degrees of freedom and t-tests.  Turn in Brine Shrimp and TI-84 Hand-Out.  Rules for significant figures.  Do problems 1-17 on Sig Figs and Uncertainty Worksheet and complete the back.   Introduce LoggerPro and how to use it to make a good graph.  Using the classroom computers, EVERYONE will practice making a good graph and get it checked off by myself.  If time go over rules for propagating uncertainty (for problems 21-25 on worksheet).
• Fri 9/4:  Signed contracts due today if not turned in already.  Finish Sig. Figs and Uncertainty worksheet and turn it in.  First 2 pages of statistics packet.  Make a frequency distribution graph.  Do sample calculations for standard deviation and t-test.  Statistics Packet due in class next Tuesday 9/8.  Quiz on using numbers in biology next Friday 9/11.

Welcome to IB Biology 1-2 HL!!

Welcome back to the 2015-2016 School Year!  This will be the website for your IB Biology class for the next 2 years.  If you look through old entries you can see what classes before you have done.  This will be a good place to go to get class assignments, class resources, and just to keep yourself informed about the class.  When you miss class, come here first to see what we did in class and to find out if there is anything you can do from home.  After that, if you still have questions, you can e-mail me:  mkenny@pps.net

I look forward to meeting you and spending the next 2 years learning biology!  We will cover the following topics during the first year:

First Semester

Introduction to Course, Statistics, and Measuring

Biochemistry:  Macromolecules

Cells and Membranes

Cell Respiration and Photosynthesis

Cell Division:  Mitosis and Meiosis

Genetics

Second Semester

Replication, Transcription, Translation

Enzymes

Biotechnology

Plants

Ecology

Alternative Eye Dissection Assignment

If you were unable to dissect an eyeball or did not want to do it, you can go to the Exploratorium Website and see the step-by-step process or go to the video linked on my website (the link on the Exploratorium does not work).  Then, do the same thing that the people doing the dissection did.

1)  Write detailed observations of what you see
2)  Describe the relationship between structure and function for 3 parts of the eye.  For example, the sclera is very tough because it needs to maintain high pressure in the eye to keep it round and to prevent accidental puncturing!!.

Final Project, SPARK, and Book Groups

The Final Project Assignment has been posted in the documents section.  You can do it by yourself or with one other person (from any section).  Please get your topic picked as soon as you can so that you can do it with minimal stress.  The latest day to turn it in is Monday, June 1st.  There is a SPARK lecture on Monday, May 18th about soil conservation.  You can also still do Book Groups for 2nd semester if you would like.  Just make sure that you talk to me about when you want to come in to discuss your book.  The end of your year is coming fast, so think ahead!

During IB Testing/End of the Year

During IB Testing we will be missing students, but you should come to class when we are not testing and we have different activities we will be doing.  

Mon 5/4:  Plant a plant in a newspaper pot and monitor it.  See documents for Plant Journal assignment. 

Wed 5/6:  Monitor your plant,  Watch a Life Video.

Fri 5/8:  Monitor your plant.  Watch a Life Video.

Mon 5/11:  Monitor your plant.  Introduce Final Project.  

Wed 5/13:  Monitor your plant.  Work on Final Project.

Fri 5/15:  Monitor your plant.  Work on Final Project

Mon 5/18:  Monitor your plant.  Work on Final Project.

Wed 5/20:  Monitor your plant.  Work on Final Project

Fri 5/22:  Monitor your plant.  Work on Final Project.

Wed 5/27:  Dissect Cow Eyes!  Finish up your Plant Journal.

Fri 5/29:  Finish up w/ Cow Eyes.  Turn in Plant Journal if finished.  Finish up Final Project, due Monday 6/1:  

Mon 6/1:  Turn in Final Project if not already.  

Wed 6/3:  Final Party.  Make Baggie Ice Cream.  Sharing farewell statements with each other.  

Lesson Plan for Monday 4/20/2015!

Early Work:  What topic in this two year class will require the most review on your part?

Daily Schedule:  

1. Early Work
2. Look at syllabus topics on the IB Biology Review Guide link on my website
3. Pick 2-3 topics that you want to review the most and get an orange and blue book from the shelves.  Find the topics, look at the diagrams, and take notes.  You might find that the topics from your syllabus are not numbered quite the same in the new books.  You might have to use the index to find some of them, although most of the topic numbers have remained the same.
4. Remember that we are taking a practice Paper 3 Test on Friday, Paper 1 next Monday 4/27 and Paper 2 next Wednesday 4/29.  
5. There is a SPARK lecture today at 3:30!

4/20-5/1:

• Mon 4/20:  Review IB topics using the new orange and blue IB books.  Use IB biology study guide on the links to help figure out what you need to know.  I recommend reviewing plants!
• Wed 4/22:  Review of both years Jeopardy!!  Questions on our two options, Further Human Physiology? or Evolution?  Paper 3 Practice Test on Friday.
• Fri 4/24:  Take Paper 3 Practice.  Afterwards, review some topics, like lactase and milk, transcription, translation, plants!
• Mon 4/27:  Take Paper 1 Practice Test (40 multiple choice).  Afterwards, review some more IB topics.
• Wed 4/29:  Take Paper 2 Practice Test.
• Fri 5/1:  Last day for Review!! IB Exams start Monday 5/4.  Students who are not testing should come to class because we have lots of fun things to do!

4/13-4/17

• Mon 4/13:  Start Reviewing Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration.  Questions on Reproduction Review for Wednesday's Test?  Continue working on data-based questions from new books.
• Wed 4/15:  Reproduction Test.  Work on Data-Based questions from new books (to be checked off on Friday).  More review of cellular respiration and photosynthesis.  Hand-out Paper 3 Review.
• Fri 4/17:  Cell Respiration and Photosynthesis review quiz.  Review replication, transcription, and translation.  Review Further Anatomy and Physiology.  

End of 4th Quarter

• Mon 4/6:  Notes on the placenta and a little bit on labor and birth.  Quiz on Water, Macromolecules and Cells on Wednesday.
• Wed 4/8:  Take Quiz.  Pick up Diabetes data-based question and do it.  Exchange with another student and use the IB Markscheme to score each other's.  Do not give away points.  When in doubt, don't award the point!  In new IB books (orange and blue) pick 3 out of the following 5 data-based questions to do on notebook paper.  I will check these off next Wednesday/Friday including the diabetes question.  Reproduction Test on Wednesday 4/15.  There is a review document in the document section of this site.

Data-Based Questions from new Book:

1)  Antibiotic resistance in soil bacteria, p. 257, Topic 5.

2)  Heart action and blood pressure, p 301, Topic 6

3)  Hemoglobin, p. 371, Topic 7

4)  Auxin and acid growth hypothesis, p. 424, Topic 9

5)  Blood supply to kidney, p. 488, Topic 11

Let's Start Reviewing! Water, Macromolecules, and Cells. Quiz on Wednesday 4/8

These are main review topics for water, macromolecules, and cells:  The quiz will be mostly multiple choice, with a few short answer questions.

1. Be able to describe and draw what causes the polarity of water molecules and show the hydrogen bonding between 2 water molecules
2. Be able to name and describe the cohesive, solvent, and thermal properties of water.
3. Be able to identify the subunits of macromolecules, including amino acids, monosaccharides, fatty acids, glycerol, and the arrangement of the parts of nucleic acids (ribose sugar, phosphate, nitrogenous base)
4. Be able to describe how 2 molecules are joined through condensation synthesis and apply to the macromolecules that we know.  Similarly, understand that hydrolysis is the opposite process.
5. Be able to give 3 examples each of monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides and briefly describe their role in organisms.
6. Be able to list the functions of lipids and the difference in energy storage between lipids and other molecules.
7. Be able to describe the structure of DNA and RNA, including subunits, covalent bonding, and hydrogen bonding.
8. Know the 3 basics of cell theory.
9. Differentiate between unicellular organisms and multicellular organisms.
10. Be able to put the following in order of size from smallest to largest:  molecule, thickness of cell membrane, virus, bacteria, organelles, eukaryote cells.
11. Know the ultrastructure of both prokaryote and eukaryote cells and be able to recognize the parts from electron micrographs!
12. Be able to draw both of the above cells.
13. Know the functions of cell parts and organelles.
14. Distinguish between plant and animal cells.
15. Be able to describe the structure of a plasma membrane (lipid bilayer) and describe its properties.
16. Be able to describe movement across membranes, including diffusion, osmosis, facilitated diffusion, and active transport.

Welcome Back From Spring Break!!

This is it, your final stretch of high school!!  Hopefully you got enough rest over your break to power through this last month of new material and review for the IB Test.  We will be moving quickly through the new material and reviewing at the same time.

• Mon 3/30:  Hormones of the Human Menstrual cycle and other reproductive hormones.  Start reproduction worksheet (due next Mon 4/6) and Human Reproduction coloring sheet (due Fri 4/3).  Antiobiotic Lab due this Wed 4/1:
• Wed 4/1:  Turn in Antiobiotic Lab if not already.  Parts of the female and male reproductive systems.  Spermatogenesis and Oogenesis.  Continue working on the Reproduction WS and the Coloring Sheet, which is due Friday.
• Fri 4/3:  Check off Reproductive Coloring Sheet.  Fertilization.  IVF.  Early embryonic development.  

Antibiotic Lab Details

For the antibiotic lab, you need to do the following:
1)  Write a short intro (this is in place of question, background, variables).
2)  Data table with all of the requirements.  Should be designed by you and have only measurements made by you!
3)  Data processing.  This should be thorough.  Show all work, etc.
4)  Conclusion:  the usual!!
5)  Evaluation:  the usual.  You know at least 3 and 3.

I will be giving you a grade for the lab and IB scoring the data/data transformation and conclusion/evaluation.

Due Date:
This is going to sound complicated.  If all is good, turn it in by Friday 3/20 as a hard-copy and through turnitin.com and get it out of your life.  If you have too much to do, you can turn it in by 3/24 (e-mailed and through turnitin.com) and I can get it graded by the end of Spring Break and it will count as part of the internal assessment score I send to IB.  If that is not a concern of yours, you can turn in a hard-copy and through turnitin.com by Wed 4/1 and it will not be late.

2 Weeks Before Spring Break!!

• Mon 3/9:  Check off Vaccination/HIV/AIDS worksheet.   Finish Immunology notes.  Vaccination or HIV/AIDS writing due through turnitin.com by 11:59 pm Wednesday 3/11
• Wed 3/11:  Start Antibiotic Lab.  Prepare plates, and put on 5 disks: 1 streptomyocin, 1 ampicillin, 1 control, and 2 of your choice (fresh garlic, powdered garlic, or turmeric).  Hand-out Immunology Review for Test next Wednesday.  Work on Crossword on the back. Have a data table for your antibiotic lab prepared for Friday.
• Fri 3/13:  Measure the zones of inhibition on the antibiotic plates and record your data.  Include uncertainty and qualitative data (observations).  See next post for lab write-up instructions.  Pick up Nerves, Homeostasis, and Hormones Worksheet and complete it using your text books (due Wed 3/18).  Get Immunology Crossword checked off by Mon 3/16.
• Mon 3/16:  SPARK Lecture.  Questions on Immunology Test?  Questions on Antibiotic Lab?  Check off crossword if not already.  Introduction to the Nervous System. Work on the Nervous Worksheet.  Immunology Test on Wednesday.
• Wed 3/18:  Take Immunology Test.  Finish Nervous Worksheet and turn in.  Discuss homeostasis.
• Fri 3/20:  Turn in Antibiotic Lab today (hard-copy) or by 3/24 (e-mailed) if you want the score used for your IB Internal Assessment score.  Otherwise you can turn it in after Spring Break, 4/1 and still be on-time.  More on homeostasis and hormones.  Review sites for IB Exam.

Enjoy your Spring Break!!

Writing Assignment: Due Wed 3/11

Choose to write about either of the following prompts:

1)  Should vaccination be mandated by the government?  (you can break it down by disease if you want)
2)  In light of the AIDS pandemic, what is society's obligation to care for people who get a disease resulting from behaviors that some people find distasteful (obviously this is not true for all people who get HIV/AIDS).  Include our role in the United States and worldwide in response to HIV/AIDS.

Guidelines:
a)  4-5 paragraphs
b)  Include science of the topic.
c)  Look at both sides (in a realistic fashion)
d) Include at least 1 example
e)  Include at least 2 reputable resources (and cite within the text)
f)  Write coherently, persuasively, proofread
g)  Submit to turnitin.com by Wed 3/11

The First Week of March!!

There is SPARK lecture on Monday 3/2 on Natural Medicine!

• Mon 3/2:  Short kidney and liver test.  Review and notes are on this site.  Turn in your final copy of the Body Response Lab today (hard-copy and through turnitin.com).  In addition please turn in your Color-Marked Lab (note: they should be different!). When done with test, please work on the Immunology worksheet, which is due Wed 3/4.
• Wed 3/4:  Questions on Immunology Worksheet?  Go over some immune topics in more detail.  Turn in Immunology Worksheet.  Work on HIV/AIDS/Vaccination worksheet.  We will have a "debate" of these topics on Friday.
• Fri 3/6:  Debate/Discussion of issues surrounding vaccination and HIV/AIDS.  Watch video on history of HIV/AIDS.  Turn in your worksheet on HIV/AIDS/Vaccination.  Hand out Immune System Review for test next Friday.

Kidney and Liver Review Topics for Short Test on Monday 3/2

Kidney and Liver Review Topics

The Kidney

11.3.1 Define excretion

11.3.2 Draw and label a diagram of the kidney

11.3.3 Annotate a diagram of a glomerulus and associated nephron to show the function of each part

11.3.4 Explain the process of ultrafiltration, including blood pressure, fenestrated blood capillaries and basement membrane.

11.3.5 Define osmoregulation

11.3.6 Explain the reabsorption of glucose, water and salts in the proximal convoluted tubule, including the roles of microvilli, osmosis and active transport.

11.3.7 Explain the roles of the loop of Henle, medulla, collecting duct and ADH (vasopressin) in maintaining the water balance of the blood.

11.3.8 Explain the differences in the concentration of proteins, glucose and urea between blood plasma, glomerular filtrate and urine.

11.3.9 Explain the presence of glucose in the urine of untreated diabetic patients.

The Liver

H.4.1 Outline the circulation of blood through liver tissue, including the hepatic artery, hepatic portal vein, sinusoids, and hepatic vein.

H.4.2 Explain the role of the liver in regulating levels of nutrients in the blood.

H.4.3 Outline the role of the liver in the storage of nutrients, including carbohydrate, iron, vitamin A, and vitamin D.

H.4.4 State that the liver synthesizes plasma proteins and cholesterol.

H.4.5 State that the liver has a role in detoxification.

H.4.6 Describe the process of erythrocyte and hemoglobin breakdown in the liver, including phagocytosis, digestion of globin and bile pigment formation.

H.4.7 Explain the liver damage caused by excessive alcohol consumption.

2/23-2/27

Group IV Reminders!  Don't forget to comment on 2 proposals of other groups by Wednesday 2/25.  And copy and paste those comments to the teacher who supervised your Group IV Project.

• 
  
• Mon 2/23:  Notes on the Liver (if not already!!).  Kidney Song/Dance/Art Due Wednesday 2/25.  This can be done in group sizes of 1-3.  You are to put lyrics to a song, write a poem, make a video, do a cartoon or other visual presentation to explain the functioning of a kidney nephron.  You should use essential vocabulary and include the entire process, although certainly artistic license and entertainment value are important.  Earn extra credit by performing your piece in class on Wednesday.  
• Wed 2/25:  Presentations of Kidney pieces (optional).  Turn in your work in class.  Start working on the Human Immune System.  Short Kidney and Liver Test on Monday 3/2 (review to come).  
• Fri 2/27:  Final Draft of Body Response Lab due.  Please turn in through turnitin.com as well as a hard copy.  You also need to turn in your color-marked version, whether it be through hard copy or an electronic version.  More on the human immune system.

Group IV Reflections!

Don't forget to write your Group IV Reflection and submit it to me through turnitin.com.  The deadline is today by midnight!  You should also make sure that you comment on 2 proposals by other groups on the Group IV GoogleDocs page and copy and paste those comments to the teacher who supervised you during the Group IV Project.

The prompts for the reflection are:
1)  How did you contribute to:  selection of the issue? data collection?  group proposal?
2)  Describe your role in the collaborative dynamics of your group.
3)  Discuss your strengths and weaknesses as part of a group solving this kind of problem.

Welcome to the 2nd Semester!!

Hey, it's 2015 and this is the last semester of your high school career!  It's going to be busy at the beginning while we finish up our Internal Assessments and try to cram in all of the new material in time to get in some good review in the second half of April.  Then, during IB testing in May, we will do a few fun projects to wrap up the year.

• Mon 2/2:  Hand back final exams and go over them.  Introduce Group IV Project and hand out Field Trip forms.  Please get those signed ASAP so your teachers know that you will be gone.  Introduce Body Response Lab.  Play with equipment and figure out what your want to investigate.  Complete pre-write for Wednesday.
• Wed 2/4:  Data-taking day!  Groups that are ready will start taking data.  Make sure that you are paying attention to how you are taking the data so that you can write up all that you did in your lab report.  When not occupied with the lab (either taking data or being a test subject), complete the Kidney Coloring Sheet.
• Fri 2/6:  Finish taking data for Body Response Lab.  When not busy, work on kidney concepts.  Bring those Field Trip forms signed today or Monday!
• Mon 2/9:  Video on sustainability to prepare for Group IV Project on Wednesday. Do some research on the international nature of this problem.
• Wed 2/11:  Group IV Project.  Meet in the room that you are assigned to by 8:15.  Groups will be posted Monday or Tuesday.
• Fri 2/13:  Debrief Group IV Project.  Check off Kidney Worksheet and go over excretion topics.  Questions on Body Response Lab?  First Draft due Wednesday 2/18 (there is no school on Monday 2/16).

End of the First Semester

First of all, thanks to all of you for such a great field trip yesterday!!  I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did, or at least found it to be a worthwhile experience.  It was really fun to see your curious faces and hear your questions.  I was proud to be your teacher!  We had great weather, 2 wonderful parent volunteers, and I thought the team at the facility did an excellent job.  I'm sure they will be interested in your feedback and I'll get a card to sign for them.

Now for the exciting end of the semester schedule and information:

• Wed 1/21:  Muscle and Movement and Respiration Short Test.  See the documents list for the Review Sheet if you don't have it.  There are 5 multiple choice questions and several other questions each from the 2 units we covered.  
• Fri 1/23:  Semester Final Review.  In 7th Period, we will play the Jeopardy game that was played on the Field Trip day and in the other 2 classes, we will do more general review for the final.
• Mon 1/26:  This is a Full 8 Monday.  We will be taking the multiple choice part of the final.  Approximately 40 questions.
• Wed 1/28:  Short Answer part of the Final.  You will have 12-14 questions and will get to skip 2 questions of your choice.

On Friday 1/16 I shared the following information with students about the final exam.  For those of you in 7th period or those of you who were absent, I told students which questions from the Review Sheets could be potential short answer questions on the Final Exam.  So here is the list.

From Ecology:  Numbers 3, 6, 8, 9, or 11

From Evolution:  Numbers 2, 5, 7, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 18, 22, 24, 25, or 31

From Classification:  Number 3

From Digestion:  Numbers 2, 3, or 5

From Circulation:  Numbers 1, 4, or 5

From Respiration:  Assessment statements 6.4.3, 6.4.4, 6.4.5, H.6.3, H.6.5

From Muscles and Movement:  Assessment statements 11.2.5, 11.2.6, 11.2.7

I hope that helps.  You can also check out the Jeopardy Game (in the Links section).  It now has updated answers.  If you know a classmate who could benefit from this information, please tell them to check out the blog!!

First 2 Weeks of 2015!

• Mon 1/5/2015:  Review Respiration concepts.  Brief notes on Effects of Exercise on Respiration and Asthma.  Hand out Permission Forms for Cadaver Field Trip on Friday 1/16!!
• Wed 1/7:  Finish respiratory notes:  Bohr Shift and Transport of Carbon Dioxide in the blood.  Crash Course video on the Muscles.  Muscle Worksheet.  Optional Bone Quiz next Monday.
• Fri 1/9:  Dissecting Chicken Wings to learn about the Elbow Joint  Learn the Muscles, Bones, and Look for Cartilage, Tendons, and Ligaments.
• Mon 1/12:  Check off Muscle and Movement Worksheet.  Optional Bone Quiz.  Disease and Disorder Project is due Wednesday!
• Wed 1/14:  Disease and Disorder Project.  Read and Evaluate Posters.  Finish notes on Muscles and Movement.  Hand out Review for Respiration and Muscle and Movement Test for next Wed 1/21.
• Fri 1/16:  Cadaver Field Trip!  Come to class by 11:40 am and bring your Tri-Met pass.  Make sure that you have comfortable clothes (and water proof) and eat a good breakfast and snack.  5th and 6th Period students, you still have class today!