4.4 Group Discussion Questions for Monday, 9/12

1. List the 4 most significant greenhouse gases and their main sources.
2. Describe the 2 factors that determine the impact of a gas on its warming impact.
3. Describe how greenhouse gases warm the Earth (the process).  Draw it!
4. How did scientists go about linking temperature to carbon dioxide levels?  Do you think this method is legitimate?
5. What other factors have an impact on global average temperatures (besides greenhouse gases)?
6. Describe the correlation between rising levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide and industrialization.

Week 3

• Mon 9/12:  Observe mesocosms. Finish checking off 4.1 questions and go over.  Present 4.3 data-based questions to the class.  Video on Climate Change in politics.  Greenhouse gases and the greenhouse effect.  Carbon dioxide levels and temperature.  Industrialization and climate change.  4.4 data-based questions.
• Wed 9/14:  Observe mesocosms.  Share out 4.4 data-based questions.  AMS climate science websites.  The precautionary principle.  Group discussion on the ethics of climate change.  Ecology Test next Tuesday 9/18.
• Fri 9/16:  Review for Ecology Test to be taken next Tuesday.  

First Weeks of School

• Tues 8/30:  2nd year overview and reminders of class rules.  Group work with ecology concepts and types of nutrition.  Hand out Safety and Academic Honesty contracts to be turned in by next Tuesday.  Read 4.1 in text for Thursday 9/1.
• Thurs 9/1:  Go over group work questions.  In your table groups, create an illustrated food web with at least 10 organisms in it.  It should make sense as much as possible and show the direction of the flow of energy.  You do not need to put decomposers in the diagram.  Start individual bookwork questions listed on this blog.  Try to get at least to #5.  We will have more time on Tuesday for that one.  Read 4.2 in text for Tues 9/6.
• Tues 9/6:  Signed Safety and Academic Honesty contracts are due.  Go over quadrat activity and have some work time to finish the individual assignment.  Mesocosms.  Watch the Ted Talk on Biosphere 2 and make your class mesocosm in a bottle.  Make initial observations.  Energy transformations and energy pyramids.  Do DBQ on p. 216 in your notebook.  Get the work for today checked off.  Read 4.3 for Thursday.
• Thurs 9/8:  Observe the mesocosms (you may observe yours and those of other classes).  Carbon cycling.  Go through the processes involved in the carbon cycle.  At your table group make an illustrated diagram of the carbon cycle.  Make sure that you label all "pools" and all "fluxes".  Assign 4.3 data-based questions to different groups.  Read the questions, discuss at your table, and decide on answers.  Each group will then explain their questions to the larger group of the class.

Questions for Thursday, September 1

Please answer the following questions in your notebook! Each individual does this, although you can discuss some as a group.

1. Define the following terms and give examples of each:  species, population, community
2. Discuss the Galapagos tortoise activity at your table and write down whether you think the tortoises in the 3 situations represent separate species with a brief explanation why.
3. Do the data-based questions on Unexpected diets (p. 204).  Note that the number of points for question 3 is 4!! So explain it.
4. What is a quadrat?  What is it used for?  How is it used?
5. On page 209 do the Chi-squared testing data-based question.  This is done differently than we did it before, but they give an excellent example of how to do it on page 208.
6. What is an ecosystem?  Give examples of 4 different types of ecosystems.
7. What is included in the abiotic environment?  Why is it important?
8. What makes an ecosystem sustainable?
9. What is a mesocosm?  How would you go about making one?

(Data-based questions on p. 216 added on Tuesday 9/6)

Welcome to the 2016-2017 School Year!!

Hello students!  I hope you had a great summer!  I am excited to see you back in the classroom and to continue the work we started last year.  This year we will be studying the following topics, in pretty close to this order:

First Semester

Ecology

Biodiversity

Evolution

Digestion and Absorption

Circulation

Gas Exchange

Immunology

Second Semester

Muscles and Movement

The Kidney

Nerves, Hormones, and Homeostasis

Sexual Reproduction

Neurobiology and Behavior

In addition, we will be doing an inquiry lab this fall that will prepare you for the larger Internal Assessment that you will perform in the winter.   The IB Biology Exam is scheduled for May 1st and 2nd, 2016.  During and after testing, we will have time to do fun, biology-related projects.

The Not-So-Short Answer Test Questions for Your Exam

On the day of your Exam, we will choose 4 questions out of 1-6 and 4 questions out of 7-12, and you will answer 6 questions total.   (I am doing it this way to make sure that there are questions chosen from both quarters).  Once again, I have put some terms in parentheses below to help you prepare, but they will not be there on the day of the test.  6 pts each.
There will also be a multiple choice section with 40 questions and a data-based question with several parts. Scratch that. No data-based question!!

1. List the aim of the Human Genome Project and describe how it was carried out.  What was surprising about the project and what can we do with the information we obtained from it?
2. Outline 3 factors that promote genetic variation.  Make sure that you explain how they promote the variation and don’t just name them.  You may use drawings to help explain.
3. Describe the genetic cause, effect on the body, treatment, etc of either Huntington’s disease, Sickle Cell Anemia, or Down Syndrome.
4. Outline the process of DNA replication, including names and functions of all the enzymes, direction of replication  and other details about the process.  (leading strand, lagging strand, continuous, discontinuous, Okazaki fragments, replication fork, etc)
5. Outline the process of translation (protein synthesis) from start to finish.  (initiation, elongation, termination, mRNA, tRNA, large ribosomal subunit, small ribosomal subunit, translation initiation complex, exit, aminoacyl and peptidyl sites, translocate, peptide bonds, GTP, etc)
6. Outline the control of gene expression, including nucleosomes, epigenetics, promoters, enhancers, silencers, etc.
7. Outline the function of enzymes (including what they do, how they do it, inhibitors, etc).  Then list 3 enzymes that we couldn’t live without, including what function they serve in our bodies.
8. Outline a basic technique used for gene transfer involving plasmids, bacteria, and named enzymes.  Also, list 3 specific examples of gene transfer in action.
9. Discuss the pros and cons of the use of stem cells (at least 3 pros and 3 cons).  Also, list 3 examples of stem cell use in action.
10. Draw and label a diagram showing the internal and external structures of a dicotyledonous seed.  Also, give a brief function of each part.  You should label at least 6 parts. (testa, micropyle, hilum, cotyledon, plumule, radicle, etc)
11. Compare and contrast xylem and phloem in terms of their structures and their functions.  You may use a chart.  Include at least 4 similarities and 4 differences.  Be specific.
12. Plants are different from animals in that they are not mobile and have had to evolve adaptations to carry out functions of life like nutrition, reproduction, response, homeostasis, etc. from a fixed position.  DESCRIBE 3 good examples of ingenious adaptations by plants that allow them to get their needs met while being stuck in place.

Plant Investigation Assignment due 6/2 through turnitin.com

This is your last assignment of the year! Worth 15 points, so not life-changing, but don't blow it off! When in doubt, check with me to see if you have the right detail.

• Background (at least 2 paragraphs, including reason for doing it, background research w/ citations)
• Focused question (make it specific!!)
• Variables:  list independent and dependent.  List at least 5 controlled and HOW you will control them.
• Procedure:  include rationale for why you are choosing materials and amounts, how many trials, use specific amounts, etc. (a diagram can be very helpful!)