Final Grades Updated

Due to the fact that students can independently weight their final exam, I am not able to enter the scores for the final exams, but I have just finished updating semester grades after the exam has been factored in.  If you want to know how you did on the exam itself, you can e-mail me.  Otherwise, I do keep them through the Fall so you can see your exam then if you would like. 

It was a pleasure teaching all of you this year.  Have a terrific summer and get out there and enjoy nature!

SPARK Lecture on Monday at 3:30pm!

See Ms. Wadkins talk about binary eclipsing stars in the auditorium!  Deadline for late work and extra credit is Thursday 6/7.

5/15-end of year (updated on 5/22)

Extra Credit Presentation this week on Thursday 5/17 at 7:00 pm at the Arlene Schnitzer Hall:  Dr. John Cacioppo on "Human Nature's Social Brain."  See Ms. Humes in the IB office for a ticket.  Remember to schedule your book group if you want to do one this semester for Extra Credit.  Book Groups must be completed in the month of May.  I will do one lunch per week and 2 groups per FLEX.   Remaining FLEXes are Wed 5/16, Mon 5/21, Wed 5/23, and Wed 5/30.

• Tues 5/15:  Quiz on Beak of the Finch chapters 4-6.  Remember to bring your book because you can use it during the last 5 minutes of the quiz.  Turn in Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium packet.  Notes on speciation, divergent, and convergent evolution.
• Thurs 5/17:  Beak Lab.  Hand out Beak of the Finch project and form groups.  Due Wed 5/30.
• Mon 5/21:  Human Evolution.  Work on Beak project.
• Wed 5/23:  Go to Computer Lab to work on Beak Lab graphs. Quiz on Beak chapters 7-9.  Work on Beak of Finch Project.  Extinction Game (save for next year). 
• Fri 5/25:  Cladistics.  Forming a cladogram (save for next year).  Beak Project. Hand out Evolution Review.  Go back to computer lab to finish Beak Lab graphs.  Turn in Beak Lab today or Wednesday.
• Mon 5/28:  Memorial Day.  No School.
• Wed 5/30:  Quiz on Beak chapters 10-12.  Present Project Posters  Work on Posters.  Posters will be evaluated on Tuesday, 6/3.  Go over Evolution Review.
• Fri 6/1:  Evolution Test.  Start reviewing for Final Exam.
• Tues 6/3:  Beak of the Finch Project Posters.  Start reviewing for Final Exam.
• Thurs 6/5, and Fri 6/6 (short periods).  Wrap up the year and review for the Final Exam.
• Mon 6/9:  Final Exam for 1st Period (8:10-10:05 am)
• Wed 6/11:  Final Exam for 3rd Period (8:10-10:05 am)

4/27-5/11 (updated on 5/7)

By now, you should hopefully be reading The Beak of the Finch.  Your first quiz will be on Chapters 1-3 and it will be on Monday 5/7.  Extra Credit news:  Any book groups must be scheduled and completed during the month of May.  There are more assemblies during May than other months, so make sure that you plan accordingly.

• Fri 4/27:  Small group discussion of evolutionary questions, then share out to whole class.  Worksheet on Molecular Evidence of Evolutionary Relationships.  Due Tuesday (we will have time to finish in class). 
• Tues 5/1:  Finish Molecular Evidence worksheet and turn in.  Notes on Origin of Life on Earth, including the Endosymbiotic Theory and radioactive dating.  Read 25.1-25.3.
• Thurs 5/3:  (Many students taking IB Psych and IB Math tests).  Darwin and Evolution.  Classic evidence.  Watch Genius of Darwin, Part I.  Skim Chapter 22.
• Mon 5/7:  First Beak quiz.  The format:  1)  Student-led discussion of the chapters (1-3), 2)  10 minutes to take the quiz without your book, 3)  5 minutes to finish the quiz with your book.  After the quiz, we will take notes on Radioactive Dating and finish Genius of Darwin, Part I.   Read 23.1.
• Wed 5/9:  (9 Students out for IB Chem test).  Watch Genius of Darwin Part II and fill out Video notes as you go.  Complete questions on the back by Friday .  Read 23.2.
• Fri 5/11:  Turn in Darwin Part II video notes and worksheet.  Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium activity.  Finish packet for Tues 5/15. 

Projected dates for other quizzes, although subject to change.
Beak quiz #2 on Chapters 4-6 will be Tuesday 5/15.
Beak quiz #3 on Chapters 7-9 will be Wed 5/23.
Beak quiz #4 on Chapters 10-12 will be on Fri 6/1  (changed to Wed 5/30).

What's on the BioTech Test on Wednesday 4/25?

That's a good question.  First of all, I would look at the IB Topics listed for this unit in the documents.

Besides the topics listed there, you should be prepared to:
1)  Show where restriction enzymes cut a strand of DNA (I will give you the names of the enzymes and the codes where they cut.  This is like what we did on the worksheet)
2)  Describe the process of Polymerase Chain Reaction (we will go over in class on Monday)
3)  Explain the process and results of the Gel Electrophoresis Lab
4)  Explain the process and results of the Transformation Lab (what was the purpose of each plate?)
5)  Be able to describe the process of cloning an animal like a sheep
6)  Be prepared to discuss ethical issues of Cloning, Stem Cell Research, GMO's, and DNA Sequencing
7)  Know the difference between use of adult stem cells (like bone marrow), use of embryonic stem cells, and use of induced pluripotent stem cells

4/16-4/27

Announcements:  Bioethics Test on Wednesday 4/25.  Peter and Rosemary Grant of Beak of the Finch fame will be speaking at Reed College (Vollum Hall) at 5:15 on Tuesday 4/24.  It is free.  You may go see them and write about it for extra credit.  There is also a Science Lecture by Philip Clayton on Thursday 4/26 at the Arlene Schnitzer Hall on the topic:  "Science and Religion:  What's Next?"  See Ms. Humes in the IB Office for tickets.

• Tues 4/17:  Record results for Transformation Lab (lab due Monday 4/23).  Go to library to research and prepare for bioethics "debate".  Turn in Gel Electrophoresis Lab/Testimony today, but Thursday ok too without penalty.
• Thurs 4/19:  Turn in Gel Electrophoresis Lab/Testimony if not already.  Bioethics "Debate".  Turn in your group's bibliography (at least 5 decent resources), list of who did what, and summary of findings (history, science, positive arguments, negative arguments).  
• Mon 4/23:  Turn in Transformation Lab (data table of results, written summary/description of results, evaluation of lab, and pre-lab questions).  Go over Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and other topics for the test on Wednesday.
• Wed 4/25:  BioTech Test.  Start Evolution!  Start reading Beak of the Finch if not already.  Quiz on Chapters 1-3 will be on Mon, May 7th (revised date)
• Fri 4/27:  

Bioethics Debate

Research the history and science behind your topic.  Present positives of the technology and negatives (5-8 minutes).  Presentations/Debate on Th 4/19.   Submit bibliography of 5 solid resources, a list of who did what in your group, and a 1-2 page summary of your findings.

On the day of the "debate", your group will have 5-7 minutes to present, followed by 5-10 minutes of questions and comments from other class members.

The Topics:

1)  Cloning

2)  Stem Cells

3)  Genetically-modified organisms (GMO's).  Include both plants (crops) and animals.

4)  DNA Sequencing (include the history of the Human Genome Project)