Beginning of the the Year!

• Wed 8/30:  Take roll, fill out student information sheets.  Brainstorm in groups:  what is biology?  Class expectations and class website.  Demonstrate Early Work.  Introduce significant figures and how to count them.  Do problems 1-17 on the Uncertainty, Significant Figures, and Graph Practice worksheet.
• Fri 9/1:  Pick up textbooks from the book room.  Questions on classroom expectations or topics covered?  Discuss safety in the lab and academic honesty.  Hand out Safety Contract and Academic Honesty Contract.  Please sign both and get a parent/guardian to sign by next Friday 9/8.  Propagating uncertainty.  Finish first side of worksheet and work on the back.  But, don't do the graphing yet!  We will do that in class on Wednesday.  Start Brine Shrimp Lab.  Count cysts and estimate how many are in the grid.
• Wed 9/6:  Graphing data using LoggerPro.  Each of you needs to get a graph checked off, demonstrating that you can use the program.  Get the Uncertainty, Significant Figures, and Graph Practice worksheet checked off.     Count brine shrimp cysts, add salt water to them, and put on the counter to hatch. Do the TI-84 activity.   Remember that your Safety and Academic Honesty contracts are due signed by Friday 9/8.
• Fri 9/8:  Turn in signed contracts.  Count live brine shrimp and calculate percent hatched.  Show your work.   Explain the concept of t-test and what the results mean.   Complete TI-84 Activity.  Start Statistics Hand-Out.

Welcome to Higher Level IB Biology!!

Welcome to the 2017-2018 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

Cells and Membranes

Biochemistry:  Macromolecules

Cell Respiration and Photosynthesis

Cell Division:  Mitosis and Meiosis

Genetics

Second Semester

Replication, Transcription, Translation

Enzymes

Biotechnology

Plants

Ecology (maybe get it started)

Long Answer Questions for Final Exam to be taken next Wednesday, May 24

Longer Answer Questions:  On Test Day, We Will Draw 7 of These Out of a “Hat” and You Will Answer 4 of them.  6 pts each

1. Outline the differences between 3 distinct types of cells and explain how their differences suit their different functions.
2. Outline the process of DNA replication, including the functions of all of the enzymes, and using important details like leading and lagging strands, direction of replication, etc.
3. Outline the process of meiosis (the steps) and include the function of meiosis.
4. Outline the process of genetic modification, give 3 examples of its use, and give 2 pros and 2 cons of use of this technology.
5. List 3 Greenhouse Gases, outline how they cause warming, and discuss the evidence for anthropogenic (human-caused) climate change.
6. Outline the principles of natural selection using a specific example.
7. Outline the process of a specific immune response, including how the body is able to respond faster to the next exposure.
8. Outline the light dependent reactions of photosynthesis.
9. Outline the process of fertilization and early development through implantation in humans.
10. Explain how sound is received, transmitted, and processed in humans.
11. Outline the process of transpiration in plants, including what happens at the roots, the stems, and the leaves.
12. Explain the relationship between structure and function for arteries, capillaries, and veins.

Guidelines for the Final Exam to be Taken on Wednesday 5/24 (more specifics to come later)

• 20 multiple choice from everything!  (there will even be a few from paper 3 stuff):  (20 pts)
• 1 DBQ with 3 questions (6 pts)
• 3 Short Answer Questions from Paper 3 (9 pts)
• 3 Short Answer Questions from Paper 2 (9 pts)
• 4 Long Answer Questions (I will give you a list of about 10-12 questions and we will draw 6-7 of them on test day)  (24 pts)

Total Points:  68 pts

Welcome Back From Spring Break!

We are going to be very busy for the next 4 weeks!

• Mon 4/3:  6.5 Material.  Structure of neurons, myelinated nerve fibers, resting and action potentials, transmission of a nerve impulse, synapses.  Read A1 and A2 for Wednesday!
• Wed 4/5:  Neurodevelopment and the human brain.  Read A3 for Friday!
• Fri 4/7:  (Full 8 Day, so short classes)  Perception of stimuli, olfactory, visual, auditory.  Read A4 for Monday!
• Mon 4/10:  Dissection of Cow's Eyes.  Review structure of the eye and ear.  Innate and Learned Behavior.  Read A5 for Wednesday!
• Wed 4/12:  Reflex arcs. Learning.  Psychoactive Drugs.  Read A6 for Friday!
• Fri 4/14:  Ethology (animal behaviors).  Kahoot Review on Neurobiology Option.  Paper 3 Test on Tuesday 4/18.
• Tues 4/18:  Paper 3 Test.  Review past material.
• Thurs 4/20:  Giant Kahoot Review for the whole 2 years.  Papers 1 and 2 taken next Monday and Wednesday.
• Mon 4/24:  Paper 1 (multiple choice).  Review data-based questions.
• Wed 4/26:  Paper 2.  
• Fri 4/28:  Go over the Practice Tests.
• Mon 5/1:  Afternoon:  IB Biology Tests:  Paper 1 and Paper 2
• Tues 5/2:  Morning:  IB Biology Test:  Paper 3.

What's going to be on that big test on Thursday, 3/23??

The topics are Muscles (11.2), the Kidney (11.3), Hormones (6.6) and Reproduction (6.6 and 11.4).

1. There will be about 15-20 multiple choice.  Check out the Kahoot quizzes (2 of them) for ideas.
2. You will have to draw and label either the human kidney or a sarcomere.
3. You will have to label either the female reproductive system or the male reproductive system.
4. You will have to label a sperm or an egg or an elbow joint.
5. You will have to answer 4-5 out of 6-7 short answer questions.  Possibilities include:  outline the steps of a muscle contraction starting with nerve impulse, describe what happens at different parts of the nephron/glomerulus, compare and contrast type I and type diabetes, outline the steps of fertilization, compare and contrast spermatogenesis and oogenesis, outline the process of in vitro fertilization, outline the structure and function of the placenta.

The weeks of 3/13-3/24

• Mon 3/13:  Review kidney.  Blood glucose control and diabetes.  3 more hormones (thyroxin, leptin, and melatonin).  You take notes on them.  Male and female reproductive anatomy.  Male and female hormones.  Reproductive System coloring sheet.   Read 11.4 in text.
• Wed 3/15:  Hormones of the menstrual cycle.  Human Reproduction worksheet.  Work independently or in groups.  Go over spermatogenesis vs oogenesis and structure of ova and sperm.  Go over fertilization.  Start reviewing cellular respiration and photosynthesis.
• Fri 3/17: Final IA's need to be turned in by today if you want me to have time to do a good job on grading it.   The placenta, pregnancy, and birth.  In vitro fertilization.  Review for Muscle, Kidney, Hormone, and Reproduction Test to be taken on Thursday 3/23.
• Tues 3/21:  Review for Big Ole' Test!  Kahoot, what will be on the test, etc.  
• Thurs 3/13:  Take Muscle, Kidney, Hormone, and Reproduction test.  Start structure of neurons.  Read 6.5 and Option A over Spring Break!  If you haven't turned in your IA, it needs to be turned in by today!