3 February 2010

1 February 2010

• If you are participating in the hydroponics event, your reservoir does not need to be a plastic soda bottle. It can be a bucket, small fish tank, etc.
• Remind me that we have to add salt water to our sauerkraut bottles. We need to add enough brine (salt) water to cover the cabbage.
• Period 1: No class on Tuesday or Wednesday. Homework – Start a rough draft of your lab report. Include the problem statement, hypothesis, materials, procedure and data table. We will work on the cell respiration questions in class.
• Period 2: No class on Tuesday. Homework – Start a rough draft of your lab report. Include the problem statement, hypothesis, materials, procedure and data table. We will work on the cell respiration questions in class.

29 January 2010

• Please remember to bring in a small glass jar for our lab (Making Sauerkraut).
• No Homework.
  
• Prototype picture is due on Monday. Please make sure you are taking pictures and recording data.

Video Review/Help:

Additional Videos on Cell Respiration in the Previous Posting.

Cellular Respiration and Fermentation

26 January 2010

Welcome Back!

I hope you had a nice 3 day weekend. Midterms are over and we’re halfway done with the year.

1. The average for both honors biology classes (Periods 1 and 2) on the midterm was an 83! Nice job. We will go over the midterms in class. The multiple choice was worth 80 points and the short answer was worth 20 points.
2. You should have functional prototypes for the Science Fair finished by next Monday or Tuesday.
3. Please make sure that you are keeping records (in your science fair notebook) that include any photographs of your plants/prototype, plant measurements of growth, materials used, etc.
4. We will try to start and finish photosynthesis and cellular respiration this week. There’s a lot of information but we will only be covering the basics. I’d like us to do a fermentation lab (making sauerkraut). We’ll start with Chapter 7 in your textbook (Cellular Respiration and Fermentation, pp. 136-155) and then move to Chapter 8 (Photosynthesis, pp. 160-170). Pages 128-129 provide a general overview of the functions of chloroplasts and mitochondria. Please read 7.1-7.3 and 7.6 as well as Chapter 8 by the end of the week. Read for understanding.
5. Also . . . you will be taking a math diagnostic test. The results on this short ‘test’ will partially determine what level of chemistry you are eligible for next year. We’ll talk about this diagnostic test in class.

14 January 2010

Chapters in ‘Biology: Exploring Life‘:

• Chapter 1: The Scope of Biology
• Chapter 2: The Science of Biology
• Chapter 4: The Chemical Basis of Life
• Chapter 5: The Molecules of Life
• Chapter 6: A Tour of the Cell
• Chapter 9: Exploring Inheritance (178-191)
• Chapter(s) 34-36: Exploring Ecology

Approximate Breakdown of Midterm MC Questions:

1. Levels of Organization, Domain System, and Classification (8)
2. Scientific Method (4)
3. Ecology (13) and Nutrient Cycling (3)
4. Chemistry (15); Organic Compounds, pH and Enzymes (10)
5. Cells and Cell Organelles (7)
6. Cell Membranes and Transport (6)
7. Mitosis (Cell Division) and Cancer (7)
8. Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration (equations) (3)

Spring is Coming

Possible Short Answer Topics:

1. The Scientific Method. Interpreting Data.
2. The Relationship Between Cancer and Mitosis. Causes of Cancer and Treatments for Cancer. Vocabulary.
3. How are Organisms Affected By Their Environment (Osmosis)? What Ways Do They or Can They Maintain Homeostasis?
4. Reading and Interpreting and Article on STEM cells.
5. The Importance of Biodiversity.

(SOME) of the Vocabulary Words You Should Be Familiar With:

• Theory, Hypothesis, Dependent Variable, Independent Variable, Control Group, Prokaryotes, Eukaryotes, Polar Molecule, Ionic Bond, Covalent Bond, Evaporation, Transpiration, Autotroph, Heterotroph, Symbiotic Relationships, Carrying Capacity, Exponential Growth, Predator, Prey, Primary Succession, Secondary Succession, Levels of Organization, Domain System, Characteristics of Life, Ecology, Ecosystem, Biosphere, Population, Community, Species, Multicellular, Unicellular, Carnivore, Herbivore, Decomposer, Detrivore, Food Web, Food Chain, Fossil Fuels, Global Warming, Consumer Levels/Trophic Levels, Atomic #, Protons, Neutrons, Electrons, Ions, Isotopes, pH, Legumes, Nitrogen Fixation, Dehydration Synthesis, Hydrolysis, Monomer, Polymer, Reactants, Products, Solute, Solvent, Solution, Catalyst, Enzymes, Activation Energy, Substrate, Active Site, Endothermic Reaction, Exothermic Reaction, Carbohydrates, Proteins, Lipids, Nucleic Acids, Organic Compounds, Valence Shell Electrons, Nitrogen Cycle, Carbon Cycle, Water Cycle, Cell Theory, Kindgom Levels, Protists, Fungi, Animalia, Plantae, Eukarya, Archaea, Bacteria, Eubacteria, Archaebacteria, Biodiversity, Cancer, Cell Cycle, Mitosis, Centromere, Chromosome, Spindle Fibers, Centriole, Diploid (2n), Haploid (n), Cancer, Benign Tumor, Malignant Tumor, Metastasis, Interphase (G1, S, G2), Prophase, Metaphase, Anaphase, Telophase, Cytokinesis.

12 January 2010

1. Period 1 quiz on Wednesday and Period 2 Quiz on Thursday. The quiz is on prokaryotes vs. eukaryotes, cells and cell organelle functioning, cell membrane and transport and the domain system.
2. Materials for the Science Fair Project due this week (photograph is ok).
3. Please use your book to answer the cell membrane/transport practice questions.
4. Mitosis will be a self-directed learning activity. Please review the notes that I gave you. There are some practice problems in the packet. Mitosis will be on the midterm exam.
5. The chapters on photosynthesis and cellular respiration will not be on the midterm. You should, however, know the equations for both and why they are important.

Mitosis (12 January 2010)

5 January 2010 (Cell Size and Cell Transport)

Assuming that the fictional Killer ‘Blob’ in the above video is a single cell, why is it that we don’t actually find cells that large (or even close to it)?

ANIMATIONS:

Cube Building Animation (SA/V)

CALCULATIONS:

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES/HELP w/Cell Membranes and Cell Transport:

THE PROBLEM OF CELL SIZE

4 January 2009 (Cells)

RESOURCES:

a. CELLS ALIVE!

b. AMAZING CELLS

Agenda:

1. Materials for prototype due next Wednesday – 13 January 2010 -  (S.T.E.P Challenge).

2. Organelle Brochure due 6 January 2010.

3. Use Chapter 6 in your textbook  (or the internet) to complete questions 1-37 in the packet labeled “Cell Structure and Function.”  You received this packet on 4 January 2010.

4. We have covered cell theory, cell classification and diversity (prokaryotes vs. eukaryotes/3 Domain System), cell structure and function – organelle functioning).

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: