Monday March 30, 2020 Update

Hi Students!  Mostly I talk about IA's and IB scores in this video.  We will start holding some on-line classes soon.  Take care of yourselves!

I got nothing, so here is a video of the chicks!

Happy Thursday Students!  I am taking a break from grading IA's, so here is a video of the growing chicks!  They started out in a cage in the garage, but they were moved out into a side of the chicken barn a few days ago.  The loud noises in the background are from the grown up chickens.  I will include a photo of them as well.

The grown up chickens:

March 23, 2020 Update

Hi Students!  Well, I am definitely not the most smooth presenter.  After 6 or so takes, "this" is what I came up with.  :)    I have a lot more empathy for politicians and such who have to live with their live gaffes as they go.  Oh well.  I know you all are a forgiving audience.  In this video I talk about the cancelled IB exams and also encourage all of you who haven't turned in your IA to please turn it in!!

March 20, 2020 Update Video and Baby Chicks!

Good morning students!  Here is the video update for today.  Keep working through the IB Biology curriculum and get out there and enjoy the outdoors!!

Baby Chick Photo from March 18, 2020.

My First Video

Here is my first youtube video for this class, made on Wednesday, March 18, 2020.  I have at least one correction.  I said that reproduction is in 6.6 and 11.3, but it's actually 11.4.

I am planning to do some videos that will go through some of the trickier topics.  Work through the Reproduction Worksheet as well as you can, send me questions, and I will provide updates. 

First Week of Social Isolation

Hello IB Bio 3-4 Students!  What a crazy time this is!  Last week we were going to school as normal and this week we are stuck at home for who knows how long?!  But as far as I know, the IB exam will go on and I want to help you get ready for it.  Plus, we have some amazing biology topics left to learn about just for their own sake. 

First of all, I encourage you to read the NY Times article about how the corona virus affects the human body that I have in the links and right here.  You have to sign into their site, but all corona virus articles on NY Times are free, so you don't have to pay to read it.   It is really interesting, especially since we just covered immunology.

For this week, I encourage you to complete the reproduction worksheet (sorry, 7th period, I forgot to hand this out on Friday!)  You can use my notes, the book, and any other reputable resources, although I especially recommend IB resources because they will help you hit the right level of understanding.   Stay tuned for updates. 

What's Coming Up?

• Tues/Wed 3/10-3/11:  Take Movement and Kidney Test.  When finished, start reading 6.6 and take notes on the functions of:  insulin, glucagon, thyroxin, leptin, and melatonin.  Also, outline diabetes, and the differences between type I and type II diabetes.
• Thurs/Fri 3/12-3/13:  Please turn in signed Cadaver Field Trip forms if not already.   Remember to get all signatures!  Sign up for Field Trip groups.  Also, if you are going to bring in an Amazon gift card, please do so before the weekend so we know how much we are giving to the grad students.  Notes on hormones and the male and female reproductive systems.  Start Reproduction Worksheet, due Fri/Mon.
• Mon/Tues 3/16-3/17:   Notes on oogenesis, spermatogenesis, and fertilization.  Work on Reproduction Worksheet.  To be finished next class.
• Tues 3/17:  Cadaver Field Trip is Cancelled.  :(
• Wed/Thurs 3/18-3/19: Early fetal development, the placenta, check off reproduction worksheet.
• 
  

Lesson Plan for Friday 2/28/20

Early Work:    What do you think your kidneys do?

Daily Schedule:

1. EW
2. Kidney Video
3. Kidney Worksheet
4. Also, do 2 out of the 4 DBQ’s in section 11.3
5. Read 11.3
6. Turn in your self/peer review of IA before you turn in your lab
7. Get your IA submitted through turnitin.com soon 

Movement and the Kidney

The next unit is an odd combination of 2 short sections:  Movement (11.2) and the Kidney (11.3).  

• Mon/Tues 2/24-2/25:  Introduction to muscles and movement.  Types of joints, structure of a sarcomere, etc.  Muscle Action Video.  Read 11.2
• Wed/Thurs 2/26-2/27:  Chicken Wing Dissection (Non-dissection option for students who have strong objection to dissection).  Structure of the elbow joint.  11.2 DBQ's.
• Fri/Mon 2/28-3/2:  Structure and functions of the kidney.  The nephron.  Read 11.3.
• Tues/Thurs 3/3-3/5:  Kidney Dance.  What happens as material travels through the nephron.  Problems with the kidney.  
• Wed 3/4:  Full 8 Schedule.  Go over kidney concepts and review chapters from last year.
• Fri/Mon 3/6-3/9:  Review movement and the kidney and start hormones!  Kahoot review for test on Tues/Wed 3/10-3/11.  
• Tues/Wed 3/10-3/11:  Movement and Kidney Short Test.  More on hormones (insulin and glucagon).  Read 6.6.

Some Guidelines for Writing Up Your Internal Assessment

1. Any identifying information should be removed, including that of subjects you used and your own name.  I will know it is yours because it is coming from your turnitin.com account.
2. The page limit is 6-12 pages.  We were not given any requirements for font size or spacing, but those should be chosen to enable clear and easy reading of the paper.  Labs that go over 12 pages will be penalized in the Communication section of the grade.
3. You should list both a topic for your investigation (more general) and a focused question.  The question should truly be focused and generally includes both the manipulated and the responding variable, as well as information that identifies what specifically you are working with.
4. Background:  Generally goes from more general to more specific.  Includes background on the science of your topic, why you are choosing it, and leads into what you will be doing in your lab.  Citations should be used for information that you got from outside sources.  If you include a direct quote, then use quotation marks in addition to identifying the source.  At this level of lab report the background is typically a page long or so.
5. A discussion of significant safety, ethical, and environmental issues should be included where relevant.  If using something that needs special handling, like toxic chemicals, bacteria, etc, you should include how you maintained safe conditions.  If using animals, like Daphnia, describe how you ensured the least amount of harm.  If using humans, include a copy of your blank Release Statement and describe how it ensured safety and privacy for your subjects.  When it comes to environmental issues, what did you do to ensure a low impact on the environment.
6. Variables:  List the manipulated and responding variables.  List at least 5 variables that needed to be controlled, why they needed to be controlled, and how you controlled them or attempted to control them.
7. Methodology:  Outline your methodology in a way that it could be accurately repeated by another person.  You should include how you measured things, how many trials you did, what amounts you used, etc.  Many students include a labeled diagram and/or photo to show their set up.  This can be very helpful when it is difficult to explain in words what you are doing.
8. Data Table:  Should have title, labels, units, uncertainty for each quantity measured, etc.  You are also responsible for recording qualitative data (observations).  Remember that observations are what you actually observed through one of your senses during the data-taking and not just a summary of your data.  You can put annotations under your data table to explain your justification for the uncertainty or to make note of outliers or special conditions.
9. Data Processing:  This can include graphs that have all the components of a good graph (including uncertainty bars), calculations, charts, etc.  You need to clearly show one sample calculation for each type of calculation that you do.
10. Conclusion:  Referring back to the original question, make a concluding statement about your results.  Use SPECIFIC data to back yourself up.  Remember that averages should be used to outline trends where appropriate.  Discuss the impact of uncertainty on the ability to draw conclusions.  Use science to try to explain your results.  You might not know exactly why your results came out the way they did, but you should try to use your knowledge to come up with reasonable explanations.  
11. Evaluation:  Strengths and Weaknesses of your methodology should be discussed (at least 3 of each!).  For each of the weaknesses/limitations you should also come up with a suggested improvement that is reasonable and specific.  You can use the type of chart that we used on other labs to list your weaknesses, impact, and improvements if you would like.  Finally, suggest one or more possible extensions for this lab.  This is different from the improvements.  Here you are actually coming up with a variation of your lab that would tell you more about the topic.
12. Communication:  Your entire lab will be scored for communication in terms of clear presentation, correct usage of subject-specific terminology, few errors, readable tables and charts, etc.

Beginning of Semester 2! (The last one for most of you!)

Hello Students!  We are going to be very busy during Semester 2.  Here are some things to have on your horizon and the plans for the first few weeks of semester 2.

Wed, February 12th:  Group IV Project at PSU.  This is an all-day field trip required for students who are IB testing in science.  If you did it last year, you do not have to do it again.  Please get your 2 field trip forms signed by Friday 2/7!

Tues, March 17th:  Cadaver Field Trip.  This is not required, although most students choose to go.  There will be more details and field trip forms later.  It will be a half-day field trip at most.

• Tues/Wed 1/28-1/29:  Final Exams back, check them over, and then return them.  Overview of the 2nd semester.  Hand out HIV/AIDS/Vaccination/Antibiotics worksheet.  This will be checked off by Wed/Thurs 2/5-2/6.  Work time for your IA.  Read 6.3 and 11.1.
• Thurs/Fri 1/30-1/31:  Notes on Blood Components and blood clotting.  Work time on IA.
• Mon/Tues  2/3-2/4:  Notes on Acquired Immune System.  Work time on IA.  HIV/AIDS/Vaccination worksheet needs to be checked off by Wed/Thurs for full credit.
• Wed/Thurs 2/5-2/6:  Notes on Functions of Antibodies and Monoclonal Antibody Production.  Check off HIV/AIDS/Vaccination worksheet.  Work time on IA's.
• Fri/Mon 2/7-2/10:  Go over HIV/AIDS/Vaccination.  Prep for Group IV Project.  Work time on IA's.  
• Tues 2/11:  Work time for Group IV Project.
• Wed 2/12:  Group IV Project.  Meet at PSU!  If you are not doing Group IV, meet in the room I tell you to meet in.
• Thurs/Fri 2/13-2/14:  Last day for Internal Assessment work.
• Tues/Wed 2/18-2/19  Peer Review for Rough Draft of Internal Assessment.  Kahoot Review for Immunology Test on 2/20-2/21.
• Thurs/Fri 2/20-2/21:  Immunology Test.  Start Muscle and Movement.  Read 11.2.

What's on the Digestion Quiz (on Tues/Wed 1/14-1/15)

• Draw/Annotate the Human Digestion System, labeling 10 things (must include the liver, gallbladder, and pancreas)
• Describe the journey of the food through the digestive system, using amazing vocabulary like bolus, peristalsis, epiglottis, chyme, etc!

Short-answery-type things:  Answer 2 out of the 3 

• List 4 enzymes from different parts of the body, where they are made, where they function, and what they break into what
• Outline how structure affects function for the villi (at least 5 different things)
• Outline the special absorption methods needed by fats and glucose

Welcome to 2020!!

Welcome back for the last 3 weeks of the second to last semester of your high school experience (well, for most of you!).  The late work and extra credit deadline for this semester is Friday, January 17, 2020.  If you are doing a Book Group, you need to make sure that you are communicating with your group about when to come in for your discussion.  We will have 2 FLEXes this week (Wednesday and Thursday) and 2 FLEXes next week (Thursday and Friday).  Additionally, I will be in my room Monday, January 13 during lunch for book groups.

The other thing you need to be working on is your Internal Assessment.  Your pre-write for the IA (focused question, background, variables, methodology, and blank data table) are due Friday, January 10 through turnitin.com and no later than Friday, January 17th.  Finally, we will be taking data for the IA these first 2 weeks of January and the first few weeks of the 2nd semester.  Make sure that you test things out before you finalize your procedure, as there are often problems that you can't anticipate until you actually try your procedure.  Remember that it is YOUR procedure and you take ownership over your investigation by researching, trying things, and then adapting things to work better for you.  Make observations, write down your successes and failures, and take photos to document your process!

The Schedule for the End of the Semester:

• Mon/Tues 1/6-1/7:  Overview of the end of the semester.  Take notes on digestion.  Work on digestion worksheet and work on your IA.  Get plants planted!
• Wed/Thurs 1/8-1/9:  Notes on structure of villi and other notes on absorption.  Check off digestion worksheet.  Work on your IA pre-write.  Remember that the pre-write is due this Friday through turnitin.com!  Fine tune your IA procedure.
• Fri/Mon 1/10-1/13:  Short digestion quiz Tues/Wed.  Joe Eats a Burger digestion demonstration.  Go over what will be on it and practice drawing and labeling the human digestive system.  Work on your pre-write and/or take data.
• Tues/Wed 1/14-1/15:  Digestion Quiz.  Start Reviewing for the Final Exam (review is on this website in the document section).  Review ecology.
• Thurs/Fri 1/16-1/17:  More review for the final exam.  Go over evolution and biodiversity and play Kahoot!  Late work/extra credit deadline is Friday 1/17!
• Mon 1/20/2020:  Martin Luther King Day Holiday.  No School!
• Tues 1/21/2020:  Full 8 Day.  Last minute review for the final and confirm your pre-final exam semester grade.
• Wed 1/22/2020:  Finals:  1, 2, and 4
• Thurs 1/23/2020:  Finals:  5, 6, and 8
• Fri 1/24/2020:  Finals:  3, 7, and Makeup exams (but remember that makeup exams must be excused and prearranged)

Body Response Group Lab

For this lab, you will be planning, carrying out, and writing up a simple body response lab with your table group.  These are the requirements:

1. Pick a vital sign you want to measure (heart rate, blood pressure, tidal volume, or respiration rate), the tool(s) you will measure it with and the activities you will have your subjects do.  You are required to measure your subjects at rest, after mild exercise, and after more vigorous exercise.
2. Carefully and consistently take data with as many subjects as you can.  I recommend starting with yourselves so you can iron out any challenges, and then measure at least one more group.  
3. Lab Write Up:  As a group, you need to write a lab with the following components:  1)  Focused question   2)  Variables (especially discussing controls!)  3)  Procedure/Methodology   4)  Neat organized data table with uncertainty, units, etc    5)  Data Processing:  Could be as simple as calculating percent changes and showing a sample calculation, but you could do more than that too    6)  Conclusion:  Refer back to question, use specific data to back yourself up, explain using science, discuss the impact of uncertainty on the data.
4. Due Thursday/Friday before break.  You can finish it in class after you take the test.

From Now Until Winter Break

• Tues/Wed 12/3-12/4:  Check off Circulation Worksheet.  Notes on the path of blood through the heart, control of the heartbeat, and atherosclerosis.
• Thurs/Fri 12/5-12/6:  Finish Circulation Notes.  Hand out Respiration Worksheet and Internal Assessment Hand-Out.  Please come up with a focused question for your IA by next Wed/Thurs.  Read 5.4 on the Respiratory System.
• Mon/Tues 12/9-12/10:  Notes on the respiratory system.  Check off Respiration Worksheet.  Introduce Body Response Lab.  Use Vernier heart rate meters first, then try other equipment.  Tell Ms. Kenny what you are planning to test.
• Wed/Thurs 12/11-12/12: Please turn in focused question for your internal assessment through turnitin.com.  Pig Heart Dissection, done in 2-3 students.  Each group needs to do 2 labeled and measured diagrams, write observations, and describe how structure supports function for 3 parts.  Due next class.
• Fri/Mon 12/13-12/16:  Turn in Pig Heart Dissection.  Body Response Lab.  Write it up and turn it in next class.
• Tues/Wed 12/17-12/18:  Materials and methodology due for the IA.  Play Kahoot and finish going over heart and lung concepts.  
• Thurs/Fri 12/19-12/20:  Take Circulation and Respiration Test.  Pick up Digestion Worksheet and get started on it.  Work on your background information, control of variables, procedure, etc for your IA over the break if you would like.  The pre-write is due through turnitin.com by January 17, 2020 (and counts towards your first semester grade).

Populations Lab

Some students have asked for the Populations L  ab requirements spelled out more clearly.  So here it is!

1. Focused Question:  Clearly states what is being tested in the investigation.  It is possible in this lab that you might have a secondary question,  and that is ok with me this time!
2. Background Information: 1-2 paragraphs of background of the investigation.  This can include your personal experience, research (cite the sources!), and educated guesses.  Generally a good background goes from more general information to the most specific and addresses your actual question.
3. Variables:  Here you list the dependent variable, independent variables, and the controlled variables.  You need to discuss how you controlled (or monitored) the controlled variables, barriers to controlling them, etc.  If you are doing a strict correlational study, then technically there is not a dependent and independent variable and you can say that.  However, if you are doing a t-test, then you can state that whatever varies between the 2 populations is the independent variable and what you are comparing is the dependent.
4. Procedure/Methodology:  This can be in a list format or paragraph, but either way, it needs to be detailed enough that another investigator could accurately reproduce your procedure.  Make sure that you include details about how you measured things, how many trials, etc.
5. Data Table:  Should be neat and organized.  Needs to have clear labels (a title can help!), units, uncertainty, and needs to have quantitative as well as qualitative data.  The qualitative data (observations) are often written under the quantitative table or can be included in the table.
6. Data Processing:  This can include calculations, graphs, or other visuals.  Calculations should show the complete work for at least one sample of each type of calculation done.  Graphs should be well-titled, have uncertainty bars (where appropriate), have good labels, units, annotation, etc.
7. Conclusion:  Refer back to your question and answer it using data to back yourself up!  When doing a t-test, it is important that you reference the averages of each group as well as the t-value result.  Use science to try to explain your results.  Discuss the impact of uncertainty on your results.  
8. Evaluation:  Discuss strengths and weaknesses of your investigation.  I would encourage you to list 3 strengths.  For the 3 weaknesses, you can list them in a table as we have done before.  Describe the weaknesses, you can list cause of the uncertainty/limitation and suggest possible realistic improvements for each of them.  Also, list further investigations that you could do next and why you would do them.

Classification Lessons

• Wed/Thurs 10/29-10/30:  Take Evolution Test and do 5.3 questions
• Thurs/Wed 10/31and11/6:  Check off 5.3 questions.  Some notes on classification.  Animal Phyla Lab.  Answer questions and turn in next class.  Populations Lab pre-write.
• Mon/Tues 11/4-11/5:  Fish Dichotomous Key done in partners.  When done, make your own dichotomous keys in partners using physical characteristics for a set of 10 objects.  Do Thurs/Fri.
• Thurs/Fri 11/7-11/8:  Exchange dichotomous keys and do them.  Turn in Animal Phyla Lab.  Check off 5.3 questions.  Some notes on animal phyla.  Do the ones on vertebrate classes and plant divisions on your own.  Take data for Populations Lab.  Read 5.4.
• Tues/Wed 11/12-11/13:  Notes on the universality of biological molecules and how to make a phylogenetic tree.  Do Cladogram Activity Part I in pairs.  Take data for the Populations Lab.
• Thurs/Fri 11/14-11/15:  More on how to make cladograms, the concept of molecular clocks, etc.  Do Cladogram Activity Part II.  Take data for Populations Lab.
• Mon/Tues 11/18-11/19:  Peer Review of Populations Lab.  Review for Biodiversity Test.  Play Kahoot.
• Wed/Thurs 11/20-11/21:  Biodiversity Test.  Start Reading 6.2 on the Circulatory System and work on the Circulation Worksheet.
• Fri/Mon  11/22 and 12/2:  Structure of the human heart.  Blood vessels.  New models overtaking old.  Keep working on Circulation Worksheet, due next class.

Lesson Plan for 11/4 and 11/5/2019

1. No Early Work!  We will start a new sheet and add up the old set on Wed/Thurs.
2. Dichotomous Key of Fish Assignments.  Mr. Plies will give you some tips and go over how to do the first fish.  You can do this assignment in pairs and then turn in 1 fish sheet with both of your names on it.  You can give the Fish Key sheet back to Mr. Plies when you are done so we can reuse them.
3. Now you can design your own dichotomous key to separate at least 10 items from the theme of your choice.  Some ideas include movies, fruits, sports, etc.  There are many ways to do it, but you should include at least 10 images and write your key based on observable characteristics.
4. When done, work on your pre-write for your Populations Lab.  We will start taking data on Wednesday.  First draft is due next week, so make sure you have plans to take your data.  
5. 4th Period:  You can also work on completing the Animal Phyla Lab.

5.3 Questions!

Here are some questions to answer in your notebook after the Evolution Test:

1. Why do scientists use the binomial system for naming species?
2. How was this method developed?
3. List the common names of 10 organisms that interest you and then list their scientific names using the proper format.  You should include a diversity of organisms, including at least one animal, plant, fungus, and bacteria.
4. List the 3 domains of life and then compare them to each other in terms of their characteristics (see chart on p. 261).
5. Which domain do humans fit into?
6. Which of the other 2 domains is ours most similar to?  Explain giving evidence from the chart.
7. List the principle taxa for classifying eukaryotes and figure out a way to memorize them.  Do you have a good mnemonic (memory aid)?
8. What does it mean to call the classification of an organism "natural"?
9. List several advantages of using natural classification.
10. Looking at the charts on pages 266-268, identify the category that:  a)  has vascular tissue but no pollen  b)  has bilateral symmetry and a mouth but no anus  c)  bilateral symmetry and segmented bodies with jointed appendages   d)  lungs with extensive folding and soft-shelled eggs   e)  Lungs with alveoli and teeth of different types

Will be checked off 11/6-11/7

The Week of 10/7/19

• Mon/Tues 10/7-10/8:  Evidence for Evolution.  Take notes and watch whale video.  Read 5.1 and do 2 of the DBQ's.  If time, read 5.2.  Pick a Science article to read.  Mesocosm write up due Thursday 10/10.
• Wed/Thurs 10/9-10/10:  Scientific Journal Assignment (due October 22).  Darwin and the principles of natural selection.  Watch Video on the Theory of Evolution and take some notes.  Do DBQ's on p 253 and 255-256 and get them checked off.   Mesocosm write-up is due today.
• Mon/Tues 10/14-10/15:  Take beak lab data and enter your data into the website.  Notes on speciation.  Read 10.3.
• Thurs/Fri 10/17-10/18:  Process beak lab data and introduce Populations Lab inquiry.  Brainstorm what you will do for Populations Lab.  Work on Journal Review.  Read 1.5.  Do 3 of the DBQ's in 10.3 by Wed/Thurs of next week.
• Mon/Tues 10/21-10/22:  Hardy Weinberg Simulation.  Notes on Origin of the first Cell.  Submit science journal review to turnitin.com by the end of the day on Tues 10/22.
• Wed/Thurs 10/23-10/24:  Check off 10.3 DBQ's.  Turn in Hardy-Weinberg packet. Notes on Origin of the First Cell and a little bit on Human Evolution.  Submit your Populations Lab proposal to me by today through turnitin.com
• Fri/Mon 10/25-10/28:  Review for Evolution Test to be take Tues/Wed 10/29-10/30.
• Tues/Wed 10/29-10/30:  Take Evolution Test.  Start Biodiversity.  Read 5.3.