End of the Year!!

We are moving very quickly at the end of the year!  Please keep up with reading so that you don't fall behind on the material!

• Tues 5/23:  Review Transpiration.  9.2 overview and notes on Translocation.  Finish checking off Leaf worksheet.  Plant your seeds if they have germinated.  Do Virtual Transpiration Lab in pairs for Thursday and work on the DBQ on p. 418.  Read 9.3 for Thursday.  DNA Fingerprinting Lab due today!
• Thurs 5/25:  Review Translocation.  9.3 overview and notes on Plant Growth and Tropisms.  Check off Virtual Transpiration Lab.  Some work time to finish DBQ on p. 418.  Read 9.4 for next Tuesday.
• Tues 5/30:  Review Plant Growth.  9.4 Overview and notes on Flowering.  Types of flowers and Seeds.  Dissect Flowers.  Hand out Plant Review.
• Thurs 6/1:  Finish up with flowers.  Plant Video.  Topics for Semester Exam.  Plant Test next Wed 6/7.
• Mon 6/5:  Play Kahoot for Plant Review.  Review for final exam as well.
• Wed 6/7:  Plant Test.  Review for the Final Exam.
• Fri 6/9:  Plant Tests Back.  More review for Final Exam.
• Tues 6/13:  Finals, Periods 1, 2, and 4.
• Wed 6/14:  Finals, Periods 5, 6, and 8.
• Thurs 6/15:  Finals, Periods 3 and 7.

DNA Fingerprinting Write-Up, Due Tuesday, May 23. Can be done in pairs.

This is what you need for the lab:

1.  A nicely titled and labeled graph of the ladder data (length of DNA fragment versus distance traveled) made on semi-log paper
2. A neat and nicely title and labeled data table that has the distance traveled for all of the bands of the ladder, crime scene, suspect 1, suspect 2, and suspect 3.  Then you need to use the graph to determine the lengths of DNA fragments for all of the bands of the suspects and crime scene.
3. Court testimony submitted to turnitin.com (one of you submits it, but include both of your names).  The court testimony should include an introductory detailed explanation of how DNA fingerprinting works, your data and who it incriminates, and a discussion of uncertainty. 

Hind III Ladder Info:  # of Base Pairs for the six visible bands:

23,130

9416

6557

4361

2322

2027

May 8-May 19

• Tues 5/9:  1st Part of the DNA fingerprinting lab.  Get those samples mixed and incubating!  Then we will do 2 bioethics presentation, and prep for day 2 of the lab.  If you haven't already, read the entire lab hand-out!
• Thurs 5/11:  Day 2 of the lab.  Load the samples into the gel and let it run.  Be patient as you may have to wait while other groups load their samples.  Review for the Biotech and Enzyme test.
• Mon 5/15:  Observe your gels under the illuminator and take photos.  Share photos with your group.  Discuss DNA Fingerprinting Write-Up.  You can do it in pairs and it is due next Tuesday, 5/23.  Play Kahoot to review for Biotech and Enzyme test to be taken on Wed 5/17.  
• Wed 5/17:  Take Biotech Test.  Start Plant Tissue worksheet.   Read 9.1 in book.
• Fri 5/19:  Go over types of plant tissue and transpiration in plants.  Read 9.2.  Questions on DNA Fingerprinting Lab?  Due on Tuesday in pairs.  The court testimony should be turned in through turnitin.com and the graph/data table can be turned in as a hard copy.

Bioethics Assignment

In your group, do the following:

1. History of the technology
2. Scientific explanation of the technology
3. Pros of use of the technology
4. Cons of use of the technology
5. Resources cited for each part, make sure they are reputable!! I recommend Opposing Viewpoints from the library website!
6. Put all of this in a shared googledoc and include names of students who did each part
7. Friday and Tuesday we will present these to the class

April 24-May 5

• Tues 4/25:  Finish notes on Enzymes.  Start Notes on Biotechnology:  stem cells and PCR.  Debrief Enzyme Lab and work on finishing write-up.  First draft due on Thursday 4/27.  Bring a hard copy of your lab or an electric version that another student can evaluate.
• Thurs 4/27:  Peer Review of Enzyme Lab.  Gel electrophorosis and DNA profiling.   Final Enzyme Lab due next Wed 5/3 through turnitin.com
• Mon 5/1:  Finish genetic modification.  Clones!  Do DBQ on p. 195 in Notebook and go to Boston Children's Hospital stem cell site and describe 5 pathways to making different types of stem cells.  Include what those stem cells are used for.
• Wed 5/3:  Turn in Enzyme Lab through turnitin.com.  Biotechnology ethics.
• Fri 5/5:  Finish Biotechnology ethics and practice micropipetting.

What's On The Replication, Transcription, and Translation Test?

First of all, check out the review sheet in the documents section of the blog.  Read through the statements and make sure that you are familiar with the terms and have the skills.  If you have any questions about it, ask in class or shoot me an e-mail.

Now for the format and specific topics for the test:

• 15-20 multiple choice questions.  Pay attention during the Kahoot review to get an idea of what the questions will be like
• Labeling a replication fork with leading strand, lagging strand, helicase, primer, direction of synthesis, etc.  
• You should also be able to outline the process of replication, using names of the enzymes and correct terminology
• Be able to outline the steps of transcription
• Be able to outline the structure of a nucleosome and its importance in controlling gene expression, including how they are modified by epigenetics (methyl and acetyl markers)
• Be able to outline the process of translation, including assembly of the translation initiation complex, the multiple repeated steps in the process of elongation, and termination
• Be able to write the RNA sequence for a given polypeptide and write the sequence for a polypeptide when given the RNA sequence (I will provide you with the genetic code table, but you need to know how to read it).
• Additionally, I will ask you to add or subtract nucleotides from an RNA sequence and write the resulting RNA sequence and amino acid sequence. 

What's Coming Up?

Welcome Back After Spring Break!  I hope it was restful for you!  Here is what we have coming up:

• Tues 4/4:  Finish checking off DBQ's and Epigenetics Video worksheet.  Finish Transcription Notes.  Translation.  Work on Genetic Code Worksheet.  
• Thurs 4/6:  Finish genetics code worksheet and get checked off.  Review Replication, Transcription, and Translation for test to be taken next Tuesday 4/11.
• Fri 4/7:  Full 8 Day.  Short Classes (43 minutes):  Play Kahoot to Review Replication, Transcription, and Translation.
• Tues 4/11:  Replication, Transcription, and Translation Test.  Start Enzyme Worksheet.   Read 2.5. 
• Thurs 4/13:  Finish Enzyme Worksheet.  Start Enzyme Lab.  Read 8.1.
• Mon 4/17:  Enzyme Lab:  finish protocols and brainstorm what data you will take for the real lab.
• Wed 4/19:  Figure out the quantities that you will use for your lab and do the pre-write for your lab (Background, focused question, variables, materials, procedure, justification for choices made.
• Fri 4/21:  Take data for the lab and start processing the data.  Discuss final lab write-up.  First complete draft due Thursday 4/27.  Final Draft due Wed 5/3.  Start reading about biotech (3.5).