Beginning of the Year

• Thurs 8/31:  Kahoot "review" of last year's biology and some random summer news.  Overview of this coming year's material.  Brainstorm ecology topics.  Start working on 4.1 definitions (see post below).  Hand out Safety and Academic Honesty Contracts to get signed by next Thurs 9/7.
• Tues 9/5:  Get our textbooks.  Finish the 4.1 group work.  Read about chi-squared test and quadrat data (pp. 207-208).  Do data-based question on p. 209.  Read 4.1 and finish DBQ for homework.  Remember that signed Safety and Academic Honesty contracts are due Thursday.
• Thurs 9/7:  Turn in signed contracts if not already.  Discuss 4.1 and go over mesocosms.  Food chains and food webs.  With your table group, make an original food web with 10 organisms showing interactions.  Share with another group.  Do DBQ's on p. 214 and p. 216.  Get all 3 DBQ's checked off if you are done.  Otherwise finish for homework!  Read 4.2.

Group Work for Thursday 8/31: edited! I added 7*

1.  What do you think “ecology” means?

2.  What topics do you think fit under the ecology umbrella?

3.  When people say that a person is “ecologically-minded”, what do they mean?

4.   Who are some famous ecologists?

Stop Here.  You can use 4.1 in the text for the rest

5.  What are     a)  producers?     b)  primary consumers?    c)  secondary consumers?     

d)  detritivores?    e)  saprotrophs?       If possible, include an example of each of the above.

6.  What are   a)  autotrophs?    b)  heterotrophs?   Examples?

 7*.  Define:  a)  species    b)  population    c)  community

8. What is an ecosystem?  Give 3 examples.

9.  How does an ecosystem remain sustainable?

Welcome to the 2017-2018 School Year!

I hope that you all had a rejuvenating summer.  For most of you, this is your Senior Year!!  It will be great, but it will also be very busy and maybe stressful at times.  Try to give yourself time to get your work done, don't overbook yourself, and talk to people to get a reality check if you get too stressed.  We have a lot to learn this year.  Fortunately, the material is very interesting and you have amazing classmates to learn it with.  Work hard, savor the process, and have fun.  I can't wait to start this 2nd year of IB Biology with all of you!  Topics for this year:

First Semester

Ecology: Chapter 4

Biodiversity:  5.3 and 5.4

Evolution:  5.1, 5.2, 10.3, and 1.5

Digestion:  6.1

Circulation:  6.2

Respiration:  6.4

Cadaver Lab Field Trip

Immunology:  6.3 and 11.1

Perform Internal Assessment

Second Semester

Finish Writing Internal Assessment

Group IV Project (for science testers who didn't do it last year)

Muscles and Movement:  11.2

The Kidney:  11.3

Hormones, Homeostasis, and Human Reproduction:  6.6 and 11.4

Neurobiology and Behavior:  6.5 and Option A

Review for IB Exam and Take Practice Exams

IB Testing

End of Year Projects

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