Monday 12-16-13

Today at some point, please check your grade on Student-Vue.  
If you are missing a quiz grade, please fill in the google form below
If your notebook needs to be checked, you can come on Monday at lunch or during advisory.  This is the LAST CHANCE for notebooks! 
Today and tomorrow we are going to focus on questions about the final

SSA with resources

Click here for a PDF that has all of the learning targets with attached resources to study.  
It is by no means an exhastive list, but it is somewhere to start.  Remember that education portal is a great resources as well as Khan academy & even study island has an AP Biology section.  Also, adaptive curriculum has a search option where you can look for content that isn't specifically assigned.  

Please come in Monday with questions!  :)

Oh, and I will be grading pgs 86-89 on Monday (if you want any other pages checked, you need to come in at lunch or during advisory)

Work Day

Continue working on everything that needs to be completed.  
Don't forget to complete pgs 86 & 87
Chapters 16-18 review quizzes from the on-line textbook  & if you choose chapters 15-18 post-tests from the Mader book (also fill out the google form when you have completed them)

I have extended the deadline to MONDAY DEC 16th, but that means EVERYTHING including the SSA on pg 88-89 needs to be complete when you walk in the door.
You can still come in at lunch today to work, and if you want me to check your notebook, it is either today at lunch or Monday during advisory.

New for today -- molecular model activity for simple organic molecules (# 7 on the SSA)

pgs 88-89 SSA for Fall Final

Please complete the SSA for the fall final and tape into pgs 88-89

Click here if you need an additional copy

Grade Day

4th hour -- your notebooks are done.  

1. Check your grades.  I updated them with zeros for the assessments for a "worst case scenario" if you don't get things done by Friday.
2. DON'T FREAK OUT -- you have until Friday to fix it

I have made an on-line text book page (to help you remember where to go and what to do when you get there).  Remember it is Chapters 16-18 "review quizzes" that are being graded

Additional quizzes for "bonus points" are from the Mader book.  Chapters 15-18 for those (it is your choice to do these or not, they will help you prepare for the test for sure)

6th hour -- I will check your notebooks today.  

1. Check your grades as I have updated the on-line assessments as well for a "worst case scenario" if things aren't completed by Friday
2. again, DON'T FREAK OUT you have until Friday to fix it.

I have made an on-line text book page (to help you remember where to go and what to do when you get there).  Remember it is Chapters 16-18 "review quizzes" that are being graded

Additional quizzes for "bonus points" are from the Mader book.  Chapters 15-18 for those (it is your choice to do these or not, they will help you prepare for the test for sure)

As you continue to take the on-line assessments, please fill out the form below (it will make updated the gradebook infinitely easier) 

pgs 86-87 Miller-Urey experiment and cell size activity

Watch the Miller-Urey experiment video together as a class.  
Pg 86

Miller-Urey experiment

Brief description of the experiment (drawing of apparatus may be helpful)
Why is this experiment important?
What did we learn from it?
Click here for more detailed information as well as a 2008 experiment where scientists re-analyzed solutions created from the lab.

pg 87

Cell Size Models

Problem    Does size affect cellular function?

Data         (s=square)

s	s2	6s2	s3	SA/V
Cell Size “s” units	Area of one face	Total surface area of cube (cell)	Volume of cube (cell)	Total surface area to volume ratio
1
2
3
4

Based on your data above, how does cell size affect the cell’s ability to maintain homeostasis?

Pudding and Pineapple Enzyme pg 76

Here is what should go on pg 76 for the pudding lab and the pineapple enzyme lab
Look at these videos to help with your understanding of enzymes
How enzymes work
Activation Energy

pg 81-85 Geologic Timeline

There are two activities today for the timeline.
Click here for one (you will need adding machine tape)
And then click here for what needs to go into your notebook on pg 81-85

Moving from Big Idea #1 to Big Idea #2

Do we have a grasp of all of the objectives from Big Idea #1?

Please complete all of the review quizzes from the on-line resources for Chapters 16-18 by Friday December 13th.  You can also complete the post-tests from the Mader book on-line resources for the chapters 15-18 for bonus points (e-mail the results to me as well as to yourself -- there is a spot at the end of the assessment).

The last activity for Big Idea #1 is timeline activity that we will discuss on Wednesday is a timeline activity to show the history of the Earth.

But today, we are moving onto Big Idea #2 with the Pudding Lab

Happy Thanksgiving Break

Finish up stuff and clean :)

More BLAST-ing

Continue working on the BLAST lab (remember that it is now a tab on the blog)

Your goal is to provide evidence for the cladogram that you create.

Once you have completed that, go to education portal (specifically the section in Biology 101 about the phylogeny and classification of organisms).  You need to complete the lesson on "Cladograms and Phylogenetic Trees: Evolution Classifications".  Please e-mail me a screen shot of the results of your quiz. 

Education portal is a great resource for all sorts of classes.  We will be using it extensively with this class.  

AP Bio Lab #3 BLAST genes

Here is the work around since you can't download the genes from the website.  Go to my out folder on the backpack to access the genes.  
First, open the BLAST program.  
Then at the top, click on "saved strategies".  
Then "browse" to upload the file.  
You will find the file in my "out" folder in the backpack for your period. 

Follow the rest of the directions from the other website :)

Comparing DNA sequences to understand evolutionary relationships with Blast (AP Bio Lab #3)

How can bioinformatics be used as a tool to determine evolutionary relationships and to better understand genetic diseases?

BACKGROUND
Between 1990–2003, scientists working on an international research project known as the Human Genome Project were able to identify and map the 20,000–25,000 genes that define a human being. The project also successfully mapped the genomes of other species, including the fruit fly, mouse, and Escherichia coli. The location and complete sequence of the genes in each of these species are available for anyone in the world to access via the Internet.
Why is this information important? Being able to identify the precise location and sequence of human genes will allow us to better understand genetic diseases. In addition, learning about the sequence of genes in other species helps us understand evolutionary relationships among organisms. Many of our genes are identical or similar to those found in other species.
Suppose you identify a single gene that is responsible for a particular disease in fruit flies. Is that same gene found in humans? Does it cause a similar disease? It would take you nearly 10 years to read through the entire human genome to try to locate the same 
sequence of bases as that in fruit flies. This definitely isn’t practical, so a sophisticated technological method is needed.
Bioinformatics is a field that combines statistics, mathematical modeling, and computer science to analyze biological data. Using bioinformatics methods, entire genomes can be quickly compared in order to detect genetic similarities and differences. 
An extremely powerful bioinformatics tool is BLAST, which stands for Basic Local Alignment Search Tool. Using BLAST, you can input a gene sequence of interest and search entire genomic libraries for identical or similar sequences in a matter of seconds.
In this laboratory investigation, you will use BLAST to compare several genes, and then use the information to construct a cladogram. A cladogram (also called a phylogenetic tree) is a visualization of the evolutionary relatedness of species.

We are going to borrow the directions from another website that already has the entire thing listed.  Click here to go there!
When you open the pre-lab questions, use the information and answer the questions on pg 69. Once you collect the data, analyze your results on pgs 70-71.
Your own design goes on pgs 72-73 (can go onto pgs 74-75 if needed)
This lab should take all week.  On Friday, we will come together and discuss what was learned and 

Walking with Cavemen

Moving onto Human evolution.
Watching "Walking with Cavemen"
The website has some very interesting additional information -- click here!

Evolution review, Founder effect, population bottleneck, & genetic drift

Founder effect pg 66
Population bottleneck pg 67
Genetic drift pg 68

We went back over some basics of evolution.  Below is the "take home messages" from the PowerPoint.  Remember to go to the textbook website for additional information



Here is another slideshow of information about evolution. Thought it was helpful!

Mammals episode from Life

Watching the"Mammals" episode from Life.  
Think about what we have learned about evolution when watching.  Why might certain species have specific adaptations?

Adaptive Curriculum & lab reports

Work on Adaptive curriculum, lab reports, or anything else that needs to be completed 
Remember for Adaptive Curriculum your log-on is 
puhsmt-ID#
Students, you should remember your password ;)

Guppy Simulation & notebook check

Agenda for the block day

• Continue working on "Sex and the Single Guppy"

• Finish up anything in your notebook that isn't finished

• Notebook check

Sex and the Single Guppy

Check your plants and record data, then . . . 


Sex and the single guppy is a simulation on the pbs.org evolution website

See below for instructions, or click here for a PDF

Testing Days (finish the squirrels)

Finishing up squirrel questions and data.  If you used a computer program to generate your graphs, please put it in my in-box on the backpack, and I can print it for you :) (or if you have access to a printer, you can print it yourself)

Squirrels!!! ;)

Now that you understand Hardy-Weinberg, lets look at some actual data and see how it applies
These pages should be on 62-63 of your notebook :)

Continuing the work on Hardy-Weinberg

We started with this problem

Then went back to the problems on pgs 60-61 and whiteboarded #'s 4-6
Monday we will continue and move onto squirrels :)

Hardy Weinberg problems

Today we worked on Hardy-Weinberg problems (they go on pgs 60-61)

Here is the PowerPoint that we went through to help cement your understanding

Hardy-Weinberg extravaganza

Remember the data from our lab the week before break?

That lab was the start of our journey into the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium.

Please go to adaptive curriculum.  Click on Biology: History and Nature of Evolution, and then select the Hardy-Weinberg equation.  Please follow the directions and answer all of the questions (either in your notebook or on the spreadsheet).  Your answers go on pgs 58-59.

Complete the assessment (green check mark).  

Go to the on-line textbook site , go to Chapter 17 animations and open 

• Animated Figure 17.3 How to find out if a population is evolving

Continue notes on pgs 58-59

Study for Mid-term

Remember the mid-term is tomorrow (Thursday).  
Please use adaptive curriculum and your SSA to study for the test.  
43 questions total.

Week 9 Block Day

Hardy Weinberg Equilibrium simulation

How do changes in the allelic frequency of a population affect that population?

We ran 4 total simulations

• No selection pressure
• Selection pressure for homozygous recessive
• Heterozygous advantage
• Genetic Drift

Information for Mid-term

Sorry this wasn't posted earlier.  I was sick all weekend.  
Click here for a copy of the SSA for the mid-term.  We will go over it in class on Mon/Tues
Also, working on the Adaptive Curriculum assignments will help in studying for the test.  
It is 43 questions.  (15 matching and 28 MC)
The test is Thursday.

Setting up Earth Boxes and data collection for fast plant growth boxes

We decided to take data on the temperature ranges in the light boxes.  LabQuests were set up to collect data over the weekend.  

We also had other plants growing from the extra peat pots.  Those needed to be transferred to Earth Boxes.  We have had issues in the past with keeping the soil out of the water reservoir.  After a discussion, we decided to have one with tool material over the grate on the bottom and one with gravel at the bottom.  We also placed soil moisture probes attached to LabQuests in the dirt to measure if the water is moving up through the dirt regularly.

Pond day and Fast plant discussion

Our fast plants didn't grow as well as we had hoped.  What can we do to fix that for planting after break?

Visit to the pond -- what is there?  How can we make it better and more accessible for all students?

Where did my owl pellet come from?

The owl pellets we dissected came from either the Northwest or Southeast US.  
Can you determine where they came from?  What information do you need to find in order to do that?

Week 8 block day (owl pellets)

Since honors bio had so much fun -- let's dissect owl pellets!
If you happen to get one that is really small, and you have time, you can dissect another.  
Send pictures if you have them and we will post them on the blog.
Your owl pellets come from different regions of the US. Can you determine where they came from?  

Great Transformations conclusion

The conclusion of the episode "Great Transformations".
There are more resources at the pbs.org site for this show.  Click here if you are interested in more information about it!

Again, click here if you need another copy of the questions that go with the video

Natural Selection and Evolution notebook work

Two things to work on today

• Adaptive curriculum
• Notebook pgs 46-52 on evolution topics

Wednesday late start day

Checked plants

Watched a bit of "Great Transformations" from the Evolution Series

Click here for an extra copy of the video questions

Week 7 block day (9/16 & 9/17)

Two things to do in the first hour.
1. go to adaptivecurriculum.com

• log on -- your log on is puhsmt-ID#
  and remember students, you know your password ;)
  
  You should see an assignment "Biology: History of Life and evolution".  Click play and follow the directions

2.  work on pgs 46-52 in your notebook

For the second hour, you can continue working, or watch "Great Transformations" & fill out a video sheet.

Adaptive curriculum

go to adaptivecurriculum.com
log on -- your log on is puhsmt-ID#
and you know your password

You should see an assignment "Biology: History of Life and evolution".  Click play and follow the directions


The following pages (46-52) go into your notebook (to work on today and next week on the block day)

Data table and notebook check

Check your fast plants -- remember they are VERY small!!!  
You should have a data table somewhere on pgs 28-33 to record information for what has been done.

Notebook check on Wednesday
Here an overview of what should be on the pages

• pg 26 last part of Energy Lab
• pg 27 Darwin's Dangerous Idea
• pg 28-33 Artificial Selection Lab
• pgs 34-35 Evolution 101 website notes
• pgs 36-38 Becoming Human video notes
• pg 39 measuring the skull data table
• pgs 40-44 selective breeding in animals packet

Also, please check to make sure you can still log-in to the website with the textbook.  Click here to access the log-on page.  Once there, please go to Chapter 16 -- "Evidence of Evolution" and complete the sample quiz and also make sure you can access the animations.  

If you didn't create an account, go back to the post on Friday 8/23/13

Continue building for artificial selection lab

• Building your light boxes today (Tues) and tomorrow (Wed)
• Prepping bottles on Wednesday
• Planting on Thursday

Click here for the link to the student version of the lab
Click here for the lab rubric

Wednesday Aug 28th

Finish up building bodies activity

When done, move onto the artificial selection packet.  As you are completing it, think about Lab #1 that we will start working on Thursday.

Block Day (8/25-26)

Watch Becoming Human (episode 1) and fill out video sheet.

Complete the human skull measurement activity
 
Complete "building bodies" activity.  Any notes for the activity can be taken on the next two blank pages (pg 34???).  We will do the footprint part of the activity when I return on Thursday.

Textbooks are here!!

Or at least the on-line codes are!  Please click here for the instructions and follow them.  I need the sleeve with the access code back from you -- DO NOT write on it please!
The CourseMate course code for 
per 4 is 
CM-9781111941321-0000057
per 6 is 
CM-9781111941321-0000058

Notebook check and evolution 101 website

While I am checking notebooks, please take some time to navigate through the evolution 101 website

Late Start Day

Quiz on sections 1.4-1.6
Continue working on Lab #1 Artificial Selection

Block day :)

We are starting research on AP Bio lab #1 "Artificial Selection"
Click here for the student version of the lab.  Start your lab on pg 28
Use the following lab rubric to help in your rough draft. 

The evolution 101 website is a great place to get background information on the ideas of evolution.  Take some time to explore the site.

2nd Friday

Quiz today :) Next quiz on Wednesday over sections 1.4-1.6 Last quiz for Chapt 1 on Friday 8/23 Sections 1.7-1.9

Share your e-mail

After the quiz, please complete this form.

If you don't have a school appropriate g-mail account, go here to set one up

Chapter 1 & Natural Selection article

Chapter 1
Sections 1.1-1.3 quiz tomorrow
Need an extra copy?  Click here.
Natural Selection article goes on page 18-21.  Please read, highlight, annotate.  We will discuss the article on Friday.

Notebook Set-up

We finished notebook set-up. If you didn't finish, the slides are below:

Friday 8/8/2013

Continuation of discussion on Sickle Cell & Malaria activity. Here are the vocab words each period talked about. These are words that you are now responsible for knowing.

You should also be able to answer the following questions

The video can be found on the hhmi biointeractive website.  The video is part of a series called "the making of the fittest".  The episode we was entitled "Natural selection in humans".  Click here to view if you missed it.
 

First Week

Monday -- intro stuff, paper towers (record this year was 133 cm!)

Tuesday -- finished paper towers, moved onto fish puzzles. . .how many ways are there to make a fish???

Wednesday -- pre-test (if you were absent on this day, you need to see me about make up!)

Thursday -- Syllabus fun!  Click here for another copy.  Please return signed pages tomorrow

Friday -- continue working through Sickle Cell activity (see next post for more info)

Welcome!

Welcome to AP Biology for the 2013-2014 school year!  This site will become a plethora of helpful resources for your success in AP.  It will also be a place to look for what we've done and what is planned :)  I am looking forward to an awesome year!