BIOLOGY NOW!

Extra Credit Assignments

2006-05-26T06:24:00.000-07:00

Many of you have come to me asking for extra-credit....now that you see the end of the year fast approaching, here's a way to earn those few extra points to put your grades over the top.

Read through the following three blog entries (Genetics, Scientific Method, and Evolution). Choose 1 activity. These are challenging assignments that will show me what you know, while helping you to study for the final...all at the same time!

The points to be awarded are as follows:
Genetics - do all the tasks...fully and completely! Leave a comment telling me the date and time (and your name!) you completed the task. Turn in your work in hardcopy form. 50 points

Scientific Method - Complete all 8 questions (alone...not with a partner as lesson indicates). Leave a comment telling me the date and time you completed the task. Turn in your work in hard copy form. 50 points
If you choose to do the 9th question (extra-extra credit) that is worth an additional 10 points.

Evolution - Complete the the Flashy Fish Experiment. Printout a copy of Flashy Fish Data form, and a copy of the Flashy Fish Discussion Questions (see links on side bar). You will need these to answer as you do the experiment. Turn in your work. 50 points

Biology - Genetics

2006-05-25T20:51:00.000-07:00

OUR STUDY OF GENETICS will include discussions ranging from simple Mendelian inheritance patterns to complex patterns of heredity. The following activities are designed to familiarize you with these interesting concepts.

What makes YOU, YOU? Why do you have your mother's blue eyes and your father's big feet?

Explore the website Introduction to Genetics to begin your understanding of genetics and answer the following questions: (Be sure to answer IN YOUR OWN WORDS!). Write full and complete responses. Turn in to be graded!

Where are your genes?
What are chromosomes?
What are genes?
What is DNA?

Read and complete the following activities. You will be researching information and asked to complete a series of tasks that will help your understanding.

Simple Mendelian Inheritance:
Mono Hybrid Crosses: Learn about the basic principles that govern Mendelian inheritance in plants and animals. Follow the tutorial, complete the first 8 problems (starting at 'monohybrid cross' and ending with 'predicting the results of a test cross').

Task:
To put this information into practice, go to Genetics Practice Problems, print out the page (or copy by hand) and answer all 15 questions. You will turn these in to be graded!

Dihybrid Crosses: Investigate the principles that govern inheritance of different traits in a dihybrid cross.

Task:
To put this information into practice, go to Genetics Practice Problems II, and scroll down until you see the Dihybrid Cross section. Complete this interactive problem set.

Complex Patterns of Inheritance:
To learn more about why some traits do not follow simple Mendelian patterns, go to Exceptions to Simple Inheritance.

Task: Create a graphic organizer (foldable) that includes written descriptions, as well as illustrations and examples, of the following pattern types: Turn in to be graded!

Polygenic traits
Intermediate expression (also known as Incomplete Dominance)
Codominance
Multiple-allele Series
Sex Related Genetic Effects
Environmental Influences

Remember: 70% grade = basic summary of information, no illustrations.
80% grade = adequate summary of information, simple B/W illustrations
90-100% grade = full and complete summary, detailed color illustrations.

E-Science: Exploring the Scientific Method

2005-08-13T17:04:00.000-07:00

Greetings E-Science folks!

Welcome to Biology Now! This posting will present information for you, the budding scientist, to learn how to investigate scientific phenomenon. In class and in your readings, you were introduced to the scientific method. Now, you will get another chance to learn more about how science is done.

In the following activity, you will be working with a partner participating in a computer simulation activity. One partner will run the simulation, while the other reads along and makes notes when necessary. You are both responsible for discussing the activity and answering the questions together. You will be turning in one answer set for your working partnership. Be sure BOTH your names are on the answer sheet!

Click on this ClassZone link and scroll down to Chapter 2. Click on 'How Might You Investigate Scientific Phenomenon?'

There are 9 steps to this assignment, HOWEVER, you are only to do the first 8! Read each step carefully, view the animations and answer the questions. These are to be done on a separate sheet of paper. If you are feeling particularly inspired, you are welcome to complete step 9. This last step would be considered an EXTRA-CREDIT assignment and you are given an extra 2 days to complete it.

Biology - Evolution

2005-08-13T05:08:00.000-07:00

Greetings Biology Students!

Lately, we've been studying evolution at Ann Sobrato High. Several assignments feature interactive web activities designed to guide student inquiry regarding natural selection.

Click on the link 'Fish with Fingers' to view the QuickTime movie that accompanies the Fossil Record - Evidence for Evolution activity (see below for worksheet). Students view the movie and answer a series of reflective questions given on the activity handout.
Click on the links 'Homologous Structures' and 'Evidence for Evolution' to view webs to help find answers to questions asked in the Fossil Record - Evidence for Evolution activity.
Click on the link 'Flashy Fish' to view the interactive web experiment which explores the relationship between natural selection and sexual selection in wild guppy populations.

Evidence for Evolution: Fossil Record
Tetrapod Limbs – Homologous Structures
If you want to see concrete evidence of evolution, look no further than your hand or your foot. Five fingers, five toes. There's nothing magical about the number, yet five digits at the end of their limbs is a motif that runs through all the animals with four limbs, called tetrapods. Even when there are fewer than five digits in the adult animal -- as in horses' hooves and the wings of bats and birds -- it turns out that they develop from an embryonic five-digit stage.

Please read ALL the instructions before proceeding!

With your partner, view the Quicktime Video: Fish with Fingers.

Click on the VIEW button to watch the video.

Discuss and answer the following questions:

What did old theories say about the evolution of land-dwelling animals, and why was paleontologist Jenny Clack dissatisfied with these explanations?
What evidence did Clack find to disprove old theories?
What explanation of the evolution of land animals can Clack give based on current fossil evidence?

Click on the Evidence for Evolution link and examine the limb structures of various animals. Discuss with your partner the following questions.

Write your answers in your own words on a separate sheet of paper! Use drawings to provide evidence of your thinking. You may also refer to your Biology text, pages 401-411 to help you in your understanding and in answering the questions. In addition, you will want to check out the websites provided in the links to the right.

What are the similarities and differences among the four limbs shown?
How would scientists explain why these very different species all have limbs with five digits?
What is the difference between a homologous structure and an analogous structure? Name some examples of each.
What is a vestigial organ or structure?