Awesome DNA replication tutorial - very good study tool!

http://www.mcb.harvard.edu/Losick/images/TromboneFinald.swf

DNA Project - R9

DNA Project - R6

DNA Project - R4

Materials to Help with your Assessment Statements

Hi all,

Thanks to Megan for requesting this.  Here is the Meiosis video tutorial we viewed in class, as well as some additional video resources to help you with your assessment statements.

Meiosis Tutorial
Mitosis Tutorial
Comparison of Meiosis and Mitosis

Enjoy,
Mr. Hill

R6 Assignment for Meiosis

Please answer on paper to turn in tomorrow.  For the first bullet, please make sure you show the whole chromosome layout at each phase, as we did in class.

Assessment Statements Check - Week 1 of Unit 4

After our first week of studying the immune system, you should have the following assessment statements completed:


1) A page with drawings and functions of blood (6.2.6/6.2.7)
2) A page with a table detailing the components and mechanisms of nonspecific defence (6.3.3/6.3.4)


And two more pages based on the work we have done in class over the past two, days that should look as follows:





and





Today, we discussed vaccination and looked at this graph:

Stay healthy!

Mr. Hill

Antigens and Antibodies

Hi all,

Tomorrow we will be doing a classroom model of what's called the specific immune response - the way your immune system creates long term immunity to specific diseases.  For example, you may have heard that you can only get chicken pox once - you get sick once, but if you are ever exposed to the pox virus again your body has a very specific set of defenses built up to deal with that virus.  This is long-term, specific immunity - but how does it come about?  Stay tuned to find out.

Homework
Using p.638-40 in your text, you will:

1) Do flashcards for "antigen" and "antibody"
2) In your class journal, explain how antigens and antibodies interact.  A drawing might be useful to show their binding.

Additionally, you may want to preview the diagram on p.639, as this will be the focus of our model tomorrow.

Thanks,
Mr. Hill

Nonspecific Immunity!

Hi all,

Today we did assessment statements 6.2.6 and 6.2.7 describing the elements that make up the blood; tomorrow we will be looking at your body's first round of defenses against infection, many of which are mediated through the actions of the blood and circulatory system.  Exciting!

Homework
Please read textbook pages 636-638 about nonspecific defenses, and answer the following questions in your class journal or on looseleaf:

1) What is the difference between nonspecific and specific defences?

2) Summarize what’s happening in figure 35.3 (the inflammatory response)

3) Summarize what’s happening in figure 35.4 (action of complement)

4) From the reading, list some of the nonspecific defenses your body has and briefly state how they defend you from infection.

Thanks and see you tomorrow,

Mr. Hill

A Closer Look at Blood

Hi all,

Tomorrow we will be taking a closer look at the composition of our blood.  Blood is both a nutrient rich medium for bacteria and parasites to nourish themselves in and a route around the body for these little invaders.  Accordingly, blood is the place where your body has concentrated its defenses.  In the war between your body and its pathogens, the rivers of your veins and arteries are the battleground and your blood cells are the soldiers and citizens caught in the balance.  So its important to understand its parts!

Homework
Please read textbook pages 626-8 in your text and use the information within to answer the following questions in your notebook:

1. Create flash cards using our new system for words 2-6, all of which describe components of the blood.  The vocab words can be found on the right side of the blog, under "Vocabulary Heads-up."  Bring these with you tomorrow!

2. Referencing the components above, describe some of the transport functions of the blood.  How does your blood serve as a transport medium, what components are involved, and what is transported?

3. Now describe some of the immune functions of your blood.  What role does your blood play in defending your body from pathogens, what components are involved, and how?

Negative Feedback Loops

Today, we finished discussing the circulatory system and started our last topic for this unit, homeostasis.  We discussed a specific example of a negative feedback loop that maintains a constant temperature in your body.

Homework
For homework, you will read about the negative feedback loop that maintains a constant blood glucose level in your body.  Please read p.768 in your text and answer the questions that follow in your journal:

1) What is glucose and why is it in your blood?

2) Insulin and glucagon are hormones.  Flip to page 758 and read the section "Hormones are Chemical Signals."  Referring to figure 42.2, explain what a hormone is and how it works.

3) Copy the diagram of the feedback loop on p.768 into your notes.  Using the terminology we discussed in class, label the SENSOR and EFFECTORS.

4) What does it mean that insulin and glucagon are antagonistic hormones?

Blood Vessels of the Circulatory System

Today, we looked at an overview of the circulatory system.  Tomorrow, we will be comparing the three types of blood vessels - arteries, veins, and capillaries.

Homework
For homework, please research  these blood vessels and complete three structure / function charts - one for arteries, one for veins, and one for capillaries.  You may do this in your notebook, and we will discuss it first thing tomorrow - make sure you come to class ready!

You may uses the text reading handed out in class, and in addition the following web resources are available.  Do consult all of them for maximum comprehensiveness.

Merk Manual - Veins
The Human Heart at the Franklin Institute
http://www.ivy-rose.co.uk/HumanBody/Blood/Blood_Vessels.php

Lab #3 Due Tomorrow

Hi all,

Make sure to complete Lab #3, a Design and Data Collection section, for tomorrow.  E-mail me a single word document by tomorrow or bring a paper copy to class.

Missing DBQs

The following discipuli owe me take-home DBQs from Friday.  Hand in tomorrow, or it's a zero!

AMIR
MRIDUL
JAVIER
SHANIQUE
PEDRO

The Resp...er... Ventilation System

Hi all, today we learned how to draw, label and annotate a diagram of the ventilation system of humans.  You should be able to include the following structures in your drawing - trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, lung tissue, diaphragm, and finally, starting tomorrow, the alveoli.

Homework
For homework, google "alveoli" or look them up on p.676 in your textbook.  Draw the alveoli as a nested picture in your drawing of the ventilation system that you completed in class today.  Also, write three structural features you notice about the alveoli.

DBQ

Hi all,

Really good work today on the DBQ.  Especially R6.  Everyone really brought their A-game to class today.

Many of you expressed worry along the lines of "my gosh - on an exam I would not be able to spend 40 minutes talking to my peers about the experiment before I answer the questions!"  That is true.  However, rest assured that the more of these you do, the better you will get at them and the more natural it will feel.  We're all on the right track to success.

Homework
Do complete the DBQ questions for homework.  Pay attention to the point values and provide sufficient depth.

Your lab due date has been moved to next Thursday.

Next week I will be holding special office hours Monday and Wednesday to look at drafts and help you in writing your lab.

DBQ Tomorrow

Hi all,

Tomorrow, we're going to have another DBQ.  Remember the DBQ strategies we discussed:

1. Describe every part of the graph!  
2. Use a table of comparison to compare two different data series on a graph.
3. Use unpacking when you see the command term EXPLAIN to make sure you provide sufficient molecular / cellular detail about what is causing the observed changes.
4. Use a ruler to read the graph.

The DBQ will give you an experiment based on cell respiration, lipids, and carbohydrates.  You will want to review this information for tomorrow, because the more you know the better prepared you will be to understand the experiment!

Lab 3 (Yeast Lab) Data

Hi all, below please find your raw data from the probes.  Right click on your link and select "save as" to download the file.

Happy graphing!

Jafar and Ryan
Anabel Lillian and Javier
Mridul Tyson and Billy
Amir Pedro and Brian

Spencer, Zehra, and Kai Ni and Victoria and Megan, I am having some difficulty uploading your files - I will e-mail them to you at 2:30 today.

Thanks
Mr. Hill

Synthesis

Today, we examined synthesis reactions - the process by which the cell makes larger molecules.  This can be used to store food for later, as in the case of synthesizing a polysaccharide like starch or glucose; or, the cell can use synthesis to build functional or structural molecules - for example, synthesizing an enzyme or membrane protein from amino acids, or synthesizing a phospholipid from fatty acid tails, glycerol, and a phosphate.  With synthesis, the cell can build whatever it needs from the raw materials taken in from digestion.  Ian B. made a really good connection to digestion today, pointing out that we humans eat big polymers, break them down into monomers so they are small enough to cross the cell membrane into the cell, and then the cell uses synthesis to reconstruct the polymers inside it.  Pretty cool!

Homework
1) On looseleaf, write a response to the prompt we discussed in class: Explain the role of enzymes, activation energy, and ATP in the synthesis of a disaccharide from two monosaccharides [6].  

2) Your post-interim assignment is due Monday.

Best,
Mr. Hill

Carbs and Lipids

Today, we talked about how the molecular structure of carbs and lipids is related to their properties.  We talked about carbs, looking at the example of the monosaccharide (or simple sugar) glucose:

And we looked at a triglyceride, a molecule of fat composed of glycerol and three fatty acids:

You should be able to discuss the molecule in relationship to their polarity, energy capacity, and readiness to break down via respiration.

Homework

Read textbook pages 138-141 about monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides, and answer the following questions in your journal:

1. Name two examples of each of the following: (a)monosaccharide, (b)disaccharide,  (c)polysaccharide
2. What's the difference between a monosaccharide, disaccharide, and polysaccharide?
3. Draw a picture of a condensation (dehydration synthesis) reaction between two monosaccharides to make a disaccharide.  Label the atoms that are removed and the new bond that is formed.
4. When you eat a candy bar, some of the glucose you take in is respired immediately, and some is synthesized into larger chain molecules (polysaccharides).  Why would your cells bother to synthesize a polysaccharide?

NOTE!!  I am missing the "Art of Explanation" unpacking take home quiz from last Friday for the following students:

IAN
JAFAR
GENESIS
BRIAN

If you have this, please hand it in tomorrow otherwise it's a zero!