Final Exam

Hard to believe that the end of the semester is already here, which means time for the final exam. The final exam for 2nd block is June 6 & 3rd block is June 5. The exam will have approximately 90 multiple choice questions and will be worth 7.5% of your overall grade in the class.

Additionally, the exam review worksheet is due on the day of the exam and is worth 25 points. In case you are struggling your way through the review sheet, here's a copy of the answer key :)

Good luck with your studies. Finally, one more thing to help you study - here's the quizlet card set that I put together.http://quizlet.com/5810222/biology-final-exam-review-flash-cards/

Lesson Plan for May 23, 2013

Good morning/afternoon everyone. Today you will be learning about pedigrees, karyotypes, and chromosomal disorders using the Internet as your guide.

You will need to use your time wisely today in order to get through all of the activities. I suggest that you do not sit with people who will distract you from doing your work. Additionally, do not use this time to mess with your online playlists, email, Powerschool, or anything else; otherwise you will not be able to complete the activities.

Please begin by reading through the inclass notes, evaluating the pedigrees in the notes, & completing the provided pedigree worksheet. Have these checked by your teacher. Then you can move on to the online activities.

1. Pedigree Investigator

http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/addiction/genetics/pi.html

• Complete the activity as explained on the site. However, you only need to complete two pedigrees, not the four like it says. Have one of your two pedigrees checked by your teacher.

 2. Build a karyotype

http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/begin/traits/karyotype/

• Complete the activity as explained on the site. Show your constructed karyotype to your teacher.

 

3. Abnormal karyotype

http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/begin/traits/predictdisorder/

• Take notes as you go through the simulations. When you are finished, take the quiz at the end and show your quiz result to your teacher.

   

4. Chromosome Map (similar to poster in room from genome project)
http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/posters/chromosome/chooser.shtml

• Find three disorders that you know located on three different chromosomes. Record the disorder and their locations on a sheet of paper (9 total)

• Pick three other disorders that you don't know about, quickly research it, and write a two to three sentence summary of each disorder, including its location on the chromosome. Complete this on the same sheet of paper as above. Turn this in to your teacher within 24 hours of the assignment being given.

 

Sweet! You're all done.

Grades Updated

Grades are updated through last Friday for all biology classes. There are MANY missing assignments. Please check Powerschool asap to see if you are missing anything. Assignments turned in before the end of the day on Thursday will not be counted as late and NO late work from the cell division or DNA units will be accepted after Tuesday, May 22. Please see me with any questions.

Link to New Mitosis Activity for Today's Class

Please use the online textbook to complete as much of the assignment as possible (skip the questions where it says the activity is no longer available).

Once you have done what you can with the online textbook, click the following link and follow the onscreen prompts: http://www.biology.arizona.edu/cell_bio/activities/cell_cycle/cell_cycle.html

You will need to create the table shown on page 3 of the activity. Please put the table on a separate sheet of paper and attach it to your review packets. Thank you.

Midterm Review Answer Key

The notes from the Smartboard AND the midterm review answer key is posted on the learn site. Go to http://learn.spartaschools.org/landry and look in the midterm materials folder in the biology portion of the site. Remember, if doing this away from school, your username is first.lastname@sparta.lan and password is the same as at school. For example, John Smith's username is john.smith@sparta.lan.

Study hard!

Midterm Exam Thursday April 25, 2013

As you can see by the title, the midterm exam is soon. Please prepare for this exam. Several things you can do to prepare include:

1. Complete the midterm review packet. This is worth 25 points and lays out the things that are on the exam. If you know the content on the paper thoroughly, then you should at the very least earn a B on the exam. In order to earn the A, you need to be able to apply the content to a different problem.

2. Make a study buddy - you may only use the one that was assigned to you. This will "force" you to study.

3. Know your vocab - you were given a list of the testable vocabulary terms. Study these. Look below for a quizlet set of flash cards that I put together using the supplied vocab terms.
http://quizlet.com/_6ugpl

4. Study not cram.

All of the materials that have been handed out during class are available at http://learn.spartaschools.org Just remember to put @sparta.lan after your username when logging in. Good luck.

http://quizlet.com/_6ugpl

Code Blue Project

Alright folks. It time to start our first project of the year, called the "Code Blue" Project. This project is a 100 point project that includes two parts - a multimedia presentation and a visual poster. You will have three complete blocks in class to use computers and one-half a block to work on your poster.

This is a paperless assignment, which means I will not be supplying you with any handouts. Additionally, I will be sending your results to you via email or through the class wiki. If you want to choose to print anything, that's your choice. To access the project document, please click here.

If you have any concerns or questions, please post them as a comment on this blog site. Also, if you find a good link that is not shown on the assignment, please post that to the blog as well so others can use it. Good luck.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VrSBvhvbTwwdaseZgJ903KWgQ1tzJ1jW8KdiOYP8Bog/edit?authkey=COXwsL4K&hl=en_US&authkey=COXwsL4K#

Mr. Landry

Code Blue Project Explanation Videos

If the below videos do NOT work, then go to learn.spartaschools.org and login. The videos are stored in the biology dropbox in a folder called code blue videos. For instructions on how to login to learn.spartaschools.org, please click here (stop at step 6)

Overview Video - Code Blue Part One Video (if video doesn't work propertly, click here


Groups & System Assignment Info - Code Blue Part Two Video (if video doesn't load properly, click here)


Multimedia Presentation Piece - Code Blue Part Three Video (if video doesn't load properly, click here)


Poster, Plagarism, & Grading - Code Blue Part Four Video (if the video doesn't load properly, click here)

Reflections on Friday's Class

If you did not complete the reflection form at the end of Friday's block, please do so sometime this weekend. Thanks.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1YhSFeac_t08LP4mqjs0ld4mwldpEAwx0kuy0JrcJbJ4/viewform

Lesson Plan for Friday, March 15, 2013

Here's the plan for today. You are welcome to use a computer or you may use your own device for completing today's activities (please complete them in the shown order).

You will need to have your cell notes out as you are going through these activities and you may work in PAIRS throughout the block. The review sheets will NOT be due Monday as I earlier indicated and we will discuss this on class Monday.

When there is ten minutes left in the block, please go to #5 and complete it.:

1. Good things: Click the link to your class and submit and respond to good things. Please spend no more than five minutes on this and keep your comments positive.
     SECOND BLOCK
     THIRD BLOCK

2. Cells alive website: Go to www.cellsalive.com. Once you get to the site, click on the CELL MODELS link, then click on the CELL MODEL link. Next you will need to click "Take Me to the Animation" link. Pick plant or animal cell and you're in. Then explore the parts of the cell and add anything to your notes that you think is relevant. Remember to go back and explore the other type of cell when you are finished.

Explore some of the other features of the website once you are done with the cell models. There is some interesting stuff on the site.

3. Mr. Landry's AP biology blog: Go to http://landryapbiology.blogspot.com. Once you are there, check out some of the entries I put together for AP Biology class. Then find the blog reel on the left of the blog and click on some of the blogs that my former students put together (scroll through all 25 - don't just pick the top ones). Please leave at least three constructive feedbacks on any three entries that were made by these students.

There are several entries to pay particular attention to:
     A. Advice for AP biology students (only if you are considering taking the class)
     B. Cell Wars (look for entries about the cell they are trying to get elected president..check out some of their pics, links, etc.)
     C. If I could be a macromolecule, I would be the ...

4. Go to quizlet.com (see link below) and complete the cell parts online flashcard set that I put together. Please flip through the cards once, then do the learn mode, and then you can play the games. If you do not have a quizlet account, I highly suggest you signup as we will be using these throughout the course.
http://quizlet.com/_66rl6

5. Complete the reflection survey for today: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1YhSFeac_t08LP4mqjs0ld4mwldpEAwx0kuy0JrcJbJ4/viewform

If you get this far, continue to work on the review sheets that you received on Thursday. Good work and thank you for working efficiently today.

BYOT Day Friday March 15

FYI - Friday is a BYOT (Bring Your Own Technology) day in biology class. We will be doing some work on the internet exploring the cells alive website, as well as looking at some of the resources that my AP biology students put together for you. So, if you have your own technology that will allow for you to access the internet through the wireless network, please bring your technology with you to class. If you don't have your own technology, limited numbers of computers will be available.

If you'd like a preview of the sites feel free to check them out:
www.cellsalive.com
http://landryapbiology.blogspot.com (look on the left side of the screen for the blog roll of student blogs; then click on one and check it out)

Have a great Wednesday evening and be ready to get into the lab Thursday and take advantage of the opportunity to show that you are a quality producer. Go Spartans!

Lesson Plan for Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Here's the plan for Tuesday:
1. Finish the notes that we started on Monday. Watch the video below and pause it as needed to complete the tasks:


2. Work on the cell advertisement (due Wed). The explanation of the advertisement is in the last five minutes of the above video.

3. Work on two worksheets that are due on Thursday that review cell stuff we have been discussing this unit.

Enjoy your day.

Grades Posted

Grades for the Food Lab & Macromolecule Quiz are posted in Powerschool.

Biology Class is Now on Facebook & Twitter

I've setup a Facebook Page for the class. Visit http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Mr-Landrys-Biology-Class-at-Sparta-High-School/439841139428544?fref=ts and like the page in order to get more timely notifications I place on the blog. I'll also occasionally post to the wall videos, links, etc.

You can use the posting feature to post questions and be able to discuss them with classmates and myself as well.

Additionally, connect with me on Twitter to get blog updates @mrlandryshs.

Have a great weekend.

Grade Updates & Cell Unit Preview & Twitter

Hello everyone. I have your quizzes graded and will get them plugged into Powerschool sometime this weekend (there is a slight snafu that I need to correct before I load them in). Additionally, I should be able to get all of your food labs graded this weekend and will get those loaded into the gradebook as well.

If you did not finish your notes on "Life is Cellular", please do so this weekend. Next week we will look into what the parts of the cells are, develop advertisements for the parts of the cell, look more closely at cells under the microscope, and explore the cell membrane and how it regulates the movement of certain things into and out of the cell.

Finally, I have linked this blog to Twitter, so if you are interested in getting more timely notices about this blog, please follow me on Twitter @mrlandryshs. Thanks and enjoy your weekend.

YouTube Playlist for Cell Structure, Function, & Transport Unit

Quiz Thursday and Next Unit

I hope you all are preparing for tomorrow's quiz. On Friday, we will start our cell unit. All materials for this unit are available on the class share site, including all of the notes. Happy studying!

Goldfish Lab Continued

The goldfish lab is now in full swing. Just a reminder that if you get your procedure approved by me sooner, then you will get more data collected. Hey, that's a hypothesis - isn't it! Anyway, please make sure you look through the checklist that you are supposed to be using to help evaluate other groups' work (part of today's opener). Once you have two signed checklists from non-group members, you can come see me to evaluate your procedure. If you'd like an electronic copy of the checklist, then click here.

You will be submitting your completed reports by no later than Monday, February 11, 2013 and this will be done electronically. The beauty behind a digital world is that it ends at 11:59.99 pm so you have a few extra hours after school on Monday if you need them. The best way to submit your reports is by adding me to the list of people that you are sharing your document with. I will then mark my comments in the document using the "comment" tab; just click comment to see my comments after I grade them. I will also be using the same rubric that I used for grading your Styrofoam peanut labs, so you have the expectations for the lab readily available.

Good luck and if you have any questions, please make sure you let me know. Have fun with the lab.

Links:
Lab report form (after clicking, select file, make a copy, and then its your own document; you all did this already :))

Lab report rubric

Lab design & report expectations PowerPoint

Goldfish Lab

Here's the link to the lab report form:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zkOC1Wzq8DLplYlU0rjCgCO3g6unlplAXEc8ajlSinA/edit?usp=sharing

Textbook Inventory

Please complete the quality inventory sheet for your textbook by no later than Friday. See below for links to the document:

2nd Block Click Here

3rd Block Click Here

Welcome to the start of a new semester.

Hello everyone and welcome to the blog that I maintain for my biology classes at Sparta High School. I will update this blog frequently with schedules, due dates, science news, miscellaneous study tools, etc. to help everyone achieve at a higher level.

Toward the top of the page you will find a "follow by email" feature that I highly recommend. Just type your email address into the provided box and then hit submit. This will then send you an email everytime I update this blog (two to three times a week). On this site you will also find a link to my wiki, which is where I store all of the files that I use for this class, including note sets and powerpoints, review sheets, lab activities, etc. Some of the files will require a username and password (Username: first.last@sparta.lan and the password is your normal password at school) while others will take you to a google document (which you can turn into either a word or pdf document).

I will post the remainder of the weeks schedule soon.