You will have a test on the following topics: Frog dissection, nerves, biomes, symbiosis, evolution

The test will be on Tuesday, 5/28/13

1. Go to the following site: http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evosite/evo101/IIIMechanisms.shtml
2. Read about the various mechanisms of evolution.  Be sure to click each link on the left-hand side of each page so that you see all the examples.
3. Pay particular attention to the following terms/concepts: natural selection, genetic drift, causes & types of mutations, HOX genes, bottleneck, founder effect, fitness, misconceptions about natural selection, coevolution
4. Take the ‘quick quiz’ at the end
5. Read the ‘Pace of Evolution’ subsection under the ‘Big Issues’ section to understand punctuated equilibrium vs. gradualism (http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evosite/evo101/VIIAPaceevolution.shtml)
6. Also be sure to understand the term ‘niche’

You will have part 2 of your diffusion, genetics, energy, etc… test on Monday 5/13/13.  For this part of the test you may create a 1 page (2-sided) notes page to use during the test.  It can include as much as you can fit but the page must be hand-written by you.  It may not be typed.  No text or images should be typed or copy-pasted on the sheet.  All images, if you wish to include any, must be hand drawn by you.  I will collect these sheets prior to the test, return those that are acceptable and keep any that do not follow the rules.  Therefore, if you don’t follow the rules, you won’t have a notes page to use during the test.

You will have a test on Monday/Tuesday, May 6/7, 2013.  The test will have particular emphasis in the following items:

• enzymes
• diffusion and osmosis
• genetics
• meiosis
• photosynthesis
• glycolysis and cell respiration
• electron transport chains
• fermentation
• plants – leaves, roots, transpiration, xylem/phloem
• predator-prey dynamics
• trophic levels and energy transfer through a food chain (10% rule)
• biomagnification

You should go to my meiosis page on my wiki and view the animations and take the quizzes associated with the links on that page.

You should also complete the handout on Photosynthesis & Cell Respiration that was given out in class.

Due: Monday, 4/22/13

Log into the molecular workbench software and complete assignment #10: Diffusion, Osmosis and Active Transport.  Be sure to click the links in the green boxes on some pages to complete all the sections and create a full report.  Don’t just keep hitting the ‘next’ button at the bottom of the page or you won’t see everything and won’t get full credit.

Due: Friday, 4/12/13

(D-period is due Monday)

You will have a test on Wednesday, 4/10/13, on proteins.  That test will include:

• functions
• transcription/translation
• protein folding
• The Structures of Life book material
• The Molecular Workbench material
• and anything else I deem appropriate or test-worthy or simply feel like asking

On May 1st, biology students will take the ‘End of Course’ biology DCAS assessment.  Here are some links to help you get ready for that test.

• There is a practice test located here https://dept.tds.airast.org/student/
• I have collected the ‘End of Course Specifications‘ for biology as a PDF document.  You can use that to see everything you are expected to know for the test.
  • Make sure to pay special attention to the items given a ‘priority’ of ‘essential’
  • You can mostly ignore the items given a priority of ‘compact’
• For items we have not covered in class yet, you should go to my biology page and click the appropriate links to investigate those topics.  Here are the items I suggest you look over that we may not finish before the test.
  • Diffusion and Osmosis – I will be assigning a Molecular Workbench activity to address this.
  • Punnett Squares – I have a general description and lots of practice opportunities available on my wiki page.
  • Dominant and Recessive relationships, independent assortment, sex-linked traits, and Genotypes and Phenotypes – you can look these up most anywhere, but we will also be covering them in relation to blood types and blood type inheritance and some other conditions.
  • You might also want to read through the Classical Genetics section at the DNAFTB website
    • pay particular attention to #11 – which details ‘crossing over’ during meiosis.  This just means that parts of the homologous pairs of chromosomes swap a section of DNA.  The end result is more variation in the offspring, which is one reason that sexual reproduction gives more variation than asexual reproduction.
  • Energy – Photosynthesis and Cell Respiration – you can mostly just read the appropriate sections of the ‘specifications PDF’ above.  It will list the facts you need to know.  For the chemical equations you can see my wiki pages on photosynthesis and cell energy (as well as many other sources).
  • Evolution’s ‘Natural Selection’ and ‘Survival of the Fittest’
  • Sexual vs. Asexual reproduction – the advantages and disadvantages of each. (also read a short Science Daily article about snails)