Biology 1P Assignments

There are two parts:  Vocabulary, and Application























Be able to draw a Punnett Square and fill it out.  For example, a question might ask:  "White flower color is recessive (p), and purple flower color is dominant (P).  What would be the expected resulting offspring of a cross between a heterozygous plant and a homozygous recessive plant?"

How to attack this problem:  You'd figure out what the genotype is for heterozygous, and for homozygous recessive.  Then you'd put that information on a Punnett square, and fill it out.

Then another question would probably be:  "What is the chances of getting white-flowered offspring?  Of purple-flowered offspring?"

You would use the results from your Punnett square to figure this out.

Standard 1f and 1g Photosynthesis and cellular respiration cycle energy through living systems.

Warm Up: Describe why light energy is necessary for the survival of mountain lions.

HW
1 Questions 1 - 13 on worksheet "Cellular Energy"

2 Study for Benchmark on Friday (tonight, look over textbook pages 98 - 125)

3 Bring textbook this week, each day

Welcome back from your long break!

Monday 11-30-09

Topic: Photosynthesis

Text: pages 100-105

Standard 1: Students know the four different ways that different cells can produce energy.

Standard 1f: Students know how, during photosynthesis, light energy is converted into chemical energy.

New Vocabulary
adenosine triphosphate
adenosine diphosphate
photosynthesis
cellular respiration
fermentation
chemosynthesis
chloroplast
chlorophyll
light-dependent reaction
light-independent reaction

HW: None today

Friday 13 November 2009

Biology students will take two tests:

Mr. Fujiyama's Quarter 1 TEST (on Thursday), and
the GGUSD Quarter 1 Benchmark (on Friday)

Both tests include these standards:

1a  Cell membranes  Chapter 3.3
1   Chemical reactions  Chapter 2.4
1b  Enzymes  Chapter 2.5
1c  Prokaryotes VS Eukaryotes VS Viruses  Chap 3.1 and 3.2
1e  Protein synthesis  Chap 3.2
1h  Macromolecules  Chap 2.3
10a  Roles of skin and sweat  Chap 31.1, 31.2 and 31.3
10b  Antibodies  Chap 31.1, 31.2 and 31.3
10c  Vaccines  Chap 31.1, 31.2 and 31.3
10e  HIV and AIDS  Chap 31.6
10d  Pathogens  Chap 18

Thursday 12 November 2009

Biology students will take two tests:

Mr. Fujiyama's Quarter 1 TEST (on Thursday), and
the GGUSD Quarter 1 Benchmark (on Friday)

Both tests include these standards:

1a  Cell membranes  Chapter 3.3
1   Chemical reactions  Chapter 2.4
1b  Enzymes  Chapter 2.5
1c  Prokaryotes VS Eukaryotes VS Viruses  Chap 3.1 and 3.2
1e  Protein synthesis  Chap 3.2
1h  Macromolecules  Chap 2.3
10a  Roles of skin and sweat  Chap 31.1, 31.2 and 31.3
10b  Antibodies  Chap 31.1, 31.2 and 31.3
10c  Vaccines  Chap 31.1, 31.2 and 31.3
10e  HIV and AIDS  Chap 31.6
10d  Pathogens  Chap 18

Friday 11-6-09

review Standard 10d  Students understand how bacteria and viruses differ in their physiology and pathogenicity; and why the treatments for bacterial diseases and viral diseases are so different.  text Chapter 31.1  pages 940 - 944

review Standard 10C  Know how vaccines are used to prevent disease.  text Chapter 31.4 page 955-956

introduce Standard 10a  Students know how the skin provides a type of non-specific defense against pathogens  text Chapter 31.2 page 945

introduce Standard 10b  Students know how antibodies prevent disease.  text Chapter 31.2 pages 945-947

Students know the physiological differences between bacteria and viruses, and how these differences determine the medical treatments for diseases caused by these two different pathogens.  Know also our body's main defenses against bacteria and viruses.

Vocabulary

antibody
antigen
antibiotic
antiseptic
T-cells
B-cells
memory cells

Warm up:  Please summarize, in essay style, how bacteria and viruses differ in  structure, physiology, and medical treatment.

Thursday 11-5-09

Standard 10d  Students understand how bacteria and viruses differ in their physiology and pathogenicity; and why the treatments for bacterial diseases and viral diseases are so different.  text Chapter 31.1  pages 940 - 944

Standard 10C  Know how vaccines are used to prevent disease.  text Chapter 31.4 page 955-956



vocabulary

pathogen
pathogenicity
vector
vaccine
vaccination
physiology


Here's what I want you to understand by the end of the period:

1  Any microscopic organism like bacteria or virus that causes disease is called a pathogen.

2  Bacteria are prokaryotic cells that have a cell membrrane, cell wall, DNA, and are living. 

3  Viruses are not cells; they have no cell membrane, no cell wall, but they do indeed have either DNA or RNA.  Since viruses have no cells, they are not considered living.

4  Bacteria are capable of doing all their chemistry on their own.  They have all the cell machinery they need to make proteins, reproduce, etc.

5  Viruses cannot do any chemistry on their own.  They need to 'hijack' a 'host cell' and take control of the cell, and trick the cell into doing the chemistry that the virus needs.

6  We control viruses by giving vaccines (vaccination shots), which puts your immune system on high alert to recognize this virus if it invades your cells.  In other words, it's like the FBI passing out a "Wanted DEAD OR ALIVE" poster--everyone is now on high alert for that person.

7  We control bacteria with vaccines, too, and also with antibiotics.  Antibiotics don't work on viruses!  Antibiotics are chemicals that interrupt bacterial cell chemistry; for example, antiobiotics shut down the bacteriial cell wall, and this kills the cell.

Homework

Please create a Venn Diagram.  One circle is labeled "Bacteria"; the other circle is "Virus".   Using the notes you took in class today and the pages I've indicated in your textbook, fill out the Venn Diagram.  For example, where on the Venn would you write  "cell membrane"?  In the middle section that both Viruses and Bacteria share?  NO!  Remember that bacteria are cells, and therefore do have a cell membrane; but viruses are not cells, and therefore do NOT have a cell membrane.  Therefore, you'd write "cell membrane" in the "Bacteria" section only.  Get it?

QUIZ today on Enzymes!








Homework:   I want you to review your notes in your Spiral Notebook for 15 minutes tonight.

Homework:   I want you to review your notes in your Spiral Notebook for 15 minutes tonight because we have a QUIZ tomorrow on Enzymes!  Review your notes!

Friday 10-30-09

We'll continue to give partner-pair presentations with ELMO...using clay, you'll demonstrate to me that you thoroughly understand how enzymes catalyze chemical reactions, but are not used up (they're reused--our analogy is a good soldier).

Standard 1b:  To demonstrate their proficiency in understanding peroxidase's  function, students will create 3D models and present them in class.

Textbook pages 54 - 56

Here's a summary of what I want you to understand by the end of the period:


Homework:  As always, there's no homework for the weekend.

Thursday 10-29-09

Standard 1b:  To demonstrate their proficiency in understanding peroxidase's  function, students will create 3D models and present them in class.

Textbook pages 54 - 56

Here's a summary of what I want you to understand by the end of the period:


Homework:  As always, I want you to spend 15 minutes reviewing your Spiral Notebook so you remember what we talked about today.

Wednesday 10-28-09

Standard 1b:  Students understand how an enzyme's function is related to how the active site of an enzyme fits the substrate with a 'lock-and-key' fit.

Textbook pages 54 - 56

Here's a summary of what I want you to understand:

Students understand that if the enzyme (which is a protein), gets denatures, then the active site will no longer fit the substrate; then the enzyme is no longer functional, and the chemical reaction will take a very long time to get finished because it doesn't have the enzyme to catalyze it.



Homework:  As always, I want you to spend 15 minutes reviewing your Spiral Notebook so you remember what we talked about today.

Tuesday 10-27-09

Standard 1b:  Students demonstrate how enzyme function is affected by pH by testing peroxidase in low pH, high pH, and normal pH (for a potato).

Textbook pages 54 - 56

Here's a summary of what I want you to understand:

1) Enzymes are a special kind of catalyst. What makes them special is that enzymes are made of protein (some catalysts are NOT made of protein).

2) Proteins have a characteristic shape that is called their "native conformation". Change this shape by rearranging the chemical bonds in the protein, and the protein is no longer functional. When this happens to a protein, we call say that the protein has been 'denatured'.

3) Enzymes can work only if they have their native conformation and they have not been denatured.

4) Enzymes work only if their environment is within a pretty narrow range of conditions. For example, if it gets too hot, too cold, too acidic, or too basic, the enzyme will denature, and will therefore not longer be functional.

5) Enzymes have a special site called their active site, which fits the substrate molecules like a key fits a lock. Hence, we call this molecular fit the "lock-and-key" model.

6) The active site is part of the enzyme, so it's protein, too. If the active site denatures, then the enzyme is no longer functional!

7)  We found in this experiment that peroxidase did not function in low pH and high pH.  That means that both acidic and basic environments denature peroxidase (change its shape), and it becomes non-functional.  That's why the test tubes with low or high pH did not have any bubbling going on.

Homework:  As always, I want you to spend 15 minutes reviewing your Spiral Notebook so you remember what we did today, and how we tested the enzyme peroxidase in different pH conditions.

Monday 10-26-09

Standard 1b

Students know how the pH scale relates to the strength of acids and bases; that there is a 10-fold difference in the strength of a pH 2 and a pH 3 acid, for example; and how pH can affect any enzyme's function.

Here's a summary of what I want you to understand:

1) Enzymes are a special kind of catalyst. What makes them special is that enzymes are made of protein (some catalysts are NOT made of protein).

2) Proteins have a characteristic shape that is called their "native conformation". Change this shape by rearranging the chemical bonds in the protein, and the protein is no longer functional. When this happens to a protein, we call say that the protein has been 'denatured'.

3) Enzymes can work only if they have their native conformation and they have not been denatured.

4) Enzymes work only if their environment is within a pretty narrow range of conditions. For example, if it gets too hot, too cold, too acidic, or too basic, the enzyme will denature, and will therefore not longer be functional.

5) Enzymes have a special site called their active site, which fits the substrate molecules like a key fits a lock. Hence, we call this molecular fit the "lock-and-key" model.

6) The active site is part of the enzyme, so it's protein, too. If the active site denatures, then the enzyme is no longer functional!

Textbook pages 54 - 56

Activities: If time permits, we'll use pH papers to assay the pH of common substances: fresh fruits; bleach; milk; baking soda; distilled water; tap water; vinegar; fresh vegetables

Friday 23 October 2009

Standard 1b  Students know that enzymes are catalysts; that they are made of proteins; and that their role in a cell is to speed up biochemical reactions without changing the equilibrium of the reaction.

Objective:  Students treat the enzyme peroxidase with hot, cold, room temperature conditions to determine if this enzyme's activity is affected by temperature.

New Vocabulary

enzyme
catalyst
activation energy
substrate
active site
equilibrium

Homework:

There is no homework for the weekend.

Thursday 10-22-09

Standard 1b  Students know that enzymes are catalysts; that they are made of proteins; and that their role in a cell is to speed up biochemical reactions without changing the equilibrium of the reaction.

New Vocabulary

enzyme
catalyst
activation energy
substrate
active site
equilibrium

Today Mr. F lectured about enzymes.  Our analogy is the situation in which my room is a mess, and my mom says I can't go out until it's clean.  I have two choices:  I can clean it myself (takes a long time); or I can ask my friend to help me (speeds up rate of completion).

Either way, my room will eventually get clean...but using my friend will make it quicker.

An enzyme is a catalyst.  My friend is an analogy for a catalyst because she is making the job go quicker, but even without her, the room would still get clean...eventually.

A catalyst simply speeds up a chemical reaction.

Equilibrium means "how much the reaction has been completed".  In our analogy, having cleaned my room is 100% equilibrium.  With or without my friend, cleaning my room (the 'reaction') would still get done....so my friend (the catalyst) did not change the equilibrium at all.  Get it?

Mr. F showed us how hydrogen peroxide (H202) undergoes a reaction that breaks it down into water (H2O) and oxygen gas (O2).

Every living cell has an enzyme called peroxidase.  The enzyme peroxidase speeds up this breakdown reaction so the cell can get rid of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), which is somewhat toxic to the cell.

Then we crushed up potato (since potato has living cells, it has peroxidase enzyme in it) to open cell membranes and release peroxidase.  Then we added a couple of pipette's worth of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and observed the chemical reaction of H2O2 breaking down into H2O and O2.

Tuesday 20 October 2009

(Since yesterday we did not finish give student presentations on protein synthesis and protein secretion, we'll finish presenting today.)

Standard 1e: Students can depict the roles of the endoplasmic reticulum, the ribosomes, the Golgi, and the vesicles in synthesis and secretion of proteins.

Textbook pages 74 - 77, and page 91

Vocabulary

ribosomes
Endoplasmic reticulum
Golgi
vesicles
synthesis
secretion

Warm-Up

Draw a cell, and label the 'rough' Endoplasmic reticulum, the ribosomes, the Golgi, and the vesicles. What is the role of each?

What we did today:

Using clay, pairs of students created 3-D models that included:

the cell membrane
ribosomes
Endoplasmic reticulum
Golgi
vesicles

Their job was to give a short presentation using "Elmo" (the 3-D projector) to depict how these cell structures are involved in protein synthesis and secretion.

Some students did not have enough time to give their presentation, so we'll continue on Tuesday.

Homework:

(1) Review your Spiral for 15 minutes
(2) There will be a QUIZ on Wed
(3) Bring a glue stick and colored pencils (for the QUIZ)

Mon 10-19-09

Standard 1e: Students can depict the roles of the endoplasmic reticulum, the ribosomes, the Golgi, and the vesicles in synthesis and secretion of proteins.

Textbook pages 74 - 77, and page 91

Vocabulary

ribosomes
Endoplasmic reticulum
Golgi
vesicles
synthesis
secretion

Warm-Up

Draw a cell, and label the 'rough' Endoplasmic reticulum, the ribosomes, the Golgi, and the vesicles. What is the role of each?

What we did today:

Using clay, pairs of students created 3-D models that included:

the cell membrane
ribosomes
Endoplasmic reticulum
Golgi
vesicles

Their job was to give a short presentation using "Elmo" (the 3-D projector) to depict how these cell structures are involved in protein synthesis and secretion.

Some students did not have enough time to give their presentation, so we'll continue on Tuesday.

Homework:

(1) Complete the Cartoon that was assigned on Friday
(2) Review your Spiral for 15 minutes
(3) Bring a glue stick on Tuesday

Fri 10-16-09

Standard 1e: Students can depict the roles of the endoplasmic reticulum, the ribosomes, the Golgi, and the vesicles in synthesis and secretion of proteins.

Textbook pages 74 - 77, and page 91

Vocabulary

ribosomes
Endoplasmic reticulum
Golgi
vesicles
synthesis
secretion

What we did today:

In small groups, students who volunteered used poster-type paper to create huge models of the endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi. Other students blew up balloons and stuck them onto the ER to represent the ribosomes. The people who represented the ribosomes used balls of clay to represent the amino acids, and these students bonded the clay amino acids together to represent an immature protein.

The ribosomes then handed off the immature protein to the ER; the ER then handed the immature protein off to the Golgi; the Golgi then folded the immature protein into its mature, folded shape.

Then the vesicle (Saran Wrap) came over to the Golgi and picked up the mature protein. The vesicle transported the mature protein to them membrane and set up the secretion of the protein by fusing the vesicle membrane with the cell membrane.

Vocabulary:

the cell membrane
ribosomes
Endoplasmic reticulum
Golgi
vesicles


Homework:

(1) Cartoon "Baby Protein"

Thursday 10-15-09

Std. 1e: How do the endoplasmic reticulum, the Gogi apparatus, ribosomes, and vesicles work together to secrete proteins?

Text pages 76-77, and page 91

New Vocabulary

secrete (v.)
secretion (n.)
exocytosis (n.)

Today we talked about mucus membranes, which are any tissues in or on our bodies that are pink and wet. In your mouth, in your nose, in your vagina, on your anus...each is characterized by pink and wet tissues called mucus membranes. The cells in mucus membranes produce mucus, and then each cell must perform exocytosis to secrete the mucus.

We used Saran Wrap to model how exocytosis works; we used the classroom as a model for the interior (inside) of the cell. Our model included a newly made protein (represented by a Saran-Wrapped student) that needed to be secreted to the outside of the cell.

HW

I'd written "Cartoon: 'Birth of a Protein'" as your homework, but you can ignore this today...we did not have enough time to thoroughly cover this topic, and I'll assign this as classwork tomorrow.

Cell Organelle Chart (see today's lesson plan for a description on how to complete this assignment).

Tuesday 10-13-09

Std 1e: Students know the role of the endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi apparatus.

New Vocabulary:

nucleus
endoplasmic reticulum
ribosome
Gogi apparatus
vesicle
mitochondrion
vacuole
lysosome
centrosome/centriole
cell wall
chloroplast

Today Mr. F showed us how to set up our spiral notebooks. On the left page, he wants a color-coded diagram of an animal cell, and a plant cell, each labeled with the appropriate New Vocabulary terms. For example, I might draw the nucleus in both the plant and animal cell green, and in green pen, I label it "nucleus".

In my Spiral Notebook, on the right-hand page, I write one large chart with three columns. The left column says "organelle"; the middle column says "function", and the third column says "model".

Here's an example: I would write "nucleus" in green under the "organelle" column; then I'd write "storage for DNA" in the "Function" column (with green); and I'd write "ping pong ball" in the last column.

That last column is what I might use if I were to build a 3D model (assume that the entire cell would be the size of a medium size balloon).

Friday 10-9-09

OK, I'd like you to treat my substitutes with respect, please...

I'm absent with a pretty nasty viral infection today...I'd bet that one of the virus particles came from one of YOU, and attached itself onto one of my nasal cells...and then of course 'hijacked' my nasal cells into making more virus particles. As this 'hijacked' cell swells up with a viral particles inside, the pressure builds, until...yup...the cell literally explodes, and this releases more viruses.

My best bet will be that my wife will be the next victim of those viral particles...stay tuned...

***

Standard 1a: Students understand that one of the complex chemical conditions that a cell must deal with is controlling what goes across its cell membrane.

Students should know that diffusion means any kind of molecule that moves, on its own power, from areas of high concentration to low concentration (ANALOGY: Think of farts in a classroom!) If those moving molecules are water molecules, then we call this NOT diffusion, but OSMOSIS...and those water molecules are moving across a cell membrane.


****

This is what I'd like to hear about on Monday when I return:

That you took your eggs (now that there's no shell left) and rinsed them thoroughly, and you rinsed any soaking liquid down the drain.

Then you filled up your container with about half-full of fresh water, and then you slowly added salt, all the while swirling and stirring, until you could not get any more salt to dissolve. I'd guess that you should have been able to dissolve about 8 spoonfuls or more of salt.

Then you capped it all back up...we'll take a peek on Monday.

HW

Of course, there's not HW over the weekend. Wish my white blood cells a lot of luck in inactivating those nasty viral particles!

On Thursday you'll take the Midquarter 1 Biology Benchmark test.

Here are the Standards that will be emphasized in Section 1 of the test (Multiple Choice 24 questions, with NO free response):

Standards, and text chapters:

1a (semipermeable membranes), Chap 3.3
1c (Compare and contrast Eukaryotic Cells, Prokaryotic Cells, and Viruses), Chap 3.1 - 3.2
1.h (macromolecules), Chap 2.3

Section 2 of the test (30 Multiple Choice questions, with no Free Response) will include those three standards above, and these topics, too:

chemical reactions and chemical bonds

activation energy

function of catalysts

reactants and products

Standard 1C: Students understand the differences and similarities among Prokaryotes, Eukaryotes, and Viruses.

New Vocabulary:

membrane-bound organelles
prokaryotes AKA prokaryotic cells
eukaryotes AKA eukaryotic cells

HW: If you don't finish the worksheet I handed out today, then please finish it for homework tonight.

textbook pages:

p 545 Fig 18.2
p 557 Fig 18.13
pp 75 - 78

Wed 10-7-09

Standard 1c: Students will demonstrate their ability to compare and contrast Eukaryotic cells (plant and animal cells), Viruses, and Prokaryotic cells by creating models.


New Vocabulary: capsid; 'tail fiber'; protein coat; cell machinery

Warm Up: (1) How does a virus compare to a eukaryotic cell in terms of size? (2) What do eukaryotes have that prokaryotes do not? (3) What do prokaryotes have that eukaryotic animal cells do not?


HW: Study for Benchmark on Thursday. You should study EVERYTHING we have covered since the beginning of the semester. If you cannot remember what we covered, study this website--each day has a record of what we did since early September!

Tuesday 10-6-09

Standard 1c: Students can compare and contrast EUKARYOTIC CELLS, PROKARYOTIC CELLS AND VIRUSES in terms of (1) complexity; (2) size; (3) reproduction; (4) type of genetic material; (5) storage of genetic material.

New Vocabulary:

complexity
complex
sexual reproduction
asexual reproduction
nucleotide
double helix

Warm up: Which is more complex: a brand new Lexus, or a brand new Honda Civic. Explain your answer!

Today Mr. F lectured on how prokaryotes (bacteria) are very simple in their structure; how they do not have membrane-bound organelles. For example, bacteria don't have a nucleus, so their DNA is simply floating around within the cell.

On the other hand, eukaryotic cells (plant and animal cells) do have membrane-bound organelles. For example, plant and animal cells all have nucleus. They also have mitochondria, and endoplasmic reticulum, too--these are also membrane-bound organelles.

HW: There is no homework tonight. You should review your notes in preparation for the benchmark on Thursday.

QUIZ today!

Standard 1f: Students can (1) identify the four macromolecules that make up all cells; (2) can describe the monomers that make up each of the macromolecules; (3) can identify real-life examples and analogies of these macromolecules.

You'll take a 12-question multiple choice quiz, and one short essay question, to demonstrate how well you understand this standard.

There is NO HOMEWORK for this weekend.

Copy and answer these questions in your TEXTBOOK:

#1 on page 48
#3 on page 48 (use a Venn Diagram to answer this question)
#19 on page 61
#21 on page 61

Tuesday 9-29-09

Textbook pages 44 - 48

Std 1f Understand the structural and functional differences among the four kinds of macromolecules.

Warm-up: 1) What are the monomers of proteins called? 2) Draw a colored diagram of a protein. Label the peptide bonds.

New Vocabulary:

monosaccharides
polysaccharides
cellulose
fatty acids
glycerol
saturated
unsaturated

HW: There is no homework for Tuesday night!

Today we discussed what a catalyst does, and we discussed an analogy: That if your friend helps you clean you room, your friend is acting like a catalyst. In other words, your room would have gotten clean with or without your friend's help, but using a catalyst (your friend), it gets cleaner in less time.

The act of cleaning your room is an analogy for a chemical reaction. Your friend is an analogy for a catalyst.

A chemical reaction with a catalyst will happen much much faster. Without the catalyst, it'll go slowly, but the reaction will eventually finish...it just goes a lot faster if the reaction has a catalyst.

We discussed our chicken eggs that we soaked in vinegar; we discussed how vinegar is acidic, and the egg shell (calcium carbonate) is basic, and how acidic compounds react with basic compounds

We watched the egg for evidence of a chemical reaction after we poured vinegar on it.

We'll use this egg later this week...stay tuned...

Monday 9-28-09

Sd 1h: There are four macromolecules in all cells, and each type is composed of different monomers AKA building blocks AKA subunits.

New Vocabulary

macromolecule
polymer
monomer
starch
cellulose

Warm Up: What's the difference between exothermic and endothermic reactions? Use a Venn Diagram to answer this.

HW:

Copy and answer these questions in your TEXTBOOK:

#1 on page 48
#3 on page 48 (use a Venn Diagram to answer this question)
#19 on page 61
#21 on page 61

HOMEWORK for Thursday night 9-24-09: STUDY for FRIDAY'S QUIZ


QUIZ TODAY! QUIZ TODAY! QUIZ TODAY! QUIZ TODAY!

Topic: Chemical reactions

Text pages: 50 - 53

Vocabulary to know: chemical reaction; bond energy; activation energy; exothermic; endothermic; reactant; product

This quiz will test you on how well you understand the relationship between bonds and chemical reaction. Do you know what happens to chemical bonds during a chemical reaction? Can you describe how playing with Legos can be an analogy for a chemical reaction? What is a major difference between an exothermic and endothermic chemical reaction?

Text pages 50 – 53

HW
1) textbook p 53 #1 and #2 (Copy the questions)
2) Interactive Reader p. 32 #1 -10

Wed 9-23-09

Textbook pages 50-53

Standard 1a: Students understand that a chemical reaction means that chemical bonds are broken in the reactants, and these bonds are rearranged to create totally new products. An analogy for this is playing with Legos.

New vocabulary (This is Vocabulary we did not get to discuss on Tuesday)
bond energy


Today we investigated an exothermic reaction (a reaction that releases heat energy) by reacting alcohol and starch. We compared this kind of reaction to the endothermic reaction we did earlier (reacting vinegar and baking soda).

The energy that's in those bonds is called 'bond energy'.

It takes activation energy to start breaking this bond energy. As soon as there is enough activation energy, the reaction starts.

HW
There is no homework for tonight!

Wednesday 9-23-09

Standard 1: Students know what happens to chemical bonds during a chemical reaction.

HW for Thursday night: Study for QUIZ on Chemical Reactions on Friday 9-24-09

New Vocabulary: There is no new vocabulary for today.

Warm-Up:

1. What happens to bonds during a chemical reaction?

2. How does playing with LEGOs serve as an analogy for what happens during a chemical reaction?

Summary of what we did today:

1. We cut a potato and put H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide) on the cut surface, and we observed the chemical reaction--it created a foamy, bubbly white liquid. The H2O2 is the reactant; an enzyme in the potato caused the bonds in the H2O2 reactant to break; then those bonds were rearranged into a new pattern, and this created new products (water and O2 gas).

2. We reacted alcohol and starch by stirring these two liquids together with our fingers. The reaction got warm, and the product was a gooey white icky snot-like substance! Then we discussed what happened to the bonds during this reaction, and how we added the activation energy to get the reaction going.

Tuesday 9-22-09

Standard 1: Students understand that all cells MUST control many kinds of chemical reactions to maintain normal conditions AKA ‘homeostasis’.

Text pages 50 – 53

Warm-up: Draw a diagram of a cell, then describe what happens if you swim in the Salton Sea, which is far saltier than the ocean. Which direction does osmosis force the water to move: into the cell, or out of the cell? Why?



HW
1) textbook p 53 #1 and #2 (Copy the questions)
2) Interactive Reader p. 32 #1 -10

New Vocabulary

chemical reaction
reactant
product
bond energy
equilibrium
activation energy
exothermic
endothermic

Today Mr. F lectured a little about how cells must control the chemical reactions to maintain normal conditions. If conditions get out of normal range (e.g, it gets too hot or too cold, or too acidic or too basic) then the cell cannot create energy, and will die.
Mr. F used a propane torch in class to demonstrate activation energy. If you don’t have activation energy, then even though the gas comes out of the torch, it’s not on fire, and there is no chemical reaction. However, when a spark is made, then the gas burns, and this is a chemical reaction. The spark is the activation energy that was needed to get the reaction going.
We did a lab in which we mixed vinegar (acidic) with baking soda (basic) in a ZipLoc bag, and we could feel through the bag that it got cold. This means that the reaction was absorbing heat from our hand.
When chemical reactions absorb heat, they’re endothermic. When chemical reactions release heat, they’re exothermic.

Standard IE Ia: Students know how to use a compound light microscope to view various common protozoa.

New Vocabulary:

compound light microscope
protozoa
ocular lens
objective lens
coarse focal adjustment
fine focal adjustment

HW: none

Today we had some hands-on practice using a compound light microscope. We first looked at prepared slides, and some of us had a chance to make a 'wet mount' with the protozoa we had incubated in those little plastic containers and wet decomposing grass.

(1) QUIZ Today!


QUIZ #1 today on all the vocabulary words we've studied since Friday. Yes, spelling does count (but understanding the meaning of the terms counts more!)

****

(2) DIFFUSION AND OSMOSIS p 85-88 textbook

Period 2, 3, and 6:

We'll start the Diffusion Lab on p 88 of the textbook by soaking eggs in vinegar.

****

(3) MICROSCOPY

Periods 1, 2, 3 and 6:

We'll open our microorganism incubator ('nursery") to vent CO2 away, and allow O2 to come in.

Due on 9/16/09 for Periods 2 and 6

1) Please copy QUESTION #1 on p 84 of your textbook, and answer it in your Spiral Notebook.

2) Please answer QUESTIONS # 1-7 on page 45 of your Interactive Reader (it's that blue and green workbook that you're supposed to leave at home). Bring the Interactive Reader to school on Wednesday; we'll correct your work and NOT tear out the page.

Warm-up: For each of these terms, write one sentence that includes an appropriate usage of the term: (1) polar; (2) hydrophilic; (3) fluid mosaic model; (4) selectively permeable

Standard 1a: Know how ligands and receptors interact with the cell membrane to send chemical signals into the cell.

New Vocabulary: (1) embedded; (2) cholesterol (we did not discuss this today in class, and you won't be held responsible for knowing this term on Thursday's Quiz); (3) intracellular receptor; (4) membrane receptor; (5) ligand

HW: Study for QUIZ #1 tomorrow on all the vocabulary words we've studied since Friday. Yes, spelling does count (but understanding the meaning of the terms counts more!)

TOPIC: Chemical Signals Across the Cell Membrane text p 84

Today Mr. F lectured on how cells use receptors and ligands to send chemical messages into the cell. This causes the cell to respond and obey these messages.

There are two types of receptors: embedded membrane receptors, and intracellular receptors.

When the ligand binds to the receptor (they each have a shape for a perfect fit), it causes a change in the shape of the receptor, and this causes the cell to respond.

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We took a look at our "hay infusion" chambers (our 'microorganism nurseries'), and opened the lid to give them some oxygen, and allow built-up carbon dioxide to escape. (Period 3 started their hay infusion chambers today).

Period 1 started the Diffusion / Osmosis Lab by soaking our raw eggs in acidic vinegar, which reacts with the basic eggshell and dissolves it away. (Periods 2, 3 and 6 will do this on Thursday).

Homework: Study for QUIZ on Thursday!

Study for QUIZ #1 tomorrow on all the vocabulary words we've studied since Friday. Yes, spelling does count (but understanding the meaning of the terms counts more!)

If you don't know which vocabulary words to study, please look at the rest of this site; for each day of class, I list the vocabulary words to understand.

Due on 9/15/09 for Periods 1 and 3

1) Please copy QUESTION #1 on p 84 of your textbook, and answer it in your Spiral Notebook.

2) Please answer QUESTIONS # 1-7 on page 45 of your Interactive Reader (it's that blue and green workbook that you're supposed to leave at home). You can tear out this page and bring it to school tomorrow.

Warm-up: How would you test BBQ lighter fluid to find out if it's polar, or non-polar? Be specific: Step 1? Step 2? Step 3? etc.

Standard 1a: Students know why water is polar, and how it creates hydrogen bonds with other water molecules, or any other polar molecules.

Today we'll go into more depth about polar and non-polar molecules. We'll discuss how both the exterior environment of the cell, and the internal part of a cell, are both polar because they're both watery environments.

We'll discuss how the two phospholipid layers create a non-polar (hydrophobic) environment between them.

We'll discuss how the cell membrane has embedded structures, which include proteins, carbohydrates, and cholesterol. We'll discuss how cholesterol is therefore important to cells; it's just that eating too much fatty foods puts too much cholesterol into our bloodstream, and that's what causes us problems--cholesterol isn't always a 'bad guy'.

We'll discuss how a cell gets a signal from its environment, and how that signal is transmitted across the membrane and into the cell. Sometimes that signal AKA ligand does move across the membrane and into the cell, but some other ligands don't--they just bind onto a membrane receptor.

We'll go into the yard and collect dead, partially decomposed grass, and we'll start a 'hay infusion'. We'll look at this hay infusion under a microscope on Friday during lab.

New Vocabulary: (1) hydrophilic; (2) hydrophobic; (3) hydrogen bond; (4) embedded; (5) cholesterol; (6) intracellular receptor; (7) membrane receptor; (8) ligand

Warm-up: How would you test whether BBQ lighter fluid is polar, or non-polar? Write a step-by-step description.

Standard 1a: Students should know that because water is polar, water forms hydrogen bonds with other water molecules, and with any other polar molecules.

New Vocabulary: (1) hydrophilic; (2) hydrophobic; (3) hydrogen bond; (4) embedded; (5) cholesterol; (6) intracellular receptor; (7) membrane receptor; (8) ligand

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Today Mr. F lectured about how both the exterior of the cell (the cell's environment) and the interior of the cell is hydrophilic AKA polar AKA charged, due to the nearness of the phosphate groups. On the other hand, the area between the layers (where the lipid tails are) is non-polar, or uncharged, AKA hydrophobic.

That means that polar water molecules would HATE to be in the hydrophobic zone, but would LOVE to be in the hydrophilic zones.

We did not get to New Vocab #5 - 8

Today we started the day with a 30-second silent moment to think about the Garden Grove HS football player who died during Friday night's game. We focused on feeling grateful that we're still alive; that the sun will rise for us again tomorrow; and that we'll go on to enjoy life and work hard for each day given to us.

Warm-up: Draw and label a diagram that shows how a cell membrane is composed of two sheets of lipid 'tails' and phosphate groups.

Standard 1a: The cell membrane regulates how the cell interacts with its environment. It's critical for a cell to keep the internal conditions normal. This is known as homeostasis.

New Vocabulary: (1) phospholipid; (2) homeostasis; (3) charged AKA polar; (4) uncharged AKA non-polar

We briefly reviewed our activity on Friday; then Mr. F lectured about how phosphate groups are polar; and the lipid tail is non-polar. This explains why the phospholipid molecules arrange themselves so that their lipid tails face each other, and their phosphate heads are side-by-side, close together.

Mr. F demonstrated this concept by mixing water (polar) with vinegar (polar); these two liquids interacted completely. Water and olive oil (non-polar) did not interact. Water and alcohol (polar) interacted completely.

BASICS OF CELL STRUCTURE: THE CELL MEMBRANE

Standard 1a Describe in detail how (1) we modeled a real cell membrane, and (2) how the FLUID MOSAIC MODEL makes up a membrane.

"New" Vocabulary: (1) cell membrane AKA plasma membrane; (2) selectively permeable; (3) phosphate group; (4) lipid "tails"; (5) fluid mosaic model

Warm-Up: Draw a diagram of a cell, and label these structures: (1) cell membrane AKA plasma membrane; (2) nucleus; and (3) genetic material

Today students took notes in their Spiral Notebooks as Mr. F lectured about the cell membrane AKA plasma membrane, which is SELECTIVELY PERMEABLE. Mr. F used a ZipLoc bag, and a rag, to demonstrate what "permeable" means.

The class went outside in the yard to participate in an activity in which students arranged themselves, standing in two rings, one ring inside the other, with arms outstretched. This became a model for a cell membrane. Then we had students represent substances like glucose, which had to pass across the membrane to get inside the cell, or cancer-causing agents, which tried to get across the membrane, but were denied access.