Friday, April 29, 2011

Biology HW

Finish Analysis and Critical thinking questions for "Using and Constructing a Key " activity-  ( i.e.Slamander ID and Wild Flower Key making), 8 questions answered as complete sentences

Using and Constructing a Classification Key
Analysis and Conclusions
1. As you used the classification key to identify the salamanders, did you go from general to specific characteristics or from specific to general characteristics?
2. What two groupings do the scientific names of the salamanders represent?
3. Was the classification key you constructed exactly like those of other students? Explain why or why not.
4. If you were using actual wildflowers, what other characteristics could you use to identify them?

Critical Thinking and Application
1. Do you think that there may be some closely related species of organisms that cannot be identified with a classification key? Explain your answer.
2. Why do you think biological classification keys always present two, rather than some other number, of choices at each step?
3. What types of problems would scientists have today if Carolus Linnaeus had not developed his classification and naming system for organisms?
4. Explain what is meant by the statement "Classification systems are the inventions of humans; diversity is the product of evolution."
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Thursday, April 28, 2011

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Earth Science HW

Due Monday 5/2

Ch 5 notes - Igneouse rock

Igneous rock minilab RD

Biology HW

Due Friday 4/29:Monday 5/2

Read and take notes for pgs 831- 842 on evolution of and characteristics of amphibians.

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Earth science HW

Finish Analysis and conclusion sections for Density of Minerals lab, including graphs and examples of calculations, into your notebooks.

Analysis:
  1. Gather the calculated density for each other sample from the other groups in class.  Determine the average class density for each mineral and be sure to show how you made the calculations. 
  2. Make a bar graph that compares the ave. calculated density of each mineral sample to the accepted density of the samples provided by your teacher.  Graph the mineral samples from least dense to most dense.  Include a diagram of how these samples should be found, according to their densities, if they where all in the same area of the crust.
  3. If the group average density is different from the accepted densities (greater than 10%) describe the possible errors that might have led to these differences.
Conclusion:  The following are prompts to help you write a conclusion.  Write you conclusion using complete sentences and the rubric.
Frame work: Were you able to identify the unknown minerals by calculating their density?  If no,t how did you ID the samples? i.e what other factors did you use to identify your mineral samples?   Evidence: Compare the accuracy of your density calculations to the accepted densities.  Error:  How did error influence your calculated densities?  Logic:  How do the experimental mineral densities compare to the actual densities?  Next Step:  What could be done to improve or further investigate this experiment?


Calcite ~2.7g/cm3 colorless, translucent – opaque CaCO3

Hematite (red) ~5.26g/cm3   comp mostly iron oxides found in crust (mantle)

Galena ~7.5 g/cm3  comp lead sulfide

Milky quartz ~2.6- 3.0 g/cm3  silicate dioxides crust

Magnetite   ~5.2 g/cm3  comp. iron oxides

Biology HW Primate classification activity Analysis questions

Analysis and Conclusions
1. How is this investigation similar to the way in which biologists classify organisms?
2. Were either of your classification systems different from those developed by classmates? Why might this be possible?
3. What characteristics did you find most useful for classifying the primates?
4. What characteristics of the primates would not be especially useful for classifying them?
5. Why should terms like tall, short, large, or small be avoided when describing traits of organisms?
6. How does classification help you to better understand organisms?

Critical Thinking and Application
1. Trees are usually identified by the characteristics of their leaves. Suggest two ways in which trees could be identified during winter when they have no leaves.
2. Suppose you wanted to identify and classify all birds that came to a particular bird feeder during a spring day. What are some common characteristics you would use in classifying the birds?
3. Almost immediately after the invention of the microscope, taxonomists began to use it in their work. Why might a microscope be useful to a taxonomist?
4. Describe three ways in which pieces of clothing are classified in a department store.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Biology HW

Due April 27th/28th
 Finish reading Ch 16, primate evolution, pg. 450 - 474.  Take Notes

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Earth science HW

Create a rough draft in your notebook for the " Finding Density of Minerals" Lab.  Use the hand out as a guide sheet but do not just copy what is on it.  You must have completed all sections through data table.i.e.  Title ,Question,Hypothesis, Test, Materials, Procedures, Diagrams for finding volume and mass,  and Data table.  Be ready to get it checked and go right into the Lab for Data collection.


This is not a worksheet, all data and calculations will be neatly placed in your notebook in an orderly manner!
Directions: record rough drafts of the lab (Q, H, T, M, P w/diagram & D) individually into your science notebook.  The final draft will include writing a Lab write up, according to the supplied rubric for Lab Write-ups, in a Microsoft Word document with data analysis completed using Microsoft Excel and inserted into the Lab Write-up.
Question: How Can the density of  minerals be accurately determined (within 10%) by measuring their volume and mass using a graduated cylinder and a metric balance?
Hypothesis:  Through the use of water displacement to determine volume and using a metric balance, students will be able to accurately (within 10%) determine the density of known mineral samples.
Test:  Hint: Use the question, test and materials to design a brief one or two sentence statement of how you will find the density of the mineral samples and compare them to accepted values provided by your teacher.
Materials:  100 ml graduated cylinder, metric balance, water supply, unknown mineral samples, paper towel and any other materials you use
Procedures:  Work with your group mates to determine how you will collect data using each material to conduct the experiment.  Your procedures should be descriptive step by step instructions which include a diagram that will visually illustrate the more complex procedural steps.
Data Table:  Construct in your notebook, place data collected there.
Physical Description of Mineral
Measured mass in g
Measured volume in  cm3
 (1ml =1cm3)
Calculated Density in
g/cm3
Name of mineral




Milky Quartz




Galena




Magnetite




Calcite




Hematite
            Observations of data collection:  Write these descriptions in your notebook
Analysis:
  1. Gather the calculated density for each other sample from the other groups in class.  Determine the average class density for each mineral and be sure to show how you made the calculations. 
  2. Make a bar graph that compares the ave. calculated density of each mineral sample to the accepted density of the samples provided by your teacher.  Graph the mineral samples from least dense to most dense.  Include a diagram of how these samples should be found, according to their densities, if they where all in the same area of the crust.
  3. If the group average density is different from the accepted densities (greater than 10%) describe the possible errors that might have led to these differences.
Conclusion:  The following are prompts to help you write a conclusion.  Write you conclusion using complete sentences and the rubric.
Frame work: Were you able to identify the unknown minerals by calculating their density?  If not how did you ID the samples?  Evidence: Compare the accuracy of your density calculations to the accepted densities.  Error:  How did error influence your calculated densities?  Logic:  How do the experimental mineral densities compare to the actual densities?  Next Step:  What could be done to improve or further investigate this experiment?

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Biology HW

1)  Organize your lists from Milagra ridge walk using your understanding of taxonomy. i.e.    KPCOFGs. You should have at least kingdom  level groupings.

2)  Answer all multiple choice questions for each chapter review section, including the standardized test practice, using complete sentences.  Ch 17:  pg  507-511 ; Ch 18: pg 536-538.

Monday, April 18, 2011

Earth Science HW

1)Read and Take notes for Ch 4 - Minerals.

2) Write out all Multiple choice questions on pg 96- 97, as complete sentences.

Biology Enriched

Biology enriched starts Tuesday Aprill 19th from 3pm -5pm in room 304 with Mr. Orth.  It will meet 5-6 sessions and you MUST ATTEND ALL sessions for it to count.  Subsequent sessions will be Tues. 4/26;Thurs 4/28; Fri 4/29; Tues 5/2 and Thurs 5/4 ( if needed).  We will be conducting a series of experiments where we will be transforming e. coli bacteri using methods of genetic engineering involving plasmids.  Some sessions will end early, i.e. ~4:30 pm. 

for further information contact Mr. Orth at porth@juhsd.net

Friday, April 15, 2011

Biology hw

Read ch 18 on Bacteria and Viruses, pg. 514-532, and take notes.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Biology hw

1)  Finish answering the 3 questions that go with the Life video episode, "Creatures of the Deep."

2)  Categorize the following organisms into logical groupings based on similarities and briefly explain what factors were used to create the groups and subgroups:

®                E. coli, single celled animals, sponges, trilobites, snails, slime molds(a fungus), clams, grass, sting ray, ant, fish, salamander, ferns, cyanobacteria,  reptiles, house fly, pine trees, dinosaurs, spider monkey, Amoeba, lion, bumble bee, mammals, Mastodon, Stegosaurus, frogs, Tyrannosaurus  rex, dandelion, horses, and Homo sapiens.

®                 For example:  lemons, limes, and oranges=citrus fruits (all have a thick rind and citric acid); pineapple, banana, and mango= tropical fruits (grow in tropical climates); raspberry, boysenberry, and blackberry=berry fruits (grow on thorny bramble bushes)
·         You may earn from 1-10pts extra credit for categorizing each of the groups of organisms into logical sub groups.  citrus fruits = lemons, limes, and oranges; tart citrus fruits = lemons and limes

Earth Science-HW

Natural Dissaster/Meterology/Geology unit Test will be on Monday April 18th.   This will be an open notebook exam with preapproved notebooks.