Renfrew Ravine Park

 Write a summary of your observations of Renfrew Ravine park.

Please include: 

1. a picture of each species we saw with your maple leaf. And its identification .  

2. And write a description of your *senses* exercise:  Find a quiet spot and take a moment to ask:   What do you hear, see, smell, touch? What is the mood of this place?  

3. You included site photos (pics of the landscape). 

Your project will be also evaluated on organization, completeness and written expression out of 15

13-15  marks:  Your assignment stands out. It is well organized with clear photos, expressive writing and good site photos. It is complete. 

12   marks :  your assignment is well done and a few things are not quite complete. It has excellent insight.  

5-10 marks:  Great start!  This is well done but missing a few items. 

SPECIES LIST

PLANTS vine maple, cedar, sitka spruce (mystery tree), sword fern, bracken fern, alder, red elderberry, salmonberry, skunk cabbage, horsetail, english ivy, 

DNA intro lesson

 Have a look at this introductory video on DNA.  DNA is a code, an alphabet.  Its alphabet has only 4 letters, and these 4 letters can create words, which make instructions for all of life.

In this lesson, you will learn the basic structure of DNA.  Have a look at my videos describing the nature of DNA

 

In the history of DNA, Watson and Crick and Franklin discovered the structure of DNA as a RIGHT HANDED HELIX!  It is quite the story of Scientific competition and ingenuity!  

I would like you to answer these questions:
In Microsoft Teams, I would like you to find your assignments for this DNA unit.


ASSIGNMENT 1 :  part 1 DRAW DNA
First, draw a labeled picture of DNA that summarizes the main points of DNA.  Photograph this cartoon in a clear picture and hand it in.  your NAME MUST BE CLEARLY WRITTEN ON CARTOON.

The main points are:

1.  DNA is made of nucleotides
2.  The nucleotides are made of sugar, phosphate and a nitrogen base
3.  The nucleotides join together in a ladder structure
4.  The ladder structure is antiparallel.

5.  There is complimentary base pairing

6.  DNA forms a RIGHT HANDED helix

your rubric
5 points:   your cartoon is brilliant, it includes all main points and it is in colour and inked YOUR NAME IS CLEARLY WRITTEN ON THE PAPER
3-4 :  your cartoon includes all main points and is complete.
1-2: your cartoon is incomplete.


ASSIGNMENT 2:  UPLOAD YOUR MODEL OF DNA which we constructed in class

5 points:  you upload your model WITH your MAPLE LEAF with your name on it.

in person assignment for both classes: Dead or Alive assignment for week of Tuesday, April 27

Today we will review what it means to be alive for an intro to biology. First, a look at our biosphere in the context of our universe.   

The definition of biosphere is the thin layer of soil, water and air and all the life that interacts within it

Next, we look at the living things on our school grounds. The app inaturalist is very useful to identify living things.  Tuesday and Wednesday you will explore what it is to be a living thing, and you will create a Naturalist Notebook using blank paper, your MAPLE LEAF and an iNaturalist app.   Today you will

1.  Do an exercise called "Dead or Alive"  Have a class discussion on the fundamental criteria of living things. 

2.  Download iNaturalist on  an electronic device (such as a phone).  

3.  Find living things in a natural place such as our Gladstone School Grounds, or Gladstone Garden. 

4.  Photograph living specimens (and upload to iNaturalist). IDENTIFY the specimen and create a document which shows the pictures you took with your MAPLE LEAF.

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS:   WHMIS: biohazardous, infectious disease 

At this time, the risk of covid-19 Brazilian variant P1 is high in Vancouver, especially if you are meeting people who are not in your immediate household.   This covid-19 variant of concern is more easily transmissible and can cause illness in young people.  Estimates are that in VCH more than 60% of positive covid tests are P1.   Therefore   we will conduct our lesson outdoors to mitigate this risk. You will keep your mask on when you are within 2m of another person outside and you will wash your hands if you share any maretials today, including pencil crayons.

ASSIGNMNENT A AND B 

ASSIGNMENT A:  SCAVENGER HUNT WITH your MAPLE LEAF: DEAD OR ALIVE?   ( 5 marks ) 

1.  Find something dead:  How do you know it is dead? (1 mark)

2. Find something alive.  What are the characteristics that tell you that this thing is alive? (1 mark)

3.  Find something that has never been alive.  What characteristics tell you that this is a NONLIVING thing.  (1 mark). 

4.  Discuss together, as a class,  what are the fundamental criteria of living things.  There is no wrong answer here...  Write these criteria in a paragraph.   (2 marks). 

What are the Criteria for Living things? look at these notes which we took today

ASSIGNMENT B: SCAVENGER HUNT WITH YOUR MAPLE LEAF WHICH HAS YOUR NAME ON IT.

(5 marks). 

FIND THE FOLLOWING SPECIMENS ALL ON SCHOOL GROUNDS:

5 different plants 

5 different animals (this can be INSECTS, SPIDERS, PILLBUGS)

2  fungi ( if you cannot find a mushroom, this can be lichen, which can be found on tree bark)

Include pics of your specimens under the microscope 

UPLOAD YOUR PHOTOS ON A WORD DOCUMENT OR PDF 

*If you are currently working from home, try to find these specimens in a garden

Welcome to Science Class

 Welcome to Science 10! 

This course is a lab course which will cover Chemistry, Physics, and Biology   It is expected that you will receive most of your course content on line and we will do labs and field study in class.  You will hand in ALL assignments through Microsoft Teams.    I have set up my class so that the majority of the class notes shall be distributed on line from this blog.  

The majority of class time will be lab work (chemistry and physics experiments, microscope work) and also field study (walking to Trout Lake).  My windows shall be open ALL THE TIME to give us nice fresh air.  

ASSIGNMENT 1. HAND IN YOUR CONSENT FORM  /5

I would like you to download this consent form and bring it to class. It will give us the ability to walk to Trout Lake or Renfrew Ravine at any time that I announce during the term.   Bring this consent form to class.   evaluation:  5 points for handing this in

As we go into your Quadmester, I would like to prepare for learning during the third wave of Covid 19, including transmission of covid variants.   I would like to remind everyone that the best way to protect one another in class is to keep our distance (2m), wash our hand frequently AND to wear a mask. 

I invite you to flatten the curve by these simple measures! We will beat Covid 19 together!   Further, all of my class assignments will be posted here on this blog and therefore, if anyone misses any class due to illness, or self-isolation, you can easily keep up with the work. 

SAFETY MEASURES:

 In class, our safety measures will include:

- 15 students in every class.   

- physical distance, as much as possible

- wear a mask! It is required  (if you have medical reasons for not wearing a mask, please have your guardian inform me) 

- no academic penalties for being home sick, for isolating or for a +ive diagnosis of covid-19 either in yourself or a household member.

- windows shall be open in my class to admit adequate ventilation.  Further we will conduct class outside wherever possible as outside is safer than inside at this time.  Dress for the weather and be prepared to be outdoors rain or shine. 

- for Quadmester 4, in May, I will hold many science classes outdoors for the first few weeks so that all those who are over 40 (many of your parents and guardians) may access vaccines before we do more indoor learning, in June.  

Cases are very high especially in our neighbourhood.  case per 100 000 is 257 and this means 1 out of every 500 people in the Kensington neighbourhood is +ive for covid 19 in the last few weeks. I am determined to reduce any exposure risk in my classroom by holding class in the school garden or school grounds.  Dress accordingly with hat or sunglasses or rain jacket if we are to take a walk.  

Science Safety Rules

 MAKE A POSTER SHOWING   SUMMARY OF ALL THE RULES

1. 

                         WHMIS -  WORKPLACE HAZARDOUS 
                         MATERIALS INFORMATION
                         SYSTEM 

      THESE symbols are on the MSDS sheet for
       all chemicals    Materials safety Data Sheet. 

1. Follow teacher instructions

a.     If you wish to change instructions, check with teacher

b.     If you break anything or get hurt, report it REPORT ACCIDENTS

2.     No horseplay, fooling around

3.     Keep yourself safe

a.     Hair tied back, no loose clothing, shoes are closed

b.     If chemicals get on skin, use water

c.     Use eyewash if anything gets in eyes

d.     Wear goggles if needed

e.  If you wear contacts, inform the teacher

4.      Keep your area safe

a.     your work area is neat and organized

b.     you have your lab instructions

c.     aware of fire safety and chemical safety

5.     Keep the classroom safe

a.     Carry materials in a safe way

b.     Aware of fire safety procedure

c.     Don’t remove any experiments from the classroom

d.     Don’t do experiments without first checking with teacher.

6.      Hot and cold and chemical safety

a.     never assume the temperature of something.  Take precautions

b.     hot beaker and cold beaker look identical

c.     always point a test tube away from everyone

d.     when smelling a chemical, waft.

You will create safety rules by reading and summarizing the safety procedures in your poster

The rules can be under the following categories:
HIGHEST PRIORITIES:
THESE RULES CAN BE SUMMED UP LIKE THIS
      Talk to the instructor                     

KEEP ORGANIZED AND SAFE
Keep the classroom safe
Keeping your work area safe
Keep safe with your colleagues
Keep yourself safe
KNOW THE SYMBOLS
Know the correct symbols, WHIMIS symbols


COMMUNICATE AND REACT TO AN EMERGENCY
     be familiar with emergency procedures for fire, toxins, spills, and evacuation  

SAFETY ASSIGNMENT: . Make a poster of the safety rules 
Draw a comic showing all the safety rules on one side of the page. 

  Further include the WHMIS SYMBOLS

RUBRIK:  out of 10
YOUR POSTER IS COMPLETE SHOWING ALL RULES      10 marks
  the poster is neat and organized and easy to read    
the poster is remarkably artistic and creative and is different in some way 

Longboarding data

 Today we learned about the definition of the following words.  There is also a worksheet for 

which this is the answer key

scalar

vector

motion

distance

displacement

We also took video of longboarding in the tennis court. 

Physics Assignment:  Longboarding data

Upload your data table and your position time graph of  two examples of longboarding in the tennis court.

5 points 

you work on the worksheet

your group member uploaded the video, you made a correct graph with the x axis labeled position and the y axis labeled timeit includes your data table. 

What colour is that dress?

There is a very interesting dress. It has caused major arguments!  This dress causes your cells in your retinas to perceive it to be certain colours depending on the state of your retinas. Of course your genes determine what your retinas are like...but also your retinas change over time too!  

Your perception is also based on whether you think this dress is in shadow or light...Try this, 

 I would like you to ask  20 people you know "What colours do you see on this dress:  Is it :  

A. GOLD AND WHITE 

B.  BLACK AND BLUE

C.  GOLD AND BLUE

D.  NONE OF THE ABOVE...THEN what colour is it?  

What are the characteristics of the people who are more likely to say that it is any of the choices above?   

Remember you can poll people without meeting face to face. Ask a variety of people including old, young, male, female...put your results on a table and hypothesize why people see different colours

  

 

Sex linkage

SEX LINKED GENES

The sex chromosomes are XX and XY in humans. Some alleles are located on the X chromosome. But very few on the Y chromosome.  Remember that people who are  females have the genotype XX and people who are males have XY.

The Y chromosome carries very little information, only enough to influence the embryo on the path towards male primary and secondary characteristics.

Meanwhile, many RECESSIVE ALLELES are located on the X chromosome, including
1. hemophilia, the inability to clot blood
2. colourblindness inability to tell the difference between red and green colour
3.  baldness

These characteristics are far more common in malea than females because males have only one X. And if that X contains the recessive allele, they will show the phenotype.  Meanwhile, females may have the recessive and their dominant genes on their other X will protect them.  For example

An example of using a punnet square to calculate probability is here:

Some things to note about sex linkage:  Signs of sex linked alleles are:
1. more males get the phenotype, but females can be carriers
2.  males can inherit from mother but not father (because males get their X from mom)
3.  females have an extra X and this protects them.  Females must be homozygous to show the sex linked phenotype.
Further reading on sex linkage here http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/pigeons/sexlinkage/

FYI if you were born a male and you want to know if you're colourblind:  Test yourself here: But careful, if you are a genetically male, you might find out you are colour blind!  Apparently most people find out they are colourblind from their science teacher !  
http://colorvisiontesting.com/home.html

Basic practice worksheet going over main concepts

Worksheet B

Flex scavenger hunt, Friday: Genetic varieties of clover

 We know that plants are important to the ecosystem because they photosynthesize. Did you know that some plants are legumes and these are special because they have ROOT NODULES which are nitrogen fixers.  These root nodules are little rooms where Rhizobium bacteria convert nitrogen gas into ammonium and then Nitrobacter bacterium in the soil  converts ammonium into nitrates. Plants can absorb nitrates to make plant protein.  When those plants are eaten by animals, then animals use the nitrogen to make animal protein.  You can say that all the protein on your body (muscles, enzymes, hair, fingernail etc) was built from nitrogen which was fixed by Rhizobium at some point in time.  

ASSIGNMENT: 

Only certain plants contain these root nodules...amongst them are  bean plants and clover plants.   Look at the morphology of clover plants below.  Look on our school grounds  and find AS MANY DIFFERENT GENETIC VARIETIES as you can.  Upload your clover pic with Frog.

This picture is from research done by Tashiro et al on the genetics of clover plants.  https://www.researchgate.net/publication/250119450_Leaf_Trait_Coloration_in_White_Clover_and_Molecular_Mapping_of_the_Red_Midrib_and_Leaflet_Number_Traits

Sakura and Tree suckers and introduced species

 Today's scavenger hunt focuses on urban trees and the theme of  introduced species.  Trees are living organisms yet they form habitat for other life forms.  Together with frog, find the following specimens to upload on Thursday flex channel . One mark per photo! 

1.  Find evidence of an animal that lives on the tree. This could be a bug or a bird nest 

 2. Find a tree that has epicormic growth. These are called *suckers*. They are new shoots that grow out of the bark of a tree rather than from the tips of branches. They are sometimes a sign of a stressed tree

3. Next find a tree parasite *English Ivy*. This is an invasive species which climbs up trees and takes them down.  When this unceded indigenous land was colonized, invasive plant species hitched a ride: 

4.  Some of these introduced species were medicinal...Dandelion root is being investigated  as a potent cancer treatment 

5. Finally, there is Sakura, gorgeous cherry blossoms brought over to Vancouver from Japan. 

Flex assignment for Wednesday: Find examples of genetic variation in plants or animals.

 Do you notice that your friends have traits that  exhibit genetic variation?  We are not all the same height, with the same hair colour, or eye colour. We are not clones.

Genetic variation is caused by sexual reproduction.  Sexual reproduction mixes up genes from a previous generation. A population is defined as a group of organisms which are the SAME SPECIES which can mate and produce FERTILE OFFSPRING.  For example a horse is genetically similar to a donkey but they are not the same species because their baby cannot make more babies.  Their offspring is a mule which is infertile.

Plants show variation of species if you look very carefully...  Today, FIND A POPULATION. This could be a plant population or a fungus population.  it could be leaves of many plants which are the same species.  Note the variation.   They can be a flock of birds or it could be three different dogs.  It could be cats.  YOU MUST INCLUDE YOUR FROG. 

 Take a pic of a population showing variation.  Examples below.  Use your frog and upload on the Wednesday flex channel.  Write what trait you are observing (colour, texture, size)

species: heather plant.  variation:  colour

Note the variegated pattern of the leaves.  not one leaf is the same. It shows variation, but all these plants are the same species:

These two magnolias show genetic variation:

Introduction to Genetics

 Watch the introduction to Genetics video and make notes on it. (You may use the notes organizer I provided in class. This organizer can be found outside my door.

DRAGON GENETICS WORKSHEET is located on a chair in front of my door. Complete this and upload with your frog.  /10 marks

Intro to Genetics ASSIGNMENT /20 marks 
Answer these questions on this worksheet 
 creatively in the form of a labeled drawing, or a rhyming poem 
 


Cartoon /20
20 - This stands out in its effort and creativity
18-19. This is done in ink and colour and includes all the details above and the details are all correct.  This is excellent

15-17. This is very good work with effort and correct details.  Some details are not there but most are there and there is excellent quality of drawing and presentation.

10-14. This is a very good start and your work shows creativity.  It is not in colour or ink and looks like a very nice draft

5-9.  This is incomplete but a decent start.


Poem
20. Your poem truly stands out.  You show exceptional talent and you include all the details
19-19. Your poem shows talent in writing, 

with creative and memorable images.  You include all the details above and also your poem rhymes with excellent rhythm.

15-17. This is very good work with effort and correct details.  Some details are not there but most are there and there is excellent quality of writing.

10-14. This is a very good start and your work shows creativity. like a very nice draft

5-9.  This is incomplete but a decent start.

Mitosis and Meiosis, a review.

Although you studied mitosis and meiosis last year, it is worth a look again to make sure you have all the steps down correctly.  This video explains how alleles are connected to the steps of mitosis and meiosis.  I also assume this is familiar from last year.  I recommend watching the Genes, Alleles and Chromatids video first so you understand the terms

Please watch this video


Mitosis and Meiosis Assignment 
CREATIVELY answer the following questions on your own paper and photograph this and send it in through teams. Answer in full sentences and draw your answers.

1.  What is Chromatin?  How many strands are there in a human?
2.  How many chromatids are there in a human?
3.  What is the 2n  or diploid number?
4.  What is mitosis used for?
5.  What is meiosis used for?
6.  Define "Gamete"
7.  What is the Haploid number?
8.  What organ makes sperm, what makes egg?
9.  How many chromatids are in a sperm or egg?
10 Draw a fertilization
11.  Draw how sperm cells are made using the number 46 to represent the chromatid number.
12.  Draw and label Chromatin, Chromatid, Sister chromatids, Chromosome.  And show me a homologous chromosome
13.    Draw a mitosis with 2n= 6.  Label the stages in detail. Remember to draw Interphase and show chromatins.
14.  Draw a meiois with 2n=6.   Label the stages.
Again, draw interphase and show the chromatin.
15a. Why does crossing over happen during prophase I?
15b.  What is primary nondisjunction.  What can happen to the chromatid number?

16.  The word chromosome is very tricky it's true definition is:

1 chromosome = 2 identical sister chromatids joined together in a centromere,
What is the other definition and why can it be a very tricky word?

17.  Write the steps of meiosis and mitosis side by side.   (this is at the end of the video)

You can also take a look at this resource.  It is meiosis and mitosis from a college level text book.  This is extended reading for those who are interested in going through biology.  I think many of you can actually handle this level.


Cartoon /20
20 - This stands out in its effort and creativity
18-19. This is done in ink and colour and includes all the details above and the details are all correct.  This is excellent

15-17. This is very good work with effort and correct details.  Some details are not there but most are there and there is excellent quality of drawing and presentation.

10-14. This is a very good start and your work shows creativity.  It is not in colour or ink and looks like a very nice draft

5-9.  This is incomplete but a decent start.


Poem with screen grabs from video
20. Your poem truly stands out.  You show exceptional talent and you include all the details
19-19. Your poem shows talent in writing, with creative and memorable images.  You include all the details above and also your poem rhymes with excellent rhythm.

15-17. This is very good work with effort and correct details.  Some details are not there but most are there and there is excellent quality of writing.

10-14. This is a very good start and your work shows creativity. like a very nice draft

5-9.  This is incomplete but a decent start.

YOU MAY ALSO PROPOSE YOUR OWN CREATIVE FORMAT

Let me know if you want to make a video, a dance, a podcast, a news article, an interview...any other format is accepted. 

Radioactive Decay and Half Life April 8 and 9

Your teacher will explain the concepts in the two videos below . If you are working from home you may watch the videos and take notes on them.   Feel free to contact me if you have further questions. 

You will do a little more physics and work on the concept of "Half Life"  and you will be given a worksheets.  one answer key is here and the   Answer key  is here.

Safety precautions:   Please open all windows, turn on exhaust fan and maintain physical distance. 


TWO ASSIGNMENTS to be handed in through TEAMS: total 15 marks

ASSIGNMENT A: Make a creative summary of the concepts of HALF LIFE and ALPHA, BETA and GAMMA decay.  10 marks

ASSIGNMENT B: Take a pic of your completed HALF LIFE worksheet with FROG  5 marks

Criteria for creative assignment: 

This is a poster, a podcast, or  a poem
8-10. It is excellent, creative and thoughtful

6-7.  It is a good job and a great summary of the material

3- 5.   It is a good start but incomplete. 


Videos are below

 

inaturalist lab activity outdoors over two periods

this image was drawn by A. C.   a biology student

 The app inaturalist is very useful to identify living things.  Tuesday and Wednesday you will explore what it is to be a living thing, and you will create a Naturalist Notebook using blank paper, your frog and an iNaturalist app.  A naturalist notebook is something that biologists have used to note their observations.  Today you will

1.  Do an exercise called "Dead or Alive"  Have a class discussion on the fundamental criteria of living things. 

2.  Download iNaturalist on  an electronic device (such as a phone).  

3.  Find living things in a natural place such as our Gladstone School Grounds, or Gladstone Garden. 

4.  Photograph living specimens (and upload to iNaturalist). IDENTIFY the specimen and make a clear, coloured drawing of the specimen.  

5. If you finish all of these tasks, you may work on previous homework.  If you must do your homework in the classroom, please ensure that all windows are open and the exhaust fan in the room is on and you keep your physical distance from each other.

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS:   WHMIS: biohazardous, infectious disease 

At this time, the risk of covid-19 Brazilian variant P1 is high in Vancouver, especially if you are meeting people who are not in your immediate household.   This covid-19 variant of concern is more easily transmissible and can cause illness in young people.  Estimates are that in VCH more than 40% of positive covid tests are P1.   Therefore   we will conduct our lesson outdoors to mitigate this risk. You will keep your mask on when you are within 2m of another person outside and you will wash your hands if you share any maretials today, including pencil crayons.

ASSIGNMENT A:  SCAVENGER HUNT WITH FROG: DEAD OR ALIVE?   ( 5 marks ) 

1.  Find something dead:  How do you know it is dead? (1 mark)

2. Find something alive.  What are the characteristics that tell you that this thing is alive? (1 mark)

3.  Find something that has never been alive.  What characteristics tell you that this is a NONLIVING thing.  (1 mark). 

4.  Discuss together, as a class,  what are the fundamental criteria of living things.  There is no wrong answer here...  Write these criteria in a paragraph.   (2 marks). 

ASSIGNMENT B: SCAVENGER HUNT WITH FROG.   

(5 marks). 

FIND THE FOLLOWING SPECIMENS ALL ON SCHOOL GROUNDS: 

5 different plants 

5 different animals (this can be INSECTS, SPIDERS, PILLBUGS)

2  fungi ( if you cannot find a mushroom, this can be lichen, which can be found on tree bark)

ASSIGNMENT C: NATURALIST NOTEBOOK: (25 marks)

5.   Make a clear DRAWING of each specimens and colour the drawings at least one page per specimen.  Identify the specimen (using inaturalist) and write the following information:  

a.  Where did you find it? 

b.  What were the abiotic conditions where it was found?  ( full sun, part sun, shade...wet soil, dry soil, leaf litter, ). 

c.  Tell me about its life history if it is an animal

d.  Tell me something about it if it is a plant.

CARE IS TAKEN IN DRAWING and observing   out of  25
22-25  you make exceptional,  careful drawings with clean lines.  It is beautifully done and neat, it's in colour.  This stands out.  
20-21   you make exceptional careful drawings. This is beautifully done and neat and in colour. 
16-19 your drawings are complete and neat
5-12    you needed more time as your drawings seem a bit rushed and incomplete.

Thursday FLEX assignment: an online assignment

 I would like you to look around and find several examples of plant spores and seeds.   Mosses and ferns are bryophytes, the first plants in evolutionary history to occupy land... and they do not make seeds, they make SPORES. Mosses make sporophytes which contain spores.  These are hard to find. They look like this:

The sporophyte is also known as a calyptra.  They look like brown stalks on top of the moss : 

Fern spores are made on structures called sori (sorus in singular ) and these  can generally be found on the underside of any fern.  

Conifers were the first plants in evolutionary history to make seeds  and they put these seeds in cones.  

And finally, the last plant to evolve in evolutionary history are flowers and flowers contain ovules, which nurture the seeds.   The first flowering plant in evolutionary history which used INSECTS to pollinate was Magnolia Stellata and these are flowering EVERYWHERE  right now. 

Flowering plants often create seed heads and these seed heads are a food source for birds

YOUR SCAVENGER HUNT TODAY:   Go with your frog and take a pic of 

a.  a moss sporophyte

b. a fern sorus

c.  a cone from a conifer (some of you took this yesterday)

d.  a magnolia flower (hint, if you go back to the one you observed weeks ago...it might be flowering now! )

e. A seed of any sort or a dried seedhead

Upload your pic on the Thursday chat and label your pics. Remember to include frog in your picture.