Thursday, 28 May 2026

Try the blood typing game

 blood typing game 

And here is the lesson on co-dominant traits with blood groups as the example  

Lesson on Co-dominance


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Wednesday, 27 May 2026

sex linkage

 SEX LINKED GENES

In the following post, I will refer to the term  "male" and "female".  This refers to people with male sex organs or people with female sex organs.  People with these organs can identify with a diverse range of gender such as:

Man, woman, nonbinary. This gender identify is not presumed by the presence of male or female sex organs

They might also identify as
LGBTQ2S++

The following descriptions are biological descriptions refer to 
male= has male sex organs like testes, producing male gametes such as sperm
female= has female sex organs like ovaries, producing female gametes such as  eggs. 


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 people with male sex organs  than people with female sex organs because  people with male organs have only one X. And if that X contains the recessive allele, they will show the phenotype.  Meanwhile,people with  female organs 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 genotypic males get the phenotype, but genotypic females can be carriers
2.  males can inherit from mother but not father (because males get their X from mom)
3.  genotypic 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 ! 
 


Basic practice worksheet going over main concepts
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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

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Wednesday, 13 May 2026

Co-dominance and human blood groups

 get ready for a quiz on this material next wednesday

BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS NEED TO MATCH THE DONOR BLOOD WITH RECIPIENT BLOOD SO THAT THE RECIPIENT WON'T MAKE ANTIBODIES AGAINST THE BLOOD DONATION

You have heard that blood type is important for blood transfusions. That is because the immune system will always attack foreign protein.  Surface proteins on cells and microbes are called ANTIGENS.  Your immune system will generate ANTIBODIES to fight antigens .  Antigens cause foreign cells to agglutinate so they can be "eaten" by white blood cells (opsonization) 







BESIDES A and  B ANTIGENS, your blood cells can also have Rh Factor antigens

When blood is rejected, it undergoes "AGGLUTINATION", this is when blood clumps up into blood clots.  

Anyone with NO RH factor will reject a donation from RH+ blood:

People with RH factor have Rh positive blood.   Type A+ has A proteins and Rh proteins. 

People who are:
type A+ can receive Type A-, A+ and O+ and O- blood
type B+ can receive type B-, B+ and O+ and O- blood
type AB+ can receive ALL TYPES OF BLOOD 
type O+ can only receive O+  and O- blood 

People who are:
Type A- can receive A-, O- blood
Type B- can receive B-, O- blood
Type AB- can receive A-,B-, O- blood 
Type O-  can only receive O- blood BUT YOU CAN DONATE O- TO ALL BLOOD TYPES


You can practice giving the right kind of blood on this website 



HUMAN BLOOD GROUP GENETICS 

The Alleles that make the human blood group antigens are codominant: 

A is codominant to B
A is dominant over O
B is dominant over O

Possible genotypes:

heterozygous AB blood gives both type A protein and type  B protein on the erythrocytes.


homozygous AA gives blood type A  protein on the erythrocytes
homozygous BB is blood type B protein on the erythrocytes

Heterozygous AO is gives blood type A
Heterozygous BO is blood type B










homozygous recessive OO gives blood type O .
There is  neither A or B on erythrocytes.




Blood type is heritable and that means you can sometimes deduce genotype by looking at phenotype. Here is a sample question:






















GENETICS OF RH FACTOR 

Rh factor is the dominant trait.  If you assign Rh=R then 
Rh+. is   RR or Rr
Rh - is rr

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Genetics intro: How to draw punnet squares and calculate probability

Watch my introduction to Genetics video and make notes on it. Note that there is an important correction in the video:  

CORRECTION: I would like to clarify that  the gender identity " girl" or "boy" does not necessarily correspond to the genotypes XX and XY.  Someone with female gametes  and genotype XX can be: a trans man, a cis woman, a nonbinary person or an agender person.  Also genotype XY can be: a trans woman, a cis man, a nonbinary person or an agender person.  There is one section of the video where I refer to a "girl" as xx and a "boy as xy.  This is incorrect.

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Dominant and recessive traits

 these are the  Genotypes for the following traits:

Dominant trait                            recessive trait

Earlobe attachment EE, or Ee.    unattached  ee
Tongue rolling TT or Tt              no tongue rolling tt
Cleft chin   CC or Cc                  no cleft cc
Widow’s peak WW or Ww.          straight hairline ww                    
Natural curl. NN.         straight hair nn.          wavy Nn       
Dimples DD or Dd            no dimples. dd
Righty RR   or Rr.          lefty rr
Freckles FF  or Ff           no freckles ff
Blood type.  AA  or Ao 
                    BB or Bo
                    AB 
                    oo 

internal ovaries  XX       internal testes XY.  
 
(NOTE THAT internal organs do NOT determine Gender identity)
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Tuesday, 12 May 2026

Mitosis 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.  It will help you to understand our next unit which is Genetics.  This video explains how alleles are connected to the steps of mitosis and meiosis.  I also assume this is familiar from last year.

Your teacher will review these steps, explaining some of the complex parts and  give you time to answer the questions.  Next, your teacher will review the answers to the questions.  After this you will do a creative assignment to demonstrate that you understand this material.  

Please watch this video


Answer the following questions on your own paper and hand this in. 
 Answer in full sentences and draw your answers.  Draw in ink or photograph a model using lego, string or other material

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.
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Friday, 8 May 2026

DNA replication

 Watch all three videos on DNA replication.   Start with my lecture video. Your online quiz on friday will include this content! 





This DNA replication Song was made by my students in 2007.  They were grade 11 students taking my bio 12 course.  Their music teacher is the same as your band teacher now.

Assignment : Answer the following questions in a creative format

1. Why does DNA replication happen?  Give three reasons
2. a. Draw a nucleotide and identify the 5' end and the 3' end
    b. draw a DNA ladder structure and label the 5' and 3 ' end

3.  Compare and contrast DNA and RNA.
a.  What are they made of?
b. What are their nitrogen bases?
c.  What enzymes synthesize DNA and RNA?
d.  How does DNA polymerase join one nucleotide with another nucleotide?

4.  What are the main steps of DNA Replication.  Include details of what each enzyme does
a.  Helicase
b. Primase
c. DNA pol III
d.  exonuclease
e. DNA pol I
f. ligase

5.  In what direction does DNA polymerase synthesize the new DNA strand?
6.  How is the lead strand different from the lag strand?
7.  What is an okazaki fragment?

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Monday, 4 May 2026

DNA notes

 Watch my videos on DNA, review the concepts in the slides below  and use class time to complete the assignments which are due on Friday.  






Here is another video from youtube which explains these concepts in more detail.





Assignment - 15 points

SUMMARIZE THE MAIN POINTS OF DNA NOTES 10 points

A. Summarize the main points of the DNA notes AND the DNA slide show in a Cartoon Format and make a clear photo of this cartoon.  upload your assignment in Microsoft Teams.   Include the details about Watson and Crick and Franklin.

EVALUATION rubric
10 points:  You included all the main points in a colourful, creative format which is written in ink and coloured.  You used humour and creativity and your assignment stands out for showing an understanding of the key points

8-9 :  you include all the main points and you show excellence and creativity. your assignment is in colour and inked

5-7 :  you include most of the main points and your assignment is handed in. It is a good start and  You needed more time to finish this.

2-4:  you handed something in that was not quite complete, although it is a pretty good start

You may do Assignment 3 Aas a poem that rhymes if you don't want to draw.

3B.  take a picture of  your drawing of this worksheet filled out: You may redraw it or edit it in Paint.
5 points
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Thursday, 30 April 2026

Half Life Problem

A meteor  lands in Vancouver right on a grocery store located here on April 29 at around 12AM in the morning....There is an explosion of dumplings and frozen dim sum ....



The meteor fragment makes a huge crater 50 ft deep and in the rubble, you notice there are layers of shells. Amongst the shells there is the mystery specimen which I have shown you in class.  


Questions: 
1. What is the likely identity of the object?
2.  Where did it come from?
3.  How old is this sample?  It contains 78% of the ng of Carbon-14 compared to any living sample 
4.  Where is the location of the crater? What First Nations Territory is this area of the lower mainland?  
https://native-land.ca/

5.  How might this sample have ended up here? 

When you answer these questions, give the EVIDENCE for your answers. 

Answer this question in form of a word document or a power point. You may work in a group. Please put references as the last page of your assignment. 

55-60/60
You answer the questions in paragraph form with illustrations (photos or drawings). Your reasoning is logical. You provide evidence for your conclusions.  You write clearly and your argument is communicated well.

40-55/60
You answer the questions in paragraph form with illustrations (photos or drawings). Your reasoning is logical. You provide evidence for your conclusions.  Your argument is good and could use a little more evidence

35-40
You answer the questions in sentences and you have photos and drawings. You provide little evidence for your conclusions

0-30
This is an excellent start, but you need more time to complete this project.
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Monday, 13 April 2026

Climate Action class 2

 1. Wildfires like the one that destroyed LA can happen in Vancouver

https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/local-news/wildfire-metro-vancouver-los-angeles-fire-2025-10093096


2.  historical CO2 levels NASA and NOAA data shows changes in CO2 over time. Make a poster of Climate change & a physical creative display of the earth & CO2 & using props  

here is a link with graphs

3.  Eating meat has an impact on carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere. Do some research on sustainable eating to reduce CO2

4.  Sustainable transportation options:  What changes must happen in our city to ENCOURAGE people to acutally use transportation that is not based on fossil fuels?  What are the forms of sustainable transport? 

historical railway in metro van 

https://maps.nicholsonroad.com/bcer/

compare it with skytrain 

https://maps-vancouver.com/vancouver-skytrain-route-map


5.  Make an air filter, a Corsi-Rosenthal box. 

more instructions here for a single filter version

6.  Sustainable Homes:  Make a model of a sustainable home and a sustainable neighbourhood.  What kinds of design can help reduce fossil fuel use? 

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Climate action festival class 1

 Make a plan for your display : Create a strategy to invite people to come to your booth and make a plan to engage the interest of your audience

TOPICS: 

1. MEASURING CO2 :   take CO2 levels in different school rooms show pics of result.  

Make a poster describing the CO2 levels in different areas of the school or home or in any other places of your choosing.  Also, include the following information in your poster

Good ventilation health effects Lancet article on designing infectious disease resilience in schools. pic1 of ventilation benefits 



Health Canada summary of ventilation as source of pic2 on CO2 harms

https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/publications/healthy-living/residential-indoor-air-quality-guidelines-carbon-dioxide.html 

taking readings for aranet 4 

Look at Al Haddrell's videos on how CO2 influences the stability of SARS-CoV-2

and especially consider the effect of climate change 

2. build a CR box write clear instructions for how to make a  CR box  to filter wildfire smoke

2.a Clean Air Crew instructions for CR box , note instructions on the single filter model
and here 

more instructions here for a single filter version


2.b CR boxes can reduce illness in classrooms by removing germs floating in the air . A news article summarizing  the scientific research 


  Air filters can reduce absence due to illness in Sweden




3.  Outdoor and Indoor air pollution. PM 2.5 from indoor and outdoor sources . What are the effects of wildfire smoke affect on health. make a poster & a physical creative display out of wood & human body model . 

Great visual on PM 2.5



4.  historical CO2 levels NASA and NOAA data shows changes in CO2 over time. Make a poster of Climate change & a physical creative display of the earth & CO2 & using props  

5.  Performance options: 
Do some busking at the festival:  
Or help run a button making station or...your choice

6.  Co-design a sustainable future: Be an artist for the festival WHAT ARE BUILDINGS THAT USE LESS ENERGY: SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE
CREATE A DREAM FOR SUSTAINABLE LIVING
TOPICS can include  transportation , living in your house, work, shopping , gathering, recreation 

7.  Create sustainability buttons for the Clean Air festival.  Use the button maker from the library.
8.  Make a poster on the climate change impacts of DATA CENTRES

8.  SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION .  WHAT ARE ALL THE ALTERNATIVES FOR TRANSPORTATION?  

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Tuesday, 7 April 2026

  Here are the Fusion and Fission notes 

I gave you a worksheet called 7.3 Nuclear Reactions, the answer key to that is here
There is also the Radioactive unit exam study guide  and Answer key 

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Wednesday, 1 April 2026

Solid Carbon Dioxide Lab: The Dry Ice Lab

 











Purpose: Observe the properties of carbon dioxide.  Discover what happens when carbon dioxide mixes with water. Record a neutralization reaction.  

Write an INTRODUCTION to your lab report summarizing the properities of CO2 .  Write this in paragraph form and include at least 5 properties of dry ice


Materials: Dry ice, universal indicator, sodium hydroxide, water.  Caution:  ice is -73 celsius and may cause skin damage if it is touched.  Sodium hydroxide is corrosive.  Universal indicator is poisonous.  Use appropriate eyewear. Wash hands with soap after the lab is over.

Safety precautions: write the safety precautions for this lab as reviewed in class

Procedure: Follow the procedure and write your observations:
Properties of carbon dioxide:  
1. Place a nugget of ice on the table and bat it around with your hands.  It'll start to slide around
2.  Place a nugget of ice on the table and put a coin on it.  Breathe on the coin.
3.  Place a nugget of ice in a puddle of water
4.  Rate of Reaction: Put ice in a flask of cold water.  Now use hot water.
5. Neutralization:  Put on your goggles: place a dropperful of sodium hydroxide in a flask of water and another dropperful of universal indicator. Drop a nugget of ice in the water.  Observe the reaction.

Conclusions:  write down your conclusions on the properties of Carbon Dioxide. Include at least 10 things you observed and learned about DRY ICE INCLUDING THE neutralization reaction.  include all equations that were demonstrated

Evaluation

write this as a group assignment dividing up the work.  Write it by hand , include drawings.  Make a pie graph indicating % done by each investigator.  Use FULL NAMES. If you need an alternative to handwriting for any reason please talk to me to arrange a different way to demonstrate your knowledge

35- 40 marks for a complete and thorough write up with DRAWINGS, AND MAKE A CARTOON OF THE PROCEDURE AND OBSERVATIONS. Write in paragraph form in ink and use colour

20-34. A really good write up with no colour no ink but the CONTENT OF THE MATERIAL is very well done

0-20. this work is incomplete
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Tuesday, 31 March 2026

Universal Indicator Rainbows

 We used universal indicator, a known acid and a known base to create as many pHs as possible. 

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spot plate lab

 Do an experiment with some unknown chemicals.  Write up your experiment in a lab report. Use your knowledge from the Acids and Bases notes to deduce what happened during our little magic trick.  Write up your experiment.  You will include data from  spot plate labs


LAB REPORT

Purpose:  To do some experiments and deduce how the teacher did the magic trick

procedure:  

1.  Observe the magic trick: describe it in great detail in point form

2.  Devise an experiment with the spot plates to determine as much information as you can about the two liquids:  "white wine" and "red wine".  Describe your experiment in point form.

3.  Write your observations.


RESULTS:

DRAW A PICTURE to show your results.  

CONCLUSION

Tell me your best hypothesis on how I might have done that magic trick. Use evidence from your experiment. Conclusion=1 mark.  Evidence=10 marks. 

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Tuesday, 27 January 2026

Introduction to chemistry

    

An analogy for Atoms, Compounds and Formula, drawn by SN This video is the first in the series for beginner Chemistry. In this video, I use the analogy of the atom as units very much like "lego bricks". This analogy was first used by researchers in MIT.

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Science Safety Wednesday Jan 28 lesson

 MAKE A POSTER SHOWING   SUMMARY OF ALL THE RULES

and have a look at this standard science safety quiz

1. 


















                         WHMIS -  WORKPLACE HAZARDOUS 
                         MATERIALS INFORMATION
                         SYSTEM 

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

THESE ARE MY SCIENCE SAFETY RULES:

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 

Make a safety poster which is 
Exceptionally creative and it stands out  It includes all the WHMIS symbols and all the science SAFETY rules listed above . It is done in colour and ink  22-25/25

Your poster is very creative and artistic and includes all the WHMIS symbols and all the science rules . It is done in pencil  18-21 

all the WHMIS symbols and all the science rules . It is mostly done and needs a bit extra work 10-15

This is a good start and seems like a great draft. It needs more time to complete it. 0-10

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