Friday, Feb 1: Students took another self-quiz over the Unit 3 Notes in preparation for Monday’s Unit 3 Quiz worth 24 points.  Students also continued working on the second part of the “Bioinformatics of Beta-Globin” activity. 

Thurs, Jan 31: Mrs. Annee discussed the Bioinformatics of Beta-Globin activity and students took notes about transcription (Unit 4 notes).   Students in periods 1 and 5 began the second part of the “Bioinformatics of Beta-Globin” activity. 

Wed, Jan 30:  Students took a self-quiz on the unit 3 notes (mitosis and meiosis).  Students continued the Bioinformatics of Beta-Globin activity. 

Tues, Jan 29: Mrs. Annee discussed spermatogenesis and oogenesis and began the Unit 4 Notes on protein synthesis.  Students began the Bioinformatics of Beta-Globin activity. 

Mon, Jan 28: Mrs. Annee reviewed meiosis and reminded students that the Biotech Extra Credit Blog can be utilized tonight and tomorrow night.

Forget Marco Polo, the next time you are in a pool why not play a good game of “Mitosis”? 

[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/eFuCE22agyM" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /] 

Watch this beautiful 1.5 minute video: http://hybridmedicalanimation.com/anim_mitosis_wmVideo.html

Friday, Jan 25:  Students watched NOVA’s Life’s Greatest Miracle which contains stunning footage of fetal development (thanks to lots and lots of mitosis!).  Students are able to watch the video and explore topics in the video online at  http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/miracle/.

Thurs, Jan 24: Students reviewed mitosis and began discussing meiosis.

Wed, Jan 23:  Mrs. Annee reviewed the cell cycle with students.

Tues, Jan 22: Students participated in the Small Group Graded Discussion and wrote a brief synopsis of their current opinion regarding GM Foods (Should GM crops be prohibited?  If not, should food packages be labled if they contain GM material?). 

Friday, Jan 18: Students in periods 1 and 5 did not have class (shortened PRT class and Mrs. Annee was attending a professional meeting out of the building).  Students in period 7 conducted research in preparation for “The Bioethics of GMOs” small group discussion on Tuesday. 

Thursday, Jan 17: Students were introduced to “The Bioethics of GMOs: Miraclefoods or Frankenfoods?” small group discussion assignment and conducted research in the computer lab.  Students in period 7 also completed and submitted their GM Foods lab to Mrs. Annee. 

Wednesday, Jan 16: Students in periods 1 and 5 completed and submitted their GM Foods lab to Mrs. Annee.   

Tuesday, Jan 15:  Mrs. Annee showed a brief animation of PCR to review the concept of amplifying target sequences.  Students predicted the results of lanes 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7 of the GM Foods lab gel prior to analyzing them.  All students completed the Paper PCR activity and submitted it to Mrs. Annee. 

Mon, Jan 14: Students in all classes loaded their GM Foods lab samples into gels and completed the paper PCR simulation.  Students in periods 1 and 7 completed the Internet activity, “PCR, DNA Sequencing, and NCBI – What a BLAST!”

Friday, Jan 11: Mrs. Annee announced that the Biotech Extra Credit Blog will resume Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday evenings at 9:00pm as long as student interest remains high and consistent.  Students in all classes took notes and discussed the GM Foods lab.  Students in period 7 continued their work with the paper PCR simuation. 

Thursday, Jan 10:  Students in all classes continued work on the GM Foods lab by preparing PCR reaction tubes for the thermal cycler.  Students in periods 1 and 7 continued the paper PCR simulation activity while students in period 5 conducted a PCR Internet activity called, “PCR, DNA Sequencing, and NCBI – What a BLAST!”

Wednesday, Jan 9: Students began the GM Foods lab by preparing non-GMO and (possible) GMO food samples. 

Tuesday, Jan 8: Mrs. Annee returned the final exams and told students which notes, labs, etc., should be kept for use during the second semester.  Mrs. Annee also noted some important information about the second semester:

1. Students may read two books for extra credit.  Interviews for the first book will begin March 3 while interviews for the second book will begin April 21.
2. The CSI Event will take place in May.  Mrs. Annee will ask for student committee volunteers within the next few weeks.
3. Any student who earns an A or A- during the second semester will be exempt from the final exam (this is an antidote for senioritis!)