Burrowing Owl at the Interpretive Centre in Moose Jaw, SK (Summer 2008)
September
> Sep. 24 – Wednesday, Day 1 – Biology 20 with Mr. G
Hello everyone! I look forward to teaching all of you over these next several weeks In today’s class we looked at the development of the Cell Theory and its three main points:
- All organisms are made up of one or more cells
- Cells are the fundamental functional and structural unit of life
- All cells come from pre-existing cells
We watched a short video clip called “A brief history of the cell” We considered how the discovery of cells was limited by the technology that was available to scientists I demonstrated how onion cells could be taken from an onion and put on a microscope slide and observed with a microscope The rooms or cells of the onion cell were easily visible, as well as the cell’s nucleus, where the cell’s genetic information (DNA) is located I told my frostbite story and how some of the cells in my feet died (with some pretty sick pictures!) Finally, I gave everyone a short mini-quiz to write at the end Homework: Post a comment on my blog with the following information about yourself: Name, Age, Family, Interests, Pet Peeve(s), Something random about you
> Sep. 26 – Friday, Day 3 – Natural Selection
We reviewed Cell Theory We compared a prokaryote to a eukaryote I started a slide show on Natural Selection and there were some notes on it
> Sep. 30 – Tuesday, Day 5 – Natural Selection continued…
I handed back the mini-quizzes from our first day We reviewed the theory of evolution through natural selection (4 main points) We reviewed Lamarck’s theory and used it as an example of how theories can change or be discarded with new evidence We met my friend Charles Darwin (who apparently has a Scottish accent!), and he told of his travels and his finches Notes: “Natural Selection is the basis of the theory of evolution You wrote about the peppered moths in England when it was being industrialized, this is an example of natural selection We cited Alfred Wallace’s contributions to natural selection (camouflage, warning coloration) We compared artificial selection to natural selection citing one similarity and one difference between the two You did a short mini-quiz at the end of class
October
> Oct. 2 – Thursday, Day 1 – Ecological Organization and Soil Sampling
I handed back mini-quizzes We started a new unit: “Ecological Organization” Defined Ecology Cue-card activity which involved organizing cards from smallest to biggest (smallest = subatomic particle; biggest = the universe) and dividing cards into living and non-living Compared biotic (living) components to abiotic (non-living) components Short youtube video, “A Tribute to Saskatchewan”– I had you identify the biotic and abiotic things that you saw in the video Defined Organism, Population, Community, Biosphere, Ecosystem, Habitat, and Niche I handed out an assignment, “Levels of Organization” We went outside and I demonstrated how to collect a soil sample Homework: “Levels of Organization” assignment is due for Monday. Also, bring two different soil samples to Monday’s class. If you forget what I wanted, here it is:
- For each site dig about 4 inches in depth, chop up with spade, move dug soil away, take sample from surface to 4 inch depth, keep all the soil (don’t drop any), put in bag
- Repeat step 1 several times until you can fill about a third or half of a plastic bag
- Label your bag with a descriptive label of your name and where you collected the soil sample from
- In total bring two different soil sample bags to class (ie. choose 2 different places to collect soil samples from, we want to have a large variety of different soil samples)
> Oct. 6 – Monday, Day 3 – Soil Profiles and the Baermann Funnel
Due: “Ecological Organization” assignment Notes: Soil Profile Burning organic matter demo We used our soil samples to isolate microbes using the Baermann Funnel Technique Homework: “Soil Profile” questions due for Wednesday and bring soil samples on Wednesday too if you forgot to do so today
> Oct. 8 – Wednesday, Day 5 – What factors affect plant growth?
Due: “Soil Profile” assignment We brainstormed some factors that affect plant growth, remember how we determined soil organic matter from last class? We checked the pH of our soil samples and considered what plants could grow in such soil (I handed out a sheet about what all could grow in soil at various pHs) We checked the texture of our soils, were they sandy, silty or clayey? We can also send our soil away to a lab to get a soil test, this test would help us determine the minerals in our soils I showed everyone a nematode that I got from Natisha’s garden soil sample on the Baermann Funnel, finding that nematode last night was h-core No Homework
> Oct. 10 – Friday, Day 1 – Class Wrap-Up with Burrowing Owls
I handed back a review for the test that you’ll have probably some time later next week Notes on Nematodes, Symbiosis and Rhizobia We went over the review I showed a video of my work with burrowing owls this past summer I sang the Biology 20 song to help you study! No Homework, but study hard for test–I enjoyed teaching you all!
> Oct. 27 – Monday, Day 5 – Hand back test
Handed back and corrected the Bio 20 test
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Mr. Lyndon Luu, a friend on microscope (BIOL 101, Winter 2005)
