For Or Against Genetically Modified Organisms?

We are going to be debating a group of students from Greene County JVS on March 10. We will be debating whether or not we should be genetically modifying organisms. Today you need to find 4 sources that are either in favor of doing this or against doing this.

HERE IS THE ASSIGNMENT to help you get ready for the debate.

Genetics and Designer Babies - Looking at Ethical Decsions

Yesterday in class - you and your partner created a baby - using coin flips to model the random selection of alleles that are contributed by both parents. Right now, we have no control over what genetic combination our offspring will receive. Read the article "Genetics Will Let Parents Build Their Baby" .

Answer the following questions:

1. Would you choose to genetically "program" your baby?
2. Do you think it is RIGHT to offer parents the ability to pick and choose the traits they would like their child to have? Explain.
3. How would you feel if you knew that you are the way you are because your parents MADE THE CHOICE to make you a boy or girl, picked your hair color, your intelligence etc. What problems might this cause?
4. The experts think that the ability to program the child would make our world even more competitive - do you agree or disagree with this? Explain
5. Would it be ok to program genes for health reasons? How would this change society?
6. If you knew in advance that your child carried a gene for cancer or some other disease - would that effect your decision to Have the child? Or would it influence how you treated the child once they were born?
7. George Annas feels that genetic engineering will add to the divide between rich and poor - explain your thoughts on this? Why do you think he feels this way?
8. Post a comment on this blog explaining your point of view on Genetically modified kids - give at least 3 supporting details to back up your opinion. The post won't show up immediately - I moderate the blog.
   

Genetics and Study Island Feb 24

Today you are going to do some interactive genetics activities to learn more about dominant and recessive traits.
Go to http://nature.ca/genome/04/041/041_e.cfm
Do PASS THE GENES and MIX THOSE GENES

When you are done, write up an explanation of what you did and what you learned about genotype, dominant and recessive traits.

Then, go to studyisland.com and work on your assignments. Remember, people who have NOT taken the OGT or NOT PASSED the OGT need to do any assignments EXCEPT the biology assignments. Juniors who have passed the OGT SHOULD be doing the cells, evolution and genetics assignments.

Taking a Fieldtrip With Charles Darwin

Yesterday you had a chance to read about how Charles Darwin's ideas and observations have effected science for the past 100+ years. Then, you had a chance to see how he started to develop his ideas by making his journey on the Beagle. Today you have a chance to take a fieldtrip with Darwin - this is an interactive site. You are going to learn that Darwin didn't come up with the THEORY of EVOLUTION - he came up with the THEORY OF NATURAL SELECTION - which is HOW evolution occurs.

TODAY'S FIRST LINK - use the red arrows to advance through the first 4 slides - then use the blue arrow at the bottom of the box when Darwin appears - Answer the questions that are asked on the trip - Answer questions 1-6 to turn in.

1. What are the 3 misconceptions about Natural Selection?
2. In your own words, explain what we can learn about Survival of the Fittest from Cave Salamanders?
3. Define FITNESS according to Darwin
4. Explain how phenotypes prove that Natural Selection isn't random. Give examples.
5. Define Environmental Selective Pressure
6. Why did long tongued salamanders have higher fitness than the short tongued ones? Explain how this shows that Natural Selection doesn't create variation.

TODAY'S SECOND LINK - Understanding the Genetics of Variation
Play FITNESS FEVER and keep a log of what you learn about your fish. READ THE INTRODUCTION SCREENS.

IF YOU HAVE TIME - Play the FISH ADAPTATION GAME

• How are the different kinds of fish living near the reef alike? How are they different from one another?
• Did the fish that you built succeed in the reef environment? Why or why not?
• In what ways is this activity related to the evolution of coral reef fish?
• Explain what it means to say that a fish is adapted.

Happy Birthday Darwin

Today and tomorrow we will be using computers to research the impact Charles Darwin had on the science of genetics and our understanding of how living things have evolved over time. Darwin developed the theory of Natural Selection based on observations he made during his trip aboard the Beagle.

Using THIS ARTICLE answer the following questions:

• Explain at least 3 of Darwin’s observations of nature that led to his ideas (Darwin's Big Ideas)
  
• Why is evolution via natural selection the basis of all of biology? (Darwin's Big Ideas)
  
• How do Darwin’s ideas influence our understanding of the sciences?(Darwin's Big Ideas)
  
• How does evolution continue to affect us today? (Darwin's Implications)

Using THIS WEBSITE develop a timeline for the voyage of the Beagle - include the 9 main dates, give details of the location and give specific details about what scientific activity Darwin did while at this location. - do not just use the info on the main page - click on the "go here" links

Onion Root Tip Mitosis Lab

We are going to be looking at onion root tip slides with our microscopes to see cells that are going through the process of mitosis. Since cells go through this process all the time, we will be able to see different phases going on in the same root.

Why do you think we are using root tips to explore mitosis?

Here is a weblink to do the lab online http://www.biology.arizona.edu/Cell_BIO/activities/cell_cycle/cell_cycle.html

Here is a vocabulary page to help you with terms http://www.biology.arizona.edu/vocabulary/mitosis_meiosis/mitosis_meiosis.html

What Do We Know About Genetics and Diversity?

Here are our ideas about Mitosis
Mitosis is necessary/valuable because:
- it makes copies of cells
- growth would not be possible without mitosis
- allows more of the same cell to be made
- splits the nuclear information in half then copies it
- lead to the devlopment of cancer

This is what we know about inherited traits
- you get them from your parents
- this process can not be controlled - can't pick and choose traits
- dominant and recessive traits
- evolution happens because successful traits can be passed along to future generations
- how is alcoholism hereditary
- can a trait skip a generation

This is what we know about evolution
- mistakes in your DNA can lead to evolutionary change
- it got us where we are today
- Are people still evolving?
- How is the idea of Intelligent Design related to this concept?

Charles Darwin - theory of evolution - natural selection, survival fittest
Miller - Urey - the experiment that showed that it might have been possible for amino acids to form on Earth
Watson and Crick - came up with the shape of DNA module
Gregor Mendal - created the concept of inherited traits.





Here is a list of the questions we came up with about Genetics. This is also a list of what we already know about Genetics.

DNA is shared
How do the genes fit together to make traits?
How do we get traits from parents?
Does DNA have anything to do with human race?
Stem cells can become any kind of cells
Genes can be passed through sexual reproduction
Genetics is the study of heredity.
Genetics are passed from generation to generation.
Genetic family traits can be seen across generation.
Can genetic makeup be changed without mutation
What part of genetics is the biggest part of our daily lives.

Charles Darwin -
he invented something
natural selection
geologist
theory of evolution
Scopes trial
Galapagos Islands
Studies Finches
Ship name beagle

Gregor Mendal

Watson and Crick

Lesson For Feb 6

Go to THIS SITE to find our lesson today - on Cancer and Mitosis

Mitosis Research Journals February 5

Choose one of the articles listed below to use as a research journal article for this week. In addition to the information you normally include in the research journal -
1. explain how the article has added to your knowledge of how mitosis works.
2. explain your thinking on the role of proteins INSIDE of the cell.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080403104400.htm
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081223121135.htm
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080703175225.htm
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070915100302.htm

Google Translator http://sites.google.com/site/fhsbio/

This is a wordle I made using the definition for mitosis:
title="Wordle: Mitosis"> src="http://www.wordle.net/thumb/wrdl/510435/Mitosis"
alt="Wordle: Mitosis"
style="padding:4px;border:1px solid #ddd">