Biology is "the scientific study of life" but there is more to life than biology.  This year, hopefully, you will learn a considerable amount about life including biology.  Welcome to Biology.  Everyone is invited to excel!

 

Week One (Aug. 18 - 22)

1) Mon. -- Teacher/Staff Mass & In-service(Wait till each item is covered in class before bringing it in!)

2) Tues. -- Teacher/Staff In-service

3) Wed. -- First day of classes.  Introduction to Prayer: The Angelus Domini

  Two paintings: The Angelus by Jean Francois Millet (1857) & The Annunciation by Henry Ossawa Tanner (1898).

  Assignment 1 - Handout: Word Part List #1  -- due Thurs., Aug. 21.

  Assignment 2 - Handouts: Go online and select an exotic species by

                          Mon. Aug. 25.  To be an exotic species in Illinois, it

                          needs to be living in the wild within the state but not be

                          native to the state.  Each student is a class needs to

                          select a species not yet taken by another member of

                          same class on a first come basis.

  Assignment 3 - Bring a 70-page spiral notebook completely reserved for

                          Biology to class tomorrow.

4) Thurs. -- Biology Pretest - This test will not count towards a grade.

  Biology Notebook -- We will use this notebook to record observations

                          and to take notes.  This will be graded each quarter.

                          Students must follow directions provided in class.

5) Fri. --  Textbook distribution and break-in.

  Assignment - Read Chapter 1, pp 1-28 by Friday, Aug. 29.

-- In class, we will flag words that must be spelled exactly correctly.  Spelling does count on tests but this is not a spelling class.

-- First week terms: margin, trans-, -scribe, -script, port, literally, vascular tissue, arteries, veins, venation, midvein, genus, genera, species, blade, drip point, petiole.  Who were the "Scribes" in the Bible?  What the title "rabbi" mean?

-- Scientific names to know: Ficus, Homo, Homo sapiens.  Remember that the first letter of a genus is capitalized and both the genus and species are underlined (or written in italics). 

 

Week Two (Aug. 25 - 29)

1) Mon. -- Exotic Species Choice Due

              -- Semantics in this class is defined as "the study of the meanings of words, changes in the meanings of words and the politics of the meanings of words.” There is a battle going on in our world that can be called a “war of the words” for those who control the vocabulary of the world can control people’s minds.

          -- Extra credit in this class is defined as "points added to the numerator of a score which are not added to the denominator."  The only place a student can earn extra credit in this class is by "fishing for points" on a test.  If a student fishes for points on a test, they will be extra credit points for that test until they reach 100% for the test, then the points will count as equal credit for their overall grade.

          -- Equal credit in this class is defined as "points added to both the numerator and the denominator of the score."  There are many ways that students can earn equal credit in this class by "self-assigned homework."  Equal credit is always a 100%/A+ grade.  [Example: The first student to bring in a live cicada killer wasp could earn up to 14 pts. equal credit.]

          -- Notebook Observations -- The Biology Notebook is both a lecture notebook and an observation journal.  It will be worth 30 points each quarter.  Students should make original observations of specimens we look at in class and follow directions for how to keep a good notebook.

          -- Oriental Praying Mantid -- Tenodera aridifolia sinensis

2) Tues. -- Collection Data  -- When a student brings in a specimen for equal credit, it should be accompanied with collection data answering the following three questions.  1. Where was the specimen found?  2. When was it found?  3. Who collected it?  The student should copy the data onto one of the small sheets of paper shown in class using the format given in class.  The collection data label should be neatly printed. [The name of the specimen is not part of the collection data but should be added on the back of the collection data sheet in case it gets separated from the specimen.]

          -- Angular-Winged Katydid -- Microcentrum rhombifolium

3) Wed. -- Thermal Energy (heat & cold) and the four states/phases of matter.  Demonstration using nuts & bolts.  [The Cold War -- Assured Mutual Destruction]

4) Thurs. -- Linnaean System of Taxonomy -- Carl von Linne published "Species Plantarum" in Latin under the name Carolus Linnaeus.  He is known as the "Father of Modern Taxonomy" and introduced Binomial Nomenclature and the "Seven Levels of Classification."

5) Fri. -- Binomial Nomenclature is defined as "the naming of a species with two names."  The first name is the genus of the species and the second name is called the specific epithet and usually describes something about the species.  The first letter of the name of the genus must be capitalized and both names should be underlined or written in italics.  The specific epithet by itself is considered meaningless.

        -- There will be a vocab quiz on Tuesday, Sept. 2 worth ~20pts.

 

Week Three (Sept. 1 - 5)

1) Mon. -- No Class (Labor Day)

2) Tues. -- Vocab Quiz (exactly 20 pts) See review sheet. 

            -- Handout 1: Poem of the Month: "September" by Helen Hunt

                    Jackson.           

            -- Handout 2: Classification of Insects

            -- Handout 3: Study Guide for Exam Friday of this week.

            -- Biological Evolution is defined as "a slow change in a species or population over many generations in response to the environment."  In this definition, a generation refers to "a reproductive age group" and a population refers to "all the members of a single species found in the same geographical location".  Biological evolution does not take place in an individual and does not take place between parents and their offspring.  Either the whole species evolves or an isolated population within a species evolves because it is reproductively cut off from the rest of the species.  The larger the interbreeding population, the slower evolution will take place.

3) Wed.  -- Thermal Energy (cont.) Heat vs. Temperature demo with flasks.  Heat is defined as "the total amount of kinetic energy of atoms and molecules in a sample."  (Note: When measuring heat, the size of the sample is important and the unit of heat we will talk about is the calorie.)  Temperature is defined as "the average amount of kinetic energy of atoms and molecules in a substance."  (Note: When measuring temperature, the size of the sample is not important and the unit of temperature we will talk about is the degree Celcius.) 

            -- Begin poem of the month: "September" by Helen Hunt Jackson

            -- Begin Classification of Insects (See handout.)

            -- Continue review for exam this Friday.

            -- There will be a class retake of the first quiz this Friday after school for any student who wants to take it.  If a student takes the retake, they will get 100% of their improvement (this time).

4) Thurs. -- Today, we will go over the review sheet for exam tomorrow.  (We will also return the first 20-pt vocab quiz from Tuesday.)

5) Fri. -- Exam (Introduction) (~70 pts) 90% of points will be from study guide handed out on Tuesday/10% will be from notes not on study guide.  Be sure to know the seven levels of classification of plants, how to write collection data with the format given in class and be able to label the drawing of a Ficus leaf.

        -- Class Retake of first 20-pt vocab quiz after school today. Students will earn 100% of their improvement if they take it today!!!

 

Week Four (Sept. 8 - 12) Progress Reports go out Tuesday.

1) Mon. -- Return exams and homework.

          -- Handout: Answers to word part list #1.  We will go over these on

              Monday and have a quiz over them on Thursday.

          -- Go over "Poem of the Month" for September.  Students may

                bring in anything mentioned in the poem with the exception of

                fringed gentian.

2)Tues. -- Frosh. testing/No Class f1st - 3rd hrs.

                  Discussion in classes that meet.

3) Wed. -- Frosh. testing/No Class 1st hr & part of 2nd hr.

                Review Word Part List/Discussion in classes that meet.

4)Thurs. -- Quiz over Word List #1 (21 pts.)

            -- All five sections of Biology are at a different place due to Frosh

                testing.  The best way to get the classes coordinated again is

                to start a fresh topic and then slowly move back into what was

                being covered.  We now begin an overview of Evolution.

            -- According to Evolutionary Theory (AtET), life only began

                once on earth.  Therefore, every living thing on earth is related

                by common descent.  We can therefore construct taxonomies

                based evolutionary relationships.

5) Fri.  -- Evolution, cont.

          -- Escherichia coli is the major species of bacteria found in our

              intestines where it helps us digest our food.  Whenever a species

              is mentioned in a biological paper for the first time, its name

              should be written out completely.  After that, the name of the

              genus is abbreviated to the first letter and a period.  Thus

              Escherichia coli becomes E. coli.  The specific epithet "coli"

              was given to this species because "colon" is "the scientific name

              for the large intestine."  Although this bacterium is in all of us

              and is necessary for healthy life, there are many strains of E. coli

              today that cause illness when they contaminate our food.  We

              hear of E. coli "outbreaks" whenever one of these contaminations

              is discovered because a large number of people are affected but

              there are probably many more isolated cases that we never hear

              about.

       

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Week Five (Sept. 15 - 19)

1) Mon. -- We will observe the apple chamber and the spider chamber.  Our

              spider is a black and yellow Argiope.  All spiders in the genus

              Argiope are called "orb weaving spiders" because the spin a

              spiral-shaped web.

          -- Check out this link about "The Orange and Black" for our exam on

              Thursday:          Tenodera aridifolia sinensis

             

2) Tues. -- We will finish this mini-unit on evolution by going over the

                evolutionary terms primitive, advanced, modified and

                adapt (v)/adaptation (n).

            -- We will discuss the above evolutionary terms while talking about                  the pineal eye and pineal body. We will also use these terms

                to discuss some of the ways our ancestors adapted (AtET)

                when they began living in trees.

3) Wed. -- Final review for exam.

4) Thurs. -- Exam on evolution for 90 points.  There will be a review sheet

                for what we discussed in class but there will be questions

                      from the link above that will not be on the review sheet.

            -- There will be a short essay question about the Catholic position

                on abortion that will be graded separately from the rest of the

                test.

5) Fri. -- Poem of the Month/taxonomy of insects and plants, cont.

 

Black and Yellow Argiope wrapping up cricket on Sept. 15, 2008.

Note the spinnerets producing the web at the tip of her abdomen and that her hind legs are pulling the web out and wrapping it around the insect.

 

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Week Six (Sept. 22 - 26)

1) Mon. -- Discussion of apple demonstration.

          -- Evolution continued -- a. Review evolutionary terms.

              Artificial vs. Natural Classifications

              b. AtET, the only (evolutionary) purpose of an organism is

                  reproduction.

              c. Evolutionary Fitness -- Reproduce early, often and

                  successfully (meaning the offspring also survive and

                  reproduce).  Individual organisms that are more "fit" leave

                  more genes to future generations.

          -- Kingdom Fungi -- observe giant puffball fruiting body.

          -- Life cycle of monarch butterfly/observations of larva and

              chrysalis

2) Tues.-- Discuss life cycle of the monarch butterfly and illustrate with

                larvae in class.  Today, one of our monarch larvae formed a

                chrysalis during homeroom.  The other is attaching itself to a

                leaf at 5pm and will probably form a chrysalis tomorrow.

            -- Seven levels of classification of animals.  (Compare to plants.)

            -- Word roots.

3) Wed. -- Shortened periods.

            -- Life Cycle of Monarch Butterfly, cont.

            -- Animals using bright colors as a warning.

            -- Classification of Insects, cont.  (word roots)

4) Thurs. -- Word Part List #2

            -- Class retake on 80-pt evolution exam on Monday, Sept. 29

                beginning at 2:40pm.  This will not count as a personal retake

                if taken at this time.  Student must bring the answer sheet of

                their graded exam to get in.  If it is signed by a parent, they

                will get 100% of their improvement up to a C- (56 pts.) and will

                get 70% of their improvement beyond that.  If the answer

                sheet is unsigned, then they will get 60% of their improvement.

5) Fri. -- Quiz on Word Part List #2 (21 pts.)

        -- Classification of insects cont. (Subclasses Apterygota, Pterygota,

            Groups Exopterygota and Endopterygota)

        -- The "el" method of outlining lecture notes.

        -- Reminder: Retake after school next Monday.

        -- Next exam probably on Thurs. next week.

Week Seven (Sept. 29 - Oct. 3)  Progress Reports go out Tuesday.

1) Mon. -- Class retake of evolution exam after school today beginning

              at 2:40pm.  Students must bring their answer sheet from the

              original exam to get in.  Students who bring an answer sheet

              that is signed by a parent get 70% of their improvement.

          -- Entomology cont., including a review of the "el" method of

              outlining lecture notes.

          -- Orders of insects.

2) Tues -- Life cycles of insects: Gradual Metamorphosis and Complete

              Metamorphosis.

3) Wed. -- Reproduction/Asexual & Sexual

4) Thurs. -- Reproduction, cont.

5) Fri. -- Review for exam on Reproduction and Entomology

Week Eight (Oct. 6 - 10)  Go Saints!!

1) Mon. -- Exam (Reproduction/Entomology) (86 pts.)

2) Tues. -- Entomology, cont.

3) Wed, -- Entomology, cont.

4) Thurs. -- Notebooks due.  (30 pts.)

5) Fri. -- Homecoming (No classes)

Our monarch female emerged from her chrysalis on Friday and our male on Saturday.  They were released and flew away over the weekend.

Week Nine (Oct. 13 - 17)  Go Saints!!

1) Mon. --  Columbus day/No classes.

2) Tues. -- Review for exam/Life Cycles/photos and specimens

            -- Pogo

3) Wed. -- Review, cont.

3) Thurs. -- Exam on Entomology (110 pts.) -- First grade of the second nine weeks.

4) Fri. -- -- Handout: Poem of the Month: "October" by Robert Frost.           

O hushed October morning mild,

Thy leaves have ripened to the fall;

To-morrow's wind, if it be wild,

Should waste them all.

The crows above the forest call;

To-morrow they may form and go.

O hushed October morning mild,

Begin the hours of this day slow,

Make the day seem to us less brief.

Hearts not averse to being beguiled,

Beguile us in the way you know;

Release one leaf at break of day;

At noon release another leaf;

One from our trees, one far away;

Retard the sun with gentle mist;

Enchant the land with amethyst.

Slow, slow!

For the grapes' sake, if they were all,

Whose leaves already are burnt with frost,

Whose clustered fruit must else be lost--

For the grapes' sake along the wall.

 

 

 

 

To 2nd 9 wks.