in light of our recent covid-19 exposure alert at school, I would like to empathize with you that this is a worrying time. I know that VCH has already contacted the parents and guardians of the class where the exposure has occurred. If you have not been contacted, you are not at risk.
Our school has excellent protocols and in my class, these are the layers of protection, which are similar to many workplaces:
- students wear masks in our school (with very few medical exceptions) and in my class, all wear masks.
- we ask students who are sick to stay home.
- we avoid physical contact and I encourage students to maintain physical distance
- for many classes, including mine, windows are open at all times, admitting fresh cold air (my students need to wear a coat!). Students can also request that windows are opened.
-there are less than 15 students in the class
I invite my students to come to school , wear a mask, and learn with us. We will get through this together!
The link to the CHECK IN quiz has been sent to you through TEAMS! If you have trouble accessing it or if you need a paper copy, then come and see me during flex time!
the quiz is called CRITERIA TO LIFE. I will email the link to you if you can't see it in TEAMS.
This course is a field course which will cover all the major phyla of life. It is expected that you will receive most of your course content on line and we will do labs and field study in class. You will hand in ALL assignments through Microsoft Teams. Below are your first week of assignments.
I would like you to download this consent form and bring it to class. It will give us the ability to walk to Trout Lake or Renfrew Ravine at any time that I announce during the term. Bring this consent form to class.
evaluation: 5 points for handing this in
CREATIVE ASSIGNMENT 2: DEAD OR ALIVE
For your first assignment, I would like you to go outside and find the following objects Photograph them or draw them and write about them in a little paragraph of no more than a third of a page. You may answer in the form of a type written response under your photo, OR you may write it out in hand writing and draw your answers.
1. Find something dead. How do you know it is dead?
2. find something alive. What is it about this object that makes it alive?
3. Find something that has never, ever been alive. What characteristics does this object have that tells you that it is neither dead nor alive. It is nonliving.
4. Find something that is not alive, but an important PART of something alive. Explain your answer
5. Look at your responses and ask yourself: What is the criteria of being alive?
evaluation : /20 points)
CREATIVE ASSIGNMENT 3. A SUMMARY OF BIOLOGY AND THE CELL
And watch this intro video on Eukaryotes and Prokaryotes
This video is an intro to some of the similarities and differences between eukaryotes and prokaryotes. It is meant to accompany our class notes.
Vocabulary words and ideas in the video:
Eukaryote
Prokaryote
DNA
nuclear membrane
protozoan
multicellular organisms
unicellular organisms
cell membrane, cytoplasm, DNA, RNA, ribosome, protein, endoplasmic reticulum
vacuole
mitochondria
Plant cell
chloroplast
cell wall made of cellulose
cell wall made of peptidoglycan
Bacteria in the environment and the gut
Make a creative summary of these notes. The summary must cover all of the points below:
1. What are the 4 criteria to life?
2. What are the two main types of cells on earth?
3. Give an example of
a. UNICELLULAR organism
b. MULTICELLULAR organism
4. I gave an example of the cell as a chocolate factory. Make your own analogy of the cell and include EVERY ORGANELLE. You may choose a plant cell or an animal cell.
5. How are plant cells different from animal cells?
6. What are four ways that cells can interact with each other.
below
evaluation: 20 points
ASSIGNMENT 4:
Fill in the blanks and complete the labeling on two of these diagrams photograph your work and hand them in digitally on TEAMS
evaluation: 5 points
CREATIVE ASSIGNMENT 5:
A ONE PAGE SUMMARY OF THE ARTICLE (included in page 6 of the notes)
"Why does programmed cell death, or apoptosis, occur?
Does it take place among bacteria and fungi or only in the
cells of higher organisms?"
Draw a POSTER or DRAW A CARTOON or write A POEM or compose A PHOTO ESSAY with key words which summarize the main points of this article.
evaluation: 20 points
EVALUATION CRITERIA BELOW for the CREATIVE ASSIGNMENTS
Creative response to the practice questions and exercises: out of 20
17-20 You created an outstanding creative response, for example:
a inked and coloured cartoon summary or poster of the completed questions or a rap song or a poem or propose your own creative response. including all the vocab words or a video any creative manner to show you understand the concepts. You included all the words and concepts and it is brilliant
14-16. You created an impressive and amazing creative response. It is an inked and coloured cartoon or a song or a video. It needs finishing touches and you included all the words and concepts. It is really good.
10-13. You did a really good start, this is creative! and your cartoon, or rap or video needs some finishing touches to truly complete it. You included most words and concepts, you need to include a few more
0-10. You started this project and it looks promising! You need to spend some time on it to make it complete
ADDENDUM.
DURING CLASS WE WENT OVER THE NOTES BUT WE ALSO DISCUSSED OTHER THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT. PLEASE ADD THIS TO YOUR CLASS NOTES
One way to think of living things is to say that CELLS ARE ALIVE because they have
WATER, in them.
And within this aqueous environment, biochemical reactions can take place,
ions can form ionic bonds. You identified many of the specimens as "alive" when you found
them in the school garden. Many of you said it was because it was not dried up, it was vibrant,
it held moisture. You intuitively know that when things are dead, they are dry or lacking in water.
Cells are like water balloons…with
BIOCHEMICAL REACTIONS happening inside them
Metabolism = the sum total of biochemical reactions
Happening inside a cell…you need enough moisture in the cell.
Therefore, if something is dried up…it is usually dead.
CELL RESPIRATION AND PHOTOSYNTHESIS ARE EXAMPLES of biochemical reactions.
When metabolism stops…the organism is dead.
Also the prokaryotes inside your body are important. The bacteria inside your intestines can determine your risk for heart disease, and they can even control your metabolic rate! You are like a world to those little microbes and they are very important for your health and well being.
This course is a field course which will cover all the major phyla of life. It is expected that you will receive most of your course content on line and we will do labs and field study in class. You will hand in ALL assignments through Microsoft Teams. Below are your first week of assignments. I have set up my class so that the majority of the class notes shall be distributed on line from this blog.
The majority of class time will be lab work (examining skulls, bacteria, plants, microscope work) and also field study (walking to Trout Lake). My windows shall be open ALL THE TIME to give us nice fresh air so dress warmly!
I would like you to download this consent form and bring it to class. It will give us the ability to walk to Trout Lake or Renfrew Ravine at any time that I announce during the term. Bring this consent form to class.
evaluation: 5 points for handing this in
As we go into Quadmester 2, I would like to prepare for learning during the second wave of Covid 19. I would like to remind everyone that the best way to protect one another in class is to keep our distance (2m), wash our hand frequently AND to wear a mask.
I invite you to flatten the curve by these simple measures! We will beat Covid 19 together! Further, all of my class assignments will be posted here on this blog and therefore, if anyone misses any class due to illness, or self-isolation, you can easily keep up with the work.
SAFETY MEASURES:
- a cap of 15 in every class
- physical distance, as much as possible
- wear a mask! It is strongly encouraged by our VSB! (if you have medical reasons for not wearing a mask, please have your guardian inform me)
- no academic penalties for being home sick
- windows shall be open in my class to admit adequate ventilation.
- we can conduct class outside sometimes to do field study
You will be invited to come to TWO SESSIONS of my class and you can leave at any time (since it is optional). The schedule will be sent to you through MS Teams.
Please note that my class will be conducted entirely outdoors RAIN OR SHINE and you should arrive to school dressed to be out in west coast weather while you attend my class. We will do a species inventory project on school grounds. You will be taking pictures of plants and bugs and identifying these with a species identification app. This project does not have to be done on school grounds and can easily be done at or near your home. It is due on June 18, through MS Teams
After this assignment gets handed in, then any in person class will involve a local, optional interpretive walk to the park (Trout Lake), again, rain or shine.
Common questions: May I use a computer in school library or computer lab?
All computer labs and library computers are closed. Please use your own device to access the internet at school. If you have access to a phone or tablet, you may use this.
Do I bring my own pens, pencil crayons and paper?
You are encouraged to bring your own pen, pencil crayons or felts as we have been advised by public health that students should not share writing materials. However, we can give you paper. We may do some sketching during class time so if you have your own sketchbook, you may bring it.
Is it mandatory to come to school? No it is not. School is OPTIONAL. If you come, I would be delighted to welcome you and help you with the plant ID app, but this is not mandatory. You can come for as much or as little biology class as you choose. If you do not come, I will continue to support your learning on-line.
Camosun Bog Restoration Group method for bog restoration: Watch this video. The teens in this video are my students when I taught at PW. They learned their plantae unit by joining a work party!
Why xʷməm̓qʷe:m, Camosun bog , is important: Listen to Elder Larry Grant talk about xʷməm̓qʷe:m. By the way, Elder, Larry Grant's parents are Musqeuam and Chinese. In addition to being a speaker of the Musqueam language, he understands and speaks Cantonese.
This is a pole carved by a Musqueam artist and related to the fourth video above. It is located in UBC and this is what it means
BIOLOGY ASSIGNMENT 8 DRAW a hand drawn cartoon summary of the videos which you see above as well as the meaning of the pole above. You should make at least three pages, one for each video. In your assignment, try to write in musqueam! Tell the story of Elder Larry Grant too, who is a Musqueam Elder (and a Musqueam-Chinese Canadian)
OR
WRITE an illustrated essay using photos like screen captures of the videos and illustrate your essay with photos. Remember that if you use a phrase from a source, to use quotations and cite the source.
EVALUATION
20 - your work is outstanding and excellent. It looks amazing and stands out. you hand in your blog address so I can read this work.
18-19 - your work is excellent showing attention to detail. You summarize the key points and you don't miss anything. Your drawings tell the story of the videos and links. Your writing summarizes the key points in an engaging writing style. You cite your sources and also you have posted your work on your blog, which you send to me. You show creativity.
15-17. your work shows a high standard of quality. your drawings are beautiful or your writing is excellent and engaging to the reader. You show creativity. you could have included a few more details or you did not cite your sources. You uploaded and handed this in on your blog.
10-14. your work is a very good start and shows alot of promise. Your drawings are extremely well done. You might need to add a few more details to make it more complete
