Welcome to the Blog

Bios,

Well you have found th eMariner AP Biology blog. The blog will be used to communicate what is going on in the class and ask questions of me and your classmates. Today in class you will do the "APPLY THE CONCEPT" on page 299. Over the weekend do the "APPLY THE CONCEPT" on page 305. This is due Monday. You should also be reading chapters 15 and 16.

Welcome to the class,

Mr. Baker

Preparing for the Exam

AP Bios,

If you have a question to ask leave it as a comment to this post. I will be checking the blog this evening, tomorrow morning, and tomorrow evening. Study on Garth.

Mr. Baker

FRQ Test Question for HSPE Week

Explain how a hypothetical extracellular signal (like a hormone) can result in a cellular response. Your answer must include knowledge of 1) cell membrane receptor, 2) signal transduction in cell, 3) gene activiation, and 4) gene product. No specific example of a signal is required. It would help to review sections 5.5, 5.6, have knowledge of chapter 10, and parts of chapter 11. Each section, 1-4, is worth a maximum of 5 points and 20 points total. Grade reported as percent scored.

Here are some inks to DNA animations I have used in class.

http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/dna/DNAi_transcription_vo2.html

http://vcell.ndsu.nodak.edu/animations/regulatedtranscription/movie-flash.htm

http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/dna/DNAi_translation_vo2.html

http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/dna/animations.html

What is on Big Idea III Test b

•          History of DNA research

–        Griffiths

–        Hershey – Chase

–        Avery, MacLeod, and McCarty

–        Watson and Crick / Franklin and Wilkins

•          DNA structure

–        Complementarity

–        Nucleotide

–        Antiparallel configuration

–        5’ – 3’

•          DNA replication

–        Semiconservative, in a 5’ – 3’ direction

–        Replication fork

–        Leading strand, lagging strand, and Okazaki fragment

–        Mutations

–        Point mutations

–        Chromosomal mutations

•          Concept of the gene has changed

–        Garrod’s observation and hypothesis

–        One gene, one protein

•          The Central Dogma

–        Transcription

–        mRNA processing

•          Exons

•          Introns

–        Translation

•          The process of translation

•          The standard genetic code

•          Point mutations and the genetic code

–        Post translation protein modification

•          Gene expression strategies

•          The OPERON

–        lac operon

–        trp operon

–        How it works and is regulated

•          Eukaryotes

–        Promoter structure

–        Initiation of transcription

–        Epigenetic changes

–        Alternate splicing of mRNA

Central Dogma Activity

5th period has informed me that I also gave them Wednesday the 20th to work on the project in class. So you have until the end of the period on the 20th to complete the assignment.

Change in Schedule

If you are checking in to see what is on the test I have good news for you. I have decided to postpone the test until January 8th. If this is the first time you have checked in be sure to look at the post below. It tells you what you will be required to write about for the test. For those of you that are "chomping at the bit" to get going on Big Idea III please read chapter 7. I am tentatively planning on testing chapters 7 and 8 on February 4th.

See you Monday!

Wake Up Sleepy Heads! It is time to go back to school

I hope you have had a happy and restful winter break. We had the pleasure of experiencing climatological records last December. If you thought it was a bit dark, you were right. Seattle had 27 days of measurable precipitation last month, an ALL TIME RECORD for December.  The old record was 26 days. Also, December 2012 is tied for darkest December with December 2007. So December 2012 was as bad as we have seen during this century! Now for the good news. January 3, is climatologically the COLDEST DAY OF THE YEAR in Seattle.  Here is the proof, based on the period 1948-2012.  The average maximum temperature drops to 43F and the minimum temperature to 33.  Then then warming begins! This information was taken from the Cliff Mass Weather Blog. Click on the link to Cliff's blog to read the details. You will find the link on the left margin of this page.

As you recall, a written exam awaits you when you return. You will be asked to write about how mammals maintain one aspect of their homeostasis. The following is a list of topics I will accept:

• Temperature regulation - hormonal: I am looking for you to describe how the endocrine system controls metabolism and therefore heat production and body temperature.
• Maintenance of life during hibernation: see the chapter 29 Q and QA plus other bits through the chapter. A good paper will describe how a ground squirrel can survive the winter despite not having sufficient food or fat reserves. 
• Temperature regulation - inputs and outputs: in total, animals regulate their body temperature by controlling the variables in the heat budget equation. For this question, write about examples of how various animals control all the components of the heat budget equation.
• Blood oxygen/carbon dioxide balance: describe how the these are detected and how heart and respiration rates are controlled.
• Blood glucose balance: this is not a topic we covered. But if you read section 39.4 I am confident that you will understand how it works and will be able to write a good paper.
• Blood pressure regulation: see section 38.6 to refresh your mind. A discussion of nervous and hormonal regulation should be included.

A strong answer will describe the system in balance, out of balance, feedback mechanisms, and how the system gets back into homeostasis.

If you have a question about this post leave a comment. I will monitor the blog form time to time.

Be sure to tell the others about this post so they are ready.

See you Monday.