Final blog project

This will be the final blog project of the year. For this project you have two options:

1. You will discuss something that you found particularly interesting that you learned this year because of the class. This could be a fact you came across in class or something that you found through these blogs projects. You will can write about that here. If you like, you may link to some Internet pages that add to this information.
2. You can start some review. You should find a topic from the year and put together a review sheet. This must be an original work, and cannot simply be a copy of material that is already out there. You may set up a diagram or flow sheet for your information. If you cannot easily digitize it, hand it into your teacher and I will get it done. You can also organize the notes for a particular section. This should not simply be a collection of facts, but should be organized in a way to facilitate understanding the information.

Please write this in a word processor first, and then when the spelling and formatting is good you can cut and paste it. If you have a ppt or other document that you want to post, intact, hand it in and I will prepare it for you. The grading for this project is open ended, meaning you can earn considerable extra credit, but will be based on effort. It is fairly easy to notice work that took some time from things that are dashed off with consideration only for completion.

This project must be completed by Sunday 6/6/2010. If you completed the previous May project it will earn extra credit. If you did not complete the previous project, but do a particularly noteworthy job on this it also may earn some extra credit.

???est

Science and scientists are always trying to expand their knowledge. While they are doing that they ofter also expand the boundaries of what might otherwise be called physical limits. These pages discuss some of these limits:

Hottest (click on #1)
coldest
densest
oldest living
most dangerous animal

For this project you should find an article about some physical extreme, limit or exploration that you find interesting, link to that article and write a well constructed(5 sentence minimum) paragraph about it. Do not use an encyclopedia resource, instead find the people that were doing the research or a news article about them.

Make sure you put your ID and class section on your work. This project is due by midnight Tuesday, 5/18. Remember that you need to do either this or the next project. If you do both projects one will count for extra credit.

Spelling counts. Please do your project in a word processor and then cut and paste it into the comment box. Sloppy work really doesn't save you time, and it there are glaring spelling errors you will lose credit.

If you have problems, email me at aphsbio at gmail.com. Please tell me exactly what your problem was including any error messages.

Top ten Sci-Tech stories of the decade

The 21st century has been a busy year for advances in science and technology. This article explores what the author considers to be the top ten of these.

For this project you are to read the article and write a paragraph about one of the three biology related subjects listed below. Paragraphs should be at least three well constructed sentences.
1. DNA, Genomes, and Stem Cells

8. Vaccines and Emerging Infections

10. The Expanding Understanding of Human Ancestry

Next you should find another article about that topic, link to that article and write a well constructed 3 sentence paragraph about the information contained in your article. These are to be primary source articles and you may not use encyclopedias, like Wikipedia. While Wikipedia is a great resource for information, it relies on other sources for its information. You may use the references section to find the articles that they used to gather the information.

Make sure you put your ID and class section on your work. This project is due by midnight Sunday, 5/2. Remember that you need to do either this or the previous project. If you do both projects one will count for extra credit.

Spelling counts. Please do your project in a word processor and then cut and paste it into the comment box. Sloppy work really doesn't save you time, and it there are glaring spelling errors you will lose credit.

If you have problems, email me at aphsbio at gmail.com. Please tell me exactly what your problem was including any error messages.

Real or Hoax?

Many claims are made, that offer scientific evidence. But is this evidence valid? This project asks you to explore that question. I have chosen a product that offers scientific evidence for their product. And now I want you to see if that evidence makes sense, based on your understanding of the science involved, and your research.

Easy water makes the claim, "EasyWater is a water conditioner that physically changes the minerals in water to prevent them from forming scale". For this project, you should go to their site and take a look. Write a paragraph about how they say their product works. Paragraphs should be at least three well constructed sentences. Feel free to ask for additional information from them or to call them and question them about their product.

Next you should and write a well constructed 3 sentence paragraph about whether you think the science they explain is true and is this really an alternative to water softeners? To do this you should explain the true scientific facts about their claims vs the facts that you can verify independently.

Make sure you put your ID and class section on your work. This project is due by midnight Sunday, 4/18. Remember that you need to do either this or the next project. If you do both projects one will count for extra credit.

Spelling counts. Please do your project in a word processor and then cut and paste it into the comment box. Sloppy work really doesn't save you time, and it there are glaring spelling errors you will lose credit.

If you have problems, email me at aphsbio at gmail.com. Please tell me exactly what your problem was including any error messages.

Scientists find creatures beneath 600 feet of ice

The headline read "Scientists go 'gaga' to find creatures beneath 600 feet of ice". But scientists have been astounded at other discoveries of life in unexpected places. Adding to this excitement is the upcoming mission to explore under the ice of distant worlds.

For this project For this project you are to read the article and write a paragraph about it. Paragraphs should be at least three well constructed sentences.

Next you should find another article about one of the following:
1. Other discoveries of life under extreme circumstances.
2. Upcoming and present missions to search for life on other planets.
3. Expected requirements for life.

Finally link to that article and write a well constructed 3 sentence paragraph about your article.

Make sure you put your ID and class section on your work. This project is due by midnight Sunday, 4/3. Remember that you need to do either this or the next project. If you do both projects one will count for extra credit.

Spelling counts. Please do your project in a word processor and then cut and paste it into the comment box. Sloppy work really doesn't save you time, and it there are glaring spelling errors you will lose credit.

If you have problems, email me at aphsbio at gmail.com. Please tell me exactly what your problem was including any error messages.

New ways of fighting Drug-resistant bacteria

Drug-resistant bacteria kills, even in top hospitals. But now tough infections like staph and anthrax may be in for a surprise. Nobel-winning chemist Kary Mullis, who watched a friend die when powerful antibiotics failed, unveils a radical new cure that shows extraordinary promise.

In the early 1980s, Kary Mullis developed the polymerase chain reaction, an elegant way to make copies of a DNA strand using the enzyme polymerase and some basic DNA "building blocks." The process opened the door to more in-depth study of DNA -- like the Human Genome Project. Mullis shared the 1993 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for developing this technique.

If you cannot view the video directly, >click here<

For this project you are to view the video and write a paragraph about it. Paragraphs should be at least three well constructed sentences.

Next you should find any other video on TED.com and view it. Finally link to that article and write a well constructed 3 sentence paragraph about your video.

TED is a small nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. It started out (in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from three worlds: Technology, Entertainment, Design. Since then its scope has become ever broader.

Make sure you put your ID and class section on your work. This project is due by midnight Sunday, 3/21. Remember that you need to do either this or the next project. If you do both projects one will count for extra credit.

Spelling counts. Please do your project in a word processor and then cut and paste it into the comment box. Sloppy work really doesn't save you time, and it there are glaring spelling errors you will lose credit.

If you have problems, email me at aphsbio at gmail.com. Please tell me exactly what your problem was including any error messages.

DNA helps show African diversity

In this article, DNA helps show African diversity, there is information about the way scientists can trace ancestry through DNA analysis.

For this project, first you need to read the article. Identify one aspect that you found interesting and write a paragraph describing that

Then find an article about DNA has been used in some scientific endeavor, link to that article and write a paragraph summarizing the material in that article. This could be similar to the tracking of genealogy through DNA, mitochondrial or nuclear, DNA in the study of disease, DNA manipulation to alter traits, or any topic related to DNA. Again, paragraphs always should be at least three well constructed sentences.

Want to improve your work? Read the guidelines for effective work and remember that spelling counts. Please do your project in a word processor and then cut and paste it into the comment box. Sloppy work really doesn't save you time, and it there are glaring spelling errors you will lose credit.

Make sure you put your ID and class section on your work. This project is due by midnight Sunday, 2/28. Remember that if you have not done the previous project you need to do this one for credit. You have until 2/21 to complete the previous project. If you do both projects one will count for extra credit.

If you have problems, email me at aphsbio at gmail.com.

New Type of Vaccine

Scientists are always trying to make things better. This article is about a possible new method of producing vaccines.

For this project, first you need to read the article. Identify one aspect that you found interesting and write a paragraph describing that

Then find an article about how vaccines work or how the bodies immunity works and link to that article and write a paragraph summarizing the material in that article. Again, paragraphs always should be at least three well constructed sentences.

Make sure you put your ID and class section on your work. This project is due by midnight Sunday, 2/21. Remember that you need to do either this or the next project. If you do both projects one will count for extra credit.

Spelling counts. Please do your project in a word processor and then cut and paste it into the comment box. Sloppy work really doesn't save you time, and it there are glaring spelling errors you will lose credit.

If you have problems, email me at aphsbio at gmail.com.

Sleepy time

The headline reads "Don't bank on weekend to make up for sleep loss" and the article talks about the way people try to make up for lost sleep.

Many of the choices we make effect our health and our performance. For this project you should start by reading this article. Then write a paragraph that summarized the article. Paragraphs should be at least three well constructed sentences.

Then you should find and link to an article about one of these topics:
1. Factors that we can change that effect our health.
2. Changes a person can make to their lifestyle that can improve their performance or longevity.
3. A way that science (high tech exercise or monitoring, vitamin/medications to make us healthier) can change our lives or healing.

Finally write a paragraph summarizing the material in that article. Again, paragraphs should be at least three well constructed sentences.

Make sure you put your ID and class section on your work. This project is due by midnight Sunday, 1/31. Remember that you need to do either this or the previous project. If you do both projects one will count for extra credit. If you did not do the previous article you must do this one.

If you have problems, email me at aphsbio at gmail.com.

Health Risks

As we study the different systems of the body we see how interactions provide a delicate balance to provide health. This article "Smoking, drinking up risks of gut, throat cancers" discusses some behavioral health risks.

For this project you should start by reading this article. Then write a paragraph that summarized the article. Paragraphs should be at least three well constructed sentences.

Then you should find and link to an article about one of these topics:
1. Why large studies are favored over small ones.
2. Other health effects of smoking and/or drinking.
3. What cancer is and other possible causes.

Finally write a paragraph summarizing the material in that article. Again, paragraphs should be at least three well constructed sentences.

Make sure you put your ID and class section on your work. This project is due by midnight Sunday, 1/17. Remember that you need to do either this or the next project. If you do both projects one will count for extra credit. If you do not do this article you must do the next one.

If you have problems, email me at aphsbio at gmail.com.