Social organisms and behavior

Class,

Here' s an excellent radiolab that explores the role of "good" in the biological world.  The bee workers are incapable of reproducing, and they are truly half of the mother (unfertilized eggs).  Therefor, it is TOTALLY worth it for them to die in hopes of saving the queen.



By the way, remember to learn assessment statement E.6.4 tonight.  Check out click4biology.com

Prepare for design rubric: BUGS!!!!

Hello class,

Your assignment for the weekend:  Learn about Armadillidium (pill bugs).  I want oyu to know thier kingdom and phyllum.  Learn about their habitat and food choices.  Learn about lifespan and mating habits.  Learn anything you can find.

I will quiz you on this on Monday.

This is leading up to another IB rubric lab.  Next week you will design a lab to investigate taxis or kinesis in Armadillidium.  After spring break, you will be doing this lab!!  (yeah!).  To prep you for this, you may want to look at the click for biology assessments E.3.2.   (no humidity test, however.)

vision and other cool stuff

Class,  I'd like you to investigate blind spots.  this link is a coo little activity that I think you'll enjoy.  The explanation on wikipedia is a bit thin, but the picture is very helpful.

In addition, please do pages 297-298 in your orange workbook.  oops...I mean funbook!

Here's a link to that way cool site I used in class on Thursday in case you want to check it out.

technology and your brain

The Washington Post published an article about how GPS is affecting your brain's growth.  I think you'll find it interesting.

Links we used in class:
radiolab show "lost and found"  we listened to section one, but the entire show is excellent (as usual)

TED talk:  neuroanatomist with stroke

By the way, this is a hippocampus next to a seahorse (the hippocampus was named this because it was thought to look like a seahorse.  You decide....)

brains!!!!

pituitary gland

cerebellum

Hello class,

Please learn the parts of the brain:
cerebrum (4 lobes)

cerebellum (arbor vita)

medulla oblongata

hypothalamus


pons


optic chiasm

Here's a great site to help.  Please read about fMRIs also (on this same site-scanning the brain)

radiolab link

Here's the radiolab that we listened to yesterday.  The section about dopamine and gambling starts at 28:40 and lasts for 13 minutes.  It also nicely reviews the role of Dopamine.  Enjoy

Sub plans for Friday 2-4

Hello class,  Here's the assessment statements.

First:  IB lab will be due on Wednesday of this coming week.  Call it a snow day extension.

   
E.4.4   List three examples of excitatory and three examples of inhibitory psychoactive drugs.  

•     Excitatory drugs: nicotine, cocaine and amphetamines

•          Inhibitory drugs: benzodiazepines, alcohol and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

   E.4.5  Explain the effects in terms of their action at synapses in 
        the brain.of

THC and Cocaine

What better way to investigate this than by observing drug-addled partiers.  Check out this site, if you dare!  The red terms can be viewed directly on this site.  (crystal meth works like amphetamines) (THC = marijuana).

I'd like you to read the rest of section 45.3 on cocaine and nicotine, also.