Thursday, May 31, 2012
HW - 5/31/12
Tonight's homework is to study for the quiz on reproduction tomorrow. Click on the link to access Classwork 118 if necessary.
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Human Sexual Selection Resources
Why men tend to be more muscular?
Neurological basis for love?
"Sexual Selection in Humans" from Evolution: The Triumph of an Idea by Carl Zimmer
"Dating and Mating Pool" video
"Women Are Choosier" video
"Beauty of Symmetry" video
"Signals of the Flesh" video
"Attractive Man Funk?" video
"Love vs. Sex" video
Neurological basis for love?
"Sexual Selection in Humans" from Evolution: The Triumph of an Idea by Carl Zimmer
"Dating and Mating Pool" video
"Women Are Choosier" video
"Beauty of Symmetry" video
"Signals of the Flesh" video
"Attractive Man Funk?" video
"Love vs. Sex" video
HW - 5/30/12
Tonight's homework is to complete CW 117 (see below).
Classwork 117 - The Rules of Attraction?
Answer the following questions to the best of your ability in complete sentences on a separate sheet of paper. Assume that this is being collected and graded.
1. Review – What is sexual selection?
2. Does unconscious sexual selection take place in humans? Or do humans truly choose their partners? Or is it somewhere in the middle? Explain and support your answer. For example, feel free to discuss . . .
- Are human males and females looking for the same characteristics in a mate?
- Do they have the same reproductive goals?
- How does this question/topic relate to genetics or evolution?
Monday, May 28, 2012
Friday, May 25, 2012
An aside about rusp insides (Archives IVb)
This post is an additional one: having decided that rusps must have an endoskeleton, I started wondering what its structure might be, and here are some sketchy results.
In principle rusps have segmented bodies, just like Earths arthropods and vertebrates. But just like those animals on Earth, that basic structure is no longer visible in all aspects of their biology. In the rusp case the skeleton still shows strong evidence of segmentation. Each of the twelve pairs of legs should carry its own portion of the animal's weight, and the skeleton should reflect that. What you see above is one segment of the middle part of the body; the heads and whips are not shown. The legs are greenish in colour, and the beige ring is the main skeleton of the body. Note the two arched bones, situated directly above the hip joints. They meet in the middle high up near the animal's back. The mass of the animal is slung underneath these arches. There is a secondary arch in the belly of the animal acting as a sort of load-bearing floor. In the back a bone extends forwards and backwards, joining the segmental rings together in the form of a 'dorsal column'. The ensemble looks suspiciously like a vertebral column with ribs, but appearances are deceiving! In vertebrates, ribs are suspended from the vertebral column and do not transfer the weight of the animal to the legs. Instead, these rusp arches function exactly like arches in architecture, and transfer weight to the legs.
Here you see are twelve locomotor segments together. The sort of orange coloured bones at the sides provide another link between adjacent segments on the level of the hips. There is a joint in the middle, normally held in position by strong tendons,. Their purpose is explained in the next image. The skeleton of the anterior and posterior heads is not shown, and neither are the whip skeletons. However, you can easily imagine the dorsal column giving rise to the fore and aft whips.
Here is the animal bent sideways. The orange hinge bones at the sides are pulled together on ne side and extended on the other. I suppose the animal can flex more than this, but not really that much.
And finally another possibility. Here, the main weight-bearing structure is also a curved beam, but this one sits much lower in the body. The beam again supports a central column, that now gives rise to a vertical 'mast' supporting the body. The sides are linked in the same way as previously. I am less certain how to support the whips with this design; perhaps the central column simply rises up through the skulls to form the whip skeleton. Alernatively, it could find its origin in the top of the masts.
I haven't decided which design will be the final say on rusp anatomy, and in a certain sense it is not necessary to settle on a specific design, as not all of it is necessary to paint a rusp. Then again, thinking about what makes an animal work certainly will have its effect on a painting and is likely to add details. Those details do not serve to explain everything about an animal there is to know. Instead, they make viewers think that there is more than you can see. That work best if there really is more than meets the eye...
Click to enlarge; copyright Gert van Dijk
In principle rusps have segmented bodies, just like Earths arthropods and vertebrates. But just like those animals on Earth, that basic structure is no longer visible in all aspects of their biology. In the rusp case the skeleton still shows strong evidence of segmentation. Each of the twelve pairs of legs should carry its own portion of the animal's weight, and the skeleton should reflect that. What you see above is one segment of the middle part of the body; the heads and whips are not shown. The legs are greenish in colour, and the beige ring is the main skeleton of the body. Note the two arched bones, situated directly above the hip joints. They meet in the middle high up near the animal's back. The mass of the animal is slung underneath these arches. There is a secondary arch in the belly of the animal acting as a sort of load-bearing floor. In the back a bone extends forwards and backwards, joining the segmental rings together in the form of a 'dorsal column'. The ensemble looks suspiciously like a vertebral column with ribs, but appearances are deceiving! In vertebrates, ribs are suspended from the vertebral column and do not transfer the weight of the animal to the legs. Instead, these rusp arches function exactly like arches in architecture, and transfer weight to the legs.
Click to enlarge; copyright Gert van Dijk
Here you see are twelve locomotor segments together. The sort of orange coloured bones at the sides provide another link between adjacent segments on the level of the hips. There is a joint in the middle, normally held in position by strong tendons,. Their purpose is explained in the next image. The skeleton of the anterior and posterior heads is not shown, and neither are the whip skeletons. However, you can easily imagine the dorsal column giving rise to the fore and aft whips.
Click to enlarge; copyright Gert van Dijk
Here is the animal bent sideways. The orange hinge bones at the sides are pulled together on ne side and extended on the other. I suppose the animal can flex more than this, but not really that much.
Click to enlarge; copyright Gert van Dijk
And finally another possibility. Here, the main weight-bearing structure is also a curved beam, but this one sits much lower in the body. The beam again supports a central column, that now gives rise to a vertical 'mast' supporting the body. The sides are linked in the same way as previously. I am less certain how to support the whips with this design; perhaps the central column simply rises up through the skulls to form the whip skeleton. Alernatively, it could find its origin in the top of the masts.
I haven't decided which design will be the final say on rusp anatomy, and in a certain sense it is not necessary to settle on a specific design, as not all of it is necessary to paint a rusp. Then again, thinking about what makes an animal work certainly will have its effect on a painting and is likely to add details. Those details do not serve to explain everything about an animal there is to know. Instead, they make viewers think that there is more than you can see. That work best if there really is more than meets the eye...
HW - 5/25/12
This weekend's homework is to complete Classwork 116. See below.
Where Do Babies Come From?
Where do babies come from? Explain (in detail) how humans develop afterfertilization.
Be sure to describe and discuss specific structures, hormones, processes, etc. Think about methods used for the female reproductive system to meet its ultimate goal: producing healthy, unique offspring. Remember to try to connect your answer to other units in biology or the real world.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Notes 49 – Fetal Development Part 2
Notes 49 – Fetal Development Part 2
As the embryo develops, membranes form around it. One of those membranes will project out and begin to grow into the wall of the uterus. The placenta begins to form during the 10th week. The placenta provides food and oxygen to the embryo/fetus while removing waste. Both the fetus and mother work to make it. Materials like oxygen, CO2, alcohol, waste, some viruses (HIV), antibodies, and drugs can pass through the placenta however the mother and fetus DO NOT share the same blood.
HW - 5/24/12
Tonight's homeworj is simply to prepare for tomorrow's Check-In on this week's notes and complete quiz corrections (if desired).
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Notes 48 - Fertilization and Early Development through Mitosis
Fertilization is the joining of an egg and a sperm cell. It brings chromosomes from each parent together and restores the chromosome number back to normal. A fertilized egg is called a zygote.
After about a day, the first cell division through mitosis occurs. At day 3, the mass of cells (or embryo) enters uterus and is considered a morula or solid ball of cells. At day 5, the embryo is now a hollow ball of cells called a blastocyst.
How did you go from being one cell to a ball of hundreds of cells in just 5 days?
HW - 5/23/12
Tonight's homework is complete Classwork 115 (see below).
Mitosis and Early Development Practice Questions
Answer all of the following questions to the best of your ability in complete sentences in the space below and/or on the back. Assume that this work is being collected and graded.
1.What is the point of fertilization? Use details and be thorough.
2. How are mitosis and sexual reproduction related? (HINT: Think about what happens to the offspring of sexual reproduction early in development.)
3. Summarize what happens during mitosis. Include details about chromosomes, the number of chromosomes in offspring cells, the number of cells produced, etc.
4. Does mitosis make unique offspring cells? Why or why not?
5. You are a mosquito and your body cells have 3 pairs of chromosomes, giving each a total of 6 chromosomes. You use mitosis to repair damaged tissue.
a. How many cells are made after one cell goes through mitosis once?
b. How many chromosomes are found in each daughter cell?
c. Why is it important that mitosis produces cells with such a number of chromosomes?
d. Draw a picture of how the cell and its chromosomes would be arranged during anaphase.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Notes 47 - Reproductive Hormone Notes
- Review: a hormone is a substance produced by a gland that is released on acts upon another part of the body
o Ex. insulin, testosterone, estrogen
- Important reproductive hormones
o Testosterone – responsible for sperm production and male sex characteristics
o Estrogen – responsible for ovulation (release of an egg from the ovary) and female sex characteristics
o Progesterone – mostly produced by corpus luteum and causes endometrium (lining of uterus) to thicken with blood vessels (to support developing offspring if fertilization happens)
§ No fertilization --> drop in progesterone and estrogen levels --> shedding of endometrium lining --> new follicle formation
§ Fertilization --> constant level of progesterone & estrogen so no shedding of lining and no new follicle formation
HW - 5/22/12
Tonight's homework is to complete Classwork 114 (see below).
Classwork 114
Classwork 114
Explain (in detail)how the male and female reproductive systems each contribute to sexual reproduction.
Be sure to describe and discuss specific structures, hormones, processes, etc. Think about the smaller goals that each system needs to meet in order to meet its larger goal: producing a unique offspring.
Monday, May 21, 2012
HW - 5/21/12
Tonight's homework is to complete Classwork 113 and make sure that all of the questions on Notes 46 are also done. Some of the questions are a bit difficult and cover topics that we did not cover explicitly yet. Just try your best.
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Archives IV: once and future rusps
The archives of the Institute of Furahan Biology contain the evolutionary lineages of almost all Furahan animals, in the form of sketches that show how the animal and its depiction evolved over time, before their shapes were frozen in the form of a painting. Well, that is how it seemed: as I have started reworking my paintings digitally, evolution has suddenly leapt ahead again. Sometimes I also revisit old designs again; rusps are an example.
Rusps feature on the 'walking with rusps' page on the main Furaha site (on the 'land' page). The image above shows the first ever sketches of 'rusps'. (Their name is inspired by how Dutch children may have difficulty with the word for caterpillar, and end up saying 'rusp' instead of 'rups'.) As you can see, rusps have multiple legs and are protected by a strong carapax. My notes alongside the sketch stated whether such presumably slow animals could survive in an environment of agile large animals. But I also noted that sea urchins are bright nor fast, but do quite well. Such considerations made me add stings, evolved from stings alongside the body through poisonous hairy plumes into mean-looking fore and aft tentacles equipped with poisonous barbs. Their bodies are segmented, and there are multiple eyes on the front and back; in fact the lower rusp also has secondary eyes along the body. The reason there is a tentacle at both ends had to do with my wish to protect the animal. I have always been surprised by the inability of earth's animals to protect their rear end well, a weakness exploited with great success by predators such as lions and hyenas. Of course, this 'active rear' design, with eyes, a tentacle and the corresponding neural circuitry, represents a departure from Earth patterns, where no large animal has a 'split brain' to this degree. It reminds me of the claims for a 'secondary brain', such as was once implied for stegosaurs? Such a design goes against the theme of 'cephalisation', and I am not at all certain that it could actually work. Then again, I see no definite reason why it could not.
I almost immediately wished to make them bigger, at least elephant sized. Here is another early sketch, showing how a large rusp crosses a stream sunk into the ground. Animals such as elephants have great difficulty in doing so, as they cannot jump at all and dislike steep inclines. I thought that rusps would have the advantage of being able to use their long bodies: they can hold the front part of their body in the air at some energetic cost until they are able to find a foothold on the other side.
Rusps probably evolved from millipede-like ancestors. In contrast to Earths arthropods these ancestors were obviously equipped with respiratory and circulatory systems allowing adaptations for large bodiess. They were also endoskeletal, for similar reasons. The carapax is not a part of the skeleton, but simply an outer protective covering; it is leathery rather than hard.
The top image shows one from a low viewpoint, a trick that by itself suggests large size, as viewers often assume a viewing point at eye level. What you can also see is how the legs move in a sort of ripple, with adjacent legs moving a bit out of phase with the ones in front and behind. That is the usual gait of Earth's millipedes and centipedes, by the way (this is also animated on the main Furaha site). The sketch in the middle show transverse sections, illustrating my thoughts on their possible body shapes. I did not want their legs knocking into one another, so I thought that successive pairs could be offset to the left or the right, giving each room to move. To evoke an atmosphere of large size, I played with the idea of making them high and narrow rather than wide and squat. If you take a good look at elephants and many dinosaurs you will see that they are often relatively narrow. I also played with the site of attachment of the legs: underneath the animal or along its sides? The sketch at the bottom shows a resulting rusp of the narrow type. I rather like their tentacles, but realised that they woud pose biomechanical problems: holding them horizontally with muscle power alone would be as comfortable and efficient as humans holding their arms horizontally in the air all day: try to do it for 10 minutes...
Rusps only made it to a painting once, a detail of which is shown above. But even on that painting they were in the middle distance. One of the reasons they never received their own painting was that I had problems in finding a suitable design. With their long horizontal bodies they present a somewhat passive shape. One solution would be to show them from the front with a considerable degree of foreshortening, such as in the images above, or I could show only a part of their body, such as in the 'fording a stream' design above. But there were other problems as well, such as the relative positions of the legs, the 'active rear' with its corollary 'split brain', and of coarse the tentacles, that cannot just be held in the air horizontally like that. For a structure held up with muscle power only, such a position is virtually impossible; just try to hold your arms with extended elbows horizontally in the air for 10 minutes, and you will find out why...
I keep coming back to rusps, and above is a recent study done with Vue Infinite. Here, too, the successive legs are offset resulting in a double track on each side. It has as a disadvantage that the hip joint is not directly above the foot. As a painting it results in a rather sedate view, but the well-lit afternoon sunshine could make up for that. Rusps ought to look grandiose, and perhaps a design like this brings that out.
The one thing I am not worried about at all is the leg pattern. The two animations are newer 3D versions of rusp locomotion. The essence of centipede or millipede locomotion is that there are successive phase differences between successive legs. Depending on whether a leg is either just ahead or behind in its cycle compared to the leg behind it, the legs tend to clump together either on the ground or in the air. The effect is that the movement appears to ripple either forwards or backwards along the animal. For centipedes and millipedes the choice seems to depend on how far sideways the legs are held. In rusps, the legs are always held vertically, so leg tangles have to be avoided in another way. Possible solutions are of course to make the legs shorter, place them further apart, or, as I wrote above, to have their feet offset. On the other hand, the animation shows that manipulating the phase differences can avoid leg entanglement quite well, so the simplest solution is probably the best one. In short, there seems to be little need to offset the legs.
As for the tentacles, some further thought suggested a solution. Sauropod necks and tails are very long structures held out horizontally in positions that at first glance seem impossible. This is possible because they are not tentacles but trusses: there are bones resisting compression at the bottom and tendons to withstand pulling forces at the top. With a design like that, rusps whips could function and wreak havoc on any hexapod predator foolish enough to enter the rusps' range of motion, at its front or back. Rusps whips will not curve in three dimensions as gracefully as they do in the sketches above, but will be a bit stiffer. Expect the cross section of future rusp whips to be narrow and high.
The next diversion into the archives will explain the relation between rusps and major Gruber, a creation of the late Moebius, a French grand master of bandes dessinées (comics).
Click to enlarge; copyright Gert van Dijk
Rusps feature on the 'walking with rusps' page on the main Furaha site (on the 'land' page). The image above shows the first ever sketches of 'rusps'. (Their name is inspired by how Dutch children may have difficulty with the word for caterpillar, and end up saying 'rusp' instead of 'rups'.) As you can see, rusps have multiple legs and are protected by a strong carapax. My notes alongside the sketch stated whether such presumably slow animals could survive in an environment of agile large animals. But I also noted that sea urchins are bright nor fast, but do quite well. Such considerations made me add stings, evolved from stings alongside the body through poisonous hairy plumes into mean-looking fore and aft tentacles equipped with poisonous barbs. Their bodies are segmented, and there are multiple eyes on the front and back; in fact the lower rusp also has secondary eyes along the body. The reason there is a tentacle at both ends had to do with my wish to protect the animal. I have always been surprised by the inability of earth's animals to protect their rear end well, a weakness exploited with great success by predators such as lions and hyenas. Of course, this 'active rear' design, with eyes, a tentacle and the corresponding neural circuitry, represents a departure from Earth patterns, where no large animal has a 'split brain' to this degree. It reminds me of the claims for a 'secondary brain', such as was once implied for stegosaurs? Such a design goes against the theme of 'cephalisation', and I am not at all certain that it could actually work. Then again, I see no definite reason why it could not.
Click to enlarge; copyright Gert van Dijk
I almost immediately wished to make them bigger, at least elephant sized. Here is another early sketch, showing how a large rusp crosses a stream sunk into the ground. Animals such as elephants have great difficulty in doing so, as they cannot jump at all and dislike steep inclines. I thought that rusps would have the advantage of being able to use their long bodies: they can hold the front part of their body in the air at some energetic cost until they are able to find a foothold on the other side.
Rusps probably evolved from millipede-like ancestors. In contrast to Earths arthropods these ancestors were obviously equipped with respiratory and circulatory systems allowing adaptations for large bodiess. They were also endoskeletal, for similar reasons. The carapax is not a part of the skeleton, but simply an outer protective covering; it is leathery rather than hard.
Click to enlarge; copyright Gert van Dijk
The top image shows one from a low viewpoint, a trick that by itself suggests large size, as viewers often assume a viewing point at eye level. What you can also see is how the legs move in a sort of ripple, with adjacent legs moving a bit out of phase with the ones in front and behind. That is the usual gait of Earth's millipedes and centipedes, by the way (this is also animated on the main Furaha site). The sketch in the middle show transverse sections, illustrating my thoughts on their possible body shapes. I did not want their legs knocking into one another, so I thought that successive pairs could be offset to the left or the right, giving each room to move. To evoke an atmosphere of large size, I played with the idea of making them high and narrow rather than wide and squat. If you take a good look at elephants and many dinosaurs you will see that they are often relatively narrow. I also played with the site of attachment of the legs: underneath the animal or along its sides? The sketch at the bottom shows a resulting rusp of the narrow type. I rather like their tentacles, but realised that they woud pose biomechanical problems: holding them horizontally with muscle power alone would be as comfortable and efficient as humans holding their arms horizontally in the air all day: try to do it for 10 minutes...
Click to enlarge; copyright Gert van Dijk
Rusps only made it to a painting once, a detail of which is shown above. But even on that painting they were in the middle distance. One of the reasons they never received their own painting was that I had problems in finding a suitable design. With their long horizontal bodies they present a somewhat passive shape. One solution would be to show them from the front with a considerable degree of foreshortening, such as in the images above, or I could show only a part of their body, such as in the 'fording a stream' design above. But there were other problems as well, such as the relative positions of the legs, the 'active rear' with its corollary 'split brain', and of coarse the tentacles, that cannot just be held in the air horizontally like that. For a structure held up with muscle power only, such a position is virtually impossible; just try to hold your arms with extended elbows horizontally in the air for 10 minutes, and you will find out why...
Click to enlarge; copyright Gert van Dijk
I keep coming back to rusps, and above is a recent study done with Vue Infinite. Here, too, the successive legs are offset resulting in a double track on each side. It has as a disadvantage that the hip joint is not directly above the foot. As a painting it results in a rather sedate view, but the well-lit afternoon sunshine could make up for that. Rusps ought to look grandiose, and perhaps a design like this brings that out.
The one thing I am not worried about at all is the leg pattern. The two animations are newer 3D versions of rusp locomotion. The essence of centipede or millipede locomotion is that there are successive phase differences between successive legs. Depending on whether a leg is either just ahead or behind in its cycle compared to the leg behind it, the legs tend to clump together either on the ground or in the air. The effect is that the movement appears to ripple either forwards or backwards along the animal. For centipedes and millipedes the choice seems to depend on how far sideways the legs are held. In rusps, the legs are always held vertically, so leg tangles have to be avoided in another way. Possible solutions are of course to make the legs shorter, place them further apart, or, as I wrote above, to have their feet offset. On the other hand, the animation shows that manipulating the phase differences can avoid leg entanglement quite well, so the simplest solution is probably the best one. In short, there seems to be little need to offset the legs.
Click to enlarge; From: Steven Vogel. Comparative biomechanics. Princeton Oxford 2003
Click to enlarge; from:Klein et al; biology of the sauropod dinosaurs. Indiana University Press 2011
As for the tentacles, some further thought suggested a solution. Sauropod necks and tails are very long structures held out horizontally in positions that at first glance seem impossible. This is possible because they are not tentacles but trusses: there are bones resisting compression at the bottom and tendons to withstand pulling forces at the top. With a design like that, rusps whips could function and wreak havoc on any hexapod predator foolish enough to enter the rusps' range of motion, at its front or back. Rusps whips will not curve in three dimensions as gracefully as they do in the sketches above, but will be a bit stiffer. Expect the cross section of future rusp whips to be narrow and high.
The next diversion into the archives will explain the relation between rusps and major Gruber, a creation of the late Moebius, a French grand master of bandes dessinées (comics).
Thursday, May 17, 2012
HW - 5/17/12
Tonight's homework is to complete Notes 45 - both the table and the questions on the back of it.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Meiosis Tutorial Links
Pretty Straightforward - but hitting the magnifying classes will give LOTS of vocabulary
The Medium One - do a favor to your neighbors hit the "Step-Through" button. Thanks.
Most Complex - Hit "Launch Interactive" and focus on the Meiosis side
The Medium One - do a favor to your neighbors hit the "Step-Through" button. Thanks.
Most Complex - Hit "Launch Interactive" and focus on the Meiosis side
Notes 44A , Reproduction: Part 2
How does sexual reproduction work?
- In sexual reproduction, each parent is contributing genetic material. The cells that carry each parent’s genetic contribution are called gametes. Each gamete’s goal is to combine with another gamete in a process called fertilization.
How are chromosomes and sexual reproduction related?
- Chromosomes store our DNA. Chromosomes come in pairs called homologous chromosomes(ex. you have two copies of chromosome 17).
- Receiving too many or too few chromosomes from parents can potentially lead to serious abnormalities in offspring. So the process of meiosis produces gametes with only half the normal number of chromosomes (that way when they combine with other chromosomes, then the offspring ends up with the proper number). Instead of having pairs of chromosomes, each gamete only has one so it is called haploid. Normal body cells have two sets and are called diploid.
HW - 5/15/12
Tonight's homework is to complete Classwork 111.
Answer all of the following questions to the best of your ability in complete sentences in the space below and/or on the back. As always, answer thoroughly using details and vocabulary from your notes.
1. How is meiosis related to sexual reproduction? For example, could sexual reproduction happen normally without meiosis? Explain and support your answer by using details and vocabulary.
2. Homologous chromosomes can cross and swap pieces during prophase I. This helps create sperm and egg cells that are unique from the cells of their parents. How is this crossing over and swapping process related to evolution? Explain and support your answer by using details and vocabulary.
3. You are a human and your body cells have 23 pairs of chromosomes, giving each a total of 46 chromosomes. You use meiosis to produce sperm or egg cells (depending on your sex).
a. How many cells are made after one cell goes through all of meiosis once?
b. How many chromosomes are found in each sperm or egg?
4. Look at the image and . . .
a. identify the stage of meiosis.
b. describe what is going to happen next to the chromosomes in the image.
5. How is meiosis connected to metabolism?
Notes 43 - Reproduction: Part 1
What is point of reproduction? What is the point of life?
- - to pass on genes to the next generation
- - good genes get to survive and traits that help these get passed on survive as well
What is the point of sexual reproduction?
- - review: sexual reproduction requires two parents each contributing unique genetic material (technically, two sources of unique genetic material – so hermaphrodites work)
- - multiple parents means that offspring will have unique combinations of genes not found in either parent
- - this means that the population has more variety and better able to survive changes in its environment
o remember that natural selection requires variation in traits (ie. genes)
o if all genes are the same, then the population does not adapt
How are natural selection and sexual reproduction related? What is sexual selection?
- - review: natural selection dictates that traits that aid survival and/or reproductionwill become more common within a population over time
- - so, some traits appear (as a result of random mutations) that allow organisms to attract more mates or be more successful at reproducing
o this is called sexual selection – where the members of one sex prefer certain traits in mates
o why? b/c these traits represent good health, strong genes
o ex. peacock’s tail feathers, males (of many different types of animal) threatening other males
o it happens in humans too!
Monday, May 14, 2012
HW - 5/14/12
Tonight's homework is to complete Classwork 110 (found below). Below you will also find a link to the article from class on sexual selection.
"Sexual selection" from Evolution 101
Classwork 110 Analysis Questions (note questions 1 and 2 could only be completed in class)
"Sexual selection" from Evolution 101
Classwork 110 Analysis Questions (note questions 1 and 2 could only be completed in class)
3. Describe an example of sexual selection (one sex preferring certain traits in the other sex) that you observed or read about today.
4. So why do peacocks have such prominent tail feathers? Answer thoroughly using vocabulary and details.
5. Why do you think sexual selection occurs?
6. Are males and females looking for the same traits in potential mates? Support your answer with an example (from humans or another animal species).
Sunday, May 13, 2012
HW - 5/11/12
Remember that this weekend's homework is to complete the vertical farming policy brief in order to submit it in class on Monday.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Vertical Farming Policy Brief Tips
Level 1 – Simplistic
- Demonstrates simplistic knowledge of vertical farming and its potential impacts
Level 2 – Basic
- Demonstrates basic knowledge of vertical farming and its potential impacts
- Demonstrates basic knowledge of photosynthesis in the policy brief
- Uses some vocabulary related to vertical farming and photosynthesis in the brief
Level 3 – Detailed
- Demonstrates detailed knowledge of vertical farming and its impacts
- Demonstrates detailed knowledge of photosynthesis concisely in the policy brief
- Establishes clear connections between photosynthesis and vertical farming in the brief
- Frequently uses vocabulary related to vertical farming and photosynthesis in the brief
- Persuasive use of evidence and word choice to convince reader
Level 4 – Thorough
- Demonstrates thorough knowledge of vertical farming and its impacts
- Demonstrates thorough knowledge of photosynthesis concisely in the policy brief
- Establishes clear, detailed connections between photosynthesis and vertical farming in the brief
- Consistently uses vocabulary related to vertical farming and photosynthesis in the brief
- Persuasive and compelling choice of evidence (order of evidence and how it is used is effective in moving the intended audience)
- Persuasive word choice to describe effectiveness of vertical farming and supporting evidence
HW - 5/10/12
Tonight's homework is to complete Classwork 109. Doing this will help you study and prepare for tomorrow's metabolism quiz.
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Vertical Farming Policy Brief
Your tenure as an aide to United States Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney is going along smoothly (remember that she represents eastern Manhattan as well parts of Queens). You again have the opportunity to offer her ideas for the new laws and legislation.
While working, you come across several articles about vertical farming. Working for a representative in New York City, you realize that this is an issue that your boss should be aware of. Thus, your task is to write an informative policy brief about whether or not New York City should begin to pursue vertical farming on at least some of the city’s vacant lots (almost 9,000 acres worth in New York City).
Your policy brief should contain the following:
- Your views on vertical farming – Do you claim that it is an interesting, viable option worth pursuing? Or do you claim that it will not have any meaningful impact on New York City? Or do you claim something different?
o Your brief will also require an overview of what vertical farming actually is and how it works.
§ If you’re discussing how vertical farming works, then you need to discuss how farming/plant growth actually works. What reactions and/or structures are involved in plant growth?
§ In fact, how do plants grow? Should plants be able to grow according to vertical farming? Under what conditions will plants grow indoors? Hint: You just performed an experiment investigating this!
o Your opinions in your brief must be supported by logical and well-explained reasons. Be sure to use specific vocabulary (about photosynthesis, light, etc.) that you learned during the unit.
§ What are the benefits of vertical farming?
§ What are the drawbacks of vertical farming?
§ Who are the stakeholders in NYC affected by decisions about vertical farming? What might their feelings be and how might they be affected?
§ If vertical farming is going to be carried out on a large scale, then can your knowledge of photosynthesis and the factors that affect it be useful for developing more efficient plans?
· Remember to use the vocabulary that you learned so far – terms like photosynthesis, wavelength, glucose, etc.
o You also need to address at least one potential counterclaim.
o You need to include an APA formatted bibliography.
HW - 5/8/12 and 5/9/12
The homework is to work on researching and drafting your Vertical Farming policy brief. Focus on taking detailed notes about vertical farming and whether or not you think it really beneficial/feasible. See the previous and next posts for more details.
Monday, May 7, 2012
Vertical Farming Resources
BIG IDEAS from Good Magazine
Vertical Farming on Tech 'N You Vids
Urban Agriculture Grows up from Discovery Earth
verticalfarm.com - Dr. Dickson Despommier's Vertical Farm website
- Facts on the advantages of Vertical Farming
USA Today Article on Vertical Farming
Spiegel Article on Vertical Farming
Powerpoint from a presentation on Vertical Farming
Excerpt from The Vertical Farm by Dr. Dickson Despommier
Vertical Farming on Tech 'N You Vids
Urban Agriculture Grows up from Discovery Earth
verticalfarm.com - Dr. Dickson Despommier's Vertical Farm website
- Facts on the advantages of Vertical Farming
USA Today Article on Vertical Farming
Spiegel Article on Vertical Farming
Powerpoint from a presentation on Vertical Farming
Excerpt from The Vertical Farm by Dr. Dickson Despommier
HW - 5/7/12
Tonight's homework is to read the article about Vertical Farming and complete Classwork 108.
“The Basics of Vertical Farming”Analysis Questions
Answer all of the following questions to the best of your ability on a separate sheet of looseleaf in complete sentences.
1. What is vertical farming?
2. Why are some people advocating for vertical farms in urban areas?
3. What are challenges or barriers that exist to seeing large-scale vertical farms in places like New York City?
4. What is your reaction to the articles about vertical farming and the idea of farming in a city (such as New York City)? Do you think that it is a good idea? Is it feasible or too impractical? Support your answer thoroughly.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)