week of 12 January

Hi everyone,

  No new work this week!  Just focus on getting ready for the midterm exam.  I will see many of you on Wednesday at some point during the AFT "extravaganza"!  Remember we have AFT Thursday and Friday as well, plus all of Thursday's class is time for midterm review, so you have lots of time to get help if you need it!

  All work due this week is optional, though HIGHLY suggested!  The cell parts and functions questions and the cell questions are due by the end of the day today, and the protein test corrections are due by Thursday the 15th.

  Also MISSING WORK????? If you have any missing work, I need it by Tuesday 20 Jan or I will not grade it.  Please check the gradebook to figure this out and speak to me if you are confused.

  Please get help if you need it!!  I have also put suggestions for managing anxiety during studying for and/or taking exams. I hope you find it useful! I am always happy to talk about this with you at any time.  Here's a link to it to make it easier to find:

mindfulness tips for studying/test taking

  --   Ms. L

DUE DATES:
• cell part and function questions and cell questions (BOTH OPTIONAL) due Monday 12 Jan by end of day
• protein test corrections (OPTIONAL) due by Thursday 15 Jan

week of 5 January -- update

Hi all,
  If you want to get your test corrections back sooner in the week, then please give them to me by Tuesday at the latest. That way I could have them done for class on Thursday.  If you don't care about that, then feel free to still hand them in on Thursday.  Remember, these are the semester 1 extra credit, so they are NOT required!  Thanks, Ms. L

week of 5 January

Hello and welcome back!

   As we discussed today, the cell parts and the prokaryote/eukaryote, surface area:volume ratio information will be on the midterm.  We'll cover the rest of the material in the cell unit after the midterm exam.  I'll be getting the cell unit reading guide into your folder in the next day or so.  The rest of this week will be devoted to going over the cell parts and making sure you understand all of their functions.

  The midterm is on Tuesday 20 January at 9:15 AM.  I will be here by 8 AM that day for any help you might need!

  Here is a link to an article on study tips shared with me by one of my students (who got it from Ms. Schouveiller).  I thought it was interesting and hope it is useful to you.  Enjoy!

Study tip article

  As always, please come to AFT if you need help.  Ms. Leary

DUE DATES:
• cell parts chart - Wednesday 7 January
• unit 5 test corrections (OPTIONAL semester 1 extra credit) - Thursday 15 January
• Midterm exam - cumulative of all of first semester!  -- Tuesday 20 January at 9:15 AM

week of 15 December -- IMPORTANT UPDATE

Hi there,
  Just to provide evidence for you that I TRULY need a vacation, I have royally messed up the due date I wrote for the "E.coli to Elephants" summary!!!!! My bad, as they say.  Please note that the correct due date is:

Friday 19 DECEMBER!!!!

NOT

Friday 19 January as I erroneously wrote.  Mea culpa, Ms. Leary

P.S.  All part of my program to remind you that I too am human, and make mistakes!  :)

week of 15 December

Hi there,
 Short week this week!  You are taking the unit 5 test right now.  Wednesday, you will take the brief quiz on the E.coli to Elephants reading and then the rest of the period is yours for a work period.  I suggest test corrections, but you could also be working on your summary.

  Please remember that the summary is due by 2:30 PM on Friday 19 January.  You may rest assured that I will be beating feet out of here very quickly Friday afternoon! :)  So, if you plan on handing in a hard copy, find me before then.  Please remember also that you should self score on the rubric.  You could do this electronically or you could print a rubric and then give me a hard copy of the rubric.  If you submit the summary electronically, please remember to put your name ON the page that I would print.  If not, I will be taking points off.  There is AFT on Wednesday, so if you need help on the reading, come in.  I will not be in school Thursday due to a professional day, so make sure you find me before then if confused.

  As per usual, this means you have no homework over vacation.  Please have fun, relax, make good decisions, and enjoy time with friends and family!  I will be doing the same.  Then we will meet again in the new year and get back to work.

  Thanks, Ms. Leary

DUE DATES:
• "E.coli to Elephants" reading quiz - Weds 17 Dec.
• "E.coli to Elephants" reading summary + rubric - Friday 19 Dec. by 2:30 PM -- anything received                                 after that counted as late

week of 8 December

Hello all,
   Today we finished genetic control mechanisms and you had some time to get work done.  On Wednesday, we will watch a DVD called Ghost in The Genes which is about epigenetics.  Thursday is a work period for the test.  Remember the test is next Monday!
   Please come to AFT for help as needed.  Friday's AFT I will offer a review session for any interested honors students and clear the room of everyone else so we can focus.  If you need me to stay after on Friday I can do that too.  Thanks, Ms. L

DUE DATES:
• unit 5 reading questions - Weds 10 Dec
• epigenetics activity - by Friday 12 Dec
• unit 5 test - Mon 15 Dec
• "E.coli to Elephants" reading done + short quiz - Weds 17 Dec
• "E.coli to Elephants" summary by Friday 19 Dec at 2:30 PM -- if you are leaving early, make sure you share with me by this time/date!!!!!

week of 1 December update

Hey everyone,
  Here is a link to a video that Mrs. Magnuson shared with her class.  It is a nice overview of epigenetic mechanisms that we started talking about in class today...methylation and acetylation.  There are things I don't love (there's no such thing as a "lip" cell but he's just trying to make it simpler).  It also has WAY more information than you need (ex: you don't need to know that methylation happens on cytosine, you don't need the enzymes that do acetylation).  But...it is a good general overview.

  ALSO...for now...SKIP the microRNA stuff!!!!! PLEASE DON'T CONFUSE YOURSELF TRYING TO UNDERSTAND microRNA.

Enjoy!  Ms. L

Methylation/Acetylation video (epigenetics)