Reproduction

Reproduction Unit | Space Unit | Electricity Unit | Chemistry Unit

 * 2013 November 13: Genetics ([|click here] for a video resource on genetics)**

//Dominant allele// is capitalised //Recessive allele// is lower case //**Phenotype:**// the outward physical expression of your genotype (hair colour, eye colour etc)
 * //Genotype://** what is contained in your genes (the pairs of alleles). Represented by two letters (one allele from each parent).

//Homozygous:// AA (dominant) or aa (recessive) //Heterozygous:// Aa (dominant)
 * EXAMPLE GENOTYPE:**

So if **A** represents a healthy allele (no Huntington's disease) and **a** represents a carrier of Huntington's disease, only a double recessive (**aa**) would result in a person with the actual disease. We work this out with something called a Punnet square. Suppose both parents are healthy (don't have Huntington's disease), but are carriers of the Huntington gene. They would have to be heterozygous (Aa). We put both parents along the upper and side of the square and uses 'times tables' to work out the possibilities for their children: From this we see that there is a 3 in 4 chance of having a healthy child and a 1 in 4 chance of having a child with Huntington's disease. However, there is a 2 in 4 chance that they will have healthy children that carry the Hungtington's gene.
 * =  ||= A ||= a ||
 * = A ||= AA ||= Aa ||
 * = a ||= Aa ||= aa ||


 * 2013 November 18:** Finish genetics handout and do page 54 #7-10. For reference:
 * page 6: diagram of cell. What you need to know is the genetic information (genes) is located in the nucleus and that the cell is the basic unit of life (just like atoms are the basic unit of all matter)
 * page 48 A14: more about the nucleus
 * page 49 Figure 2.13: chromosomes. The specific alleles are found on the chromosomes
 * page 51 Figure 2.16: this diagram shows alleles (a possible variation of a gene) on a chromosome
 * page 52-54 Punnett squares


 * 2013 November 20:** Video on cell division (mitosis and meiosis). We started the paper slide show your group will create to describe mitosis.


 * 2013 November 25 & 27:** Worked on the paper slide show. If you did not hand one in yet, you have missed the first due date!


 * 2013 November 28:** Went over the second Sponge Bob genetics worksheet. Some of you have work to do as you are still not clear about definitions (above) and how to make and use a Punnet square.

Watched the Disappearing Male [|Article] which updates the video [|Disappearing Male] which we will be watching.

Here are some //reputable// articles (assuming you trust the government and some NGOs): [|BPA Fact Sheet] for US National Institutes of Health [|12 Ways to Avoid Hidden BPA] (David Suzuki Foundation) [|Phthalates: Soft plastic's hidden hazard] (CBC) [|Phthalate information] (NIH) [|First Nations exposed to pollutants in 'chemical valley'](CBC update to the birth ratio problem near Sarnia)

Traditional Knowledge Handout (has crossword) [|Click here] for the original document from NAHO. [|Here are] some more publications from NAHO.
 * 2013 December 2:** Disappearing Male Crossword[[file:DisappearingMaleCrossword.pdf]]

First Nations Skewed Birth ratio assignment is on the last page of the handout. ASSIGNMENT NOTES ( A question on the unit test will be based upon this assignment ): Design a scientific study to look into the skewed birth ratio at this First Nation reserve. Assume money is not a restriction (as it was in the articles noted above). You should also design some culturally sensitive features into the study. For example, in class it was mentioned that in comparing the chart of how first nations knowledge is constructed versus science knowledge, we find that science knowledge progresses quickly whereas first nations knowledge develops over a long time (generations). So, instead of telling the study participants we will be here on January 27, 2014 at 9:00 AM, we would say we will be here the week of January 27th to conduct our study.
 * 2013 December 4:** Highlighted version of the handout[[file:FirstNationsSkewedBirthRatioHighlighted.pdf]]

Also, I did a guesstimate. There are 800 people on the reserve. Only 43 mothers participated in the McGill study. Assuming half of the 800 are kids, that leaves 400 adults. If we assume half of the adults are women, that would leave 200 women. This would suggest that only about 20% of the women on the reserve participated in the McGill study. The point of building in culturally sensitive features into your study is to encourage more people to participate in the study. It was noted in the articles that most people were reluctant to talk about this health problem (for obvious reasons -- would you like to tell the world about your health issues?).

Keep in mind that most medical research is survey based research (epidemiological). Part of your study should include survey questions that you would ask of your study participants. Very little medical research is based upon actual experiments on people (etiology) because that is unethical. One exception would be the drug trials that pharmaceutical companies conduct before their new drugs are approved by the government.


 * 2013 December 9:** First Nations Diabetes article some suggested answers [[file:FirstNationsDiabetesANS2013.pdf]]

Asexual and Sexual Reproduction Questions from the textbook Page 23 **Asexual Reproduction**: #1,2,3, 11, 12
 * 2013 December 11, 16, 18:**

It is possible to have genetic variation with asexual reproduction. Sometimes, the DNA is not copied exactly during binary fission (a mutation occurs). This is why bacteria have developed antibiotic resistance. Here is an example: Take a look at this link from MarketPlace on CBC [] The chicken you buy in grocery stores likely has superbugs in it (antibiotic resistant bacteria)

Refer to pages 27-33 for reference. Page 34 **Sexual Reproduction**: 1-8, 11 ([|click here] for list of organisms and their chromosome count)

Pros/Cons of the two methods: Create two tables


 * **Asexual Reproduction (some info added Dec 16)** ||
 * = **Pros** || **Cons** ||
 * It is fast (bacteria reproduce every 20 minutes)

Since the process is fast, the bacteria can mutate and adapt to antibiotics. There are now some bacteria that are resistant to every antibiotic we have created (VRE, MRSA, some forms of tuberculosis) || Bananas are clones and they are not very resistant to disease since they lack genetic diversity (genes are the same - clone)

Dolly (pg 63) the first vertebrate that was cloned is aging faster than a normal sheep. ||


 * **Sexual Reproduction** ||
 * = **Pros** ||= **Cons** ||

2013 December 18:

Two labs after break A6 Mitosis page 16-17 (see links below, PDF of image to use for lab is right below) A16 genetics page 56-57 Looking at Sexual Reproduction in Plants as well (pg 31-32) //**Great Links for Mitosis**// Animation with notes ([|site 1]) Another one with animations and a quiz ([|site 2]) This is really good too ([|site 3])


 * 2014 January 6:** Working on Genetics Lab page 57 - first due date January 8th

You can use these references if you wish: Practice identifying stages of mitosis ([|click here]) Images of mitosis stages shown in class ([|click here]) The procedure for preparing slides (if interested - [|click here]) Don't forget this is a full lab writeup:
 * 2014 January 8:** Working on Mitosis lab page 16-17 - first due date January 13

//Title//

//Problem:// purpose of the lab – what question is being answered

//Hypothesis:// your educated guess as to an answer to the problem. One of the questions I asked you that will help with this is "what stage do you think most of **your** cells are in?"

//Variables// (controlled, manipulated, responding)

//Procedure://

//Materials//

//Data Table//

//Analysis// – questions in the textbook

//Conclusion// - state if your hypothesis was correct, state the major results of your lab, indicate any errors that would affect results (about 5 sentences),

Video for reference: [] media type="custom" key="24846990"
 * 2014 January 13:** Life Cycle of Flowering Plants Handout

Genetics Lab due January 20 take a look at this if you're interested for #5 Mitosis Lab due January 22
 * Final Due Dates for the Labs: **

Unit Test January 23 (first part of the block)


 * 2013 January 15:** You will use [|this article] (printed version given out in class) as your //unit test take home question//. For an article of your choice (related to this unit) or the one linked above:
 * 1) Circle and define 5 science word in the article and define them in your own words. (10 marks)
 * 2) Summarise the article and state what the practical application of the research would be. (5 marks for using science terms properly, 5 marks quality of your summary). I would think at least 10 sentences would be needed to meet the requirements of a quality summary. (quality rating: 5=exceeding, 4=meeting, 3=almost meeting, 2=starting to meet, 1=insufficient, 0=nothing done)


 * Total = / 20 for this take home question which is worth about 25% of the unit test**

Answers to the asexual and sexual reproduction questions from the textbook:

Review handout given out in class: