Weekly Blog 2/17/17 Inter-Dependence of Organisms

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3d/%D0%95%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0
%BE%D0%B3%D0%B8%D1%87%D0%BD%D0%BE_%D1%80%D0%
B0%D0%B2%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B5%D1%81%D0%B8%D0%B53.jpg

Summary

An ecosystem is a community of living and non-living organisms which interact with each other. Living organisms are biotic while non-living parts of an ecosystem are abiotic. One way biotic organisms are dependent on abiotic factors is how animals need oxygen to survive. Animals are biotic and oxygen is abiotic. An example of how biotic organisms rely on other biotic organisms is in an ecosystem's food web. When the population on one creature drops, increases or gets diseased than all organisms part of the web are affected since everything is somehow connected.

SP3: Planning and Carrying out Investigations

I planned and carried out an investigation when I used a Gizmos simulator to experiment with how populations and health of organisms might affect the other organisms in the food chain. I did this by changing populations and the health (normal or diseased) of rabbits, grass, snakes and/or hawks. After watching a graph of the populations of each organism over a certain period of time, I recorded my data. After that, I studied my data and thought about why the organisms were affected the way they were.

XCC: Cause and Effect

In an ecosystem food chain, all of the organisms are dependent on one another. If something changes with one organism, then all of the other orgnisms in the ecosystem will be affected since everything is connect whether directly or thorugh another organism. For example, imagine a simple food chain with grass as the producer, then rabbits that eat the grass, snakes that eat the rabbits, and hawks that eat the snakes. If out of nowhere the snake population drastically increased. Several things would happen. During the first few months, the rabbit population would increase causing the grass population to decrease while the haw population would also decrease. However, overtime eveyrthing will most likelt balance out eventually or somehow work out.

Project Blog - Super Genetics

A poster of all the components of my project

Summary

Genes are made of DNA or deoxyribonucleic acid. A genotype is a pair of alleles or forms of a trait. n addition to all this, traits can be either dominant (represented by uppercase letters) or recessive (lowercase). Genotypes can be either heterozygous (hybird) or homozygrous (purebred). A phenotype is an observable trait resulting from someone's genotype. You inherit half of your traits from your mom and half from your dad. To predict traits, scientists use punnett square. Punnett squares help scientists make predictions about genotypes. In addition to this, some traits or characteristics you might have might be a result of epigenetics. Epigenetics is how the decisions your mother (from the moment you are in her stomach) and you make will affect you later on in your life. For example, if you smoke while pregnant, the effect will more than likely be that your child is born too early as well as underweight. You can also genetically engineer genes. On common technique is by inserting a new gene into a plasmid or loop of bacterial DNA. First, the loop of DNA is cut with a restriction enzyme. It scans for the base letter sequence GAATC, as it runs along the double helix. Once it finds it, at that exact point it cuts the loop of DNA leaving the ends of the loop sticky. This allows a new piece of DNA to be inserted. After the new strand of DNA gets inserted, the joins are stitched together by another enzyme called DNA ligase. Once you finish all these steps you now have a loop of genetically modified bacteria. In our project we had to create a superhero, villain, and child using genetics and learning about it while we did so.

Backwards Looking - How much did you know about this topic before you started?

Before we started our whole genetics unit, I didn't know much about genetics. Only that we get our genes from both of our parents and that genes determine our traits which includes how we look, what genetic diseases we might develop, and some personalities or ways we act. I also knew about genetic engineering and mutations (that genetic engineering existed). Most of what I know about genetics now is new knowledge.

Inwards Looking - What was especially satisfying to you about the product?

I especially liked how all my drawings turned out in this project. I think the extra week that was given at the end to complete everything and put it all together really gave me time to refine all the work I did and make sure it was the best. I used that time to go over a lot of my drawings with a pen and color it more. I also fixed and re-read a lot of my writing.

Outward Looking - If someone else were looking at the piece, what might they learn about who you are?

If someone were to look at my project, they would learn that I really enjoy keeping things organized as well as pretty and enjoyable to look at. I spent a lot of time on the villains packet writing, drawing, and coloring, for example. I also made sure that the tape was neatly and evenly cut. They might also learn that I love food since a lot of the stories I wrote for this project revolved around food.

Forward Looking - What's one goal you would like to set for yourself for next time?

Next time, I would like to set more firm checkpoints while I do my work. This will keep me on track as well as make sure I don't have to rush at the end like I did for a bit on this project. I will do this by thinking of exactly what I want to accomplish by the end of that class period or day. If I don't make my goal, I will need to work extra hard after school, or the next day to catch up on my work.

Weekly Blog 2/5/17 - Genetics

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e2/Eukaryote_DNA-en.svg/320px-Eukaryote_DNA-en.svg.png

Summary

In human cells, there are 23 pairs of chromosomes meaning 46 chromosomes total. People get 23 from one parent and the other 23 from another. Chromosomes can be found in the nucleus of cells. They are made of DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, which is the instructions for making us. Segments of DNA is called genes. Your traits, come from your genes. Genes can also be modified. Lots of foods are actually genetically modified, they are known as GMO (genetically modified organisms). 

SP2 Developing and Using Models

I developed a model this week when I created and tweaked my superhero automata. I also developed a model when I worked on my super villain nefarious papers. I had to draw four models about the original and nefarious of different body systems and organs. In addition to drawing these models, I wrote a short paragraph about the function of the normal and nefarious, how it changes from one to another, and more. In addition to this, I started creating a giant model with all of the information and papers from this superhero unit and began assembling it into one poster.

XCC: Structure and Function

The structure of the eye in my supervillain is what gives it is supervision or ability to see (well). Compared to a normal eye, the structure of the nefarious eye includes a larger lens to allow more light into the retina as well as a thicker retina. A thicker retina means more photoreceptors which will improve my supervillains vision. Photoreceptors are the cells that actually allow us to see everything around us including the shapes of objects and color. This idea was based off cats eyes. Cats amazing vision comes from their larger number of photoreceptors. They have around 6 times more than humans do.