AP Biology 2008 (Period 1&2)

Biology Collection

2008-08-31T22:18:00.021-04:00

Adaptation of a Plant - The tomato plant grew around the structure that was in its way

Adaptation of an Animal - This is my cat Fred. He used to live outside but we found him and now he lives in the house and outside

Angiosperm - A flowering plant

Annelid - Another name for an earthworm

Autotroph - Trees, which produce their own food

Carbohydrate Fibrous - A tomato which contains fibrous, or good, carbohydrates

Cnidarian - Jellyfish, which are invertebrate

Commensialism - The cat and dog live together without fighting each other

Conifer Leaf - A pine leaf

Deciduous Leaf - Leaves that change colors and fall off as the seasons change

Ectotherm - A Shark and a Turtle which are both cold blooded

Endotherm - A deer, which is warm blooded. This was taken at Fire Island

Eukaryote - An animal with cells that form complex structures

Exoskeleton - A tortoise has its skeleton outside of its body

Fleshy fruit with seed - A watermelon!

Gastropod - Another name for a snail

Keratin - A major component in skin

Epithelial Tissue - Covers the surface of the entire body

Littoral Zone Organism - This turtle was lives on the shore of beaches

Xerophyte - It's kind of hard to see, but it is a small cactus which is able to survive with little water

Siobhan's Biology Collection 2

2008-08-31T22:13:00.009-04:00

Fish are cold blooded animals making him a ectotherm.

Conifer Leaf

Female pine cone

On this mushroom grows hundreds or spore.

This carnation is a long- day plant.

Keratin is a protien that makes up a large portion of hair.

Fruit- dry with seed

Stem- woody

The beatle is an insect.

This spider has a segmented body and is an arthropod.

Epithelial tissue

Siobhan

AP Biology collection # 2

2008-08-31T18:30:00.019-04:00

Animal that has a segmented body- A yellow jacket
Lichen- A fungus and one or more algae living in partnership.
Tendril of a plant- stem used for attachment and support by climbing plants.
Conifer leaf- needle leaved plants with vascular tissue.
Phloem- living tissue that transports nutrients in vascular plants.
Basidiomycete- a large group of fungi including mushrooms.
Frond- a large leaf with many divisions.
Bryophyte- land plants that lack vascular tissue. Mosses are a type of bryophyte.
Keratin- A strong protein found in nails, skin, and hair.
Deciduous leaf- leaves from trees that are lost once a year.

10 Collected Items

2008-08-31T15:02:00.006-04:00

Tendril of a plant
Moss is a byrophyte
Conifer Leaves
Lichens growing on a tree
Flower Ovaries are found inside the plant petals
A dog is an example of an Endotherm

Epithelial tissue is skin
This plant has vasacular plant tissue
Deciduous leaf
A clover is an example of a Long-day plant

Lauren's 10 Collected Items

2008-08-31T12:25:00.012-04:00

Worms can become hermaphrodites(having both female and male organs).

A catcus is a xerophyte.

Phloem is found in all plants.

A worm is a type of nematode.

A cricket is a type of chitin.

Gastropod: a big shell.

A tendril of a plant.

Frond: a type of plant.

Basidiomycete-piece of a mushroom.

Conifer Leaf

10 more collected items

2008-08-31T00:03:00.016-04:00

A spider is a type of arthropod

This is a scale from fish which has a two-chambered heart

Herbaceous stems help support flowers, but eventually

die down during the end of its growing season

An autotroph is an organism that can make its own food.

An insect has an exoskeloten, a segmented body, and anntenae.

This tree has a woody stem which allows it to

survive from one year to the next.

Although a tomato is considered a vegetable by many,

it is botanically a fruit. Since it has seeds it is a fruit.

An angiosperm is a flowering plant.

Skin is a type of epithelial tissue.

Keratin is a protein that is in hair.

10 collected items.

2008-08-30T18:55:00.003-04:00

^ long day plant: at night, the flower closes.
^ adaptation of an animal: there was an adaptation that allows bulldogs to bite and lock onto bulls, but now holds on to rubber balls.

^ spore: ferns have spores, for reproduction.

^ animal with a segemented body: ants have segments.
^ woody stem

^ lichen: moss grows on this rock.
^ deciduous tree: this tree loses its leaves.
^ xylem: its within the stem, it carries water through the plant.
^ cuticle of a plant: a top waxy layer of a leaf.
^ calvin cycle: this plant uses photosynthesis to create glucose.

Kailey's second collected items

2008-08-30T18:38:00.012-04:00

A rabbit ( in motion) is an example of an endotherm because it generates heat to maintain its body temperature.

A xerophyte is a plant that can live in dry, desert weather such as a cactus

Tendril of a plant

Bumble bees are examples of pollinators

Flower ovary

Keratin is the tough protein found in nails and hair

A cricket is an example of an insect

Snails and slugs are examples of gastropods. ( I won't be using that hair tie again)

Epithelial tissue

Adaption of a plant- the plant grows around the swingset

2nd 10 collected items

2008-08-30T17:37:00.007-04:00

autotropth- an organism that can synthesize its own food or glucose from raw materials and energy

Insect- group of arthropods from class insecta, it is the most diverse class with millions of species

Lichen- an association of fungus and a photobiont like algae, that is most common on trees and rocks

Parasite- these mosquitoes can have malarial parasites on them that can casue malaria when thet bite a human

Thorn of a plant- sharp outgrowth of a modified stem for protection
Bryophyte- a nonvascular plant that is also seedless. An example is moss

Heartwood-middle of a tree trunk that is non living and darker in color, it no longer has functions like producing sap Nymph stage- in the life cycle after the egg, the nymph will gradually grow until it is an adult insect Xylem- in this stem and in the vascular system it transports water throughout the plant

Connective tissue- in the knee there are tendons and ligaments that support motion

Elena's Ten Collected Items-Part 2

2008-08-30T13:58:00.002-04:00

This is a herbaceous stem because it is green and somewhat bendable. It is also a picture of a meristem because meristems are specialized regions of tissue usally located at the tip of the stem.
Adaptation of a Plant-the plant has grown against the wall in order to surviveKeratin-a protein that is usually found in hair or nails.
This is an example of a frond
This is a picture of a woody stem. Woody stems help accomodate a plant's growth.
The tomato would be considered a fleshy fruit with seeds.
This is a picture of a conifer leaf because it has a needle like shape.
This is a picture of an angiosperm because it is a flowering plant.
This tree has lichen on it(it's the green part).

Dan's second 10 pictures

2008-08-28T16:08:00.010-04:00

Insects are ectotherms or cold blooded animals.

This is an example of the adaptation of a plant

The inside of the pedals contains the ovary of the flower

Worms are examples of Annelids

Skin is an example of epithelial tissue

The cuticle is the waxy layering on the outside of a plant.

A thorn of a plant.

Wheat is an example of endosperm.

Also, the orange is an example of a fruit with a fleshy covering around the seeds.

Fish and marine animals ar classified as echinoderm

Kristen's Second 10 Collected Items

2008-08-27T16:51:00.013-04:00

1. Thorn: a sharp excrescence on a plant, esp. a sharp-pointed aborted branch; spine; prickle.

2. Pollen: the fertilizing element of flowering plants, consisting of fine, powdery, yellowish grains or spores, sometimes in masses.

3. Pine Cone- Female: the cone or strobile of a pine tree, the female being longer and narrower then the male.

4. Parasite: an organism that lives on or in an organism of another species, known as the host, from the body of which it obtains nutriment. For example, this dog could be the host for the parasite.

5. Stem: the ascending axis of a plant, whether above or below ground, which ordinarily grows in an opposite direction to the root or descending axis.

6. Root: a part of the body of a plant that develops, typically, from the radicle and grows downward into the soil, anchoring the plant and absorbing nutriment and moisture.

7. Leaf: one of the expanded, usually green organs borne by the stem of a plant.

8. Gastropod: any mollusk of the class Gastropoda, comprising the snails, whelks, slugs, etc.

9. Frond: an often large, finely divided leaf, esp. as applied to the ferns and certain palms.

10. Arthropod: any invertebrate of the phylum Arthropoda, having a segmented body, jointed limbs, and usually a chitinous shell that undergoes moltings, including the insects, spiders and other arachnids, crustaceans, and myriapods.

Ashley's Collected Items Part II

2008-08-27T00:54:00.005-04:00

Fruit (Fleshy with Seed) -- These blueberries are quite fresh and contain visible seeds.

Gastropod -- A very large class of Snails.

Lichen -- Solid Fungus/Moss that can be found on trees (that's my warped tour ticket.)

Woody Stem -- Thick to help protect the plant growth and circulation. (I didn't have an object, but I took this picture in Jamaica if that helps.)

Xylem and Phloem -- Xylem transports water throughout the plant, and Phloem carries the nutrients.

Adaptation of A Plant (2 pictures below) -- There is an adaptation in Ivy that allows it to "climb over" or through other objects, such as this dog-proof net my mom put up.

Animal with a Segmented Body -- This could be an arthropod, but I don't know spiders too well. It seems to have two segments of its body with legs attached to each one separately.

Conifer Leaf -- Often resembles needle-like shards.

Deciduous Leaf -- Part of a tree that loses all of its leaves annually.

2008-08-26T16:59:00.010-04:00

A conifer leaf has needles.

A plant whose seeds are not enclosed within an ovary.

An endotherm is a warm-blooded animal.

Lepidoptera- is an order that includes moths and butterflies.

Skin is an example of epithelial tissue.

Mosses are one group of bryophytes.

Fruit- Fleshy with seed- Tomatoes are examples of fruits that have fleshy skin with the seeds inside.

Deciduous leaf- A leaf that fell off at a particular season.

Tendril of a plant- Is the stem of a climbing plant used for support and attachment, generally by twining around whatever it touches.

Angiosperm- Flowering plant

Mountains Beyond Moutains

2008-08-14T20:55:00.002-04:00

A. Overall this excerpt from "Mountains Beyond Mountains" is a moving and humbling piece of literature. It shows that some people have enough "good" inside them to do things for no pay but, get satisfaction out of helping others. The story was longer then the first but, still managed to captivate my full attention. I think the story is great because it is not told by Dr. Farmer himself which shows his humbleness. Dr. Farmer describes himself as "a poor people's doctor", and his description then lets us characterize him as caring, humble, respectable, and servile. Graduating form Harvard Medical School could have got him a well paying job anywhere he wanted yet, he serves people who are poor and truly need his attention from no salary.

B. Paul Farmer embodies this idea because he was/is changing the lives of poor Haitian and American people not for pay but, for the better of the people. By being so committed and almost attached to these people he is changing not only their lives but, serving as an example for others to follow. I don't think we would be reading about this man unless he truly did something magnificent or embodied characteristics that every human should have, and he fills out both.

Mountains Beyond Mountains

2008-08-13T21:25:00.003-04:00

a. This excerpt is inspirational because it shows that there is much more to life than getting a good education to only make money for yourself. It also shows that there are people who are ignored by most of the world and it takes organizations like "Partners In Health" to help these people and to set an example as to what should be done for them.

Through his acts, Paul Farmer proves to be respectable, selfless and a good role model for anyone looking to help people. His selfless acts gain him much respect in the Haitian community. With more people like Paul Farmer and more organizations like "Partners In Health", suffering from curable diseases around the world can cease.

b. Paul Farmer is one of the people who started and led the "Partners In Health" group. "Partners In Health" is the small group of thoughtful, committed citizens that are changing the lives of many Haitians that cannot rise above the immense poverty in their country. The "Partners In Health" group is the perfect example of a world changing health care organization.

Summer Reading 2: Mountains Beyond Mountains

2008-08-11T14:20:00.000-04:00

Be sure to read the feedback on Summer Reading 1 BEFORE you work on this summer reading assignment.

1. READ
Read the excerpt from the book, Mountains Beyond Mountains, from your reading packet. Another enjoyable read and it dovetails nicely with the Elzeard Bouffier story.

2. THINK
Now, this is most definitely a true story. This excerpt is the first three chapters (~40 pages) of a 300-page book written about Harvard physician, Dr. Paul Farmer. Think about the life this man is choosing to live as compared to the reasons you hear that most people become doctors. Also think about how this story shows how, in the real world, science and medicine can be strongly influenced by politics.

If you want to meet Paul Farmer, you can watch a talk he gave recently (May 8, 2007) at NYU by clicking on this link. You can also visit the Partners for Health Web site www.pih.org

3. RESPOND
Respond to the following on the blog.
a. Tell me what you thought about the excerpt from this book. Tell me what you think of Dr. Paul Farmer.

b. Margaret Mead (a very famous anthropologist) once said:

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

Explain how Paul Farmer embodies this idea.

Post your answers as comments on this page by Friday August 15.

Feedback on Man Who Planted Trees reading assignment

2008-08-11T11:46:00.018-04:00

Hey Gang,

BE SURE TO READ THIS WHOLE POST!!
My hope is to help you improve your science writing skills.

I am glad you enjoyed the book, The Man Who Planted Trees. I have always thought it was such a sweet tale. Very inspiring!

But we need to talk about your responses and use it as our first opportunity to learn how to answer essays questions better.

The Biology question really was #3c:
"Research what is going on here biologically. How can cutting down trees change the climate and soil fertility of a whole region? And why can planting trees restore barren land into fertile ground?"

Collectively, you delivered a narrow range of answers. This is how an AP essay grader would distill down your answers:

Ashley: loss of shade increases temperature, evaporation from unshaded soil, CO2 build up
Dan: CO2 build up, brief mention of soil moisture
Elena: CO2 build up, evaporation from unshaded soil, a brief mention of water cycle
Erin: CO2 build up, loss of O2
Gabby: disruption of nutrient cycling, evaporation from unshaded soil
Gerard: evaporation from unshaded soil, CO2 build up
Ivanah: evaporation from unshaded soil, CO2 build up
Kailey: loss of shade increases temperature, evaporation from unshaded soil, a brief mention of water cycle
Kristen: loss of shade increases temperature, evaporation from unshaded soil, CO2 build up
Lauren: loss of shade increases temperature, CO2 build up
Monica: SOIL EROSION, shade, CO2 build up
Patrick: greenhouse gas build up, nutrient cycling
Shannon: evaporation from unshaded soil
Siobhan: SOIL EROSION, CO2 build up
Stephen: loss of shade increases temperature, SOIL EROSION, LOSS OF EVAPOTRANSPIRATION & DISRUPTION OF WATER CYCLE**
Umar: loss of shade increases temperature, evaporation from unshaded soil, SOIL EROSION, brief suggestion about recycling of water

HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR ANSWERS
When you answer an essay question, you must clue in on the principles/concepts asked about.

1. CLIMATE:
For the part of the question that asked about what changes the "climate of a whole region", you needed to know how to define climate. You should have learned in both Earth Science and Living Environment that the two factors that define climate are TEMPERATURE & PRECIPITATION. The biggest issue in the book is the fact that the area was now a desert, so that should have pushed you into developing an answer that explained the lack of precipitation in the area. You then need to look at your answer and say to yourself: "Did I answer the question?" Why would cutting down TREES reduce PRECIPITATION?

ONLY Stephen fully identified a disruption of the water cycle as the key factor that would explain this loss of precipitation... AND he even explained how cutting down trees causes this disruption in the water cycle. YAY for Stephen!!

2. SOIL FERTILITY:
For the part of the question that asked about what changes the "soil fertility of a whole region", you needed to know how to define soil fertility. You should have learned in Earth Science that soil fertility is a measure of the nutrients in the soil. These nutrients are lost when topsoil (top layer of nutrient-rich soil) is washed away during erosion when you have barren soil.

Only four students (Monica, Siobhan, Stephen, Umar) correctly identified soil erosion as this factor.

YAY for Monica, Siobhan & Umar! And DOUBLE YAY for Stephen for having BOTH answers correct.
That earns Stephen a "HOMEWORK FREE PASS" (to be redeemed during the school year)!

MISCONCEPTIONS & BAD HABITS
We also need to address some misconceptions that came out in your responses.

1. MISCONCEPTION: Local desertification is caused by CO2 build up & Global warming
Okay, so I need to know if so many of you answered with discussions of CO2 build up & global warming because you read the first posted reply which included these and copied it... or does my WHOLE AP Biology class really NOT understand global warming?

So why isn't global warming an answer for why cutting down trees creates deserts. Well, you've got to pay attention to the GLOBAL in global warming. Yes, cutting down trees increase the accumulation of greenhouse gases which does increase Earth's temperatures, but they are GLOBAL temperatures. This is a planetary effect, not a local/regional effect. It's also a long term, slower process than was experienced in the story. You cut down trees and you get a significant reduction in rainfall THAT year!

2. MISCONCEPTION: Desertification is caused by loss of shade.
Although it seems logical that the lack of shade reduces soil moisture, that is not what creates a desert. You have to review the WATER CYCLE. What creates rain? What restores moisture to the air so that precipitation then restores moisture to the soil? What part do trees play in this?

The way to think about this is that the plants (trees) are the link between the water in the soil and the water in the air -- they create the water cycle. The plants take up the water from the soil through their roots and then the water is drawn up through the plant's transport system and evaporated from their leaves into the air.

Hey, do you remember what the "pipes" are called that carry water in a plant?
(extra credit to the first right answer!)

And do you remember what the process is called by which water evaporates from the leaves of plants thereby drawing water up throughout the whole plant.. and then into the atmosphere. (extra credit to the first right answer!)

It's this process that keeps the water cycle going round. The moisture that travels up the plants, evaporating from their leaves into the atmosphere, falls back to Earth as rain. In a very real sense, plants make their own rain. Isn't that poetic, and even magical!

If you remove the plants, then the water cycle is broken, and moisture is not returned to the atmosphere. Water drains away from the area to the sea instead of rising to the clouds and falling again to feed the plants. And as the rain washes down to the seas it unfortunately takes with it the fertile topsoil that is no longer held back by the roots of the plants.

This whole tragedy spirals downward as the area loses its plants, its nourishing soil and water and its animal life. So sad.... see what happens when people do not understand the inter-connectedness of life in an ecosystem... the inter-connectedness of life on this planet.

3. BAD HABIT: Words without points ...
After grading the essays from this year's AP exam, I learned a lot about the bad habits of students in the answers they write for essays. Below are some common ones that I saw in your responses.
(Please note: most of you had examples of these types of errors... they are not confined to the few examples I use from specific responses, so don't consider yourself exempt from needing improvement here just because I didn't grab a quote from your answers)

a. Restating information from the question:
"Planting trees can restore barren land into fertile ground."
Yes, that is what the question already said -- so don't bother restating it in your answer, it will not gain you any points.

b. Not being specific enough

"Cutting down trees can change the climate and soil fertility"
This is an example of a particular vague wording that plagued students in this year's essays. Taking about change without defining what type of change. Don't talk about "change" without talking about the DIRECTION of the change (REDUCE soil fertility & DECREASE regional rainfall)
"Planting more trees ... helps the water cycle by returning water vapor back into the atmosphere"
In AP Biology, you need to talk about MECHANISMS -- how something happens. So the above sentence is a good start, but it needed to complete the thought by explaining HOW planting more trees returned water vapor back into the atmosphere.

c. Not making sense
"Climate increases..."
Ummm, climate can get warmer or colder or wetter or drier, but it can't "increase". Make sure your proposed change fits the factor yu are writing about.

4 . BAD HABIT: Borrowed words
STOP COPYING WORDS OFF THE WEB!
STOP COPYING FROM WIKIPEDIA!
This is PLAGIARISM!
It is sooooo obvious when you do this. It is clear when the words are not your writing style!
Break the habit NOW... you will lose full credit in my class for this.
You have good brains... use them... this course is about learning how to think at the collegiate level.
START NOW!

Now let's chat about your answers to the last question -- a person or organization, like Elzeard Bouffier, actually changing the world by planting trees.

Your choices fell into two groups: Overseas groups & U.S. groups

Overseas
Indonesian REDD Programme - Ashley
Srinibas Jena (individual eastern India) -- Umar
Plant it 2020 -- Monica
Trees for the Future -- Lauren
United Nations Environment Programme -- Stephen
World Bank -- Dan
Wangari Maathai & Greenbelt Movement -- Gabby**
Trees for Life -- Patrick

In U.S.
American Forests -- Kailey
Arbor Day Foundation -- Ivanah
Tree Musketeers -- Gerard
Fairfax Releaf Organization -- Siobhan & Shannon
Tree-Mendous Maryland Program -- Kristen
American Forest -- Elena
Dell Computers -- Erin

All of you who chose overseas groups, I commend you for stepping out of the "comfort zone" of the familiar. For all of you who chose U.S. groups, I want to remind you to look more critically at your answers and don't limit yourself to the local and the familiar. It will be just like when you are asked a question in class about organisms and all you think about is humans or mammals or animals, and ignore the wide world of plants, fungi, bacteria, protists, or other non-human animals.

Also, please look critically at the situation: The U.S. does NOT have a significant desertification problem. Compared to many places in the world we are well-forested!
Also, let's talk about that Dell Computer answer.
Please, please, please... do not be fooled by companies painting themselves with a "green wash". Just because their marketing hyped tells you about all the good they are doing for the world doesn't make it (1) true, or (2) significant, or (3) enough to compensate for the environmental degradation they do cause. (Think about that every time you see that GE green-wash commercial during the Olympics right now.)

The prize goes to Gabby!
Wangari Maathai epitomizes the qualities found in Elzeard Bouffier's character. Her Green Belt Movement takes a holistic approach and works on sustainable development, human rights, democracy, education, and women's empowerment simultaneously. Wangari Maathai won the Nobel Peace Prize for her work. She is first woman from Africa to be honored with the prize. Maathai is the embodiment of the bumper sticker, "Think Globally, Act Locally" and she risked her life against a repressive dictatorial regime to do her work.
Listen to an interview with Wangari Maathai on National Public Radio.

Good job, Gabby!
That earns Gabby a "HOMEWORK FREE PASS" (to be redeemed during the school year)!

Now on to Reading 2... to a real-life hero of mine, Dr. Paul Farmer!

Mountains Beyond Mountains

2008-08-08T13:10:00.002-04:00

A. I found this excerpt to be very informative. Not only did it describe Dr. Farmer and his conquest to help the world, but it also informed the reader with background information on Haiti, a prominent place in Dr. Farmer's life. Though the story was longer than the first, it still kept my attention. Very similar to the case of Elzeard Bouffier, it is uplifting to see someone who is so dedicated and passionate about bettering the environment and society. Dr. Farmer is truly an inspiration.
B. "A small group of thoughtful, committed citizens" is the only thing that can make a real, legitimate impact on the world because these committed citizens, though they are numbered, possess a passion and this passion can take them anywhere. With the right amount of motivation, anything can be accomplished. Farmer is the supreme example of this because he is just one man but he is curing and helping thousands of people which will ultimately change the world.
--Kailey

( P.S. Sorry I couldn't post this as a comment, the questions are saved under draft and I'm going on vacation tomorrow so I needed to post 'em.)

Joe's first ten

2008-08-06T16:56:00.012-04:00

1. Stem- Herbaceous- green stems and that usually do not grow taller than two meters

2. Parasites can live on the dog causeing the dog harm.

Lichen-A fungus

Lepidoptera-moths and butterflies

Insect- comprising small, air-breathing arthropods having the body divided into three parts (head, horax, and abdomen) and having three pairs of legs and usually two pairs of wings.

Exoskeleton-the exterior protective or supporting structure or shell of many animals

7. Gymnosperm cone- from a Plant that produce seeds that are not enclosed within plant tissue

8. Gastropod-a class of mollusks typically having a one-piece coiled shell and flattened muscular foot with a head bearing stalked eyes.

9.Fruit- Fleshy with seed

10.

Fond- an often large, finely divided leaf, esp. as applied to the ferns and certain palms.

Kristen's First 10 Collected Items

2008-08-06T15:55:00.012-04:00

1. Exoskeleton: A hard outer structure, such as the shell of an insect or crustacean, that provides protection or support for an organism.

2. Epithelial Tissue: membranous tissue covering internal organs and other internal surfaces of the body.

3. Endotherm: An organism that generates heat to maintain its body temperature, typically above the temperature of its surroundings; a warm-blooded animal.

4. Deciduous Leaf: Leaves that have fallen off or have been shed from a tree at a particular season or state of growth.

5. Cuticle Layer of a Plant: a very thin hyaline film covering the surface of plants, derived from the outer surfaces of the epidermal cells.

6. Conifer Leaf: any of various mostly needle-leaved or scale-leaved, chiefly evergreen, cone-bearing gymnospermous trees or shrubs such as pines, spruces, and firs.

7. Autotroph: any organism capable of self-nourishment by using inorganic materials as a source of nutrients and using photosynthesis or chemosynthesis as a source of energy, as most plants and certain bacteria and protists.

8. Animal that has a segmented body: The body of a spider is segmented in that the Prosoma (a.k.a. the Cephalothorax) and the Opisthosoma (a.k.a the Abdomen) are considered different sections or "segments" of it's body.

9. Angiosperm: a plant having its seeds enclosed in an ovary; a flowering plant.

10. Adaptation of a plant: this plant grows upwards to gain energy from the sunlight.

Siobhan's Collection 1

2008-08-03T21:56:00.012-04:00

1) Pretty simple.. Thorn of a plant

2) This non- woody plant has a green fleshy stem.

stem- herbaceous

3) Frond
which is the leaf of a fern

4) Deciduous leaf
the leaf of a tree that sheds its leaves cyclically

5) This apple is an example of

fruit- fleshy with seed

6) A dog like this could be the host species for parasites like fleas or ticks.

7) Pollen can exist on flowers such as this.

8) A tree such as this can produce its own food making it an autotroph.

9) A slug such as this one is an example of a gastropod, which is a class of mollusk.

10) A dog is a warm blooded creature making it an example of a endotherm.

Kailey's collected items

2008-08-01T00:02:00.016-04:00

Humans are an example of eukaryotes

A cuticle layer is the outer waxy layer of the epidermis of plants.

This raspberry bush contains thorns.

Pollen, a powderlike substance, is produced by the anthers of seed plants.

Tomatoes are an example of a fleshy fruit with seeds.

Cellulose- Primary structural component of the cell wall in most green plants.

A parasite such as a tick can live on a dog and cause harm.

Exoskeleton- A hard outer structure that protects and supports an organism.

Autotroph- An organism that can make it's own food, such as a plant.

Amylase- An enzyme found in human saliva that breaks down starch into sugar. Potatos contain starch.

10 Collected Items

2008-07-31T19:13:00.015-04:00

Thorn of a Plant: a small sharp-pointed tip resembling a spike on a stem or leaf

Tendril of a Plant: a slender elongated thread-like organ which may cling to objects for support.

Stem - Woody: stems of tree, shrubs and many crop plants that have rigid tissue know as xylem.

Stem - Herbaceous: plant stems that are soft and green and that usually do not grow taller than two meters.

Fruit - Fleshy with Seeds: A strawberry is a fruit containing seeds.

Flower Ovary

Epithelial Tissue: forming the outer layer of body surface.

Autotroph: an organism that makes organic material from inorganic material; a primary producer; examples include plants, phytoplankton, and some bacteria

Arthropod: Any member of a large phylum of invertebrate animals with jointed legs and a segmented body, such as spiders ...

Animal that has a segmented body: Ants have an elongated and segmented body.

10 Things Collected

2008-07-31T14:03:00.002-04:00

Fleshy fruit with seed- this growing tomato has a fleshy outside with seeds inside
Gymnosperm cone- from a Plant that produce seeds that are not enclosed within plant tissue
Woody stem- tree trunk is an example outer layer of stem or trunk covered in har protected bark
Tendril of a plant-coiling stem from a plant that twines around objects for support
Pollinator- this bee helps transfer pollen between plants

Arthropod- the phylem including insects with segmented body
Cnidarian- group of aquatic species that all have stinging cells, including jellyfish and sea anemones.
Conifer leaf- from a tree that bears cones with needle like leaves
Cuticle layer- outermost covering that is waxy and waterproof
Deciduous leaf- from a tree that looses its leaves at the end of a season

10 collected items

2008-07-30T23:41:00.010-04:00

A bee is an example of a pollinator
The Butterfly is an example of an animal with radial symmetry.

Also, the stems of this plant can be classified as herbaceous stems.
This plant is an angiosperm or plant that flowers.
An example of an insect.
This is a female pine cone
An endotherm or warm blooded animal
The tree is an autotroph. It produces its own food through photosynthesis.

Also, the tree is an example of a plant with a woody stem.

A picture of a frond which is a leaf with many different sections

AP Bio- 10 items collected

2008-07-30T18:06:00.015-04:00

Insect: a major group of arthropods and the most diverse group of animals on the Earth. The fly is an insect.

Herbaceous stem: stem that has little or no woody tissue.

Woody stem: stems of plants that have been growing for two or more years.

Epithelial tissue: Outermost layer of the skin.

The cuticle layer of a plant:The top layer of the leaf.

Exoskeleton:an external skeleton that supports and protects an animal's body. This beetle has an exoskeleton.

Autotroph: Plants are organisms that produce their own food.

Pollen: a fine to coarse powder consisting of pollen grains, which produce the sperm cells of seed plants.

Fleshy fruit with seed: An apple

Thorn of a plant: Rose bushes have thorns.

10 Collected Items

2008-07-30T17:32:00.021-04:00

Mycelium- the white threads from which a mushroom or fungus is developed

Tendril- special stem used by climing plants for support and attachment

Lichen- a fungus that grows with algae on trees, rocks and other things

Endosperm- produced in seeds and provides nutrition in the form of starch.

This is an avacado seed, the white part is the endosperm.

Bryophyte-land plants that produce via spores, such as moss

Animal that has a segmented body

Exoskeleton- an external skeleton that supports and protects an animal's body

Gastropod- commonly known as a snail

Endotherm- a warm-blooded animal

Echinoderm- a marine animal that exhibits fivefold radial

symmetry in portions of their body, such as a starfish

2008-07-30T15:51:00.017-04:00

A couldnt find an actually picture of dragonfly, which has a segemented body A cicada which has a hard exoskeleton Pollen is found in the center of this plant. A Fruit that is fleshy with a seed-a plum. Adaptation of a plant-the plant has roots that spread out underground to gather all the nutrients. Epitelial tissue Autotroph-organism that make their own food A cuticle layer of a plant A woody stem on a plant A warm blooded animal which is able to regulate its own body temperature.

10 items collected

2008-07-30T14:27:00.004-04:00

^^ thorn of a plant: rose bushes have thorns.

pollen: the yellow substance is pollen.
exoskeleton: an insect has an exoskeleton.
adaptation of a plant: the plant is growing up towards the sunlight.
Tendril of a plant: part of a plant that grows to support and attach the plant to an object.

Epithelial tissue: cells that are close to together to form skin.

Endotherm: an warm-blooded organism that regulates its body temperature.
Fruit-fleshy with seed: a lime has seeds in it.
Autotroph: an organism(like a plant) that makes its own food.
Hermaphrodite: a lily has both male and female reproductive parts

10 items "collected"

2008-07-29T13:30:00.011-04:00

Pollen: Pollen is located on the stamen's of flowers and various other plants.

Cuticle layer of a plant: Top layer of a leaf is known as the cuticle layer.

Exoskeleton: A cicada breaks free from its old exoskeleton.

Autotroph: An animal that produces it own food, a flower is an example of this.

Flower Ovary: The ovary of a flower is located just below the stigma.

Frond: A frond is the leaf- like structure of a fern or alga.

Insect: Beatles are one of the insects that make up the gigantic phylum Arthropoda

Pollinator:A Pollinator is the biotic agent that moves pollen from one flower to another to accomplish fertilization.

Stem-woody: a plant's stem thickens to accommodate growth and increased circulation in a plant.

Thorn of a plant: Rose branches contain thorns.

The Human Body-Sight

2008-07-25T17:36:00.002-04:00

I found this video clip off of the discovery channel website...it was pretty interseting learning about how the eyes of the human body function. The scenerio deals with the beach and how lifeguards train their eyes to spot a person in help and not mistaken it for someone having fun.

Link to the video: http://dsc.discovery.com/video/player.html?playerId=203711706&categoryId=1425100514&lineupId=1427306027&titleId=1428688705

AP Bio- Collected Pictures #1

2008-07-24T21:30:00.010-04:00

Pollen: Pollen is found on the stamens of flowers.
Thorn of a plant: Rose bushes have thorns on their stems.
Fruit- Fleshy with seed: Blueberries.
Xylem: The xylem of a plant is found throughout the stem.
Insect: The Armadillium Vulgare is an insect commonly known as the "Roly-Poly."

Adaptation of a Plant: The plant grew crookedly to move into a sunnier area. It adapted to its environment to grow better.

Adaptation of an Animal: The dog sheds its hevaier "winter coat" to maintain homeostasis in hotter temperatures.
Exoskeleton: Ants have exoskeletons.
Autotroph: Grass is one example of an autotroph.
Cuticle Layer: The cuticle layer of a leaf is the top layer.

Ashley's Collected Items

2008-07-22T00:55:00.007-04:00

Endotherm (warm-blooded species that maintain homeostasis)

Dicot Plant with Flower & Leaf (4-5 petals)

Tendril of a Plant (specialized stem used for support and attachment)

Thorn of a Plant (sharp, pointed edge)

Epithelial Tissue (outer layer of the skin)

Insect (most diverse group of animals on earth)

Scale from animal with two-chambered heart (fish)

Pollinator (up-close bumble bee)

^^^ although I couldn't put anything near it, it's my picture.

Pollen (fine powder with hard covering to protect plant's reproductive cycles)

Autotroph (producers of the food chain)

Summer Reading Assignment

2008-07-21T22:26:00.001-04:00

A) The story was a very enjoyable read. It is amazing, even though it is a fable, that a man can do so much to a small place. The face that the man was able to change a deserted desert into a flourishing community is amazing. This passage was a good read because it didn't contain a lot of science terms, which made it very easy and understandable.

B) The moral of the story is that id you work hard enough to do something you the outcome will always come out to your satisfaction. Elzeard did many things to help turn a small rundown place turn into a lively community.

C) Trees create a barrier from the sun so the soil can gather moisture. When a forest is cut down less moisture is out into the atmosphere which could cause a drought to occur in that area. The increased dryness of the area eventually damages the once stable environment.

D)The Fairfax Releaf Organization does the work that Elzeard Bouffeir did to make the environment better. This organization plants trees and restores habitats in Northern Virginia.

The Man Who Planted Trees

2008-07-15T21:05:00.003-04:00

a. I thought the story was inspirational and had alot of meaning. It was enjoyable to read because it was not overbearing with biological references and it was not excessivley long.
b. The lesson of this story is that one person can have a powerful impact on a landscape. It shows that with determination and honest, hard work anyone can achieve great things.
c. Cutting down trees change the climate in negative ways. Without trees using up CO2 and providing shade, the climate increases, as do greenhouse gasses. Planting trees can restore barren land into fertile ground by starting a cycle of trees using nutrients in the soil then returning those nutrients back to the soul when they die. Trees also become habitats for many animals and bring many new animals into an area, starting a new ecosystem.
d. One organization I found was Trees for Life. This organization not only plants trees, but they go to third-world countries and teach the people valuable skills and give them the education they need to better their lives.

The Man Who Planted Trees

2008-07-14T16:43:00.002-04:00

a.) To my surprise, I enjoyed reading this novel. The Man Who Planted Trees was a book filled with motivation and inspiration. I found that the storyline was not just uplifting, but also contained a lesson to be learned. Its amazing how one man can help the environment, simply just by planting trees.
b.) This story proves how one person can do so much to help the environment. Elzeard Bouffier rehabilitated run-down and empty valley by planting trees. I feel that the main lesson/moral of the story is to maintain and keep a healthy environment.
c.) Deforestation greatly impacts land in several ways. The evaporated moisture of soil is usually caused by the cutting down of trees. Due to deforestation, soil is more exposed to the sun. Also without trees, a rise in temperature would occur and cause changes in climate. Planting trees can restore barren land into fertile ground. Reforestation absorbs excess carbon dioxide. Trees also help restore moisture, minerals, etc.
d.) The Arbor Day Foundation is one of the world's largest and oldest tree-planting organization. This foundation began September 3, 1971, and since then its million members plan millions of trees every year. The Arbor Day Foundation is not only looking to inspire people to plan and nurture trees, but also to celebrate them.

The Man Who Planted Trees

2008-07-13T15:18:00.002-04:00

A. I thought this reading was surprisingly enjoyable. I tend to enjoy stories where the phrase "actions speak louder than words" comes into play. I admire Elzeard Bouffier for planting these trees for nothing in return. This story truly shows how one man changed a barren village into a beautiful landmass for the people/youth of the plains to enjoy and, live on for the future years.

B. A lesson that can be taken from this story is that "humanity is admirable" - Jean Giono. That if one person can make such a difference in the lives of thousands then image how much of a difference can be created by every individual. This quote used by Jean Giono in the last paragraph shows how admirable people can be by doing something extraordinary for others.

C. The cutting down of trees creates many problems for the environment, trees create a shield from the sun so the soil can gather moister. Without this shield the soil becomes dry, cracked earth. Trees also anchor the soil so events such as The Dust bowl can't occur. When the forests are cut down less moister is evapotranspired into the atmosphere leaving less clouds and eventually a drought may occur in that particular area. There is a major concern that deforestation could lead to a significant decline in rainfall and triggering drought and leading to the destruction of vegatation. Restoring trees creates shade for the landscape to capture moister and also releases water vapor back into the atmosphere continuing the water cycle.

D. United Nations Environment Programme has started a campaign to plant a billion trees in a single year (which was lauched in Nairobi, Kenya, in November 2006). "The Plant for the Planet: Billion Tree Campaign" is intended to encourage people and organizations everywhere to take small but practical steps to cut down on global warming , which many experts believe is the most important environmental challenge of the 21st century.

The Man Who Planted Trees

2008-07-13T09:27:00.003-04:00

A. I thought the reading was very enjoyable to my surprise. I found it very inspirational and hopeful to know that one person can really make a difference. I found it fitting that that author compared Elzeard Bouffier to doing Gods work by creating life instead of death and desctruction. I feel the book showed that humans have the ability to influence an entire environment by simply planting trees.

B. The lesson of the story, states that one person is enough to make a change in the world. Elzeard Bouffier was one man and he changed the entire climate and feeling of a barren wasteland into a lush and breathtaking area. The moral of the story is to plant a tree.

C. Cutting down trees can make a huge impact of an entire region. One effect would be temperature. Trees play an important role in the temperature, temperature will increase without the presents of trees since there is nothing to provide shelter for the grass below, eventually the grass will die leaving a barren area. Over time the soil will eventually lose all its moisture and lead to what we know today as a desert. Simply by planting trees, over time the area will work its way back to its natural state by providing shade for the undergrowth below. Trees help by taking carbon dioxide and transforming it into oxygen which is what sustains life here on earth.

D. I found an organization that is dedicated to helping protect the environment and also preserving traditional livelihoods and cultures for generations. Since 1989, Trees for the Future has been helping communities around the world plant trees. Through seed distribution, and training, they have helped empower rural groups to restore tree cover to their lands.

The Man Who Planted Trees

2008-07-09T17:38:00.001-04:00

A. I thought that this story was great and very inspirational. Even though it was a quick read, I enjoyed it immensely. Elzeard Bouffier could truly be called a god because there are quite a few people in the world that can accomplish what he did.

B.One major lesson learned from this story is you can achieve any goal if you put your mind to it and work hard. Elzeard Bouffier wanted to grow as many trees as he could as long as he was alive and he did just that by growing thousands of trees. His determination made land that was barren and abandoned into beautiful forests and lively villages. Elzeard impacted the environment in a great way.

C. Cutting down trees can change the climate and soil fertility of a whole region in a great way. The affect on climate would be a dramatic increase in temperature extremes. Trees provide shade which keeps the surface at a moderate temperature. Without the shade, temperatures would be much colder at night and much warmer during the day. Due to the exposure to the sun, the soil gets baked and the moisture quickly evaporates into the atmosphere. This causes the soil to dry up and crack, and the lack of moisture can also cause the soil to become into desert sand. Deforestation decreases the soil fertility and causes soil erosion. Planting trees can help restore barren land into fertile ground by helping with the recycling of water in the atmosphere which increases the moisture of the soil. The trees also help with the carbon dioxide exchange process and helps decrease greenhouse gases that are released.

D. Someone who is changing the world by planting trees is a man named Srinibas Jena who is from eastern India. Srinibas is a blind man who once heard on the radio about the importance of forests and a healthy environment. He wanted to help out the environment so he started planting trees. He turned a five-kilometer stretch of barren land into tree plantation and greenery. He planted cashew, mango, guava, and many other fruit trees. His work will inspire many people to follow in his footsteps.

Summer Reading 1: The Man Who Planted Trees

2008-07-06T23:30:00.004-04:00

1. READ
Read the short book, The Man Who Planted Trees, from your reading packet. It really is a quick and enjoyable read.

2. THINK
Many readers have thought this was a true tale, but I'll tell you ahead of time: It's an ecological fable. But it is built on sound ecological/biological principles. Think about why this story was written.

3. RESPOND
Respond to the following on the blog by posting comments to this entry.
a. Tell me what you thought about the book.

b. What is the moral / lesson from the story?

c. Research what is going on here biologically. How can cutting down trees change the climate and soil fertility of a whole region? And why can planting trees restore barren land into fertile ground?

d. And now for the real challenge: Research a real life Elzeard Bouffier (the man who planted trees). Find someone or some organization that is actually changing the world by planting trees. There are some famous ones and some less known ones, but you can find them out there.

Tell me what you find by Tuesday July 15.

How to Blog Safely

2008-07-02T21:30:00.000-04:00

Blogging is a very public activity. Anything that is posted on the Internet stays there. FOREVER! Deleting a post simply removes it from the blog it was posted to. Copies of the post may exist scattered all over the Internet. That is why we need to be careful and follow some simple, clear, safety rules.

FIRST RULE:
To protect your privacy, you need to set up your account using ONLY your first name. This means that many of you need to go in and change your profile. If you have the same first name as another classmate, then let's add only your last initial to your first name, like KimF.

SECOND RULE:
We do not use pictures of ourselves in our profiles. If you really want a graphic image associated with your posting use an avatar -- a picture of something that represents you but IS NOT of you.

Other teachers who have blogged with their classes have come up with a list of guidelines for student bloggers.

One of them, Bud Hunt, has these suggestions, among others:

Students using blogs are expected to treat blogspaces as classroom spaces. Speech that is inappropriate for class is not appropriate for our blog. While we encourage you to engage in debate and conversation with other bloggers, we also expect that you will conduct yourself in a manner reflective of a representative of this school.

Never EVER EVER give out or record personal information on our blog. Our blog exists as a public space on the Internet. Don’t share anything that you don’t want the world to know. For your safety, be careful what you say, too. Don’t give out your phone number or home address. This is particularly important to remember if you have a personal online journal or blog elsewhere.

Again, your blog is a public space. And if you put it on the Internet, odds are really good that it will stay on the Internet. Always. That means ten years from now when you are looking for a job, it might be possible for an employer to discover some really hateful and immature things you said when you were younger and more prone to foolish things. Be sure that anything you write you are proud of. It can come back to haunt you if you don’t.

Never link to something you haven’t read. While it isn’t your job to police the Internet, when you link to something, you should make sure it is something that you really want to be associated with. If a link contains material that might be creepy or make some people uncomfortable, you should probably try a different source.

Look over the guidelines and add any ones you'd like to suggest in the comments section below this post. I think Bud's suggestions are excellent -- clear and easy to follow. We'll be using these from now on as the basis for how we will create our blogs.

You've got to pay attention to the list of "What Not To Do"!

Regards,

KBF