Thinking Allowed

Lipid bilayer of the cell membrane - model by wellcome images

We’ll use this presentation in class.  You’ll need to be able to:

• Draw and label a diagram to show the fluid mosaic model of membrane structure.
• Explain the terms hydrophobic and hydrophilic, and how these properties help to maintain membrane structure.
• List the many functions of membrane proteins.

And for a good idea of where this is taking us, here’s a short video.

Here’s a sneak peek at what’s coming up in the next few lessons on the immune system.

Here’s a little taster of what’s coming in this new topic on energy.

pencil and ruler by mdxdt on flickr

Here are some useful links to help you with your revision.

For practice with scientific notation try this one or this one.

For reviewing significant figures try these sites: one, two, three, four.

For practice with converting units, look here.

For help with identifying the correct independent, dependent and control variables, try this.  And if you are a Spongebob fan, try this, or a Simpsons fan, try here.

bones of the elbow and forearm, anterior view by robswatski on flickr

In this section we’ll take a look at  the musculo-skeletal system. 

We’ll talk about the various functions of the skeleton and the different types of joints that exist in the body. 

We’ll focus on the elbow joint, and learn the detailed structure and how it flexes (bends) and extends (straightens). 

We’ll talk about antagonistic muscle pairs and understand why two muscles are needed to operate a joint. 

And finally, we’ll dissect a pig’s trotter to try and identify some of the parts we’ve been discussing. 

To demonstrate your understanding, you will be asked to select one of the following assessments to complete:

• WRITE a description of how the knee bends and straightens.  Include details of named bones and muscles to convey your understanding.
• DRAW an annotated diagram/picture to illustrate how the knee bends and straightens. Include details of named bones and muscles to convey your understanding.
• MAKE a model of a knee joint that can bend and straighten and be able to explain how it works and why you have chosen the materials you used.
• ACT out a scene that demonstrates your understanding of how the knee joint bends and straightens.
• Use TECHNOLOGY to create a Comic Life strip to explain how the knee bends and straightens. 

Here are the rubrics that will be used to grade your lab reports.  There are 3 – one for design (D), one for data collection and processing (DCP), and finally one for conclusion and evaluation (CE).  You should refer to them every time you have to write a lab report.

FINAL Rubric design      FINALRubric DCP      FINAL Rubric CE

E Coli by hukuzatuna on flickr

The syllabus guide for Topic 2 is here: Topic 2 – syllabus outline

You need to be able to draw, label and annotate a diagram of E.Coli (a prokaryote) and a liver cell (a eukaryote).  In addition you should be able to recognize these structures on an electron micrograph like the one pictured. 

You will also have to compare prokarotes and eukaryotes, and compare plant and animal cells.

Here are a couple of great presentations to help you achieve these tasks, and I’ll be giving you several handouts to practice with.  We’ll be getting the light microscopes out for a play too, as well as making our own slides to view.  Presentation on prokaryotes.  Presentation on eukaryotes.

pulley by Todd Huffman on flickr

Another type of simple machine, besides the lever, is the pulley.  Pulleys can be fixed or movable, and they can be used singly or combined with other pulleys to make pulley systems.  Take a look at this clip to learn a little bit more about pulleys, and be introduced to the idea of mechanical advantage.  And here’s Tim and Moby’s explanation of the same concepts.  If  you want to go further, try reading this.

You are going to (hopefully) get a better understanding of pulley systems by doing an experiment.  Here is the instruction sheet: Pulley lab instruction sheet   Pulley lab data sheet

And finally, once you have understood pulley systems and mechanical advantage properly, you can demonstrate your understanding by designing a pulley system to lift an elephant off the ground into a truck of height 1m.  I can’t wait to see what you come up with!

bread toasts by FrancoisRoche on flickr

Click here for the information on this lab.

If you are confused about variables, this song might help.  Sing it loud, sing it proud!

gymnast by euze on flickr

Ever wondered how gymnasts and acrobats can do things like this?  We’re about to discover how.  We will learn about centre of gravity (or centre of mass) and stability.

• Why are Formula 1 racecars so low?
• Why is it difficult for a tightrope walker to balance on a tightrope?
• On a double decker bus why shouldn’t all the passengers sit upstairs?
• Why does a wineglass have wide base?

We will do a lab to identify the centre of gravity of different regular and irregular shapes.  This is the instruction sheet. Centre of Gravity G10 IntSci2