Wednesday, 17 July 2013

Reflection

Today we're going to be on the computers for an hour before going back to w12 for a practical. Answer the following:
These first questions are about your experiences this year, so we can all keep improving. Take a minute for each one and try to be as honest as possible.
  1. What do you feel are your strengths in Science? What do you do well?
  2. What would you like to get better at to improve your marks?
  3. How do you think you could go about this?
  4. What have you enjoyed in class this year?
  5. What would you have liked to change or do differently?
  6. Explain the steps involved for DNA to make a protein:
  7. What do lysosomes do?
  8. Name one other organelle and explain it's function:
  9. Why are lysosomes important in the cell?
  10. Watch this documentary from the BBC earlier this year. It summarises really well what you'll need to know for GCSE, as well as lots of sixth form Bio stuff! How many cells make up the average human body?

Tuesday, 2 July 2013

Diffusion and Osmosis

Today we're going to start looking at diffusion and osmosis in cells, which is the start of the year 11 course. Answer the following in your books:
  1. How can you define diffusion?
  2. Explain WHY diffusion occurs in some conditions, but not others:
  3. Where in the body does diffusion occur?
  4. What part of the CELL allows diffusion to occur?
  5. What things affect the rate of diffusion?
  6. How would you explain a concentration gradient?
  7. What is osmosis?
  8. How could you make cells in a solution get smaller, or larger?
  9. What do isotonic, hypotonic and hyper tonic mean?
  10. Explain how osmosis can kill cells:
  11. Name two organelles and explain what they do in the cell:
  12. Watch this video, and then explain the difference between osmosis and diffusion in your own words:                         
Extension - In what ways are our lungs adapted to help gases diffuse into and out of the blood more quickly?

Wednesday, 5 June 2013

ISA section 2

Next lesson we will be looking at the section 2 paper for the ISA we have been completing this week. Answer the following questions to help you prepare for next lesson:
  1. Go through this sample paper (it is VERY similar to the one you'll see). Give one way that the student scored full marks for one of the questions.
  2. I know you've seen it lots before now, but write down the independent, dependent and a control variable we used in this experiment:
  3. Check if question no. 12 from the second of May works (two posts below this one, if not we'll watch it on the board). How could the cookie monster improve his experiment?
  4. Which two points don't fit the pattern here? What is the term for these points?
  5. What was the the overall pattern that we found with the cooking time and vitamin C content?
  6. What does the 'range' of data mean?

Wednesday, 15 May 2013

ISA research sheets

For the ISA next year, you will be given a sheet and a hypothesis to investigate. The hypothesis for this investigation is

'How much vitamin C is in food depends upon the time the food is cooked for.'

You should write this word for word into the box on your sheet.  Once you have done this, there are a few other sections.
Research sources:
Give the name of two books or websites you have used to do some background research for the practical, so that people could find them with the details you give. It would also be sensible to write a note reminding yourself what you get from each website. You can try this one, this one or find other information on your own.
Method:
This is where you need to write the steps that you will take in your practical to get your results. make sure you include as much detail as you can and don't miss any steps!
Equipment:
You need to produce a list of all the equipment you will need. Include amounts and numbers of things.
Risk assessment:
For the risk assessment, you need to think of things that could go wrong and what problems they would cause. If you can also think of ways to stop these things happening, put them in too.
Context:
For this section, you need to think of people or groups who would be interested in your experiment. list them and explain why they would want to know the results from your experiment.

Remember, you can take the sheet into the exam with you so including things like the independent and dependent variables, blank tables to record your results (with units in titles) and any other information that might help you is a good idea. Section 1 is basically re-writing this paper for marks so you're helping yourself do better later on!

Thursday, 2 May 2013

ISA - maggots

Today we're going to thinking about ISA topics to do with the practical we just didusing maggots and choice chambers. Answer the following in your books:
  1. What else could choice chambers be used for?
  2. Why are control variables very important when using choice chambers?
  3. Think of another hypothesis you could test using maggots and choice chambers (we already tests whether maggots are affected by light intensity) :
  4. Why might it be hard to conclude which conditions insects prefer from this experiment?
  5. What is causality? Why is this important in experiments?
  6. What is anomalous data? What should you do in a practical if you have an anomaly?
  7. We looked at Doctor Wakefield's incorrect claims about autism and the MMR vaccine earlier this year. What has happened recently with measles? Why is interpreting your results correctly important?
  8. What did you do with your results to make them more reliable? Why is this a good thing to do?
  9. Outline the hazards that are associated with the prac we have done, the risks they create and how you can minimise that risk. You will need to complete a risk assessment in the ISA, so use this table to practice now:
    hazardrisksafety measures
       
       
       
       
  10. Read these short scetions about scientists getting things wrong, and summarise one. How did they get it wrong in the first place? How was it put right?
  11. Extension - Think of a question you would like to answer - it could be anything that relates to your life now or something fairly abstract. How would you go about answering this question? use the steps in the scientific method to write up a plan for this experiment. if anyone comes up with a suitable one for the class we might try it later on.
  12. HOMEWORK - Watch this video with the cookie monster (I dont think youtube works at school anymore) and state the pattern they used in the experiment. This is what the girl explains after they have dropped the object in the water.

Wednesday, 17 April 2013

Atmosphere

Today we've been looking at how Earth's atmosphere has changed over time. Answer these questions to finish off what we were looking at during period 3:
  1. What was earth's early atmosphere mostly made from? Which organisms increased the amount of oxygen?
  2. What are the raw materials needed to produce calcium carbonate?
  3. Briefly explain the process that makes limestone:
  4. What gas makes up most of the Earth's atmosphere today?
  5. Complete the following activity. How long had the Earth's atmosphere been stable before the recent changes?
  6. Looking at the carbon cycle below, identify the process which is leading to increasing amounts of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere recently:
  7. Explain what happens during the fractional distillation of air. What are ethe products used for?
  8. Explain how this increase is changing three other things about our planet:
  9. What is a carbon dioxide sink?
  10. How are plants carbon sinks and soucres?
  11. How much carbon dioxide are you producing each year? how could you decrease this?
  12. Extension: Briefly explain how the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has changed since Earth was created until today (you'll need to use more than one website for this so I haven't given links - find them yourself!)

Tuesday, 16 April 2013

Exam revision

This link will help you revise all sections of the course that we've covered so far - I just found it on youtube and thought it would be good to post. In year 10 you are doing C1, B1, and P1 and in year 11 you'll do C2, P2 and B2. This would also be a good way to see things again if you aren't sure about anything form class.

Thursday, 21 March 2013

Plant Oils

Today we're going to look at the Plant Oils section of Chemistry for the progress test next week (in the second half of Ms Elias' lesson on Thursday). Answer the following in your books:
  1. Explain how distillation can be used to produce plant oils:
  2. What other method can be used to extract oils from plants? Briefly explain the steps involved:
  3. What are the differences between saturated and unsaturated oils?
  4. Watch this animation. What four parts make up a molecule of sunflower oil?
  5. Why are oils useful in cooking?
  6. What is an emulsion?
  7. Explain what 'hydrophilic' and 'hydrophobic' mean:
  8. Name three foods that use emulsifiers:
  9. Why do we need vegetable oils in our diet? What are some problems associated with over consumption of them?
  10. The progress test next week will be on everything we have covered (in both classes) so far this year, but with more time for the material covered since christmas. Go through your books and identify one topic you're comfortable with, and one which you want to start revision on. Write these down.
  11. Go to the bitesize website, and write down one thing you learn about the topic you are least confident about.

Wednesday, 20 February 2013

Today we will be looking at how plants and animals are adapted to survive in different conditions.  Answer the following questions in your books, using the links to help you:
  1. What things do plants need to survive and reproduce successfully
  2. How do animals take in energy from the environment? Think of one example of an animal being adapted to do this better:
  3. Explain what 'heterotroph' means.
  4. Watch this video, and give the main resource that the plants are competing for:
  5. Outline the adaptations that antarctic fish have that help them survive. - What is an extremophile?
  6. Name one extremophile organism and where it lives. 
  7.  List three things that animals compete for:
  8. Complete this activity and give the biological definition of a community.
  9. What is competition between organisms? 
  10. Do organisms like plants or animals always compete for the same resources? Explain why:
  11. When does competition occur between organisms (what conditions need to happen?)?
  12. When individuals are in competition, which ones are the most likely to survive? 
  13. Try this game. What helps a population survive longer? 

Tuesday, 5 February 2013

E.M. spectrum

Today we're going to summarise the E.M. spectrum work we've been doing so we're ready for next term. Answer the following in your books:

  1. What are fibre-optic cables? What are they made form and what energy do they transmit?
  2. What dangers have been linked to mobile phones and the electromagnetic spectrum? What have scientistts found?
  3. Use the diagram below to explain which visible colour has the longest wavelength:                              
  4. What is the Doppler effect?
  5. Use the video below to describe how sound and light are both influenced by the Doppler effect:

  6. Who used evidence from other galaxies to come up with the Big Bang theory? Briefly describe what the theory states:
  7. Use the information above to explain why some of the galaxies in this picture appear red. Why are some more red than others?                                                                     
  8. If redshift is one piece of evidence for the big bang theory, what is the other main piece of evidence that supports the Big Bang theory?
  9. Try this activity.
  10. Extension - Read about the theories regarding a big crunch or big yawn (click on 'the big bang' in the index and then scroll down). Briefly describe what each one states.

Thursday, 17 January 2013

Sound and light waves

Today we're going to keep looking at sound waves, and start to look at how light waves work too. Answer the following in your books:
  1. What is the approximate range of human hearing? Remember to include units.
  2. What is one difference between sound and light waves?
  3. Explain what separates the different parts of the electromagnetic spectrum. The image below may help:                                                                          
  4. How are microwaves used in comunication?
  5. Define diffraction, and give one real life situation where it occurs.
  6. What two things influence the amount of diffraction?
  7. Watch this video, showing a non-newtonian fluid on top of a speaker. What type of sound waves seem to have the greatest effect on the fluid? Try to use scientific terms from class in your answer.
  8. How is the normal line drawn in relation to this mirror? Can you give the law of reflection?
  9. How are relfection and refraction different? Think about the angles you have seen today: 
  10. Extension - Why is refraction important for you to see things? Use the image below to help you:

Wednesday, 19 December 2012

Term 2 preparation

Next term we are going to start doing your ISA, a practical exam which makes up 25% of your grade for this year. Answer the following questions to help you get ready for it:
  1. What is the independent variable?
  2. What is the dependent variable?
  3. Where should the independent and dependent variables go in a table? What about in a line graph?
  4. What have you enjoyed about science this term?
  5. What would you like to change or do differently?
  6. See how long it takes you to find these keywords. Can you explain what they all mean to the person next to you?
  7. Try any of the science crosswords from the New York Times.
  8. Watch this interactive (click on 'what is a trait?' on the left). What parts of our bodies influence the traits that we have?
  9. Complete any of the other activities on this website, or try and of the old links on this page.

Thursday, 6 December 2012

Revision

Use this document to revise for the bio section of the upcoming progress test.

Revision/metals

Today we're going to do some work with transition metals and review the section you have looked at with Ms. Elias.  Answer the following in your books:
  1. Where are transition metals found in the period table?
  2. What are some properties that they share?
  3. What is an alloy? Give some properties of one alloy from the table:
  4. In what two ways do metals differ from one another?
  5. Give one thing that all metals have in common:
  6. Go to kerboodle, and log in to find the materials in the 'co-ordination and control' assignment. Start working through these to prepare for the progress test. You should start with the 'ups and downs of life' section, as the practical didn't work too well in class.

Thursday, 22 November 2012

Hormones

Today we're going to continue looking at hormones and the functions they have in the body.
Complete the following in your books:
  1. Watch this animation (use subtitles if you don't have headphones). Where does adrenaline get produced?
  2. From the link above, where is oestrogen produced?
  3. name one type of plant hormone, and explain what it does.
  4. Describe how ADH is involved with water balance.
  5. Why does the body need to stay at 37 degrees C?
  6. How does adrenaline affect the body?
  7. Explain how the drug ecstasy can influence water balance:
  8. Write down one new thing you've learnt today, and one question you have about what we've covered.
  9. Try this activity. What effect does respiration rate have on oxygen need?
  10. Use this interactive. By what process does homeostasis work?
  11. Try the game at the end of this slideshow. How can the body control temperature? The highest score in the class will get an achievement point. Good luck!

Extension - Explain how bacteria are used for insulin production.

Wednesday, 7 November 2012

co-ordination and control

We're going to start looking at nervous impulses in the body in more detail today.  Answer the following in your books:
  1. What is the difference between a neuron and a nerve?
  2. What steps are involved in a reflex action? Use bullet points to explain them from start to finish:
  3. How is a reflex action different to a conscious action?
  4. Watch this animation, and explain what an effector is.
  5. Complete this activity, clicking 'stop and analyse'in the top corner once you've tried it. What things could influence how fast you react to the stimulus?
  6. Use this nobel prize interactive site to name the three main pats of a nerve cell.
  7. Using page 4 from the link above, explain what a synapse is and how impulses are carried through them.
  8. What is the sheath on the axon made from? What does this help with?
  9. Read the section on this page called 'when a signal doesn't reach its target'. What is the cause of multiple sclerosis?
  10. Try this interactive link and click on nervous system game. Name one effector you have placed into the body.
  11. Complete this activity, and say what the image is once you have:

Thursday, 18 October 2012

Carbonates

Today we're going to keep looking at carbonates and limestone.  Answer the following in your books:


  1. What do you get when you add a carbonate to and acid? (you should know this from last lesson, but check here to see if you were right).
  2. What is thermal decomposition?
  3. A lime kiln uses limestone to create products used for building. Use this image and the equation in it to describe what gets produced when limestone is heated:
  4. Watch this video.  What are the three main stages in producing cement? 
  5. What is the difference between cement and concrete?
  6. What environmental impacts are there with limestone mining?
  7. Complete the exam-style questions from class, using the mark scheme at the end to check your work. You should complete this at home if you don't finish in time today.

Monday, 15 October 2012

Chemistry

We'll be going through your tests from last week in the lesson on Thursday, so will be continuing with the Chemistry section of the course today.
Answer these questions in your books as usual:


  1. What is chemical compound is limestone made from? Write the name and the formula.
  2. Watch the video on this link. What is limestone formed from?
  3. What is limestone often used for
  4. What does limestone form when it is heated
  5. Complete this test once you've seen the animation in question 3.
  6. Watch this video, and explain the major problem with building structures from limestone:             
  7. What are coccolithophores? How can they create limestone?
  8. If the cliffs at Dover are made from limestone, what fossilized animals are the players standing on?
  9. If limestone dissolves slowly with water or acid rain, why is it used for buildings?
  10. Fill in these sentences, using what you've done already today to help you.
  11. Complete the quiz after the animation here.
  12. Explain how the city you build in this game is less likely to contribute to forming acid rain.

Wednesday, 3 October 2012

Chemistry Fundamentals

Today we're going to be summarizing what we've done so far with Chemistry.  Answer the following in your books:

  1. Explain what the 'groups' of the periodic table are.
  2. What do you notice about the outer shells of all the elements in group 1 (vertical column on the left hand side) of the periodic table?
  3. For question 2, what charge would all the atoms of this group have when they become ions?
  4. Complete this activity, and briefly describe what happens to an atom to create an ionic bond.
  5. Draw a covalent bond covalent bond between 2 chlorine atoms.
  6. Complete the activitiy here.  How are elements in the periodic table organised?
  7. The diagram below shows the charge on an ion of each element. If group 1 is +1, have they gained or lost an electron?                                                         v
  8. Try these two tests (here and here), writing down how  many protons, neutrons and electrons an atom of Al has.      
  9. Using the periodic table below, give an element with a +1 ionic charge and one with a -2 ionic charge.                                                                  
  10. Complete this activity. Which 2 groups could the red atom belong to?
  11. Extension - In what ratio would Mg and Cl join to from a compound with a balanced charge? What type of bonds would form? Explain your answer.
  12. Once you're finished, try this activity.

Tuesday, 25 September 2012

Video Homework.

This is the video we started in class today. The content isn't all vital for the course we're on but it is interesting.  From the first 20 minutes, see if you can write down three things that Bacteria need to survive and reproduce.  Bring this in for an achievement point.