Welcome to Mrs. Becker’s “Summer of Biology” 2013This is an evolving creation! Unless otherwise noted this assignment is a collection of materials from the following teachers and/or sites: Kim Foglia, P. Compeau, J. Becker, K. Dotti, AP Biology, summer AP workshops, and College Board.

Is it summer yet…are we free yet? NO! Like all great things (summer, a good book, a swim, a new iPod…) work must be done in order to have success! Success is earned! Therefore, we must have an AP Biology Summer Assignment!

Biology cannot be learned only from a book or a lab exercise! Go outside and learn biology from the organisms around you. Use the first step to the scientific method…. what is that you say….you will need to tell me on your first day back!

This assignment is not meant to torture you (ok maybe a little…I have to have some fun!), it is meant to get you to think, increase your curiosity, network, research, and study. With these ideas in mind these assignments have been designed (and adapted) for six purposes:

to get you to think during those summer months to keep your mind sharp, because I will expect a lot out of it!

to expand your vocabulary by familiarizing you with terms and that we will be using in class. to introduce you to major concepts from AP Biology. To have you earn several strong grades to help you begin the first quarter with confidence. to decrease the amount of new material that you will have to learn during the school year. (I will

send you a review of biochemistry and AP themes in August) to see if you follow directions and meet deadlines. No late work will be accepted, if you have a

problem – communicate (jean.becker@fortthomas.kyschools.us)!

Assignment # Due Date* Assignment1 Monday June 10 AP Biology Letter of Introduction and Pledge.

2 Monday June 24Monday July 1Monday July 8Monday July 15Monday July 22 (these can be turned in early)

Final – good copy due on the first day of school.

Guided Reading Chapter 1-5Ch. 1Ch. 2Ch. 3Ch. 4Ch. 5This assignment will be on my webpage – so you can download it, type it and send it via email. If you are traveling w/out a computer you can hand write it and send me a picture of your progress. I just want to see that you are working on these assignments. The final draft will be due on the first day of school.

3 Monday August 5 Molecule Flash Cards – take a picture of the ones you have done and email me (jean.becker@fortthomas.kyschools.us). I just want to be sure you are working on these ahead of time.

4 Plant Light Tolerance LabMonday June 10Monday June 24Monday July 1Monday July 8Monday July 15Monday July 22Monday July 29Monday August 5Monday August 12Monday August 19Friday August 30 – plants due in class and final copy of data.

During the summer you will need to send me the measurements for your plants height and water amounts used. I don’t care if you wait to gather the temp, humidity, precipitation, etc. data after school starts. In fact as a class we can put you into groups of 4 or 5 to gather set days and then as a class we can “compile the days”. This way you don’t have to worry about it on a daily basis.

*During the summer I will check my email on Monday’s and Friday’s. I typically check it a lot more than that, but these days I will definitely check. My email is jean.becker@fortthomas.kyschools.us. I will be attending several workshops during the summer, so email me if you need help! Because of these commitments, I will not have a lot of free time this summer to meet personally with you during the day. However, I am very willing to help in the evening, just email me! If you need help on small items, we can do this via email. If you are in the habit of keeping your phone/email on at all hours, please tell me this in your email. I have been known to email answers at very late/early hours, I don’t want to wake you up to tell you the answer! Communication is critical for our success this year. I can’t help you, if you don’t tell me you are struggling! If you find these assignments stressful, communicate! I will help, and we can set up time to meet at school if necessary. Please, don’t wait until the last minute. Look ahead and meet deadlines on time or even early.

When you email me…. Be sure to fill in the subject line. I will be getting 20+ emails every Monday. I must be able to refer to the email without having to open multiple emails to find the one I need. Additionally, do not combine emails. Send one assignment per email. I am happy for you to send assignments early, just put them into different emails so that I can track them.

“Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs.”

- Henry Ford

ASSIGNMENT 1 LETTER OF INTRODUCTION AND PLEDGE

Welcome to AP Biology!

We are going to spend a lot of time together next year, so it’s best if I get a head start on learning a bit about you. Also, we will use the Internet and the Web a lot next year for this course, so let’s get you used to communicating with me via e-mail. If you do not have web access or email, don’t worry. We will build a network for anyone without internet access and the library will serve as your place for research.

Your first digital assignment is to successfully send me an e-mail. Due date: Monday June 10th (or earlier).

Send an e-mail to me following these rules:

a. Use clearly written, full sentences. Do not abbreviate words like you are texting with a friend. Use spell check! This is a professional communication like you would have with a college professor, so let’s practice for your rapidly nearing future! This is an email and not an attachment!

b. Use font Times New Roman 12

c. Email it to me at: jean.becker@fortthomas.kyschools.us

d. Make the Subject: “2013 AP Bio: Introduction to <Insert Your Name Here First and Last Name>” (Do not include the quote marks or the brackets, just your name) It is important that you follow this step correctly. In college if you don’t learn to include the subject as requested by the professor you will not receive credit for the submitted assignment. Therefore, I will expect the same. You must learn to read directions and follow them.

e. Begin the e-mail with a formal salutation, like “Mrs. Becker,” or “Dear Mrs. Becker,”

f. Now introduce yourself (your name) and tell me a little bit about yourself, like:

What grade are you going to be in this coming school year? What science courses have you taken? What math classes have you taken? Have you had Anatomy/are you going to take it this year? What do you like to do (hobbies, sports, music, interests, etc.)? Do you have a job? Tell me a little bit about your family (Mom? Dad? Guardian? Siblings? Pets?) What did you like about your earlier biology class? What didn’t you like about your earlier biology class? What was the last book you read for fun? What are you looking forward to the most in AP Biology? What are you most anxious about in AP Biology? What are your plans for your Junior/Senior year? What are your plans for your future outside of high school? How can I help? How can I contact you? What is your email?

g. In a separate paragraph write your AP Biology Pledge (read the assignment Pledge below)

h. End the e-mail with a formal closing: “Cordially”, “Sincerely”, “Warm regards”, etc. and add your name as if you signed a letter. Yes I expect complete sentences and not how you would text your friends. Make it fun!

Hint 1: This is a long email, so you might want to “draft it” in a word document and then copy and paste it into the email.

Hint 2: Put the email address in last – that way you will not “accidentally” send an email that isn’t finished. They will make you more professional in the long run.

Hint 3: Re-read your work before you send – this is your first chance to make a good impression!

Hint 4: Always wait a minute before closing your email… in fact I always go into the sent folder to make sure the email was sent. I also always use the option to tell me that the email was delivered. Trust me, when it is a big grade, or a project for your future boss, you need to double check that it got to where you intended it to go.

AP Biology Expectations and Pledge part 2 of assignment 1

Congratulations! You have signed up to challenge yourself, further your education, commit to working hard and having fun (I hope). This course is intended to accomplish the college-level goals set forth by the AP College Board. The curriculum is diverse and kinesthetic to stimulate and captivate but it’s fast-paced and requires in-depth coverage of the material so that you will receive a university-quality biology education. The course starts out with a teacher-driven structure that demands student interaction and establishes the expectations and demands that will be made throughout the year. As the year progresses, the structure should gradually become student-driven—class and some homework assignments will be turned over to the students so that you take more and more responsibility for your education. Many AP Biology teachers including myself find it difficult to cover the extensive content of the course without compromising the quality of the classroom experience. It is tempting at times for me to try to do the work for you. However, this does not work, you must be committed to doing the work for yourself. Each day you will be challenged to develop connections with the topics covered and to take an active role in obtaining your education.

Remember that this is a college-level course:My role is to open the world up to you and help you decipher it as you explore it. Translated into daily teaching, this would mean that a college-level teacher helps their students interpret their textbook, explore and experience the topics of study, draw connections to other topics and resolve any misconceptions. In a college-level course, a teacher does not outline the textbook material for the students, nor do they cover every concept in class.

Instead, the student takes on that responsibility. Class time is best spent accomplishing things the student has not yet learned to perform on their own such as integrating the material, applying concepts to other areas, and utilizing outside resources to schedule laboratory experiences, field trips and visits from guest speakers. Just as I must remember my role, you must remember your role.

Because this is a college-level course, you will be expected to do all the work that you are able to perform independently outside of class. Not only are you expected to read your textbook, lab manual and handouts outside of class, but like a college student, you will be asked to watch videos on your own time, as well as complete projects, free response essays, presentations and other demanding assignments. This is where you can help yourself, understand that having the independence of your “college student” status; you must set goals and stick to them. You are responsible for your education, I will not “spoon feed you.”

How to cover all of the material:One of the chief challenges for any AP teacher is how to cover the large quantity of information included in an AP course. Looking at the extensive requirements of the course, it becomes clear that we must somehow enlist students in the learning process. One valuable technique used extensively in this program to foster student driven learning is the Socratic method of teaching. Socratic discussions are question-and-answer sessions in which the teacher leads the students to discover the overall concepts or the underlying principles of a topic through deductive reasoning. The discussion starts with a familiar idea that is built upon slowly and methodically, until all of the pieces are in place for understanding of a new and more developed concept to take place. During these discussions, my role is as a guide who leads the group in the right direction. It is important to understand that if I begin to answer the questions for you, then I am relieving you of the burden of thinking. This can be an uncomfortable experience at first for you, realize it is not my intent to embarrass you, frustrate you, or cause you stress. It is my intent to make you realize that the answers are achievable; by putting the pieces together. This of courses means you must do your work, read, watch videos, reflect on previous discussions outside of class and be willing to fall (I hate to use the word fail). I promise I will help you pick yourself up and move forward. This method of teaching/learning does not work if you don’t do your work. I don’t have all the answers, neither will you, but together we will hopefully discover many together. You will need long periods of thinking/reflecting time, you will need to find answers on your own and you must have the discipline and curiosity to search for the answers yourself. If you are not willing to do this, if you wait for others to always answer the questions, then you will not be successful in this course.

Responsibilities to the class:It is important to understand that you are part of a working team and that this year we will have a very large class. Therefore, each student must come prepared and be willing to work within the group. If you aren’t willing to do your part and work as a team it will quickly become evident. It will also cause problems within the class, because others will not want to work with you for activities and labs. I will randomly assign activity/lab groups, but it becomes problematic for me if others come and request not to be your partner. So please do not put me in this position, do your work so that others want to work with you. We must work together if we are going to all be successful; you cannot wait for your partner to tell you what to do or how to do it. AP Bio work requires everyone to understand what is expected. If you come unprepared you can hold the entire class back, you can ruin an extensive/costly/lengthy lab, and I have very little tolerance in these circumstances. So how prepared you personally are will help all of us be efficient in our time together in class and laboratory activities. Remember that answers in science are not always readily available. The fun and thrill is in the quest! Learn to think for yourself and use deductive reasoning. This will help you not only in biology but also in life.

Assignment:Now that you have read this contract/pledge, your assignment is to reflect on it and then write your own pledge as to what you plan to do to be successful in this class and to ensure that the rest of the class is successful. The intent is not to copy this document, not to write multiple pages, but to sincerely reflect on your responsibilities to yourself, the class and to me. What are you going to do to help yourself and the class? Remember any work I assign to you, I have to do also! I then have to grade it all!

ASSIGNMENT 2Guided Reading Chapter 1-5

Unit 1 Introduction to Biology and The Chemistry of Life Chapters 1-5The AP Biology Course had a major redesign for the 2012-2013 school. The old design was formatted around 8 themes that you will “see” in your textbook. These are a good means of organization; however you will never be tested over “define the 8 themes in biology”. The new design is formatted around 4 big ideas. One of your summer assignments is to become familiar with these big ideas. It is important for you to “think” in terms of these ideas. They will be posted in the room to help you keep them in mind as we proceed through our school year. This assignment is to make you review (or learn) five key chapters for a successful year in AP Biology. Although some of the chemistry concepts may be new to you, they may be hard. Please put forth effort to really understand these concepts. You will be tested over these chapters within the first two weeks of school.

Your book: AP Biology by Campbell and Reece 8 th ed. Is a valuable resource. Please make sure you read the chapters, take your own notes, and READ THE DIAGRAMS. The more you put into reading the chapters the easier this course will be for you. What you “get out” of a class is a factor of the work that you put into the class. I can help but ultimately it is up to you! If you “divide” up the work or try to copy it from the internet you will be behind before we even begin! Please put your own effort into these assignments. (Have I said this enough already? ).

Ch. 1 Introduction: Themes in the Study of Life1. Life is organized on many scales. As you read through the text study the figures, write in a brief definition of each level.biosphere

ecosystem

community

population

organism

organs/organ systems

tissues

cells

organelles

molecules/compound

atom/element

2. As you read through chapter 1, you will be reminded of things you may have studied in an earlier course. Since this material will be presented in detail in future chapters, you will come back to these ideas, so don’t stress if some of the concepts presented are unfamiliar. However, to guide your study, define each of the terms in bold as you come to them. eukaryotic cell

prokaryotic cell

DNA

genes

genome

negative feedback/positive feedback

3. What are the two main types of scientific inquiry? Give an example of each.

4. Distinguish between quantitative and qualitative data. Which type would be presented in a data chart and could be graphed? Which type is found in the field sketches made by Jane Goodall?

5. In science, how do we define hypothesis?

6. A scientific hypothesis has two important qualities. The first is that it is testable. What is the second?

7. Are scientific hypotheses proved? Explain your answer!

8. Look at Figure 1.24. Use it to write a hypothesis using the “If . . . then . . .” format.

9. What is a controlled experiment?

10. The text points out a common misconception about the term “controlled experiment”. In the snake mimicry experiment, what factors were held constant?

Chapter 2: The Chemical Context of Life (this chapter maybe ver y hard if you haven’t taken chemistry yet – do not give up…. It will seem overwhelming at first…. I will not “hit it as hard” initially. I just want you to start down this road!1. What four elements make up 96% of all living matter? ____________________________________________2. How many electrons does carbon have? _______ Why is this significant to biology?

3. Which is the only subatomic particle that is directly involved in the chemical reactions between atoms? ________4. What is meant by electronegativity?

5. Explain the difference between a nonpolar covalent bond and a polar covalent bond.

6. Make an electron distribution diagram of water. Which element is most electronegative? Why is water considered a polar molecule? Label the regions that are more positive or more negative. (This is a very important concept. Spend some time with this one!)

7. Define anion and cation. In the preceding example, which is the anion?

8. What is a hydrogen bond? Indicate where the hydrogen bond occurs in this figure.

9. Explain van der Waals interactions. Though they represent very weak attractions, when these interactions are numerous they can stick a gecko to the ceiling!

10. Here is a list of the types of bonds and interactions discussed in this section. Place them in order from the strongest to the weakest: hydrogen bonds, van der Waals interactions, covalent bonds, ionic bonds.

11. Use morphine and endorphins as examples to explain why molecular shape is crucial in biology.

12. Write the chemical shorthand equation for photosynthesis. Label the reactants and the products.

13. For the equation you just wrote, how many molecules of carbon dioxide are there? _____ How many molecules of glucose? _________ How many elements in glucose? _________

Chapter 3: Water and the Fitness of the Environment1. Study the water molecules at the right. On the central molecule, label oxygen (O) and hydrogen (H). 2. What is a polar molecule? Why is water considered polar?

3. Now, add + and – signs to indicate the charged regions of each molecule. Then, indicate the hydrogen bonds. 4. Explain hydrogen bonding. How many hydrogen bonds can a single water molecule form?

5. Distinguish between cohesion and adhesion.

6. Water has high specific heat. What does this mean? How does water’s specific heat compare to alcohol’s? Explain how hydrogen bonding contributes to water’s high specific heat. Summarize how water’s high specific heat contributes to the moderation of temperature. How is this property important to life?

7. Ice floats! So what? Consider what would happen if ponds and other bodies of water accumulated ice at the bottom. Describe why this property of water is important. Now, explain why ice floats.

8. Review and define these terms: solvent

solution

solute

9. Explain why water is such a fine solvent.

10. Define hydrophobic and hydrophilic.

11. You already know that some materials, such as olive oil, will not dissolve in water. In fact, oil will float on top of water. Explain this property in terms of hydrogen bonding.

12. What two ions form when water dissociates? ____________ & ______________

13. Water, which is neutral with a pH of 7, has an equal number of H+ and OH– ions. Now, define acid

base

14. Because the pH scale is logarithmic, each numerical change represents a 10X change in ion concentration.

a. So, how many times more acidic is a pH of 3 compared to a pH of 5? _______________

b. How many times more basic is a pH of 12 compared to a pH of 8? __________________

c. Explain the difference between a pH of 8 and a pH of 12 in terms of H+ concentration. ____________

15. Draw a pH chart, labeled pH 1–14. Label neutral, acid, base. Indicate the locations of pure water, urine, gastric juice, and bleach.

16. Even a slight change in pH can be harmful! How do buffers moderate pH change?

17. Exercise will result in the production of CO2, which will acidify the blood. Explain the buffering system that minimizes blood pH changes.

Chapter 4: Carbon and the Molecular Diversity of Life1. Study this figure of Stanley Miller’s experiment to simulate

conditions thought to have existed on the early Earth. Explain the elements of this experiment, using arrows to indicate what occurs in various parts of the apparatus.

2. What was collected in the sample for chemical analysis? What was concluded from the results of this experiment?

3. Make an electron distribution diagram of carbon to the right.

4. It is essential that you know the answers to these questions: a. How many valence electrons does carbon have? ______________

b. How many bonds can carbon form? __________

c. What type of bonds does it form with other elements? _______________________

Carbon chains form skeletons. List here the types of skeletons that can be formed. What is a hydrocarbon? Name two. Are hydrocarbons hydrophobic or hydrophilic?There are seven functional groups. Complete the following chart (hint these will also be in the flash card assignment)

Hydroxyl Carbonyl Carboxyl Amino Sulfhydryl Phosphate MethylStructure

Example

Functional Properties

You will need to master the chart and the information in it. Using the functional groups above, see if you can answer the following prompts:

a. –NH2 ____________

b. Can form cross-links that stabilize protein structure

____________

c. Key component of ATP ____________

d. Can affect gene expression ____________

e. CH3 ____________

f. Is always polar ____________

g. Determines the two groups of sugars ____________

h. Has acidic properties ____________

i. –COOH ____________

j. Acts as a base ____________

k. Circle and identify three functional groups in the molecule shown above.

Chapter 5: The Structure and Function of Large Biological Molecules

1. The large molecules of all living things fall into just four main classes. Name them.

2. Circle the three classes that are called macromolecules. Define macromolecule.

3. What is a polymer? a monomer?

4. Monomers are connected in what type of reaction? What occurs in this reaction?

5. Large molecules (polymers) are converted to monomers in what type of reaction?

6. The root words of hydrolysis will be used many times to form other words you will learn this year. What does each root word mean? hydro– lysis –

7. When two monomers are joined, a molecule of __________ is always removed.

8. Let’s look at carbohydrates, which include sugars and starches. First, what are the monomers of all

carbohydrates?

9. Here is the abbreviated ring structure of glucose. Where are all the carbons?

Have you noticed that all the sugars end in –ose? This root word means ____________.

10. What is a glycosidic linkage?

11. Here is a molecule of starch, which shows 1–4

glycosidic linkages. Translate and explain this

terminology in terms of carbon numbering.

12. Why can you not digest cellulose? What organisms can?

13. Lipids include fats, waxes, oils, phospholipids, and steroids. What characteristic do all lipids share?

14. What are the building blocks of fats? Label them on this figure.

15.If a fat is composed of 3 fatty

acids and 1 glycerol molecule,

how many water molecules will

be removed to form it? Again,

what is this process called?

16. Draw a fatty acid chain that is 8 carbons long and is unsaturated. Circle the element in your chain

that makes it unsaturated, and explain what this means.

17. Name two saturated fats. __________________________ 18. Name two unsaturated fats. __________________________

19. Why are many unsaturated fats liquid at room temperature?

20. What is a trans fat? Why should you limit them in your diet?

21. List four important functions of fats.

22. Here is a figure that shows the structure of a phospholipid. Label the sketch to show the phosphate group, the glycerol, and the fatty acid chains. Also indicate the region that is hydrophobic and the region that is hydrophilic.

23. Why is the “tail” hydrophobic?

24. Which of the two fatty acid chains in the figure with question 22 is unsaturated? Label it. How do you know it is unsaturated?

25. To summarize, a phospholipid has a glycerol attached to a phosphate group and two fatty acid chains. The head is hydrophilic, and the tail is hydrophobic. Now, sketch the phospholipid bilayer structure of a plasma membrane. Label the hydrophilic heads, hydrophobic tails, and location of water.

26. Study your sketch. Why are the tails all located in the interior?

27. Some people refer to this structure as three hexagons and a doghouse. What is it?

28. What are other examples of steroids?

29. Table 5.1 is loaded with important information. Select any five types of proteins and summarize each

type here.

Type of Protein Function Example

30. Enzymes are an important type of protein. They will be studied in Chapter 8. For now, use this sketch to review what you know about enzymes. Label the active site, the substrate, and the products. Show what happens to water.

31. Is this reaction dehydration synthesis or hydrolysis?

32. The monomers of proteins are amino acids. Sketch an amino acid here. Label the alpha or central carbon, amino group, carboxyl group, and R group.

33. What is represented by R? How many are there?

34. Define these terms: dipeptide

polypeptide

peptide bond

35. Label each of these terms

on the diagrams. There

are four levels of protein

structure.

36. Refer to Figure 5.21,

and summarize each level in the following table.

Level of Protein

Structure

Explanation Example Diagram

Primary

Secondary

Alpha Helix

Beta Pleated

Sheet

Tertiary

Quaternary

37. Label each of the levels of protein structure on this figure below.

38. Enzymes are globular proteins that exhibit at least tertiary structure. On this figure, identify and explain each interaction that folds this portion.

39. Do you remember when, in Chapter 4, we said, “Change the structure, change the function”? Explain how that principle applies to sickle-cell disease. Why is the structure changed?

40. Besides mutation, which changes the primary structure of a protein, protein structure can be changed by denaturation. Define denaturation, and give at least three ways a protein may become denatured.

41. DNA and RNA will be the core topics of Chapter 17. For now, you should just review the general functions and know the components. The flow of genetic information is from DNA → RNA→ protein. Use this figure to explain the process. Label the nucleus, DNA, mRNA, ribosome, and amino acids.

42. The components of a nucleic acid are a sugar, a nitrogenous base, and a phosphate group. Label each on the figure below.

43. Notice that there are five nitrogen bases. Which four are found in DNA?

44. Which four are found in RNA?

45. How do ribose and deoxyribose sugars differ?

46. To summarize, what are the three components of a nucleotide? Draw and label a nucleotide.

61. Here is a model of DNA, which was proposed by James Watson and Francis Crick. What is this shape called? Label the following in the diagram: nitrogenous base, nucleotide, deoxyribose sugar, phosphate

Assignment 3Molecule Flashcard

Make flashcards concerning organic chemicals (your book is a great resource and so is assignment 2!). As you make these cards, think about each of their relationships to biology. For example: what are organic chemicals? How do the molecules interact to create life processes? What are the five most important elements for biological life?

Make sure that the name of the chemical, descriptions, and facts, are written on the lined side of the flashcard; and the chemical structure and name is drawn on the blank side of the card. You will be quizzed randomly on these flashcards, so you need to know all of them, or else be very lucky. You will add some information to your cards in class, so bring them to school.

There are approximately 50 molecules you need to make into flash cards (we will add to these throughout the year)

Methyl Hydroxyl Carboxyl Amine Aldehyde Ketone PhosphateMethaneEthane Butane Glyceraldehyde Ribose Alpha Glucose Beta GlucoseRibuloseAlpha Fructose Beta Fructose Maltose Sucrose Amylose Amylopectin CelluloseChitin Glycerol Fatty Acid Fat Molecule Cholesterol TestosteroneGeneral Formula for an amino acid.4 specific amino acids (from list of 20 amino acids) of your choice – draw them the same size.Primary protein structureSecondary protein structure (alpha helix vs. beta pleated sheet)Tertiary protein structureQuaternary protein structureHemoglobinDeoxyriboseNucleotide

Adenine Guanine Thymine

Functional groups that influence molecules – (how do they influence?)

Nitrogen bases that are part of the nucleotide

Cytosine Uracil

PurinePyrimidinePhospholipid/Phospholipid bilayerPolypeptidePeptide bondHydrogen bondWater/properties of waterAdenosine triphosphateAdenosine diphosphateGuanine triphosphate

A final thought: Even though you might feel that it would be a great idea to cut up the given pictures of these chemical structures and paste them to a card, there is a need for your brain to have you DRAW them, noting where each bond is, so that you really learn each one. So don’t cut corners, you must make them yourself.

ASSIGNMENT 4 ADOPT A PLANT (or two)

Meet your new responsibilities:

Annual Vinca (color may vary)

Flowers and bud of 'Pacivica Polka Dot' annual vinca Karen Russ, ©2008 HGIC, Clemson Extension

My Objective:To get you to experience that plants are living, breathing, growing, and responsive creatures.

Your Goal:To nurture your plants successfully throughout the summer. Get them to grow! This is not your parent’s, grandparent’s, or little sibling’s assignment. Specifically you are going to monitor their light tolerance. So one plant needs to be in “full sun” and one plant needs to be in the shade. Try to put both plants in the same conditions (ie. Both are out doors - don’t put the shade plant on your kitchen counter and the sun plant on your patio). Put both plants outside or put both plants inside. The shade plant will probably not need as much water, however all other variables should be the same (ie. Temperature, humidity etc.).

Questions:How do I take care of these plants? How much water do they need? How often do I water them? How often should I measure them (at least once a week – more would be better). How often do I need to report my measurements to Mrs. Becker? (once a week – on Monday’s).

Answers:Look it up! Do some research! Have fun… yes it can be fun!

Please understand this is a long term inquiry lab. We need accurate/real data that we can work with during the school year. SO we (meaning the entire class) need you to do your part.

Use the following to collect your weather related data. We can work on this part the first week of class. However, it doesn’t hurt to do some of it when/if you have time.

National Weather Service Forecast Office Wilmington, OH (NOAA)

http://www.nws.noaa.gov/climate/index.php?wfo=iln

Normally your data tables would not be “made for you”, but it will be easier if we all use the same format. This is one assignment that I don’t mind if you work with a friend to “keep track” of the weather data. However, you must keep track of your own plant data. This paper draft, a “good draft”, and your plants will be due on Friday August 30th.

(data tables on next page – to find them electronically they will be a separate excel document on my webpage)