Upcoming Exams...

Biology and Zoology Students... Exams in each of your current units being covered are quickly approaching. Notes for the content we have covered so far and assignments that have been handed out are linked to your right. Start studying now and keep up with the reading/homework assignments!

• Zoology Unit 7 Exam (Reptiles and Birds) - 12/8 (Wednesday)
• Biology Unit 5 Exam (Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration) - 12/8 (Wednesday)

Happy Thanksgiving & Article of the Week (11/25 Edition)

http://www.montereyherald.com/portlet/article/html/render_gallery.jsp

?articleId=16709238&siteId=570&startImage=1

Just a quick little post to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and safe travel over the holiday. For this weeks "Article of the Week," what a better topic than turkey. Enjoy and have a good one...

The science behind turkey magic...

Biology HOMEWORK (Week/Weekend of 11/24)

Biology Students... Below is a brief list of homework assignments you need to have completed before arriving back in class on Tuesday the 30th. If you are on IP/AW for a previous unit, us this extra free time over Thanksgiving to study up!

• Read pages 218-233 (Chapter 8)
• Complete worksheets 8.1-8.3

We're moving on from Unit 4 to Unit 5, and the information regarding photosynthesis and cellular respiration can be confusing at times. Make sure you read the chapter and complete those worksheets! The major concepts for Unit 5 and lesson plans for next week will be updated on the class page after Thanksgiving. Have a happy and safe Holiday!

Zoology HOMEWORK (Week/Weekend of 11/24)

Zoosters... It'll be an entire week before we see each other again next Tuesday. Make sure you spend some time over the break reviewing the material we've covered this semester, as the class final exam is quickly approaching. Also, if you have an IP/AW for a previous unit, you should have some free time to study and try to work through that information. Here's what needs to be completed by you prior to arriving back in Zoology next Tuesday (November 30th)...

• Read pages 819-834 (Chapter 41 - Reptiles)
• Complete worksheets 41.1-41.3 (Reptiles)

We're moving on from Unit 6 to Unit 7. The major concepts for Unit 7 and next weeks lesson plans will be updated after Thanksgiving. Oh, which reminds me, have a happy and safe Thanksgiving!

Updated Grades...

Just wanted to inform everyone that grades for all classes (Field Biology, Biology and Zoology) are completely updated. The Unit 6 Exam for Zoology and Unit 4 Exam for Biology will be entered by the beginning of next week, and handed back Tuesday. All IP's and AW's are also current.

Belated Article of the Week (November 17th Edition)

Here's an article I've been meaning to post for the past few days, but it has just been slipping my mind. The articles main point: teens should lessen their salt intake. Here are some questions you could ask yourself that might increase your understanding as you read...

• What do the terms cardiovascular and hypertension mean?
• What "issues," could hypertension lead to in the future?
• What is the daily recommended amount of salt a teen should have?
• What age group consumes the greatest amount of "salty," foods?

The article is linked below... Enjoy!

Cutting teen salt could save future health costs...

Biology HOMEWORK (Weekend of 11/20)

Biology Guys and Gals... Guess what? Your Unit 4 Exam covering Cells and Cellular Processes is this Tuesday! Here's a brief list of some things that you could be doing over Satruday, Sunday and Monday to prepare for this exam...

• Complete the Cellular Transport Online Activity (Worksheet)
• Complete 7.4 wkst and Practice Test B
• Review notes and past homework assignments/quizzes from 7.1-7.3
• Study!

Make an attempt at the bullets above and you should be well on your way to scoring well on this Unit 4 Exam. If you have any questions, make sure you see me in Seminar on Monday...

Zoology HOMEWORK (Weekend of 11/20)

Zoology Students... Your Unit 6 Exam is Tuesday, so make sure you study up! Check out the major concepts listed on the Zoology page, complete the Chapter 40 worksheets, review your Chapter 39 worksheets, and complete the Unit 6 Practice Exam. The notes we went through in class are now officially uploaded onto this website, and all of the assignments that were handed out in class are also now accessible from this website... Good luck, and study, study, study!!!

Zoology - Echinoderm Lab REMINDER

Zoology Students... Do not forget that your Unit 5 Sea Star Dissection Lab Reports are due tomorrow, 11/17. We will be spending some class time typing up our conclusions if you are already not finished, but be sure to have all the other necessary materials and paperwork with you. If not turned in by Thursday the 18th, you will move to IP...

Field Biology Exam... Around the Corner!

6W/8W Field Biology Students... Your Unit 2 Exam (Trees and Animals of Kansas) is this Thursday! Start studying now, and let's pass this exam on the first try. Linked below is a brief study guide that might help in your efforts too reveiw. Good luck, and if you have any questions stop by the classroom and see me...

Field Biology Unit 2 Study Guide

Zoology HOMEWORK (Weekend of 11/13)

Zoo-sters... Linked below is the video I would like you to watch and then respond to. Either respond to the video questions in the "comments," section below, or writer your answers on a sheet of paper and bring them with you Monday. If you are going to "comment," below, you will need to sign in with a Google username. The questions are...

• What is the main purpose of the Rapid Assessment Program?
• Why would a place like Papa New Guinea be ideal for collecting plant and animal data?
• What are some of the animal collection methods depicted and/or described in the video? Explain.
• What do you think? Are these current zoological efforts necessary for the preservation of plant/animal species around the world? Explain.

 Zoology Response Video - New Species (Discovery News)

Also, do not forget to come to class Monday with the following completed!

• Worksheets 39.1 and 39 Concept Map
• Reading assignment of pages 779-786

Have a good weekend!

Article of the Week... (11/10 Edition)

 http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/08/twinkie.diet.professor/index.html

You may have seen this already as it came out a couple of days ago, but still some pretty cool stuff. It's local, informational and relative to day-to-day life. Note that even the scientist/professor mentioned in the article is not for sure what his findings mean or if they are dependable. The scientific method is followed beautifully by the professor and he demonstrates how to approach your data in an unbiased manner.

There are many diets out there on the market, and many ranging from healthy and safe to hazardous and risky. What would need to be done to prove this new method as reasonable and worth the effort? Are there any essential elements missing from his diet? Is he really just surviving on "junk food?" Read, watch the video and enjoy...

KSU Professor - Twinkie Diet

Sea Star Dissection...

A little look into Unit 5 (Echinoderms and Invertebrate Chordates) and the lab that our Zoology students carried out. Attention Zoology students: Do not forget to start working on your lab report for this dissection, as it is due next Wednesday (11/17)...

Field Biology Update...

WHS Field Biologists... The Unit 2 (Trees and Animals of Kansas) Summative Exam is quickly approaching. All notes and/or quizzes that we have taken thus far are listed/linked to the right of the page. STUDY those notes and review those quizzes, your Unit 2 summative exam is next Thursday (11/18)...

In addition to reviewing and studying for the upcoming exam, be sure to start finishing up and turning in your Tree Identification Books. Again, I would prefer that you turn in a digital copy (email, jump drive, etc.) instead of printing off 50 sheets of paper...

Any questions, drop by room 103 and give me a hollar...

Zoology HOMEWORK (Weekend of 11/5)

Amateur Zoologists... A long, drawn out weekend, but much to do with Zoology. Do not forget, we have a dissection taking place Tuesday the 9th and a test Thursday the 11th. Start studying NOW! Below is a brief list of what you should have completed when you return to class on Tuesday...

• Chapter 38 Practice Test (A&B)
• Chapter 38/Unit 5 Phylogenetic Tree
• Chapter 38.1/38.2 Worksheets (if not yet completed)

If you do not have any of the above mentioned assignments, check out the links at the top right of the page. Get to work and have a good weekend...

Biology HOMEWORK (Weekend of 11/5)

Biology Students... It's a long weekend (4 days!), so make sure you reserve a little time to revisit some of the material and "things," we've been covering in Biology. Here's a list of what you need to have done and/or have completed for class on Tuesday...

• Virtual Cell Dissection
• Read sections 7.2 and 7.3

Not a huge list, but still some tasks that need to be completed. If you're looking for the Virtual Cell Dissection and/or other notes and worksheets from the unit, check the top right side of this website...

Article of the Week...

Scientific American sits down with a company that analyzed the entire genome of Ozzy Osborne. The Q&A between Scientific American and Ozzy's genome "readers," is pretty entertaining and enlightening in regards to genetic oddities. What's a genome? I thought you might ask. It's the entire DNA sequence (strand of hereditary info passed from parent(s) to offspring) of a living organism. If you can imagine, there were some unique findings in Ozzy's genome...

Ozzy's genome and his Neanderthal lineage

Definitely see the resemblance...

Lesson Plans are Up...

Can't wait until next class to see what you might be learning about or doing in Mr. Williams' room? Well you're in luck, because the lesson plans for Biology, Zoology and Field Biology for the week of 11/1/2010 have just been uploaded to their respective pages (see tabs above). Click on your class tab and find the "What we're doing this week" link below the unit major concepts. That link should take you directly to a .pdf of my lesson plans...

Zoology Homework for 11/1...

"Zoo" Students...
The phylogenetic tree for chapter 38 is officially loaded and up online for download/completion. If you have any problems, email me or drop by the classroom between now and class on Wednesday. Good luck!

Phylogenetic Tree Homework (Due 11/3)