Cell Cycle Controls, Going over Friday's Test, etc.

Today was a bit of a "mish-mash." See below to find out how we spent your class period.  HOMEWORK is at the bottom.  Please note the 9 questions I ask you to answer on paper.

I finally got a chance to grade Friday's test and the scores overall are much better!  The average has gone up by 15% , from 63% to 78%.  I still have great concerns about the 32 students who scored below 70%.  I would love to have an individual conference with each of these students to find out what we can be doing differently.  Please try to schedule a time during tutorial in the next few days so that we can talk.

In 5th and 6th periods I was able to discuss Friday's test.  6th period also began the discussion of cell cycle regulation.

In 2nd and 3rd period we discussed the details of cell cycle regulation, specifically clarifying the roles of cyclin and cyclin-dependant kinases. The synthesis of cyclin was linked back to cell communication in the form of growth factors that may lead to transcription of the cyclin-forming genes.  Additionally we clarified the roles of the three main checkpoints of the cell cycle. 

In all classes I collected the 6 questions on the Cell Biology and Cancer reading that was assigned Friday.

Tonight's Homework:
We are beginning our unit on Genetics, which begins with a look at how we pass on genetic information.  There are a few topics from Chapter 13 that deserve special focus.  The FIRST is the comparison of sexual life cycles.  We will review this during class.  The THIRD is the process of crossing over during synapsis.  We will be completing an activity in class on this topic.  The SECOND topic is meiosis.  The basics of this process can be studied on your own, outside of class. 

1.  Use your review book, textbook (pp. 244-245) to study the main stages and events in the process of meiosis.
2.  Watch the animation at http://www.sumanasinc.com/webcontent/animations/content/meiosis.html and select "Step Through."
3.  ON PAPER, answer the following questions about the most significant aspects of meiosis.
--All animations referred to below can be found at this link: http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0072437316/student_view0/chapter12/animations.html

After watching "Stages of Meiosis"
     1. What is the goal of Meiosis I?
     2. What is the goal of Meiosis II?
After watching "Unique Features of Meiosis"
     3. Explain synapsis.
     4. Explain homologous recombination.
     5. Explain reduction division.
After watching "Comparison of Meiosis and Mitosis"
     6. Make a list of similarities.
     7. Make a list of differences.
After watching "Random Orientation of Chromosomes During Meiosis"
     8. Why is random orientation of chromosomes during meiosis significant?
     9. The cell in the example had 3 pairs of homologous chromosomes.  Humans have 23.  How many different combinations of chromosomes can humans have in the gametes they produce?