Check out what our Honors Bio kids created while they discovered the connections between the characteristics of life.
Characteristics of Life
Over the next few days, until our Test on Friday or Monday, we’ll be studying the 8 characteristics of life. You should know the description of each, any vocabulary associated, be able to provide an example, and assess how each characteristics relates to the others.
- Cells
- Metabolism
- Reproduction
- Homeostasis
- Evolve
- Heredity
- Respond to Stimuli
- Growth/Development
SEHS: Here is the .xlsx file you’ll need to put in numbers
8/18 – D Period
Hey D Period!
Sorry I can’t be with you today, but I’m on my way to Louisville with our Football team.
In my Absence, Mrs. Klott is going to help you navigate through today’s activities. Here’s what you need to accomplish:
- Complete the “Hypothesis & Variables“ handout I gave you last class. Work with your table mates to complete this together. Then…
- Flip to the back-side and have fun finding the scientific method terms in the word search as a group!
- Then, with your shoulder partner (same partner from the Tennis Ball Lab) complete the “Big Pill Company” activity that you picked up when you came in today.
- When you finish with those, compare your answers with the other group at your table.
- Finally, use whatever time you have left to look over the packet you picked up today about the “Inquiry Lab“ you will complete next class. You and your shoulder partner will be testing either the strength of toilet paper or the absorbency of paper towels, your choice. You will create a procedure and collect data to prove or disprove your hypothesis. Then, you will each be writing a formal lab report outlined in this packet. Today, you should think about how you will accomplish this experiment and what your procedure may be.
Enjoy the Welcome Week assembly and I’ll see you next week!
Lab Safety… it’s no Accident
Today we’ll be going over some important information about your safety in a Lab setting. After review the Lab Safety rules (check the documents page for your specific class for a PDF version), take a look at the image below. See if you can spot some incidences of failing to follow lab procedures for safety.
Reminder there will be a “Common Sense” Lab Safety Quiz tomorrow for Biology
First Day of School 2017!!!
I know… I feel the same way.
Welcome to Mr. Kubuske’s Class! First, please add this link to your home screen (If you do it right, you should see a picture of your new favorite teacher smiling at you right from your iPad). After that feel free to browse this page. At the top are links to class pages where notes, assignments, and documents will be posted for you to download as we work through our curriculum. There’s a page for students, a page about Mr. K, and other resources available. On the right (or bottom if you are using Safari on the iPad) are links to my twitter and other information that will help you.
Next, there are a few papers on the front table I’d like you to pick up. You will need to keep these papers all semester so put them in a safe place. Eventually, these papers will need to go in your Class 3-ring binder. Yes, a separate binder just for Science. Trust me, I’m helping you out here. You must have the binder by Monday! This is your 2nd assignment of the year.
Once you have the papers you can complete the assignment titled “Biology Procedures Activity“ that you picked up from the front table. This, in case you were wondering, is your first assignment of the year.
As a reminder, you will need to download your iBook at home or in a place where you can be on a wifi network for a long period of time.
Thanks for participating and we look forward to working with you this year!
All Good Things Must Come to an End
Thank You, Thank You, THANK YOU for a fantastic school year. I had so much fun with each and every one of you. I loved getting to know you, what makes you tick, what inspires you, how you learn best, and so much more! My hope is that you got as much out of learning with me as I got from teaching with you. 
Please, please, please come by and visit next year and see what the new freshmen are up to, or if you need help with a little chemistry.
As a final gesture of goodwill, please take a second to fill out the form below to help me make this class even better than it has been. Have a fun and safe summer and I’ll see you next year!
Semester II Final Study Guide
Believe it or not we are just 2 short weeks away from the end of the school year. On top of that, we have now successfully completed all the required content for Biology! So, without further ado, today we will begin preparing for the SII final! You will get a copy if the Study Guide when you come to class today, but I also wanted to give you the opportunity tomuse an electronic version (links below). The answer key is published for you to review. Its been a great year with you, lets end it on a high note!
Cellular Respiration
Cellular Respiration, although the inputs and outputs seem easy, the process is very convoluted and complicated. Lucky for you, we’re going to simplify it to a point that is appropriate for a High School Biology student.
Keep in mind that Photosynthesis & Cellular Respiration are reciprocal reactions. What that means is that the requirements of Cellular Respiration are the products of Photosynthesis! Likewise, the products of Cellular Respiration are the requirements of Photosynthesis! Its a 3 Billion year long symbiotic relationship! (And you thought your month-long high school girlfriend was a long-term commitment!)
Here is the jist of what Aerobic (meaning with Oxygen present) Respiration entails…
Glycolysis
- Uses 2 ATP to break down Glucose
- NADH & 4ATP (net gain +2 ATP) are created.
- The NADH goes to the Krebs Cycle.
Krebs Cycle
- Uses Oxygen and Acetyl-CoA
- Makes 2 ATP, NADH, & FADH2 (both of which are electron carriers)
- Carbon Dioxide is given off as a byproduct.
- The NADH goes on to the ETC
Electron Transport Chain
- Uses Oxygen and NADH
- Make 32 ATP and Water (used as an electron acceptor)
Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis may seem like an easy topic, based on what you learned in middle school. But, as we go a little deeper into the processes of how Plants chemically create glucose from a gas, a liquid, and sunlight we find that it is a whole lot more interesting and complicated. Below is a graphic organizer to show the parts of the chloroplast, the reactants, the products, and the important molecules involved in both the Light & Dark Reactions.
Light Reaction
- Light & Water enter the Thylakoid (or granum)
- Oxygen is released as a byproduct
- In the process, NADPH and ATP are charged and carry energy to the Dark Reactions.
Dark Reactions
- The ATP and NADPH, combined with Carbon Dioxide, create Glucose.
- The leftover NADP+ and ADP go back to the light reaction.
MrKubuske.com 