This resource is primarily for the IB Biology students of Bandung International School, though all are free to use it. The resources, videos and links here have been chosen to help you go beyond the lessons and get a deeper understanding of Science and Biology.
Start saving those pennies for a trip to space, courtesy of Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic SpaceShip Two – whichwas rolled out on a chilly unveiling in the Mojave desert this week. Here’s a short video showing a simulation of what one of the trips would be like, with what looks like some footage of SpaceShipOne’s journey to the edge of the atmosphere in 2004, as well as some dodgy camera-phone footage of this unveiling, apparently from Arnie’s phone.
Watch out for The Fuse in 2010 – the band whose music is featured on the video – they rock!
One might question the tactfulness of the unveiling of the spaceship so close to the Copenhagen Climate Summit. Is it really appropriate to encourage the super-wealthy to burn up fuel and money (US$200,000 a ticket!) on a joyride to space? There is a section on their official website that deals with the environmental issues, claiming that the carbon footprint per passenger is less than a London-New York flight.
On the other hand, given the chance would you turn it down? This project represents the cutting-edge of engineering and design, and there will be a lot to learn from their industrial experiences. It is also good to see some human ingenuity and adventure make the headlines, too.
So what do you think? Do you think it’s a good idea? Would go if you were given the chance? How do you feel about this kind of high-profile project? Would it inspire you to take on science or engineering as a career?
Here’s the first attempt of a sing-along Biology song, for end-product inhibition of metabolic pathways, based on Green Day’s “Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)“. I cannot sing, so there are no vocals!
This is how it was made:
1. Find the lyrics and put them on an excel spreadsheet, line-by-line
2. Write out all the key terms and ideas for the topic for the song
3. Write the new version of the song (this is difficult). Try to keep as many rhymes or words from the original as possible, but don’t force the scientific language too much.
4. Use powerpoint to make a slideshow of the lyrics.
5. Add an mp3 of the backing track.
6. Rehearse the timings and keep and save them once it works. This needs a decent computer, or the lag between sound and slides changing will be too great.
The presentation has been updated to include a lot more information on tumours – though it is not all essential for the exams, it is a good health class and an introduction to some degree-level cellular biology concepts. There are loads of links to videos and animations if you click on the shadowed images.
I love this song. “There are seven things it needs to survive”:
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Inspired by the Stanford biologists, I’m looking for popular songs to butcher into biological themes. The process of taking one of your favourite songs and twisting it into a factually-sound academic re-write can be a great way to consolidate key concepts, especially for the musically intelligent. It takes more than just recall of the facts – you have to force yourself to understand the topic in order to write a decent song. To make the song make sense, you need a good grasp of the content and you must use the key terms correctly.
My big question:Has there been any research on the effectiveness of different styles of music in relation to age group, cultural background or musical preference?
Many of the bought-resources seem to based on country songs or old songs – how well does that translate to a modern teen audience in an international or urban setting?
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If you’ve got any cool ideas (the more complex, the better), or any comments on the use of music as a learning tool, please post them below!
This is not a science post, but if you’ve heard about the big floods that ran through Cockermouth, Cumbria (in the UK), over the last week then here is a chance to help out. There are some class project ideas at the end of the post.
Cockermouth is my home town in the UK and is the point where two rivers (the Cocker and the Derwent) meet. In the recent huge ranfall, both rivers bust their banks and flooded the whole Main Street and Market Places, as well as many residential areas. Some major bridges were destroyed, effectively turning the town into an island. Many people have been evacuated from their homes and the clean-up operation will take a long time. More damage was sustained by towns across Cumbria, including Workington and Keswick, and a policeman lost his life, trying to save others. The emergency services responded fantastically, saving many people – and their pets!
Being on the other side of the world (Indonesia – which has more than its fair share of disasters recently), all I can think of to help is to encourage people give donations if they can. If you want to help out, please visit the Charities Aid Foundation website for the Cumbrian Community Foundation. I’d encouarage local IB schools to get involved in the clean-up operation, too.
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Science/ Engineering links
Recent flooding and natural disasters give us a lot to think about as global citizens and scientists. Here are some ideas for projects and activities you could do in class related to the theme:
Here are some flash tutorials from the team at Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford. They make good use of the properties of the sea urchin’s gametes for studies and learning experiences:
Fertilisation and Development
“Gametes of sea urchins yield exceptional experiences in the classroom; teachers and students alike are riveted by being able to observe fertilization, cell division and embryonic development. The gametes are easy to use, the developmental stages are readily seen with the microscope and the rapidity of fertilization and early cell divisions allows the student to ask questions and obtain answers within the bounds of a normal classroom schedule. The utility of urchins for inquiry-based science is unrivaled.”
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