On Friday, groups picked their order for presenting their mini-lessons next week. We then began going over the biotechnology note. We discussed restriction enzymes. This topic will continue on Monday. If you haven't already read section 6.1 in the text, you should!

On Thursday, the class completed the performance task on protein synthesis and mutations.

Today we went through the note called Chromosome Structure. There were 2 handouts to go with this note, so if you were absent be sure to get them from me. Students then worked on 2 worksheets: one on mutations, and one on general questions related to protein synthesis. Both these worksheets will help you prepare for Thursday's performance task. One of the worksheets is attached here: http://206.130.199.25/~jennross@fc.amdsb.ca/S0395BA9B.36/Genetics%20Challenge%20Worksheet.rtf
The other worksheet is attached here: http://206.130.199.25/~jennross@fc.amdsb.ca/S0395BA9B.67/Mutations%20Assign.pdf

We also want to assign dates for the class presentations. Your group will be presenting on either Wed, Thurs, or Friday of next week. Meet with your group members to decide which days work best for all of you (i.e., all members will be present). We also set a unit test date of Tuesday May 5. Have a nice day off. You can review protein synthesis, mutations, and chromosome structure for Thursday's performance task.

Today students discussed homework from last Wednesday on operons. We also discussed mutations. Students then explored some of the web activities from Zerobio.com. Tomorrow we will be going over the note called Chromosome Structure, so be sure to have it printed for then.

Both Thursday and Friday were research classes for the Molecular Genetics project. If anyone is having difficulties with this project or have any questions, please see me ASAP.

Today we reviewed the lac operon and then discussed the "trp operon". Finally, we briefly discussed mutations and students were assigned reading about mutations and forming your own note about them. It was suggested that students create a flowchart explaining the different types of mutations. Students were given time to work on the gene control worksheets, the textbook questions, or the mutations note. These should all be finished by Monday. You will have an open-book performance task on this material next Thursday.

On Tuesday, we took up textbook questions related to protein synthesis and we took up the Additional Lab Exercise: Determining the Sequence of Amino Acids in a Protein. We then began going through the note titled Gene Control in Prokaryotes. We discussed the "lac operon".