1:25 MWF Final Exam - Update

The final exam will begin a little early on Friday and if you can start early, please do so. I will be ready to start the final at 12:30PM. The latest you can come to take the final is 1PM (the regularly scheduled time).

Study hard and let me know if you have any questions.

Attention MWF 1:25 Peeps

If you are NOT in the MWF 1:25 section, please disregard this message. If on the other hand you are one of my peeps from the MWF 1:25 section, PLEASE read on....

A beloved uncle of mine has passed away and I must leave Friday afternoon to attend the memorial service in Orlando. I was wondering if any of you would object to moving our final up a little bit (say 15 minutes, more if there are no schedule conflicts with the final that ends at 12:30 for MWF 10:10 classes); leaving a little early will help get us on the road and through Atlanta traffic on a dreaded Friday afternoon.

We will discuss this tomorrow during our review session. If you do not plan on coming to the session, send your opinion with a friend or email me; otherwise, I will assume you do not have a conflict.

Thanks for your consideration of this matter and I really hate that I have to ask, but, for obvious reasons, circumstances beyond my control are at work.

Thanks again and I will see you tomorrow (well, at this point I really mean today).

PS I have graded almost all of the MWF 1:25 projects and overall they have been very good, with some really exceptional products among the bunch. I should have all of the MWF 1:25 projects graded and ready for return tomorrow.

The coolest thing abut science is...

The coolest thing about science is that our understanding of nature is constantly improving as technology improves and as we collect new data about the world. Here is a great example of this constant improvement (we'll still test on the stuff we learned in class, no worries. Next semester's students will have to learn the new stuff, though!).

A New View of the Early Earth

Final Exam details

Hey y'all,

As promised here is some information to help you prepare for the final exam. Remember, I will be available everyday this week with office hours if you have questions about content or your grade AND we'll be having review sessions on Wednesday during your regularly scheduled class time fr content questions.

Study hard and please let me know if you have any questions!

Test format

• Multiple choice questions (the pre-test questions minus questions on topics we did not cover)
• Lots of completion questions (40-60)
  
• 3-7 short answer questions
• NO essay questions! (Bummer for some, joy for many others)

Materials to study

• All three exams
  
• The many quizzes we had this semester
• Notes, notes, notes - pay particular attention to topics that we spent a lot of time on in class, but did not get asked about on any exam
• Specific topics I will definitely be including (but NOT limited too and in no particular order)....
• Details of the scientific method (including the real and best definition to the term "hypothesis")
  
• Electromagnetic spectrum
• 3 forms of energy transfer
  
• Big Bang Theory
• Nebular Theory
• Planets and astronomical objects in our solar system
  
• Plate Tectonics and continental drift
  
• The rock cycle
• Geological time
  
• Soils
• The layers of the atmosphere
• Weather vs. climate
  
• The greenhouse effect
• The anthropogenically enhanced greenhouse effect and global climate change
• The hydrologic cycle
  
• Food webs and chains
• Producers and consumers
• Types of metabolism (producers and consumers)
  
• Biogeochemical cycles
• Because we never really got to talk about it, Evolution will, with regret, not be on the Final. Sorry, I am bummed about that.
  

Class Evaluations

Instructor/Class Evaluations

Class evaluations at NGCSU are now conducted on-line through Banner. Evaluation of the class is considered a component of the course and students will not be permitted to access their final course grades until all the evaluations have been completed. The evaluations for each semester will be accessible beginning one week prior to the first final exam. Specific step by step instructions for completing the survey are listed below.
Your opinions are important. Please take the time to respond to the survey questions in a thoughtful manner. All responses will remain anonymous. Faculty will only have access to summary data related to them. No responses will be identified with any specific student.

Student instructions:
1- Log in to Banner, using NGCSU ID number and Password.
2- Under the Main Menu select "Student & Financial Aid"
3- Under Student & Financial Aid menu, Click on the link "Student Rating of Instruction Survey" to access the survey.
4. Carefully read the instructions and select the course and instructor (if listed) you want to evaluate from the drop down menu. This menu will consist of all the classes you are registered for that are subject to the evaluations.
5. Click and follow the instructions for completing the survey and click submit.
6. You will receive a confirmation page, acknowledging receipt of your survey.
7. Below the acknowledgment click on "continue". This will bring you back to the survey menu and allow you to choose another class for evaluation. It will continue to bring you back to the survey menu until all of your classes have been evaluated.
8. After you have completed all your class surveys you will be returned to your student menu.

Monday update....

Just got back in after a day of fun with dentists. What fun!

Couple of quick updates:

1. I haven't had a chance to get together the info about the final, but rest assured that I will be posting that material later on this evening or tomorrow morning at the latest.
2. I have extended the posting deadline to LiveText until tomorrow, so if you did not get your material in by the e-deadline, now is you chance to finish that up.

Stay tuned for more....

Monday the 1st

Just wanted to give you guys a heads up that I will not be in class on Monday. I am sorry for the short notice, but I've had an emergency come up that will require me to be off-campus during our class meeting times. I will be on campus, however, from 8:30-10:15ish on Monday if you need to drop by.

You still need to come to class at your regular time to do the following:

1. Turn in the hard copy of your Mid-Term Project (no 3-ring binders, please!); projects turned in after your class period will be penalized (see syllabus), so make sure to come o class and turn your masterpiece in. Thanks!!
   
2. Pick up your graded Test #3; the grades and key are online, check them out!
3. Pick up your Global Climate Change project
   

The rest of the week...

• I will be available everyday this week for office hours, so check my calendar on the website for the specifics and then email me to let me know you are planning on coming by.
• I will be having review sessions on Wednesday during your regular class time, please come if you have questions about the final exam (schedule an appointment if you have questions about your grades).
• Check the blog Monday for final exam study tips.
• 1:25 MWF Final Exam this Friday at 1PM in 212 Dunlap
• 12:20 MWF Final Exam next Monday at 3:30PM in 212 Dunlap
  

The rubric has arrived!

I have just posted the rubric for the "Mid-Term" Project on WebCT, you wil see it when you log into the main page for the course. Print the second page of the document, which is the rubric and then place it at the end of your portfolio before turning it in.

I will be finishing the LiveText assignment for this project today and will post an update on the blog once it is completed.

Brief video about climate change in the Artic

Redfield ratio for a living human

I am reading a book on ecological stoichiometry (exciting, right?) and discovered the something like the redfield ration for a living human being. Amaze your friends with this amazing little tidbit. Enjoy!

Stoichiometry for a living human being:

H375,000,000 O132,000,000 C85,700,00014 N6,430,000 Ca1,500,000 P1,020,000 S206,000 Na183,000 K177,000 Cl127,000 Mg40,000 Si38,600 Fe2,680 Zn2,110 Cu76 I14 Mn13 F13 Cr7 Se4 Mo3 Co1

(Blogger doesn't "do" subscripts so all I could do is make the font a little smaller. Sorry)

Update on the Test

After much thought and discussion, we are going to change a few things about the test coming up this Monday. Here are the changes....

1. No Evolution material will be on the exam. This material will be covered on the final exam, so questions that pertain to the evolution notes will be useful in preparing for the final.
2. The exam will include material from the geological time periods presentations. If you feel your notes are lacking, check out the website where you should find the script for each group. If for some reason, one or more of the geological time periods are "missing" use your textbook to fill in the gaps.
   
3. The test format will be as follows:
1. 30-40 completion questions
2. 2-4 short answer questions
3. 1 essay
4. The first two sections of the test will be open book, the essay will be closed book (i.e., you turn in the first two sections, put away your notes, and then get the essay)

Tomorrow's plan for class is to:

1. Take the Soils and Biogeochemical Cycles quiz (10 minutes to take + 5 minutes to grade)
2. Complete the Variation activity
3. Discuss Soils and Biogeochemical Cycles notes (we can focus on the questions posted on the blog)
   

Test #3 Short Answer and Essay Topics

Low level Bloom’s taxonomy terms:
• List – provide a list of names from memory
• Describe – provide a definition from memory
Higher level Bloom’s Taxonomy terms:
• Compare – clearly state the similarities between two or more objects, ideas, or phenomena
• Contrast – clearly state the differences between two or more objects, ideas, or phenomena

Short Answer The following questions represent the main themes for the short answer questions on Test #3. 5-7 will be on the exam. The remaining questions could serve as topics for completion questions.
1. Describe the significance of the Carboniferous Period to our modern times. What event(s) during the Carboniferous are so important to us and why?
2. What is the Cambrian Period so famous for? Describe what monumental biological event occurred during this period.
3. The Permian and Cretaceous Periods are famous for their endings. Briefly describe what is so dramatic or significant about their endings.
4. Describe the Earth, in biological and geological terms, as it was during the Precambrian Time.
5. List and describe the layers in a typical soil profile not from Georgia. Then compare this typical soil profile to the one you would find in north Georgia.
6. Describe the process of soil formation. Provide all necessary details for soil formation.
7. If you were a farmer, someone who uses the soil for his or her livelihood, describe the ideal location to place your farm. Which variables are most important to the formation of soil.
8. Compare and contrast humus and hummus.
9. Soil loss is a monumental problem in the modern era, and historically as well, briefly describe why human accelerated soil loss is so bad.
10. Compare and contrast the terms autotroph and heterotroph.
11. List and briefly describe the four metabolic processes that are central to the C and N biogeochemical cycles.
12. What does the term anaerobic respiration mean, which organisms do this form of respiration, and where might you expect to find them?
13. Use the 10% rule to explain why UNICEF provides needy people rice and corn to eat instead of steaks.
14. What is chemosynthesis, who does it, and where do they live? Why are astrobiologists so excited about chemosynthesis?
15. Describe Lamarck’s mechanism of evolution.
16. “Evolution acts within an organisms lifetime, allowing individuals to change during their lifetimes to adapt to changes in the environment.” Is this statement a correct interpretation of modern evolutionary theory? Explain.
17. Describe the continuum from ecology to microevolution to macroevolution.
18. Define the term population.
19. Compare and contrast divergent and convergent evolution.
20. Draw the Keeling Curve and describe (in words) what it means. (added 11/20/08)

Essay 1-2 of the following essays will be on Test #3.
1. Anthropologists and ecologists have recently discovered that ancient Amazonians were able to maintain productive farms in the Amazon, a place that until the time of this discovery it was widely held that agriculture could not be sustained there. Describe why it was thought that the Amazon basin could not support sustained agriculture and what the ancient residents of the Amazon did to create sustainable agriculture in this region.
2. Compare and contrast the way energy and matter travel through an ecosystem.
3. Human caused green house warming which is driving global climate change is at its most fundamental level a nutrient imbalance problem for global biogeochemical cycles. Describe this statement, in detail. Which elements are out of balance and what would we need to do to correct the problem?
4. Natural selection is the mechanism Darwin proposed, and numerous scientific researchers since, to explain evolution. Describe the process of natural selection, in detail, including the three models of natural selection in your answer.

Wednesday 11/19/08

Hey Folks,

I am sorry to to report that class is cancelled. We're without water at home waiting so I am waiting for the well repair man to come out and solve this problem.

I have recorded a narration to the powerpoint (see the window below) that we were going to cover today and Friday. Please print out the notes from the WebCT site and listen to the presentation taking notes and adding emphasis as I speak. You can, of course, just take notes by hand from the presentation below. Overall, this is a good thing because you now can listen to it as much as you like and we will have time to take the quiz and complete the variation activity on Friday. So no change in our schedule!

I will be posting the Test #3 short answer and essay questions ASAP today. Stay tuned and they will be on this blog, not the WebCT site.

Breathing Earth - "real time" CO2 emissions

Though you might want to check out this site to get a real time idea about CO2 emissions and population growth on the planet. Pretty neat site. Click here to check it out.

Clarification on Friday's quiz

I was unclear on my earlier blog post about Friday's quiz. The content will be:

1. Soils notes
2. Biogeochemical cycle notes, which served as the beginning of our discussion about Global Climate Change

You will be responsible for the information about Global Climate Change contained on the following pages:

• New Scientist Instant Expert: Climate Change
• Keeling Curve entry on Wikipedia
  
• UCSD CO2 data from other locations (notice same trend regardless of location on planet, all away from local active sources of CO2)
• Optional article on the origins of the Keeling Curve click here

At the end of it all, understanding human induced Global Climate Change is about two things:

1. The imbalance in the biogeochemical cycle of carbon, notably a huge addition of CO2 by humans and CH4 through our cattle, that is not counterbalanced by appropriate amounts of N or P (along with various other nutrients), so the CO2 we add to the ATM will not be drawn down into the biota during our lifetimes (or our children's lifetimes for that matter).
2. If we screw this one up (this planet, this opportunity, many ones to mention here), there is no going back, so to err on the side of caution will not be a bad thing because we will a least have a planet to live on.
   

The coolest maps you'll ever see

Worldmapper is a super cool website that you can use to look at variables in a per capita sense. Click here to check it out.

Week of November 17th

Here are some details on our schedule for the remainder of the semester. Your attendance throughout the rest of the semester is absolutely critical. We have 6 days of class left, several of you are in danger of being dropped WF, please attend each and every class between now and the end!

If you need additional help preparing for exams or on your project, I am available, by appointment, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Please check my calendar (on the website) and send me an email to schedule an appointment.

Also, it is absolutely critical that you complete the survey about Area D course work. Please complete by Wednesday of this week. See the previously blog posting about this topic to get the link.

Monday - Global Climate Change Discussion

• Read Chapter 17 in the textbook AND print out the "Variation Activity" (one per 3-5 person group) before class on Wednesday.
• Study for "Soils" & "Global Climate Change" Quiz
• Work on "Mid-term" Project
  

Wednesday - Variation activity and evolution notes

• Study for "Soils" & "Global Climate Change" Quiz
• Work on "Mid-term" Project

Friday

1. Soils and Global Climate Change Quiz (graded in class)
   
2. Evolution notes and discussion
   

• Work on "Mid-term" Project
• Study for Test #3
• Study for Final Exam
  

Next week and beyond....

• 11/24 Test #3 Soils, Geological Timeline, Global Climate Change, and Evolution
  
• 12/1 "Mid-Term" Project due
• 12/3 In-class review for final exam (come ready to ask questions)
  
• 12/5 1:25 MWF Final Exam, 1-3PM, 212 Dunlap Hall
• 12/8 12:20 MWF Final Exam, 3:30-5:30PM, 212 Dunlap Hall
  

Global Climate Change Discussion - MOVED

The discussion will be on Monday instead of this Friday. We needed more time in class to complete our discussion of food webs and nutrient cycles. All material for the Global Climate Change discussion will all be due on Monday.

Area D lab-based Science course work

Attention ECE/SPED majors!

If you could please take a few seconds to complete a survey about the science classes you have taken here at NGCSU (or those you took at another institution) that are counted as your Area D lab-based science requirement, we would greatly appreciate it. Dr. Biwott and I are working on the Early Childhood Science Endorsement and need to gather some information on the types of science content you have been exposed to prior to the ISCI classes.

Click here to go to the survey. Thanks for your assistance!

PPT

Science search engine

As you are all on the hunt for legit, scholarly information you might try www.scirus.com as a science-specific search engine. There are lots of great benefits that come with using Scirus, including specifically identifying journal (i.e., peer-reviewed) articles on a wide range of topics and it is a "smart" search engine because it identifies other key terms that might help refine your search. Give it a shot! Let me know if I you have any questions about using it or with finding scholarly articles, I will be glad to help you.

Academic Advisor Evaluations Announcement

Academic Advisor Evaluations

NGCSU Students,
In an effort to evaluate and improve academic advisement across the University, NGCSU conducts a survey each semester measuring student satisfaction with their advisement experience. As with the class evaluation survey, the survey is linked to each student through banner. The survey becomes active approximately two weeks after midterm each semester. Students should follow the following procedures to access the survey;
Student instructions:
1- Login to Banner, using NGCSU ID number and PIN.
2- Under the Main Menu select "Student & Financial Aid"
3- Under Student & Financial Aid menu, Click on the link "Student Rating of Advisor Survey" to access the survey.

As with the class evaluation survey, students will be required to either complete the survey or electronically opt out in order to access their final grades. Students who did not meet with an advisor still need to log in and state that they did not meet with an advisor.

As with the class survey, all responses will remain anonymous. Advisors will only have access to summary data related to specific advisors. No responses will be identified with any specific student.

Inergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

Check out the IPCC website as an authoritative source for the any of the pro groups.

Global Climate Change Discussion

On Friday of this week we will be having a class discussion on the topic of global climate change. This activity will like the Each one, teach ones we have been doing over the last couple of weeks, with one big difference: you will all be looking at the same issue, but from different perspectives. We will select groups in class by drawing numbers, so you may be grouped with new people and also presenting the perspective you do not typically agree with.

Roles in our discussion:

1. Pro-Scientist - Any life or earth scientist with data to support conclusions of global warming and global climate change
2. Skeptical Scientist - Any life or earth scientist who does not find the data conclusively supporting global warming or global climate change. Scientists must have good, justified reasons for being skeptical about an idea, they cannot simply say "I don't like it". They must have clearly justified scientific reasons, for example, an absence of a certain data point or trend, etc.
3. Pro-Politician - Clear statement about why you are pro. For example, represent people in an area where changing environmental conditions might make it difficult to live. Can be local, state, or federal level in the US or another country.
   
4. Anti-Politician - Clear statement about with you are anti. Just saying you are against it will not work. Need clear reasons that relate to politics, too costly to implement, will not impact my country, etc. Can be local, state, or federal level in the US or another country.
5. Pro-Business - Clear statement why it is in the best interest of your business to be pro.
6. Anti-Business - Clear statement why it is in the next interest of your business to be anti.

Each group of people representing a perspective must prepare a document that summaries their individual opinions (in character). Each member of the group must have an individual identity with statement about global climate change. Representing real people or businesses would be a plus, since this is a very active line of civic discussion. Graphs, charts, and numbers are required from each group.

We will begin the discussion with a brief class presentation from each group. Be prepared to speak 5 minutes representing your perspective.

Global Climate Change Resources

Check out these pages at the New Scientist for information about Global Climate Change.

Climate Change: A guide for the perplexed
Climate Change - Special Topic report at NewScientist.com

"Mid-Term" Project

The info on the "mid-term" project is posted in Vista, check it out. You may get started on it this weekend, you've got until 12/1 to complete (the due date on the assignment is listed as 11/30, but that is Sunday!). We will talk about this assignment in class on Monday.

Friday Update

Hey guys,

I hope you all did very well on today's exam. My goal is to have them graded by Wednesday of next week because I know you really want to know how you did on the exam. Be patient and stay tuned.

To prepare yourself for the next couple of weeks of class here is some information that might be helpful.

• Read Chapter 21 to prepare yourself for our discussion of biogeochemical cycles and Global Climate Change.
• Evolution will be our next topic after that so check our Chapter 17
  
• After that we will be talking about cells and cellular processes to finish the semester, so reading Chapter 15 will be helpful.

There will be at least two more quizzes this semester and one test. The test will be the Monday before Thanksgiving (11/24) and expect at least one quiz per week for each of the next two weeks. I will provide you information on the first quiz on Monday in class.

We are in the home stretch, hooray! You need to really buckle down and start getting ready for the final exam. It will be a mix of multiple choice, completion, short answer, and potential one essay and will cover everything we've covered this semester. Study and ask questions!

Hope you have a great weekend and see you on Monday to start the last push to the end!

JSC

Exam #2 Format

The exam on Friday will have the following format:

15-20 Completion questions
5-10 Short answer questions
2 Essay questions (from the posted list)

Geologic Time Scripts

Please post one copy of your group's script in the appropriate discussion forum on the WebCT site. This way you can pick up any details that you missed during the presentations.

Exam #2 Essay Questions

I am a little early in posting these, but I decided no one would mind too much if I posted them today. I reserve the right to slightly change the questions when you see them again on the test, so make sure to stay flexible and read the questions when you take the exam.

1. Why is the ocean salty while the overwhelming majority of rivers and streams are fresh? In other words, describe how the water cycle and the rock cycle interact. Make sure to cycle through both the water and rock cycles completely in your answer. Include any and all processes that are involved in the either cycle.
2. Describe the theory of plate tectonics. Include in your answer a clear description of the theory along with evidence discussed in class that supports the theory.
3. Sedimentary rocks make up less than 5% of the crust, but they represent many of the rocks you will encounter. Discuss the process by which a sedimentary rock is formed? Clearly describe each of the steps in the process. Is there anything that cannot become a sedimentary rock? Explain.
4. Greenhouse gases are much maligned, so we need to rehabilitate their image. Please describe, in detail, the greenhouse effect and the clearly state the significant role greenhouse gases play in this process. Clearly state the interaction between greenhouse gases and electromagnetic radiation.


The best strategy for getting 100% of the credit on each of these questions would look something like this:

1. Sit down in your best study environment with your notebook and textbook and answer each of the questions.
2. Get together with trusted fellow students from ISCI 2001 and then decide what the perfect answer would look like then "grade" each others answers.
   
3. Compare your groups perfect answer to the answer of other groups and then...
4. Memorize the correct answer.
   

Light and aging

Found this interesting article (click here) on the used of near infrared light to reduce wrinkles. We are not talking about skin in class, but light has been a consistent part of our discussion for weeks.

Flat panels and the environment

Check out this article on the impact of electronics manufacturing and global warming. Very relevant to our current topic in class.

Flatscreen TVs turn up the heat on climate

Mark your calendars!

Dates you'll want to write down....

10/29 Quiz on The Hydrologic Cycle; paper and pen quiz, so you need to know the names of things! Quiz and test on The Hydrologic Cycle will include material delivered by classmates.
11/3 Quiz on The Atmosphere; paper and pen quiz
11/7 Test on Unit 3, covering all of the following lectures/topics

• Plate Tectonics
• Rocks and Minerals
• The Hydrologic Cycle
• The Atmosphere

The Unit 3 test will be a big event, so you need to start studying ASAP (if you have not already done so). There will be two essay questions on this exam. I will give you a list of possible essay questions by the end of next week. You will also have a lot of completion and short answer questions on the test.

Final exam schedule

Lindsey did some searching and found the Final Exam schedule on the NGCSU website. Click here to check it out!

A little light reading

If you are looking for a little, light reading when you take a break from your studies, check out the following article in New Scientist. It follows from the recent material we have covered in class. Enjoy!

Moving the Earth: a planetary survival guide

Obama's statement about the ACF

Alli was right. I don't know how this slipped past me. Click here for an article on Obama's statement about the need to end the tri-state water wars.

Monday (10/20) notes

Today we will be doing the following in class:

1. Taking the Rocks & Minerals Clicker quiz
2. Completing the Water Cycle Notes
3. Beginning The Atmosphere notes

For Wednesday, please do the following...

1. Read Ch. 25 if you have not already done so.
2. Print out a copy of the Ecosystem Column Instructions
3. Come dressed for lab (you may get a little dirty) on Wednesday
4. Bring a sandwich size ziplock bag full of fallen leaves