SPRING BREAK '12

So Spring Break was pretty incredible this year. I got to spend it with some of my best friends, and it was really  fun to be all together before we graduate. We got to swim with a manatee, para sail at 1,000 feet (and Alicia puked!), and go snorkeling. But I also got to enjoy some of the little things like late night games of UNO and talks on the roof. A lot of new memories were made with this great lookin' group of people and I couldn't have spent it with anyone better! 

Senior TRIP!!

Yesterday Mr. Spencer announced to the entire senior class that we will be going on a trip to Chicago. It's going to be awesome! We get to go to Shedd's Aquarium and the Field Museum. I am looking forward to the auarium the most because I LOVE sea creatures. For example, The Little Mermaid is my favorite Disney movie. Anyways, I am looking forward to spending an entire day with my class and reliving 5th grade year when we went to the museum.

Yooo Sophomores, I'm Here to Hit You with Some Knowledge

Word on the street says that you guys need to be learning about Osmosis, Active Transport, and Diffusion. It some pretty simple stuff, so no need to worry! Diffusion is the movement of a HIGH concentration to a LOW concentration. More specifically there is simple and facilitated diffusion. Simple diffusion is just the movement of a high to low concentration. Facilitated diffusion is diffusion through a protein channel in the membrane.A protein channel is an opening in the membrane that's made out of proteins. Simple and facilitated diffusion do not require energy to move. Active energy does require energy to move. Active transport is movement of molecules moving against the concentrations, so LOW to HIGH concentrations. Osmosis is the diffusion of water. Water will move from a HIGH concentration to a LOW concentration.


HINTS::
1) Simple Diffusion: Simply the definition
2) Facilitated diffusion: facilitated means with help & protein channels help this cross membrane
3) Active Transport: Active requires energy & to be active we need energy.
4) Osmosis: Everyone has seen the movie Osmosis Jones, right?? THINK he was mostly made up of water.


GOOD LUCK!!

Pick an Organelle

My favorite organelle would have to be the mitochondria. First of all, it has a sweet name. Second, it holds some pretty important stuff. Such as DNA and ribosomes. And it gives us ENERGY!! Sounds pretty cool to me.

Sweet picture, eh? eh?

Reflection Time

I thought this lab was a good lab to start with. It made me miss chemistry. Ha, just kidding. But seriously, I enjoyed how easy the lab was except for the fact that the concentration was too strong. The experiment didn't work the way it was supposed to, so I think that's why I am having difficulty interpreting this take-home test question. But whatever, I'll figure it out eventually.

Hiiiiiiiiiiiiii

I am looking forward to doing DNA experiments in the lab because I love watching crime shows and they always do that. :)

 I am least looking forward to all of the extra work outside of class that is required to do because I have never evvvvvvverrrrrrr had to do that before.

BUT OVERALL, I think this will be a fun class because of all the AMAZING people in the class!

Hello. I'm Katie McMurphy and an AP Biology student at Sparta High School. Some of my hobbies are spending time with my friends and family and playing soccer. My favorite subject in school is science and it's always been my best subject.

In the Fall, I'll be attending Central Michigan University to study in their Physician's Assistant program. That is why I wanted to take AP Biology. I felt that it would benefit greatly because I know I'll have to take some biology classes there. Also, I am taking AP Biology because I wanted a chance to take the AP test to possibly test out of a science class at CMU.