Whiteboard Markers: An Experiment in Color

Yesterday, I tried to create a simple model for solving Hardy-Weinberg equations.  It was complex and it was a reach for many of the students.

For today's review, I attempted to use a bit of color to differentiate the parts of the steps.  I'm hoping it will be valuable for students to see the different parts.

Hardy-Weinberg - Math Meets Biology

I heard a science teacher say that all biologists think they're chemists, all chemists think they're mathematicians, and all mathematicians think they're God.  Well, today in Honors Biology, we skipped over the chemists and went straight for math.  Though, after a day of wrestling with their first exposure to solving Hardy-Weinberg equations, only a few students felt like deity.

Here's a shot of the whiteboard.

I also had my first observation by my college supervisor.  He came 4th period, so I had a chance to practice beforehand.  Overall, the observation went well.  There were a few items related to small classroom management strategies that I need to improve.  The timing of handing out worksheets was one of the issues mentioned.  I began the lesson and forgot to hand out the papers during a down period when students were solving a bit of math.  Overall it didn't hurt the entire lesson, but it did create an awkward lag in the lesson as I hurriedly passed out papers.  His second suggestion was that I not turn my back to the class when I write on the board.  This one may take a while to fix; I already have trouble writing on a whiteboard while facing the board directly.  Changing my stance may degrade my whiteboard-manship.  But, it'll be important to learn this skill so I'll work on it.

Tomorrow we'll finish up the Hardy-Weinberg equations and watch a short clip of genetic drift in action.

Student Engagement: On Science and Romance

Last semester, the students studied genetics.  This semester the students' studies will be slightly distracted by the joys of Valentine's Day and Prom.

While the students were working on a practice assignment one of the guys stopped me and said, "Hey Mr. Davis.  I have a question for you and it's not about the assignment."

He began asking me questions about how we get blue roses.  I let him know that blue roses are artificially colored white roses and that blue coloration in nature is quite rare.

After talking about it for a couple of minutes, I asked, "What's the interest in blue roses?"

Turns out there's a nice girl he'd like to impress.  Her favorite color is blue, and he wanted to get her a bunch of blue roses.  Specifically, he wanted some with blue and white stripes.  I mentioned the word "variegated" and he said, "Hey, isn't that co-dominance?"  I replied in the affirmative, and what he said next made me happy and a little sad:  "Hey!  Biology in real life!"

I was glad that he made the connection to his experiences, but we may have missed an opportunity to help him make that connection during the unit of study.  This type of thing will be a good item to bookmark in my brain; much may be learned through romantic endeavors.  

After a quick banter about genetics, I recommended that he walk into a florist's shop and see if they could help get him some blue roses.  I am not only a biology teacher, but a floral adviser, too.

Today's Whiteboards: Why You Can't Roll Your Tongue

Some people can roll their tongues into a taco shape.  Others can't.  Some people are pretty tall.  Others are short.  Today's lesson will cover some of the reasons for these alleles.

After a short activity on the evolution of the pocket mouse, we're going to begin chapter 16: Evolution of Populations.

I've got a nifty PowerPoint, but I've also got my powers of whiteboard wizardry.  Below is a snapshot of the whiteboard I'll be using to teach Single Gene Traits (tongue rolling) and Polygenic Traits (height).