Allele Frequency Lab Day

Today, we learned how to find allele frequencies and do Hardy-Weinberg Problems, like the one below:

Hardy-Weinberg problems are all about the equation, p^2 + 2pq + q^2. In this equation, p^2 is the homozygous dominant gene, meaning the same dominant gene twice, 2pq is the heterozygous gene, meaning one dominant one recessive gene, and q^2 is the homozygous recessive gene, meaning 2 recessive genes. Homozygous dominant and heterozygous genes will always show the dominant trait. The only way the recessive gene can appear is through the homozygous recessive gene. This is why the recessive gene always stayed alive in the tiger lab, but couldn't appear often enough to drastically affect the tiger population. 

The Bengal tiger lab: 

We then took home a cladogram and evolution quiz:

Parents Day

Today, we first gave parents a taste of the labs we do in class by collecting data for 48 hours for the brine shrimp lab. 

Brine shrimp after they hatch.

Next, we did an experiment with masculine and feminine faces. Morphed faces were shown on the board and it was our job to put which we thought was more attractive.

We found that masculine faces were chosen because a strong, work-horse mate was desired and feminine faces were chosen because a caring, nurturing mate was desired.

I got half and half for my male category and mostly feminine for my female category, meaning that I like a mix for male and I want a very nurturing and good parent female for a mate.

Left feminine right masculine.

Shrimp Egg Lab

In class today, we started by sorting snail shells and discussing various differences we saw between the shells, such as shape, size, or design. We concurred that these differences happen due to mutations and different species. Lastly, we hypothesized why some shells had 2 shells and it turns out the second hole is from predators sticking their tongue in and eating the snail. 

We then moved onto a natural selection lab.

Shrimp Egg Lab

First, we filled 5 beakers with different percentages of NaCl dissolved into each. Next, we placed double sided tape on 5 microscopic viewing slates. 

Then, we placed mini shrimp eggs on each (around 20) and placed the slates into each beaker. 

Lastly, we placed the solutions from each beaker into a separate container, and close the lid shut. We now have to wait 24 hours to test the results...

Paleo Project Announcement Day

Today, we reviewed evolution in relation to plants and disease, particularly in fava beans.

Then, we took a short quiz.

The majority of the class was spent picking and working on our Paleo Project.

PROJECT

James and I chose to research early kangaroos.

We have learned that early kangaroos were more like dogs, with 4 legs, claws, and sharp teeth. Here is a picture of a Nambaroo gillespieae:

We also discovered that these kangaroos evolved from possum-like tree-dwelling marsupials in Australia, similar to the one in these pictures:

This is what our research has consisted of so far.

We are continuing to discover new clues regarding kangaroo evolution every day.

Evidence for Evolution Quiz

1. The picture shows evidence for land to water evolution. It shows that the land animal evolved into a whale by first, his feet becoming webbed and losing his fur. Then, his limbs begin forming into fins and his tail is now the tail of a whale, and his body is now covered in scales. Lastly, his arms and legs fully transform into fins, and his head becomes longer and more like that of a whale's, as his entire body is now whale-like after adapting to the conditions of the ocean.

2. E, North America.

3. These organisms show convergent evolution because although they all have wings with similar functions, they have analogous structures because the bone structures are completely different. They show convergent evolution because they are all completely different species, but have evolved to have wings that have the same functions.

4. The Common Descent Lab shows DNA evidence and ancestry as evidence for evolution because in it we compared the DNA strands of gorillas, humans, chimpanzees, and the common ancestor, and we were then able to discover that chimps and humans share a common ancestor and that gorillas were the most similar to the common ancestor of the three species. We could then use this evidence to determine which species evolved from the ones that we studied.

5. Homology is the similarity of the bone structures of certain limbs that organisms share with a common ancestor. For example, pterodactyls, humans, and tiktaaliks all share the same "one bone, two bone, blob" in the arm and wrist area. Homology is used to determine transitions in the fossil record, for instance the evolution from water to land. Tiktaaliks share many homologies land animals, showing that although it lived in the water and looked similar to a fish, it also had the same bones to allow it to move onto land and thus supports the evolution of water to land animals.

Blog Day 9

Today, we covered DNA aspect of evolution. We divided up into small groups and worked on different projects. James and I found the similarities between monkeys, gorillas, and humans by creating DNA strands for each like these below:

Here's what the chimpanzee DNA strand looks like:

And the positioning:

Here is the positioning for the gorilla DNA strand:

And the positioning for the human:

Upon analyzing the strands, we found the chimpanzee and the human strand to be very closely related. Upon studying the gorilla strand, we found it very close to the common ancestor strand:

Thus, we came up with this common descent model:

This model shows gorillas, chimps, and humans all having a common ancestor, chimps and humans having a common ancestor, and gorillas being the closest to the common ancestor that they all share. 

Blog Day 8

Today, we began our introduction to evolution. We studied tiktaalik and went up to the museum to study the transitional features that tiktaalik has. It was really interesting to piece together the transition from water to land as tiktaalik contains features of both.

Here is tiktaalik half in, half out of the water. The bones in its wrists allow for it to do push-ups, or push the bottom of tiktaalik quickly through shallow water and away from predators.

We finished the class by taking a short quiz.