vargas island, summer, 2010

Friday, January 27, 2012

Welcome Spring term off-Trek Students

You wrote eloquently of your trek experiences.  This writing exercise was meant to be a transition for learning about our biosphere and biodiversity.  As I read them I notice a common theme:  Your outdoor experiences engaged your senses.  In the wilderness, you experienced great beauty and drama in your surroundings.  Your mood was happy, peaceful, joyful.   But you were physically very tired due to all the exercise.  In the city, as it is now, you experience noise, car exhaust.  The mood is mentally tiring and stressful. And you do not experience as much physical activity.  Interesting contrast.   You also observe that Vancouver does have pockets of nature in the city which you would like to expand. And you point out that the city has its advantages as density adds liveliness, culture, art, community.   It has been fascinating to read your accounts of the contrast between the wilderness and the city.  I will share your ideas with a planner next week.

Class notes for the biology section are here:
Biome notes, for chapter 1, section 1.1 and 1.2
 Next period, Jan 31, you will receive a worksheet to make notes on section 1.1.

keywords are:
biomes, biosphere, ecological heirarchy, abiotic, biotic, factors influencing biomes, climatographs. 

familiarize yourself with these concepts for thursday class.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

biomes, motion

provided by our text for use by our students:
bc exam study guide for unit 1
and also for unit 3

and the BC SCIENCE website links to the  provincial exam website to try sample exams
we will finish radiation in one week