Describe a starfish in terms of symmetry, germ cell layers, coelem, Circulatory system, reproduction, feeding, excretion and nervous system. Find picture examples of each living class Crinoidea, Ophiocistioidea, Astroidea, Echinoiudea and Holothuidea.

The starfish has 5 rays or arms, most of the space in the ray is covered up by the starfishes branched digestive glands. The food that goes through the starfish's is partially digested through the anus of the starfish. The anus of a starfish is where the waste products are released to the outside. There are two rectal pouches near the anus, which functions as a temporary storage for the waste products before being released. the male and female gonads look very alike to the point where it has to be microscopically examined to tell the difference. The ovaries of a starfish are considered to be larger than the sperm, and the testes have flagellated sperm. The water vascular system consists of seawater filled ducts that help the starfish feed and move around.

Crinoidea

Ophiocistioidea

Astroidea

Echinoiudea

Holothuidea

Sources: The little booklet from Starfish Dissection and google images.

Describe double fertilization

Double Fertilization occurs when a female gametophyte is joined with 2 male gamete. This happens in angiosperm plants, which is capable of having asexual or sexual reproduction. A diploid zygote and triploid endosperm form during Double Fertilization. When the haploid sperm cell joins with a haploid egg cell in order to try and form a diploid zygote, which allows the outcome to develop into a embryo. The ovary develops into a fruin in order to protect the seeds that may help distribute.

Describe how a nephron works. How is this similar to counter currents or hydrostatic skeletons?

Some of the nephron functions are the secretion of some solutes, or re-absorption of various solutes. The nephron has cells with different properties, it also helps the kidney regulate blood because it has a unique blood supply. Parts of the nephron like the Bowman's capsule helps filter and removes all the organic wastes, and water.

Counter Currents: Creates concentrated urine based on what the body needs or wants. Loop of Henle's length is based on the amount of water that goes through, it allows the absorption of water to go back into a body.

Hydro-static Skeletons: Found in many cold-blooded organisms, and surrounded with muscles. Hydro-static skeletons play a role in how sea creatures move in the water.

Extra Credit Blog

What topics really confused you?
- The chapters on photosynthesis confused me along with the BioChemistry chapters. I wasn't really good with Chemistry and the bonds really confused me.

What topics do you feel very clear on?
- I feel really clear on the plant dissection, and structure of the plants. I also really liked the ecology unit, i'm not sure if it was easier because it was at the beginning of the year, but i really understood that.

What lab/ activity was your favorite? Why?
- My favorite lab was the toothpick lab, because it was really fun, and hands on. I really understood it because it was simple and direct.

What lab/activity was your least favorite? Why?
- My least favorite lab was the virtual genetics fly lab, i didn't understand what we really had to do, i guess it was a bit confusing for me because it was the first virtual lab that we had to put onto our notebooks.

If you could change something about the class to make it better, for instance the type of homework (not the amount) what would it be and why?
- If i could change something about the class, i honestly think it'd be a lot easier if we didn't have online homework, sometimes there could be problems where we can't open a link, or anything could go wrong and we won't be able to do much until the next day. I like that we can turn in some homework over the weekend, but i think that we can do a lot better on studying or working on our lit circle books if we had more time with reading and studying than online blogs. I also think that it would be a lot more helpful if we can know exactly what we need on our spiral and lab notebooks a few days before they are all due, so that it can be a way of checking off what we need in order to get a high score.

Comparing Bacteria, Virus, Prion, and Protist

Bacteria : Bacteria are there all around us, but they are not plants nor animals. There are a few species of bacteria that are pathogenic and can cause very serious disease, but there are also many that are beneficial to human beings. There are bacteria that can provide nutrients, and the study of bacteria is known as bacteriology. Lactobacilli bacteria is one of the beneficial bacteria's due to the function of how it can aid in developing natural defenses to protect the body from dangerous diseases.

Virus : Virus is a infectious part that can replicate inside living human beings or any living organisms. Virus' can come from many animals, or from humans too. A virus can spread with blood contact, like blood-sucking insects can pass around a virus. Virus's are capable of infecting many different species all around the world.

Prion : A prion is a infectious thing that is composed of protein, it's name was derived from the words protein and infection. When a prion enters a healthy body, it immediately changes it into a sick and infectious being.

Protists : Protists have the meaning of that they are multiple cells that contain a nucleus within a membrane. Protists come from the Kingdom called Protista. Protists don't really have much in common other than their simple organization. The organization allows the protist to be known from different eukaryotes like animals or plants.

Cell diversity Wordle

Every different cell has their own functions which causes them to have different structures. There are big cells that are like tissues, and also way smaller cells like organelles. The different variety of cells go on and on, but it is something that keeps everything on Earth alive. There are many cells that live in our body too, and some are quite obvious like blood cells, or brain cells. Animal's don't have a cell wall, but plants have one. The chloroplast in a plant cell allows the plants to take in energy from sunlight.

http://www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/4708555/Untitled

Cellular Metabolism Wordle

Cellular Metabolism shows all the thousands of chemical reactions within cell. There are many metabolic pathways that can release energy by breaking down complex molecules into simpler compounds. Metabolism occurs in a flow of biochemical reactions that are known as pathways. Metabolism is connected with controlling the material and the energy resources from the cell. Metabolism is a property that begins through interactions with molecules in the environment of the cell.

http://www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/4708548/Untitled