Cockermouth Floods 2009
Cumbria Floods Donations
This is not a science post, but if you’ve heard about the big floods that ran through Cockermouth, Cumbria (in the UK), over the last week then here is a chance to help out. There are some class project ideas at the end of the post.
Cockermouth is my home town in the UK and is the point where two rivers (the Cocker and the Derwent) meet. In the recent huge ranfall, both rivers bust their banks and flooded the whole Main Street and Market Places, as well as many residential areas. Some major bridges were destroyed, effectively turning the town into an island. Many people have been evacuated from their homes and the clean-up operation will take a long time. More damage was sustained by towns across Cumbria, including Workington and Keswick, and a policeman lost his life, trying to save others. The emergency services responded fantastically, saving many people – and their pets!
Here’s a video explaining why Cockermouth was hit so hard:
Cockermouth Aftermath
See some photo sets of the damage here:
BBC News – Escape to Cumbria –
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Being on the other side of the world (Indonesia – which has more than its fair share of disasters recently), all I can think of to help is to encourage people give donations if they can. If you want to help out, please visit the Charities Aid Foundation website for the Cumbrian Community Foundation. I’d encouarage local IB schools to get involved in the clean-up operation, too.
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Science/ Engineering links
Recent flooding and natural disasters give us a lot to think about as global citizens and scientists. Here are some ideas for projects and activities you could do in class related to the theme:
– How do flood defenses work?
– Design a flood-protection system
– How do we predict rainfall and rising water levels? How accurate are these predictions?
– How do emergency services respond to these events? How are they coordinated?
– Create a post-flood plan for a damaged town.
– What are the health risks of large-scale flooding? How can they be reduced?
Interdisciplinary Group 4 Project (IB) idea:
“How can science prevent, mitigate and aid recovery following natural disasters?”
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One more Science link: Did you know that Cockermouth and the surrounding area were home to John Dalton, the father of atomic theory?
Virtual Urchin – Tutorials from Stanford
Here are some flash tutorials from the team at Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford. They make good use of the properties of the sea urchin’s gametes for studies and learning experiences:
Fertilisation and Development
“Gametes of sea urchins yield exceptional experiences in the classroom; teachers and students alike are riveted by being able to observe fertilization, cell division and embryonic development. The gametes are easy to use, the developmental stages are readily seen with the microscope and the rapidity of fertilization and early cell divisions allows the student to ask questions and obtain answers within the bounds of a normal classroom schedule. The utility of urchins for inquiry-based science is unrivaled.”
Head on over there to have a go at some of their labs, including a neat microscope tutorial, practice with microscope measurements, fertilisation and development and a ocean acidification investigation.
1/4 Million Views on ScienceVideoResources!
Wow – 250,000 views and counting.
Looking at the stats, most people come here for the post on Eaten Alive: Parasites and the Body (over 8,000 views), with protein synthesis, our IB Biology course and cell respiration following closely behind. Thanks to everyone who has visited and left a comment so far!
If you like what you see, you can make a difference with Biology4Good. Also, please leave a comment and let me know where you’re from and what you use the site for.
To celebrate, here’s Hans Rosling, my favourite TED presenter and GapMinder master, sharing new facts, data and visuals on HIV – just in time for AIDS Day on the 1st December:
neat clip of a National Geographic photographer’s greatest moments:
The Immune System – Phagocytosis and Clonal Selection
Here are some very clear clips for the immune responses to infection, starting with a really well done explanation of Burnet’s Nobel-winning clonal selection theory:
If you like that, check out some more of the videos from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research.
Try this animation and quiz: McGraw Hill Online Centre
And another Nobel-winner, the cellular response from CancerResearch.org
Clonal Selection
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Phagocytosis in action:
Neutrophil (phagocyte) chasing a bacterium:
The humoral, though not funny, response – from the LifeWire
How does the leukocyte know where to go? Chemotaxis – from Wisc-online
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Once you’re sure of how it all works, can you narrate this medical animation?
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And for another of the body’s defenses: Natural Killer Cells
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Loads more links to clips at North Harris College.
Membranes
Membranes – much more than a sheet covering the cell. If you can understand the relevance of the fluidity of the membrane, the various roles the plasma membrane plays and the structures which allow it to do so, you’re well on the way to making the connections needed across the curriculum. And then there’s membrane transport…
Click on the shadowed images in the presentation to be taken to (many) animations and videos:
Essential Biology 2.4: Membranes
For lots more animations on cell strucure and function and cell transport, visit North Harris College.
Really funny plasma membrane & Evolution raps
This is really well done, from a group of Stanford students:
And this one on evolution is very funny:
There are more cell biology clips on their YouTube channel.
Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes
Essential Biology 2.2 Prokaryotes
Click4Biology Prokaryotes
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MrT’s terrible pun:
If you get salmonella from a 3 day-old bacon sandwich, does that mean you’ve contracted a porkaryote?
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Essential Biology 2.3 Eukaryotes
Click4Biology Eukaryotes
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BioCoach Cell Structure and Function topic
The Biology Project Cell Biology page
Wiley Science tutorial (Flash)
Bacterial growth populations from umich.edu
Don’t forget the great resources at Learn.Genetics.
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Review quiz on Quia: Cell Theory, Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes. (for my class only)
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And here’s a nice timelapse of bacterial growth:
Here’s a story of a giant bacterium, from NotExactlyRocketScience
Reproduction: Core and AHL
Here is the presentation for the Core content – Grade 9’s, you can look too, as we’re on this unit in HPD! There are tons of videos and animations out there about reproduction – many are linked in the presentations, so click on the shadowed images to watch them.
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And here is the AHL presentation, including spermatogenesis, oogenesis, hcg, hormonal control of birth.
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Standard Level students Essential Biology 6.6 Reproduction (Click4Biology)
Higher Level students Essential Biology 6.6 & 11.4 Reproduction (Click4Biology)
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Here are the Pythons with their birth sketch:
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And some BioEthics cases on IVF:
Australasian bioethics special: IVF
Journal of Medical Ethics: State of the Debate
“Don’t drag your knuckles when you walk!” More science comedy
From Brian Malow, Science Comedian.
More on his channel, ScienceComedian.
i-Biology 