Monthly Archives: November 2016

Mutation Story

Science 9

The Life of a Genetic Mutation

Hello, my name is Ally, I am an Alzheimer’s gene. I am the most common form of dementia. One day I started killing the other cells in my host, Lexie’s brain. Over the past few months Lexie’s brain cells have started dying and her brain has started to shrink, the tissues now have fewer nerve cells and the connections between the nerve cells have weakened. Alzheimer’s develops deposits of protein and fibers that prevent the cells from working properly. When this happens, Lexie’s cells can’t send signals to other parts of her brain. She is slowly getting worse, she started forgetting little things and she is now starting to fully lose her memory. She will eventually develop severe mental problems and will have difficulties doing any daily activities. The doctors aren’t sure why I started killing Lexie’s brain cells but they always knew that there could be a possibility that she could develop Alzheimer’s because her uncle and her mom both died of early-onset Alzheimer’s Disease when they were in there mid fifty’s. Most people live 8 to 10 years after developing symptoms of my gene but some can live an even longer life, with many functional problems.

When she was 46 Lexie slowly started forgetting things, her car keys, relatives name or to turn her stove off. She also started having troubles speaking and putting her thoughts into words. Her doctor diagnosed her with early-onset Alzheimer’s Disease when she started to lose her sense of smell and when she forgot to turn of her stove for the second time and her kitchen nearly burned down. Lexie developed early-onset Alzheimer’s because her 21st chromosome is mutated. Mutations on chromosome 21 cause the formation of abnormal amyloid precursor proteins (APP).

Alzheimer’s disease is irreversible and currently there is no cure for this disease but there are treatments and medications that can help slow down the symptoms. Researchers continue to look for new treatments that could improve the quality of life even more for people with my gene of Alzheimer’s.   unknown

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The Making of Mutation Story

Ask:   I asked myself how a normal gene becomes a mutated gene and how it causes Alzheimer’s. I also researched the different symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s and the affect it can have on the patient. As well as the affect that it has on the rest of their family. I researched both types of Alzheimer’s (early-onset and late-onset) in order to decide which one is best suited for my gene mutation and my host. I also learned some of the first signs that someone could be developing this disease and that there currently isn’t a cure for it.

Aquire:   I used different websites to find the information I needed to answer the questions that I had. I used medical websites as well as kids learning websites to learn as much as I could about Alzheimer’s. I sited all the websites I used down below as well as the pictures I used. I also used pictures and diagrams to see how over time Alzheimer’s develops.

Analyze:   I found relevant and accurate information that explained how Alzheimer’s works and develops in an easy to understand way. I cited all the websites and photos that I used.

Assess:   I think the process went really well, I finished the assignment on time and I didn’t leave it to the last second. I learned a lot about Alzheimer’s that I didn’t know and I created a story that I think is fun and interesting. For next time I could have used even more photos to help me explain how Alzheimer’s develops and maybe even done a second story with a host that develops late on-set Alzheimer’s. I really enjoyed learning more about Alzheimer’s and had fun coming up with a story to go with my research.

Websites:

http://www.webmd.com/alzheimers/tc/alzheimers-disease-what-happens

https://www.nia.nih.gov/alzheimers/publication/alzheimers-disease-genetics-fact-sheet

http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_treatments.asp

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/159442.php

https://kidshealth.org/en/kids/alzheimers.html

Pictures:

http://www.inifoundation.org/images/ALZ_Brain_Scan.jpg

http://www.crystalinks.com/alzheimersbrain.jpg

http://www.best-alzheimers-products.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/three-stages-of-alzheimers-disease.jpg

 

How Things Work

Science 9

Our project:

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Execute: Our group completed a project, by answering the questions given to us as well as creating a 3D Model of a geothermal power plant out of a variety of different materials found around our homes.

Examine: We completed the project on time,  fully meeting all of our goals. We now have a better understanding of how a geothermal power plant works and the effects that they has on the environment as well as the social and ethnical implications that they have. If we had been given more time to work on the project we think that we could have created an even bigger an better model. We could have possibly made it move or even make water flow through it.

 

How things work Questions

1. The geothermal vent is the first component of any geothermal plant. A geothermal vent is a deep well drilled into the Earth that the power plant uses to tap into the Earth’s heat. A geothermal plant may have two goals for its vents, geothermal plants draw superheated, pressurized water upward.

Another important part of any geothermal plant is the steam production unit, which can take multiple forms. In a flash steam vent, heated pressurized water is drawn from underground and goes into low-pressure tanks. The pressure of the Earth keeps the water in liquid form and by removing that pressure the hot water instantly turns to steam. In a dry steam plant, the plant technicians pump water to the bottom of the vent where the Earth’s heat boils the water and turns it into steam. The steam then goes to the turbines.

It doesn’t matter which of the plant types, both flash steam and dry steam plants pump the steam from the geothermal vent to a large turbine. The steam passes this turbine, turning it in the process. This turbine is attached to an electric generator, and as the turbine turns the generator turns the mechanical energy into electric energy, this converts the heat from the Earth into usable electricity.

After the steam passes through the turbine, it continues to a condenser chamber. This chamber condenses the steam back into water by cooling it. The extra heat lost as the steam turns to liquid may be used for other things, such as heating or greenhouse farming. The cold water is then typically pumped back into the ground to either restart the boiling process for dry steam or to restock the natural heated aquifer for flash steam plants. A properly located well can be a good energy source for many years. Electrons flow from underground up the well, into the separator and then go through the turbine and move into the generator.

2. Most geothermal plants re-inject water into the reservoir after it has been used to prevent contamination. In most cases, not all water removed from the reservoir is re-injected because some is lost when it turns into steam. In order to keep a constant amount of water in the reservoir, outside water must be used. The amount of water needed depends on the size of the plant and the technology that it uses. This could have an effect on country’s that don’t have access to a lot of water and it would be difficult to build a power plant without the water needed.

The amount of land required by a geothermal plant varies depending on the how big the reservoir is. Some of this land could be used for other things like building homes or shelters in countries that need it. Overall we think that geothermal power plants are a great way to create energy and electricity efficiently and in a way that will protect the environment.

3. Geothermal power plants have many positive and negative effects. We think that geothermal power plants are a good idea since there are so many positive aspects for the environment and social implications. There are however a few problems with how much water is used for geothermal power plants, which is a problem since our world is running low on water. We think that geothermal power plants are the safest and most environmentally friendly way to create energy. Because there is very little air emissions and it is a renewable energy source unlike fossil fuels. Geothermal power plants have very low impact on the environment and very few social implications. They are a better option when creating energy as opposed to ex: fossil fuels (since they aren’t renewable).

4. Geothermal power plants have some positive and negative effects on the environment. A positive is that they take up very little land and installing one does not require damming rivers or cutting down forests and there are no mineshafts, open pits, oil spills or tunnels. Geothermal is classified under clean and renewable resource, unlike fossil fuels that we will run out of at some point. Another good point about geothermal power plants is that they have minimal solid wastes. Geothermal power plants give of less gases in the air unlike a thermal power plant that does. Thermal power plants give off CO², SO² and nitrogen oxides, geothermal power plants only give off a little CO² and SO² and absolutely no nitrogen oxide. One of the negative aspects of geothermal power plants is that they will be very loud due to heavy earth moving machinery during construction, well testing, cooling tower complex, gas ejectors and the main powerhouse. Geothermal power plants also waste a lot of water which is a big problem, however the way the water is disposed is not considered toxic. Since so much water is being used the earths elements may become different shapes due to lack of water. Vegetation and soil may also be affected when a geothermal power plant is installed or being used. Something called well blowout may also happen which means there would be an escape of fluids from a drilling well when there is high pressure.

 

Parteners: Shaylyn Gordon and Hannah Stark

 

 

 

 

TOKTW 2016

Portfolio

Name of your host: Don Gordon

Relationship to you: Father

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The Interview:

  1. What is your job title?  He is a grade 8 teacher and team leader.
  2. What is your job description?   He teaches math, science, art and physical and health education.
  3. What are the duties and/or tasks you perform at your job?   He teaches grade 8 students and he leads a team of five teacher. He also coordinates activities for teachers on Pro-D-Days.
  4. What qualifications do you have for this job in the following areas:

a) training?   He did a thirteen month practicum as part of his eduction training.

b) education?   He has a four year bachelor of arts degree as well as a bachelor of education degree. He also has is masters of education degree.

c) experience?   He worked for four years as a youth worker. He also worked for nineteen years as a teacher,  three of those years were as a faculty advisor at UBC. He also worked for seven years as a district professional coordinator.

d) skills and attributes (personal qualities)?  He is patient, creative, friendly, artistic, compassionate and is a very good listener. He is also organized, hard working, a critical thinker and has strong speaking skills.

5.  What are some of the things you like about the job?  He     enjoys creating lessons, understanding ciriculum with students, working with students and other teachers. He also likes the holidays, the hours and the flexibility.

6.  What are some of the things you dislike about this job?  He dislikes the long nights of work and having to mark students assignments.

7.  How do anticipate this job changing in the next five years  or        so?   He thinks there will be an increase in technology usage and growing government control.

Other questions:  How many years of schooling did you do?  He did nine years of schooling.

Student Reflections:

  1. Give three reasons why you would like this job:

a)  I love working with children and being able to teach them new things.

b)  I would be able to learn new things and it would also help me grow as a person.

c)  I like the hours and the holidays that come with the job, it will give me time to spend time with my family.

2.  Give three reasons why you would not like this job:

a)  There is a lot of marking you would have to do to correct students quizzes and assignments.

b)  I wouldn’t want to spend so much time writing report cards and planning lessons.

c)  Many students need one on one help and there would be many kids in a class.

3.  Is this job for you? Why or why not?   I think this job would be a perfect fit for me because I am very organized, I enjoy working with children, I love learning new things and being able to have a positive impact on someone else’s life.

4.  Explain the value of the TOKTW experience in relation to your ideas about your post secondary plans:  I think that the value of TOKTW is to help show students the different opportunities and different job paths that they could take in the future. It also shows students what their parents do at work during the day, while they are at school.