Mr. Willis' 9th Grade Science Website: Main Page Northwest R1 High School Science

	Home
	News Bulletin Important messages, updates and reminders will be posted here from time to time. Glossary Glossary of Science Terms Use this resource to find definitions of many common science terms. Biology Page Biology This is a required freshman course covering basic aspects of life science. Use this link to access files and resources such as daily classwork material and practice tests. Physics Archives Conceptual Physics This link connects you to an archive of course material for a conceptually based physical science course that concentrates on physics aspects like motion and energy. Gradebook Infinite Campus Use this link to access current grade and attendance information for all Northwest R1 District Students. Course Syllabus 2010 Biology Course Syllabus Click here for the current syllabus for Biology. This document includes information on how the class is conducted. Teacher Info Dick Willis Mr. Willis is married and has two adult children. Click here for additional details about his family and his teaching philosophy. Northwest R1 District Website Northwest R1 District Website This links to the comprehensive District Website with links to other schools and all teachers. NWHS Website Northwest R1 High School Website Use this website to access school-wide information (such as calendars) as well as the websites of other high school teachers. Google Docs NHS Google Docs Log in here with your username and school pin number to collaborate with fellow classmates on your school projects. Also, save files here so you don't have to worry about carrying your thumb drive with you all the time. E-Mail Mr. Willis Mr. Dick Willis My school e-mail is rwillis@nwr1.k12.mo.us. I also have a gmail account that you are welcome to use at bayhicoach@gmail.com Unit Converter Unit Converter If you need to convert between metric and English units click this link. Resources Resources for Teachers Some of the resources that have been created for my classes are available to other teachers via this link. You are welcome to use any or all of this website for your classrooms. NHS Store Future Store

	Membership
	Login Member Login This is an administrative access function only. Membership to this site accrues nothing. Sign Up Apply for membership here. Enter your information to become a member. At the current time this is an administrative access function only. Membership to this site accrues nothing. However, in the future you may begin receiving update notifications and other important information. Lost Password? If you have forgotten your password Complete this form. Your will receive a notification in your e-mail detailing how you might recover this information.

Northwest R1 High School Science Northwest R1 High School Science

	Stats
	Total Visits: 208985 Visitors Online: 2 Members Online: 0

Northwest R1 Biology opening page

Defining Biology and Life

Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy.[1] Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines. Among the most important topics are five unifying principles that can be said to be the fundamental axioms of modern biology:[2]

Cells are the basic unit of life
New species and inherited traits are the product of evolution
Genes are the basic unit of heredity
An organism regulates its internal environment to maintain a stable and constant condition
Living organisms consume and transform energy.

Subdisciplines of biology are recognized on the basis of the scale at which organisms are studied and the methods used to study them: biochemistry examines the rudimentary chemistry of life; molecular biology studies the complex interactions of systems of biological molecules; cellular biology examines the basic building block of all life, the cell; physiology examines the physical and chemical functions of the tissues, organs, and organ systems of an organism; and ecology examines how various organisms interact and associate with their environment

Axolotl photo by Dick Willis (Feb 3, 2011)

Axolotl photo by Dick Willis (Feb 4, 2011)

Axolotl larva photo by Dick Willis (Feb 9, 2011)

Axie Larva photo by Dick Willis (Feb 11, 2011)

Axolotl Offspring

During our recent unscheduled winter break I stopped by school to make sure my animals were doing okay. I noticed that the axolotls had laid a few eggs (about 50 - 75). I took a few out and began to make a photo journal of their development. Because I hadn't been to school since the previous Friday (it was now Thursday) I wasn't certain when the eggs might have appeared. Looking at the development of the eggs over the next few days indicates that the axolotls spawned on Monday or Tuesday.

The axolotl larvae continue to develop and you can see their gill fronds growing longer, their tails elongating and their yolk sack shrinking. I expect that these larvae will emerge from their jelly casing on Tuesday or Wednesday. By the weekend they will begin to forage for very small living organisms like daphnia and newly hatched brine shrimp.

I have used the digital microscope provided through a grant from NWLEAFF (Susan Dodge Foundation) to take these pictures.