Hello! Our Science Solution blog assignment for today was to explain what a Punnet square is and how it is used as well as find an example of a Punnet square that we have created and explain its purpose.

We are currently learning about genetics and the research of Mendel and Punnet. Punnet's findings came a bit later, but they are still important and useful. If you didn't already know, a Punnet square is a type of chart used to find all of the probable genetic outcomes in a trait via the givers of the trait. I know, that sounds really confusing. But Punnet squares can also be used in areas besides science. 

Originally, Punnet squares were used when the process of genetic inheritance was barely being discovered. When 19th-century scientists finally realized that genetic outcomes were based on probability, someone named Punnet created a diagram that is one square composed of four smaller squares (like a window). On top of the chart above each square he wrote down an abbreviation for each trait (usually we use capital and lowercase letters to differentiate between dominant and recessive traits now, but I'm not sure what he used then) given by one parent and another two on the left side to represent the traits given by the other parents. Then Punnet paired up the abbreviative letters on each side and inserted them into a box to make the organism's genotype. From this he came out with the phenotype, or physical appearance of an organism. If the genotype was made up of two capital letters ("TT") or a cross "tT or Tt", the organism would inherit the dominant trait. Only if both letters involved were recessive ("tt") would the offspring inherit the recessive trait. From this he would write the phenotypic outcome and use probability to find out the chances of inheritance. Results of a Punnet square can also be used to find the phenotypes of offspring in a different generation.

We mostly use Punnet squares in Science class when we're explaining the chances of an organism inheriting a particular trait -- such as on our "Bikini Bottom Genetics" paper, when we had to find out whether or not certain offspring would come out looking like its parents or not. 

Happy Tuesday! Today is the first day of this week since we had a 3-day weekend in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. day. Our Science Solutions blog assignment for today is to explain in detail how we made our DNA jewelry ornaments last quarter during our genetics unit.

The first thing we did when making the ornament was collect our beads. We needed specific numbers of each kind of bead. At first, none of us had any idea why we needed this specific number of beads, but we learned later that in order for there to be twelve bases, there needed to be even numbers of the colors that represented each base and an even number of sugars and phosphates for the side. Then Mrs. Poole cut a wire to a certain length and we awaited further instruction.

It was very important to us that we straighten this wire out so that there were no problematic kinks in it and all of the beads could slide on as easily as possible. We first slid our first pattern of beads on to make the first "rung" in our ladder and then added bases. The pattern for bases was yellow, white, yellow.

The next part was tricky, but it was essential in completing the project. We had to tie our string together in a specific manner to align our beads and make sure not to create any kinks in the process. I wasn't completely successful here -- my wire got thin and stringy and I had to use a recycled, old, half-finished ornament that was started by a student from a previous year to complete mine on time.

We continued making rows of base pairs on our ornaments. This part was the most customizable; we could put any base on one side, and while the other had to match (guanine/cytosine; adenine/thymine) the first, we could put them in any order or make a pattern if we wanted to. We continued this as well as using the yellow-white-yellow format to make what looked like a ladder.

The ending was a bit tricky. We had to go up to the front and Mrs. Poole had to check our creations to make sure there were twelve rows, no kinks, and that the base patterns matched. Here we were scored, but the project (which took more than 2 days to finish) wasn't completely done. We had to take one side of our wire and run it down the opposing side of sugar/phosphates. Then we curved the prick of wire at the top into a circle and it was done. I got help and instructions from my friends, but at the end I felt accomplished and proud of my own work. I used the ornament on my Christmas tree, but it could also be used as a piece of jewelry like an earring or a necklace, if you wanted.

Happy Tuesday! Our first Science Solutions blog assignment of the third quarter is to reflect on something that we struggled with but eventually learned in science class in the past semester. We are also to make claims and evidence that support the thesis that we really do know this concept.

I knew the second I heard the blog assignment what I was going to write about. My lowest test grade in the whole year was in Science, and it greatly jeopardized my grade for that quarter. The test was on the structure of cells. I thought I had done my best to study the night before, but I guess I was mistaken, because I barely got a "C+" on that test. It made my grade go from an "A+" to a "B". I think the area where I got confused on the test was the diagrams -- the artwork shown on the test was different from the one in the book. Mrs. Poole had informed us that we could use the internet to research different diagrams of various types of cells, but for some reason I ignored the advice.

From then I worked hard to get my grade up and quickly memorized everything in the book that had to do with cell structure. I made sure afterwards to be extra-careful about whether or not my labeling was correct. The problems I had on that test proved to me that you should always check your work, even in Science. I also use the internet as a resource much more often. My advice to anyone who has had or is having the same problem that I had is to always go the extra mile and take whatever advantageous opportunities are given to you, since they can and will help in the long run. Don't be lazy about your schoolwork and scan over a paragraph thinking you've studied it. The standards and unfamiliar terms that are given to you in the text book definitely help to further your understandings, and so do science websites and resources. Moral of the story -- study, but do more than that, too!