2013: A Year in Review

Every year at the end of the year, I always look forward to the "Year in Review."  I love the photo montages in Sports Illustrated, TIME, Newsweek, Runner's World, In Style and pretty much any other magazine that I happen to flip through while waiting to check out at the grocery store.  I love the video montages that air on all of the major networks on New Year's eve.  The discoveries, the accomplishments, the tragedies, the travesties, the births, the deaths and more all completely have a hold on me.

Last week, I saw on another teacher's blog that she had her students make slide shows for the "2013 Year in Review."  What an awesome idea!  However, at this point in the semester we are both short on time and computer lab availability.  Therefore, I am going to have you submit a brief description of what one event would have to be included in "your" year in review.  The event that you choose could be important to you as an individual like your first day of being a high school student.  Additionally, if you would rather choose a local, state, national or international event, I am in support of whatever you choose as long as you can say why it is important.  Not only do I want a description of the event, but if possible, I would like you to include an image or video.  Ideally, over the break, I will have time (or if a student would like to volunteer...) to make the Mrs. Mazzuca's Honors Biology 2013 year in review.

Below is a cool video montage for 2012:

O Christmas Tree!

Which type of Christmas tree is better for the environment and your health, a real or a fake Christmas tree?

Bundled up and braving the cold, my family headed out to the Christmas tree farm bright and early on Saturday morning.  As we were cutting down a Christmas tree, I couldn't help but ponder the environmental and health benefits of a real Christmas tree.  Was I hurting the environment by cutting down a tree?  Was I helping the environment by supporting an organic Christmas tree farm?

The type A neat-freak that I am tends to gravitate towards the artificial Christmas tree.  It isn't messy, the branches are perfectly arranged and clean-up is a breeze.  The science teacher part of me favors the real Christmas tree.  Even if you don't celebrate Christmas, for Friday, I would like you to evaluate the age-old debate:  Which is better a real or fake Christmas tree?  You may use the following sites to support your position or give examples from real life.

Here are a couple of sites to help you with your post:

The Weather Channel:
http://www.weather.com/news/science/real-vs-fake-christmas-trees-which-better-environment-20131206

About.com:
http://environment.about.com/od/greenchristmas/a/christmas_trees.htm

American Christmas Tree Association:
http://www.christmastreeassociation.org/Article%20Pages/environmental-carbon-footprint-study-on-christmas-trees

National Christmas Tree Association:
http://www.realchristmastrees.org/dnn/Education/EnvironmentalBenefits.aspx

Time to Cull the Herd

The cover for this weeks TIME magazine is below.

In the article, David Von Drehle explains how several animals on the brink of extinction have not only been saved, but that these animals are establishing themselves in areas in the suburbs.  In one picture it shows a tranquilized bear falling from a tree close to the University of Colorado in Boulder.  Do you support the state mandated hunting of wildlife?  Why or why not?  Give a scholarly response and support for your decision.  Submit your post by Friday, December 6th to receive credit.

Below is the link to the article:

http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2158676,00.html