Zika Virus

Have you heard of the Zika Virus?  Have you traveled to Mexico, the Caribbean or the Virgin Islands?  Should you be worried?  Is this going to be a bigger outbreak than Ebola?

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/health/what-is-zika-virus.html?_r=0

http://www.cdc.gov/zika/

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/zika-virus-infects-more-than-2100-pregnant-colombian-women/

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/zika/en/

http://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/brazil-revises-birth-defect-count-zika-investigation-n505486

Even though we are not studying viruses and the immune system right now, I thought it was important to be aware of the biology that is hitting the headlines right now.  This is a big deal and I want you to understand what is going on in the world.  

Read one of the articles above or watch the video clip.  In a scholarly paragraph, summarize what you learned.  What do you think?  What is your opinion of the virus?  Are you concerned?  Does your family travel to these affected areas?  What is the WHO going to decide this week when they convene to discuss the virus? (Extra credit if you can provide information about what is decided in the meeting this week and provide a link.)

Options options options

OPTION #1:
This week in class we will be learning about plant pigments.  Watch this quick video about why leaves change colors in the fall:

In a scholarly response (capital letters, periods, like a paragraph you would turn in to your English teacher) respond to at least three of the following questions.  Your response should be at least 5 sentences long.  While this guy does a pretty good job, there are a couple of mistakes in this video. Can you find at least one mistake in the introduction?  What does the narrator say that is incorrect?  (I made a big deal about this in class.)  Do you love fall?  Is it one of your favorite seasons?  Or do you love spring because you love to see the world wake up and turn green again (flowers and pretty trees and the prospect of summer right around the corner)?  Are there such thing as albino plants?  If plants are albinos, how do they perform photosynthesis?  Do animals besides humans have different amounts of pigments in their cells?  Can you give an example?


OPTION #2:

If you are not in the mood to think about leaves changing colors, then this week I am going to give you some other options. (Special thanks to MG!)  Instead, you can read one of the articles below.  After you have read the article, I would like you to write a paragraph summary of what you have read.  While I am not an English teacher, I do expect scholarly writing with capital letters and periods.  Your summary should be at least 5 sentences long and include your overall opinion of the article.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/bionic-plants-offer-superpowered-photosynthesis/

http://www.wired.com/2012/08/green-aphid-photosynthesis/

http://www.wired.com/2010/01/green-sea-slug/