Honors Biology Home Page
Welcome to the Regents Biology page on Collea's Corner. This will be my 30th year teaching Biology.
I have had many teachers help me develop the course and ideas for this website. Many thanks go to the late Kim Foglia whose materials have been a starting point for me and many other biology teachers around the world. Without her passion and educational expertise, I would be years behind where I am now. My former colleague Jason Goldberg from Colonie High School who has supplied me with the many resources used throughout this course along with the design and format found on this website. Working with him was one of the many highlights of my teaching career. Thanks Jay!
This year we will be incorporating a style of learning that may be a little different than what you are used to. For some of the time, you will be required to watch videos, animations, movies, and lectures at home (what you might normally do in class), then spend class time asking questions, developing hypothesis, designing and performing experiments in a smartphone-free environment all while staying abreast of what current research has to say about our topic at hand. This will give me the opportunity to assist you with your experimental designs and help you learn the things you are having trouble with, as well as incorporate what research shows to be a very effective method of teaching and learning.
Now let's get to work!
Research on Flipped Classrooms
Applying Science to the Teaching of Science - describes the effectiveness of the flipped classroom
Twilight of the Lecture - describes the effectiveness of flipped classrooms in college
Flipping a Class, the Learn by Doing Method - the advantages of the flipped classroom format
Support for Experiments in Flipping - describes why the science favors flipping
The Value of Biology-Based Animations - a study behind the use of animations in science teaching
I have had many teachers help me develop the course and ideas for this website. Many thanks go to the late Kim Foglia whose materials have been a starting point for me and many other biology teachers around the world. Without her passion and educational expertise, I would be years behind where I am now. My former colleague Jason Goldberg from Colonie High School who has supplied me with the many resources used throughout this course along with the design and format found on this website. Working with him was one of the many highlights of my teaching career. Thanks Jay!
This year we will be incorporating a style of learning that may be a little different than what you are used to. For some of the time, you will be required to watch videos, animations, movies, and lectures at home (what you might normally do in class), then spend class time asking questions, developing hypothesis, designing and performing experiments in a smartphone-free environment all while staying abreast of what current research has to say about our topic at hand. This will give me the opportunity to assist you with your experimental designs and help you learn the things you are having trouble with, as well as incorporate what research shows to be a very effective method of teaching and learning.
Now let's get to work!
Research on Flipped Classrooms
Applying Science to the Teaching of Science - describes the effectiveness of the flipped classroom
Twilight of the Lecture - describes the effectiveness of flipped classrooms in college
Flipping a Class, the Learn by Doing Method - the advantages of the flipped classroom format
Support for Experiments in Flipping - describes why the science favors flipping
The Value of Biology-Based Animations - a study behind the use of animations in science teaching
Excellent Animation Sites
Biotopics UK
McGraw Hill: Basic Biology
Sumamas Inc.
Cells Alive
Learn Genetics
Biology Junction
ADAM - The Inside Story
Ted-Ed
WatchKnowLearn.org
KidsBiology.com
Amoeba Sisters
BrainPOP
Biocyclopedia
NSTA Lab Collection
Ask Nature
Teachers Pet
FuseSchool
Excellent Video Sites
Crash Course Biology
Bozeman Biology
Kahn Academy
GoldiesRoom.org
Movie Sheets
Ninja Nerd Science
Biotopics UK
McGraw Hill: Basic Biology
Sumamas Inc.
Cells Alive
Learn Genetics
Biology Junction
ADAM - The Inside Story
Ted-Ed
WatchKnowLearn.org
KidsBiology.com
Amoeba Sisters
BrainPOP
Biocyclopedia
NSTA Lab Collection
Ask Nature
Teachers Pet
FuseSchool
Excellent Video Sites
Crash Course Biology
Bozeman Biology
Kahn Academy
GoldiesRoom.org
Movie Sheets
Ninja Nerd Science
Research on the Detrimental Effects of Smartphones
Brain Drain: The Mere Presence of One’s Own Smartphone Reduces Available Cognitive Capacity
How Smartphones are Hijacking our Brains
Are Smartphones Making Us Stupid
We all understand the joys of our always-wired world—the connections, the validations, the laughs…the information.
But we are only beginning to get our minds around the costs.
- Andrew Sullivan (2016)
Anytime you (or your children) need to optimize attentional control and cognitive function,
keeping smartphones out of sight helps to boost brain power and minimize brain drain.
- Christopher Bergland (2017)
As an educator with 30 years of experience, NOW, more that ever I feel the need to create intentional
time and space for my students away from their smartphones. "Out of sight, out of mind."
Taking advantage of the benefits of smartphone use shouldn’t cease entirely, but administrators, teachers, coaches and parents should make sure to create smartphone-free time so students can develop the important critical and creative thinking skills which allow them to continuously learn, question, define and solve problems - not to mention the ability to connect with other people socially.
- Dan Collea (2019)
Brain Drain: The Mere Presence of One’s Own Smartphone Reduces Available Cognitive Capacity
How Smartphones are Hijacking our Brains
Are Smartphones Making Us Stupid
We all understand the joys of our always-wired world—the connections, the validations, the laughs…the information.
But we are only beginning to get our minds around the costs.
- Andrew Sullivan (2016)
Anytime you (or your children) need to optimize attentional control and cognitive function,
keeping smartphones out of sight helps to boost brain power and minimize brain drain.
- Christopher Bergland (2017)
As an educator with 30 years of experience, NOW, more that ever I feel the need to create intentional
time and space for my students away from their smartphones. "Out of sight, out of mind."
Taking advantage of the benefits of smartphone use shouldn’t cease entirely, but administrators, teachers, coaches and parents should make sure to create smartphone-free time so students can develop the important critical and creative thinking skills which allow them to continuously learn, question, define and solve problems - not to mention the ability to connect with other people socially.
- Dan Collea (2019)
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GENERAL CLASS INFORMATION
- Course Description - everything you need to know about the course
- How to Write a Lab Report - something that you will find very, VERY important throughout the year
- LabWrite - a fantastic website provided by NC State University to help you with your lab reports
- Guidlelines for Making Data Tables - worksheet
- Making Data Tables and Graphs by Hand - video
- Graphing 101 - video
- Graphmaker - a great website to help you make your data tables and graphs...Thanks Mike Hefferen!
- Beginner's Guide to Graphing - video
- Making a Data Table Using Google Docs.
- Making a Graph from a Google Spreadsheet
- How Labs are Graded - the rubric used to grade formal lab reports
- Lab Report Checklist - use this make sure your lab report contains all the necessary elements
- Materials needed for class: 3 ring binder (1.5' minimum) - Basic colored pencil set
- The VARK Questionnaire - quiz yourself to find out how you learn best
- The 9 BEST Scientific Study Tips
- Spaced Repetition Learning
Information for Parents
- Course Description - everything you need to know about the course
- Spaced Repetition in Learning Theory
- Help Your Child Succeed in Regents Biology
- The 9 BEST Scientific Study Tips
- Open House
- Effects of Exercise on the Brain
The Living Environment Regents Exam
Interactive Regents Exams
Past Living Environment Regents Exams
(Do NOT do the June 2016, June 2017 and the June 2018 exams for practice as these will assigned in class.)
Interactive Regents Exams
Past Living Environment Regents Exams
(Do NOT do the June 2016, June 2017 and the June 2018 exams for practice as these will assigned in class.)