My Portfolio by Alexander Ruiz https://padlet.com/alexanderruiz018/a3klysrc6qvc8f85 en-us 2023-01-23 14:15:00 UTC 2025-04-23 10:55:54 UTC hello@padlet.com Personal Biography alexanderruiz018 https://padlet.com/alexanderruiz018/a3klysrc6qvc8f85/wish/2456181708 My name is Alexander Ruiz, and I am currently a senior in high school at School for Advanced Studies from the Homestead Campus. Although I currently live in Homestead, I was mainly raised in the Kendall area. I am a proud Nicaragüense and always love visiting my family over there. I am very passionate about three things: my faith, helping others, and soccer. Whether I am on the field or sitting on my couch, soccer has always been a comforting place for me and influenced my career choice. I have always wanted to be in the medical field but was never too sure on what I specifically wanted. It was up until 2021 where I found the career path of sports medicine. As soon as I looked into it, I immediately loved the idea. I knew I wanted to be an Athletic Trainer because it allows me to not only help others but essentially be a sports doctor. Athletic Training allows me to combine two of my passions while hoping to honor God in the process. 



]]> 2023-01-25 14:06:21 UTC https://padlet.com/alexanderruiz018/a3klysrc6qvc8f85/wish/2456181708 The Nature of Science: Multiple Choice Questions alexanderruiz018 https://padlet.com/alexanderruiz018/a3klysrc6qvc8f85/wish/2456185055 What can be used to make logical conclusions about observations?

A. Analysis

B. Research

C. Hypothesis

*D. Inference 

]]> 2023-01-25 14:08:49 UTC https://padlet.com/alexanderruiz018/a3klysrc6qvc8f85/wish/2456185055 Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning alexanderruiz018 https://padlet.com/alexanderruiz018/a3klysrc6qvc8f85/wish/2456186448 Claim, evidence, and reasoning can be used in our daily life when dealing with the news by proving it wrong or right. The news and media always use this method because their jobs are all about making claims and trying to prove their evidence is right to the public. For example, let's say that the media claims gas prices will be lowered because of recent studies. The news sources would have to then give evidence to the public to prove their claim is correct and provide reasons as to why these recent studies can be or will be sufficient. Another example is when an article is opinionated. They might say that Ronaldo is better than Messi, even though he isn't. The news article would provide evidence by giving facts about the two and go over who has scored more, who has the most trophies, and who has the most wins against one another. With this evidence, they could conclude why their claim is correct. ]]> 2023-01-25 14:09:52 UTC https://padlet.com/alexanderruiz018/a3klysrc6qvc8f85/wish/2456186448 Species Selection alexanderruiz018 https://padlet.com/alexanderruiz018/a3klysrc6qvc8f85/wish/2459006309 El monito del monte (dromiciops gliroides) are small opposums that represent ancient groups related to Australian dasyurid marsupials. They are small creatures who are endangered and native to Argentina and Chile. They are nocturnal and live in thickets of South American mountain bamboo in rain forests of the southern Andes, aided by its partially prehensile tail. 

Sources:
https://animalia.bio/monito-del-monte
https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/6834/22180239

]]> 2023-01-27 14:20:04 UTC https://padlet.com/alexanderruiz018/a3klysrc6qvc8f85/wish/2459006309 The Biggest Single-Celled Organism alexanderruiz018 https://padlet.com/alexanderruiz018/a3klysrc6qvc8f85/wish/2464609675 2023-02-01 14:02:44 UTC https://padlet.com/alexanderruiz018/a3klysrc6qvc8f85/wish/2464609675 The Common Cold alexanderruiz018 https://padlet.com/alexanderruiz018/a3klysrc6qvc8f85/wish/2470130876 The first thing that caught my attention from the first video was the name of the common cold: rhinovirus. It was fascinating to see why this virus is so common and never realized that it could be on my hand right now. I found it interesting how cool it is that it travels through the nostrils, which then the body starts to fight immediately. It is such a scary thought that a rhinovirus could be on my hand right now and could've infected anyone or myself.]]> 2023-02-06 14:16:03 UTC https://padlet.com/alexanderruiz018/a3klysrc6qvc8f85/wish/2470130876 alexanderruiz018 https://padlet.com/alexanderruiz018/a3klysrc6qvc8f85/wish/2470158966 2023-02-06 14:30:42 UTC https://padlet.com/alexanderruiz018/a3klysrc6qvc8f85/wish/2470158966 El Monito del Monte's Ecosystem alexanderruiz018 https://padlet.com/alexanderruiz018/a3klysrc6qvc8f85/wish/2473511875 El monito del monte is native to highland Argentina and Chile. Their habitat is dense, humid forests with thickets of Chilean bamboo. Although they are great climbers and eat fruits, el monito del monte mainly eat a variety of insects which are on the ground. They hibernate together in nests, and their longest lifespan is recorded to be 26 months. 

sources:
https://www.britannica.com/animal/monito-del-monte
https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Dromiciops_gliroides/

]]> 2023-02-08 14:28:09 UTC https://padlet.com/alexanderruiz018/a3klysrc6qvc8f85/wish/2473511875 El Monito del Monte's Ecosystem (1) alexanderruiz018 https://padlet.com/alexanderruiz018/a3klysrc6qvc8f85/wish/2473516820 2023-02-08 14:31:04 UTC https://padlet.com/alexanderruiz018/a3klysrc6qvc8f85/wish/2473516820 El Monito del Monte's Ecosystem (2) alexanderruiz018 https://padlet.com/alexanderruiz018/a3klysrc6qvc8f85/wish/2473517620 2023-02-08 14:31:33 UTC https://padlet.com/alexanderruiz018/a3klysrc6qvc8f85/wish/2473517620 El Monito del Monte's Ecosystem (3) alexanderruiz018 https://padlet.com/alexanderruiz018/a3klysrc6qvc8f85/wish/2473518673 2023-02-08 14:32:04 UTC https://padlet.com/alexanderruiz018/a3klysrc6qvc8f85/wish/2473518673 Feedback Loops alexanderruiz018 https://padlet.com/alexanderruiz018/a3klysrc6qvc8f85/wish/2484394982 Question: What caught your attention in the video? Why?


One thing that caught my attention was how in order for positive feedback to occur there must be a negative feedback to balance it out. If there is too much positive feedback, then the ecosystem won't be stable enough to function; so, it needs to create some sort of negative feedback to tone it down and create equilibrium. 

]]> 2023-02-16 02:57:14 UTC https://padlet.com/alexanderruiz018/a3klysrc6qvc8f85/wish/2484394982 The Life Cycle of the Butterfly alexanderruiz018 https://padlet.com/alexanderruiz018/a3klysrc6qvc8f85/wish/2486420385 One thing that caught my attention was how the butterfly is able to retain most of its memory when it was a caterpillar. It fascinates me how a small creature like that is able to retain so much information after so much time in the cocoon. Its body focuses on molding the creature into a butterfly and somehow remembers its previous memories just fascinates me.]]> 2023-02-17 14:52:07 UTC https://padlet.com/alexanderruiz018/a3klysrc6qvc8f85/wish/2486420385 Termites Mini Lecture Reflection alexanderruiz018 https://padlet.com/alexanderruiz018/a3klysrc6qvc8f85/wish/2493953469 What caught my attention in the mini-lecture on termites is how it defends itself against anteaters. After the anteater is attracted to the nest and starts eating some of the termites with its long tongue, it is fascinating how the termites fight back by clenching their powerful muscles and shoot a sticky spray from their heads.]]> 2023-02-24 14:40:55 UTC https://padlet.com/alexanderruiz018/a3klysrc6qvc8f85/wish/2493953469 alexanderruiz018 https://padlet.com/alexanderruiz018/a3klysrc6qvc8f85/wish/2493954567 2023-02-24 14:41:46 UTC https://padlet.com/alexanderruiz018/a3klysrc6qvc8f85/wish/2493954567 Golgi Apparatus https://padlet.com/alexanderruiz018/a3klysrc6qvc8f85/wish/2508708352 The Golgi Apparatus is a stack of small flat sacs formed by membranes inside the cell's cytoplasm. It functions as a factory in which proteins received from the endoplasmic reticulum are further processed and sorted for transport to their eventual destinations: lysosomes, plasma membrane, or secretion. ]]> 2023-03-08 14:43:24 UTC https://padlet.com/alexanderruiz018/a3klysrc6qvc8f85/wish/2508708352 Ribosomes https://padlet.com/alexanderruiz018/a3klysrc6qvc8f85/wish/2511942461 A ribosome is an intercellular structure made of both RNA and protein. They are found free in the cell cytoplasm and also attached to the rough endoplasmic reticulum. It is the site of protein synthesis in the cell, which are necessary for life. Ribosomes translate information encoded in mRNA that provides the template of instructions from the cellular DNA for building a specific protein. ]]> 2023-03-10 14:47:54 UTC https://padlet.com/alexanderruiz018/a3klysrc6qvc8f85/wish/2511942461 Metabolism https://padlet.com/alexanderruiz018/a3klysrc6qvc8f85/wish/2514463488 Metabolism is the chemical changes that take place in a cell or organism. It manages the material and energy resources of the cell through catabolism and anabolism. Catabolism breaks down food into simple forms, whereas anabolism is the process of using that energy to build and repair cells in the body. These changes make energy and the materials cells and organisms need to grow, reproduce, and stay healthy. Examples of metabolism are the synthesis of protein from amino acids and the building of glucose from carbon dioxide. ]]> 2023-03-13 13:51:53 UTC https://padlet.com/alexanderruiz018/a3klysrc6qvc8f85/wish/2514463488 How does climate change affect El Monito del Monte and why I chose it https://padlet.com/alexanderruiz018/a3klysrc6qvc8f85/wish/2523581833 The major reason why I chose El Monito del Monte is because I originally thought it was a type of monkey. My favorite animals are any type of monkeys and thought this was a different species. Then when I found out what it was, I thought they were super cute and wanted to find out more about them.

Climate change affects el monito del monte's hibernation pattern, leaving them vulnerable in colder conditions. These conditions damages the species ecosystem and are forced to move open habitats, which makes being an endangered species worse because it puts them at risk from predators . Altogether with the destruction of its habitat, climate change pushes el monito del monte closer and closer to extinction.]]> 2023-03-20 13:39:11 UTC https://padlet.com/alexanderruiz018/a3klysrc6qvc8f85/wish/2523581833 Evolution of El Monito del Monte alexanderruiz018 https://padlet.com/alexanderruiz018/a3klysrc6qvc8f85/wish/2545047768 The arboreal marsupial monito del monte is a paradigmatic mammal. It is a living example of the order Microbactheria, which is the ancestor lineage of Australian marsupials. It is characterized by an alternation of life in the slow and fast lanes, putatively represent ancestral traits that permitted these cold-adapted mammals to survive in any environment. Fossil evidence and ancestral habitat reconstruction of present-day marsupials suggest that this marsupial seems to have retained the ecological niche of its Gondwanan ancestors. The ancestors of marsupialia diverged from placental mammals at least 125 Mya in Laurasia. Also, the mutualistic relationship between el Monito del Monte (Dromicipous Gliroides) and several endemic plants can be traced in time to their ancestors. These facts furnish fascinating ideas about the trophic habits of past Microbiotheriids and their eco‐evolutionary relationships with the temperate flora of southern South America, which may have coevolved during millions of years.  ]]> 2023-04-05 14:04:42 UTC https://padlet.com/alexanderruiz018/a3klysrc6qvc8f85/wish/2545047768 Evolution of El Monito del Monte (2) alexanderruiz018 https://padlet.com/alexanderruiz018/a3klysrc6qvc8f85/wish/2545048621 2023-04-05 14:05:17 UTC https://padlet.com/alexanderruiz018/a3klysrc6qvc8f85/wish/2545048621 Evolution of El Monito del Monte (3) alexanderruiz018 https://padlet.com/alexanderruiz018/a3klysrc6qvc8f85/wish/2545049021 2023-04-05 14:05:39 UTC https://padlet.com/alexanderruiz018/a3klysrc6qvc8f85/wish/2545049021 Penguins! alexanderruiz018 https://padlet.com/alexanderruiz018/a3klysrc6qvc8f85/wish/2554551223 So I chose to watch the video on the popularity, plight, and poop of penguins because I love penguins! It saddens me and never realized how much penguins are suffering due to polutions in their environments. I found it cool how they are considered birds and are living relatives to the albatross who have a large wingspan, but they can't fly like them. Another misconception that I had is the location of penguins because I always see them depicted in cold places like antarctica, but in fact only 4 out 18 species live in antarctica. These include the emperor, gentoo, chinstrap, and adelie. What blew my mind the most is that 75% of their lives at sea! However, they do end up going up the shores to reproduce and mold their feathers. I hope that in the future we are able to preserve these endangered species' habitats and save them from extinction because we are the major reason they are almost gone. ]]> 2023-04-14 13:31:58 UTC https://padlet.com/alexanderruiz018/a3klysrc6qvc8f85/wish/2554551223 My experience with BSC1005 https://padlet.com/alexanderruiz018/a3klysrc6qvc8f85/wish/2556986653 Science has always been a subject that has fascinated me. It is an area that allows us to have a sort of understanding of the world around us. Biology in particular is the area that has always grabbed my attention because it dives into the microscopic and macroscopic levels of our cells, environment, and a grasp of how our body functions. Hence, why I chose to take this class. Not for the easy "A", but for better understanding the fundamentals of life.

At the beginning of the class, I would be lying if I didn't say I was intimidated. I thought I was going to forget basic things that I have been learning all throughout high school. I also was scared that I wouldn't be able to truly engage in class due to the online format. However, I started to enjoy the method of the class as it went on. I loved how interactive the lessons were with watching informational videos and being tested on it right after. I loved that for the reason it tested my memory and allowed me to rewatch the video until I finally understood the lesson. The quizzes were nice refreshers of concepts I may have heard in prior classes. The idea of posting our discussions in a form of blog website (padlet) was amazing to me! I loved discussing with my classmates and seeing their thoughts on things such as the butterfly cycle and the species they chose. It was all very informative and learned about species I had never even heard about. My favorite thing was hands down doing research about el monito del monte. It opened my eyes to small, adorable creatures but importantly enlightened me on how many of these unknown creatures are endangered. 

Overall, I don't regret taking this class because it reminded me of important concepts on how my body functions on a cellular level, but it helped me realize that we must do something to stop the pollution and end global warming so these poor creatures, like penguins, don't go extinct.

]]> 2023-04-17 13:36:11 UTC https://padlet.com/alexanderruiz018/a3klysrc6qvc8f85/wish/2556986653