Populations Lab

Some students have asked for the Populations L  ab requirements spelled out more clearly.  So here it is!

1. Focused Question:  Clearly states what is being tested in the investigation.  It is possible in this lab that you might have a secondary question,  and that is ok with me this time!
2. Background Information: 1-2 paragraphs of background of the investigation.  This can include your personal experience, research (cite the sources!), and educated guesses.  Generally a good background goes from more general information to the most specific and addresses your actual question.
3. Variables:  Here you list the dependent variable, independent variables, and the controlled variables.  You need to discuss how you controlled (or monitored) the controlled variables, barriers to controlling them, etc.  If you are doing a strict correlational study, then technically there is not a dependent and independent variable and you can say that.  However, if you are doing a t-test, then you can state that whatever varies between the 2 populations is the independent variable and what you are comparing is the dependent.
4. Procedure/Methodology:  This can be in a list format or paragraph, but either way, it needs to be detailed enough that another investigator could accurately reproduce your procedure.  Make sure that you include details about how you measured things, how many trials, etc.
5. Data Table:  Should be neat and organized.  Needs to have clear labels (a title can help!), units, uncertainty, and needs to have quantitative as well as qualitative data.  The qualitative data (observations) are often written under the quantitative table or can be included in the table.
6. Data Processing:  This can include calculations, graphs, or other visuals.  Calculations should show the complete work for at least one sample of each type of calculation done.  Graphs should be well-titled, have uncertainty bars (where appropriate), have good labels, units, annotation, etc.
7. Conclusion:  Refer back to your question and answer it using data to back yourself up!  When doing a t-test, it is important that you reference the averages of each group as well as the t-value result.  Use science to try to explain your results.  Discuss the impact of uncertainty on your results.  
8. Evaluation:  Discuss strengths and weaknesses of your investigation.  I would encourage you to list 3 strengths.  For the 3 weaknesses, you can list them in a table as we have done before.  Describe the weaknesses, you can list cause of the uncertainty/limitation and suggest possible realistic improvements for each of them.  Also, list further investigations that you could do next and why you would do them.

Classification Lessons

• Wed/Thurs 10/29-10/30:  Take Evolution Test and do 5.3 questions
• Thurs/Wed 10/31and11/6:  Check off 5.3 questions.  Some notes on classification.  Animal Phyla Lab.  Answer questions and turn in next class.  Populations Lab pre-write.
• Mon/Tues 11/4-11/5:  Fish Dichotomous Key done in partners.  When done, make your own dichotomous keys in partners using physical characteristics for a set of 10 objects.  Do Thurs/Fri.
• Thurs/Fri 11/7-11/8:  Exchange dichotomous keys and do them.  Turn in Animal Phyla Lab.  Check off 5.3 questions.  Some notes on animal phyla.  Do the ones on vertebrate classes and plant divisions on your own.  Take data for Populations Lab.  Read 5.4.
• Tues/Wed 11/12-11/13:  Notes on the universality of biological molecules and how to make a phylogenetic tree.  Do Cladogram Activity Part I in pairs.  Take data for the Populations Lab.
• Thurs/Fri 11/14-11/15:  More on how to make cladograms, the concept of molecular clocks, etc.  Do Cladogram Activity Part II.  Take data for Populations Lab.
• Mon/Tues 11/18-11/19:  Peer Review of Populations Lab.  Review for Biodiversity Test.  Play Kahoot.
• Wed/Thurs 11/20-11/21:  Biodiversity Test.  Start Reading 6.2 on the Circulatory System and work on the Circulation Worksheet.
• Fri/Mon  11/22 and 12/2:  Structure of the human heart.  Blood vessels.  New models overtaking old.  Keep working on Circulation Worksheet, due next class.

Lesson Plan for 11/4 and 11/5/2019

1. No Early Work!  We will start a new sheet and add up the old set on Wed/Thurs.
2. Dichotomous Key of Fish Assignments.  Mr. Plies will give you some tips and go over how to do the first fish.  You can do this assignment in pairs and then turn in 1 fish sheet with both of your names on it.  You can give the Fish Key sheet back to Mr. Plies when you are done so we can reuse them.
3. Now you can design your own dichotomous key to separate at least 10 items from the theme of your choice.  Some ideas include movies, fruits, sports, etc.  There are many ways to do it, but you should include at least 10 images and write your key based on observable characteristics.
4. When done, work on your pre-write for your Populations Lab.  We will start taking data on Wednesday.  First draft is due next week, so make sure you have plans to take your data.  
5. 4th Period:  You can also work on completing the Animal Phyla Lab.

5.3 Questions!

Here are some questions to answer in your notebook after the Evolution Test:

1. Why do scientists use the binomial system for naming species?
2. How was this method developed?
3. List the common names of 10 organisms that interest you and then list their scientific names using the proper format.  You should include a diversity of organisms, including at least one animal, plant, fungus, and bacteria.
4. List the 3 domains of life and then compare them to each other in terms of their characteristics (see chart on p. 261).
5. Which domain do humans fit into?
6. Which of the other 2 domains is ours most similar to?  Explain giving evidence from the chart.
7. List the principle taxa for classifying eukaryotes and figure out a way to memorize them.  Do you have a good mnemonic (memory aid)?
8. What does it mean to call the classification of an organism "natural"?
9. List several advantages of using natural classification.
10. Looking at the charts on pages 266-268, identify the category that:  a)  has vascular tissue but no pollen  b)  has bilateral symmetry and a mouth but no anus  c)  bilateral symmetry and segmented bodies with jointed appendages   d)  lungs with extensive folding and soft-shelled eggs   e)  Lungs with alveoli and teeth of different types

Will be checked off 11/6-11/7

The Week of 10/7/19

• Mon/Tues 10/7-10/8:  Evidence for Evolution.  Take notes and watch whale video.  Read 5.1 and do 2 of the DBQ's.  If time, read 5.2.  Pick a Science article to read.  Mesocosm write up due Thursday 10/10.
• Wed/Thurs 10/9-10/10:  Scientific Journal Assignment (due October 22).  Darwin and the principles of natural selection.  Watch Video on the Theory of Evolution and take some notes.  Do DBQ's on p 253 and 255-256 and get them checked off.   Mesocosm write-up is due today.
• Mon/Tues 10/14-10/15:  Take beak lab data and enter your data into the website.  Notes on speciation.  Read 10.3.
• Thurs/Fri 10/17-10/18:  Process beak lab data and introduce Populations Lab inquiry.  Brainstorm what you will do for Populations Lab.  Work on Journal Review.  Read 1.5.  Do 3 of the DBQ's in 10.3 by Wed/Thurs of next week.
• Mon/Tues 10/21-10/22:  Hardy Weinberg Simulation.  Notes on Origin of the first Cell.  Submit science journal review to turnitin.com by the end of the day on Tues 10/22.
• Wed/Thurs 10/23-10/24:  Check off 10.3 DBQ's.  Turn in Hardy-Weinberg packet. Notes on Origin of the First Cell and a little bit on Human Evolution.  Submit your Populations Lab proposal to me by today through turnitin.com
• Fri/Mon 10/25-10/28:  Review for Evolution Test to be take Tues/Wed 10/29-10/30.
• Tues/Wed 10/29-10/30:  Take Evolution Test.  Start Biodiversity.  Read 5.3.

Finishing up the Ecology Unit and Taking the Test

• Mon/Tues 9/23-9/24:  Review Whitaker Ponds Field Trip Assignment.  Notes on Climate Change.  Work time for 4.4 questions and mesocosm observation.
• Wed/Thurs 9/25-9/26:  Whitaker Ponds Field Trip due through turnitin.com Thursday 9/26 by 11:59 pm.  Go over lots of DBQ's.  Review for Ecology Test next week (see document on this website).  Go over Carbon Cycle (in 4.3 of book).  Mesocosm Observation.
• Fri/Mon 9/27-9/30:  Notes on the Carbon Cycle components.   Finish going over DBQ's from Option C.  Practice chi-squared test and Simpson's Diversity index.  Mesocosm Assignment due 10/10, but you can certainly turn it in earlier.
• Tues/Wed 10/1-10/2:  Examples of Invasive and Keystone species.  Kahoot review.  Ecology Test next class.
• Thurs/Fri 10/3-10/4:  Ecology Test!  Start Evolution.  Read 5.1 and do 2 of the DBQ's in that section.

Climate Change Questions! To be done in class 9/19 + 9/20 or for homework

Climate Change:  4.4 in the Oxford Text Book

1. List the 4 most significant greenhouse gases and their main sources.
2. Describe the 2 factors that determine the impact of a gas on its warming impact.
3. Describe how greenhouse gases warm the Earth (the process).  

Draw a diagram to help explain.

4. How did scientists go about linking temperature to carbon dioxide levels?
5. What other factors have an impact on global average temperatures 

(besides greenhouse gases)?

6. Describe the correlation between rising levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide and 

industrialization.

7. Some people argue that climate change is not occurring (or is not due to human action).   

Give 4 reasons why individuals might be skeptical about climate change.  

8. Give your 4 best arguments for getting climate change doubters to change their minds.
9. Read about the Precautionary Principle on p. 235 and discuss why it should be 

used in the case of Climate Change.

And now the fun part!  Please do 3 of the 4 data-based questions on pp 233, 234, 236, and 237 

(because these charts and graphs are just so darn important to understand, really they are ☺).