Scientific Method Have you ever heard of the scientific method? Today we will use the scientific method to help us figure out what type habitat pill bugs and sow pugs prefer to live in. Activity 1 - Observing pill bugs and sow bugs Walk around the classroom showing the students the habitat that the pill bugs live in. 1. Ask the students if they have ever seen these creatures before. 2. Ask the students to think about where they would find these creatures in the wild. Activity 2 - Making a hypothesis 1. Ask the students to make a guess as to where the pill bugs would like to live based on what they have seen in the classroom or based on previous experience. Activity 3 - Testing the hypothesis 1. Help the students design experiments that test the living preferences of the pill and sow bugs. Damp vs. Dry Conditions 1. Cut a circle of filter paper in half, trimming away about 1/4 inch from each half circle, so that they do not touch when placed in the bottom of a Petri dish. Secure each half circle to the Petri dish with a small amount of tape to keep the pill bug or sow bug from crawling under the paper (do not leave any sticky sides exposed). Wet one half of the filter paper. 2. Place the pill bugs in the middle of the Petri dish and observe which condition is preferred.

Expected results: Pill bugs and sow bugs will almost always seek dampness; they are very good at finding water. Since the pill bugs dry out very easily and use gill-like structures to breathe, they require a moist environment. (They are related to lobsters and crayfish.) Light vs. Dark Conditions: 1. Tape a dark piece of construction paper (about 4 inches by 3 inches) to one side of the top of a Petri dish; the paper should extend beyond the

edges of the Petri dish. This piece of paper makes a “dark” side and a “light” side of the Petri dish. 2. Be sure to keep a damp circle of filter paper or paper towel on the bottom of the dish. Tape it to the bottom so that the pill bug or sow bug cannot hide underneath the paper. 3. Put a pill bug in the center of the dish and leave it for 20 minutes. If it does not seem to have a preference for either side, shine a light over the uncovered side of the dish.

Expected results: Pill bugs usually tend to avoid bright light. This may be because sunlight could very quickly make a pill bug dry out. Activity 4 - Collecting data 1. Perform the experiments and record the data in the chart below. Test Condition Damp Dry

Number of Pill and Sow bugs

Test Condition Light Dark

Number of Pill and Sow bugs

Activity 5 - Graph the data 1. Have the student make a bar graph based on the data they collected from their experiment. Wrap up Discuss with the students how what they did is the science and the steps of the scientific method.

Carolina Biological Supply Company

Hands-On Science with Classroom Critters Steve Binkley Carolina Teaching Partner

NSTA 2009 New Orleans, LA

Session Objectives • To learn and practice hands-on classroom activities with bessbugs • To learn and practice hands-on classroom activities with pill bugs • To learn and practice hands-on classroom activities with termites

Materials for Each Activity • Bessbug Penny Pull Kit: Activity #1 Penny washers Precut 2-foot pieces of floss Petri dish Instruction sheet • Termites Kit: Activity #2 4 pens: 2 black Bic®, 2 red any kind Blank sheets white paper Paint brushes Instruction sheets • Pill Bugs Kit: Activity #3 Petri dish ½ sheets black construction paper Filter discs Pipets Deli cups, no lids Instruction sheet

Bessbugs in the Classroom Bessbugs (Short-horned stag beetle)

Easy to maintain: • Live in rotting wood • Keep moist rotting wood in a plastic container with a vented lid • Add more rotting wood as beetles eat it

Other observations: • Appear intimidating but very docile • Slow moving

The Beetles (It’s Been a Hard Day’s Pull)

Bessbug Penny Pull: Activity #1 • Slip lasso over beetle’s head and body

• Gently draw lasso around middle of body between front and middle legs • Tape other end of floss to dish, making a sled • Place beetle and sled on floor • Add individual weights (pennies/washers) until beetle can no longer move the sled How many washers did the beetle pull?

Termites in the Classroom Termites

Easy to maintain: •

Live in rotting wood

•

Kept in plastic container with vented lid

•

Add layers of moist cardboard and paper towels

•

Add small pieces of untreated rotting wood

Other observations: •

Moderate in speed

•

Non-threatening

•

Will not eat furniture if they escape

What’s That Smell? Catch the Scent: Activity #2 • Obtain 5 to 8 termites

• Collect data (use templates and data sheets provided for instructions)

•How does the attraction to Bic® pens compare to their preference for other brands of pens?

Pill Bugs in the Classroom Pill and sow bugs (wood lice)

Easy to maintain: • Live on rotting leaf mold • Kept in plastic container with vented lid

•

Keep moist

Other observations: • Terrestrial isopods • Slow moving • Non-threatening

How Do They Like It? Light to Dark: Activity #3 • Place 3 to 5 pill bugs in dish • Cover ½ of dish with black paper • Observe preferred side (light or dark) • Fold/cut filter paper in half; moisten it, place in dish • Remove black paper • Observe preferred side (moist or dry) Which (light or dark), (moist or dry)?

Classroom Investigations Pill bugs •

Taxis or kinesis?

• Do they prefer light or dark?

• Wet or dry? • What is their defense mechanism?

National Science Standards “Students at all grade levels and in every domain of science should have the opportunity to use scientific inquiry and develop the ability to think and act in ways associated with inquiry including using appropriate tools and techniques to gather data.”

Standards Met K–4 Content Standard A: Science as Inquiry

• Develop abilities to do scientific inquiry and understanding about scientific inquiry

K–4 Content Standard C: Life Science • The characteristics of organisms

5–8 Content Standard A: Science as Inquiry • Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry • Understanding about scientific inquiry

5–8 Content Standard C: Life Science • Structure and functions in living systems • Regulation and behavior • Diversity and adaptations of organisms

9–12 Content Standard A: Science as Inquiry • Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry • Understanding about scientific inquiry

9–12 Content Standard C: Life Science • Behavior of organisms

Take-Home Materials • Bessbug Penny Pull • Roly-Poly Pill Bugs • Termites Catch the Scent! Critter Tips articles • Painted lady butterfly culture instructions • Magnifier • Vinyl ruler • Contact information

Resources from Carolina

Bess Bug Penny Pull 14-4145

Roly-Poly Pill Bugs 14-3058

Termites Catch the Scent! 14-3722

Assessment Questions • What are 2 things you learned about bessbugs? • What is one measurable termite sense? • Can you name one national standard met by using critters in the classroom? • How many of you would choose to use these critters in your classroom?

Evaluations: Share Your Thoughts! • Scale = 1 to 10

• 10 = Outstanding •

9 = Above Average

•

8, 7 = Average

•

6, 5, 4 = Below Average

•

3, 2, 1 = Well Below Average

•

Please provide comments!

Carolina Biological Supply Company

Thank you for investing your time in our training program. For all of your classroom needs, check out our website, www.carolina.com. Enjoy the rest of the conference!

Lesson Plan

Title: RUSTING & THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD Problem to be studied: WHAT CAUSES RUST? **use this before chemistry and after scientific method Content Standard(s): 3.4.10.A. Describe concepts about the structure and properties of matter. 3.2.10.C. Identify and use the elements of scientific inquiry to solve problems Process Standard(s): 3.2.10.D. Identify and apply the technological design process to solve problems. 3.2.10.B. Apply process knowledge and organize scientific and technological phenomena in varied ways. 3.2.10.A. Apply knowledge and understanding about the nature of scientific and technological knowledge. 3.7.10.B. Apply appropriate instruments and apparatus to examine a variety of objects and processes.

Assessment Strategies: (Evaluation) Formative Evaluation:

Suggested Grade Level: 8-9 Materials: 5 nails 5 test tubes 10 ml distilled water small amt. Calcium Chloride 1 cotton ball 2 ml olive oil Salt packet 1 piece Zinc (pellet) 1 piece Tin 1 piece Copper wire 1 rubber stopper Small amount iron filings Reflective journal

•Quiz asking questions that pertain to controls, experimental design, and conclusions of scientific problems. •Graded based on rubric which they will be given before the elaboration portion of the procedure. Summative Evaluation: •Reflective journals and data charts will be evaluated during the course of the laboratory investigation. •Oral probing questions that will be asked during the course of the activity. Procedures: DAY 1 Engage: •Show a clip of “The Wizard of Oz” (the oilcan scene with the tin man). Ask the question, “What can we learn about rust from this scene?”

Explore: •Give the students 2 tubes and 2 nails. To one tube, add 1 salt packet to 2ml of distilled water and a small amount of iron filings. They can chose the other factors they want to explore using the other tube. Instead of using nails to start, they will experiment with iron filings. (ask how this will differ from the nails). They should answer the question, “Why did they choose those materials.” (teacher probing) •Students will record their initial procedure including the question they want answered and the results they think they will observe (hypothesis), the materials and procedure they will

Lesson Plan

use (procedure), and what they observe is actually happening (data). (testing and predicting hypotheses) *See reflective journal entry sheet. (homework) •Go to one of the websites listed and research the process of rusting and record findings in your reflective journal. DAY 2: Explain: •Students will share with the class what they are testing (variables). At this time, teacher will ask the question about controls? Did they include them? Is the procedure reproducible? • What evidence do they expect to observe that will explain their hypothesis? What previous experience do they have with rusting? •How does that information they previously knew relate to what they observed? (Using recorded observations to explain) •Where will they go from here? Elaborate: •Students will be given 5 tubes and 5 nails and be asked to make new predictions based on what they found out in the group setting. (applying previous information in a new setting) •Students will use the 4 question strategy to design their new experiment. They should record their process in their reflective journals. Q1-What materials are readily available for conducting experiments on rusting? Q2-How does rusting act/happen? Q3-How can I change the set of rusting materials to effect the action? Q4-How can I measure or describe the response of rusting to the change? •Student will have available to them all of the materials listed. •Students will label and define controls and dependent and independent variables. They will restate a hypothesis that differs from the original. •Students must create a data table that reflects their keen observations. This will take place over a few days. ***Optional-Students that finish with the 5 nail set-up should use the design brief “Rust-proof paint” and work on the recipe and advertisement campaign. Evaluate: •Students will be evaluated constantly during the activity via reflective journaling and teacher probing questions. (demonstrating an understanding of knowledge). •A final quiz (see attached) will be given assessing the knowledge attained concerning scientific method. ***Those students that designed the rust proof paint will present what they designed. Other students can critique the design based on their data and ask questions. •Ask an expert to come in and give tips to the students that designed paint. Related Web Sites: http://www.pgo.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/StBernards/science/year8/scheme.html -actual lab activity http://www.sln.org/guide/bond/sc1.html-- a community water resource guide http://www.kidwizard.com/spells/bottledHeat.asp -fun games in science and rusting http://madsci.wustl.edu/posts/archives/mar97/853477172.cb.r.html-- bacteria and rusting http://www.americanchelation.com/oxidative.html-oxidation process and how it relates to rusting www.pde.state.pa.us ties the lesson to the standards in science and technology Sources consulted in developing this lesson Students and Research, Cothraon, Geise, Rezba National Standards Submitted by:

Audra K. Case

Name _______________________________

Take a Guess: How many drops of water can fit on one side of a penny? _____ Part A: Perform a CONTROL test for comparison with later results. Step 1: Rinse a penny in tap water and dry completely. Step 2: Place the penny on paper towel. Step 3: Use an eye dropper to place drops of WATER on the penny (one at a time) until ANY amount of water runs over the edge of the penny. Step 4: Record the number of drops for that trial in the table. Repeat Steps 1 - 4 three more times before calculating your average. Trial 1

Trial 2

Trial 3

Trial 4

Average

Part B: Perform tests with the TESTING LIQUID. Step 1: Start with a “clean” penny. Rinse the penny in tap water and dry completely. Be sure to remove as much residue as possible - without using soap! Step 2: Hold the penny with the tweezers provided, then dip it into the TESTING LIQUID. Allow extra liquid to drip off the penny into the container before proceeding to the next step. Step 3: Place penny on dry spot on a paper towel. Place drops of WATER on the penny (one at a time) until ANY amount of water runs over the edge of the penny. Step 4: Record your observations and the number of drops for that trial in the table. Repeat Steps 1 - 4 three more times before calculating the average. Trial 1

Trial 2

Trial 3

Trial 4

Average

Part C: Answer each question related to the experiment. 1. Explain your results from both parts of the experiment in terms of cohesion and surface tension.

2. How do your results compare to the other groups in your class? Provide at least 2 possible reasons for any similarities and differences you identified.

T. Trimpe 1999

http://sciencespot.net/

Drops on a Penny Teacher Notes Materials ... Each group (2-3 students) will need one penny, an eyedropper, pair of tweezers, sample of testing liquid (soap). You will also need to provide a clean water source for rinsing pennies (sink or bucket of water) and plenty of paper towels. NOTES: • I place the testing liquids (soap) into plastic film canisters with tight fitting lids. I keep all the materials for a group in old Cool Whip containers. Each group must clean up their lab area and materials before returning the container to me at the end of class. This makes it easy to repeat the lab in other class periods as well as reduces my prep time the following school year! • If you want to add a bit of variety, provide different brands (or types) of soap for each group. At the end of their experiment, students can compare which brand worked the "best". I have done this in the past and label the film canisters with letters to indicate the different brands (Dawn = D, Ivory = I, etc.). When the samples run low, I know which brand to use for refills. Procedures ... (1) Cohesion and Surface Tension (optional if your students already know these concepts) I start the lesson by discussing the definitions of cohesion and surface tension - see pages 4-5 of this download for a student worksheet and master key. I copy the definitions page on the back of the lab page so students have their own copy to complete. For the paperclip activity, I fill several small clear plastic glasses with water (leaving a little bit of room at the top) and place them at various lab tables throughout the room to make sure everyone can see one or more of the glasses. I ask the students to guess the number of paperclips they think will fit into the glass before the water runs over the edge. I add a little more water to the glasses and ask them if they’d like to change their guesses, which many change to a smaller number. I add enough water to make the glasses as full as possible with the water bulging over the top. I give the students a chance to change their guesses one last time! By this time most students have a guess that is less than 10 or so paperclips - unless you have a few who have seen this demo before! I have one student at each station start adding paperclips (small ones) one at a time to the glass until the water starts to run over the rim of the glass. They must do it carefully and make sure that only the paperclip enters the water and not the tip of a finger. Students will also need to make sure they don’t bump the lab tables! Some years we are able to get 100 or more small paperclips into the glass before it runs over! When the demo is over, I relate it to the definitions discussed at the start of the lesson. NOTE: You can also give the students a chance to try this demo again after they have completed the penny lab. Add one or two drops of soap to the cup of water and see how this affects the number of paperclips it will hold. (2) Drops on a Penny lab Introduction - I pass out the lab materials and safety goggles. We discuss the directions and safety rules that relate to this experiment (see list below). Students must first perform a control test with the plain penny before coating the penny in the testing liquid (soap). A word of advice ... make sure the students understand that they are to put drops of water on the pennies that have been dipped in soap. They should not put drops of soap on the pennies! Each year I have a few groups who do not read the directions carefully and start putting soap on the pennies a drop at a time. Safety Rules: • Always wear safety goggles when experimenting with chemicals (soap). • Never taste chemicals (or other substances) used for a lab experiment. • Keep lids on all containers when not in use. • Clean up spills immediately. • If any substance gets into your eyes or in a cut on your skin, notify your teacher and follow his/her directions. • Wash your hands before and after an experiment. • Clean up your lab area and materials after an experiment and return materials to their proper location. (You might also want to emphasize that eyedroppers are not to be used as mini water guns!)

T. Trimpe 1999

http://sciencespot.net/

Experiment - As students are performing the experiments, I move around the room to supervise their efforts and remind students to follow directions or safety rules whenever needed. I also ask students to share their observations and answer questions they may have (or help them figure out the answers on their own.) I also ask students to relate their observations to the paperclip/glass of water demo. They should be able to observe a “bubble” of water on the plain penny that is similar to the one formed on the glass of water. Conclusion - After all the groups have completed the experiment, I have one person from each group write their results on the chalkboard. Each group must provide the results for individual trials as well as the average. The groups spend time comparing their data to the ones displayed on the board and complete the questions in Part C on the lab worksheet. Part C Answer Key 1. Explain your results from both parts of the experiment in terms of cohesion and surface tension. Answers will vary; however, students should attempt to use the terms and/or definitions in their answers. For example, students should observe that the “bubble” of water formed during the control portion of the test was larger and they were able to add a lot of drops of water. The “bubble” formed during Part B was not as large (or they were not able to get one to form at all) and they were not able to add many drops before the water ran over the edge. These observations/results would indicate that the surface tension in Part A was stronger than in Part B. The students should conclude that the soap reduces the cohesive force of water, which in turn reduces its surface tension. The reduced surface tension resulted in a fewer number of drops of water for Part B. 2. How do your results compare to the other groups in your class? Provide at least 2 possible reasons for any similarities and differences you identified. Answers will vary depending on the data for individual groups. Most groups should have results that show a larger number of drops on average for Part A than Part B. To help my students identify experimental errors and discrepancies in data, I facilitate a class discussion by asking the question, “Shouldn’t we have the same results since we all followed the same directions?” I ask them to think about how they did the experiment and identify possible reasons for differences between the groups or unexpected results on individual trials. Possible reasons include: size of the eyedroppers, size of the water droplets (related to the size of the eyedropper or technique), inaccurate counting, improper cleaning of penny between trials, different amounts of testing liquid on the penny, or different types of testing liquids (if you used more than one brand of soap.) Some similarities may exist between groups who used the same type of eyedropper, same brand of soap, or were consistent in measuring and/or counting of drops. Additional questions to consider ... • Why did we perform more than one trial? What benefits are there to repeated trials? • What could we have done to make sure all the groups ended up with similar results? • What is the control for this experiment? What is the independent variable? What is the dependent variable? • How would you change this experiment if you were able to do it again? If time is available, allow students to create their own experiments based on the answer to this question. For example, students might test different types of soap (dish soap, hand soap, laundry soap, etc.) to see how each affects the number of drops of water a penny can hold. Other students might perform tests to compare heads vs. tails or old penny vs. new penny.

For more worksheets for your scientific method unit and lots of other great lesson ideas, visit the General Science Lesson Plans page of The Science Classroom at http://sciencespot.net/Pages/classgen.html.

T. Trimpe 1999

http://sciencespot.net/

Background Information

Overhead Master

Drops On A Penny Lab Cohesion Water molecules are attracted to other water molecules. The oxygen end of water has a negative charge and the hydrogen end has a positive charge. The hydrogens of one water molecule are attracted to the oxygen from other water molecules. This attractive force is what gives water its cohesive properties. Surface Tension Surface tension is the name we give to the cohesion of water molecules at the surface of a body of water. The cohesion of water molecules forms a surface "film" or “skin.” Some substances may reduce the cohesive force of water, which will reduce the strength of the surface “skin” of the water.

?

Take a guess ... How many paperclips can you fit into the glass before the water runs over? _________ Actual Amount = __________

Use this information to help you answer the questions on the lab sheet after you have completed the experiment!

T. Trimpe 1999

http://sciencespot.net/

Background Information

Student Worksheet

Drops On A Penny Lab Cohesion - Water molecules are _______________ to other water molecules. The _____________ end of water has a _____________ charge and the _____________ end has a _____________ charge. The hydrogens of one water ______________ are attracted to the oxygen from other water molecules. This attractive __________ is what gives water its _____________ properties.

Surface Tension - Surface tension is the name we give to the ______________ of water molecules at the ___________ of a body of ___________. The cohesion of water molecules forms a surface "_________" or “_________.” Some substances may ____________ the cohesive force of water, which will reduce the _______________ of the surface “skin” of the water.

?

Take a guess ... How many paperclips can you fit into the glass before the water runs over? _________ Actual Amount = __________

Use this information to help you answer the questions on the lab sheet after you have completed the experiment!

T. Trimpe 1999

http://sciencespot.net/

Scientific Method Controls and Variables – Part 1

Name __________________________

SpongeBob and his Bikini Bottom pals have been busy doing a little research. description for each experiment and answer the questions.

Read the

1 - Patty Power Mr. Krabbs wants to make Bikini Bottoms a nicer place to live. He has created a new sauce that he thinks will reduce the production of body gas associated with eating crabby patties from the Krusty Krab. He recruits 100 customers with a history of gas problems. He has 50 of them (Group A) eat crabby patties with the new sauce. The other 50 (Group B) eat crabby patties with sauce that looks just like new sauce but is really just mixture of mayonnaise and food coloring. Both groups were told that they were getting the sauce that would reduce gas production. Two hours after eating the crabby patties, 30 customers in group A reported having fewer gas problems and 8 customers in group B reported having fewer gas problems. Which people are in the control group? What is the independent variable? What is the dependent variable? What should Mr. Krabs’ conclusion be?

Why do you think 8 people in group B reported feeling better?

2 – Slimotosis Sponge Bob notices that his pal Gary is suffering from slimotosis, which occurs when the shell develops a nasty slime and gives off a horrible odor. His friend Patrick tells him that rubbing seaweed on the shell is the perfect cure, while Sandy says that drinking Dr. Kelp will be a better cure. Sponge Bob decides to test this cure by rubbing Gary with seaweed for 1 week and having him drink Dr. Kelp. After a week of treatment, the slime is gone and Gary’s shell smells better. What was the initial observation? What is the independent variable? What is the dependent variable? What should Sponge Bob’s conclusion be?

Worksheet created by T. Trimpe 2003 http://sciencespot.net/

3 – Marshmallow Muscles Larry was told that a certain muscle cream was the newest best thing on the market and claims to double a person’s muscle power when used as part of a muscle-building workout. Interested in this product, he buys the special muscle cream and recruits Patrick and SpongeBob to help him with an experiment. Larry develops a special marshmallow weight-lifting program for Patrick and SpongeBob. He meets with them once every day for a period of 2 weeks and keeps track of their results. Before each session Patrick’s arms and back are lathered in the muscle cream, while Sponge Bob’s arms and back are lathered with the regular lotion. Which person is in the control group? What is the independent variable? What is the dependent variable?

Time Initial Amount After 1 week After 2 weeks

What should Larry’s conclusion be?

4 – Microwave Miracle Patrick believes that fish that eat food exposed to microwaves will become smarter and would be able to swim through a maze faster. He decides to perform an experiment by placing fish food in a microwave for 20 seconds. He has the fish swim through a maze and records the time it takes for each one to make it to the end. He feeds the special food to 10 fish and gives regular food to 10 others. After 1 week, he has the fish swim through the maze again and records the times for each. What was Patrick’s hypothesis? Which fish are in the control group? What is the independent variable? What is the dependent variable? Look at the results in the charts. What should Patrick’s conclusion be?

Worksheet created by T. Trimpe 2003 http://sciencespot.net/

Patrick

SpongeBob

18

5

24

9

33

17

Answer Key 1 - Patty Power Which people are in the control group? Group B What is the independent variable? New sauce What is the dependent variable? Amount of gas What should Mr. Krabs’ conclusion be? The new sauce appears to work as it reduced the amount of gas produced in 60% of the people tested. Why do you think 10 people in group B reported feeling better? They thought they were getting the new sauce as a result thought that they didn’t have as much gas. (Placebo effect)

2 – Slimotosis What was the initial observation? Slimotosis on Gary’s shell What is the independent variable? Cures (Seaweed and Dr. Kelp) What is the dependent variable? Slime and odor What should Sponge Bob’s conclusion be? Although Gary’s symptoms have disappeared, it is not known which cure was the one that worked. He should redo the experiment and include a control group as well as two other testing groups for each of the proposed cures.

3 – Marshmallow Muscles Which person is in the control group? SpongeBob What is the independent variable? Muscle cream What is the dependent variable? Amount of marshmallows lifted (strength) What should Larry’s conclusion be? Since both Patrick and SpongeBob improved their results by the end of two weeks, it does not appear that the claims for the special muscle cream are true. If the claims were correct, we should have seen Patrick’s amount double, but not SpongeBob’s amount. The improvements were likely a result of Larry’s special workout.

4 – Microwave Miracle What was Patrick’s hypothesis? He hypothesized that feeding fish microwaved food would make them become smarter. Which fish are in the control group? The fish that eat regular food What is the independent variable? Microwaved food What is the dependent variable? Time required to complete the maze Look at the results in the charts. What should Patrick’s conclusion be? According to the data, all but two fish in each group decreased their time through the maze. The special food does not appear to be a big factor in helping fish become smarter. Note: Of the fish that did improve their times, the fish that were fed the special food averaged a 9.625 seconds decrease in their times compared to an average decrease of 6.625 seconds in the fish group that received the regular food. This does show a slight improvement for the microwaved food group, but not enough to prove that his hypothesis was correct. More testing would need to be done. Worksheet created by T. Trimpe 2003 http://sciencespot.net/

Scientific Method

Name ______________________________

What is the scientific method? It is a _______________ that is used to find _______________ to questions about the world around us. Is there only one “scientific method”? No, there are several versions of the scientific method. Some versions have more ___________, while others may have only a few. However, they all begin with the identification of a ______________ or a ____________________ to be answered based on observations of the world around us and provide an ________________ method for conducting and analyzing an experiment. What is a hypothesis? It is an ________________ ___________ based on observations and your knowledge of the topic. What is data? It is __________________ gathered during an experiment.

_________________________________________________ What do you want to know or explain? Use observations you have made to write a question that addresses the problem or topic you want to investigate.

_________________________________________________ What do you think will happen? Predict the answer to your question or the outcome of the experiment.

_________________________________________________ How will you test your hypothesis? Develop a procedure for a reliable experiment and address safety rules.

_________________________________________________ Follow the steps in your procedure to perform your experiment. Record data and observations!

_________________________________________________ Is the data reliable? Does your data and observations from the experiment support your hypothesis? Yes

No

Is your data inaccurate or the experiment flawed?

Yes

____________________________________ Rewrite your procedure to address the flaws in the original experiment.

No

_________________________________________________ Write a conclusion that summarizes the important parts of your experiment and the results. T. Trimpe 2003 http://sciencespot.net/

Scientific Method

Overhead Key

What is the scientific method? It is a process that is used to find answers to questions about the world around us. Is there only one “scientific method”? No, there are several versions of the scientific method. Some versions have more steps, while others may have only a few. However, they all begin with the identification of a problem or a question to be answered based on observations of the world around us and provide an organized method for conducting and analyzing an experiment. What is a hypothesis? It is an educated guess based on observations and your knowledge of the topic. What is data? It is information gathered during an experiment.

Identify the Problem What do you want to know or explain? Use observations you have made to write a question that addresses the problem or topic you want to investigate.

Form a Hypothesis What do you think will happen? Predict the answer to your question or the outcome of the experiment.

Create an Experiment How will you test your hypothesis? Develop a procedure for a reliable experiment and address safety rules.

Perform an Experiment Follow the steps in your procedure to perform your experiment. Record data and observations!

Analyze the Data Is the data reliable? Does your data and observations from the experiment support your hypothesis? Yes

No

Is your data inaccurate or the experiment flawed?

Yes

Modify the Experiment Rewrite your procedure to address the flaws in the original experiment.

No

Communicate the Results Write a conclusion that summarizes the important parts of your experiment and the results.

T. Trimpe 2003 http://sciencespot.net/

A Related Chart from Hari Titan ([email protected])

The Scientific Method Step 1. Extract from statement(s): Facts (There are observers and they all agree)

Theory / Speculation (A disputed explanation or characterization; guesswork)

Step 2. Categorize

Step 3. Investigate

Special Terms

Testimony

Multiple independent witnesses? Unbiased?

Confirmed; Unopposed; Stipulated; Hearsay

Physical Evidence

Persistent / Temporary states

Direct; Circumstantial

Theory is Testable / Falsifiable (i.e. Conjecture)

Does the explanation fit some, most or all the evidence; Is the explanation clear & convincing? Is the test repeatable and/or controllable?

Evidence-based; Educated guess; Faith-based; Wild Speculation

Prosecution

The explanation fits most

Plausible; Just

(Re: Past)

of the facts; Attributes are falsifiable but not the theory itself.

Cause; Proof; Benefit of Doubt

Idle Speculation

Not falsifiable and not prosecutable.

Alternate Universe

Pretense (Passing off a theory as fact)

Misrepresentation or Make-believe or Fixed Belief

Statement known to be a theory by speaker? Listener knows to be false?

Exaggerate; Delusion

Ambiguity

Unlimited / Handful of meanings

Intentionally vague? Speaker open to clarification?

Rhetoric

Lesson Plan #:AELP-SPS0006

Science Role Plays An Educator's Reference Desk Lesson Plan Submitted by: Janet Weaver School or Affiliation: Rosary School Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Endorsed by: These lesson plans are the result of the work of the teachers who have attended the Columbia Education Center's Summer Workshop. CEC is a consortium of teacher from 14 western states dedicated to improving the quality of education in the rural, western, United States, and particularly the quality of math and science Education. CEC uses Big Sky Telegraph as the hub of their telecommunications network that allows the participating teachers to stay in contact with their trainers and peers that they have met at the Workshops. Date: May 1994

Grade Level(s): 5, 6, 7, 8 Subject(s): 

Science/Process Skills

Overview: Small groups of students use their imagination in cooperative efforts to role play processes in Science. Each student in the group 'plays' the 'part' of one part of the process. The other groups then watch as each group acts out their version of the process. Purpose: To reinforce knowledge level information on processes in Science, several times for each child and in a 3-D format. To encourage creative thinking. To encourage cooperative efforts between students. To engage the students in whole body learning, using all their senses and imagination, in order to better integrate the information into themselves. Objectives: 1. The students will be able to demonstrate the scientific process studied. 2. The students will be able to identify the different parts of the process and the correct order of each of those parts in the process. 3. The students will be able to work cooperatively with other students. 4. The students will be able to create a new way of looking at a scientific process. 5. The students will enjoy learning science.

Resources/Materials: None - I don't allow labels or tags to be used because they take time to make and without them each member must explain their part of the process. Also sometimes a guessing game begins with spectators guessing the part name from what it is doing or where it is in the process. Activities and Procedures: For use only after the basic process has been explained, read, or in some way studied. Divide the class into groups. Groups should be small enough so that each student can be an important part of the process, but large enough so that the process can be complete. Tell them to create a creative and entertaining way to show the process just studied using everyone in the group. Set a time limit (8-10 minutes) for the groups to 'get it together', then have each group perform for the rest of the class. Sample Process: Circulatory System of the Body 1. Cast of characters: 2. Blood (carries 2 wads of paper to represent the blood cell and carbon dioxide) 3. Toe 4. 2 Capillaries 5. Vein (use arms, or extra student, as one-way valves) 6. 4 chambers of the heart (use arms, or extra student, as one-way valves) 7. Vessel from heart to lungs 8. Lung (with wad of paper to represent Oxygen) 9. Vessel from lungs to heart 10. Artery Begin with Blood inside Capillary which is inside Toe (students can stand close to each other with the Vessel's arms around the Blood) Blood moves into Vein, thru one-way valve up to Heart Atrium. Blood then goes thru one-way valve to Heart Ventricle and out thru Vessel From Heart to Lungs. When in Lung the Blood goes into a Capillary and gives the Lung the Carbon Dioxide (paper wad) and the Lung gives the Blood the Oxygen (paper wad) - this is all done thru the wall of the Capillary. Blood then moves into the Vessel From Lungs to Heart and goes into the other Heart Atrium, thru the one-way valve to the Heart Ventricle. The Ventricle then pushes the Blood thru the Artery back down to the Capillary in the Toe, where the process begins again.

This can also be used as a way to explain the process, especially at the beginning of the year to get them use to the format. When I am using it as a demonstration I choose the students to play each part as I come to them in the explanation of the process. Afterwards I divide the class into small groups and ask them to devise "another way" to show the process using the people in the group to play the parts. Tying it all Together: Discussion following the performances centers on completeness of the process shown, and the creativity displayed in showing the processes. After all the performances I ask the students to draw or diagram the process in their notes, labeling each part. Processes I've Used this to Reinforce: 1. All systems of the body 2. Earth Cycles - air, water, soil, rock, food 3. Photosynthesis Plant Reproduction 4. Air mass movements/front formations 5. Glacial movements and features 6. Land & Sea Breezes 7. Erosion of streambeds 8. Mountain Formation 9. Electrical Circuits 10. Changes in states of matter http://www.eduref.org/Virtual/Lessons/Science/Process_Skills/SPS0006.html

Classifying Bugs K through 2nd Grade What is a bug? Most of the living creatures that we think of as bugs belong to a group of organisms known as Arthropods (arthro = joint; pod = foot). Arthropods are invertebrate organisms that have an exoskeleton made of chitin, with segmented body parts. Theses segmented body parts have jointed paired appendages. There are several groups of organism that belong to the group Arthropods. Some of these include: Insects, arachnids, myriapods, and crustaceans.

Insect • three body parts • three pairs of legs • one pair of antenna • may or may not have wings

Arthropods Arachnid Crustacean • two body parts • two main body parts • four pair of legs • five to seven pairs of legs • no antenna • no wings

• two pairs of antennae • no wings

Myriapod • long segmented body • one or two pair of legs per segment • short or long antennae • no wings

• use gills to breathe

Activity 1 - Sorting Divide students into small groups. Each group should have 15-20 plastic bugs. Give the students a specific amount of time to work together. 1.

2.

Ask the students to sort the plastic bugs by any method they choose. (Younger students may need help with ideas, such as color, size, etc.) After sorting the bugs, ask the students to talk about why they sorted the bugs they way they did. Discuss that they students are “doing science”. One of the jobs of scientists is to sort and classify objects. Scientist all over the world must have a system of classification to use for the discovery of new organisms, no

matter which language they speak. Scientists who study the types of animals they just sorted are called entomologists. 3.

Ask the students if the animals they sorted have something in common. What are these similarities?

4.

Discuss the different types of arthropods.

5.

Ask the student to re-sort the plastic bugs into the different types of arthropods.

Activity 2 - Brainstorming 1. Make a blank chart on the board or on poster board. 2. Ask the students to name as many arthropods as they can and place them under the correct type of arthropod.

Threats to Biodiversity: A Case Study of Hawaiian Birds by Sarah K. Huber, Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, University of Massachusetts at Amherst Paula P. Lemons, Biology Department, Duke University

Background Reading What is biodiversity? Defining biodiversity is a difficult and complex task that depends on the level of analysis used to categorize a region. At the ecosystem level, biodiversity may be defined as the number of biomes in a given region. Biomes are large ecosystems that are characterized by vegetation, precipitation gradients, moisture gradients, elevation, and latitude. At the organism level, biodiversity is the number of species in a given area. This would include not only the number of species, but also the number of populations of each species in a given area as well as information about the size of these populations. A third definition of biodiversity is based on genetic diversity. Genetic diversity refers either to the number of alleles in a given population or to the number of rare alleles present in the population. Yet another way to conceptualize biodiversity is to think of it as evenness. Evenness can be applied at multiple levels of analysis (biomes, species, or alleles). For example, evenness may consider the number of species in a given area relative to the total number in that area. A region with five species found in equal abundances is more diverse than a region with five species where only one of those species is abundant and the other four species are encountered less often. Because biodiversity is defined in different ways and at different levels in biology, monitoring the biodiversity of a particular region can be a difficult task. The integration of all levels of analysis leads to complex and often conflicting descriptors of biodiversity. Regardless of how biodiversity is defined, there is little question that it is declining. Though most of the public’s attention is focused on a few charismatic endangered species, such as the Northern spotted owl, the gray wolf, and the giant panda, these are only a miniscule fraction of the number of species that are threatened, endangered, or already extinct. The North Carolina Natural Heritage Program, an affiliate of The Nature Conservancy, the world’s premier data collector on biodiversity, is tracking the populations of one bird, two salamander, four fish, seven mollusk, six insect, and 35 plant species in Durham County, North Carolina, alone. Not all of these species are in immediate danger of going totally extinct. In fact, only two plants, the smooth coneflower and Michaux’s sumac, are federally protected as “Endangered Species.” Some of these species are rare in North Carolina but common elsewhere. However, the process of extinction begins with the extirpation of local populations, and it usually happens without our knowledge. Biodiversity is threatened by disruptions to the natural ecosystem that limit the resources needed by an organism (e.g., light, water, food, or space) or alter how that organism interacts with other organisms (e.g., competition and predation). Two phenomena that create these types of disruptions include the establishment of exotic, or introduced species, and habitat fragmentation.

The establishment of introduced species threatens indigenous biota. Introduced species are brought to an area either intentionally or by accident and are not part of the native ecosystem. Although most introduced species fail to survive in a new habitat, some actually thrive and can out-compete native species, prey on native species, transmit exotic diseases, facilitate the spread of native diseases, hybridize with natives, and alter habitats. Some of these effects are observed with the salt cedar, a tree that derives its name from the fact that it concentrates salts in its leaves. This drought-tolerant tree was introduced into the western United States in the early part of the last century to control erosion. It spread rapidly, and now many streams, particularly in the southwest, are lined with nothing but salt cedar. The leaf litter causes the soil to become too saline for native cottonwood and willow seedlings to establish. Given that the native vegetation along southwestern rivers and streams is possibly the most productive habitat for breeding birds in North America, it is not surprising that bird populations have been affected, including the endangered southwestern willow flycatcher and Bell's vireo (cowbirds are also a problem for these species). Along with introduced species, habitat fragmentation may disturb native ecosystems. When people alter natural areas, for example, through agriculture or urban sprawl, the habitats needed to sustain native species are often eliminated. The remaining natural areas are left isolated. This process is referred to as habitat fragmentation. This problem is one of the major concerns of conservation biologists. With habitat fragmentation, the direct loss of suitable habitat is not the only problem. Other, less obvious effects can also be important. For example, breaking up large populations into smaller ones that cannot remain self-sustaining may result in loss of genetic exchange among different populations, or increased edge effects. In the take-home exercise, you'll learn how the introduction of ungulates such as cattle, goats, or pigs by humans has led to habitat fragmentation.

But why should humans worry about introduced species, habitat fragmentation, or even extinction? Practically speaking, numerous species fulfill crucial ecological roles in our biosphere by recycling nutrients, producing oxygen, or pollinating plants, while other species are actual or potential natural resources that can be used for crops, fibers, and medicine. Reservoirs of genes for disease resistance can be found in the wild relatives of crop plants or domestic livestock. When the value of biodiversity is assessed in terms of ecology and resources, its importance to human health, the economy, social justice, and national security can be appreciated (for a review, see Lubchenco 1998). Others argue that biodiversity should be preserved for ethical and aesthetic reasons.

Over the next two weeks you will examine the biodiversity crisis using the Hawaiian Islands as a case study. This archipelago is geographically diverse in size, elevation, and habitat type and is historically rich in biodiversity. Hawaii's flora and fauna is an example of how isolation can lead to adaptive radiation (the emergence, from a common ancestor, of numerous species to fill underused niches). This has produced many very specialized species, most of which are endemic, meaning they are found nowhere else on Earth. However, these species are particularly vulnerable to the effects of introduced species, habitat loss and fragmentation. To put the magnitude of the problem in perspective, the Hawaii Natural Heritage Program tracks 30 vertebrates, 102 invertebrates, and 515 plants that are considered to be "critically imperiled globally" (1-5 occurrences and/or fewer than 1,000 individuals remaining, or more abundant but facing extremely serious threats range-wide) or "imperiled globally" (6-20 occurrences and/or 1,000-3,000 individuals remaining, or more abundant but facing serious threats range-wide). For comparison, in New Jersey, which is approximately the size of Hawaii, the Natural Heritage Program tracks 3 vertebrates, 14 invertebrates, and 21 plants that are "critically imperiled globally" or "imperiled globally." We will attempt to understand some of the reasons why, over the last several centuries, there has been a massive decline in Hawaii's biodiversity.

References: z

z

z

z

z

z

Hawaii Natural Heritage Program. 2002. Natural Diversity Database. University of Hawaii at Manoa. 3050 Maile Way, Gilmore 409, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822. Lubchenco, J. 1998. Entering the century of the environment: a new social contract for science. Science 279:491-497. NatureServe. 2001. The New Jersey Natural Heritage Program. http://www.nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/natural/heritage/ The North Carolina Natural Heritage Program. 2002. http://www.ncnhp.org/ Robinson, S.K., F.R. Thompson, III, T.M. Donovan, D.R. Whitehead, and J. Faaborg. 1995. Regional forest fragmentation and the nesting success of migratory birds. Science 267:19871990. Wilson, E.O. 1992. The Diversity of Life. Cambridge, MA: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press.

Image Credit: Photos provided by www.dreamsofhawaii.com, used with permission. Date Posted: 06/28/02 nas

Threats to Biodiversity: A Case Study of Hawaiian Birds In-Class Exercise 1. Examine the data presented in Table 1. How many of these species are currently extinct? What other trends do you notice? What factors might contribute to these trends? Table 1. Status of native birds breeding in the Hawaiian Islands. Species Known to Current Endangered or Group Have Existed Species Threatened Species Seabirds 22+ 22 2 Herons 1 1 0 Ibises 2 0 Waterfowl 11 3 3 Hawks 3 1 1 Rails 11 2 2 Stilts 1 1 1 Owls 4 1 0 Crows 3 1 1 Honeyeaters 6 2 2 Old World 1 1 0 Flycatchers Old World 1 1 1 Warblers Hawaiian 6 3 2 Thrushes Honeycreepers 45 20 9 Totals 117+ 59 24

Number of Extinct Species

Table 1 modified from Scott, J.M., C.B. Kepler, C. van Riper III, and S.I. Fefer. (1988). Conservation of Hawaii's vanishing avifauna. Bioscience 38(4):238-253.

2. One factor that leads to a decline in biodiversity is the introduction of non-native species. However, most species that are introduced to an area do not become established. What are some characteristics of species that might make them more likely to thrive in a new habitat?

3. Several species of large rats arrived to Hawaii as stowaways on ships. These rats live in a variety of habitats and eat a variety of foods, both plants and animals. Speculate about how these introduced rats could directly and indirectly affect native bird species.

4. Researchers hypothesize that several factors may affect the extent of predation by rats on birds. These factors include bird size, nesting site, and the amount of time young spend in the nest (duration of egg incubation and nestling period). Formulate one hypothesis and its accompanying null hypothesis about how one of these factors might affect predation. a. Bird size: „ H1 (hypothesis):

„

H0 (null hypothesis):

b. Nesting site: „ H1 (hypothesis):

„

H0 (null hypothesis):

c. Incubation and nestling period: „ H1 (hypothesis):

„

H0 (null hypothesis):

5. Examine the data given to you (Table 2a, 2b, or 2c). Does the data support or refute your hypothesis? Table 2a. Predation by rats (R. rattus and R. exulans) on birds. Included in this table are the typical stages of life at which rats prey upon the species of bird listed, the population trends of each bird species since rats were introduced, and the size of each bird measured as the average length of male and female birds. Stage of Life-Cycle Size Bird Species Effect on Population Preyed Upon (cm) Diomedea immutabilis Chicks Continuing coexistence with rats 81 (Laysan Albatross) Diomedea nigripes Chicks Minor 81 (Black-footed Albatross) Pterodroma hypoleuca Eggs, chicks Major decline 30 (Bonin Petrel) Pterodroma phaeopygia sandwichensis Nearly 40% of eggs and chicks Chicks 43 (Hawaiia Dark-rumped destroyed during 2-year study Petrel) Phaethon rubricauda Up to 65% and 100% losses of eggs Eggs, chicks 102 and chicks respectively in some years (Red-tailed Tropicbird) Puffinus pacificus Eggs, ?chicks Minor 43 (Wedge-tail Shearwater) Fregata minor Adults Minor 94 (Great Frigatebird) Porzana palmeri Unknown Extinction 15 (Laysan Rail) Sterna fuscata Eggs, chicks Continuing coexistence with rats 43 (Sooty Tern) Sterna lunata Eggs, chicks All young destroyed in one year 38 (Grey-backed Tern) Telespyza cantans Unknown Extinction 19 (Laysan Finchbill) Table 2a modified from: ° Atkinson, I. A. E. 1985. The spread of commensal species of Rattus to oceanic islands and their effects on island avifaunas. In P. J. Moors (ed.), Conservation of Island Birds. pp. 35-81. ICBP Technical Publication No. 3. ° Pratt, D. H., Bruner, P. L., and Berrett, D. G. 1987. A Field Guide to the Birds of Hawaii and the Tropical Pacific. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

Table 2b. Predation by rats (R. rattus and R. exulans) on birds. Included in this table are the typical stages of life at which rats prey upon the species of bird listed, the population trends of each bird species since rats were introduced, and the usual nest location for each species. Stage of LifeUsual Nest Bird Species Effect on Population Cycle Preyed Situation Upon Diomedea immutabilis Ground Chicks Continuing coexistence with rats (Laysan Albatross) surface Diomedea nigripes Ground (Black-footed Chicks Minor surface Albatross) Pterodroma hypoleuca Eggs, chicks Major decline Burrows (Bonin Petrel) Pterodroma phaeopygia Nearly 40% of eggs and chicks sandwichensis Chicks Burrows destroyed during 2-year study (Hawaiia Dark-rumped Petrel) Up to 65% and 100% losses of Phaethon rubricauda Ground eggs and chicks respectively in Eggs, chicks (Red-tailed Tropicbird) surface some years Puffinus pacificus (Wedge-tail Eggs, ?chicks Minor Burrows Shearwater) Fregata minor Branches < Adults Minor (Great Frigatebird) 3m high Porzana palmeri Ground Unknown Extinction (Laysan Rail) surface Sterna fuscata Ground Eggs, chicks Continuing coexistence with rats surface (Sooty Tern) Sterna lunata Ground Eggs, chicks All young destroyed in one year (Grey-backed Tern) surface Telespyza cantans On or near Unknown Extinction (Laysan Finchbill) ground Table 2b modified from Atkinson, I. A. E. 1985. The spread of commensal species of Rattus to oceanic islands and their effects on island avifaunas. In P. J. Moors (ed.), Conservation of Island Birds. pp. 35-81. ICBP Technical Publication No. 3.

Table 2c. Predation by rats (R. rattus and R. exulans) on birds. Included in this table are the typical stages of life at which rats prey upon the species of bird listed, the population trends of each bird species since rats were introduced, incubation and nestling periods for bird species. The incubation period is determined as the number of days from egg laying to hatching. Nestling period is determined as the number of days from hatching to fledging.

Bird Species Diomedea immutabilis1,4 (Laysan Albatross) Diomedea nigripes1,4 (Black-footed Albatross) Pterodroma hypoleuca2,3 (Bonin Petrel) Pterodroma phaeopygia sandwichensis1 (Hawaiia Darkrumped Petrel) Phaethon rubricauda3,4 (Red-tailed Tropicbird) Puffinus pacificus1,4 (Wedge-tail Shearwater) Fregata minor1,4 (Great Frigatebird) Porzana palmeri (Laysan Rail) Sterna fuscata3,4 (Sooty Tern) Sterna lunata4 (Grey-backed Tern) Telespyza cantans (Laysan Finchbill)

Stage of LifeCycle Preyed Effect on Population Upon

Incubation Period (Days)

Nestling Period (Days)

Chicks

Continuing coexistence with rats

62-67

140

Chicks

Minor

62-67

165

Eggs, chicks

Major decline

48.7

Unknown

Chicks

Nearly 40% of eggs and chicks destroyed during 2-year study

50-55

115

Eggs, chicks

Up to 65% and 100% losses of eggs and chicks respectively in some years

40-50

Unknown

Eggs, ?chicks Minor

48-63

60-90

Adults

Minor

51-57

166

Unknown

Extinction

Unknown

Unknown

27-33

16

24-35

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Eggs, chicks Eggs, chicks Unknown

Continuing coexistence with rats All young destroyed in one year Extinction

Table 2c modified from Atkinson, I.A.E. 1985. The spread of commensal species of Rattus to oceanic islands and their effects on island avifaunas. In P. J. Moors (ed.), Conservation of Island Birds. pp. 35-81. ICBP Technical Publication No. 3. 1Berger, A.J. 1972. Hawaiian Birdlife. Honolulu: The University Press of Hawaii. 2Grant, G.S., J. Warham, T.N. Pettit, and G.C. Whittow. 1983. Reproductive behavior and vocalizations of the Bonin Petrel (Pterodroma hypoleuca). Wilson Bulletin 95(4):522-539. 3Harrison, C.S. 1990. Seabirds of Hawaii: Natural History and Conservation. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press. 4Niethammer, K.R., J.I. Megyesi, and D. Hu. 1992. Incubation periods for 12 seabird species at French Frigate Shoals, Hawaii. Colonial Waterbirds 15(1):124-127.

Threats to Biodiversity: A Case Study of Hawaiian Birds Group 1—Take-Home Assignment As you discovered in class, introduced small mammals like the black rat have devastated the bird populations of Hawaii through predation. However, grazing mammals such as pigs, cows, and goats also have contributed to the decline and extinction of Hawaiian birds. In 1778 and the years following, large numbers of these mammals were brought to the Hawaiian Islands for agricultural reasons on expeditions led by Captain James Cook and other sea captains. Since that time, many of these mammals have become feral (i.e., though once domesticated, they no longer depend on humans). Your assignment, as a class, is to develop an understanding of the problems associated with the introduction of these ungulates (hoofed mammals) to the Hawaiian biota, specifically to native birds. We can categorize these problems as follows: (1) how ungulates affect the habitat of native birds, (2) how ungulates facilitate the spread and establishment of other introduced species, and (3) why Hawaii's birds are particularly susceptible to introduced species. During the next week, each group in your class will examine one of these aspects of the problem using information you get from the list of references below. Next week, groups will share their findings with the entire class. Group 1: How might the ungulates introduced to Hawaii affect the habitats of native birds? Use the following references to generate your response: z

z

z

z

z

z

Drost, C.A., and G.M. Fellers. 1999. Non-native animals on public lands. http://www.sciencecases.org/hawaii/Nonative.pdf. Scott, J.M., C.B. Kepler, C. van Riper III, and S.I. Fefer. 1988. Conservation of Hawaii's vanishing avifauna. BioScience 38(4):238-253. Scott, J.M. 11/30/1999. Hawaii—Overview. http://www.sciencecases.org/hawaii/Hawaii_overview.pdf Stone, C.P. 1989. Non-native land vertebrates. In: C.P. Stone and D.B. Stone (eds.). Conservation Biology in Hawaii. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Cooperative National Park Resources Studies Unit. pp88-95. Stone, C.P., and L.L. Loope. 1987. Reducing negative effects of introduced animals on native biotas in Hawaii: What is being done, what needs doing, and the role of national parks. Environmental Conservation 14:245-258. Vitousek, P.M., L.L. Loope, and C.P Stone. 1987. Introduced species in Hawaii: Biological effects and opportunities for ecological research. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 2(7):224-227.

Threats to Biodiversity: A Case Study of Hawaiian Birds Group 2—Take-Home Assignment As you discovered in class, introduced small mammals like the black rat have devastated the bird populations of Hawaii through predation. However, grazing mammals such as pigs, cows, and goats also have contributed to the decline and extinction of Hawaiian birds. In 1778 and the years following, large numbers of these mammals were brought to the Hawaiian Islands for agricultural reasons on expeditions led by Captain James Cook and other sea captains. Since that time, many of these mammals have become feral (i.e., though once domesticated, they no longer depend on humans). Your assignment, as a class, is to develop an understanding of the problems associated with the introduction of these ungulates (hoofed mammals) to the Hawaiian biota, specifically to native birds. We can categorize these problems as follows: (1) how ungulates affect the habitat of native birds, (2) how ungulates facilitate the spread and establishment of other introduced species, and (3) why Hawaii's birds are particularly susceptible to introduced species. During the next week, each group in your class will examine one of these aspects of the problem using information you get from the list of references below. Next week, groups will share their findings with the entire class. Group 2: How might the ungulates introduced to Hawaii aid in the establishment and spread of other introduced species? Use the following references to generate your response: z

z

z

z

z

Scott, J.M., C.B. Kepler, C. van Riper III, and S.I. Fefer. 1988. Conservation of Hawaii's vanishing avifauna. BioScience 38(4):238-253. Scott, J.M. 11/30/1999. Hawaii—Overview. http://www.sciencecases.org/hawaii/Hawaii_overview.pdf Stone, C.P. 1989. Non-native land vertebrates. In: C.P. Stone and D.B. Stone (eds.). Conservation Biology in Hawaii. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Cooperative National Park Resources Studies Unit. pp88-95. Stone, C.P., and L.L. Loope. 1987. Reducing negative effects of introduced animals on native biotas in Hawaii: What is being done, what needs doing, and the role of national parks. Environmental Conservation 14:245-258. Vitousek, P.M., L.L. Loope, and C.P Stone. 1987. Introduced species in Hawaii: Biological effects and opportunities for ecological research. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 2(7):224-227.

Threats to Biodiversity: A Case Study of Hawaiian Birds Group 3—Take-Home Assignment As you discovered in class, introduced small mammals like the black rat have devastated the bird populations of Hawaii through predation. However, grazing mammals such as pigs, cows, and goats also have contributed to the decline and extinction of Hawaiian birds. In 1778 and the years following, large numbers of these mammals were brought to the Hawaiian Islands for agricultural reasons on expeditions led by Captain James Cook and other sea captains. Since that time, many of these mammals have become feral (i.e., though once domesticated, they no longer depend on humans). Your assignment, as a class, is to develop an understanding of the problems associated with the introduction of these ungulates (hoofed mammals) to the Hawaiian biota, specifically to native birds. We can categorize these problems as follows: (1) how ungulates affect the habitat of native birds, (2) how ungulates facilitate the spread and establishment of other introduced species, and (3) why Hawaii's birds are particularly susceptible to introduced species. During the next week, each group in your class will examine one of these aspects of the problem using information you get from the list of references below. Next week, groups will share their findings with the entire class. Group 3: What characteristics of Hawaii's endemic birds make them more vulnerable than other birds in Hawaii to species invasions like that of the ungulates described above? Use the following references to generate your response: z

z

z

z

z

z

z

Campbell, N.A., J.B. Reece, and L.G. Mitchell. Angiosperms and animals have shaped one another's evolution. In: Biology. 5th ed. Menlo Park, CA: Benjamin/Cummings. p570. Drost, C.A., and G.M. Fellers. 1999. Non-native animals on public lands. http://www.sciencecases.org/hawaii/Nonative.pdf Meffe, G.K., C.R. Carroll, and S.L. Pimm. 1997. The loss of plants and birds in Hawaii. In: G.K. Meffe and C.R. Carroll (eds.). Principles of Conservation Biology. Sunderland, MA: Sinauer Associates, Inc. Publishers. pp257-258. Olson, S.L., and H.F. James. 1982. Fossil birds from the Hawaiian islands: Evidence for wholesale extinction by man before western contact. Science 217:633-635. Stone, C.P. 1989. Non-native land vertebrates. In: C.P. Stone and D.B. Stone (eds.). Conservation Biology in Hawaii. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Cooperative National Park Resources Studies Unit. pp88-95. Stone, C.P., and L.L. Loope. 1987. Reducing negative effects of introduced animals on native biotas in Hawaii: What is being done, what needs doing, and the role of national parks. Environmental Conservation 14:245-258. Warner, R.E. 1968. The role of introduced disease in the extinction of the endemic Hawaiian avifauna. The Condor 70:101-120.

Biodiversity Activities Kathy Paris When scientists speak of the variety of organisms (and their genes) in an ecosystem, they refer to it as biodiversity. A biologically diverse ecosystem, such as an old growth forest or tropical rain forest, is healthy, complex and stable. Nature tends to increase diversity through the process of succession. The opposite of biodiversity is referred to as monoculture, or the growing of one species of organism, such as a lawn, a wheat field or corn field. Because all of the species are identical, there are few complex food webs and disease can spread quickly. Monoculture is like a banquet table for disease organisms. Monoculture often requires extensive use of pesticides and herbicides (to fight nature's tendency to diversify communities) and is very labor and energy intensive (fighting nature is tough). Humans often try to reduce diversity because it is easier to harvest a crop (whether it is wheat, corn , a lawn or a secondary forest) if it all contains the same species, but this obviously creates serious problems. The first activity illustrates how to use math to calculate the diversity index of a selected habitat. The closer to 1 the diversity index is, the more diverse and healthy the habitat is. This is a very simplified version of diversity index. The more accurate versions are called the Simpson and Shannon Indexes. Activity 1 1. Each team of 2 is given the animals that live in a 1 square meter area of a particular habitat (beans, etc. represent the animals) 2. The habitat is represented by vitamin bottles or ? Labeled 1, 2, 3.... 3. Different beans or ? and different amounts of each are put into the bottle. 4. 15+ bottles labeled as follows: 4 bottles 1, 5, 13, 9 (to represent the tropical rain forests) 3 bottles 4, 8, 12 ( to represent lawns or wheat fields) 2 bottles 2, 6 (to represent the coniferous forests) 2 bottles 10, 14 (to represent the deciduous forests) 2 bottles 3, 7 (to represent deserts) 2 bottles 11, 15 (to represent grasslands) 5. To put in : kidney beans, white beans, lima , lentils, cinnamon candy, barley, sunflower seed, etc. 6. Highest diversity is tropical rain forest Lowest diversity is lawn, wheat fields 7. To figure diversity index # species (types) (simplified version ) # organisms 8. Set up bottles # species

# each

Total Organisms

Diversity

Tropical Rain forests

15

1 each of 10 species 2 each of 5 species

20

15/20 = 0.75

Coniferous forests

12

2

24

12/24 = 0.5

Deciduous forests

12

2

24

12/24 = 0.5

Deserts

7

3

21

7/21 = 0.333

Grasslands

7

3

21

7/21 = 0.333

Lawn wheat fields

2

100 of 1 species 5 of another species

105

2/105 = 0.019

9. Write habitats on board and ask student to figure out diversity of their bottle; they're to estimate what habitat it represents (clue - highest diversity in this example is .75 - actually may be higher in nature) Biological Diversity-How It Stops Disease From Spreading (activity 2) When a habitat is very diverse with a variety of different species, it is much healthier and more stable. One of the reasons for this is that disease doesn't spread as easily in a diverse community. If one species gets a disease, others of its kind are far enough away (due to the variety of other organisms) that disease is often stopped at the one or two individuals. In this simulation, side one of the card represents the monoculture (the opposite of diversity) of second growth forests. In this case, Douglas Fir trees were planted after an old growth forest was cut down. A disease hits one of the Douglas Firs, and because of the proximity of the other Douglas Firs, disease spreads quickly. On the other side of the card (side 2), a biological diverse community (an old growth forest) is symbolized. In this scenerio, a Douglas Fir still gets a disease, but this time it does not spread because the other Douglas Firs are few and far between. Side one of the card: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

All cards marked with D (side 1 of card). Tell them they are all Douglas firs. Each person gets 1 card. Each person is to meet 5 other people and write their names on the card. All are to remain standing after they write down the names. I will symbolize the disease and I will touch one of the students. Ask that person to sit down (they are dead) and read names on their card. As the names are read, those students sit too since they have been "touched." 6. Then ask another one of those sitting (dead) to read the names on their card- continue until almost all are sitting. 7. Ask them to explain why the disease spread so fast (they are so alike genetically; lack of diversity). Side 2 of the card: 1. Flip over card (label 2 of cards with D's for Douglas fir; the rest with other letters: N for Noble Fir, C for Western Red Cedar, M for Vine Maples, H for Western Hemlocks, W for White Fir, L for Lodge pole Pine, WP for Western White Pine, B for Bigleaf Maple, WD for Western Dogwood). 2. Explain that in some forests (esp. old growth), there are a variety of trees. 3. Repeat steps 2-6 above. This time only those students that are the same variety as the diseased tree that touched them will sit. Different variety trees don't sit (don't die) even if they are touched by a diseased tree. 4. Almost all of the students will remain standing (didn't die). 5. Ask students to explain why the disease didn't spread this time (genetic or biological diversity) ****************** Follow up questions (refers to the second of the card simulations) 1. 2. 3. 4.

What does biological diversity mean? Why didn't all the different trees get the disease? (hint - genetics) Why didn't the disease spread as fast among the Douglas firs as it did in the first simulation? In which forest would you need to use more chemicals to control disease: the Douglas fir forest or the more diversified, old growth forest? Why?

5. Summarize what this simulation symbolized. 6. Which forest would have more diversity of wildlife? Why? 7. a. If you cut down the variety in a piece of forest you owned and replanted with 1 type of tree, what will happen to much of the wildlife that was adapted to that forest? (Hint: they cannot just move elsewhere. If other habitats are good, they will probably be near carrying capacity already.) b. Will this fate happen to all the wildlife? Explain. 8. Many species can only live/reproduce in 1 type of forest. The spotted owl is an example - it can only live and successfully reproduce in old growth forests(big, old cedars, hemlocks, etc.). If these old growth forests are cut down, it's unlikely this owl will survive. Environmentalists call it an "indicator" species." What does this mean? Why be concerned about 1 species? 9. Growing one plant, as is the case of growing only Douglas fir, is called monoculture. Give an example of growing one plant a) in your home (obvious ) b) in farms 10. Why would you need to use more insecticides in monoculture? Is this good or bad? 11. If you wanted to help wildlife, what would you with regards to the landscaping of your own home?

Genetics with a Smile

Name _________________________________

Part A: Smiley Face Traits (1) Obtain two coins from your teacher. Mark one coin with a “F” and the other with a “M” to represent each of the parents. The parents are heterozygous for all the Smiley Face traits. (2) Flip the coins for parent for each trait. If the coin lands with heads up, it represents a dominant allele. A coin that lands tails up indicates a recessive allele. Record the result for each person by circling the correct letter. Use the results and the Smiley Face Traits page to determine the genotype and phenotype for each trait.

Trait Face Shape Eye Shape Hair Style Smile Ear Style Nose Style Face Color Eye Color Hair Length Freckles Nose Color Ear Color

Female C c E e S s T t V v D d Y y B b L l F f R Y P T

Male C c E e S s T t V v D d Y y B b L l F f R Y P T

Genotype

Phenotype

Part B: Is it a boy or girl? To determine the sex of your smiley face, flip the coin for the male parent. Heads would represent X, while tails would be Y.

Sex

Female X

Male X Y

Genotype

Part C: Create Your Smiley Face! Use the Smiley Face Traits chart and your results from Part A to create a sketch of your smiley face in the box. Once you have completed the sketch, use the drawing tools in Microsoft Word to create your smiley face! Two things to remember ... √ Do not add color on the computer! Print a black and white copy and then use crayons or colored pencils to finish it. √ Don’t forget to give your smiley face a name! You will also need to include your name as parent and your class hour.

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Phenotype

Genetics with a Smile

Smiley Face Traits Face Shape Circle (C)

Eye Shape Star (E)

Hair Style Straight (S)

Smile Thick (T)

Ear Style Curved (V)

Nose Style Down (D)

Up (d)

Blast (e)

Face Color Yellow (Y) Green (y)

Eye Color Blue (B) Red (b)

Curly (s)

Hair Length Long (L) Short (l)

Freckles Present (F) Absent (f)

Nose Color Red (RR) Orange (RY) Yellow (YY)

Ear Color Hot Pink (PP) Purple (PT) Teal (TT)

Oval (c)

Thin (t)

Sex Pointed (v)

To determine the sex, the flip the coin for the male parent. Heads equals X and tails equals Y.

XX - Female - Add pink bow in hair XY - Male - Add blue bow in hair

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Genetics with a Smile Wrapping It Up!

Name _________________________________

(1) How does your smiley face compare to the ones created by your classmates? Pick two smiley faces that are displayed near your smiley face and compare each of the 12 traits. Indicate the phenotype for each smiley face for each trait in the chart. Trait

My Smiley Face

Smiley by ____________

Smiley by ____________

Face Shape Eye Shape Hair Style Smile Ear Style Nose Style Face Color Eye Color Hair Length Freckles Nose Color Ear Color (2) Which smiley face has the most dominant traits? _____________________ How many? ______ traits (3) Which smiley face has the most recessive traits? _____________________ How many? ______ traits (4) Which traits were a result of incomplete dominance? (5) What is the probability that a smiley face will have a green face? _____ out of _____ or ____ % (6) How many smiley faces have a green face, which is a recessive trait? _____ out of _____ or ____ % (7) How does your predicted probability for a green face (#5) compare to the actual results (#6)? Explain.

(8) What is the probability that a smiley face will have an orange nose? _____ out of _____ or ____ % (9) How many smiley faces have an orange nose? _____ out of _____ or ____ % (10) How does your predicted probability for an orange nose (#8) compare to the actual results (#9)? Explain.

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(11) Why did you only need to flip the male parent coin to determine the sex of your smiley face?

(12) How would the smiley faces change if one of the parents were homozygous dominant for all the traits while the other was heterozygous?

(13) How would the smiley faces change if one of the parents were recessive for all the traits while the other was heterozygous?

(14) Uncle Smiley, who is heterozygous for a yellow face, married a woman with a green face. Both of them have always wanted a large family! If they were to have 12 children, what is the probability that the children would have yellow faces? How many would have green faces? Create a Punnett square to to help you find your answers.

(15) Grandma and Grandpa Smiley are heterozygous for the star eye shape. If one of their heterozygous children married a girl with blast-type eyes, what percentage of their grandchildren should have starry eyes? What percent would have blast-type eyes? Create a Punnett square to help you find your answers.

(16) Baby Smiley has curly hair, but neither of her parents do! Is this possible? Create a Punnett square to help you find your answer.

(17) Aunt Smiley has the cutest pointed ears and would love to have children with pointed ears! What type of ears would her husband need to have in order for her to get her wish? Give the genotype and phenotype as part of your answer.

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Genetics with a Smile - Wrapping It Up!

Answer Key

(1) How does your smiley face compare to the ones created by your classmates? Pick two smiley faces that are displayed near your smiley face and compare each of the 12 traits. Indicate the phenotype for smiley face for each trait in the chart! Answers will vary. Trait

My Smiley Face

Smiley by ____________

Smiley by ____________

Face Shape Eye Shape Hair Style Smile Ear Style Nose Style Face Color Eye Color Hair Length Freckles Nose Color Ear Color Answers will vary. (2) Which smiley face has the most dominant traits? ________________________ How many? ______ traits Name the person who created the

(3) Which smiley face has the most recessive traits? ________________________ smiley face for the answers. How many? ______ traits (4) Which traits were a result of incomplete dominance? Nose color and ear color

The “yy” genotype would appear in 1 out of 4 boxes of a punnett square.

1 4 or ____ 25 % (5) What is the probability that a smiley face will have a green face? ____ out of ____ Answers will vary. (6) How many smiley faces have a green face, which is a recessive trait? ____ out of ____ or ___ % (7) How does your predicted probability for a green face (#5) compare to the actual results (#6)? Explain. Answers will vary. 2 out of ____ 4 or ____ 50 % (8) What is the probability that a smiley face will have an orange nose? ____ The “RY” genotype would appear in Answers will vary. (9) How many smiley faces have an orange nose? ____ out of ____ or ___ % 2 out of 4 boxes of a punnett square. (10) How does your predicted probability for an orange nose (#8) compare to the actual results (#9)? Explain. Answers will vary.

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Genetics with a Smile - Wrapping It Up!

Answer Key p 2

(11) Why did you only need to flip the male parent coin to determine the sex of your smiley face? Since the female parent always contributes an X, the male determines if the smiley will be a female or male and is the only coin that needs to be flipped. (12) How would the smiley faces change if one of the parents were homozygous dominant for all the traits while the other was heterozygous? The recessive traits would not be observed in any of the smiley faces. (13) How would the smiley faces change if one of the parents were recessive for all the traits while the other was heterozygous? The recessive traits would observed more often than if both parents were heterozygous. (14) Uncle Smiley, who is heterozygous for a yellow face, married a woman with a green face. Both of them have always wanted a large family! If they were to have 12 children, how many of the children would have yellow faces? How many would have green faces? Create a Punnett square to to help you find your answers. y y Each child would have a 50% chance of having a yellow face or a green Y Yy yy face. Out of 12 children, it is likely that they would have 6 with yellow faces and 6 with green faces. Since it is a prediction, the actual outcome y Yy yy may vary. (15) Grandma and Grandpa Smiley are heterozygous for the star eye shape. If one of their heterozygous children married a girl with blast-type eyes, what percentage of their grandchildren should have starry eyes? What percent would have blast-type eyes? Create a Punnett square to help you find your answers. e e The grandchildren would have a 50% chance of having either eye type. E Ee Ee Fifty percent of their grandchildren should have starry eyes and fifty percent should have blast-type eyes; however, the actual outcome may vary. e ee ee (16) Baby Smiley has curly hair, but neither of her parents do! Is this possible? Create a Punnett square to help you find your answer. S s In order for Baby Smiley to have curly hair, both of her parents would S SS Ss have to be heterozygous for straight hair (Ss). Baby Smiley had a one in four chance (or 25%) to have curly hair. s Ss ss (17) Aunt Smiley has the cutest pointed ears and would love to have children with pointed ears! What type of ears would her husband need to have in order for her to get her wish? Give the genotype and phenotype as part of your answer. Aunt Smiley would have a genotype of “v v” to have pointed ears. She v v v v would have to have a husband who also has a genotype of “v v”, which v vv vv V Vv Vv means he would have pointed ears. v vv vv v vv vv If she had a husband who was heterozygous for curved ears (Vv), she would only have a 50% chance of having children with pointed ears.

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Directions for Drawing Tools

Microsoft Word

Open a document in Microsoft Word and follow the directions below to create a few doodles! Make sure you can see the drawing tool bar at the bottom of your screen. If not, click the “View” menu at the top and go to the "Toolbars" section. Select “Drawing” from the menu. The drawing toolbar should be visible at the bottom of your screen. Click here to find tools that will help you rotate shapes, move a shape in front of another, or group shapes together.

Click here to find the tools to help you draw all types of shapes and symbols.

Use these tools to change the color of your shapes or type of outline

Let’s draw a shape to learn how to use the AutoShapes and Drawing tools ... 1st - Click the button for Basic Shapes on the AutoShapes menu and select the moon shape. 2nd - Click the left button on the mouse and hold it down. Drag the cursor on the screen to make a moon shape. 3rd - Let’s make it look more like a smile! Click the “Draw” menu at the bottom of your screen. Go to “Rotate or Flip” and choose “Rotate Left”. If the shape does not rotate, make sure it is “selected” or has the squares around it before you try to rotate it. 4th - “Click and drag” one of the small squares around the moon to change its size. 5th - “Click and drag” the yellow diamond to make the smile thicker or thinner. 6th - Want to change the color? Make sure the shape is selected (see the squares) and click the paint bucket on the “Drawing” toolbar. Clicking on the paint bucket will change the color to the one shown under the bucket. If you need a different color, click the arrow to see a color menu.

What else can you do with the drawing tools? Try each of these tasks ... Task 1: Moving Objects (Front/Back) (1) Go to the AutoShapes menu and choose a circle tool from the Basic Shapes menu. Draw a circle of any size. Hold down the shift key while you draw the shape to make a “perfect” circle. (2) Repeat Steps 1 & 2 to draw a square over the top of the circle. (3) Go to the “Draw” menu and choose “Order - Send to Back”. The square should move behind the circle. If not, make sure the square is selected before you try to “send it back”. Task 2: Aligning Objects (1) Hold down the shift key and click on the circle. If you don’t have the square selected (surrounded by small squares), click on it as well. You should now have small squares around both shapes. (2) Go to the “Draw” menu and choose “Align or Distribute - Align Center”. Repeat this step and choose “Align Middle”. The circle should now be in the center of the square. If not, try it again and make sure you have both shapes selected at the same time.

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Task 3: Grouping Objects (1) If both shapes are NOT selected, hold down the shift key and click on each shape. (2) Go to the “Draw” menu and choose “Group”. You should notice that the circle is no longer surrounded by small squares. It has been added to the large square. Whenever you move the square, you will also move the circle. If you try to change the color of the square, you will change the color of the circle at the same time. (3) You can also ungroup objects! Select the objects that are grouped together and choose “Ungroup” from the “Draw” menu. You should notice that all the shapes have small squares around them. Task 4: Make a Copy (1) Click the shape you want to copy so it has small squares around it. Go to the “Edit” menu and choose “Copy”. (2) Go to the “Edit” menu and choose “Paste”. You should see another shape identical to the one you selected! You can also copy a group of objects! Need help with the Smiley Face traits? Here are a few tips ... Triangle Circle or oval Straight

Curly Moon

Go to AutoShapes -> Lines for... Straight Hair - Click the straight line tool and hold down the shift key as you draw a line to keep it straight. Draw several strands of hair and place them on top of your smiley’s head! Curly Hair - Click the curly hair tool and “draw” curly lines for this type of hair. Draw several strands of hair and place them on top of your smiley’s head!

Go to AutoShapes -> Basic Shapes for ... Face - Choose the oval/circle tool to draw the face. If you need a circle, hold the shift key while you draw! Mouth - Choose the moon shape. You will need to rotate it, then click and drag the yellow diamond to make it thick or thin. Nose - Choose the triangle shape. You will need to rotate it if your smiley’s nose should be pointed down.

Pentagon

Collate Delay

Go to AutoShapes -> Block Arrows for ... Pointed ears - Choose the “Pentagon” shape. Use the “Flip Horizontal” command to flip one ear so you have one for each side! You will also need to use the “Send to back” command to hide the flat edge of the shape behind the face. Explosion 5-point Star

Go to AutoShapes -> Flowchart for ... Curved ears - Choose the “Delay” shape. You will need to use the “Flip Horizontal” command to flip one ear so you have one for each side! You will also need to use the “Send to back” command to “hide” the flat edge of it behind the face. Bow for Hair - Choose the “collate” shape to draw a bow. You will need to rotate the shape to make it horizontal!

Go to AutoShapes -> Stars & Banners to find shapes for the eyes ... Choose the 5-point star or explosion (blast) tool to draw the eyes.

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Genetics with a Smile

Teacher Notes Materials Needed: Two coins (penny, poker chip, etc.) per student - One marked F for female and one marked M for male Copies of student worksheets - Genetics with a Smile, Smiley Face Traits, & Wrapping It Up NOTE: I copy the first two worksheets on one page front/back. I also copy the two pages of the Wrapping It Up worksheet front/back on one piece of paper. I also display a copy of the Smiley Face Sample in the room rather than make copies for every student. Microsoft Word & printers NOTE: If you do not have access to Microsoft Word, the students can draw the smiley faces by hand. Crayons or colored pencils Directions: (1) After students have read the instructions on the worksheet, provide two coins for each student. The coin marked F represents the female parent and the one marked M represents the male parent. Students need to flip both coins for each trait and record the results in the chart by circling the correct allele. Students will need to complete the genotype for each trait then refer to the “Smiley Face Traits” page to determine the phenotype. NOTES: • You might consider having students form pairs to complete the project rather than having each student work alone. Since I am assessing the use of technology in addition to genetics, I have each student create a smiley face. • Share the sample Smiley Face (next page of this download) with the students and ask them to give the correct genotype for several of the smiley face’s traits using the Smiley Face Traits page. Possible questions ... (1) What genotypes could result in a smiley face with star eyes? EE or Ee (2) Give the phenotype for a smiley face with the genotype Tt for its smile. Thick smile (3) Is this smiley face a female or male? How do you know? Female - pink bow (4) Does the smiley face include any recessive traits? If so, what are they? Yes, curly hair, red eye color, thin mouth, and nose pointing up are all recessive traits. (5) The smiley face has long hair (more than 1 inch long). What are the possible genotypes for long hair? LL or Ll What are the possible genotypes for short hair? ll (6) Which traits are a result of incomplete dominance? Nose and ear color (2) For Part B, the students need to flip the male coin to determine the sex of their smiley faces. Since the female parent always contributes an X, the male will determine if the smiley will be a female or male Female smiley faces need pink bows in their hair, while males need blue bows. (3) For Part C, students need to draw a “draft’ sketch of their smiley face in the box provided BEFORE they attempt to draw it using the computer. After they have completed the draft, allow time for the students to use Microsoft Word to create the final version of the smiley face. NOTES: • I do not allow students to print in color, since I have limited funds for printer cartridges. I have the students print black/white copies on the main laser printer and provide crayons and colored pencils for the students to use to add color. If you do not have any limitations, allow the students to create and print their smiley faces with color. You might also consider allowing students to create their smiley faces at home if they have access to a computer and color printer. • I have created a Directions for Microsoft Word(98) Drawing Tools worksheet for students to use. I spend one class period discussing the basic tools and allow time for the students to experiment before I assign the smiley face project. • If you do not have access to a computer lab and/or Microsoft Word, students can draw the smiley faces by hand and add color using crayons and colored pencils. (4) After the smiley faces are completed, display them in a hallway or other location that will allow students to view them easily. If you have more than one class, color code the pages (glue to construction paper) to identify each class period. Students will need to use the completed smiley faces to answer the questions on the front of the “Wrapping It Up” worksheet. I have provided an answer key for the Wrapping It Up worksheet - look on last two pages of the pdf download!

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Genetics with a Smile

Smiley Face Sample

Name: Susie Jo Smiley Parent: Sue Jo Smith 1st Hour

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. . Ideas for Educators. from the Smithsonian Institution, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Washington, D.C. September 1994 . . ,

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~

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Under the Spell of... Spiders! Little Miss Muffet was a wimp. Imagine getting all worked up just because a little spider comes along and sits down beside you.• Granted, we are talking about an animal with a certain alien quality: a beast with a bunch of beady eyes and lots of creeping, crawling legs; a creature that dangles in the darkness, lurking about in tangled retreats that seem to veil forgotten comers with a silky foreboding. And yes, we're talking about an efficient and highly skilled predator-a creator of clever snares, nets, and traps; a poison-fanged, hairy-bodied killer with a propensity for sucking the very life out of its victims.... OK, maybe Miss Muffet's reaction was somewhat understandable. And maybe most of us have had a similar reaction to spiders at one time or another. But for all their unearthly physical features and unusual habits, spiders, with just a few notable exceptions, are benign creatures-unless you happen to be an insect or some other small prey animaL

o Sillt Spinners-Spiders aren't the only

Spiders are also endlessly fascinating. They offer plenty of teachable moments that can span the curriculum, and we've tried to provide some of those moments in this issue of ART TO 200. It's our hope that, as you work through the activities, your students will gain a new respect for spiders. Maybe they'll even want to get to know the next eight-legged silk spinner that comes along

arthropods with the ability to produce silk. Certain insects, such as silk moth larvae, do so as well. But no other animal uses silk to create traps for catching prey. Spieer silk-made up of protein-is produced in glands inside the abdomen. Each silk gland leads to a particular spigot that opens to the outside through one of several paired spinnerets. A spider "reels out" silk by gently pulling it out of a spigot with its two hind

and sits down beside them.

. Te a c her B a c kg r 0 u n d Spiders, numbering some 34,000 known species, belong to a huge group of invertebrates called arthropods. So do insects, crustaceans, centipedes, millipedes, and other animals characterized by jointed legs (which is what the word "arthropod" means) and an exoskeleton. A lot of people think spiders are insects, but the two are only distantly related. Spiders share a closer kinship with scorpions, ticks, mites, daddy-long-legs, and other arthropods that have, as their most obvious characterisarranged in four pairs. (Insects, in contrast, have six legs arranged in three pairs.) These eight·legged arthropods are called arachnids. Besides having eight legs, spiders and other arachnids have an extra pair of appendages called pedipalps (see the labeled spider picture on page 3). Pedipalps are a lit· tle like hands: They help arachnids feel their surroundings and hold on to prey and other objects. Most arachnids, including spiders, also have a special breathing system called book lungs. This unique respiratory "design" is named for its resemblance to the stacked pages of a book.

Spider Specifics But there's more toa spider than eight legs, pedipalps, and book lungs. Here's a look at some other spider characteristics.

o

Basic Body Plan-Spiders have two main body parts-the prosoma (also called the cephalothorax) and the abdomen (also called the opisthoma). These are joined by a short, narrow stalk called the pedicel. A spider's eyes, legs, and chelicerae (i.e., its jaws, which are equipped with poison glands and fangs), are attached to the prosoma-there's no separate head, per se. A spider's silkreleasing organs, called spinnerets, are attached to the far end of the abdomen.

o Silks of Different Ilks: Different silk glands produce different kinds ofsilk with different purposes. For example, female spiders produce a certain kind of silk to create their egg sacs. And the webs of many spiders are made up of a couple of different kinds of silk-one for the web's basic framework and another, sticky variety that makes getting away that much harder for trapped insects. Although all spiders make silk, not all of them spin webs to catch their dinner. For more about the different ways spiders catch their prey, see "In Pursuit of Prey" on page 2.)

o

This Sydney funnel web of Australia and New Zealand is one of the few examples of a spider that's extremely dangerous to humans. Its potent venom can kill. Photo by Chip Clark, National

Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution. The number of body parts helps to distinguish spiders from other arachnids and arthropods. For example, daddy-lang-legs, those spindly-legged arachnids often confused with spiders, have only one body part (abdomen). And insects have three (head, thorax, and abdomen).

o Picking Up Vibes: A spider's sensitivity to

o

Eyes Everywhere-Most spiders have eight eyes, arranged in rows in a pattern characteristic of particular groups of spiders. An expert can often identify a spider just by looking at its eye pattern. Interestingly, having lots of eyes doesn't correspond to good vision in most spiders. In fact, by human standards, spiders have lousy eyesight. But great vision isn't particularly important for the spiders that build webs-at least, not as far as catching a meal is concerned. Their prey, after all, comes to them. Spiders that actively stalk their prey, on the other hand, generally have better vision than their web-weaving relatives.

Making Sense of Spider Senses: What would life be like if you could taste through your legs and hear with your hair? If you can imagine such a concept, then you might have some inkling of what it must be like to be a spider. Spiders, in fact, do taste, and also smell, through special sensory organs on their legs, as well as on their pedipalps. And they hear-or, more specifically, they sense vibrations-through hairs and tiny slits distributed over much of their body.

Illustration by Bob McLeod, Marvel Entertainment Group Inc.

vibrations is finely tuned. For example, spiders can distinguish between different types of prey hitting their webs-say, a moth from a fly from a honeybee. This sensitivity to motion "tells" a spider what to expect so it will know how to handle a potentially dangerous meal. The ability to tell one vibe from another also comes in handy during courtship: The males of web-building species often woo females by plucking a species-specific pat· tern on the females' webs. If a male simply blundered into a female's web without first introducing himsel( he would Iisk becoming her meal instead of her mate.

Illustration by Bob McLeod, Marvel Entertainment Group Inc. In Pursuit of Prey

All spiders are carnivorous, and insects make up the bulk of most spiders' food. But just about any small invertebrate is fair game for a hungry spider-other spiders included. Even a few vertebrates, such as frogs, small fish and birds, and rodents, occasionally find themselves in the fangs of these formidable predators. (You bet there are some big spiders out there.) Spiders are amazing food-catching machines. Even the most common methods and "tools" they use to make a living-your basic web, for example-are marvels of evolutionary ingenuity. Here's an overview of some of the ways spiders do what they do best:

o

2

Silken Snares: When most people think of spider webs they probably think of the spoked, roundish, and more-or-Iess regular constructions called orb webs. Although these beautiful webs may look like they'd take their tiny architects all day to design and build, many orb weavers can whip one out in Jess than thirty minutes. Orb weavers and other web spiders build a new w~b every day, recycling their silk supply by eating the old web. Orb webs may be the most elegant of the silken snares, but they certainly aren't the only ones. There are lots of variations on the theme, from elaborate tunnels and tubes to the tangled cobwebs house spiders build in the comers of your ceiling. There's also the minimalist approach of bolas spiders, who manage to catch their prey on a single silken line that they hurl at passing prey.

prey or, in a few cases, they actively stalk it down. These webless spiders are often called "wandering" spiders, a reference to the fact that they are less sedentary (though not by much, in some cases) than their web-building relatives. Many wanderers, such as wolf spiders, do build a kind of silken nest-either wedged among vegetation or in a shallow burrow-but this nest doesn't serve as a bug snare. Instead, it's a hiding place, called a retreat, within which the spider w.aits for passing prey. When it sees or feels movement nearby, the spider rushes out of its retreat, pounces on the animal, and delivers a paralyzing bite. Then it uses the same basic feeding techniques as web weavers, digesting the animal in advance and sucking in its liquid meal. Growing Up a Spider

Being a spider means, for the most part, being alone all of yourlife. That's because spiders, with only a few exceptions, are naturally solitary creatures. They do manage to socialize long enough to court and breed, although even this amount of interaction has its drawbacks for some spiders: After· performing their vital services, the male members of a few become the female's next meal. Such is life-and death-when you're a spider.

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sedate creatures much of the time. But when the vibrations of a struggling creature signal a catch, they spring to life and head for the action. Experience and an oily coating on their feet help avoid getting stuck as they skirt across the threads of their web. Once a spider reaches its prey, it usually subdues the animal by biting it, injecting a paralyzing poison, and wrapping it in silk-or, conversely, by wrapping it in silk and then giving it a poisonous bite. If times are plentiful and the spider isn't particularly hungry, it may save its prey for later. But if it is hungry, it starts digesting its meal-before actually consuming it.

Spider Moms: Within a few weeks after mating, female spiders are ready to lay their eggs. Many enclose the eggs in a silk sac, called an egg case, that proteds them and maintains the correct temperature and humidity for their development. Other females forego building an elaborate case, laying the eggs instead inside their retreats and covering them with a few silk threads. Female spiders lay anywhere from a few dozen to several hundred eggs, depending on the species. Once the eggs are laid and the egg case complete, some spiders move on, leaving the future of their progeny to the whims of chance. Others stay with the egg case and guard it until the eggs hatch. And a few, such as wolf spiders, take mothering much further: They carry their egg case, attached to their spinnerets, wherever they go. Then, for a week or so after her spiderlings hatch, a female wolf spider carries her young around too-as many as a hundred or so, all crowded onto her back.

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Lurking for lunch: Web weavers are rather

Spit and Suck: Pre-digestion is a must for

spiders, who don't have a mouthful of teeth to help them break down their food. To start the digestion process, a spider spits up a drop of liquid from its intestinal tract and deposits it onto the prey animal, momentarily marinating it in digestive juices. Then, with help from powerful contractions in its throat and stomach, the spider sucks in a portion of its liquified meal. It repeats this "spit and suck" process until nothing but the hard, indigestible parts of the victim remain. . 0 Webless Wanderers: About half of all spiders don't build webs to catch their meals. Instead, they either lie in ambush for their

Up, Up, and Away: For many spiders, life starts out with a far-flung adventure. After they hatch, and when they're little more than speck-sized, the spiderlings travel with the wind to strange new lands on a tiny silk filament that they spin for this special purpose. This spider "flight," called ballooning, can take young spiders high into the atmosphere (ballooning spiders have been caught from airplanes!) and hundreds of miles from their place of origin. Many of the spiderlings don't mal; that the students may be unfamiliar

with, such as appendages, receptors, disperse, and so on. 4. Have each person use the profile information to draw a picture of one or more of the creatures, Encourage students to elaborate on their drawings by putting the creature in some kind of context. For example, they could draw the creature within its habitat, in the process of catching a meal or eating, or hatching from an egg. 5. Tell the students to think about what they'd call such a creature if they were the scientist who discovered it. (If they want, they can label their drawings with the creature's name and features.) 6. Have the students share their artwork. Then tell them that actual photographs exist of the creatures from Planet X. Show the kids pictures of spiders and reveal that Planet X is Earth. Ask them if any of their drawings look like spiders.

Extend the Activity! Try the following ideas to reinforce your students' knowledge of spider characteristics.

Art and Language Arts Hand out copies of the "Tallulah Tarantula" script from the Pull-Out Page. Explain that the script describes some of the ways spiders perceive the world. After the kids time to read the information, have them illustrate Tallulah's monologue in a comic-book style presentation.

Math Have students work in groups to create spider math problems. The problems can be either straightforward or fanciful. Here are a couple of examples: There were five spiders in the garden and each of them ate twelve insects. How many insects did they eat in all? (5 x 12 = 60) Yesterday the spider eye doctor had a busy day. He examined a total of 352 eyes. How many spiders came in for an exam yesterday? (352 total -:- 8 eyes per spider =44 spiders) Have the groups quiz each other by exchanging their problems. (Once the groups have completed a set of problems, you might also want to have them check each others' work.) Math problems adapted with permission from materials developed by Rod Baer for use in Spider Lab, a learning center within the Smithsonian's Spiders! exhibit.

and "insects" columns on the checksheet. (See chart answers, below.) Then explain that, even though spiders and insects are two different types of animals, they have some things in common. Discuss the answers to the "both" column, and point out that there should be only two checks in the "neither" column, under "endoskeleton" and "warm-blooded."

Answers to "Spider Parts"

prosoma (prosoma)

6. Explain that all animals that have an exoskeleton (Le., invertebrates), segmented (also called "jointed") legs, and are coldblooded are called arthropods. Besides spiders and insects, the arthropod grouping includes crustaceans (shrimp, crabs, lobsters, and their kin), millipedes and centipedes, horseshoe "crabs," and others. Most arthropods also lay eggs. (A few give birth to live young.)

eyes (ojos)

spinnerets (6rganos hileros)

abdomen (abdomen)

Part A-Spider Parts

Preparation:

7. Tell the kids that spiders belong to a group of arthropods called arachnids. Use the information under the introductory paragraphs of the teacher background section to describe arachnids.

If possible, catch several spiders-one for each group of three or four students-before starting this activity. One way to find spiders is to simply sweep through vegetation with an insect net. (Don't to handle the spiders directly. Most spiders don't move very quickly, so once a spider is in the net you should be able to gently "persuade" it into a jar.) Put each spider in its own jar and cover the top of the jars with a piece of old hosiery, held fIrmly in place with a rubber band. Also put a couple of small sticks inside each jar (some spiders will spin a small web between them). Jot down where you found each spider so you can return it to its natural habitat later. Try not to keep the spiders for longer than a day. If you need to keep them longer, add a moist cotton ball to each jar so they can drink. Note: Keep in mind that most spiders, while not poisonous to humans, are capable of biting. It' sfairly easy to avoid being bitten if you avoid directly handling the spider. Under no circumstances should you attempt to capture either a black widow, brown recluse, or other poisonous spider. If you're unsure about what these spiders look like, remember to look at their pictures in afield guide or other book before capturing your spiders. Also remind the kids to keep the covers securely on the jars.

Step 3: Spy on a Spider Step 2: Spiders and Insects Objectives: Objectives:

o name several differences between spiders and insects define arthropod and name several examples of these animals o define arachnid and name several examples of these animals iVlaterials:

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pictures of spiders and insects copies of "Creepy Crawly Checksheet" (on Pull-Out Page)

Subject: u science Lots of people confuse spiders with insects. Here's a way to help your students review the differences-and similaritiesbetween the two. Procedure: 1. Assign the students into small groups and provide each group with several clear pictures of insects and spiders. (Provide the same number of each-for example, four pictures of spiders and four of insects.) Don't tell the kids that some of the animals are spiders and some are insects.

2. Give the groups time to observe the pictures. Then tell the kids that the pictures represent two different kinds of animals. Have the kids divide the pictures into the two kinds of animals they think the pictures represent. 3. Ask the students what the two kinds of animals are and go over their groupings. Then ask, "Are spiders a kind of insect?" (No.) Don't discuss the differences between spiders and insects at this point. 4. Hand out copies of the "Creepy Crawly Checksheet" from the PuB-Out Page and have the students complete it by placing check marks in the appropriate column for each characteristic. (They can work alone or in groups.) Discuss any vocabulary the students aren't familiar with, such as exoskeleton, metamorphosis, and pedipalps. (Without telling the kids whether or insects have pedipalps, explain what they are using the introductory paragraphs of the teacher background.) Also be sure to tell the kids that they should base their answers on whether most spiders and insects have a particular characteristic. For example, most adult insects have wings-but some such as ants do not. The students should put a check mark in the "wings" column for insects, even though ants and certain other insects are wingless. 5. When the students are fmished, use some of the pictures you handed out earlier to emphasize the specific characteristics of spiders and insects. Go over the "spiders"

o name and describe the physical features ofa spider describe some ofthe places where spiders live

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Materials:

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copies of "Spider Parts" (on Pull-Out Page) o pictures of spiders o live spiders (optional) o jars (optional) o old hosiery (optional) o rubber bands (optional) o insect net (optional) magnifying glasses (optional) Subject:

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science

There's nothing like the real thing when it comes to observing animals and where they live. Try this activity to help your students learn more about spiders and their habitats. (Keep in mind that you'll have better luck with the activity in seasons other than winter, since by then most spiders have either died or gone into hibernation.)

Procedure: 1. Using the information in the teacher background section, introduce the kids to the

Answers to the Creepy Crawly Checksheet Who. Has What?

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Wlngs

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Endoskeleton

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Exoskeleton

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Antennae Six legs Eight legs

Two main body parts

I V I V

Three main body parts

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Segmented legs

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Pedipll1ps Eat only meat Young hatch from eggs 00 through metamorphosis Cold-blooded Warm-blooded Some catch prey in webs

Insecls

Spiders

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Neither

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Spider Search Data Chart Spider ~De8eription of spider Where ;(color, approximate size, found? ~and any special marks) 1

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In web? Dead or alive?

Description~ Any prey?

ofweb

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2. Hand out copies of "Spider Parts" and

have the kids fill in the blanks. Go over their answers (see labeled picture, below).

3. Assign the students into small groups and each group one of the live spiders you caught earlier. If possible, have the students use magnifying glasses to try and find the spiders' two main body parts, chelicerae (jaws), spinnerets, pedipalps, and all eight eyes. Also ask the groups if they can find the identifying feature of arthropods (the "joints" in the legs). 4. If you collected the spiders on the school

grounds, have the students help you return them to where you found them. Part B-Spider Search

Procedure: 1. Create a data sheet that the students can take with them on a spider search. (See the example, below.)

2. the kids into small groups and explain that each group will be searching for spiders. With the students' help, make a list on the chalkboard of places to look for spiders. Remind the students that spiders often hang out in comers, crevices, and other hidden places.

3. Hand out the data sheets and review any information that may be unfamiliar. For example, for the "web description" column, explain that different kinds of spiders spin different kinds of webs. (For that matter, some spiders don't spin webs at all-see "Webless Wanderers" in the teacher background section.) Some spiders, called orb weavers, build orb webs (the "typical" spider web). Others build funnel webs, sheet webs, cobwebs, and so on. Tell the students that they should write a description of any webs they find in the "web description" column. If it's an orb web they should say so. If it's any other kind of web they can describe its appearance briefly. (They don't have to determine exactly what kind of web it is.) If a spider is in the web, they should describe what it's doing. 4. Take the groups outside and give them 30 minutes or so to search for spiders and fIll out their data sheets. You might want to consider having an adult accompany each group. (Caution: Be sure to warn the kids in advance to avoid touching the spiders. Also caution them to be careful when turning over rocks or logs. They should never put their hands underneath these objects. Andfor the sake ofthe creatures for whom the rocks or logs are home, they should always turn the objects back over when they're finished.)

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basic characteristics of spiders. As much as possible, use pictures or photos of spiders to point out the two main body parts, eight eyes, fangs, and other parts.

Other comments

5. After the search, discuss the students' data. You might want to encourage them to create graphs portraying, for example, the locations with the highest concentrations of spiders, the numbers of web versus non-web spiders, and so on. "Spy on a Spider" is adaptedfrom activities developed by Caroline Maier and Dr. Petra Sierwaldfor the Delaware Museum of . Natural History.

, WOULD YOU BELIEVE...

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(movies such as Arachnophobia, for example), and the potential of a few spiders to harm humans. During the discussion, ask whether people's negative reactions to spiders are justified. Be sure to point out that most spiders are harmless to people, and that spiders, as a group, perform important ecological functions. For example, they help to keep insect populations in balance. And in turn, they provide food for birds, lizards, and other spider predators.

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Resou'rces

Books GENERAL REFERENCE:

Biology of Spiders by Rainer F. Foelix.

Harvard University Press 1982; new edition expected in 1995. Spiders and Their Kin edited by Herbert S. Zim. Golden Press, 1968; numerous editions. CHILDREN'S BOOKS:

Illustration by Bob McLeod, Marvel Entertainment Group Inc. The smallest spiders are tiny specks: As adults, they're less thana millimeter long-legs and all. The biggest spiders have a four-inch-long (lO-cm) body and a leg span that stretches more than ten inches (25 cm). The male European house spider can run 330 times its own body length in ten seconds. To do the same thing, you'd have to run farther than the length of six football fields in the same amount of time. A spider under attack can cut its losses by deliberately breaking off a leg. A shut-off valve at the joint seals the wound. Many spiders can grow a new leg to take the place of the old one. In certain South American cultures, people roast and eat tarantulas. The meat is said to have a nutty flavor.

Tarantulas can send predators packing with poisonous, barbed hairs. The spiders use their hind legs to aim a cloud of these tiny, painful "spears" at their attackers. Certain spiders have a unique way of hiding: They look like bird droppings! Their appearance keeps them safe from predators. And their prey doesn't realize that the "droppings" are dangerous. Bolas spiders arecowboyarachnids: They use a single silkenline:-ctabbed at its end with a droplet of spiderglue.,--as a kind of lasso. When an insect comes close, they swing the line around a few times and then throwit at their intended prey. Net-casting spiders catch their meals by building a tiny web between their four front legs and throwing the web over passing prey.

2. Tell the kids to imagine they're a spider. Now tell them to imagine that, as they're crawling along one day, they see a little girl sitting on a tuffet, eating her curds and whey. When they sit down beside the little girl, she becomes frightened and runs away. Next have the students imagine that they're not just any spiders-they're spiders that can talk! Ask, "what would you say to the little girl to change her negative opinion of spiders?" 3. Have the kids write a dialogue between Little Miss Muffet and the spider who sat .clown beside her. They should write the dialogue from the point of view of the spider, who is trying to explain to Miss Muffet why she needn't be afraid of most spiders, and why she should appreciate their role in the world. Tell the students that they must include at least three factual statements about spiders in their dialogues-either general information from the teacher background about physical characteristics, habits, where spiders live, and so on, or specific information about particular spider species that the kids research themselves. They should also include in their dialogues at least one spider-related bit of history or folklore. (They can either do their own research or use the information from the previous activity ("Facts, Feats, and Folklore"). 4. Have pairs of students perform the dialogues.

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Step 4: Facts, Feats, and Folklore Objectives: D list three fascinating spider facts D state several folkloric sayings and beliefs about spiders

Materials: D copies of the information in the boxes entitled "Would You Believe..." and "Fantastic Folklore"

Subjects: D science, art, folklore In this activity your students can use spider facts, fallacies, and folklore to create an entertaining bulletin board or other display.

Procedure: 1. Hand out copies of the information under "Would You Believe..." and "Fantastic Folklore." Explain that all of the information

Fa'niastic Folklore When spiders spin their webs 'fore noon, sunny weC/ther' s coming soon. If a spider crawls into your pocket, you will always have money.

under "Would You Believe" is true. Most of the folkloric infOlmation, on the other hand, is superstition, although it's possible that a couple of the sayings may have a grain of truth to them. For example, it's possible that spiders, being sensitive to changes in barometric pressure, might resume web-building when stormy weather starts to clear up (see the first saying). But by and large, superstitiOL1S sayings about spiders are just that: superstitions.

3. Have the students use their illustrations to design a bulletin board or other display. You may want to have them do a little research on their own so they can add other fascinating spider facts, feats, and folklore.

If you walk into a spiderweb. you will meet afriend that day.

Procedure:

if a spider builds its web across your

Kill a spider. bad luck yours will be Until ojj7ies you've swattedf!ttY-lhree. ~f'you

step on a spider, you'll bring on rain.

Spider by Michael Chinery. Troll Associates,

1991. (Life story of the garden spider.) A Spider Might by Tom Walther. Sierra Club

Books/Charles Scribner's Sons, 1978. (Describes common urban and suburban spiders.) Spiders. 1982. IlIa Pollendorf. Childrens Press.

(General spider information accompanied by good photos.)

Posters Four spider posters, entitled "Armed and Dangerous," are available from the Smithsonian Institution. Each poster presents an up-close photo and scientifically accurate information about four of the world's most venomous spiders (black widow, brown recluse, Sydney funnel web, and tropical wandering spider). Cost is $5.00 each; $20.00 for the set offour. All orders must be prepaid. Make checks payable to Smithsonian Institution and include $4.00 per order for shipping and handling. Send orders to: Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service Publications Office, Department 0564 Washington, D.C. 20073-0564

The Smithsonian Institution

Cissy Anklam and Linda Stevens, Office of Special Exhibits; Laura McKie anc1Rebecca G. Mead, Office of Education; Kimberly M. Moeller, Department of Exhibits; Scott Lare'her, Department of Entomology; Niki Sandoval. Office of Public Affairs-NATIONAL

This Peruvian vessel, dating from between 100 and 300 A.D., depicts a spider with a few extra legs. Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago.

D science, language arts, history

door. you can expect company.

Spider websjloating at autumn sunset, Night ji'ost to follml'-on this you can bet.

1985.

MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY, SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION.

Dr. Petra Sierwald, Division of Insects-FIELD MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

Subjects:

People's reactions to creeping, crawling critters are often based on misunderstanding and fear. By writing a dialogue between Little Miss Muffet and the spider that sat down beside her, your students can explore their own feelings about spiders while examining reasons why spiders deserve their appreciation.

If a spider hangs over your head. you will get a letter.

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Someone Sa,\, Spider-Spider Facts and Folktales by Shirley Climo. Thomas Y. Crowell,

Special thanks to the following people for their help in developing this issue of ART TO Zoo.

Step 5: Let's Hear It for Spiders!

D list several reasons why spiders are often misunderstood D write a dialogue

Harper Trophy, 1986. (A Reading Rainbow story about a spider living in a backyard garden.)

Anacostia Neighborhood Museum Arthur M. Sac/del' Gallery Arts and [ndustries Building (Experimental Gallery) Cooper,Hewitt National Museum o./Design Freer Gallery o.tArt Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden National Museum o.t'African Art National Museum at the American [ndian National Air and Space Museum National Museum (!!'American Art and Renwick Gallery National Museum ofAmerican History National Museum at Natural History National Portrait Gallery National Postal Museum National Zoological Park Smithsonian Environmemal Research Center Smithsonian Tropical Research Institllte

2. Have each student illustrate one or more of either the true statements from the "Would You Believe..." sheet or the folklore information.

Objectives:

The Lady and the Spider by Faith McNulty.

1. Ask the students what their first reaction is when they see a spider. Then lead a group discussion focusing on possible reasons that people react negatively to spiders. Reasons include fear and misunderstanding, spiders' strange or scary appearance, media hype

SMITHSONIAN Office of Elementary and Secondary ~LtCat;on

ART TO ZOO is a publication of the Office ofElementary and Secondary Education. Smithsonian Instilution. Washington, D.C., 20560. Write to this address ifyou want your school to be placed,ji'ee of charge. on the ART TO ZOO mailing list. Publications Director: Michelle Smith Writer: Jody Marshall Design: Karlic & Linthicum Baltimore, Maryland

ART TO ZOO

SEPTEMBER

1994

Use with Step 1: A Profile Of ...

The Creatures from Planet X Physical Characteristics:

Habits:

.. Body in two main parts

• Prefer living alone-often in dark, hidden places

.. Hair covers most of body; sometimes thick, but usually sparse

.. Eat only meat

.. Two sharp fangs

• Many create traps for catching food; others stalk prey

.. Four pairs of walking appendages, each with seven joints

• Kill or stun prey by injecting poison

.. Two smaller appendages, often used for grasping, located

• Feed by sucking juices out of prey

near fanged jaws

Breeding and Offspring:

• Some individuals very colorful; others blend into surroundings

• Males court females by sending special vibration signals

Senses:

• Young hatch from eggs

• Taste and smell occur through receptors on legs

• After hatching, some young disperse by sailing high into atmosphere and traveling on currents to new areas

• Hearing occurs throughout body, via receptors on hairs • Vision surprisingly poor in most individuals, despite large

• Young shed skin as they grow

number of eyes

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Septiembre de 1994 Traducci6n de Orlando Lizama

Use con Paso I Un perfil de ...

Las Criaturas Del Planeta X Caracterfsticas jfsicas:

Hcibitos:

• Cuerpo con dos partes principales

.. Prefieren vivir solos, con frecuencia en la oscuridad, en lugares

• EI pelo cubre la mayor parte del cuerpo, a veces es grueso, pero generalmente escaso • Dos filosos colmillos .. Cuatro pares de apendices para caminar, cada uno con siete co yunturas • Dos apendices menores, ubicados cerca de los comillos, a menudo usados para agarrar • Algunos individuos son muy coloridos; otros se mimetizan 0 se confunden con IQ que les rodea

Sentidos: • EI gusto y el olfato se encuentran en receptores en las patas • EI oido esta en todo el cuerpo y en receptores'en los pelos • Sorprendentemente la vision es mala en la mayorfa de los individuos, pese a su gran cantidad de ojos

ocultos • Cornen solamente came • Muchos crean trampas para conseguir alimento, otros acechan a su presa • Matan 0 aturden a su presa inyectandole veneno • Se alimentan libando los jugos de su presa

Reproduccion y Crfas: • Los machos cortejan a las hembras mediante vibrantes sefiales especiales • Despues de salir del huevo algunas crfas se dispersan flotando por los aires y viajando con la corriente hacia otros lugares • Al crecer esas crias se van despojando de su piel

Use with Step 1 Extension:

Tallulah Tarantula Tells All

Darling, you'd think that with eight eyes, I'd see just about anything that moves. But for me, seeing is definitely not believing! So...what's a spider to do? Well, darling, I'll tell you some of my sense-sational secrets. With every step that my legs take, I get to taste-and smell-what I'm stepping into. You better believe that I watch where I walk! You're probably wondering how in the world I hear. Well, darling, I just perk up my hairs. Hairs?! Yes, dearheart. Just about everyone of my gorgeous hairs senses vibrations. Now maybe you think I'm just a little-well, out of my senses. But take it from me: Life's soooo fascinating for us spiders. After all, who else can taste with their legs and hear with their hair! Adaptedfrom a claymation video appearing in Spiders!, a traveling exhibition produced by the Smithsonian Institution,

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Talula La Tarantula Nos Cuenta TodD

Carifio, tn pensarias que con ocho ojos yo puedo ver todo 10 que se mueva. Pero, para mi, definitivamente lver no es para creer! As! es l,que hace una arafia?- Bueno, carifio. Te voy a contar un cuento sensacional. .. Con cada paso que dan n1is patas, yo Ie tomo el gusto y huelo todo aquello sobre 10 que me paro. No 10 creenis, pero lcuando yo camino estoy n1irando! Probablemente estes preguntandote como 10 hago para escuchar. Bueno, carifio. Solo tengo que parar mis peloso l,Pelos? lSi, carino!. Virtualmente cada uno de mis pelos es un fabuloso receptor de vibraciones. Tal vez estes pensando que he perdido el buen sentido. Pero creeme. La vida es muuuuy fascinante para nosotras las arafias. Porque..l,quien acaso puede saborearse con los pies y escuchar con e1 pelo? Adaptado de un video que aparece en SpidersI' (Araiias), una exposicion que se presenta en el Museo de Historia Natural del Smithsonian hasta el2 de enero de 1995.

Use with Step 2: Creepy Crawly Checksheet

Insects

Spiders

Who Has What?

Neither

Both

Wings Endoskeleton Exoskeleton Antennae Six legs Eight legs Two main body parts Three main body parts Segmented legs Pedipalps Eat only meat Young hatch from eggs Go through metamorphosis Cold-blooded Warm-blooded Some catch prey in webs

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JQuien Tiene Que? Alas Endoesqueleto Exoesqueleto Antenas Seis patas Ocho patas Dos partes principales del cuerpo Tres partes pIincipales del cuerpo Patas segmentadas Pedipalpos Comen colo came Las crias se reproducen por huevos Pasan por una metamorfosis Sangre fria Sangre caliente Algunos cogen su presa de las telarafias

Arafias

hlsectos

Ninguno

Ambos

Use with Step 3: Spider Parts

Which part is which? Use the words below to identify what's what on a spider. Just write the correct word in the correct blank-but be careful: There are more words to choose from than you need!

abdomen prosoma eyes pedipalp (there are two of these-label both) chelicerae spinnerets head invertebrate thorax wings

Illustration by Kimberly M. Moeller

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Use can Paso III Partes de una Arana

i,Que parte es cual? Utiliza las palabras que siguen a continuaci6n para identificar 10 que hay en una arafia. Solo escribe la palabra correcta en el espacio correcto...pero ten cuidado. Hay mas palabras para elegir que las que tu necesitas.

abd6men prosoma OJos

pedipalpos quelfceros 6rganos hileros cabeza invertebrados t6rax alas

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The Beaks of the Finches

Cherry Sprague

Type of entry: class activity

Type of activity: hands-on activity simulation inquiry lab

Target audience: AP Biology

Background Information Shortly after Peter Grant published Natural Selection and Darwin's Finches, (Scientific American, Oct. 1991) he accepted an invitation to speak to my classes. The students read his article prior to his talk. His lecture included slides and data of his on-going research work with the finches of the Galapagos. Last summer's reading of The Beak of the Finch by Jonathan Weiner brought a greater insight into the Grants' work, and created the link of the article's pictures of beaks being matched to tools. This led to a revision of labs on natural selection and population genetics for the AP biology classes. The ideas created the following lab simulation(s) and the labs received an enthusiastic and critical review by the students in AP biology. In this simulation students become birds and are given "beak-types". After completing the activity, students will relate results to adaptations and natural selection. Extensions of the simulation allow for comparative results and include population genetics.

From http://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/AEC/AEF/1996/sprague_beaks.php

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Information for the Teacher It is suggested strongly and enthusiastically that teachers read the article and the book prior to doing the lab. At the end of the procedure, there are additional notes for the teachers' perusal and consideration. The problems being studied can be stated in different ways. Here are a few: 1. What is the relationship between beaks and seed-gathering? 2. Which beak(s) are the favored type(s)? 3. How does natural selection contribute to adaptation(s)? 4. Are the beaks at the end of the simulation the best-adapted ones? Required of Students: Complete reading chapter in text that presents evolution by natural selection Read Natural Selection and Darwin's Finches Complete 1/2 page long responses that analyze or interpret the following three quotes. Stephen J. Gould, " Ideal design is a lousy argument for evolution...Odd arrangements and funny solutions are proof of evolution." Richard C. Lewontin, " The relationship between adaptation and natural selection does not go both ways. Whereas greater relative adaptation leads to natural selection, natural selection does not necessarily lead to greater adaptation." Neil Campbell, "Of all the agents of microevolution that change the gene pool, only selection is likely to be adaptive." Although the students' responses have been shared and assessed in class discussions prior to this lab, the results of the lab will provide remarkable illustrations relative to the quotes, and provide a springboard for more critical thoughts and reflections. Preparation Time: One hour to find tools, create a key of tools and buy two bags of different seeds. Class Time Needed: Double period lab(88 minutes) and next day's lecture period(44 minutes)

From http://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/AEC/AEF/1996/sprague_beaks.php

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Activity: The Beaks of the Finches Materials: 10-12 petri dishes 5-6 large Syracuse dishes Two bags of seed types such as, black sunflower seeds and popcorn 12 different tool types-wire cutters, wire stripper, blunt-end pliers, sharp-end pliers, clothes pin, cable attacher, pruning shearers, vise-pliers, long-handled vise, another wire stripper/cutter combo tool, needle-nosed pliers and wire clip Procedure: 1. Place the numbered tools around the room and allow students to note descriptions. Recommend the students draw these and/or write detailed descriptions. Time 15 minutes. 2. Ask students to evaluate the potential value of the tools to pick up seeds singularly and place in the petri dish (crop).(1) 3. Depending on the class size the students eliminate the excess tool(s). For class discussion, before voting, students discuss reasons to eliminate particular tools, while displaying each tool. Once a tool has been nominated to be eliminated, the discussion is expanded to hear the more varied reasons and arguments. The students vote to decide which tool(s) to eliminate(2). There must be at least one more tool than the number of groups in the class. Time 10 minutes. 4 Pairs(or trios) of students are assigned a tool and allowed a few minutes to practice picking up seeds and moving them to the petri dish. One or two-handed holding of the tools is permitted; decide which during the practice minutes. 5. Place hundreds of seeds into each large Syracuse dish(3). Have two sets (two tool groups) of students work from each Syracuse dish. 6. Each student must work the tool. Each student repeats the trial two or three times depending on size of group. Six trials are averaged for a final value. Each tool is to handle one seed at a time. A seed only counts when it drops and stays in the petri dish. After each twenty second feeding period, all seeds are returned to the Syracuse dish. 7. All the students work during the same time period. Teacher starts and ends time. Twenty seconds is the time period. The critical survival value was set at an average of thirty seeds per 20 seconds. 8. Values less than an average 30 seeds/20 seconds were eliminated after the first round. Values were recorded on the board. Those tools and students which were eliminated are asked to monitor the survivors, insure that the rules are followed by those remaining, record the class data, and to observations about what occurs ( strategies) in the more competitive rounds.

From http://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/AEC/AEF/1996/sprague_beaks.php

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9. The surviving tools and sets of students move into four feeding groups at one large Syracuse dish. The number of seeds in the dish remains the same. 10. Steps 6 and 7 are repeated in the larger groups. Data are collected again. Determine the average # seeds/20 seconds from six trials again. The survival value does not change, just the level of competition for the resources. 11. The last and final round of competition places all the tools and sets of students around the same Syracuse dish. Find a table that allows equal access for all feeding groups(sets) in this final round. 12. At the end of this final round, collect the data again. Have students who have been observing write down their observations. Have students who were winners write down any reflections about their competition and survival with the tool. 13. The class results should be discussed as soon as possible so that observations and ideas are shared about this complete round. (4) 14. If time is limited, then this could end the simulation. If time is available, repeat the entire process using another seed type and compare final results. 15. Another variation is to use colored (popcorn) seeds to learn about the survival value of the seeds. In doing a version that looks at the seeds' survival, one can build the activity as a population genetics simulation of Hardy-Weinberg by using three seed colors derived from two codominant alleles giving the three phenotypes. Also, important here is the background of the table tops and the degree of camouflage offered the various seed types. Notes about Procedure (1) Some students during this activity may ask about the seed type. If asked, answer by placing same seeds in a dish. If not, this will quickly become a point of discussion in the next step. (2) Some nominated tools will remain in the simulation and some students will be disappointed with the assigned tool. This creates some of the more interesting competition. (3) Measure the seeds by volume, rather than counting. Covering the entire dish with one layer of seeds is adequate. (4)Focus comments to Darwin's points about natural selection, but avoid any teacher-stated conclusions. The lab reports will be more interesting reading.

Methods of Evaluation (Both Suggested) Post-discussion by groups and by class

From http://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/AEC/AEF/1996/sprague_beaks.php

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Individual lab reports.

From http://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/AEC/AEF/1996/sprague_beaks.php

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The Opposable Thumb Beth-Ann Shepley 1991 Woodrow Wilson Biology Institute

OBJECTIVE. The goal of this activity is to provide students with various opportunities to understand the physical importance of the opposable thumb among primates.

BACKGROUND. A discussion of primate characteristics is often included during units on human evolution. One of the characteristics most often identified as being typically primate and having played a role in human evolution is the opposable thumb. It is argued that the eye-hand coordination made possible by both stereoscopic vision and a grasping hand permitted primates to exploit arboreal habitats in a more efficient fashion. That same hand is used by humans today to manipulate tools and, in turn, the environment with a great deal of dexterity. When students first hear or read about the opposable thumb during discussions of human evolution, they may perceive it as an anatomical fact with little seeming importance. In this activity, students will discover which of their simplest daily activities are possible only because of their opposable thumbs, which activities take longer without the use of an opposable thumb, and what sort of human activities would not be likely in the absence of an opposable thumb.

MATERIALS. (per group) masking tape, paper, scissors, old books, paper towels, access to water faucets, chalk and chalkboard, paper clips, zip-lock storage bags, stopwatch or timer, shoes with laces, jackets with buttons and zippers,

STUDENT DIRECTIONS. Tape your thumbs to the sides of your hands. Then, try to complete the tasks that are listed below. Be careful not to use your thumbs. After completing each item, write out the answers to the following questions: A. Is the task more difficult with or without an opposable thumb? B. How did you have to change your usual technique in order to complete this task? C. Do you think organisms without opposable thumbs would carry out this task on a regular basis? Why or why not?

1. Pick up a single piece of paper 2. Pick up a pen or pencil and use it to write your name on a piece of paper 3. Open a book and turn a single page 4. Pick up a piece of chalk and write your name on the board 5. Tear off a small piece of tape 6. Turn on the water faucet, moisten a paper towel, then turn off the water faucet 7. Wipe down the tabletop with the moistened paper towel 8. Cut a circle out of a piece of paper using scissors 9. Pick up all the paper scraps from above and throw them into the trashcan 10. Pick up one paper clip and clip a pile of papers together 11. Tie your shoelaces 12. Button four buttons 13. Zip up a jacket 14. Close a zip-lock bag

Data Analysis 1. Using the collected data, create a bar graph comparing the time it takes to complete each task. Make sure the graph is complete, with appropriate titles, axes and labels. 2. Using the graph, determine which task was the most difficult to complete without using thumbs. Give a brief discussion as to why you think this was the most difficult task. 3. Compare and contrast the primate hand (with opposable thumbs) to a hoofed animal, such as a cow. What would be the benefits and challenges for each animal?

TEACHER NOTES. The preceding activities can be performed in a variety of ways depending on the amount of time available. Here are several possibilities: Students may work individually at their desks during a class discussion. Each student can choose one or two activities to perform on their own and report their findings orally to the group when complete. Students may work in groups of two or three. One student is responsible for recording the "results" (the answers to those questions listed in the directions)while the remaining students in the group perform the activities. Working in groups, students can use stopwatches to compare the amount of time it takes to complete these tasks with and without the aid of their opposable thumbs.

Modified from http://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/AEPC/WWC/1991/opposable.php

Opposable Thumb Data Sheet Activity

Pick up a single piece of paper Pick up a pen or pencil and use it to write your name on a piece of paper Open a book and turn a single page Pick up a piece of chalk and write your name on the board Tear off a small piece of tape Turn on the water faucet, moisten a paper towel, then turn off the water faucet Wipe down the tabletop with the moistened paper towel Cut a circle out of a piece of paper using scissors Pick up all the paper scraps from above and throw them into the trashcan Pick up one paper clip and clip a pile of papers together Tie your shoelaces Button four buttons Zip up a jacket Close a zip-lock bag

Time to completion using thumbs (seconds)

Time to completion without using thumbs (seconds)

Plants and Pollination Plants are alive, just like people and animals. How do we know this? Living things all do certain things: •They grow and die. •They need energy, nutrients, air, and water. •They produce young. •They are made up of cells. •They react to what's around them. Plants make flowers in order to produce seeds for new plants. Activity 1 - Part of the Flower Using the model of a flower, review the parts flower with the class. 1.

Ask the students the function of the different parts of the flower.

Peduncle: The stalk of a flower. Receptacle: The part of a flower stalk where the parts of the flower are attached. Sepal: The outer parts of the flower (often green and leaf-like) that enclose a developing bud. Petal: The parts of a flower that are often conspicuously colored. Stamen: The pollen producing part of a flower, usually with a slender filament supporting the anther. Anther: The part of the stamen where pollen is produced. Pistil: The ovule producing part of a flower. The ovary often supports a long style, topped by a stigma. The mature ovary is a fruit, and the mature ovule is a seed. Stigma: The part of the pistil where pollen germinates. Ovary: The enlarged basal portion of the pistil where ovules are produced. 2.

Ask the students why plants make flowers.

Activity 2 - Introduction of Pollinators 1. What is pollination? Pollination is the transfer of pollen from a stamen to the stigma of a flower. This is how seeds are made. 2. How does pollination happen? Sometimes plants can pollinate themselves (self-pollination). In many cases, plants rely on outside forces to complete pollination (wind, water, and animals - cross-pollination - 90% of pollination). 3. Have the student brainstorm on the kinds of animals that may be involved in pollination. Examples of pollinators included: insects (bees, butterflies, wasps, flies, and beetles), birds (hummingbirds), bats, and other mammals. 4. Show students models of common pollinators. Activity 3 - Pollination in action Materials Different colors of chalk dust Small container for the chalk dust Cotton swabs 1.

2.

Divide the students into two groups, pollinators and plants. Give each “plant” student a cotton swab and small amount of “pollen” (colored chalk dust) in a small container. Tell each member of the “pollinator” group to visit a “plant” student and dip their finger into the “pollen”.

Questions: What part of the plant did the pollinators touch to get pollen on their finger?

Stamen

Is the plant part male or female? Male What part of the body of the “pollinators” touched the plant part that could carry pollen to the next plant? Depending on the pollinator answers could be hair,

feathers, or bristles. 3.

Have each “plant” student hold up their cotton swab. Remember that the pollinators have just visited a plant and will now move on to another plant of the same species.

4.

Tell the “pollinator” students to visit a different “plant” student and to rub some of their “pollen” on to the cotton swab.

Questions: What part of the flower does the cotton swab represent? Stigma Is this flower part male or female? Female

IN YOUR

SMITHSONIAN

Classroom Inside Lesson Plan Take-Home Pages in English/Spanish

November/December 1997

Subjects Science Art Language Arts Grades 4–9

PLANTS AND ANIMALS: Partners in Pollination

Publication of this issue of Smithsonian in Your Classroom is made possible through the generous support of the Pacific Life Foundation.

Visit us on the Web e d u c a t e . s i . e d u

Contents Background Essay

Page 1

Lesson Plan Step 1

Page 4

Activity Page 1A

Page 5

Activity Page 1B

Page 6

Lesson Plan Step 2

Page 7

Activity Page 2

Page 8

Lesson Plan Step 3

Page 9

Activity Page 3A

Page 10

Activity Page 3B

Page 11

Take-Home Page

Page 12

Resources

Page 13

Smithsonian in Your Classroom’s purpose is to help you use the educational power of museums and other community resources. Smithsonian in Your Classroom draws on the Institution’s hundreds of exhibitions and programs— from art, history, and science to aviation and folklife—to create classroom-ready materials for grades four through nine. Each of the four annual issues explores a single topic through an interdisciplinary, multicultural approach. The Smithsonian invites teachers to duplicate materials from this publication for educational use. You may request a large-print or disk version of Smithsonian in Your Classroom by writing to the address listed on the back cover or by faxing your name, school name, and address to (202) 357-2116.

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Most flowering plants (ninety percent) depend on animals to make the vital pollen-grain delivery. The remaining flowering plants rely on wind and sometimes splashing raindrops to ferry pollen, but this is a less precise method. Pollinating animals do the job for a reward: food, usually in the form of nectar. This issue of Smithsonian in Your Classroom explores the theme of the National Zoo’s Pollinarium exhibition: how plant and animal partners interact to accomplish pollination. As in many processes in nature, timing is important. The female reproductive part of a flower is receptive to pollen only at certain times of the year. Creatures like insects and birds, which move from flower to flower in search of food, are a fast and often guaranteed way for plants to distribute their pollen. Both the male and the female reproductive parts of a plant are in the center of the flower. The male, pollen-producing part is called the anther, held aloft by a stalk called a filament. The entire male apparatus is called a stamen. Each pollen grain is unique to its species. The female reproductive part of a plant, the stigma, sits on top of a style, or stalk, which leads to an ovary at the base. The entire

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Ultimately, all life on Earth depends on plants to provide food, shelter, and oxygen for other living things. Consequently, plant reproduction is crucial to all other life on this planet. The first step in plant reproduction is the intricate process called pollination, which occurs when pollen grains, the male germ cell of a plant, reach the stigma, the female reproductive part of the same species of plant. Depending on the plant species, a flower can produce male, female, or both structures. Pollination can also occur within the same flower.

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PLANTS AND ANIMALS: Partners in Pollination

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female plant mechanism is called a pistil. How does the process of plant pollination by animals work? A pollinator (such as a bee, bird, bat, or butterfly) in search of food visits a plant. The plant has secreted nectar, a concentrated food source, from special glands and tucked it away in its blossom. While crawling around the blossom looking for nectar, the pollinator rubs against the pollen, which becomes attached to different parts of the pollinator’s body. When the pollinator visits another blossom, it transfers the pollen grains from its body onto a strategically placed stigma. After it reaches the stigma, the pollen grain grows a tiny pollen tube down the style and into an egg-filled ovary. Eventually, the pollen and the egg form a seed. Scientists estimate that there are many thousands of animal pollination partners, ranging from invertebrates (animals without backbones) such as bees, butterflies, wasps, flies, and beetles to vertebrates (animals with backbones) such as birds, bats, and other mammals. In North America, most of the pollinators are insects like bees, butterflies and beetles, or vertebrates like hummingbirds and bats. But elsewhere in the world pollinators can be primates (like lemurs), Australian possums, arboreal (tree-dwelling) rodents, or even reptiles like the gecko lizard.

The animal pollinators carry the pollen in different ways. Vertebrate pollinators like birds or bats carry pollen in their feathers or hair. Although invertebrates like bees and butterflies lack hair, they have something just as suitable for carrying pollen: bristles situated on their legs, head, and other body parts. Honeybees have tiny baskets on their legs for carrying pollen back to the hive. When butterflies use their long proboscis, or nectar-gathering appendage, to sip nectar from tubular flowers, they get peppered involuntarily with pollen on the proboscis or the head. Plants use various techniques to attract their particular animal partners. Flowers are actually cleverly designed reproductive organs that incorporate all kinds of lures. The petals, for example, may serve as a landing platform for a visiting insect. When a bee lands on the lower petal of a snapdragon, its weight causes a stamen to swing down and dust the bee with pollen. Petals of many plant species even have lines or other marks that guide the pollinator to the nectar. Another type of lure is aroma. A flower’s scent must appeal to its pollinator. Many people appreciate the sweet smell of honeysuckle on a midsummer night. At that time, it’s at its strongest to draw the honeysuckle’s pollinators: nocturnal moths who “smell” with their feathery antennae. While most flowers have a sweet, pleasant fragrance, there are exceptions. One example is the Rafflesia flower, whose “rotten meat” aroma, which is offensive to most humans, is precisely what attracts its pollination partner: the fly.

2 Smithsonian in Your Classroom Plants and Animals: Partners in Pollination November/December 1997

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Plant structures, too, are designed to attract specific pollinating partners. The Queen Anne’s lace flower places its nectar right at the base of its tiny flowers where pollinators with a short proboscis (nectar-gathering appendage) such as honeybees, ants, wasps, flies, and beetles can reach it when they crawl on the flower. On the other hand, bumblebees, butterflies, and moths have long proboscises, which enable them to reach nectar in less accessible places. For example, the long shape and curve of the columbine flower complements the long tongue of a bee, butterfly, or hummingbird. By concealing the nectar deep within its trumpet-like blossoms, the columbine prevents animals who are not its pollination partners from taking the nectar and transferring any pollen. Plants also use colors to attract their ideal animal pollinators. Hummingbirds often, but not always, are attracted to red flowers. As it turns out, red flowers are typically loaded with carbohydraterich nectar, which provides almost instant energy for the fast-moving hummingbirds. Insect pollinators see color differently than we do because they are sensitive to ultraviolet (UV) light. UV light makes the reproductive areas of some flowers stand out. To human eyes a buttercup appears as a uniform yellow, but to a bee’s eyes the flower’s

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center (where the reproductive structures are) is darker because it reflects UV light. Bees are also attracted to blue and violet flowers. Flowers pollinated by animals who search for food at night are often pale so they’ll be visible. Through natural selection, a process in which living things become better adapted to their environments, some plants have evolved to match a particular animal pollinator. While this may be efficient because the pollinator will always visit the right species, it can also be dangerous for both partners should one or the other become extinct. On a worldwide scale, animals pollinate more than three-fourths of the staple crop plants that people eat. Scientists estimate that one out of every three bites of food we take is the result of a successful animal-plant pollination system. For instance, consider a hamburger or hotdog with “the works”: ketchup, relish, mustard, and onions. Several different bee species pollinated the flowers of the plants that produce these condiments: tomatoes, cucumbers, mustard seed, and onions. Other bees were responsible for the side dishes. For example, hardworking bees pollinated the potato plant that eventually became potato chips and French fries. And for dessert, an endless variety of ice cream flavors, such as strawberry, chocolate, and vanilla, is also the result of successful plant-animal partnerships. A world without pollinators, and thus without flowers, and so many types of food, would be a poor world indeed!

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Smithsonian in Your Classroom Plants and Animals: Partners in Pollination November/December1997 3

LESSON PLAN Step 1 How Does Pollination Work?

Objectives ■ Identify the plant parts involved in reproduction. ■ Identify the animal (bee) structures involved in pollination. ■ Demonstrate how pollen moves from the male stamen to the female stigma. Materials ■ Copies of Activity Pages 1A and B. ■ A small dish or container filled with talcum powder. You can also use corn starch, flour, or different colors of chalk dust. ■ Cotton swabs Subjects ■ Science, language arts

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Procedure 1. Give each student a photocopy of Activity Page 1A. Have them study the line drawing of the flower. Ask them to identify and write down each plant part described below. • Female and sticky or feathery to trap pollen (the stigma) • Female and holds up the stigma (the style) • Female and contains the egg-producing ovary (the pistil) • Male and produces pollen grains (the anther) 2. Give each student a photocopy of Activity Page 1B. Have them study the line drawing of the bee. Ask them to identify and write down the bee structure or structures that do the following: • collect nectar (proboscis) • may carry pollen (bristles, legs and baskets, head)

3. Divide the students into two groups: the pollinators (bees) and the plants. Give each member of the plant group a cotton swab and a small amount of “pollen” (talcum or other type of powder) in a container or dish. Instruct each member of the pollinator group to visit a member of the plant group and dip a finger into the pollen. At this point, ask the class to name the part of the plant that the pollinators touched (the stamen, which consists of the anther and the filament) to get the pollen on their fingers. Have them determine whether it is a male or female part. Ask the students what parts of the pollinators’ “bodies” (represented by their finger) touched the stamen that could carry the pollen to the next plant. Ask what they were looking for when they got to the plant (nectar) and what appendage they used to get it (proboscis bristles).

4 Smithsonian in Your Classroom Plants and Animals: Partners in Pollination November/December 1997

4. Have each member of the plant group hold aloft a cotton swab. Explain that the pollinators have just visited one plant and will now move on to another plant of the same species. Instruct the pollinators to visit a different member of the plant group and rub some of the pollen they are carrying onto that plant’s swab. Ask the students what part of the flower the swab represents (stigma) and whether it is a male or female part (female). 5. Have each group meet separately to discuss its specific role as a pollination partner and how it benefitted from the pollination process. Have each group select a spokesperson who will take notes and report the findings to the class.

ACTIVITY PAGE 1A Flower Anatomy

anther

stamen

filament

stigma style

pistil

ovary

Name each part of the flower described below. 1. Female and sticky or feathery to trap pollen:

3. Female and contains the egg-producing ovary:

2. Female and holds up the stigma:

4. Male and produces pollen:

Smithsonian in Your Classroom Plants and Animals: Partners in Pollination November/December1997 5

ACTIVITY PAGE 1B Bee Anatomy

abdomen

thorax head

abdominal spiracle

leg pollen basket (right corbiculum) leg

Name the part or parts of the bee that do the following: 1. Collect nectar: 2. Carry pollen:

6 Smithsonian in Your Classroom Plants and Animals: Partners in Pollination November/December 1997

proboscis (tongue)

LESSON PLAN Step 2 Understanding How Pollination Affects the World’s Food Supply Objectives ■ Interpret the links between pollination and food production. Materials ■ Copies of Activity Page 2. ■ Pens or pencils. Subject ■ Science Procedure 1. Explain to your class that most of the foods we eat (one out of every three bites) are the result of a pollination partnership. Add that different species of bees pollinate many of the plants that make up our food supply. Ask your students whether they like bees. Naysayers will undoubtedly mention that bees sting or that they are allergic to bees. Tell your students that they are going to explore a world without bees and, in particular, what the food supply would be like if bees no longer existed.

2. Direct your students to Activity Page 2. Ask students to imagine a world without bee-pollinated plants: the “BeeFree Zone.” Explain that they are going to attend a barbecue in the Bee-Free Zone and that hamburgers are on the menu. Have the students read the list of bee-pollinated plants that appears at the top of the page. 3. Tell your students that they have chosen a hamburger or hot dog from the grill. Explain that they can now choose what they will have with their hamburger or hot dog. Remind them that this is the bee-free barbecue and that the foods listed under “Plants Pollinated by Bees” won’t be available. These include tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, lettuce, potatoes, oil for frying lettuce, potatoes,lemons, oranges, oranges, limes, lemons, seed, limes,cacao mustard mustard seed,used cacao used in bean inbean making making chocolate, vanilla, chocolate, vanilla, sugar,

almonds, watermelon, and apples. 4. Have your students select the items on the checklist that they could not have at the bee-free barbecue. After they’ve eliminated the bee-pollinated items from the list, have them describe the meal that would remain. 5. Conclude the lesson by asking

your class to decide whether the availability of bee-pollinated food items is worth the risk of getting stung by a bee in their lifetimes.

Smithsonian in Your Classroom Plants and Animals: Partners in Pollination November/December1997 7

ACTIVITY PAGE 2 Bee-Free Barbecue

Some of the more common products from animal-pollinated plants include tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, lettuce, oil for frying potatoes, oranges, potatoes, oranges, lemons, limes, lemons, mustard seed, cacao bean (used in mustard limes, seed, cacao bean (used in making chocolate), making vanilla, almonds, watermelon, vanilla, chocolate), sugar, almonds, watermelon, and apples. and apples Welcome to the Bee-Free Barbecue! If all the animal pollinators were to become extinct, which of the foods listed below could you not have with your hamburger or hot dog? ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

mustard lemonade ketchup potato chips pickles strawberry milkshake cheese

Describe the rather dull meal you would have left.

8 Smithsonian in Your Classroom Plants and Animals: Partners in Pollination November/December 1997

■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

mayonnaise french fries onions hot fudge sundae tomatoes apple pie watermelon

LESSON PLAN Step 3 How a Plant Attracts the Right Pollinator

Objectives ■ Describe the complementary relationships between pollinators and the plants they pollinate. ■ Identify adaptations that flowers have developed to “encourage” pollination. Materials ■ Copies of Activity Pages 3A and B and the Take-Home Page. ■ Pens, pencils, crayons. Subjects ■ Science, language arts, art Procedure 1. Begin the lesson by explaining that over time flowers have developed adaptations to ensure that the best pollinator (one that will carry pollen onto another flower of the same species) will return again and again. Pollinators such as hummingbirds and honeybees have also adapted to ensure that they will have a plentiful food supply.

2. Give each student a copy of Activity Page 3A. Explain that you’re trying to determine which animal would make the best pollinator for the trumpet flower. Have your students study the pictures while you provide the following background: • The trumpet flower is red in color, has an upside-down “tube” shape, has no “landing” spot, and has little fragrance. • Hummingbirds have a poorly developed sense of smell; are attracted to the colors red, pink, orange, and yellow; “hover” at, rather than land on, their flowers; and have a long bill and tongue. • Honeybees have a short proboscis, cannot see red, must land and crawl, and are attracted to sweet fragrances. 3. Have your students answer the questions on Activity Page 3A. (Is the honeybee or the hummingbird more likely to access the nectar? Is the shape of this particular flower more appropriate for a honeybee or a

hummingbird? Which pollinator would be more attracted to the flower’s color? Would a honeybee be lured by the trumpet flower’s scent? Is there a place for a honeybee to land? Which animal would make the best pollinator for the trumpet flower?) 4. Give each student a copy of Activity Page 3B. Remind them that flowers are designed to attract pollinators with specific tastes and attributes. Have your students answer the following questions on Activity Page 3B: What is your favorite color? What is your favorite shape? What smells good to you? What is your favorite snack? 5. Have your students pair off. Instruct them to state their preferences, which they’ve listed on Activity Page 3B. Then have each of them draw simultaneously their

partner’s “designer flower.” For fun, have them make it as unreal as possible. For example, one might design a flower that is black, triangular in shape, smells like fresh-baked brownies, and provides pizza as a reward. Have each pair present their “designer flowers” to the class. As an extension, have the artist be the flower, designing “adaptations” suited to his or her partner’s preferences. 6. Direct your students to the Take-Home Page. Tell them to think up and draw a fictional pollinator-plant pair. (For example, a flower that smells like Swiss cheese would likely attract a rodent pollinator.) Remind students that the goal is to get the animal to pick up the pollen and carry it to another plant of the same species. Have them list the attributes of the plant that attract the pollinator and the mechanism or mechanisms by which the pollinator carries the pollen to the next plant.

Smithsonian in Your Classroom Plants and Animals: Partners in Pollination November/December1997 9

ACTIVITY PAGE 3A Looking at Adaptive Structures

1. In the trumpet flower, the nectar is located at the bottom of the long, curved blossom. Which animal(s) are more likely to get nectar from the trumpet flower? Why?

2. Would the flower’s color attract the honeybee? Why or why not?

3. Would the flower’s lack of a scent turn away a hummingbird? Why or why not?

4. Does the trumpet flower have a place where a pollinator can land and crawl around?

5. Based on your observations, which animal do you think would make the best pollinator for the trumpet flower?

10 Smithsonian in Your Classroom Plants and Animals: Partners in Pollination November/December 1997

ACTIVITY PAGE 3B Design Your Own Flower

1. Fill out your preferences below and give them to your partner. What is your favorite color? What is your favorite shape? What smells good to you? What is your favorite snack? buuuuzzzzbb

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2. Now imagine that you are a flower adapting to your partner’s preferences. In the box above, create a “designer” flower to suit your partner’s preferences. In the lines below, describe why the flower you designed would appeal to your partner.

Smithsonian in Your Classroom Plants and Animals: Partners in Pollination November/December1997 11

TAKE-HOME PAGE TRABAJO PARA HACER EN LA CASA

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Dibuja una flor real o imaginaria que atraería a tu “polinizador.” Nombra las characterísticas de tu flor que atrayeron a tu polinizador. También nombra las partes de tu flor que transfirieron los granos de polen a tu polinizador.

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Now try to draw a real or made-up flower that would attract your “pollinator.” Label the features of your flower that attracted your pollinator. Label the features of your flower that transferred its pollen grains to your pollinator’s body.

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Draw a real or made-up “pollinator” in the box above. Label your pollinator’s pollencarrying structures.

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12 Smithsonian in Your Classroom Plants and Animals: Partners in Pollination November/December 1997

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Publication of Smithsonian in Your Classroom is made possible through the generous support of the Pacific Life Foundation. Esta publicación ha sido posible gracias al generoso aporte de la Pacific Life Foundation.

Pollinator Polinizador

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RESOURCES

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BOOKS AND TEACHING GUIDES Brackenbury, John. Insects and Flowers: A Biological Partnership. Dorset, England: Blandford Press, 1995. Cole, Joanna. The Magic School Bus Plants Seeds: A Book About How Living Things Grow. New York: Scholastic, 1995. Johnson, Sylvia A. Roses Red, Violets Blue: Why Flowers Have Colors. Minneapolis, Minn.: Lerner Publications, 1992. Proctor, Michael, Peter Yeo, and Andrew Lack. The Natural History of Pollination. Portland, Ore.: Amadeus Press, 1996.

ELECTRONIC RESOURCES Many government and educational organizations sponsor sites on the World Wide Web pertaining to pollination. All of the sites listed below describe the process of

pollination and provide information on plantanimal interactions as well as adaptations. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Global Entomology Agriculture Research Server (GEARS) is an awardwinning site dedicated to promoting the latest entomological research findings. The site’s Internet Classroom section at http://gears/ tucson.ars.ag.gov provides a number of excellent links to information on pollination and related topics. What Is Pollination? A Sticky Question, a pollination unit developed by the Missouri Botanical Garden, offers online lesson plans, definitions, activities, and “virtual biomes” for use in the classroom. You can access this site through MBGnet (http://www. mobot.org/MBGnet), which is produced and maintained by the Evergreen Project, Inc.

A Passion for Butterflies http://www.si.edu/ organiza/museums/ zoo/zooview/animals/ butterfl.htm Pollination and Benefits of Insects http://www. ento.vt.edu/Courses/Un dergraduate/IHS/ENT2 004/Pollen.htm Pollination: The Art and Science of Floral Sexualityhttp://www. fonz.org/pollinat.htm The Structure of a Flower and Pollination http:// www.biohaven.com/ biology/flower.htm Pollination Adaptations http://koning.ecsu. ctstateu.edu/ Plants_Human/ pollenadapt.html

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Judy Manning Friends of the National Zoo Tamsen M. Gray Department of Invertebrates National Zoo

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SMITHSONIAN IN YOUR CLASSROOM Smithsonian in Your Classroom is a publication of the Smithsonian Office of Education, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20560. Writer Lydia Paddock Editors Douglas Casey Jennifer Jackson Translator Sarita Rodriguez Designer/Illustrator Karlic Design Associates, LLC Baltimore, Maryland Publications Director Michelle Knovic Smith

SMITHSONIAN IN YOUR CLASSROOM ONLINE This publication is also available electronically over the World Wide Web at http://educate.si.edu. Look for more information on Smithsonian electronic educational services and publications in future issues of Smithsonian in Your Classroom.

Smithsonian in Your Classroom Plants and Animals: Partners in Pollination November/December1997 13

SUBSCRIBE TO Smithsonian in Your Classroom For a free subscription to Smithsonian in Your Classroom, make a copy of this form and send it to Smithsonian Office of Education / Smithsonian in Your Classroom, Arts and Industries Building 1163, MRC 402, Washington, DC 20560. Please print clearly. Name Address

ZIP Directions Print clearly and include your ZIP code. Check ONE of the following boxes: ■ This is my school (or other organization) address.

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Estimating Population Size Objective: You will be expected to estimate the size of a sample population using the mark-recapture technique. Be able to apply the technique to new population problems and compare the mark and recapture technique to other methods of population estimating. 1. If you were in charge of a team given the responsibility to determine the number of sunfish in Horseshoe Lake, discuss with your partner how would you accomplish this task and describe in detail below. Technique 1: Sampling A technique called sampling is sometimes used to estimate population size. In this procedure, the organisms in a few small areas are counted and projected to the entire area. For instance, if a biologist counts 10 squirrels living in a 200 square foot area, she could predict that there are 100 squirrels living in a 2000 square foot area. 2. A biologist collected 1 gallon of pond water and counted 50 paramecium. Based on the sampling technique, how many paramecium could be found in the pond if the pond were 20,000 gallons. 3. What are some problems with this technique? What could affect its accuracy?

Technique 2 - Mark and Recapture In this procedure, biologists use traps to capture the animals alive and mark them in some way. The animals are returned unharmed to their environment. Over a long time period, the animals from the population are continued to be trapped and data is taken on how many are captured with tags. A mathematical formula is then used to estimate population size.

Procedure: You will receive a bag that represents your population (beans, pennies, chips, beads) Capture 10 “animals” by removing them randomly from the bag. Place a mark on them using tape or string Return the 10 marked “animals” to the container

With your eyes closed, select 15 “animals” from the contain one at a time. This is the recapture step. Record the number of “animals” recaptured that have a mark on the data table. Return the “animals” to the bag and repeat. Do 10 recaptures. When the ten recaptures are are completed, enter the total number captured on the data table Also enter the total number of recaptured that have a mark

Data Table

Trial Number

Number Captured

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15

Total:

150

Number Recaptured with mark

Calculations

In order to estimate your population size, follow this formula Estimate of Total Population = (total number captured) x (number marked) (total number recaptured with mark) 4. What is the estimation of your population? (Show your calculations below) Estimated Size ___________ 5. Use the code-name on your bag to check with the teacher about how many “animals” are really in your population. Name on Bag ___________________________ Actual Size _____ Analysis 6. Compare the actual size to the estimated size. Did you overestimate or underestimate? 7. Repeat the experiment, this time add another 10 data fields to the ten trials you already have. Recalculate your estimate using the formula. (Show below)

Trial Number Number Number Captured Recaptured with mark 11 15 12 15 13 15

What does this say about the number of trials that should be conducted in a real mark & recapture?

14 15 16 17 18 19 20

15 15 15 15 15 15 15

Total:

300

(add original data + new data)

8. Given the following data, what would be the estimated size of a butterfly population in Wilson Park. A biologist originally marked 40 butterflies in Wilson park. Over a month long period butterfly traps caught 200 butterflies. Of those 200, 80 were found to have tags. Based on this information, what is the estimated population size of the butterflies in Wilson park?

9. In what situations would sampling work best for estimating population size, in what situations would mark & recapture work best. You’ll probably have to think about this one. Justify your answer.

*Remove all tags before returning your population! http://www.biologycorner.com/worksheets/estimatepop.html

Lesson Plan #:AELP-ENV0019

Designing an Ecologically Sound City An Educator's Reference Desk Lesson Plan

Author: Dianne S. Vance; Park City Middle School, Utah Date: May 1994

Grade Level(s): 5 Subject(s):  

Science/Environmental Education Science/Ecology

OVERVIEW: To make students aware of the need to respect their environment, and its natural resources. To apply that knowledge. To develop an "ecologically sound" city. OBJECTIVES: Using an outline the learner will design an "ecologically sound" city. The city is required to include the following: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Laws for the city to help make all citizens aware of their ecological responsibilities. Power source for lights and heat. These power sources do not have to be the same. One river that runs through or around the city. Some method for waste disposal. Two productive industries. Homes for the population.

RESOURCES/MATERIALS: Books: Deep Ecology: Living as if Nature Mattered by Bill Devall Saving the Earth by Will Steger Student Environmental Action Guide: 25 Simple Things We Can Do by Student Environmental Coalition 50 Simple Things Kids Can Do to Save The Earth by The Earth Works Group Design for a Livable Planet: The Eco-Action Guide to Positive Ecology by Jon Naar

Ecology for Beginners by Stephen Croall and William Rankin The Global Ecology Handbook: What You Can Do About the Environmental Crisis by The Global Tomorrow Coalition. Videos: Water A Dwindling Resource Ecology Today with Dan Rather ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES: Outline: Group Number: Name of City: Population of city: State the laws of your city that will help your citizens be "ecologically" responsible: Describe the power source that your citizens use for heat: Draw a picture of that power source: Describe the power source that your citizens use for light: Draw a picture of that power source: Describe the method that your citizens use for waste disposal: Draw a bird's eye view of your "ecologically sound" city. Use a legend in the corner to define industries, homes, etc. Field trips to water purification plants, and waste disposal sites. Field trips to city offices to discuss master plan of the city. Development of a master plan that can have a positive ecological effect upon the city. TYING IT TOGETHER: Each group will design and build a model of their ecologically sound city by using their master plan. They will then share the model with the class and justify their master plan.

May 1994

These lesson plans are the result of the work of the teachers who have attended the Columbia Education Center's Summer Workshop. CEC is a consortium of teacher from 14 western states dedicated to improving the quality of education in the rural, western, United States, and particularly the quality of math and science Education. CEC uses Big Sky Telegraph as the hub of their telecommunications network that allows the participating teachers to stay in contact with their trainers and peers that they have met at the Workshops.

Is Yeast Alive? Adapted from “Is Yeast Alive?” by Penny Bernstein at Kent State University, Stark Campus 1 copyright 2008 by Dr. Ingrid Waldron and Jennifer Doherty, University of Pennsylvania Biology Department

Humans use yeast every day. What is yeast, and what are some common uses of yeast?

You can buy yeast to make bread in the grocery store. This yeast consists of little brown grains. Do you think that these little brown grains of yeast are alive? Why or why not?

To find out whether yeast is alive, we first need to think about what makes something alive. What are some characteristics of living organisms?

To begin to answer the question, "Is yeast alive?”, you will test whether the grains of yeast have two characteristics of living things -- the ability to grow and the ability to use energy (referred to as metabolism).

Scientific Experiment to Test for Metabolism We will carry out an indirect test for metabolism. In other words, we will be indirectly testing whether yeast can use energy, which is one of the characteristics of living organisms. When yeast, humans, and other living organisms use energy, they break down highenergy molecules like sugar to get the energy they need and give off a gas called carbon dioxide as a by-product of this reaction. We will test whether yeast can metabolize sugar and produce a gas which we will presume is carbon dioxide. Specifically, we will test whether yeast produces a gas when it has sugar available as a food vs. when no sugar is available.

1

Teachers are encouraged to copy this student handout for classroom use. A Word file (which can be used to prepare a modified version if desired), Teacher Preparation Notes, comments, and the complete list of our hands-on activities are available at http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/sci_edu/waldron/.

1

Research Question: Does yeast metabolize sugar and produce a gas? Predictions: Do you expect yeast to produce a gas when sugar is available? __________ Do you expect yeast to produce a gas when no sugar or other food is available? __________ Explain the reasons for your predictions. Procedure to Test Your Predictions 1. Set up four test tubes in a test tube rack. 2. Label each tube with a number, 1-4. Test tubes 1 and 2 will both have yeast, sugar and water. Test tubes 3 and 4 will both have only yeast and water, with no sugar. 3. Fill test tube 1 4/5 full with warm tap water. Add one packet of dry yeast a little bit at a time, mixing the yeast in thoroughly before adding more. Mix by putting your hand or thumb over the top of the test tube and shaking. 4. Pour the yeast solution so that there is an equal amount in each of the four test tubes. 5. Add ½ packet of sugar to test tube 1 and the other half to test tube 2. These tubes will be your experimental group. Do not add sugar to tubes 3 and 4. 6. Add warm tap water to each test tube, filling each test tube 4/5 of the way to the top. 7. Cover the opening of each test tube with a balloon to catch any gas that is formed. Using the balloon to seal the end of the tests tube, hold a finger over the end of each test tube and shake it vigorously to thoroughly mix the contents. 8. Observe the test tubes and record your observations carefully in the table on the next page. Then, every 5 minutes for 25 minutes, observe what occurs in the test tubes and any changes in the balloons which cover each test tube, and record your observations. If the yeast grains are capable of metabolism, it will take some time to produce enough carbon dioxide to see the change in the balloons. While you are waiting for this change, set up the experiment to test growth, which is described on page 4.

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0 minutes

5 minutes

10 minutes

15 minutes

20 minutes

25 minutes

Test tube 1

Test tube 2

Test tube 3

Test tube 4

9. Discuss the results you obtained with your group. How do you interpret your results?

10. Why is it better to have two test tubes with yeast, sugar, and water and two test tubes with just yeast and water, instead of only one test tube with each type of mixture?

11. When you make bread, if you just mix flour, sugar and water, the dough does not rise, and the bread will be flat and hard. If you include yeast in the bread dough, then the dough rises and the bread is bigger and fluffier. Can you explain how the yeast helps the bread dough to rise?

3

Procedure to Test for Growth Research Question: Can the little brown grains of yeast grow? Instructions 1. Obtain a Petri dish with yeast growth media, and label the bottom with your name, teacher, and class period. (A Petri dish is a flat, covered dish used by scientists, and the yeast growth media in the Petri dish contains a mixture of substances that yeast requires to grow.) 2. Spread10-12 grains of yeast across your plate. 3. Add several drops of water on the grains of yeast. 4. Your plates will be incubated at 37° C until the next lab class. How warm or cold is that? 37° C is equivalent to _______° F. Observations 5. At the next lab class, inspect your plate. Do you see any signs of growth on the plate? Sketch what you see.

6. Take a sample of the growth and observe it under the microscope. Describe what you see.

Conclusions Based on your findings, do you think the little brown grains of yeast are alive? Explain why or why not.

4

Teacher Preparation Notes for Is Yeast Alive? by Dr. Ingrid Waldron and Dr. Jennifer Doherty, Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, 20091

Equipment and Supplies: Baker’s yeast (preferably rapid rising super active; make sure the yeast has not reached its expiration date) (see Teacher Preparations 1, below) Sugar (see Teacher Preparations 1, below) Plastic zip-lock baggies (2 per group) Small water balloons (4 per group) (see Teacher Preparations 1, below) Test tubes, between 15-25 mL (4 per group) (see Test Tubes or Substitutes, below) Test tube rack (1 per group) Container for water that will hold at least 100 mL (1 per group) Gloves (optional, ~2 per group) Sharpies (1 per group) Sterile nutrient agar plate (1 per group) (see Sterile Nutrient Agar Plate Preparation, pages 2-3) Microscope(s), slides and coverslips (2-4 per group) (see Microscope Supplies, below) Test Tubes or Substitutes: You can purchase a variety of plastic test tubes at www.testtubesonline.com for less than 10 cents each (sometimes much less). You can also purchase test tube racks for $4.35. If you have only very limited budget, supplies, and equipment, you can do the first half of the lab activity (the test for metabolism) using yeast, sugar, small water balloons, and the plastic tubes used to hold single cut flowers or very small bottles which have narrow necks that will fit into the ends of the water balloons. Take care to keep the volume of whatever container you chose small enough so it and the balloons fill up with carbon dioxide within 25 minutes using a reasonable amount of yeast. Microscope Supplies: Purchase from Carolina Biological: 632962 22 × 22 mm Coverslips $3.55 Box of 100 632950 Microscope slides $6.95 Box of 72 If you do not have access to reasonable quality compound microscopes (yeast cells are 5-10 µm in diameter), this lab activity can be done just as well by simply omitting step 6 on page 4 of the student handout.

Teacher Preparations: 1. You will need to experiment with your yeast and size of test tube to determine how much yeast you need for four test tubes. We have found that approximately 1 g of yeast and 1.5-2 g of sugar per 25 mL test tube provide good results. 1 sugar packet is 4.3 g of sugar. For best results, use small water balloons and make sure the seal between the test tube and water balloon is tight. If you use large test tubes (100ml or greater) regular sized balloons work well. 2. At least one day before class, prepare one Petri dish of yeast growth medium per group, as described in the following section. 1

These teacher preparation notes and the related student handout are available at

http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/sci_edu/waldron/.

1

3. At the beginning of class, have ready group kits of 4 test tubes, 4 balloons, 1 zip-lock bag with an appropriate amount of yeast and another zip-lock bag with an appropriate amount of sugar, together with a test tube rack, sharpie, and container for the students to get warm water. You may want the students to wear gloves then they shake their test tubes to mix the yeast. 4. For experiment 2, have the students use only 10-12 grains of yeast and a small amount of water. If incubating at room temperature allow 3-4 days for growth. If you can incubate at 37º C, then overnight will be sufficient. Sterile Nutrient Agar Plate Preparation: There are three ways of obtaining sterile nutrient agar plates. Although options 1 and 2 are more expensive, we recommend them if you do not have experience preparing sterilized media. 1. Buy plates that are pre-poured with sterile nutrient agar. About $1.80 per plate. 821862 Nutrient Agar, Prepared Media Plates 100 x 15 mm, Pack 10 $17.95 2. Buy solid sterile nutrient agar medium that you microwave to liquefy and then pour into sterile Petri dishes. See pouring instructions below. About $1.30 per plate. 82-1045 Nutrient Agar Media Kit for Preparing 20 plates $25.95 3. Prepare sterile nutrient agar from powder using an autoclave or a stove-top pressure cooker and then pour into sterile Petri dishes. Simply boiling the agar is not sufficient for sterilization and your plates will be contaminated with bacteria. Between $0.75-0.40 per plate. 789374 Nutrient Agar Dehydrated Media Set for Preparing 40 plates $30.30 or 173651 Yeast-Extract Dextrose Medium for Preparing 100 plates $15 or 173650 for Preparing 25 plates $4.95 741250 100 × 15 mm Petri dishes for 20 plates $4.95 To do this, add the appropriate amount of nutrient agar and distilled water (see table below) into a flask or glass bottle and cover with aluminum foil. When using an autoclave or pressure cooker always use a container that is twice the volume of the liquid you are sterilizing. To sterilize the solution you want to keep the autoclave or pressure cooker at 15 psi for 20 minutes. To use the pressure cooker, add about 1” of water to the pot, place the covered glass container in the pot, and close and lock the lid. Following the instructions for your pressure cooker, start timing 20 minutes after the pressure cooker has reached the right pressure. After sterilizing, use caution when removing the pressure cooker lid so you do not get scalded with steam. Let the agar cool to 50oC before pouring plates. Nutrient Agar + Distilled Water = Yield Nutrient Agar Distilled Water Yield 23 g 1000 ml 50 plates 11.5 g 500 ml 25 plates 9.2 g 400 ml 20 plates 4.6 g 200 ml 10 plates

2

Pouring Plates: When pouring sterilized media into sterile Petri dishes it is important to always keep the agar covered and the lid on the Petri dish unless you are actively pouring in agar in order to avoid contamination. 1. Pour enough of the sterilized agar medium (cooled to approximately 50oC) into each sterile plastic Petri dish to cover the bottom—about 1/8" to 1/4" deep. You do not need to remove the cover of the plate completely; you can just lift the lid enough to pour in the agar. When you have poured the plate lower the lid immediately. If the medium solidifies before you finish pouring, it can be reheated in the microwave. 2. Place the covered agar plates on a countertop to cool and solidify. Agar medium will set like stiff gelatin at room temperature. 3. The agar medium is now ready for storage or use. Storage: Do Not Freeze! Stack agar plates upside down in the refrigerator. The purpose of placing the plates upside down is to prevent condensation from dripping down onto the agar surface which could then facilitate movement of organisms between colonies. If plates have been refrigerated, set them out and allow them to warm to room temperature before using them.

Teaching Points
The characteristics of life include using energy (i.e. metabolism), ability to grow and develop, reproduction, homeostasis, response to the environment, evolutionary adaptation, composed of one or more cells, and has genetic material.
The first experiment indirectly tests for the ability to metabolize, i.e. utilize energy. When sugar is available, the yeast metabolizes the sugar and produces carbon dioxide, a gas which accumulates in the balloons and causes them to get bigger.
Replication of each experimental condition is useful to be more confident of your results, since experimental results are often variable even when you try to maintain the same conditions.
The second experiment tests for the ability to grow.
Some things that look dead are actually alive in dormant forms that can survive long periods in difficult environments (e.g. too dry or lacking in food), until the environment improves and provide the conditions needed for active metabolism and growth.

Possible Addition to This Activity If your students can use boiling water, they can design additional experiments to test whether treating the grains of yeast with boiling water kills them and prevents subsequent metabolism and growth. This provides further evidence that the production of gas and growth occurred because the yeast grains were alive. However, this only works if the yeast grains are treated with water which is boiling or very close to boiling and not merely hot.

Related Activities One alternative activity, "Cellular Respiration in Yeast", investigates the effects of sugar concentration and other variables on the rate of metabolism in yeast (available on this website). Another activity, "Taste Test: Can microbes tell the difference?", measures the rate of yeast metabolism with different foods such as artificial sweeteners and different beverages (available at http://www.asm.org/Education/index.asp?bid=35292). Another activity, "Yeast on the Rise", tests the rate of rising in bread doughs that differ in the concentrations of sugar or other ingredients (available at http://www.microbeworld.org/resources/experiment/pgs62-65.pdf).

3

Discussion of Metabolism The yeast which is used to make bread is Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This yeast is a facultative anaerobe, which means that when oxygen levels are low or glucose levels are high, sugar is metabolized without using oxygen, resulting in the production of a small amount of ATP, as well as carbon dioxide and ethanol. As the bread bakes, the ethanol evaporates. Bubbles which contained carbon dioxide provide the fluffy texture of bread. Saccharomyces cerevisiae and other members of the same genus are used in making wine and beer, where, obviously, the production of alcohol is a major goal. An alert and well-informed student may point out that in typical (aerobic) cellular respiration, although CO2 is generated, an equal number of molecules of O2 are consumed, so there is no net increase in gas molecules. C6H12O6 + 6 O2  6 CO2 + 6 H2O + ATP glucose

oxygen carbon gas dioxide

water energy

To respond to this observation, it is important to understand the difference between aerobic respiration and anaerobic fermentation. The first major step in cellular respiration is glycolysis (see the top of the figure below): 1 glucose  2 pyruvate + 2 ATP What happens next depends on whether or not oxygen is available to the cells (see the bottom of the figure below). When oxygen is available, cells can use the Krebs cycle (citric acid cycle) and the electron transport chain to make up to 36 ATPs. This is called aerobic respiration. 2 pyruvate + 6 O2  6 CO2 + up to 36 ATP When oxygen is not available, yeast cells use a process called fermentation which does not produce additional ATP, but maintains the conditions needed for continuing glycolysis. Fermentation in yeast cells produces ethanol and CO2. Obviously, fermentation yields much less ATP per glucose molecule than aerobic respiration.

Figure from Johnson and Raven, 2004, Biology, Holt Rinehart and Winston, p. 110

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MODELING LIMITS TO CELL SIZE By James Deaver

Type of Entry: lesson/class activity

Type of Activity: hands-on simulation inquiry lab

Target Audience: Life Science Biology Advanced/AP Biology Anatomy and Physiology

Notes to Teacher:

Abstract Why can't cells continue to grow larger and larger to become giant cells, like a blob? Why are most cells, whether from an elephant or an earthworm, microscopic in size? What happens when a cell grows larger and what causes it to divide into two smaller cells rather than growing infinitely larger? This investigation provides students with a 'hands-on' activity that simulates the changing relationship of Surface Areas -to- Volume for a growing cell.

http://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/AEC/AEF/1996/deaver_cell.php

1

Background Making Model Cells Pairs of students are given duplicated copies of the Cubic Cell Models on heavy, colored paper (Fig.1). The four cell models are then cut out, folded, and glued together by the students. The models represent one cube-shaped cell at increasing stages of growth. The smallest stage represented is 1 Unit long on a side; the largest stage is 4 Units on a side. If one unit equals 1.3 cm or less, all four cutouts will fit on one 8.5 -by- 11 inch page. After assembling the cell models, students fill each cell with fine sand. The sand is kept level with the open top of each cell.

Project Comparing Cell Sizes By analyzing the four sand-filled cubic models, students can find answers to many questions about cell growth such as the following. (Answers are contained in the parentheses.) 1. Give the formula for computing the following data about the cell models when the length of one side equals "s" : Area of one face (A = s2); Total surface area of a cell (A = 6 x s2); Volume of a cell (V = s3); and Distance from the center of cell to center of each wall (D = s/2). 2. Compute the data above for each cell. The smallest cell has s =1 unit, and the largest cell has s = 4 units (Table 1). 3. Using a scale, find the weight of each sand-filled cell in grams (Table 1). 4. Compute the Surface Area -to- Volume Ratio and Surface Area -to- Weight Ratio for each cell (Table 2). 5. Anything that the cell takes in, like oxygen and food, or lets out, such as carbon dioxide, must go through the cell membrane. Which measurement of the cells best represents how much cell membrane the models have ? (Total Surface Area). 6. The cell contents, nucleus and cytoplasm, use the oxygen and food while producing the waste. Which two measurements best represent the cell content ? (Volume and Weight). 7. As the cell grows larger and gets more cell content, will it need more or less cell membrane to survive ? (The cell needs more membrane in order to provide greater area for intake of oxygen and food and release of waste.) http://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/AEC/AEF/1996/deaver_cell.php

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8. As the cell grows larger, does the Total Surface Area -to- Volume Ratio get larger, smaller, or remain the same ? (The ratio decreases from 6 to 1.5) 9. As the cell grows larger, what happens to the Total Surface Area -to- Weight Ratio ? (The ratio decreases from 1.5 to 0.37). 10. Why can't cells survive when the Total Surface Area -to- Volume ratio becomes too small ? (The greater cell content needs more oxygen and food than the membrane can take in and produces more waste than the membrane can release.) 11. Which size cell has the greatest Total Surface Area -to- Volume Ratio ? (The smallest cell.) 12. Which size cell has the greatest chance of survival ? (The smallest cell.) 13. What can cells do to increase their Total Surface Area -to- Volume Ratio ? (Divide.) 14. How many s = 1 unit cells would fit into an s = 3 unit cell ? (27). 15. Which has more Total Surface Area, one s = 3 cell or 27 s = 1 cells ? (27 s = 1 cells.) Have students stack 27 s=1 cells inside a s=3 cell. Table 1. Measurements of Cube Cell Models Cell Size | Area of |Total Surface|Volume of |Distance from |Weight of Cell s Units | One Face | Area | Cube Cell |Center to Edge|Filled w/Sand ============================================================================= ==== 1 1 6 1 0.5 ~ 4 grams 2 4 24 8 1.0 ~ 32 3 9 54 27 1.5 ~ 1 4 16 96 64 2.0 ~ 256

Table 2. Ratios of Cube Cell Models Cell Size | Total Surface Area | Total Surface Area Units | -to- Volume Ratio | -to- Weight Ratio ============================================================================= ==== 1 6 / 1 = 6 = 6:1 6 / 4 = 1.5 2 24 / 8 = 3 = 3:1 24 / 32 = 0.75 3 54 / 27 = 2 = 2:1 54 / 108 = 0.5 4 96 / 64 = 1.5 = 3:2 96 / 256 = 0.375

http://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/AEC/AEF/1996/deaver_cell.php

3

Fig. 1

http://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/AEC/AEF/1996/deaver_cell.php

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We can see DNA??? Developed by: M. Oltmann & A. James (Procedure from NEXUS Research Group)

Teacher Material California State Standards Cell Biology  1.a. Students know cells are enclosed within semipermeable membranes that regulate their interaction with their surroundings. Genetics  5.a. Students know the general structures and functions of DNA, RNA, and protein. Investigation & Experimentation  1.d. Formulate explanations by using logic and evidence. Synopsis Students will isolate their own DNA from cheek cells, test for molecular components, and predict the structure of the double helix. Background DNA is the genetic material that organisms inherit from their parents. A DNA molecule is very long and usually consists of hundreds or thousands of genes. DNA encodes the information that programs all of the cell’s activities. Without DNA our cells wouldn’t know when to divide, when to die, where to migrate to in the body – they would be helpless. DNA is made up of various components. Hydrogen bonds hold together the nitrogenous bases (adenine, thymine, guanosine, cytosine) called purines and pyrimidines. Adenine always binds to thymine and guanine always binds to cytosine. Adenine and guanine are called purines and pair up via 2 hydrogen bonds, while thymine and cytosine are pyrimidines and pair up via 3 hydrogen bonds. Deoxyribose (sugar) and phosphates link together to make the “backbone” of the DNA structure. In today’s lab, students will be isolating your very own DNA, and testing it for certain molecular components. In the end, students should be able to predict the structure of the DNA they have isolated. Objectives Via a simple DNA isolation procedure, students will isolate their own DNA from cheek cells and be able to actually visualize the long strands of precipitated DNA. Upon isolation, students will test their samples for purines, phosphate, and deoxyribose – all components of the double helix. Then while giving the students only minimal clues, the students will be asked to create a model of the double helix, based on the known structures of purines, pyrimidines, phosphates, sugars, and the hydrogen bonds that hold the two strands of DNA together.

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Suggested Timeline The wet lab portion of this activity can be completed in approximately 1.5 hours, and another hour should be dedicated to introduction, discussion, and modeling of DNA. Materials (for 10 groups of students) Sodium Chloride (table salt) – 5 grams per group Dish-washing detergent – just a few drops per group Disposable cups – 2 per group Drinkable water – 25 ml per group Glass tubes – 2 per group Glass hook – 1 per group Water bath Disposable pipets (droppers) – 4 per group Ice-cold 70% ethanol – 1 bottle (~500 mL) for everyone to share 2M ammonia – 200 mL 0.1M silver nitrate – 100 mL 0.2M ammonium molybdate – 200 mL Disches Reagent – 500 mL ---> 243 mL glacial acetic acid 7 mL sulfuric acid 2.5 g diphenylamine 250 mL water Advanced Teacher Preparation The teacher should prepare the necessary solutions. Experimentation Objectives Students will be able to: 1. Work carefully with chemicals 2. Isolate DNA from their cheek cells 3. Predict the double-helix structure of DNA Engagement The teacher can emphasize to the students that they will be isolating their own DNA and that they will be able to actually see strands of DNA. The teacher should instigate thoughts of structure and organization of the DNA. Exploration The students will learn and practice measuring solutions and following lab procedures. They will be able to visualize strands of DNA, something that is usually just seen as an animated picture in textbooks. Term Introduction (1) Pyrimidines: family of nitrogenous bases; six-membered ring of carbon and nitrogen atoms; cytosine and thymine are pyrimidines. (2) Purines: family of nitrogenous bases; six-membered ring fused to a fivemembered ring; larger than pyrimidines; adenine and guanine are purines.

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Exploration Phase The exploration phase should be based on the students’ observations of the isolated DNA, as well as the results of the tests for purines, phosphate, and deoxyribose. Questions such as the following should be asked to ensure the understanding of the purpose of the lab: 1. What role does DNA play in our cells? 2. Where do we find DNA in our cells? Concept Application Phase The students can use the results from their purine, phosphate, and deoxyribose tests (which should all be positive) to predict the structure of DNA (given the basic structure of these three components). Feedback Questions 1. What was the most interesting part of this lab? 2. Did this lab help you understand the structure of DNA?

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DNA MODELING TEMPLATES

A

G

C

T

deoxyribose

nitrogenous bases

hydrogen bonds

phosphates

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(STUDENT HANDOUT BEGINS) Names ________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________ Class Period _____

We can see DNA??? Introduction DNA is the genetic material that organisms inherit from their parents. A DNA molecule is very long and usually consists of hundreds or thousands of genes. DNA encodes the information that programs all of the cell’s activities. Without DNA our cells wouldn’t know when to divide, when to die, where to migrate to in the body – they would be helpless. DNA is made up of various components. Hydrogen bonds hold together the nitrogenous (adenine, thymine, guanine, cytosine) called purines and pyrimidines; and sugars and phosphates link together to make the “backbone” of the DNA structure. In today’s lab, you will be isolating your very own DNA, and testing it for certain molecular components. In the end, you should be able to predict the structure of the DNA you have isolated. Materials: (per group) You should have the following supplies at your lab station: 2 glass tubes 1 glass hook 2 disposable cups salt dishwashing detergent 4 disposable pipets/droppers Procedures: (1) Dissolve 5 grams of salt in 50 mL of water; add a squirt of dish-washing detergent; save this solution for step 3. ** Soapy solutions (detergents) help break cellular membranes apart. (2) Swirl about 25 mL of water around your mouth for 30 seconds; spit into a disposable cup. (3) Add 2 cm of the solution from step 2 to a glass tube. Add 1 cm of the salt/detergent solution from step 1. (4) Mix the solutions gently by inverting (turning upside down) the tube 4 times.

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(5)

Slowly add 2 cm of ice-cold ethanol and watch the two solutions mixing. You should see tiny white strands appear. Hook the strands of DNA with a glass hook.

(6)

Now use your isolated DNA to test for the following molecular components of DNA: (use just one glass tube for all tests, but be sure to clean it out carefully between each test) 





Test for purines: Add 20 drops of 2M ammonia solution and 5 drops of 0.1M silver nitrate to 1 mL of DNA extract. A white precipitate indicates the presence of purines. Test for phosphate: Add 1 mL of 0.2M ammonium molybdate to 0.5 mL of extracted DNA and warm gently at 60-70°C. DO NOT BOIL. Yellow color indicates presence of phosphate. Test for deoxyribose: Add 2 mL of Disches reagent to 1 mL of extracted DNA. Boil in water bath for 15 minutes. Green-blue color indicates presence of deoxyribose.

(Procedure from NEXUS Research Group) Observations: Record your observations from the isolation procedure and the tests below.

Post-Lab Questions: - Why did we swish water around in our mouths? - Where did the DNA come from? - Why do you think we added detergent to the solution? - Could we have isolated our DNA if we had forgotten to add detergent?

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Print-and-Go™ http://learn.genetics.utah.edu

First, you need to find something that contains DNA. Since DNA is the blueprint for life, everything living contains DNA. For this experiment, we like to use green split peas. But there are lots of other DNA sources too, such as: • • • •

Spinach Chicken liver Strawberries Broccoli

Start

Certain sources of DNA should not be used, such as: • Your family pet, Fido the dog • Your little sister’s big toe • Bugs you caught in the yard

Step 1

Blender Insanity! Put in a blender: • 1/2 cup of split peas (100ml) • 1/8 teaspoon table salt (less than 1ml) • 1 cup cold water (200ml) Blend on high for 15 seconds. The blender separates the pea cells from each other, so you now have a really thin pea-cell soup.

© 2008 University of Utah

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How to Extract DNA from Anything Living

Soapy Peas Pour your thin pea-cell soup through a strainer into another container (like a measuring cup).

Step 2

Add 2 tablespoons liquid detergent (about 30ml) and swirl to mix. Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes. Pour the mixture into test tubes or other small glass containers, each about 1/3 full.

Step 3

Enzyme Power Add a pinch of enzymes to each test tube and stir gently. Be careful! If you stir too hard, you’ll break up the DNA, making it harder to see. Use meat tenderizer for enzymes. If you can’t find tenderizer, try using pineapple juice or contact lens cleaning solution.

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How to Extract DNA from Anything Living

Alcohol Separation Tilt your test tube and slowly pour rubbing alcohol (70-95% isopropyl or ethyl alcohol) into the tube down the side so that it forms a layer on top of the pea mixture. Pour until you have about the same amount of alcohol in the tube as pea mixture.

Step 4

Alcohol is less dense than water, so it floats on top. Look for clumps of white stringy stuff where the water and alcohol layers meet.

Finish

What is that Stringy Stuff? DNA is a long, stringy molecule. The salt that you added in step one helps it stick together. So what you see are clumps of tangled DNA molecules! DNA normally stays dissolved in water, but when salty DNA comes in contact with alcohol it becomes undissolved. This is called precipitation. The physical force of the DNA clumping together as it precipitates pulls more strands along with it as it rises into the alcohol. You can use a wooden stick or a straw to collect the DNA. If you want to save your DNA, you can transfer it to a small container filled with alcohol.

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How to Extract DNA from Anything Living

You Have Just Completed DNA Extraction! Now that you’ve successfully extracted DNA from one source, you’re ready to experiment further. Try these ideas or some of your own: Experiment with other DNA sources. Which source gives you the most DNA? How can you compare them? Experiment with different soaps and detergents. Do powdered soaps work as well as liquid detergents? How about shampoo or body scrub? Experiment with leaving out or changing steps. We’ve told you that you need each step, but is this true? Find out for yourself. Try leaving out a step or changing how much of each ingredient you use. Do only living organisms contain DNA? Try extracting DNA from things that you think might not have DNA.

Want to conduct more DNA extraction experiments? Try out different soaps and detergents. Do powdered soaps work as well as liquid detergents?

Supported by a Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) [No. 1 R25 RR16291-01] from the National Center for Research Resources, a component of the National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services. The contents provided here are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of NCRR or NIH.

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The Chromosomes of a Frimpanzee Developed by: B. Wang & E. Leon

Teacher Material California Standards Addressed: Grade 7 Science: Focus Life Sciences 

1e. Cell Biology. Students know cells divide to increase their numbers through a process of mitosis, which results in tow daughter cells with identical sets of chromosomes.

California Standards Addressed: 9-12 Grade Biology/Life Science     

2a. Genetics. Students know meiosis is an early step in sexual reproduction in which the pairs of chromosomes separate and segregate randomly during cell division to produce gametes containing one chromosome of each type. 2b. Genetics. Students know only certain cells in a multicellular organism undergo meiosis. 2c. Genetics. Students know how random chromosome segregation explains the probability that a particular allele will be in a gamete. 2d. Genetics. Students know new combinations of alleles may be generated in a zygote through the fusion of mail and female gametes (fertilization). 2e. Genetics. Students know approximately half of an individual’s DNA sequence comes from each parent.

Synopsis: In this guided inquiry lesson, students create and use paper models of chromosomes to model the processes of mitosis and meiosis. They use these models to understand how mitosis yields two cells with identical chromosomes, and how meiosis yields four cells with half the number of chromosomes as the parent cell. Students can also use the models to discover that the process of meiosis can yield cells with different combinations of chromosomes and mating these sex cells will yield offspring with different traits. Suggested Class Time: 1 – 3 class periods depending on whether the optional Part III is implemented. Background Information: Cells divide by two processes – mitosis and meiosis. Mitosis, which is by far the more common process, yields two cells with identical chromosomes as the parent cell. Meiosis only occurs in the sex cells or gametes. This process yields four cells, each with half the number of chromosomes as the parent cell. The combinations of chromosomes in each of the daughter cells can vary, and different repetitions of meiosis can yield many different combinations of chromosomes. After mating, these different sex cells will yield offspring with different combinations of traits. Advance Preparation/Materials:  Photocopies of student handouts  Photocopies of chromosome models on blue and pink paper. Each student will need one pink sheet and one blue sheet. Page 1 of 11

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 Scissors  Tape

Engagement: 1. Draw a picture of an imaginary animal on the board and label it “frimpanzee.” Ask the students what they know about “frimpanzees.” Discuss with them that even though they have never heard of such an animal, they still can make some guesses about what it does and how it lives by looking at its structure. 2. Ask the students if they can tell you anything about what it’s mother and/or father looked like. They should be able to make some guesses – if they do not, lead them into the idea that probably the parents had the same number of arms, same number of legs, probably similar features, etc. Ask them if they look like their parents, or their brothers and/or sisters. 3. Now ask them why…. Why do people and animals look similar to their parents? And what does this have to do with meiosis??

Exploration/Activities: Students work individually or in groups of 2 or 3 for this activity. The Student Handout has detailed instructions and quite a bit of background information. It guides the students through the construction of the models, modeling mitosis, modeling meiosis, and applying these concepts to real traits – in this case, frimpanzee hair color and type. The instructor may wish to supplement this by allowing the students to look in their textbooks for help. Although the students will be doing hands-on activities, the success of this lesson lies in the teacher’s ability to make sure that the students are moving through the processes of mitosis and meiosis correctly. The teacher and any other helpers should circulate around the room, helping groups of students as they become confused. The instructor can also go demonstrate the stages step-by-step by moving a set of the chromosome models on an overhead projector. The students won’t be able to see the colors, but they will be able to see where the chromosomes are during each stage of the process. Part III of this activity is optional and could be skipped. However, this part of the lesson helps emphasize that genes for various traits are located on the chromosomes and that meiosis can result in different combinations of alleles that will yield offspring with different combinations of traits after mating. Concept Application/Assessment: Part III is really the concept application of this activity. Students apply what they know about meiosis and attach real traits to the chromosomes to discover how different combinations are possible from the same parent. The Student Handout has many questions which can be graded and used for assessment.

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Photocopy on BLUE Paper

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Photocopy on PINK Paper

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Student Handout. The Chromosomes of a Frimpanzee: An Imaginary Animal Introduction By now, you have heard the terms chromosome, mitosis, and meiosis. You probably also know that chromosomes contain genetic information in the form of DNA and that every person has 23 pairs of chromosomes containing exactly the same genetic information in every cell in his/her body (except the sex cells). But have you ever seen a chromosome? Have you ever seen mitosis or meiosis as it was happening? Almost certainly not, because chromosomes are too small to see with the naked eye. One way that scientists try to understand processes that are too small (or too big) to see is to build simple models and to use them to try to understand how things work. In this activity, we will use colored paper to make models of the chromosomes in a cell of a make-believe animal called a frimpanzee that has a total of 6 chromosomes per cell. Then we will use these models to try to answer some questions such as: 1. What combinations of chromosomes result from the process of mitosis? 2. What combinations of chromosomes result from the process of meiosis? 3. How does the formation of gametes from meiosis relate to heredity and Punnett Squares? Making your chromosome models is easy: 1. Fold the blue sheet in half lengthwise (along the solid line). 2. Keeping the sheet folded, cut on the dotted lines - Keep the four folded pieces of paper that have a shape that looks like this energy + carbon dioxide + water Anaerobic Respiration food ---> less energy + lactic acid © 2004 Event-Based Science Institute

This activity was developed by the Event-Based Science Institute with generous support from the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation. A teacher version of this and all other baseball/biology activities is available free from the Institute. This Muscle Fatigue activity was written by Susan Fazio, science teacher at Tilden Middle School, North Bethesda, MD. http://www.ebsinstitute.com/Baseball/EBS.crb3sa.html

SKILLS ...............................................

Choose Your Stress Stress A - Repetitive Contraction/Small Muscles 1. With a partner acting as timekeeper, open

2. 3. 4.

5.

and close a test tube clamp as many times as you can in 30 seconds. Record this value as you rest for 10 seconds. Repeat steps 1 and 2 four more items for a total of 5 trials. Trade places with your partner and act as timekeeper as (s) he performs the same procedure. Repeat steps 1 through 4 using the other hand. Stress B - Repetitive Contraction/Large Muscles 1. With a partner acting as timekeeper, raise two

2. 3. 4. Courtesy Prevention.com

5.

textbooks to shoulder height as many times as you can in 30 seconds. Record this value as you rest for 10 seconds. Repeat steps 1 and 2 four more items for a total of 5 trials. Trade places with your partner and act as timekeeper as (s)he performs the same procedure. Repeat steps 1 through 4 using the other arm.

Stress C - Sustained Contraction/Small Muscles 1. With a partner acting as timekeeper, squeeze a test tube clamp into a

fully open position and hold it for as long as you can. 2. Record this value as you rest for 10 seconds. 3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 four more items for a total of 5 trials. This activity was developed by the Event-Based Science Institute with generous support from the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation. A teacher version of this and all other baseball/biology activities is available free from the Institute. This Muscle Fatigue activity was written by Susan Fazio, science teacher at Tilden Middle School, North Bethesda, MD. http://www.ebsinstitute.com/Baseball/EBS.crb3sa.html

4. Trade places with your partner and act as timekeeper as (s)he performs

the same procedure. 5. Repeat steps 1 through 4 using the other hand.

Stress D - Sustained Contraction/Large Muscles 1. With a partner acting as timekeeper, raise two textbooks to shoulder 2. 3. 4. 5.

height and hold it there as long as you can while your partner times you. Record this value as you rest for 10 seconds. Repeat steps 1 and 2 four more items for a total of 5 trials. Trade places with your partner and act as timekeeper as (s)he performs the same procedure. Repeat steps 1 through 4 using the other arm.

© 2004 Event-Based Science Institute

This activity was developed by the Event-Based Science Institute with generous support from the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation. A teacher version of this and all other baseball/biology activities is available free from the Institute. This Muscle Fatigue activity was written by Susan Fazio, science teacher at Tilden Middle School, North Bethesda, MD. http://www.ebsinstitute.com/Baseball/EBS.crb3sa.html

Comparison of Classroom Air with Exhaled Air This experiment uses limewater (a very concentrated calcium carbonate solution) as an indicator solution. Limewater turns cloudy when CO2 is added to it. 1.

Work in groups. Get the following supplies: two small beakers, one drinking straw, a pipette, and a container of limewater.

2.

Fill each beaker about half full with limewater. Label the beakers 1 and 2. Note: Read through the instructions COMPLETELY before you continue.

3.

Do you think bubbling room air into Beaker 1 will cause the limewater to turn cloudy? Enter you hypothesis in Table 6.2.

4.

Do you think bubbling your exhaled air into Beaker 2 will cause the limewater to turn cloudy? Enter your hypothesis in Table 6.2.

TABLE 6-2 EFFECT OF BUBBLED AIR ON LIMEWATER Hypothesis (Yes or No) Will room air cause the limewater in Beaker 1 to turn cloudy? Will exhaled air cause the limewater in Beaker 2 to turn cloudy? 5.

Results

To bubble room air, repetitively squeeze and release air from the pipette into the liquid in Beaker 1. Continue this process for one minute. Observe the beaker during the bubbling process and record your results in Table 6-2.

6.

To bubble test your exhaled air, blow very gently through the drinking stra into the liquid in Beaker 2. Continue this process for one minute. Caution: Be careful not to suck the solution into your mouth!

7.

When you’ve completed your experiment, empty your beakers into the waste container.

Copyrighted material from Thinking About Biology by Bres and Weisshaar 2007 ■ Exercise 16 Activity 3

1

Comprehension Check 1. In one or two sentences, summarize the results of this experiment.

2.

Om the basis of your results, what gas was bubbled into Beaker 2? _______________

3.

In reference to Question 2, what process produced the gas? ______________________

4.

If people in the classroom are exhaling, why do you think your Beaker 1 results were negative?

Copyrighted material from Thinking About Biology by Bres and Weisshaar 2007 ■ Exercise 16 Activity 3

2

Experiment to Clean Up an Oil Spill An environmentally-friendly oil spill experiment (Courtesy Minister of Supply and Services Canada 1994) The enclosed package provides information on pollution from ships and Australia's measures for preventing and controlling ship-sourced pollution: Do you want to try cleaning up an oil spill yourself? This experiment will help you understand why it is such a difficult task. All of the tools you will need are environmentally friendly and easy to find. See your science teacher if you have any questions.

You need: • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

one 28 cm x 19 cm x 4 cm clear glass baking dish (or equivalent) water blue food colouring 12 tbsp. vegetable oil 8 tbsp. pure cocoa powder 1 tsp. table salt a tablespoon a teaspoon 5 paddle-pop sticks a coffee mug sorbents (paper towel, cotton balls, rag, string, nylon pot scrubber, sponge, styrofoam cup, garden peat moss) 1 squirt of liquid dishwashing detergent tweezers or tongs bird feathers

To prepare the fresh water: • • •

Fill baking dish with cold tap water within 1 cm of rim. Add 5-6 drops of food dye. Mix dye and water with a stirring stick. Let solution settle.

Answer question 1 in Observations.

To simulate crude oil: • • •

Place 3 tbsp. of vegetable oil in mug. Add 2 tbsp. of cocoa powder. Mix cocoa powder and oil thoroughly with a paddle pop stick.

To contaminate fresh water: •

Very slowly pour simulated crude oil from a height of 1 cm onto the top of the fresh water dish. If you pour the oil too quickly, the experiment won't work.

Answer question 2 in Observations. Wait 3 minutes. Do you want to change your answer to question 2 in Observations?

To test the sorbents: •

Place a small sorbent sample into the centre top of the contaminated fresh water.

Answer questions 3, 4, 5 and 6 in Observations. Remove sorbent with tweezers or tongs. Repeat step 1 with other sorbent samples. Answer questions 7, 8, 9 and 10 in Observations. Clean out contaminated fresh water. Prepare new simulated fresh water following instructions above. Add detergent to the oil-contaminated fresh water. Answer questions 11, 12 and 13 in Observations.

To determine how oil affects feathers: Dip feather into oil-contaminated fresh water. Answer questions 14 and 15 in Observations. Repeat all of the above procedures substituting an ocean for the fresh water. To prepare the ocean, follow the fresh water procedures except add 1 tsp. of salt and mix it with the water before step 2. At the end of the ocean experiments, answer question 16 in Observations.

Questions on Observations:

1. How is the fresh water/ocean different from tap water? 2. What happened to the oil when you dropped it on the fresh water/ocean? Did it sink? Float? Mix in? 3. How much oil did the sorbent clean up? How quickly? 4. Does the sorbent pick up water too? If so, how can you tell? 5. Does the sorbent sink or float? 6. What is the condition of the contaminated sorbent? 7. How would you pick up the oil-contaminated material in a "real" oil spill in fresh water/the ocean? 8. How would you dispose of the oil-contaminated material in a real oil spill? 9. Of the sorbents you tested, which one worked the fastest? The best? 10. What other materials could you use as sorbents? 11. What happened when the detergent was added to the contaminated fresh water/ocean? 12. Where would the oil go in "real" fresh water/ocean after a dispersant (like the dishwashing detergent is used? 13. How clean is the fresh water/ocean now that it has dishwashing liquid in it? 14. What happens when a feather gets oil on it? 15. How might an oiled feather affect a bird? 16. Are the results of the experiment different when you use fresh water instead of an ocean? From http://www.amsa.gov.au/Marine_Environment_Protection/Educational_resources_and_informati on/Teachers/Classroom_Projects/Clean_up_oil_spill_exercise.asp