ANNOUNCING:
CATS Biology Connections II
Distance Learning Spring 2002
Web-based Graduate credit, WVU Biology 493
(Only four nights, home activities, and $33/credit)
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OVERVIEW: This web-based program offers a modular format that includes four on-site laboratory investigations, at-home activities, and WebCT virtual instruction
Genetics *** Evolution *** Ecology
Who: Designed for, but not restricted to, teachers who want to update their biological science content knowledge and get some hands-on experiences
Why: Variable graduate credit of 1-3 hours. One credit per Module (Cost: $33 per credit hour). Text, CD, and all materials are provided.
How: Registration will be on-site January 16th at one of the sites listed below.
Requirements: No prerequisites. Four required on site meetings. Participants are required to have access to an Internet browser (Netscape 4.0 or Explorer 4.0, or greater). Be in a WVU graduate program or register for ONE 3 hr course under our "professional development" arrangement (NOTE: that this arrangement can only be used once!).
Registration: If a WVU student, register through the WVU "star" system (star.wvu.edu) ID = ss#; password = birth date. The course is listed in the extended learning section under BIOLOGY493J sptp:biology connectn2. If this fails, register at the 1st on-site (will take check or credit card).
Contacts: The nearest facilitator (see below),OR ekeller@wvu.edu, or bwest@access.k12.wv.us
When: The first on-site class is from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p. m. The 2nd, 3rd, and 4th meeting dates are tentative. Facilitators will be flexible to adjust the subsequent three on-sites to the needs of the participants.
January 16, 2001 -- Genetics section begins
February 20th -- Genetics section ends Evolution section begins
March 20th
-- Evolution section ends Ecology section beginsApril 17th
-- Ecology section ends,~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CONTACTS
Confirmed Sites * Facilitator * Facilitator's email
Parkersburg High * Jody Cunningham * <pka00201@ALPHA.WVUP.WVNET.EDU>
Concord College, Athens * Teresa Barton * cnc00989@mail.wvnet.edu
Roane County High * Patricia Williams * pawillia@access.k12.wv.us
Oak Glen High School * Jules Adam * jadam@access.k12.wv.us
Logan High School * Elizabeth Wilson * ewwilson@access.k12.wv.us
Morgantown High * Eric Kincaid * ekincaid@access.k12.wv.us
Hedgesville High * Vandana Gupte * vgupte@msn.com
WV Sch. of Osteopathic. Med., Lewisburg * Judy Westrik * jwesterik@wvsom.edu
CONTENTS
PRESENTATION CONTENT AND ACTIVITITES
PATTERNS OF INHERITANCE
Unit 1: Mendelian Inheritance
Unit 2: Polygenic Inheritance
Unit 3: Genetic Diseases
Unit 4: Expression of Genes
Unit 5: Plant and Animal Domestication, the Green Revolution. and Genetic
Activities
Mendel Activity *** Punnett Square ***Blood Agglutination Inheritance in the Pea Plant *** Mendel’s Laws to Corn Inheritance Sex Linked Inheritance *** Blood Type Inheritance
Pedigree Analyses *** Inherited Traits of the Human Head
Inheritance of Antigen/Antibody Interaction *** Polygenic Inheritance *** Gene Frequencies *** Karyotype Analysis
EVOLUTION
Unit 1: History of Evolution
Unit 2: Methods of Evolution
Unit 3: Species
Unit 4: Evidence of Evolution
Unit 5: Extinction
Unit 6: Evolution of Life
Unit 7: Evolution of Homo sapiens
Activities
Darwin Activity *** Natural Selection and the Peppered Moth
Horse Activity *** Marine Fossil *** Ice man Activity
Comparing the Ape, Human, and Chimpanzee Skulls
The Skulls of the Human Family
ECOLOGY & CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
Unit 1: Growth and Regulation of Populations
Unit 2: Communities
Unit 3: Ecosystems
Unit 4: Biome Characterization
Unit 5: Biological Conservation
Unit 6:Human Impact on Ecosystems
Activities
Limiting Factors in an Aquatic Environment
Planetary Temperature Regulation *** Soil Macroinvertebrate:
Energy from a Burning Nut *** Compost Column Lab
Humus in a Soil *** Chemical Properties of Soil
Human Impact on Tropical Rainforest Ecosystems
Wat Treatment Simulation *** Biome-Human Population Distributions
DELIVERY
The delivery system is virtually all from WebCT, however the on-sites are all group oriented activities, presented at the regional labs.
There is no satellite delivery. The text is Audsirk & Audsirk (most recent version. The CD and most materials are provided
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Below are three examples of AT-HOME activities, note that the West Virginia IGO's are also presented.
Mendel Activity 6 points (At-home)
Purpose: To ascertain some of the written thoughts that Mendel penned in the synthesis of his research titled: "Experiments in Plant Hybridization." These experimental results ultimately led Mendel to the formation of his Laws of Inheritance.
WVIGO's: 8.36, 10.28
Background: For many years in the mid 19th century, Gregor Mendel performed a large series of experiments on pea plants as the Abbot of the Abby at Brno, Austria. The results of these experiments led to the understanding of the field of modern Genetics, plant and animal breeding, and the basis of the Green Revolution.
Teaching Strategies for Students with Disabilities
Materials:
"Experiments in Plant Hybridization"
Procedures:
1) Click on the above article and read the first 3 paragraphs of the Introductory Remarks.
2) Below, present your interpretation of the several points that Mendel wanted to communicate to his audience in the first three paragraphs of the Introductory Remarks of his paper (in 50 words or less).
Your name: [required]
Facilitators e-mail address
Your e-mail address [required]
A copy of the activity will be sent to the facilitator when this box is checked.
Commentary on the first three sections of the introduction of Mendel's paper: What does he convey to you?
First Paragraph of the Introductory Remarks (50 words or less)
Second Paragraph of the Introductory Remarks (50 words or less)
Third Paragraph of the Introductory Remarks (50 words or less)
SUBMIT RESPONSE
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Darwin Activity - 10 points (at-home)
Purpose: To examine some of the writings that Darwin penned in his synthesis of the 19th century book "The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection". To have you experience Darwin's "original thoughts" in assessing, interpreting, and synthesizing the outcomes of the masses of information he processed and utilized before the formal release of his tome to the world.
WVIGO's: 10.34 & 10.69
Background: For many years in the early and mid 19th century following his return from the trip around the world on HMS Beagle, Darwin labored on his book. This synthesis was based on the masses of information that he had gathered along with information from Hopkins, Lyle, Malthus, etc. After 17 years of analyzing and writing the "origin" that lighted the lamp of knowledge about human ancestry and, the evolution of life, it was finally published in 1859.
Safety: Normal safety procedures required.
Teaching Strategies for Students with Disabilities
Materials: "The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection"
Procedure:
1) Click on the above link and read the final paragraph of the INTRODUCTION (NOT of the first Chapter).
2) Then, read the final paragraph of the LAST CHAPTER (15).
Questions:
Your name: [required]
Facilitators e-mail address
Your e-mail address [required]
A copy of the activity will be sent to the facilitator when this box is checked.
1) Below, list the several points that Darwin wanted communicate to his audience in the Final Paragraph of the Introduction.
2) Below, present your explanation of the several points that Darwin wanted to communicate to his audience in the Final Paragraph of the FINAL CHAPTER
SUBMIT RESPONSE
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Limiting Factors in Aquatic Environments - 9 points
(At-home)
Purpose:
To examine the effects of increased salinity as a limiting factor in the growth of duckweed; and to examine the effects of Eutrophication (increased nutrients) as a limiting factor in the growth of duckweed.
WVIGO's: 5.28, 5.32, 5.34, 6.33, 6.34, 7.30, 7.32, 7.33, 8.27, 9.26, 10.26.
Background:
Duckweed is a small aquatic plant, which floats on the surface of ponds, lakes, and streams. A duckweed plant has leaf like structures called fronds. The duckweed is a true flowering plant.
Vegetative reproduction of this plant occurs as a frond produces new daughter fronds. One frond can give rise to two or three daughter fronds. The daughter fronds will separate into new plants. If conditions such as mineral content of the water and photosynthesis activity are good, a new plant can be formed within 24 hours. The genetic makeup of a new plant is the identical to that of the parent plant.
Safety: Some fertilizers contain toxic or corrosive substances. Use caution when handling these chemicals and wash your hands after working with them.
Strategies for Students with Disabilities
Materials:
* Duck weed
* 10% NaCl solution (10g NaCl per 100ml distilled water)
* Fertilizer solution (made according to manufacturers recommendations)
* Small containers (20 oz soda bottles with the tops cut off work well)
* Pond water or spring water.
Procedure:
In this activity you are to observe the vegetative reproduction of duckweed and count the number of offspring produced in various solutions over a two-week period.
1. Prepare solutions of pond water to represent salinity and Eutrophication. To 150 mls of pond water or spring water add 25 mls of a 10% salt solution. In a second container add 25 mls of fertilizer solution to 150 mls of pond water. Set up a control in one container of pond water without adding any additional solutions.
2. Place 10 duckweed plants in each of the three separate containers of pond water. Label the containers with the number of plants, and the type of solutions.
3. Place containers in a well-lighted area. For each day during the next two weeks, count and record the number of plants observed. Keep a record of your results.
4. Write a hypothesis about what might happen to the growth of duckweed in each pond water solution.
DATA SHEET: LIMITING FACTOR IN AN AQUATIC ENVIRONMENT
Hypothesis:
Daily Observation Table
Observation Number
(Day)
Date
Number of plants in NaCl solution
Number of plants in fertilizer solution
Number of plants in untreated water
(Control)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
Table of cumulative results:
Treatment
Group Results
Class Results
Average number of plants per group
NaCl solution
(Salinity)
Fertilizer Solution
(Eutrophication)
Control
(Untreated Pond water)
Analysis Questions:
1. Under what conditions did the duckweed grow at the more rapid rate?
2. Did you support or refute your hypothesis? Explain.
3. Explain what is meant by salinity and eutrophication? Did both factors act as limiting factors for duckweed growth?
4. What does the experimental evidence suggest about a limiting factor for duckweed growth?
5. What other limiting factors might affect the growth of duckweed?
6. Based on this lab experiment, design an experiment that would help to answer a question that arose during this exercise.