Zoology Final Project

Zoology Final Project

You will create a Google Slide presentation to answer one prompt each about Ecology, Classification, and Evolution. You will be able to research on the Zoology website (middiezoology.blogspot.com), Google or other search engines, and/or your classwork.

Each prompt will require its own slide or slides and should cite evidence and explain clearly. You should include pictures and text to help make your point.

Prompt 1 (Ecology): 20 points

• Choose either an invasive species or a keystone species. Give a detailed explanation of how the ecosystem would be impacted if the invasive species was introduced or the keystone species was removed. Include at least three ways that the ecosystem is impacted. Include pictures and text to make your points.
• 5 points for each impact and the explanation of the impact
• 5 points for summing up your argument

Prompt 2 (Classification): 20 points

• A friend of yours says a platypus is a bird, because it lays eggs. Provide a convincing argument that a platypus is a mammal. Compare and contrast mammal and bird characteristics to make your case. Use at least three characteristics to make your argument. Include pictures and text to make your points.
• 5 points for each characteristic and the explanation of how it is used to classify
• 5 points for summing up your argument

Prompt 3: (Evolution): 20 points

• Your friend said that porpoises are fish because they swim in the ocean. Use evidence to show them that porpoises are mammals and evolved from a land ancestor. Include pictures and text to make your points.
• 5 points for each piece of evidence and putting that evidence in context
• 5 points for summing up your argument

What have you Learned about Birds?

Using your notes and class experience, write a five paragraph essay to answer the following:

• Introduction
• Give 3 adaptations for flight in birds. Explain the adaptation and its benefit.
• Explain and give the benefit of the three types of feathers we studied.
• How is flight possible in birds?
• Conclusion

You will be graded on the following rubric:

Crows, Smarter than you Think

Crows are smarter than you think. Watch the video and answer the following questions:

1. How do crows demonstrate their intelligence? (make a list)
2. Why do you think crows evolved to be so intelligent?
3. Do you think their intelligence should give them any rights? Why or why not?

Inside Nature's Giants: The Leatherback Turtle

Watch the video, Inside Nature's Giants: The Leatherback Turtle and answer the following questions.

1. Why are leatherback turtles having trouble?
2. How are people trying to help?
3. How are leatherback turtles adapted for marine life?
4. Compare/Contrast the characteristics of the leatherback with those of other reptiles.

The Thin Green Line and Frog proposal Assignment

Watch the video, The Thin Green Line, and complete the project below:

Frog Proposal Assignment

On your own, make a proposal of why we need to help frogs and other amphibians (i.e. ecological benefits and human benefits). You should include at least 3 ways we can help frogs.

Your proposal could be an essay, a poster, or a slide presentation.

It should have:

• an introduction/overview (including why frogs need help and why we should help them),
• at least three paragraphs/sections/slides with a different way we can help frogs,
• a conclusion which sums it up.

Grading:

This project is worth 20 points and should include all the points listed above, be neat and attractive, have good spelling, and make a good presentation to the viewer/reader.

Is sushi causing extinction?

Watch the following video on the Pacific Bluefin Tuna trade and respond to 2 out of the 4 prompts in 1 paragraph EACH. Type your answers in a Google Doc and share you responses when finished.

1. What could be done to decrease the impact of fishing on the bluefin tuna?

2. Should eating bluefin tuna be totally banned?

3. Why is it important to make conservation of fishes like the bluefin an international effort?

4. What could be the impact of extinction of bluefin tuna from the Pacific

Shark Finning

Shark Finning

Take Action Against Shark Finning

Write a letter using one paragraph to argue for help in
putting a stop to shark finning.

• Explain what shark finning is, why it is done, and where.
• Explain (with examples) one impact of shark finning.
• Explain (with examples) a second impact of shark finning.
• Explain (with examples) a third impact of shark finning.
• Sum it up and make a plea for help.

Hagfish or Lamprey?

The Arthropod Story

Why are arthropods so important?

Go to the arthropod story website

Answer the questions on your handout.

Click Here

What is an animal?

Wolves - watch the video and answer the prompts

1. What is the problem?
2. Why is is happening?
3. What is its impact?
4. What can be done or is being done?
5. How does it impact society? me?

See the picture below:

Spread of Disease is Like Population Growth

Notice that "the clap" spreads just like a population grow.  It starts with one, then doubles, then doubles again.  Hmm…What kind of growth is that?

Beavers a Keystone Species

Watch Leave it to Beavers. Answer the following prompts:

A keystone species is a species on which other species in an ecosystem largely depend, such that if it were removed the ecosystem would change drastically.

1. Why is the beaver a keystone species?

2. Why is the beaver an import animal to humans?

3. What would you do to manage beaver populations?

Evolution and the Flu?

Watch the video and answer the following questions:

1. How does the flu vaccine work?
2. Why do we need a new flu vaccine every year?
3. How is this similar to what we are learning about evolution?
4. How could a universal vaccine work?

Cheetahs...Super Evolved for What?

Watch the video clip and see what cheetahs are evolved to do.
Then, find out what genetic "bottleneck" has affected cheetahs.  Be able to explain what the "bottleneck effect" is. 

Lamarke vs. Darwin Two Theories of Change

I think you will find the following links useful in answering the writing prompts.  The assignment is due Tues 9/1

Evolution writing prompt!

Respond to the following writing prompts.   Be sure to include supporting details.  Be specific.  You need to write between a half a page and a page to answer this.  You may use the textbook CH 4 and/or the internet as a resource. 

1. Who would have agreed with the following statement? “Elephants stretched their noses and passed on the long nose trait until their descendants had a long nose called a trunk."
2. Who would have agreed with the following statement?  “Elephants with longer noses were able to survive and have more offspringthan elephants with shorter noses.” 
3. Who would have agreed with the following statement?  “Elephants’ noses have changed over time.”
4. Compare and Contrast Lamarke’s Theory and Darwin’s Theory

Links:

Lamarke

http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/article/history_09

http://necsi.edu/projects/evolution/lamarck/lamarck/lamarck_lamarck.html

Darwin

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/educators/course/session2/explain_c_pop2.html

http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/article/0_0_0/history_14

Whale Evolution

Whale Kiosk

Great Transformations

Watch this video and answer the questions on the sheet provided.  Have fun, this is a great video.

Cells Alive! Interactive Cell

.

Click here to visit the site!

Use this link to complete you cell parts table.

Be Safe in the Lab. Always Follow Directions and Think

Cryptozoology Science or Myth?

Objective:

Research two cryptids (one “commonplace” the other “fantastic”), make a google slide presentation or prezi to highlight their characteristics and evidence for their existence.  Answer the question; Can the search for this creature be science or myth?  Make a comparison/contrast slide presentation or prezi to display your findings.

Resources:

http://web.ncf.ca/bz050/HomePage.cryptoz.html

http://www.newanimal.org/

http://www.livescience.com/topics/newfound-species

http://news.discovery.com/animals/tags/new-species.htm

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/earth/earthpicturegalleries/9753208/New-species-found-walking-catfish-Beelzebub-bat-and-two-legged-lizard.html

http://www.esf.edu/top10/

http://www.google.com - search for new animals or new species or recently discovered animals…

Procedure:

1. Choose two “animals”, one that is mythical (i.e. unicorn) and the other that is newly discovered or found to be real instead of fiction (i.e. pongo - gorilla)
2. Research both animals.  You must find:
1. Picture
2. Evidence for their existence (pictures/videos, stories, live animals, remains, tracks, DNA, etc.)
3. Tell whether the evidence is objective or subjective.  Can the evidence be trusted?
4. Minimum of four “facts”/characteristics about the habits of the animal
5. Tell weather the search for this creature is based on science or myth.

Grading:

To receive an “A”, you must have a well written and attractive presentation which depicts one “real” animal and one “myth”.  There must be a picture for each, evidence for each, and evaluation of the evidence as real or myth.

Nature: Radioactive Wolves

Watch the video, Radioactive Wolves and answer the following questions.

1. Where does this video take place? Why are people gone?
2. How have animals been able to survive here? (give examples)
3. Compare and contrast the ecosystem here in the Zone with the Yellowstone ecosystem we talked about earlier.
4. How is the wolf population here in the Zone similar/different from other wolf populations?

Evolution of Humans

Mammals are especially interesting to us, mostly because we are mammals. Specifically primates.
Watch the following video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPggkvB9_dc

From this video, think on the following points:

Humans and apes are genetically almost identical, but evolved differently, what could have been the reason for this?

Are humans more or less evolved than our fellow primates? Why or why not?

Imagine you are discussing evolution with someone, they say to you "Are you expecting me to believe that I came from a chimp?" How would you respond to this person?

Answer all of the following questions on a separate sheet of paper, IN COMPLETE SENTENCES PLEASE. Turn this paper into your teacher, then enjoy the fact you are smart.

Microscope view of feathers

This is a down feather from the pigeon dissection.



This is a primary feather from the pigeon dissection.

How are they structurally different? How does this difference enable them to function properly?

Thanks for the great pics Lauren!

Hummingbirds - Magic in the Air

Watch, Hummingbirds: Magic in the Air and explain how they are adapted for flight.

A Murder of Crows

Watch the video, A Murder of Crows and find at least five ways crows demonstrate their intelligence.

Nature Supersize Crocs

Watch the video: Supersize Crocs and answer the following prompts:

1. How long have crocodilians been around?
2. How big do crocs get? give examples.
3. What adaptations do crocodilians have that make them so successful?
4. What was the most interesting thing you learned about crocodilians?

The Thin Green Line

Watch the video, The Thin Green Line and be prepared to explain why frogs are endangered, why it is important to save them, and how people can help.

Over 73 Million Sharks Killed Every Year for Fins

Take Action! Write a letter (in 5 paragraph essay format) to argue for help in putting a stop to shark finning.

1.Explain what shark finning is, why it is done, and where.

2.Explain (with examples) one impact of shark finning.

3.Explain (with examples) a second impact of shark finning.

4.Explain (with examples) a third impact of shark finning.

5.Sum it up and make a plea for help.

All for a Bowl of Soup

Inside Nature's Giants - Great White

Inside Nature's Giants - Video

Watch the video and be prepared for our shark dissection! 

• What are 4 adaptations sharks have and how do those adaptations help them to survive?

Check your skills - Jawless Fishes

Paddlefish Parasites

Watch the video to learn about lamprey. Observe their anatomy and behaviors. Be prepared to answer questions about lamprey.

Eddie and the Hagfish

Watch the video to learn about the hagfish. Observe their anatomy and their behaviors. Be prepared to answer questions about the hagfish.

Insect Growth and Metamorphosis

After you have completed the lab packet, search online for 5 other examples of insect metamorphosis. Draw each insect life cycle. Label the stages and tell what type of metamorphosis it is.

Mollusca Essay

You will write a 5-paragraph essay on adaptations molluscs have evolved to survive. This 5 paragraph essay will include introductory and concluding paragraphs as well as 3 body paragraphs telling details about details of the adaptations you selected.

Paragraph 1

• What is a mollusc?
• Which mollusc(s) are you talking about?
• What is an adaptation?
• What adaptations of molluscs did you choose?
• State the main idea of your essay. (i.e. The _______ adaptations help the __________ mollusc survive.)

Paragraph 2

• evolutionary adaptation 1
• What is it?
• How does the adaptation work?
• How does it help the animal survive?

Paragraph 3

• evolutionary adaptation 2
• What is it?
• How does the adaptation work?
• How does it help the animal survive?

Paragraph 4

• evolutionary adaptation 3
• What is it?
• How does the adaptation work?
• How does it help the animal survive?

Paragraph 5

• Sum up what you have learned about mollusc adaptations.
• Restate some of your most important information about it.

Suggestions for adaptations:

• chromatophores
• intelligence
• lack of bones
• fine muscle control
• locomotion
• ink
• arms/tentacles
• other ideas, upon approval

Hydra We dissected from the lab!

Thanks to Glori for the great picture!

Inside Nature's Giants - Giant Squid

Be able to explain:

• Anatomy of a squid
• Ecology (What is its role in the ecosystem?)
• How do its cells work? (Color change)
• Why are they important to people?
• What are they related to?

Hydra Catches a Water Flea

Enjoy the video! Now complete the lab!

Leave it to Beavers

Respond to the following prompts. Enjoy the video!

•A keystone species is a species on which other species in an ecosystem largely depend, such that if it were removed the ecosystem would change drastically.

•Why is the beaver a keystone species?

•Why is the beaver an import animal to humans?

•What would you do to manage beaver populations?

Wolves of Yellowstone

Watch the video clip and look at the before and after picture of Yellowstone and answer the following prompts:

• Why are wolves important?
• Should the gray wolf be reintroduced back to Western states?
• After reintroduction, how do you think populations and communities change? (include examples)

Cheetahs...Super evolved for what?

Watch the video clip and see what cheetahs are evolved to do.
Then, find out what genetic "bottleneck" has affected cheetahs.  Be able to explain what the "bottleneck effect" is. 

Great Transformations

Watch the video, Great Transformations, and answer the following questions:

1. What are the scientists studying in this video?  What types of evidence are they looking at? (List as many as you can.  This question is ongoing throughout the video.)

2. What evidence supports the evolutionary history of whales? (List as many as you can.  This question is ongoing throughout the video.)

3. What is a transitional form?  What is an example of transitional form?

4. Why are scientists studying spines?

5. Why are scientists interested in different ways animals travel?

6. What evidence can you discuss that shows connections of all living things?  Give specific examples.

7. Give examples of signposts or key species in the “tree of life”.

8. What allowed major events in life history?