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Integrating Research in the Regular Biology Classroom

Integrating Research in the Regular Biology Classroom. Grantsburg High School Research Biology, Summer 2005. St. Croix River of Life by Kerissa Nelson - GHS. Why have Students do Research?. The boring answer:.

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Integrating Research in the Regular Biology Classroom

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  1. Integrating Research in the Regular Biology Classroom

  2. Grantsburg High School Research Biology, Summer 2005 St. Croix River of Life by Kerissa Nelson - GHS

  3. Why have Students do Research?

  4. The boring answer: • The state demands it! State Science Standards require that students engage in inquiry based activities.

  5. The selfish answer: • I like it! Anything I can do to get outside as a teacher is good!

  6. Be Honest! • A day on the St. Croix SCUBA diving and canoeing or…. • a day in a white walled building with periodic bells, raging hormones, and continual complaining about homework.

  7. The Real Reasons • Students learn best by doing.

  8. The Real Reasons • Students learn best by doing. • You don’t learn much biology from a text book.

  9. For example.. • A text book says that freshwater mussels use fish to reproduce.

  10. A picture can show how they attract fish. (Just how many fish are in this picture?)

  11. But when I take my students to the river

  12. They can see mussels luring for fish

  13. And see fish taking the bait

  14. The Real Reasons • Students learn best by doing. • You don’t learn much biology from a text book. • Rivers are more than fish and water – they are ecosystems and this is a complex concept for students to understand.

  15. The Real Reasons • Students learn best by doing. • You don’t learn much biology from a text book. • Rivers are more than fish and water – they are ecosystems and this is a complex concept for students to understand. • People don’t care about what they don’t understand.

  16. The #1 Reason • Ownership – It’s not just class, it’s not just a project – It becomes their class and their project.

  17. The #1 Reason • Ownership – It’s not just class, it’s not just a project – It becomes their class and their project. • Ultimately, it becomes their river.

  18. Summer of 2005

  19. Summer of 2005 • A Longitudinal Survey of Dragonfly Communities on the St. Croix River and its Wisconsin Tributaries.

  20. Summer of 2005 • A Longitudinal Survey of Dragonfly Communities on the St. Croix River and its Wisconsin Tributaries. • A Quantitative Survey of the Unionid Mussels Below Four Dams on Three Wisconsin Tributaries of the St. Croix River

  21. Dragonfly Study Objectives:

  22. Dragonfly Study Objectives: • Increase Public Awareness about Endangered Dragonflies of the St. Croix River

  23. Dragonfly Study Objectives: • Increase Public Awareness about Endangered Dragonflies of the St. Croix River • Give Students an Understanding of Dragonfly Life Cycles and Habitat Associations

  24. Dragonfly Study Objectives: • Increase Public Awareness about Endangered Dragonflies of the St. Croix River • Give Students an Understanding of Dragonfly Life Cycles and Habitat Associations • Gain an understanding of species distribution and community ordination throughout the St. Croix River

  25. Methods

  26. We sampled 100 ft. segments of river bank for dragonfly exoskeletons at 70 sites on the St. Croix River 1time/week.

  27. After carefully labeling our specimen vials (rule of 3)

  28. We sorted by species

  29. And sorted

  30. And sorted

  31. And sorted

  32. And sorted

  33. And sorted

  34. And sorted

  35. After we had sorted for four weeks – things got a little crazy

  36. We had identified and counted over 11,000 exoskeletons!

  37. We had identified and counted over 11,000 exoskeletons! • This included 43 species

  38. We had identified and counted over 11,000 exoskeletons! • This included 43 species • A new Minnesota state record the Cyrano Darner (Nasiaeshna pentacantha)

  39. We had identified and counted over 11,000 exoskeletons! • This included 43 species • A new Minnesota state record the Cyrano Darner (Nasiaeshna pentacantha) • A few more mysteries that we continue to work on. >!<  >!<

  40. After all data was recorded and organized, we could produce species distributions

  41. And phenograms showing when emergence had occurred

  42. Future Plans

  43. Future Plans • Complete Mathematical Analysis for all Species and Communities

  44. Future Plans • Complete Mathematical Analysis for all Species and Communities • Complete Ordination Analysis using Habitat and Water Quality Variable Data that We Collected

  45. Future Plans • Complete Mathematical Analysis for all Species and Communities • Complete Ordination Analysis using Habitat and Water Quality Variable Data that We Collected • Publish Our Results

  46. A Quantitative Survey of the Unionid Mussels Below Four Dams on Three Wisconsin Tributaries of the St. Croix River

  47. Study Objectives:

  48. Study Objectives: • Increase Public Awareness ofEndangered Species

  49. Study Objectives: • Increase Public Awareness ofEndangered Species • Examine Mussel Community and Age Structure Below Dams

  50. Study Objectives: • Increase Public Awareness ofEndangered Species • Examine Mussel Community and Age Structure Below Dams • Examine How Substrate Variables May Affect These Communities

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