Vertebrates: WebQuest or Project
Introduction—the story.
It is a regular school day and there is that slow creeping feeling of wanting the day to be over as you experience the myriad of questions and information each class laden you with. You begin to walk towards the science lab with leaden feet as you realize you have forgotten your homework inside your textbook on the kitchen table. You know that ‘Cannibal Cannon’ will eat you alive when you turn up, yet again, unprepared for class (PS—I know that this student is none of you!). Deep in thought, searching for a new and creative excuse, you forget to pay attention to where you are walking and ’BANG”, you ram your head into the corner of the lockers beside the door.
As you fall to the floor you hear a slight hum. This becomes a steady beat of drums as your head throbs. In the background you hear the sound of many animals. You shake your head and discover that you have traveled to a new and incredible land, Madagascar. As you look around you realize that this is not only a different country but you have changed; somehow you have become a super-biologist.
You are able to use x-ray vision to look through organisms and see their internal systems (this is my story by the way, so it does not work on human beings--this is inconsequential though, as you are the only human). You can turn invisible (to sight and smell) so you can sneak up and observe organisms close up. You are able to run like the wind, swim like a dolphin and jump like a kangaroo.
As you flex these super-powers and become aware that you are alone in this world, you begin to realize that for survival and sanity you must become familiar with the creatures around you. Their habitat is your new home. They are your only source of food-- for the body, the mind and the soul. You begin to wonder how each group of vertebrates is suitably adapted to the type of habitat they live in. You want to know if they are well adapted to the habitat. You begin to observe the main differences between each of the groups by comparing their evident body structures and the body systems you can now see. You wonder how you will fit in with these organisms. Will they help you to survive in these wilds or will they be a threat? Finally, you become aware that your actions for survival will impact both the land and the animals. How will you chose to impact these incredible creatures?
In this project you are to learn about the major classes of Vertebrates. This includes ‘the fishes’, Agnatha (jawless fish), Chondrichthyes (cartilaginous fish) and Osteichthyes (bony fish) note the fishes is 2 equivalent to 2 sections; Amphibia (frogs etc), Reptilia, Aves (birds) and Mammalia. The information covered must represent the notes you have been given, the textbook (pages 347-368) and at least two other sources that give you information you need and are interested in. A bibliography is necessary to pass the project.
You may have up to 5 in a group. Each group is marked as a group. Less people, means more work but also means less organization. For a B or less you may answer the questions in the note booklets. To achieve an A you must design and create a project as listed below.
Focus on:
- Environment /habitat (water or land etc)
- Main characteristics (or defining ones). Class and order.
- Locomotion and movement (limb attachment and muscles)
- Feeding apparatus, digestion (ruminant etc)
- Reproduction and young birth, development and care
- Respiration methods and complexity of system
- Circulatory system-hearts and vessel development
- Excretory systems
- Nervous system development (response to stimuli, head etc)
- Benefits and disadvantages to the plans of mankind and visa versa
Types of ideas
- Video tour of types of organisms and a News update on a study of them
- Middle-School or Child story book introducing these ideas (information must still be complete but simply explained)
- Safari travel on a bus with a tour guide map with pictures and descriptions
- Big Game hunting of each and how you would locate them, capture them, and care for them in displays
- Formal write up on each, including pictures etc
- Poster board presenting each group and contrasting their adaptations
- Develop your own vertebrate textbooks (I have samples at the front)
- Model of a zoo with flags giving the information
- Design a webpage with links (you can uses a blog, http://lcsbio11.freewebpage.org http://lcsbio11.pbwiki.com/),
- Create a webquest activity on the computer (http://questgarden.com/, or see me)
- Games (any question based one is usually do-able)
- Be an environmentalist and write a letter to the government
- Build a model environment showing life history of organism
- Fill in your own ideas
Create and write your own test.
Highlight which of the light gray you have been able to find in research. Out of eight you should be able to fully report on 6 of them.
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Topic
/190
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Fish
Agnatha, chondricthys, osteichthys
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Amphibia
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Reptilia
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Aves
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Mammals
Placental, marsupial, monotreme
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Environment/ Habitat
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1 2 3
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1 2 3
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1 2 3
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1 2 3
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1 2 3
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General Characteristics
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1 2 3
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1 2 3
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1 2 3
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1 2 3
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1 2 3
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Life Cycle or History (picture and explanation)
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1 2 3
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1 2 3
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1 2 3
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1 2 3
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1 2 3
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Reproduction, eggs, care of young
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1 2 3
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1 2 3
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1 2 3
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1 2 3
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1 2 3
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Response to stimuli, brain
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1 2 3
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1 2 3
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1 2 3
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1 2 3
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1 2 3
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Movement/ skeleton/ muscle development
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1 2 3
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1 2 3
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1 2 3
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1 2 3
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1 2 3
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Feeding/ Digestion
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1 2 3
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1 2 3
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1 2 3
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1 2 3
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1 2 3
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Circulatory system/ heart
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1 2 3
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1 2 3
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1 2 3
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1 2 3
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1 2 3
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Excretory system
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1 2 3
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1 2 3
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1 2 3
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1 2 3
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1 2 3
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Respiration
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1 2 3
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1 2 3
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1 2 3
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1 2 3
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1 2 3
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Response to Stimuli/ brain
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1 2 3
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1 2 3
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1 2 3
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1 2 3
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1 2 3
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Biblical references Stewardship/ human interactions
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1 2 3 (*2)
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Creative presentation/ project
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1 2 3 (*2)
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References/ bibliography
Give credit where it is due!
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1 2 3 (*2)
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Neat/ interesting
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1 2 3 (*2)
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Organization/ clarity
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1 2 3 (*2)
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Test- You are to write a test based on your project and my notes to write at the end of this unit. It must make up 50 marks. You will write this test for marks.
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