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About
IB 100 & 101
Fall
2008
IB
100/101
Organizational
Map
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Discussion
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Laboratory
Information
Take-home
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Extra
Credit
Moodle
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From the "Resources" section of the Web resources for Biology:
Concepts and Investigations, 1st edition, by Marielle Hoefnagels
Select Chapter 1 -> Labs and Cases -> Virtual Labs ->
Dependent and Independent Variables
Start with the "Laboratory
Exercise" and look through the
"Greenhouse Manual/handbook" to learn about:
The Simulation allows
manipulation of:
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Non-BT Corn Varieties:
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Golden Crop non-BT
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Super Harvest non-BT
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Transgenic BT Corn Varieties:
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Small population of corn borer adults
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Large population of corn borer adults
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Two growth chambers
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Balance to weigh seeds produced by corn plants
Use the simulation to investigate the process of
scientific investigation.
The simulation lets you design and conduct simulated
experiments, each of which would take months in the field or
greenhouse.
All possible combinations of the 4 corn seed varieties are
available by using the blue "Reset" button at the lower right corner of
the screen. Repeatedly click the "reset" button to find the seed
varieties you want on the lab shelf.
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Develop a broad research question based on an independent
variable.
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State your hypothesis (an EXPLANATION).
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Make a prediction based on your hypothesis.
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Design, set up, and conduct a virtual experiment.
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What is your independent variable?
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What are your control variables?
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What is/are your dependent variable(s)?
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Weigh the corn seeds produced in each treatment.
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Analyze your results.
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Decide whether you should accept or reject your hypothesis.
Example:
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Research Question - Are BT 123 transgenic corn plants
protected
from corn borer populations of high density as well as low density?
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Hypothesis - The BT toxin produced by transgenic corn
plants kills corn borer larvae.
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Prediction - BT 123 corn will be protected from all corn
borer
population densities.
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Design, set up, and conduct a virtual experiment.
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Independent variable - corn borer population
density - one chamber gets a low density population and the other a
high density population.
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Control variables - BT 123 corn variety is planted in
both chambers - plus all growth chamber environmental conditions are
the same for both treatments.
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Dependent variable - the yield measured as the weight
of
corn seeds produced by the experimental corn plants.
Post your questions and see answers to your classmates'
questions in Moodle in the "Talk to Sarah and Ed" forum.
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