Project TELL Unit/Lesson Plans
Areas with an asterisk (*) are required; all other areas are recommended.
Template Description
Click here to view
a rubric for a lesson.
Click here to view
a rubric for a unit.
click on level for description (Mastery) (Secondary) (Mastery) (Secondary) The teacher collected the samples, collecting, at
the same time, the lat/long of each collection site with a GPS unit.
Each student had a sample, and had to get data from other students for
five other samples.
Unit
title*
Are local deer carrying the
Brainworm nematode?
Subject
area*
Biology
Secondary
subject
Technology
Grade*
10th
Duration/time*
Six class periods
Overview*
The brainworm
nematode is a persistent problem among the ungulates of the Upper
Peninsula of Michigan. In this investigation, students analyze deer
pellets collected from the region and use GIS to analyze the distribution
of brainworm nematode in the area.
Technology
overview*
Level 1:
Students will access information.
Students examine deer pellets
for nematodes with a microscope.
Level 2:
Students will collect data for research.
Using Microsoft Excel, students
gather information from a number of samples.
Level 3:
Students will analyze information.
Students examine the data and
use it to answer the investigation question.
Level 4:
Students will synthesize and communicate information.
Using Arcview, students will
combine the data and apply it to a map to form a spatial image of
the data.
Focus questions*
Are local
deer carrying the brainworm nematode? Can the scientific method be
used to answer a wildlife research question? How does technology
enhance our understanding of a biological problem?
Content
standards and benchmarks*
Michigan Science:
SCI.I.1.HS.2 Design and conduct scientific investigations.
SCI.II.1.HS.3. Show how common themes of science, mathematics, and
technology apply in real-world contexts.
SCI.II.1.HS.6 Develop an awareness of and sensitivity to the natural
world.
SCI.III.5.HS.1 Describe common ecological relationships between and
among species and their environments.
SCI.III.5.HS.3 Describe general factors regulating population size
in ecosystems.
Content
standards and benchmarks*
Technology
standards and benchmarks*
National Educational Technology Standards
(iste)
9-12.5.8 Select and apply technology tools for research, information
analysis, problem-solving, and decision-making in content learning.
9-12.5.9 Investigate and apply expert systems, intelligent agents,
and simulations in real-world situations.
9-12.6.10 Collaborate with peers, experts, and others to contribute
to a content-related knowledge base by using technology to compile,
synthesize, produce and disseminate information, models, and other
creative works.
Technology
standards and benchmarks*
Resources*
For data
collection: deer pellets with GPS collection coordinates, tongue
depressors, cheesecloth, beakers, slides, pipettes, and microscopes.
For data analysis and synthesis: Microsoft Excel, Arcview, computers,
printer.
Lesson
Plan(s)*
Day 1: Introduce the lab as
part of an ecology unit by teaching about the life cycle of the brainworm
nematode. Compare this life cycle to the life cycle of one other
parasite. Handout the student task list, the data sheet, and the
rubric for the unit to the students. Explain the lab procedure and
answer questions. Students set up the nematode extraction process.
Introduction
Student Tasks
Data sheet
Day 2: Students review the use of the GPS and the lat/long data
collected. Students examine samples for nematode infestation and record
data.
Day 3: Computer work with Excel, to make table of data.
Day 4 and 5: Students create the Brainworm map. Those
who finish early do the extra credit option of making a two view layout.
Arcview instructions for Brainworm map
Extra credit Instructions for making a two view layout
Day 6: Students work on the following writing assignment.
Scientific Method writing assignment
Example
student materials
Cameo's
map Taylor's
map
Hannah's map
Assessment*
Unit Rubric (lab, Excel
table, GIS map)
For the writing, each paragraph was graded on content and
mechanics; 10 points are possible for each paragraph.
Reflection
The lesson went well. In the
future, I would have the students use a different, more specific base map
in ArcView. The points that were collected were too close together
to put on such a large scale map. Also, the deer in our area were
not infected like they are in other parts of the Upper Peninsula.
Therefore, there weren't different data points (positive vs. negative
tests) for comparison for the students like there would be in other
regions.
Home
activities
Students could check out a GPS unit and
collect deer feces and lat/long of sample from home.
Credits
Rhonda Carey, Biology
Teacher, Iron Mountain High School, 300 West B Street,
Iron Mountain, MI 49801 CareyR@imschool.org