Unit A Overview
Completion requirements
Unit A: Biodiversity
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Learning Targets |
Unit Overview
Figure 1 - A variety of living things.
The collage displayed in Figure 1 contains very interesting images of various species.
The photographer behind this collage may have had the phrase “variety is the spice of life” in mind when she or he designed it. Click the play button on the following audio file to consider for yourself if variety is the spice of life.
Think about the changes and challenges that the Earth and its many species have faced in the past and continue to face now and into the future – from the giant dinosaurs that roamed the earth to the genetically modified food and designer dogs.
- Can you identify three? Five? More?
The photographer behind this collage may have had the phrase “variety is the spice of life” in mind when she or he designed it. Click the play button on the following audio file to consider for yourself if variety is the spice of life.
Think about the changes and challenges that the Earth and its many species have faced in the past and continue to face now and into the future – from the giant dinosaurs that roamed the earth to the genetically modified food and designer dogs.
- How have these changes come about?
- Do advances in biotechnology challenge our belief systems?
The Purple Cow
By Gelett BurgessI never saw a purple cow,
I never hope to see one.
But I can tell you this right now,
I’d rather see than be one.
This unit considers a range of changes in our world from natural selection, such as the disappearance of dinosaurs and other extinct animals, to the latest advances in biotechnology, such as genetically modified foods.
The poem about the purple cow written by Gelett Burgess more than one hundred years ago makes us wonder about the possibility of purple cows existing.
How do purple cows fit into biodiversity? In 2003, Seth Godin wrote a marketing book called “Purple Cow”. In his YouTube video “Niche Marketing Overtakes Mass Marketing”, Mike Roberts describes the premise of this book:
The poem about the purple cow written by Gelett Burgess more than one hundred years ago makes us wonder about the possibility of purple cows existing.
- Are there purple cows somewhere in the world?
- Should we develop purple cows just because we want to?
How do purple cows fit into biodiversity? In 2003, Seth Godin wrote a marketing book called “Purple Cow”. In his YouTube video “Niche Marketing Overtakes Mass Marketing”, Mike Roberts describes the premise of this book:
“…as you’re driving down a country road and you see a field of cows off
to your left, you may notice that field of cows at first but as you
drive down the road and you see hundreds and thousands of these same
cows– they’re all the same size, the
same shape, the same color, they’re all doing the same things,
they’re all grazing, they’re going to blend in - they’re going to get
very boring very fast and then you’re going to tune them out. But if
you saw a purple cow, a bright
fluorescent purple cow, you’re going to pull over. You’re going
to get out of the car, you’re going to take a picture, you’re going to
post it on Facebook, you’re going to tell your mom about it because
it’s freaking purple.
You’ve never seen it before. It’s different. It’s not like all
the other cows.”
Unit Breakdown
Essential Question
Is biodiversity important?
This unit has four sections, each containing a Big Question that will focus your study. Within each section is a series of lessons with Inquiry Questions to help you answer that Big Question. Before you finish each section, you will be asked to demonstrate your understanding of the Big Question in one of several ways.
This unit has four sections, each containing a Big Question that will focus your study. Within each section is a series of lessons with Inquiry Questions to help you answer that Big Question. Before you finish each section, you will be asked to demonstrate your understanding of the Big Question in one of several ways.
Big Questions
1.1 Why do butterflies come in all sizes and colours?
1.2 How can we identify and classify species?
1.3 What kind of relationship does a clownfish and sea anemone have?
1.4 What kinds of jobs do species have?
1.5 Is variation among species more than just skin deep?
2.6 Is there more than one type of asexual reproduction?
2.7 Sexual Reproduction; what's it all about?
2.8 Why are some people tall and others short?
2.9 What about plants? How do they reproduce?
2.10 What are the advantages and disadvantages of asexual and sexual reproduction?
3.11 What is DNA , and how does it structure contribute to your traits?
3.12 How are various cells reproduced?
3.13 How do you get blue eyes if both of your parents have brown eyes?
3.14 Why can some people roll their tongues and others cannot?
4.15 How have natural occurrences and human activities contributed to a decrease in biodiversity?
4.16 How can bacteria help a diabetic patient?
4.17 What do seed banks and zoos have in common?
Summative Assessment Checklist
Assessment #1: Panada and Grizzly Bear Project
Assessment #2: Section 2 Quiz
Assessment #3: Section 3 Quiz
Assessment #4: Section 4 Quiz
Final Assessment: Design your own Organism and Ecosystem Project
Assessment #2: Section 2 Quiz
Assessment #3: Section 3 Quiz
Assessment #4: Section 4 Quiz
Final Assessment: Design your own Organism and Ecosystem Project