Group IV Project

Information

Presentation

Purpose of Project

• IB wants students to realize that real research is interdisciplinary

• Working with a collaborative group is an important skill

• Our Theme is Spruce Creek Scrub Habitat – your project will be an interdisciplinary investigation of some aspect of this environment

New THIS YEAR

• We are going to work on Group 4 projects on a school day. That’s right you do not need to give up your Saturday for this!!!,

• Thurs Dec 19th for normal school hours at Spruce Creek High School

• There will be teachers, scientists and parents available to help with projects

• There will be portable lab equipment to collect and analyze any samples that day

• 4th annual T-shirt design contest for G4

ADVANTAGES

• The concept of doing the Group 4 Project on one day has been done to great success at Creek and other IB schools for years.

• No transportation, scheduling & other weekend issues and you get to do it on a school day

• There will be science teachers there to answer questions and help with any aspect of the project. Many times there might not be questions until the work is actually started.

• This will be FUN! FUN! FUN! FUN!

PROBLEMS

• If there is a problem with you attending that day and you know ahead of time, please let us know by 11/13 so we can assign you to a group that will be doing this on your own.

• If you get sick at the last minute, you will be assigned to a group of students that will be doing a project on your own. Make every effort to be there on 12/19

Remember

• This is an IB requirement and everyone must do a group 4 project to sit for their science test.

Spruce Creek Scrub Habitat

• It is an area next to Spruce Creek High School that contains all kinds of environments conducive to different kinds of investigations. It contains water, woods that have been logged, and woods that have not been logged. Other types of field work can be worked on inside Spruce Creek High School’s property.

How this counts for you

• 6/48 points for internal assessment for this year comes from this (12.5%!!!)

• In class it will be a grade that equals around 5% of your point total for 3rd quarter

• Failure to complete Group 4 means you cannot sit for the IB exam and need to complete Group 4 next year

Students will be assigned to a project to collect data

• 1. Forestry study –

• 2. Soils study –

• 3. Pond study –

• 4. Wildlife study –

• Once data is collected in the morning and inputted into spreadsheet – students choose some aspect of overall data set to analyze

Forestry Project – 8 groups• Measurements to be taken

• ID trees in assigned study area

• Tree Physical measurements – height, dbh (diameter), leaf surface area

• Canopy coverage / light penetration

• Chemical analyses of leaf pigments

Soils Project – 8 groups

• Measurements to be taken

• Physical properties - Soil profiles with depths and descriptions, texture analyses, compaction

• Chemical Properties – pH, soil moisture, nutrients

• Biological Properties – microorganisms, insects in soil

Soils & Trees Crossover

• Area Weather monitoring – windspeed, relative humidity, temperature – @ different heights off the ground

• There will be one of each of these groups at each location so this data will be collected in collaboration

Pond Project – 5 groups

• Measurements to be taken

• Physical properties – Turbidity / Light penetration

• Chemical Properties – water chemistry pH, nutrients, DO,

• Biological Properties – littoral zone plant ID, macroinvertebrate sampling, microorganism sampling

• Area Weather monitoring – windspeed, relative humidity, temperature – @ different heights off the ground

• Planting Project – if funds become available we will be planting wetland plants in the pond to enhance its function as a wetland

Wildlife – 3 groups

• Measurements to be taken

• Bird energy budgets

• Vertebrate sampling

• Invertebrate sampling

GROUP 4 PROJECTS

• After data is collected in the morning it will be inputted into the class spreadsheet – compiled during lunch then posted

• You will then analyze some aspect of the data

• Your group 4 project should somehow tie together the different sciences in your group

Possible examples

Is there a difference between tree height of different species? - Bio / Physics

Does the chemistry of soil effect tree size or species distribution? - Bio, Chem, Physics

Does Pond chemistry effect diversity of macroinvertebrates? - Chem, Enviro, Bio

Do Physical and Chemical properties of soil influence the species composition? - Chem, Phys, Enviro

Format of groups

• Must include at least two different sciences in each group: biology, environmental systems, chemistry and physics

• There should be at least two students of a science working together (for example: at least two chemistry students working in the same group)

• Groups should be between 7 and 9 people

Forming Groups

• If you are in two sciences you must do a problem using both sciences. If you are in three sciences, you must do a problem using all three sciences.

Hours Suggestions• Planning meeting = .5

• Training Session in Dec. = 1

• Post Training meeting / Planning = .5

• Equipment check / final orientation = 1

• Dec 19 (7:30-2:30) = 8

• Total = 11 hours

• I f you need more hours you will help Mr. Platt with equipment before and after Dec 19th

December19th plan• Check in and orientation 7:15-7:45

• Whole group meeting in Media Center (sit with your group) 7:45-8:00

• Report to assigned classroom, collect materials and debrief 8:00-8:30

• Out to the field by 8:30

• Data collection 8:30-10:30

• Input data / clean up 10:30-11:10

• Lunch 11:10-12:00 brought or arranged by you!

• Data analysis, write up, prepare presentations 12:00 – 1:45

• Present 1:45-2:15

• Turn in paperwork and leave 2:45 at the latest

Project turn in

• Before you leave save a copy of your powerpoint

• Turn in time log and group evaluation form

T shirt Designs

• We’re looking for design suggestions for the first annual G4 T-shirt

• Designs are due on 11/4

• Voting will take place on 11/12 when you come check your final group assignments

• I need designs screen ready – on white paper in dark black marker…

Time line

• Introduction Powerpoint Presentation week of 10/21• Group form or Assistance Form due in O-40 11/4• T shirt design contest entries 11/4• Final group assignments given / voting on T-shirt

designs 11/12 in O-40• Protocol training sessions in class the week before

• Project & Presentations Thursday 12/19 (all paperwork due before you leave that day)

ALL FORMS AVAILABLE IN O-40 Mr. Platt’S ROOM

Send a representative from your

Group to get the forms and

Everyone can help fill them out

Group form

• One per group (7-9 people)

• fill out completely• get signed by all parents• return by 11/4 to Mr. Platt• White Form

Request for Assistance form

• If you have transportation issues or if you have no group by 11/4

• Individual fills out form & will be placed as best we can

• Red Form

Time Log

• Each student must fill out

• Get this on 12/19 – turn in by the end of the day

• This is part of the evidence for IB

• Green Form

Group Evaluation

• Each student must fill out

• Get this on 12/19 – turn in by the end of the day

• Part of evidence for IB• Blue Form

Deadlines

• Group form 11/4 (O-40)

• PowerPoint presentation, Time Log, Group Evaluation 12/19 (to assigned teacher)