NATIONAL CENTER FOR CASE STUDY TEACHING IN SCIENCE

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NATIONAL CENTER FOR CASE STUDY TEACHING IN SCIENCE.

Page 1“Crazy About Cryptids!” by Matthew P. Rowe

NATIONAL CENTER FOR CASE STUDY TEACHING IN SCIENCE

Part I – Introduction Victoria adored her older brother Travis. She had good reason: their father had died when they were kids, leaving them and their younger twin sisters to be raised by their mother and grandmother. Growing up was tough; their mother’s salary as a social worker was meager, and their grandmother suff ered from a chronic medical condition that took much of the family’s income. As the oldest, Travis started working early to help support the family, a sacrifi ce not lost on Victoria and her sisters. Victoria so respected her brother that she couldn’t help comparing her high school and now her college suitors to Travis, and the admirers always fell short. Travis was kind, courageous, generous to a fault, and oh so smart—he even, while helping raise his siblings, put himself through law school and was now working as a public defender in Chicago. But he had a weakness that worried Victoria. Outside of the courtroom, Travis was gullible. He had a fondness for all things extraordinary—from ghosts to alien abductions to new-age therapies. His true passion, however, was cryptids. He was simply crazy about cryptids.

Victoria was majoring in Integrative Biology at Michigan State. Her training, including courses in ecology, wildlife biology, and the philosophy of science, made her appropriately skeptical of chupacabras, yetis, bigfoot, the Loch Ness monster, and other storied beasts. Th e fact that her brother, a lawyer whose career depended on the critical examination of evidence, could be so credulous was unsettling to her. While sensitive to his feelings, she hoped she could use her growing understanding of science in general, and ecology in particular, to empower her brother. A “just touching base” phone call from Travis presented Victoria with an opportunity.

“Hi sis, how are classes?” Travis asked supportively when Victoria picked up the phone.

“Great,” she replied, “in my wildlife techniques course, we’re studying all the cool things you can learn about an animal just by analyzing a tiny drop of its feces, or a hair or two snagged on a scratching post. It’s pretty amazing.”

“Yeah,” Travis replied with unrestrained enthusiasm, “did you hear about the recent study of hair samples collected from a bunch of diff erent sites in the U.S. and Canada that proved the existence of bigfoot, and showed they were interbreeding with humans?”

Victoria, remembering one of the principles she learned in her philosophy course, responded: “Travis, science isn’t about ‘proving’ an idea or explanation, it’s about marshaling all of the evidence you can to determine which of various competing explanations is best supported.” She continued, “I don’t mean to sound scientifi cally snobbish or anything, but the study you mention by Melba Ketchum and her coauthors lacks credibility. A team led by Bryan Sykes published a more rigorous analysis of hair sent in by bigfoot and yeti enthusiasts from around the world; the results showed that the hair belonged to bears and raccoons and other mammals one would expect to be wandering around in the woods, not to bigfoot or a bigfoot-human hybrid.”

by Matthew P. Rowe Department of Integrative Biology Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI

Crazy About Cryptids! An Ecological Hunt for Nessie and Other Legendary Creatures

 

 

NATIONAL CENTER FOR CASE STUDY TEACHING IN SCIENCE

Page 2“Crazy About Cryptids!” by Matthew P. Rowe

“You’re breaking my heart here kiddo, you know I’m a true believer in Sasquatch,” Travis replied with feigned sadness. “Besides, isn’t it possible that a species of giant man-ape unknown to science exists somewhere on the planet?”

“Sure,” Victoria chimed encouragingly, “species unknown to science are occasionally discovered, like the mega-mouth shark or the saola. And creatures that scientists thought went extinct millions of years ago like the coelacanth are rediscovered. So I’m not saying that bigfoot doesn’t exist, only that the evidence presented so far is insuffi cient for me to accept that it does.”

After a short pause, Travis responded thoughtfully, “Ok, little sister, I think I see where you are coming from; in a jury trial, which is something I know about, the guilt or innocence of a suspect is determined by the preponderance of the evidence. Th e jury has to determine whether the accused is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, not beyond any shadow of a doubt. Absolute certainty is unlikely. What matters is that the jurists, before reaching a verdict, carefully examine each of the explanations and all of the evidence off ered by both the prosecution and the defense. I guess it’s the same thing in science.”

Sensing an opening, Victoria slyly suggested, “Didn’t you say you wanted to see a Spartan football game? Well, homecoming is in two weeks; why don’t you come for a visit. We can catch the game, and then afterwards we’ll go hunting for the Loch Ness Monster.”

Nessie was Travis’s favorite cryptid, so his sister’s off er aroused his curiosity. “How can we go hunting for a population of aquatic monsters in Scotland from your apartment in the middle of Michigan?” Travis asked inquisitively.

“We’ll track her down using the science of ecology,” Victoria answered.

Questions 1. Two articles were mentioned in the story. Th e fi rst, titled “Novel North American Hominins, Next Generation

Sequencing of Th ree Whole Genomes and Associated Studies” by lead author Melba Ketchum and her co- authors, was published in the journal DeNovo. Th e second, titled “Genetic Analysis of Hair Samples Attributed To Yeti, Bigfoot, and Other Anomalous Primates” by Bryan Sykes and his team, was published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. Th e two reports apply similar techniques using similarly obtained samples but reach diff erent conclusions. Summarize the main conclusions of each.

2. Credibility is an important concept both in science and in courts-of-law. Which of the two publications is more credible, and why?

3. Occam’s Razor, also known as the Principle of Parsimony, can be useful when trying to determine which explanation, among two or more, is most likely to be correct. What is the Principle of Parsimony? Apply the principle to the diff erent explanations off ered by Ketchum’s team and Syke’s team. Which of the competing explanations best passes the razor test, and why?

NATIONAL CENTER FOR CASE STUDY TEACHING IN SCIENCE

 
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Microbiology 200

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Microbiology 200. Microbiology On Line Lecture

Assignments to Chapter 10

Infectious Diseases on Skin

Dr. I. Iliev

 

I. DISEASE AT GLANCE: Cutaneous Anthrax: Provide full information to following:

Causative Agent:

Virulence Factors:

Portal of Entry:

Signs and Symptoms:

Incubation Period:

Susceptibility:

Treatment:

Prevention:

 

II. CLINICAL CASE STUDY: A Painful Rush. Please answer to your best all questions ate the end of this case.

A mother brings her 3 year old daughter to pediatrician describing that the girl has fever and chills for 3 days. The girl also has a large, intensely red patch with a distinct margin on her leg and a nearly swollen lymph node. When the nurse, and later the physician touches the area it is firm and warm, and the girl screams in pain. Based on these observations, doctor makes a presumptive diagnosis and begin treatment.

1. Is it necessary to confirm the diagnosis with lab test? Why or why not?

2. What was the diagnosis? Treatment?

3. How is this case different from impetigo?

4. What is the agent causing this girl’s condition?

5. How may the girl have contracted the condition?

6. What component(s) of the agent stimulated the fever and the lesion?

7. Why is important for doctor to begin immediate treatment?

 

III. What do we know about Chickenpox and Shingles? Is it viral or bacterial disease? Provide details for the following: cause; virulence factors, portal entry, signs and symptoms, incubation period, treatment and prevention.

 

IV. CRITICAL THINKING: A week after spending their vacation rafting down Colorado River, all five members of Jones family developed cold sores on their lips. At the local hospital doctor told them that the lesions were caused by a herpesvirus. Both Mr. and Mrs. Jones were stunned: Isn’t true that herpes is a sexually transmitted disease (STD)? How could it have affected their young children?

Microbiology 200

 
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SCI 115 Quiz 9

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SCI 115 Quiz 9. IMPORTANT: AFTER PURCHASE, LOG IN TO YOUR ACCOUNT AND SCROLL DOWN BELOW THIS PAGE TO DOWNLOAD FILES WITH ANSWERS.

Version 1

1. Which of the following is a disadvantage of an exoskeleton?

2. Which of the following animals do NOT have tissues?

3. Which of the following organisms have an exoskeleton?

4. Tetrapods are the direct descendants of

5. In amphibians, what function does the cloaca serve?

6. This vertebrate is a fish, has a cartilaginous skeleton, no jaws, and a tooth-covered tongue. This animal is a

7. The number of individuals of the same species in some specified area or volume of habitat is the

8. The most common type of population distribution is

9. A change in a population that is NOT related strictly to the size of the population is best described as

10. Which of the following models of growth takes place when the amount of available resources is not limiting?

11. Jellyfish are as likely to die at one age as any other. Thus, a type ___ survivorship curve characterizes their life history.

12. What invention about 11,000 years ago led to a boom in the human population?

Version 2

1. This animal has radial symmetry, a gastrovascular cavity, and the same opening is for the entry of food and expulsion of waste. It is ___.

2. Which of the following are characterized by radially symmetrical members?

3. Sponges are

4. This animal is a tetrapod that has a cloaca, aquatic larvae, and is tailless as an adult. This animal is

5. Amniotes differ from amphibians by

6. This vertebrate is a fish, has a cartilaginous skeleton, no jaws, and a tooth-covered tongue. This animal is a

7. The most common type of population distribution is

8. The number of individuals that make up a population gene pool is the

9. Which of the following factors is NOT a density-independent factor?

10. A change in a population that is NOT related strictly to the size of the population is best described as

11. Most octopuses die early in life; those that survive can live up to 5 years. Octopuses are best characterized by a type __ survivorship curve.

12. What invention about 11,000 years ago led to a boom in the human population?

SCI 115 Quiz 9

 
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Bioregional Portrait

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Bioregional Portrait. Bioregional Portrait: (50 pts. possible) The following assignment was modified from one that was developed by the Biology Faculty at BC, and derived from the Bio 100 Student Module. One of your major writing assignments in Biology 100 is a “Portrait of your Bioregion”. There are a number of questions asking you to research your own personal environment and your place as part of that ecosystem. We define your home place as your watershed, ie. giving it biological rather than political boundaries. Nature does not recognize human made boundaries which are often lines drawn arbitrarily on a map. Nature’s boundaries are rivers, oceans, lakes, and mountains. Your watershed is all the area drained by a stream, river or lake – literally from where the water is shed or flows.

All too often we concentrate on far away, exotic, ecosystems like tropical rainforests and forget that we, too, live in a unique biome – the temperate rain forest. This assignment is asking you to explore your particular part of that biome up close and personal.

One of the objectives of this assignment is to help you better understand and appreciate the ecosystem in which you live. Part of the injunction to “Think globally, act locally” implies a knowledge of our local environment. Another objective is to ask you to think about the size of your own ecological footprint. How lightly do you step upon the land? Do you know how you use natural resources and are you using them wisely?

For this assignment think in terms of providing a stranger a unique picture or snap shot of your own personal environment and how you interact with it. Tell that person what you observe from where you live, not what you can read on the Web or hear from city officials. Everybody will have a different picture even if they are neighbors. Even identical twins living in the same house will present different portraits because they are looking through different eyes.

You can call local government offices, utility companies, etc. for further information. Mostly, though, we want to go outside around your home and observe what else shares your space. Don’t look up in a book for your trees and birds – go outside and look at them.

Think about how the land forms around you were made and how humans and other animals have shaped those land forms. In terms of European settlement the history of the Seattle area is quite short, but humans have lived in this area for at least 12,000 years.

Portrait of your Bioregion – For this assignment you need to answer ALL of the following questions about your local ecosystem. Your answers should be as complete as possible, with citations from where your information comes from.  Feel free to include drawings, photos, etc. answer the following questions in detail to describe your Bioregion. I’ve provided some hints inblue.

  1. Describe exactly where you live. Draw a map if you like. This should not include your address, describe where you live in terms of the geography without any man made points of reference.
  2. What is a watershed? In which watershed do you live? This means your own personal watershed according to the biological definition – do not ask the local water utilities for the name of your watershed. Here is a site that will also help identify your watershed. The more specific you can be the better.(Links to an external site.)
  3. Name five trees in your area, (within one or two blocks of your house). Which ones are native? This site might be helpful.
  4. Name five resident plus any three migratory birds in your area.
  5. Where is your local water supply stored? Look around your neighborhood for the nearest water tower or reservoir.
  6. Where does your wastewater go and what happens to it along the way? When you flush your toilet what happens to it? Where are the pollutants removed? Is primary, or secondary, or tertiary treatment done there?
  7. You’ve changed the oil in your car and now you need to get rid of the old oil. How do you do that in a way that is safe and environmentally sound? Be specific in your answer, where exactly would you take it.
  8. What was the area you live in like 50 years ago? 100 years ago? 200 years ago? Include people, places and nature in your description. What what was happening to the Indigenous Peoples of your Bioregion during each time period? The History Link is a helpful resource at:http://www.historylink.org (Links to an external site.)
  9. Name some animals (non human) which share your place. Include both wild and domestic beings.
  10. What type of energy do you use to heat your house, from where does this energy come? What environmental effects does this type of energy have? All forms of energy have negative environmental effects, figure out what you use first.
  11. Name the nearest creek or stream to your home, and trace its passage from source to outlet. Include above and below ground portions. Google maps can be helpful here or a topo map.
  12. List the nearest local, and state, and national park to your house, what kinds of activities are allowed in each of these (hunting, fishing, camping, motorcycling, horseback riding etc.)

Points will be assigned for depth and breadth of information and for creativity in presenting the information. Create a picture of your own Bioregion so that others can see the value and complexity of your environment.

Include with your answers a list of references to indicate where you obtained your information. Use the format in the MLA guidelines to construct a bibliography for the references that you use on each question. After you have assembled your bibliography, make sure your citations are formatted correctly. Do not use footnotes or citations of any kind within the body of this assignment. The LMC Librarian Instructions for  MLA Bibliographies are found at: at: http://www.questionpoint.org/crs/servlet/org.oclc.admin.BuildForm?&page=frame&institution=13150&type=2&language=1

BC Library Media Center Homepage:http://bellevuecollege.edu/lmc/ (Links to an external site.)

Permanent Reserve (behind the Circulation Desk):

Maps:City of Bellevue City of Seattle
King and Snohomish Counties
City of Bellevue topographic mapsAtlases:Puget Sound Thomas Guide 2001
Washington Atlas and GazetteerWeb Sites:City of Bellevuehttp://www.ci.bellevue.wa.us/ (Links to an external site.)

City of Seattlehttp://www.ci.seattle.wa.us/ (Links to an external site.)

King County Department of Natural Resourceshttp://www.kingcounty.gov/environment/dnrp.aspx
 (Links to an external site.)Washington State Department of Natural Resourceshttp://www.dnr.wa.gov (Links to an external site.)

Natural Mapping Program in Washingtonhttp://fish.washington.edu/ (Links to an external site.)

On the bottom left side of the home page click on “Site Map” then click on “Outreach”. Scroll down to “The Nature Mapping Program” and click on the URL: http://depts.washington.edu/natmap to get to the Nature Mapping Program in Washington State. Next, click on “Maps”, and finally, click on “Washington Maps” or scroll down and click on a particular Genus and species mapped in Washington State. Have Fun!!!!!

Bioregional Portrait

 
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