Ronald L. Fisher, Jr. is a biology teacher at Whitney Point High School in Whitney Point, NY 13862. He holds a B.A. in biology from New College (Sarasota, FL) and an M.A.T. degree from Colgate University (Hamilton, NY). This article is an adaptation of his master’s thesis. John A. Novak currently is Associate Professor of Biology at Colgate University, Hamilton, NY 13346, where he has taught introductory biology, tropical ecology (in Jamaica, W.I.), entomology, invertebrate zoology, and animal behavior. He holds a Ph.D. in zoology from Washington State University (Pullman, WA) and B.A. and M.A. degrees from Kent State University (Kent, OH). In addition to being author or co-author of many articles in professional journals, he is a freelance photographer with Animals Animals Enterprises. Although biology courses often focus upon the structure and physiology of animals, it is also important for students to appreciate the behavior of animals as complete living entities. Recent trends toward formal inclusion of an animal behavior unit in biology courses are therefore welcomed. Animal behavior studies can stimulate student interest, can draw together such diverse topics as physiology, anatomy, ecology, neurology, and reproduction, and can lead to a deeper appreciation of the complexity of living creatures. An equally important goal in biology courses is for students to understand the nature of scientific investigations. Too often biology is still presented as a set of well established “facts,” and the processes that have been used to arrive at this knowledge are ignored. Only by “hands-on” experience with the scientific method can students appreciate the true nature of science. An experimental fish ethology unit can meet both these needs. Fish are among the few animals whose natural environment can be easily reproduced in the lab, allowing ethological studies within a classroom setting. Thus, students in biology courses can get firsthand experience in conducting scientific research while studying the behavior of a fascinating group of animals. Such a unit is presented here. It involves four experiments to be run by small groups of students. Each requires six working days and should be started on a Friday if interrupted by weekends, since the first day of most of the experiments is a practice session that need not be in sequence with the other days. The experiments have been made as flexible as possible so that they are suitable, with slight adaptations, for a wide range of classes. For high school courses, it is recommended that students be provided with the introduction, materials, and methods sections. College students, on the other hand, might be given only an overview of the problem to be investigated, with specific details of the design being left up to them. Results of the test trials could be used as a teacher’s guide for classroom discussion, but should not be taken rigidly; the whole idea is to have students arrive at their own conclusions through scientific investigation. With the few exceptions noted below, only common laboratory equipment is required. Based on our tests of a wide variety of conditions, we have designed the experiments around particular species and have listed the ideal environment requirements, set-up, and supplies. Each teacher will have to match and adapt the available resources. Likewise, teachers may want to try redesigning the experiments to make use of more convenient species. It is believed that the costs and equipment requirements of this unit, while higher than those of traditional “cookbook” labs, are reasonable when one considers the amount of class time spent on the project and the educational value for the students.Â
PLACE YOUR ADVERT HERE
- ACCOUNTING PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS3553
- EDUCATION PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS3486
- ENGLISH AND LINGUISTIC PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS2939
- COMPUTER SCIENCE PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS FINAL YEAR1274
- BANKING AND FINANCE PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS1250
- BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS1236
- EDUCATION FOUNDATION GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING TOPICS AND MATERIALS1045
- ZOOLOGY PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS1002
- MASS COMMUNICATION PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS1001
- ANIMAL SCIENCE PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS978
- LAW PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS896
- ARTS EDUCATION PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS844
- MARKETING PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS690
- AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS676
- PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS654
LATEST PROJECTS
STUDIES ON SOME ASPECTS OF ANTHRACNOSE-BLIGHT-DIEBACK COMPLEX OF CULTIVARS OF GRAPEVINES (VITIS SPP.) IN...
GENETIC VARIABILITY STUDIES OF TWENTY POTATO GENOTYPES
RELATIONSHIP OF HAEMOGLOBIN AND POTASSIUM POLYMORPHISM WITH CONFORMATION, MILK PRODUCTION AND BLOOD BIOCHEMICAL PROFILES...
ADOPTION OF AGRICULTURAL INNOVATIONS AMONG MEMBERS AND NON-MEMBERS OF WOMEN CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES IN OJU...
SMALL FARMER CREDIT WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO NIGERIA
DISCLAIMER
All undertaking works, records and reports posted on this website, modishproject.com are the property/copyright of their individual proprietors. They are for research reference/direction purposes and the works are publicly supported. Do not present another person’s work as your own to maintain a strategic distance from counterfeiting its results. Use it as a guide and not to duplicate the work in exactly the same words (verbatim). modishproject.com is a vault of exploration works simply like academia.edu, researchgate.net, scribd.com, docsity.com, coursehero and numerous different stages where clients transfer works. The paid membership on modishproject.com is a method by which the site is kept up to help Open Education. In the event that you see your work posted here, and you need it to be eliminated/credited, it would be ideal if you call us on +2348053692035 or send us a mail along with the web address linked to the work, to [email protected]. We will answer to and honor each solicitation. Kindly note notification it might take up to 24 - 48 hours to handle your solicitation.