February 6, 2014 – Semester Project/Assignment – BIO 101 Sections C/D
CURRENT BIOLOGICAL EVENT
In addition to written communication, scientists must communicate events and findings orally. This assignment requires you to find a current (relevant within the last three years) event linked to biology, research the topic that it covers, and share it with the class. This may be a new study that has been published in a scientific journal, it may be a popular article you find from a media source, or a current event that dominates the news, etc. You will research the details of this event and the biological concepts that it covers and share them with the class, along with how it relates to things we have studied over the course of the semester. Scientists are also frequently required to collaborate with others, therefore this assignment will also give you an opportunity to work with one of your classmates. Either individually or as a two person team (to be decided), prepare a presentation, to be given April 22nd, 24th, 29th, or May 1st. You should use power point to share your presentation, and if a team, you both should fully participate in the presentation for the class. Each two person team will be given a 20 minute time slot to give their presentation and answer questions from the class. Those working individually will have a 15 minute slot. There are currently 26 students in class, so there will be ten teams of two and six individual presentations.
Students are encouraged to select a topic that interests them. This assignment will be much easier if you are researching something about which you want to know more. Topics will not be duplicated, so they are first come first serve. Students without partners will be matched up by desired topic, if needed. Each team or individual must have a topic selected by March 20th. If a topic is not provided and approved by March 25th, students will lose 5 points for the project. This assignment is worth 30 points.
As a part of the assignment, please write two questions about your presentation that could be used on an exam. Provide these to the class either during or at the end of your presentation, and the instructor will use one of them on the Final Exam. It is most helpful to your classmates if you bring these printed out, rather than requiring they be hand written.
The instructor is willing to help you with your presentation by providing direction, answering questions, giving suggestions about power point slides, tips for the presentation, etc. Such questions must be asked at least 1 week prior to your scheduled presentation date.
Example: If a team were to choose either the BP (Louisiana) or Enbridge (Michigan) oil spills, they could introduce the topic by explaining a bit about the ecosystem prior to the spill and the activity it supported (oil exploration, fishing, wetland resources, etc.). The spill itself could be described, what happened, when, why, etc. The aftermath could then be discussed, cleanup effort (how the chemicals work to clean the oil) impacts on natural resources (reproduction, etc.), why it disrupted the ecosystem (what is needed for a functioning ecosystem), economic impacts, etc. The student could then speculate on future impacts or other potential problems that have not been realized.
Other potential topics: drug resistant bacteria, genetically modified foods, cloning, stem cells, cancer, a new drug, fossil, or invasive species, birth control, disease, moose distribution and global warming, ecoli outbreak on a food source, decade long trends in plant growth, etc. www.sciencedaily.com is a good place to start looking for a topic.
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