Designing a Cladogram

http://www.indiana.edu/~ensiweb/lessons/mclad.ws.pdf

pics for class:

baby human http://www.solarnavigator.net/animal_kingdom/animal_images/human_baby_happy.jpg

baby bird: http://www.outdoorbirdfeeders.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/baby-bird-by-fritchman-41.jpg

baby monkey: http://www.all-creatures.org/anex/monkey-baby-02.jpg

baby fish: http://horacemann.usd259.org/jantz/japanimages/goldfish19.JPG

3d pics: http://www.3dimages.co.uk/gallery/v/3d_animals/

Designing a Cladogram

 

Student Objectives:

 

<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->Create cladograms

<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->Construct a cladogram based upon their observations

<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->Share their cladograms with the class

 

Skill set:

<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->Observing and predicting.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->Classifying and describing organisms.

 Constructing and comparing cladograms.

  Developing scientific inquiry skills; analyzing and inferring results

<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->Practicing communication and connection skills

 

Materials Required and Safety Concerns

<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->4 animals (pictures)

 

Overview

Character – a feature

Character state – the state of that feature

For example:  Character: Nose

 Present +1

 Absent 0

 1 character: nose

 3 character states: trunk, no nose, small flesh thing

Can create a character matrix:

 

More definitions:

Taxon: a named unit of life (name of group of organisms)

Outgroup: a species or clade that is related to the ingroup, but less closely than any of the ingroup taxa are to each other

Ingroup: the species or clade that is being studies or of interest

Ancestoral: shared by the taxon or clade of interest as well as some of its close relatives

Cladogram: a phylogentic hypothesis produced from a cladistic analysis

Example cladogram:

[PPT IMAGE WILL GO HERE]
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Prior To Lab Student Will Know:

<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->What shared derived characteristics are and how they are used to create cladograms.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->Seeing with their own eyes how organisms’ anatomies are classified and are very similar.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->How these anatomical characteristics could be shared derived characteristics on a cladogram.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->How to make their own cladogram based on what morphological traits the student deems important to his/her cladogram.

 

MAIN EXPERIMENTAL ACTIVITY

 

Description of the lab: Students share their cladograms and defend their choices with the class.

Inquiry: Students justify and defend the ways in which they classified organisms, thus practicing their communication skills. This activity is the culmination of the open-inquiry activity that previously occurred.

 

<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->Groups of 2 or 3

<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->Pick 5 animals and determine at least 5 traits

<!--[if !supportLists]-->- <!--[endif]-->humans, apes, giraffe, horse, bird, fish

 

Character list:

 

 

Questions for Discussion

<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->How to refine the cladograms that they made with additional information researched.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->Debrief from experimental activity: What did they learn? What went wrong? What went right? What could be changed?

<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->Brief summary of difficulties that students had that relate to biologists problems. (Staying objective, being general but inclusive, choosing enough characters to group taxa together)

<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->What sorts of careers might involve designing cladograms? (Show Here Comes Science “I am a Paleotologist” video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7zo2zY1Zqg&feature=PlayList&p=DEE83D1704954641&index=1)

 

Assessments:

<!--[if !supportLists]-->1. <!--[endif]-->Could they explain the importance of designing cladograms?

<!--[if !supportLists]-->2. <!--[endif]-->Did they, through open dialogue, come up with difficulties that may relate to those like real biologists?

<!--[if !supportLists]-->3. <!--[endif]-->Were they able to discuss how scientists use the available research to determine the degree of relatedness among animals and how these cladograms are always changing due to new information and new techniques?

 

 

Quick Lesson Review for Science Bus Student Teacher:

 

Pre-assessment: The student will have completed a character matrix worksheet by the end of 10 minutes so that they can complete their cladograms.

Participation: Performance Based: The student should have a cladogram of 5 cookies based on morphological characteristics that the student deems important.

Post-lesson Q&A: What did they learn? Do they feel comfortable with cladograms? How would they change their cladograms based on additional research? What were difficulties?

Real world connections: How scientists use the available research to determine the degree of relatedness among animals and how these cladograms are always changing due to new information and new techniques.

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