Owl Pellet Investigation



[pic] Owl Pellet Investigation CHECKLIST [pic]

Your TaskS: (Check them off as you complete them!)

( Remove all bones from pellet.

( Identify types of bones and tally them up on Data Table 1.

( Identify prey animal(s) and record in Data Table 2.

( Glue bones to prey skeleton outline. Label.

( Collect data from entire class, fill in Data Tables 3, 4, and 5. Perform necessary calculations.

( Analyze Data: Make graphs and answer analysis questions.

( Write lab report.

( Communicate your results! Your choice: Poster or Powerpoint.

Timeline:

Tues 12/04 – Introduction and overview. Receive pellet; begin dissection.

Wed 12/05 – Background material. Continue dissection.

Thurs 12/06 – Quiz on cycles, then continue dissection.

Fri 12/07 – Continue dissection.

Mon 12/10 – By the end of class today, you should have all bones removed from your pellet!

Tues 12/11 - By end of class today, you should have identified all your bones and your prey animal! Work on skeleton. Share data.

Wed 12/12 – Analyzing data and graphing.

Thurs 12/13 – Review: Energy in Ecosystems.

Fri 12/14 – Writing the lab report: introduction.

Mon 12/17 – Writing the lab report: Answering the questions & writing the conclusion.

Tues 12/18 – Lab report should be done/work on final product (poster or powerpoint) in class

Wed 12/19 – Work on final product in class

DUE DATE: Thursday, Dec. 20th !

Analysis Questions: As always, answers should be written in complete sentences that restate the questions. Answers should be supported with data and evidence!

1. How do scientists use owl pellets to learn more about barn owls and their habitat?

2. How many individual prey animals were contained in your pellet? Refer to your data to support your answer.

3. Compare the average number of prey animals contained per pellet in your period with the average for the entire class (all periods).

4. Based on our data, would there be more owls or more prey animals? Explain why this is so in terms of energy flow through ecosystems.

5. If a Barn Owl produces one pellet per day, how many prey animals does it consume in a week?

(Use only your period’s data.)

6. If a Barn Owl produces one pellet per day, how many prey animals does it consume in a year? (Use your period’s data.)

7. Which prey species was most common in the pellets of the entire class (all periods)?

8. What can we infer about the diet and habitat of the specific owls from which we obtained our pellets?

LAB REPORT CONCLUSIONS

? Restate the purpose.

? Restate your hypothesis; explain your reasoning.

? State whether hypothesis was refuted or supported, referring to, but not just listing, your actual data and observations.

? Discuss sources of experimental error and any improvements that could be made to the experiment or ideas for possible new experiments and/or further study.

? Write a closing statement that summarizes briefly the results of this investigation.

Personal Reflections (OPTIONAL!)

Remember, the writing style of a lab report is formal, objective, and scientific – not casual, opinionated, or creative. However, if you really want to include personal information, such as how much fun the lab was or if you liked it or hated it or whatever, add that in this final, optional section. In this particular lab, you may also want to add a creative writing piece about barn owls.

DUE DATE: Thursday, Dec. 20th !

[pic] POSTER GUIDELINES[pic]

1. Use plain, flat ordinary posterboard, NOT foam core or a trifold display board.

2. Include an interesting and attractive title.

3. Put your name in the upper left-hand corner & your period # & science code in the upper right-hand corner.

4. Attach your Reassembled Prey Skeleton, glued to a piece of construction paper, and correctly identified & labeled with the name of the prey animal.

5. Attach all five data tables, completely, neatly, and accurately filled in with pencil. (They should not have calculations scribbled in the margin. Use scratch paper!)

6. Two Bar Graphs (of Data Tables 3 and 4). May be hand-made or computer-generated. Handmade: use a ruler, color in the bars, use equal intervals, title the graphs, label both axes, etc.

Computer-generated: make sure data correct, label both axes, title the graph, etc.

7. Lab Report -- You may attach the different parts to your poster (in logical order), or you may staple your report together and attach it to the poster . (See samples on Schoolwires.)

a. Introduction - one paragraph long, include purpose of investigation, background information about the barn owl, including 3 adaptations, what an owl pellet is and how it is formed. You should include your hypothesis, but you do not need to identify variables because this isn’t a controlled experiment; it’s an investigation.

b. Materials and (brief) Procedure (numbered steps; don’t include clean up)

c. Data Tables and graphs are part of the lab report, but may be attached to the poster separately or stapled in with the lab report.

d. Answers to Analysis Questions (on last page)

e. Conclusion (follow lab report format guidelines.)

(See rubric also.)

[pic] POwerpoint [pic]

1. Minimum 9 slides in your powerpoint presentaton, as follows:

2. Slide 1: Interesting and attractive title slide. The title slide should include your title, plus your full name, period number, and science code.

3. Slide 2: Introduction - you should not include the actual printed words on this slide. Just include pictures and record yourself reading your introduction. (Intro. should be a paragraph long; include purpose of investigation, background information about the barn owl, including 3 adaptations, what an owl pellet is and how it is formed. You don’t have to identify variables because this isn’t a controlled experiment; it’s an investigation!)

5. Slide 3: Procedure we followed -- again, do not include lots of words on the slide. Use pictures to illustrate the procedure, but record your own narration explaining what we did. (We usually write it step by step like a recipe, but for this you should describe it in narrative form, first person, past tense. e.g., “First we broke the pellet into two pieces.”)

6. Slide 4: Photo of your reassembled prey skeleton, correctly identified & labeled with the name of the prey animal. Record narration explaining how you know it is this animal.

7. Slide 5: Picture of what your prey animal looks like with its skin and fur still on.

8. Slide 6: All data tables, neatly and completely filled in. (You may scan your completed tables or download the document from SchoolWires, fill it in on the computer, and insert it into your powerpoint.)

9. Slide 7: Bar graphs for Table 3: Types of Prey Animals found in Owl Pellets – Class Results (May be computer-generated or hand-drawn and scanned. )

10. Slide 8: Bar graph for Table 4: Number of Prey Animals per Pellet – Class Results (May be computer-generated or hand-drawn and scanned.)

11. Slide 9: Analysis/Conclusion – It should have an interesting and appropriate picture plus a recorded narration of yourself reading the answers to your analysis questions and your conclusion.

(See rubric also.)

TO SUBMIT:

Share the completed powerpoint with me on Google Drive.

OR

Bring it to class saved on a Flashdrive labeled with your name and science period.

You also need to hand in your rubric with your name, period, and science code filled in!

Name: __________________________________ Period : _______ Science code: _______

Owl Pellet Project Grading Rubric: POSTER

|Points ( |Soaring!! (10) | Fledgling (9) | Nestling (8) |Hatchling (7) |Egg (6) |

|Completeness |All required parts PLUS an |All required parts of the |Most required parts of the|Some required parts of the |Few required parts of the |

| |additional feature. |project are included. |project are included. |project are included. |project are included. |

| |(Suggestions: a personal | | | | |

| |reflection, an original poem | | | | |

| |or drawing, food web, fun | | | | |

| |facts, etc) | | | | |

|Timeliness |Handed in on time. |One day late |Two days late |Three days late |Four or more days late |

|Writing Style of |Formal, objective, impersonal,|Usually formal, but there are|Usually formal, but there |Several instances where not|Casual, opinionated, |

|lab report |& scientific. |one or two minor lapses. |are a few lapses. |formal, objective, etc. |personal, and not scientific.|

|Mechanics |No errors in sentence |1 or 2 errors in sentence |A few errors in sentence |Several errors in sentence |Many errors in sentence |

| |structure, grammar, or |structure, grammar, or |structure, grammar, or |structure, grammar, spelling|structure, grammar, or |

| |spelling |spelling |spelling | |spelling |

|Introduction |Includes: components described|Includes: purpose, background|Missing one of the |Missing two of the required |Missing three or more of the |

| |in fledgling column AND |info, 3 adaptations of barn |required components as |components as described in |required components as |

| |something extra! |owl, what an owl pellet is |described in Fledgling |Fledgling column. |described in Fledgling |

| | |and how it is formed |column. | |column. |

|Data Tables (5) |All data is filled in |All data is filled in |All data is filled in |Most data is filled in with |Very incomplete and/or very |

| |correctly and EXTREMELY |correctly and neatly in |correctly and neatly in |a pencil, but not neatly |inaccurate. May be very messy|

| |neatly in pencil. All |pencil. All calculations are |pencil. A few minor |and/or some errors in |or not in pencil. |

| |calculations are correct. |correct. |calculation errors. |calculations. | |

|Graphs (2) |In pencil, with a ruler; |Neatly done in pencil, with a|Graphs are for the most |Graphs are pretty good. |Graphs are very messy and/or |

| |accurately labeled, titled, |ruler; accurately labeled, |part very well done; minor|Several errors present |do not follow the guidelines.|

| |and no errors. |titled, and no errors. |errors are present. |and/or they are a bit messy.| |

| |EXTREMELY neat!! | | | | |

|Analysis Questions |Fledgling requirements, but in|All questions answered |Most questions are |Restated. Some facts and |Many errors and/or questions |

| |paragraph form, with |thoroughly and correctly & |restated and answered |answers are incorrect or not|are not restated. |

| |transitions added along with |can be understood w/o knowing|correctly, but not quite |supported with data & | |

| |additional information. |questions. |thoroughly. |observations. | |

|Prey Skeleton | All bones are present & in |Almost all bones are present |Most bones are present & |Some bones are present & in |Few bones are present & in |

| |proper position; labeled |& in proper position; |in proper positions; |proper position; labeled |proper position and/or not |

| |neatly with prey’s scientific |labeled neatly with prey’s |labeled neatly with prey’s|neatly with prey’s common |labeled or not labeled |

| |& common name. |common name. |common name. |name. |correctly. |

|Presentation |Student has gone above and |Care and effort are apparent.|Some improvement could be |Much improvement is needed. |Not much care or effort |

| |beyond requirements to make |Neat and organized. Text is |made to presentation. |Format not followed very |shown. Poster is messy or |

| |the poster especially |easy to read. Poster is |For-mat is followed. Text |consistently. Text is not |disorganized and/or format |

| |attractive. |visually appealing. |easy to read. |easy to read. |not followed; difficult to |

| | | | | |read text or in pencil. |

|Details |Rubric attached; full name, |Missing one of the items |Missing 2 of the items |Missing three of the items |Missing more than three of |

| |period #, & sci. # written on |specified in Soaring. |specified in Soaring. |specified in Soaring |the items specified in |

| |front. | | | |Soaring. |

|Total pts, grade, & | |

|comments | |

| | |

Name: __________________________________ Period : _______ Science code: _______

Owl Pellet Project Grading Rubric: POwerpoint

|Points ( |Soaring!! (10) | Fledgling (9) | Nestling (8) |Hatchling (7) |Egg (6) |

|Completeness |All 9 required slides PLUS an |All 9 required slides of |Missing one required |Missing 2 required slides |Missing 3 or more required |

| |additional one with something |the project are included. |slide OR rubric not |or missing one slide and |slides or missing 2 slides |

| |extra, such as an original poem|Rubric handed in. |handed in. |rubric not handed in. |and rubric not handed in. |

| |or drawing, food web, fun | | | | |

| |facts, etc) | | | | |

| |Rubric handed in. | | | | |

|Timeliness |Submitted on time |Submitted one day late. |Two days late |Three days late |Four days late or not in |

| | | | | |shared folder. |

|Introduction |Includes: components described |Includes: purpose, |Missing one of the |Missing two of the |Missing three or more of |

| |in fledgling column AND |background info, 3 |required components as |required components as |the required components as |

| |includes an especially and has |adaptations of barn owl, |described in Fledgling |described in Fledgling |described in Fledgling |

| |extra-nice picture(s). |what an owl pellet is and |column. |column. |column. |

| | |how it is formed . | | | |

|Data Tables (4) |All data is filled in correctly|All data is filled in |All data is filled in |Most data is filled in |Very incomplete and/or very|

|NOTE: can be done on |and EXTREMELY neatly in |correctly and neatly in |correctly and neatly in |with a pencil, but not |inaccurate. May be very |

|computer |pencil. All calculations are |pencil. All calculations |pencil. A few minor |neatly and/or some errors |messy or not in pencil. |

| |correct. |are correct. |calculation errors. |in calculations. | |

|Graphs (2) |Al graphing guidelines |All graphing guidelines |Graphs are for the most |Graphs are pretty good. |Graphs are very messy |

|Note: Can be |followed: accurately labeled, |followed: accurately |part very well done; |Several errors present |and/or do not follow the |

|computer-generated or |titled, and no errors. |labeled, titled, and no |minor errors are present.|and/or they are a bit |guidelines. |

|hand-drawn and scanned. |EXTREMELY neat and easy to |errors. | |messy. | |

| |read!! | | | | |

|Questions/Conclu-ion |Extra sentences and |Answers to questions can be|Most questions are |Restated; some facts and |Many errors and/or |

| |transitional phrases included |understood without knowing |restated and answered |answers are incorrect or |questions are not restated.|

| |to make it smoother, along with|the questions: all correct |correctly, but not quite |not supported with data & | |

| |additional information. |& thorough. |thoroughly. |observations. | |

|Prey Skeleton | All bones are present & in |Almost all bones are |Most bones are present & |Some bones are present & |Few bones are present & in |

|(photo in powerpoint; not |proper position; labeled neatly|present & in proper |in proper positions; |in proper position; |proper position and/or not |

|actually turned in) |with prey’s scientific & common|position; labeled neatly |labeled neatly with |labeled neatly with prey’s|labeled or not labeled |

| |name. |with prey’s common name. |prey’s common name. |common name. |correctly. |

|Visuals |Student has gone above and |Care and effort are |Some improvement could be|Much improvement is |Not much care or effort |

| |beyond fledgling requirements |apparent. Attractive and |made to presentation. |needed. Format not |shown. Powerpoint is |

| |to make the Powerpoint |uses some animation but not|For-mat is followed. |followed very |disorganized and/or format |

| |especially interesting and |too much. Powerpoint is | |consistently. Too many |not followed; difficult to |

| |entertaining. |visually appealing. | |words on slides! |understand. |

|Audio |Excellent enunciation volume, |Great enunciation volume, |Good enunciation volume, |Fair enunciation volume, |Poor enunciation volume, |

| |expression, and pronunciation; |expression, and |expression, and |expression, and |expression, and |

| |no ums, uhs, or similar words.|pronunciation; no ums, |pronunciation. |pronunciation. |pronunciation. |

| | |uhs, or similar words. | | | |

|Total pts, grade, & | |

|comments | |

| | |

DATA TABLES

Table 2: Summary of Individual Owl Pellet Contents

|Prey animal found |Number of each |Non-prey items found (if any) |

| | | |

| | | |

| | | |

| | | |

Table 3: Types of Prey Animals found in Owl Pellets – Class Results (Period: _______)

|Animal |Vole |Pocket Gopher |

| | | |

Average number of prey animals per pellet = Total Number of prey animals in class

Total Number of pellets in class

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