Workshop Objectives

This workshop will introduce the teacher to the concept of a quadrat study. The primary goal will be to show how students can discover in depth the various components of their environment by carefully studying a small, delineated sample area. This activity will allow participants to use the science process skills of observation, data collection and recording. Through inference, they will make generalizations based upon sample results.

At the conclusion of the workshop, participants will be able to:

• appreciate the wide variety of living and non-living specimens in their enironment;
• understand the technique of sampling;
• collect representative samples;
• record observations;
• observe environmental conditions;
• infer environmental factors; and
• generalize to characterize and describe environmental conditions.

Learning Styles Accommodated by the Workshop

Visual: Visual learners will be stimulated by observation of the components of the sample area and collection of respresentative samples.

Auditory: Auditory learners will benefit from small group discussion throughout the investigation.

Tactile/Kinesthetic: Kinesthetic learners will be stimulated by the sample collection experience.

Mathematics, Science and Technology Standards Addressed

National Standards - 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7
State Standards - 1, 3, 4, 6, 7
District 13 Standards - A, B, C, D, E

Classroom Setup

Cooperative learning in an outdoor arena, preferably a park or small area with vegetation, generally familar to the group.

Materials

Field work: rulers, string, tape, scissors, popsicle sticks (4 /student group), small magnifiying glasses, baggies, plastic gloves, small notebooks, pencils.
Classwork: magnifying glasses, rulers, baggies, plastic gloves, graph paper, computer with spreasheet software.

Schedule

Introduction
Activity 1 - Defining a quadrat and collecting samples
Activity 2 - Analyzing samples and making inferences
Activity 3 - Extending the activity
Conclusion

Development of Theme
Concepts

• A complex system can be understood by looking at its components and their interrelationships.
• The environment is a complex system.
• A quadrat is a small square area of known dimensions that represents a small segment of the environment being studied.
• Sampling refers to studying a small fraction of the whole as a basis for making inferences about the whole.
• Quadrat sampling involves identifying, counting and classifying all "individuals" of interest within the quadrat boundary.
• Sampling results lead to inferences about the environment.

Applications

The concepts of understanding the whole through an appreciation of the parts and their interrelationships is central to science thinking in general. For example, systems analysis and computer programming are dependent are this modular approach. Certainly, the current human genome effort is respresentative of this concept, as is the field of ecology.

Similarly, sampling techniques are a basic mathematical/statistical approach. Sampling is the basis for communications engineering, one current extension being the engineering of digital recordings. It is also essential to social science research, i.e., surveys and polls.

Activities

The following activities examine the concept of quadrat sampling and its importance to environmental science. In the first activity, participants discover the "populations" present in the microcosism of the environment that they study. Classification techniques are applied to specimens gathered. The second activity explores sampling and representation of populations within the environment being studied. The third activity looks at a neighboring environment where participants compare and contrast the observable data, calculated results and inferences to produce thinking on a broader scale.

Activity 1 - Defining a Quadrat and Collecting Samples
For each group of four participants, provide the field work materials as listed above.
Procedure:

• Explain that participants will be doing field work in the designated area. Ask for definitions of quadrat (quad=4). Develop the concept through limited questioning and answering that promotes critical thinking.
• Develop the concepts of sampling and random sampling.
• Brainstorm and ask participants to predict/hypothesize about what they will find in the area.
• Distribute materials to groups and proceed to field work site.
• Without further instruction, participants delineate their quadrats (size is at their discretion). Caution: gloves should be worn during the exploring, counting, collecting and examining phases of this activity.
• Record observations that describe area, vegetation and soil characteristics.
• Participants identify living and non-living "populations" and count their occurrences. Observations are recorded.
• Participants examine specimens with hand lenses.
• Participants collect samples of their choosing and place them in baggies.
• Return to classroom and examine specimens further.
• Brainstorm descriptions and classifications.
• Brainstorm how to chart data.
• Compare results to predictions.
• Brainstorm inferences re:the environment, soil, types/numbers of specimens.

Activity 2 - Analyzing Samples and Making Inferences
Use the samples collected and data gathered to analyze the area and the specimens.
Procedure:

• Groups report on data.
• Brainstorm how to record, compile and graph data.
• Aggregate class data is compiled and graphed.
• Discuss size of quadrat and sample size.
• Participants draw inferences from data through brainstorming.

Activity 3 - Extending the Activity
Use groups as above.
Procedure:

• Discuss repeating these activities at another familiar location or at a different location within the same park, etc.
• Participants brainstorm optimum quadrat size and optimum sampling technique/size for this exploration.
• Participants predict findings and provide reasoning.
• Repeat Activity 1 and Activity 2 with respect to the second location.
• Compare results to predictions.
• Brainstorm technique to compare and constrast data from both locations.
• Compare and contrast findings.
• Participants draw inferences from findings.

Appendix A

Activity 1 - Defining a Quadrat and Collecting Samples

Names of Scientists______________________________________________

Location_____________________________________________

Date and Time of Observations___________________________

This is our hypothesis of what we will find in our quadrat.

This is how our quadrat looks (draw it).

Record observations about the area.

Record observations about the soil.

We found:

Population

Living or Non-living

Number found

Our hypothesis was correct/incorrect.

Activity 2 - Analyzing Samples and Making Inferences

Names of Scientists_________________________________________________

Class Data

Class Graphs

What the data tells us about the quadrat area

Activity 3 - Extending the Activity

Names of Scientists__________________________________________

The best size for a quadrat is

This size is best because

The best number of samples is

This number is best because

Location_____________________________________________

Date and Time of Observations___________________________

This is our hypothesis of what we will find in our quadrat.

This is how our quadrat looks (draw it).

Record observations about the area.

Record observations about the soil.

We found:

Population

Living or Non-living

Number found

Our hypothesis was correct/incorrect.

Class Data for Location 2

Class Graphs for Location 2

What the data tells us about the second quadrat area

How is the second area similar to the first?

How are they different?

What can we say about the environment that includes both locations?

Supplementary Reading List

Abruscato, Joseph. Teaching Children Science, Chap. 13, Simon & Schuster, 1996.

Lind, Karen. "Collector’s Choice." Science and Children 31, no. 3, Nov./Dec. 1993.

Robinson, Krista. "A Classification Managerie" Science and Children 40, no. 6, Mar. 1995.

WWW Reference

http://www.stat.ufl.edu/~hyper/Sections/lect7