Science education has a real problem. It doesn't involve much real science and fails to make connections to all of the wild places on our planet where science happens. Instead of learning about science, kids should be learning how to do science. We want real research based science education in the classroom, where kids (and teachers!) are excited about science, and have fun while they work. Can you picture a science classroom like this?
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Now it's your turn. Students, post a question that you think would make for intelligent conversation.
1) Since you have been really buzy skyping schools, Does that interfere with your collection of data for the day? 2) How often do you check for bite marks on the clay model lizards? Why not put a camera on 1 of the clay lizards? 3) What part of Tomoka Park has had the most bite marks on your clay models? Is that where you had thought for the most pretadors to be at and attack your clay model lizards?
Questions: 1.What are the effects on a lizard from their predators when conducting an experiment? 2.Can the lizard change their colors and size if the predators make them feel uncomfortable? Will the population of lizards drop if there are a variation of predators sorrounding the island?
1. Has the weather made any difference on how much or how often the lizards have been attacked? 2. If a fake lizard Is completely destroyed, is it replaced? Or is it just removed ?
Has the weather over there in Florida since it had been raning alot has that affected the amount of lizards you captured or helped the clay models get lessed attacked?
Has the predator ratio increased in the area because of the lizards or has the predator ratio seemed the same?
1. Since brown anoles in Florida have become denser and they feed on spiders; what can happen to the spider population? 2. Can the brown anoles population increase more over time? If so, will there be serious damage? Such as less prey for them? And less food for other species?
1. How would the raw data collected so far be processed once the experiment is over? 2. Does the clay model anoles lizards attract the authentic lizards? if so, would it affect competition between lizards for territory?
The quality of your questions is increasing. I can tell you guys are putting in some high quality thought on this. Let me give you some feedback on your recent questions.
David- yes, we haw been busy skyping and blogging with schools. However, we think that is important so we think of it as time well spent. I have also been responding to blog posts during the car rides back and forth from Tomoka state park and our northern islands in the Matanzas River.
We check the models twice a day so we can tell if they were attacked by diurnal or nocturnal predators. Cameras would be great but we don't have the funding for 50 outdoor motion activated cameras so we are stuck checking them manually.
Our models have been attacked in nearly every area we have put them. We have not yet analyzed the data to look for trends and patterns.
Catherine- we are very interested in how the predators affect the lizard populations. Because predation is a density dependent factor we expect to find more predators where there are more lizards.
Mayra & Yasmin- we do replace or repair any lizard models that are attacked.
Rogelio- the weather does effect the wild lizards because they are not active at cool temperatures. We are not yet sure how it effects the predators.
We don't yet know the final ratio of predator to lizard bites on the models. However, we know that they have recorded many more bites from multiple predators.
Cherish- there are days I would like to live in the wilderness but there are also days when there is no where I would rather be than sweet home Chicago.
Jacky- we know almost nothing about the ratios of spiders to lizards. We would expect that the spider ( and other arthropod) densities may decrease with high lizard densities. Maybe this could be a future area of research when you become a biologist ;)
Your 2nd question is something that many conservation biologists are very concerned about. Invasive species ( like Anolis sagrei) can sometime push out native species. Here in Florida people are very worried about brown anoles pushing out the native green anoles (Anolis carolinensis).
Simon- the data will be analyzed a variety of ways. With the clay models we will compare percentage of attacks at the five sites usig a chi square test. We will also check to see if the height of the model has an effect on the likelyhood of an attack. We will also compare the models to the controls( brown lump of clay). Great science question.
1.Florida is known to have a tropical climate. So does the terrible weather cause damage on the clay lizard models? If does, what would you do with them? 2.In what place did you guys put the clay models? Did you just randomly choose a site or you have preference for selecting it?
1) You guys found a lizard with a crooked tail. Do you think that it is a mutation that is happening to the lizards because of environment or is it a random mutaion? 2) What's the hardest part in cathing the lizards?
1.Is there any way to find out if the lizards tried to mate with the model? 2.Are there any position where you put the model that gets too many attack that you can’t identify the attacks?
1) How many times do you eat in a day? 2) What is the biggest problem you face when doing this project? 3) Where do get the food from? 4) How do you get internet access?
1.Do you think the other lizards may be fooled by the clay modeled lizards? If so, do you think they do pushups to “impress” the females? 2.Are you going to try to identify the predators that have attacked the clay modeled lizards through the teeth marks? 3.In conducting this experiment, and the predators being aware that they have been fooled, do you think this will somewhat decrease the lizards being their preys?
3 Animals: 1)I think that a predator that might be attacking the fake lizards and lizards in general can be egrets. As I researched this specie I saw a picture that shows an egrets playing a cat and mouse game with the lizard. So that specie can be on of the many other species attacking the lizards. 2)Another animal that can be an effect to the lizards is the American alligator. I think that the alligator also attacks the fake lizards thinking they are real but they get fooled. The peregrine is another specie that we can look at and say that it can be a predator for the lizards. They are carnivorous and might anything like small birds, lizards, and rodents. 3)My last guess will be the armadillos. The armadillos eat lizards depending the species if they have teeth.
Questions: 1) How many female lizards are pregnant or have laid eggs since you catch them? 2) You said people looked at you strangely when hunting for lizards what are their first reactions or what do they ask you? 3) How many lizards have you found dead?
Comments: 1) Hey Reedy how’s the weather over their? 2) Is Ms.Harrison using the lizards that you have capture or is she also catching them on her own? 3) Is their any other scientists beside you, Dan, and Ms. Harrison? 4) In your spare time do you get to enjoy the outdoors?
1. If a lot of the clay lizard models are removed by humans or something else unexpected will that make the results less accurate? 2. Do you think that the other animals are actually fooled by the models or they just bite them or destroy them because they are curious?
1) Birds are predators to lizards because they can spot them out on tree branches and come down and pick them up and eat them. Also snakes because lizards are primarily small and can be caught by the snake’s fast reflexes. House cats also because when they are let outside they can eat lizards so when lizards are around they can be prey for them and that is dangerous for the lizards. 2) Does the clay model anoles lizards attract more predators than actual lizards? If so what kind od problems will this bring up? Has the predator ratio increased in the area because of the lizards or has the predator ratio seemed the same? 3) Mr. Reedy it looks like you guys are really working hard. Keep up the good work! Have you guys started tattooing the lizard’s dewlap yet? What was the size of the largest lizard that you guys have caught? Please keep us posted for anything interesting that happens please and thank you.
1.Have you figured out what predators are the ones attacking the fake lizards? 2.Has any unexpected weather damaged your clay models or in any way disturbed your progress?
-this might not be that much of intelligent conversation but, do you pay to get in the park everyday or how does that work? Because I read that there is a fee for every visit. -do you search for lizards outside of the park area or just with in the park? -do the people that enter the park have any effect what so over on the experiments? -simple question, do you always move by foot and boat? Or do you drive or bike around as well? - I saw a Skype were you and Dr. Warner were doing egg checks, how do you know if the lizards will lay eggs in the boxes instead of somewhere else? Does it affect your research in any way or do you expect this?
Yeah too many questions right? well hope you are having a great time.
1) Since you have been really buzy skyping schools, Does that interfere with your collection of data for the day?
ReplyDelete2) How often do you check for bite marks on the clay model lizards? Why not put a camera on 1 of the clay lizards?
3) What part of Tomoka Park has had the most bite marks on your clay models? Is that where you had thought for the most pretadors to be at and attack your clay model lizards?
Questions:
ReplyDelete1.What are the effects on a lizard from their predators when conducting an experiment?
2.Can the lizard change their colors and size if the predators make them feel uncomfortable? Will the population of lizards drop if there are a variation of predators sorrounding the island?
1. Has the weather made any difference on how much or how often the lizards have been attacked?
ReplyDelete2. If a fake lizard Is completely destroyed, is it replaced? Or is it just removed ?
Has the weather over there in Florida since it had been raning alot has that affected the amount of lizards you captured or helped the clay models get lessed attacked?
ReplyDeleteHas the predator ratio increased in the area because of the lizards or has the predator ratio seemed the same?
Would you rather live out in the wilderness or in chicago?
ReplyDeletewhich state has the best weather,obviously?
1. Since brown anoles in Florida have become denser and they feed on spiders; what can happen to the spider population?
ReplyDelete2. Can the brown anoles population increase more over time? If so, will there be serious damage? Such as less prey for them? And less food for other species?
1. How would the raw data collected so far be processed once the experiment is over?
ReplyDelete2. Does the clay model anoles lizards attract the authentic lizards? if so, would it affect competition between lizards for territory?
The quality of your questions is increasing. I can tell you guys are putting in some high quality thought on this. Let me give you some feedback on your recent questions.
ReplyDeleteDavid- yes, we haw been busy skyping and blogging with schools. However, we think that is important so we think of it as time well spent. I have also been responding to blog posts during the car rides back and forth from Tomoka state park and our northern islands in the Matanzas River.
We check the models twice a day so we can tell if they were attacked by diurnal or nocturnal predators. Cameras would be great but we don't have the funding for 50 outdoor motion activated cameras so we are stuck checking them manually.
Our models have been attacked in nearly every area we have put them. We have not yet analyzed the data to look for trends and patterns.
Catherine- we are very interested in how the predators affect the lizard populations. Because predation is a density dependent factor we expect to find more predators where there are more lizards.
Mayra & Yasmin- we do replace or repair any lizard models that are attacked.
Rogelio- the weather does effect the wild lizards because they are not active at cool temperatures. We are not yet sure how it effects the predators.
We don't yet know the final ratio of predator to lizard bites on the models. However, we know that they have recorded many more bites from multiple predators.
Cherish- there are days I would like to live in the wilderness but there are also days when there is no where I would rather be than sweet home Chicago.
Jacky- we know almost nothing about the ratios of spiders to lizards. We would expect that the spider ( and other arthropod) densities may decrease with high lizard densities. Maybe this could be a future area of research when you become a biologist ;)
Your 2nd question is something that many conservation biologists are very concerned about. Invasive species ( like Anolis sagrei) can sometime push out native species. Here in Florida people are very worried about brown anoles pushing out the native green anoles (Anolis carolinensis).
Simon- the data will be analyzed a variety of ways. With the clay models we will compare percentage of attacks at the five sites usig a chi square test. We will also check to see if the height of the model has an effect on the likelyhood of an attack. We will also compare the models to the controls( brown lump of clay). Great science question.
What is the material you use to make the fake lizards?
ReplyDeleteWhat has been the most interesting thing you have found on the island?
1.Florida is known to have a tropical climate. So does the terrible weather cause damage on the clay lizard models? If does, what would you do with them?
ReplyDelete2.In what place did you guys put the clay models? Did you just randomly choose a site or you have preference for selecting it?
what if a hurracane passed by and sweeped all of your fake lizards away so you would lose your data what would you do?
ReplyDeletewhat other unknown species have you come across?
ReplyDeleteCan you take a guess on what they are?
What could they possibly eat?
Do they have dominiate and recessive traits common to some of the other species that can be related?
Can you tell how old the lizards are?
ReplyDeleteIf you can tell how old they are whats the oldest lizard you have seen?
ReplyDeleteHas there been any changes in the weather that affects your research?
ReplyDeletewill a change in scenery efeect mating among the lizards and if so what will change the most????
ReplyDelete1. What has been the biggest difficulty so far?
ReplyDelete2. What is the thing you miss the most?
Do you gather research on aquatic animals?
ReplyDeleteWhat kind of predators target the lizards you are researching?
What is your back up strategy if an out of control storm would appear?
ReplyDeleteAre there any new invasive species or any newerr species that you have seen so far?
Hi, Mr.Reedy
ReplyDelete1.Can the weather affect the lizard models in any way?
2.What problems other than losing two model lizards have you had?
1) Are there any temperature changes? If so does it cause any change towards the experiment.
ReplyDelete2) Besides the crooked tail, have you seen any other differences in the Anoles Lizard or any mutations in that matter?
1. Overall, is the experiment going as expected? Are the results your getting what you intended?
ReplyDelete2. How is Alexis's experiment going? Is she getting productive results?
1) You guys found a lizard with a crooked tail. Do you think that it is a mutation that is happening to the lizards because of environment or is it a random mutaion?
ReplyDelete2) What's the hardest part in cathing the lizards?
1. Do you think global warming has affected their environment or their behavior?
ReplyDelete2. How many anoles live in the florida state and are they affected on the invasive animals?
1) Have you seen any of the lizards do anything interesting that you have never seen?
ReplyDelete2) Have you seen any animal attack one of the clay models?
1.Is there any way to find out if the lizards tried to mate with the model?
ReplyDelete2.Are there any position where you put the model that gets too many attack that you can’t identify the attacks?
1) How many times do you eat in a day?
ReplyDelete2) What is the biggest problem you face when doing this project?
3) Where do get the food from?
4) How do you get internet access?
1)do you think tatooing animal is such an crulty, they might lost the chance to pass their offspring!!
ReplyDelete2)another question: why red fake lizard? it is just because you only have red clay left or it is because something else?
1.Do you think the other lizards may be fooled by the clay modeled lizards? If so, do you think they do pushups to “impress” the females?
ReplyDelete2.Are you going to try to identify the predators that have attacked the clay modeled lizards through the teeth marks?
3.In conducting this experiment, and the predators being aware that they have been fooled, do you think this will somewhat decrease the lizards being their preys?
3 Animals:
ReplyDelete1)I think that a predator that might be attacking the fake lizards and lizards in general can be egrets. As I researched this specie I saw a picture that shows an egrets playing a cat and mouse game with the lizard. So that specie can be on of the many other species attacking the lizards.
2)Another animal that can be an effect to the lizards is the American alligator. I think that the alligator also attacks the fake lizards thinking they are real but they get fooled. The peregrine is another specie that we can look at and say that it can be a predator for the lizards. They are carnivorous and might anything like small birds, lizards, and rodents.
3)My last guess will be the armadillos. The armadillos eat lizards depending the species if they have teeth.
Questions:
1) How many female lizards are pregnant or have laid eggs since you catch them?
2) You said people looked at you strangely when hunting for lizards what are their first reactions or what do they ask you?
3) How many lizards have you found dead?
Comments:
1) Hey Reedy how’s the weather over their?
2) Is Ms.Harrison using the lizards that you have capture or is she also catching them on her own?
3) Is their any other scientists beside you, Dan, and Ms. Harrison?
4) In your spare time do you get to enjoy the outdoors?
1. If a lot of the clay lizard models are removed by humans or something else unexpected will that make the results less accurate?
ReplyDelete2. Do you think that the other animals are actually fooled by the models or they just bite them or destroy them because they are curious?
1) Birds are predators to lizards because they can spot them out on tree branches and come down and pick them up and eat them. Also snakes because lizards are primarily small and can be caught by the snake’s fast reflexes. House cats also because when they are let outside they can eat lizards so when lizards are around they can be prey for them and that is dangerous for the lizards.
ReplyDelete2) Does the clay model anoles lizards attract more predators than actual lizards? If so what kind od problems will this bring up?
Has the predator ratio increased in the area because of the lizards or has the predator ratio seemed the same?
3) Mr. Reedy it looks like you guys are really working hard. Keep up the good work!
Have you guys started tattooing the lizard’s dewlap yet?
What was the size of the largest lizard that you guys have caught?
Please keep us posted for anything interesting that happens please and thank you.
1.Have you figured out what predators are the ones attacking the fake lizards?
ReplyDelete2.Has any unexpected weather damaged your clay models or in any way disturbed your progress?
-this might not be that much of intelligent conversation but, do you pay to get in the park everyday or how does that work? Because I read that there is a fee for every visit.
ReplyDelete-do you search for lizards outside of the park area or just with in the park?
-do the people that enter the park have any effect what so over on the experiments?
-simple question, do you always move by foot and boat? Or do you drive or bike around as well?
- I saw a Skype were you and Dr. Warner were doing egg checks, how do you know if the lizards will lay eggs in the boxes instead of somewhere else? Does it affect your research in any way or do you expect this?
Yeah too many questions right? well hope you are having a great time.
how many fake lizards have you had to replace?
ReplyDelete