Evolution
Our first unit in sophomore STEM dealt with evolution. In this unit we had a few projects. These projects were a hardware evolution cladogram, a evolution timeline and the Alu PCR lab. These labs taught us about evolution and the changes that things undergo over time and why this happens.
Hardware Cladogram
In this project, we were broken up into groups of three or four and we were supposed to organize and separate different hardware pieces based on their different attributes. We then made an evolutionary story that the hardware pieces underwent to go from one hardware piece to another using what we had previously learned about evolution. Our cladogram shows the process that the hardware pieces went through and what qualities changed along the way.
Evolution Timeline
In the species evolution timeline, we split into partners and we chose a species of a plant or animal to make an evolutionary timeline on. We had to have five ancestors that the species evolved from. My partner and I chose to make our timeline about the gorilla. While doing this project I learned a lot about the relation of gorillas and humans and their evolutionary paths. I came out of this project not only knowing a lot about gorillas but also about humans and how they began to evolve and prosper.
Link to slideshow presentation:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1uxFVnbaa1jCr0aHTPgBqwOOZFSs6A_ggJjnP1uwQJgg/edit#slide=id.p
Alu PCR Lab
In the alu PCR lab, we learned a lot about lab etiquette and how to conduct a lab. We learned multiple skills that we need to be able to use throughout the course of the year while doing labs. First, we acquired DNA cells from the inside of our mouths using a saline solution. Then we used PCR to make copies of our cells that we gathered. After duplicating the cells, we used electrophoresis to try to sequence our DNA. Unfortunately, our experiment failed due to user error and we were not able to gather data from what we did.
Link to Alu PCR Lab Report:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vPMkwOq6MML0Px5_-qBRxmEArLJ4q9wCUoRzZCfZpEM/edit
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vPMkwOq6MML0Px5_-qBRxmEArLJ4q9wCUoRzZCfZpEM/edit
Concepts
Evolution: Change in the heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations.
Natural selection: The process of the environment allowing certain traits to become more dominant and killing off the disadvantageous traits.
Mutation: Small changes in DNA that cause a change in an organism.
Adaptation: A change made in a species to better suit its environment
Speciation: The development of a new species. Allopatric speciation and sympatric speciation.
Survival of the Fittest: The organism best suited for its environment will survive and live to pass down the trait that made it thrive.
Reflection
Over the course of this unit, I learned a lot about how things have changed to be the way they are today. One thing I learned is how to properly conduct a lab and that one small mistake may change the entire outcome of the lab. One struggle that I had was staying on task. We often had a time crunch in the end of our projects, When our group did work,we collaborated and worked proficiently to finish our project. I have learned from the mistakes that we made during the PCR lab and I will work to try and make everything that I do during the lab as precise as possible.
Evolution: Change in the heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations.
Natural selection: The process of the environment allowing certain traits to become more dominant and killing off the disadvantageous traits.
Mutation: Small changes in DNA that cause a change in an organism.
Adaptation: A change made in a species to better suit its environment
Speciation: The development of a new species. Allopatric speciation and sympatric speciation.
Survival of the Fittest: The organism best suited for its environment will survive and live to pass down the trait that made it thrive.
Reflection
Over the course of this unit, I learned a lot about how things have changed to be the way they are today. One thing I learned is how to properly conduct a lab and that one small mistake may change the entire outcome of the lab. One struggle that I had was staying on task. We often had a time crunch in the end of our projects, When our group did work,we collaborated and worked proficiently to finish our project. I have learned from the mistakes that we made during the PCR lab and I will work to try and make everything that I do during the lab as precise as possible.