Biology, Period 2, Tuesday, Oct. 10

[blonde-doctor.livejournal.com]

The students have gotten an e-mail telling them to meet in the Danger Shop today -- and to dress for warm weather; when they gather, the doors open on a tropical rain forest scene, with trees rising high above their heads, frogs leaping from leaf to leaf, and the occasional black-and-white streak of a badger rushing through the undergrowth. Elliot's tied her hair back into a ponytail, and she's dressed casually, in a T-shirt and khaki slacks.

"Hi, guys. Today we're talking about evolution and natural selection, and I thought that to show it off, we'd take a little fake trip to one of the most genetically diverse environments in the world -- the Amazon Rainforest.

"I want you to have most of the class to explore, so I'm going to keep my lecture short. The natural selection chapter in your textbook has a lot more information and you should probably read it before the midterm. But basically, natural selection is the way that animals or plants that are well-adapted to their environment get to live to the next generation and pass on their traits."

She reached down and scooped up two frogs, one red and one greenish-yellow, only wincing a little as she did so. "For example, these frogs are very differently colored, because they fill different niches. But if they were suddenly in an environment that was all red or all green, one would be able to camouflage itself and the other would probably be someone's dinner -- not mine, ew -- pretty fast. And the one that isn't dinner gets to have more tadpoles and pass on its genes."

Elliot released the frogs and wiped her hands on her pants. "What I want you to do today is to go into the rainforest -- alone or with a partner -- to observe and pick an animal or plant that's adapted to this environment, and write down 100 words about why the being might survive in the rainforest. Look at everything about the being, from structure to size to diet to coloration. And don't worry about getting lost; I'll hit the button to make the whole rainforest go away at the end of class."

She leaned against a tree trunk and waited for the students to disperse into the rainforest.

Comments

Sign in, Bio, 10/10

[blonde-doctor.livejournal.com]

...

Re: Sign in, Bio, 10/10

[twohalvesofaphd.livejournal.com]

Zack Addy

Re: Sign in, Bio, 10/10

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Isabel Evans

Re: Sign in, Bio, 10/10

[multi-madrox.livejournal.com]

Jamie Madrox

General Class Stuff, Bio, 10/10

[blonde-doctor.livejournal.com]

Listen to the lecture, pass notes, or talk to Dr. Reid.

Re: General Class Stuff, Bio, 10/10

[can_be_more]

If Aeryn looks a little off, it has a little to do with rain forest temperature. It's nothing that'll hurt her, but just enough to make her crabby.

...Crabbier than usual, maybe.

Re: General Class Stuff, Bio, 10/10

[multi-madrox.livejournal.com]

"You okay?" Jamie asked quietly.

Re: General Class Stuff, Bio, 10/10

[can_be_more]

She nods. "Yeah. I'll be fine," she assures him.

Re: General Class Stuff, Bio, 10/10

[willbedone.livejournal.com]

Willow stared in horror during the frog portion of the class lecture.

Re: General Class Stuff, Bio, 10/10

[peter--parker.livejournal.com]

Peter listened and took notes in his small notepad.

Explore the rainforest, Bio, 10/10

[blonde-doctor.livejournal.com]

Go forth and find weird things. Pair up if you want.

Re: Explore the rainforest, Bio, 10/10

[twohalvesofaphd.livejournal.com]

Zack grinned hugely as he looked at the rainforest.

Re: Explore the rainforest, Bio, 10/10

[multi-madrox.livejournal.com]

"Was that a badger?" Jamie asked peering through the undergrowth.

Re: Explore the rainforest, Bio, 10/10

[twohalvesofaphd.livejournal.com]

Zack frowned. "Next to the mushroom?"

Re: Explore the rainforest, Bio, 10/10

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Isabel motioned to Parker. "Partner up with me. I need to talk to you."

Re: Explore the rainforest, Bio, 10/10

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

Parker joined her, leaning over to sniff an orchid, eyebrows rising. "What's up?"

Re: Explore the rainforest, Bio, 10/10

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Isabel wondered if good news still counted as good news even if she was pretty sure it was going to piss Parker off. "Two things, both good, sort of. I'm just trying to figure out which to discuss first."

Re: Explore the rainforest, Bio, 10/10

[willbedone.livejournal.com]

Willow looked around worriedly. There could be frogs anywhere.

Re: Explore the rainforest, Bio, 10/10

[multi-madrox.livejournal.com]

Before heading off with Zack, Jamie made a dupe and came over to check on Willow. "You okay, Will?"

Re: Explore the rainforest, Bio, 10/10

[like-a-sponge.livejournal.com]

Greg bounded forward into the forest, trying not to disturb anything.

Re: Explore the rainforest, Bio, 10/10

[peter--parker.livejournal.com]

Peter wandered into the forest, looking carefully for interesting things.

Classwork, Bio, 10/10

[blonde-doctor.livejournal.com]

...then turn in your assignment here.

Re: Classwork, Bio, 10/10

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

Orchids are specially adapted for a soil-poor environment. Most of them have leaves adapted to drain water directly into the plant, or can live off the heavy moisture in the air which forms drops of dew on their leaves. They climb trees to get a better access to sunlight and remain safe from predators, with their root systems exposed to air to absorb as much water as possible. It also allows them better dispersal of pollen and seeds to the wind. They have special adaptations of scent and appearance to attract as many insects as possible, with very fine, dust-like pollen that can cross-pollinate and hybridize with many types of plants. There are as many as 20,000 varieties of orchid, and new ones developing all the time.

OOC, Bio, 10/10

[blonde-doctor.livejournal.com]

...and we're done.

Re: OOC, Bio, 10/10

[multi-madrox.livejournal.com]

BADGER SIGHTING! WOOT!