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

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

[multi-madrox.livejournal.com]

"I thought I saw something that looked like a badger run by," Jamie said with a frown. "Oh well. Find anything interesting?"

Re: Explore the rainforest, Bio, 10/10

[twohalvesofaphd.livejournal.com]

"Not yet," Zack said. "Want to see if we can find a piranha?"

Re: Explore the rainforest, Bio, 10/10

[multi-madrox.livejournal.com]

"Sure," Jamie said looking around. "Where's the closest body of water?"

Re: Explore the rainforest, Bio, 10/10

[twohalvesofaphd.livejournal.com]

Zack shrugged. "It's the Amazon, there should be a river around here somewhere."

Re: Explore the rainforest, Bio, 10/10

[multi-madrox.livejournal.com]

Jamie shrugged then covered his eyes with his hands. He spun around a couple of times with one hand pointing outward.

When he finally stop he started off in the direction he was point. "Thataway."

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

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"I could use some good news. I had a very annoying Sunday. Hit me with it." Parker stroked the petals of the orchid, studying the different shapes and markings between the purple and white ones.

Re: Explore the rainforest, Bio, 10/10

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Okay, short and sweet then," Isabel said, kneeling next to the orchid and attempting to sketch it. "Could I please, please, please borrow your car for the weekend? I, we, would like to take a trip away from here."

Re: Explore the rainforest, Bio, 10/10

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"We?" Parker cocked an eyebrow, and shifted her focus to Isabel. "Are we talking a day trip, or an overnight trip? Either way the answer's yes, but I'd like to know where my car is going to be."

Re: Explore the rainforest, Bio, 10/10

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"We meaning Greg and I," Isabel explained. "Neither one of us has ever really seen the leaves change and the Shenandoah Valley is only an hour west of here. We thought we go out on a little camping trip." Her face turned red. It could have been from the heat, it could have been from embarrassment thinking about what they were planning for the trip.

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

[willbedone.livejournal.com]

"Frogs!" Willow replied.

Re: Explore the rainforest, Bio, 10/10

[multi-madrox.livejournal.com]

Jamie felt a flash of guilt but tried to give Willow a friendly grin. "But it's only a virtual frog. Not a real frog. Plus this place has safety locks on it so no frog will ever try to harm you here."

Re: Explore the rainforest, Bio, 10/10

[willbedone.livejournal.com]

"Promise?" Willow asked. She looked around. "We could be surrounded by them and never know!"

Re: Explore the rainforest, Bio, 10/10

[multi-madrox.livejournal.com]

"Promise. This place is kind of like something I know of back home. It might look real but it's really just a hologram," Jamie said attempting to pat Willow on the shoulder. "If any of them come close I'll grab them and send them to a virtual French chef for some virtual snooty restaurant."

Re: Explore the rainforest, Bio, 10/10

[willbedone.livejournal.com]

Willow relaxed a little. "Thank you. It's just creepy."

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.