Goldenrod Gall Investigation

In his activity students will explore the characteristics of patches of golden rods with galls and those without galls using guided inquiry.

Key Concepts
1.) Students will make observations and design an investigation to test the characteristics of a patch of golden rods.
2.) Students will analyze efficiency/effectiveness of their investigation.
3.) Students will learn different methods for determining plant populations.

Vocabulary:

-Galls

-Parasite

-Host

-Interspecific interaction

-Population density

-Population

-Community

-Species

-Niche

-Transect

This field investigation is designed for a class (60-70 students) of 7th grade life science students to better understand how goldenrod galls are related to golden rod plants. Information my students will need to know before going on this field experience include: observational skills, journal and data taking techniques, how to measure golden rod gall populations, and how to construct a lab write up. Data collection will be left up to the students.

Materials:

-Rope

-Measuring tapes

-Marking flags

-Meter sticks

-Scissors

Time needed is 3-4 days.
This field investigation will be used when we talk about parasite/host relationships. Having done this activity myself I think that it would be very easy to use in other settings. Another benefit of this activity is that it could be done at almost anytime during the fall/winter.

I plan on giving my students a pre/post test on goldenrod galls. Students will work in same gender groups and we will discuss what the life cycle of a goldenrod gall fly is. After discussion we will travel to our field investigation site and students will spend time making 10 observations of site in their field journal. The site that I have picked is close to school so after observations we will come back to school. During discussion on Day 1, several options will allow students to expand their question to test a patch of goldenrod. Materials needed will be discussed and we will conduct the actual experiment on Day 2. The break in between observations and collecting of data will give students time to gather equipment that could be a determining factor in what kind of data they want to gather. Day 3 will allow students to process the data that they have collected. The second half of the hour will be spent in large group discussion to tie up any loose ends. Things that will be discussed will include how efficient their inquiry was. Was the data they collected random? Did students collect enough data to represent the entire gall patch? The final project will have students construct a lab write up that they will present to the class. At the conclusion of the activity students will be given a posttest posttest.

In the past I have taken my students on field trips where they get the day off from school. I'm excited to do something different and to see how my students react to doing a field investigation.

Students will be given a pre and post-test. Students will be responsible for turning in their field journals and lab write up.

7 I B 3 scientific inquiry
7 IV E 4 interdependence of life

Here is a great site for more information about the goldenrod gall fly

http://www.naturenorth.com/winter/gallfly/gallfly1.html