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SYEFEST Activity: Quadrats & Questions
Institute of Ecosystem Studies
Millbrook, New York
Contributors: Peter Feinsinger and other ecologists in OTS (the Organization of Tropical Studies), Steward T.A. Picket and Alan R. Berkowitz, IES
Objective:
This field study is designed to build confidence in conducting the initial parts of the inquiry process (sometimes called the scientific method) in schoolyard ecosystems. Most non-scientists' experiences are limited to the "back end" of the process, having been restricted to data acquisition, processing, analysis and interpretation. Yet gaining facility at initiating the process is one of the real keys to becoming scientifically literate. The initiation of the inquiry process involves going from reflections and observations, to questions and hypotheses.
Tactics:
Part I - Asking Questions
- Examine the quadrat your team was assigned.
- Observe the organisms and physical environment in your quadrat. You might want to sketch the quadrat as a way of getting started.
- Write down all the questions you come up with as rapidly as you can for at least 20-30 minutes. Write as many questions as you can.
- Do not filter your questions. Do not reject any questions whether you know the answer or don't have a clue how you would answer the question, or feel that the question is stupid or trivial.
- Make sure at least some of your questions address the central theme or topic presented at the beginning of the exercise, but do not limit yourselves to such questions.
Part II - Examining Questions
- In a quiet spot in the schoolyard, or back inside, look over your questions. What kinds of questions did you ask? One classification is a) informational ("what is it?"), b) functional ("how does it work?"), and c) evolutionary ("why is it that way?").
- Reconvene with the whole group and discuss: How do your questions reflect your background and prior knowledge? What makes questions interesting? How do the questions relate to the central theme or topic set out at the beginning of the exercise?
- Consider how to proceed from a brainstorm list of questions to questions that can be answered through your own investigations. What makes question answerable? What other criteria characterize "good" questions for ecological studies in the schoolyard?
Part III - Questions to Investigations
Note: A hypothesis is, simply stated, a testable proposition or statement. One of the core parts of scientific inquiry is the rigorous comparison of your proposition with some aspect of reality (e.g., results of observations, experiments, etc.)
For any question, there necessarily are at least two hypotheses, e.g., "Does more moss grow on the north or the south side of trees?" For example:
H1 - More moss grows on north sides of trees than on other sides, or H2 - Moss growth does not differ on different sides of trees.)
Questions:
- In groups of 6 (3 pairs), explore the entire "schoolyard."
- After brainstorming questions, try to come up with a favorite question that is: a) interesting, b) amenable to direct investigation in the schoolyard, and c) can be answered, at least in part, by your team in the time allotted.
- Record the actual questions you will address and state at least 2 hypotheses for your question.
- Design a study for the schoolyard to address your question and test your hypotheses.
- Carry out your study.
- Present your results to your peers. Also consider how this study might be implemented with children in a school setting.
Please post any questions or comments in our Quadrats & Questions forum. We welcome your input.
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