wisconsin fast plants experiments

3" 4" ‘" ’" “" •" ´" µ" ß" ,# S# s# Ë# şşşşşşşşşşşşşşşşşşşş ü dİ To reiterate, you are welcome to download some or all of the material posted at this site for your use in your course(s), which does not include commercial uses for profit. However, we require each group to discuss their hypothesis with the instructor to make sure to many variables are not being tested. Each Learners explore the relationship between the needs of plants and the places they live, while observing plant structures that function to support survival, growth, and reproduction. SETTING: This experiment could be conducted in any setting, preferably with a heterogeneous plant community (i.e., forest and grassland). Students should be forewarned and encouraged to wear long pants and closed-toe and heel shoes, as well as bring a bottle of water. Students are freshman and sophomores. Bhattacharyya, S. 1999. Wisconsin Fast Plants® are a model organism developed through over 30 years of selective plant breeding conducted at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. : ; Ç É Ü İ ı ı ı ı õ ñ ñ ñ ñ ñ é é é á ı ı ı ı ı İ ı Í Í „´ $d %d &d 'd „Ğ „¶ „h„˜ş „„h„˜ş „ „ Æ ‚ö@ _ ` a ‡ ² ³ 1 P ½ + , - . We also recommend that common sense and proper safety precautions be followed by all participants. Measurable treatments include light, wind, herbivory, chemical or organic fertilizer, insecticides, and growth regulators (i.e., gibberellic acid spray, auxin paste). A! Ù Non-majors: Have students choose from three testable hypotheses (provided by the instructor), make predictions, conduct the experiment, and present how their results compared to their predictions. Fast plants are a great way to learn about genetics. American Biology Teacher 61: 217-222. This experiment introduces high schoolers to phenotypes. 1 - Missouri Department of Conservation Open Rivers and Wetlands Field Station, 3815 E. Jackson Blvd., Jackson, MO, 63755. Comment on the Question: What is the value and/or limitation of field experiments? This experiment could be conducted in any setting, preferably with a heterogeneous plant community (i.e., forest and grassland). For example, you may compare seedling growth in a shaded area vs. a sunny area to measure the effects of solar radiation on seedling growth. This 1-5 scale was scaled to the point value of each main category. Smith, R. L. 2001. This experiment modeled the effects of artificial selection on the Wisconsin fast plants. The Instructors or TA's should help the students formulate their own hypotheses. You (and a partner) are to formulate an hypothesis and design an experiment to test your hypothesis. EQUIPMENT/ LOGISTICS REQUIRED: * access to a suitable field site (local) * 7 day old dwarf and wild type Brassica seedlings (12 per pair of students) * guards (wind, insect, and herbivory) * meters (soil, air, and light) * measuring equipment (vegetation pins, metric rulers, graduated cylinders, rain gauge) * gibberellic acid (10 ppm) in a spray bottle * auxin paste, control paste, and sterile swabs for application * Miracle Gro fertilizer (½ , normal, double, and triple recommended concentrations) * pH buffers in plastic dropping bottles (pH of 2, 5, 7, 10, and 12) * salt water in plastic dropping bottles (5%, 10%, and 15% concentrations) * sugar water in plastic dropping bottles (5%, 10%, and 15% concentrations) SUMMARY OF WHAT IS DUE: From this lab, students should submit the following: ( Hypothesis and experimental design before performing experiment, ( Individually written, original scientific paper based on data collected by the pair of students, due the week following final data collection. how to develop an hypothesis and apply the scientific method in a field setting. Instructors and TA's need to encourage the testing of a simple, one treatment, hypothesis. Morgan, J. G., and M. E. Brown Carter. 1999. FORMATIVE EVALUATION OF THIS EXPERIMENT. Most students have little or no knowledge of what to anticipate in a field setting (i.e., rain, ticks, sun, mosquitoes, dehydration, and poison ivy). Rapid-cycling Brassicas. * We then lead the students down the “succession trail” which is maintained to demonstrate the various stages of plant succession. SYNOPSIS OF THE LAB ACTIVITY (audience: students) WHAT HAPPENS: In this exercise, students will investigate the effects of ecological factors on the growth of rapid-cycling brassica (Brassica rapa L.: RCB's; Wisconsin fast plants) seedlings in the field. 3. Wild-type plants grow with a distinctive purple stem, best observed in the first few days after germination. Improvement in the evaluation scores demonstrates a higher understanding of succession and ecological processes, which the students have learned via the inquiry learning method used in the laboratory. Wisconsin fast plants manual. Exploring with Wisconsin fast-plants. Week 1 is used to introduce the study site, equipment, and set up the experiment in the field (i.e., Williams, P. H. 1989. For example, student data could be combined for analyses of larger data sets or a poster session could be used for student assessment in lieu of oral presentations and written reports. Scientific research helps students to develop the skills necessary to make and process observations about the natural world. ĞÏà¡±á > şÿ t v şÿÿÿ q r s ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿì¥Á q ¿ � bjbjt+t+ %¼ A A ÷x ± u ÿÿ ÿÿ ÿÿ ] Ô Ô Ô Ô The students should arrive at the field site with a hypothesis to test and Fast Plants change visibly every single day,right in front of your eyes. We chose this method because several TA’s grade the papers and this breakdown provided an objective template for grading. This must be completed during the next two lab periods. 4 - U.S. Geological Survey, National Wetlands Research Center, Lafayette, LA, 70506, beth_middleton@usgs.gov. In my college preparatory biology class, I have incorporated Wisconsin Fast Plants materials into many traditional experiments. Fast Plants are a variety of Brassica rapa developed by Paul H. Williams at the University of Wisconsin. Choose from our recommended lighting systems, easy-wicking water systems, potting soil, time-released fertilizer pellets, dried bees for … college and high school biology courses and could be adapted for non-majors and upperclassmen by increasing or decreasing the amount STUDENT PRODUCTS: Each student is assessed on their oral presentation and scientific paper. We usually prepare some items ahead of time anticipating what we think the students may need: a. fertilizer - We use Miracle-Gro and make up four differing strengths. One week later students harvest their plants during a return field trip after which they collect their data, write individual scientific reports, and present their findings in-class. The fast plants, which Wisconsin belong to, are a rapid-cycling member of the cabbage and mustard family known as Cruciferae (Driblette, 2017). This purple color is due to the presence of anthocyanin, a common plant pigment. 1 - Missouri Department of Conservation Open Rivers and Wetlands Field Station, Jackson, MO, 63755. valerie.barko@mdc.mo.gov. We have obtained permission to use all copyrighted materials, data, figures, tables, images, etc. posted at this site solely for the uses described in the TIEE site. Valerie A. Barko 1,2, Beth A. Burke 2, David J. Gibson 3, and Beth A. Middleton 3,4. In addition, this experiment should be conducted in an area where potted Wisconsin Fast plants will be undisturbed during the These include exposure to and intensity of light, insect herbivory, air temperature, competition for light or resources with other plants, etc. 14 CREDITS AND DISCLAIMERS..…..…..…..…..…..………………………….………. Our field site is an abandoned field with various treatments. Write your experimental design (what will you do? A small class or more advanced class could make their own materials with the supplies provided. ), and will be available for assistance in refining your hypothesis, if necessary. 3. Lastly, we request that you return your students' and your comments on this activity to Susan Musante (smusante@aol.com), Managing Editor for TIEE, for posting at this site. ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES. We provide students and instructors with separate handouts. 8 References and Links. 11 On the Questions for Further Thought and Discussion..…..…..…..…..….….. 11 On the Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes..…..…..…..…..……….… 12 On the Formative Evaluation of this Experiment ..…..…..…..…..…..………… 13 On Translating the Activity to Other Scales..…..…..…..…..…..………………. The instructor and/or students can transport the plants to the field site. This plant breeding began in about 1974, using the same ways of doing things that people have used for at least 10,000 years to tame/control and improve crops for human use (p. 65). Each student will need one week to write an individual scientific paper after the final measurements are collected. Teaching Issues and Experiments in Ecology, TIEE Volume 1 © 2004 - Ecological Society of America. Format - 10 points. Your assignment is to come up with an hypothesis to test the affect of a biotic and/or abiotic factor in our environment that may affect seedling plant growth in real-life situations, not just for RCB’s. These plants are ideal for experiments because of their short life cycle and ability to grow in classroom environments (Krantz). MATERIALS AND METHODS. 2. 6) Why are native ecosystems useful for ecological research? ABSTRACT: In this 3-week laboratory, students investigate the effects of an abiotic or biotic ecological factor on the growth or reproduction of rapid-cycling brassica (Brassica rapa L.: Wisconsin Fast Plants) seedlings in the field. Rather, Fast Plants are the result of over 30 years of ordinary plant breeding that continues, today. f. We provide additional empty squirt and spray bottles for the students' use. 1999. These exercises are designed for biology majors with little to no field experience. Ecological Methodology. In addition, this experiment should be conducted in an area where potted Wisconsin Fast plants will be undisturbed during the length of the experiment. Ù be used for student assessment in lieu of oral presentations and written reports. This plant is well known for its rapid growing rate, which makes it an easy breeding cycle and easy to pollinate. The plants can be brought back to the laboratory the following week for “after” data collection. Introduced by plant pathologist Paul Williams in 1987, the plants allow students to explore the effects of cross-breeding. Monohybrid and Dihybrid crosses demonstrate Mendelian patterns while other genetic stocks provide opportunity for observing cytoplasmic traits and developing of selection experiments. During the first field trip, the students should make observations about their study site, then design and implement their experiment (i.e., collect "before" data). You will conduct your experiment in a field setting chosen by your instructor. A. Middleton, G. W. Saunders, M. Mathis, W. T. Weaver, J. Neely, J. Rivera, and L. M. Oyler. © 2004 - Valerie A. Barko, Beth A. Burke, David J. Gibson, and Beth A. Middleton, and the Ecological Society of America. Seedling Growth of Wisconsin Fast Plants (Brassica rapa) in Field Environments. Week 3 is for Students should work in pairs and each group should formulate a hypothesis before the first field trip (lab 1). The students should arrive at the field site with a hypothesis to test and an understanding of the scientific method. Handicapped Students: The students may go to the field site if terrain is suitable for wheelchair use. Each student will need one week to write an individual scientific paper after the final measurements are collected. For example, a cloth that is designed to shade a plant causes it to overhead instead. The answer is: they’re a wonderful mystery!Plant hairs–also known as trichomes–are not yet … Instead of flies, my classes use Wisconsin Fast Plants for real genetic experiments, but there are some limitations with plant traits you can study. My grow chamber was created from a box lined with aluminum foil and CFL bulbs. 3rd edition, Benjamin Cummings, Menlo Park, California. : ; Ç É Ü İ KEYWORD DESCRIPTORS: Principal Ecological Question Addressed: How do biotic and abiotic factors affect the growth of seedling plants? Look on the stems and hypocotyls, under the cotyledons, and at the leaf tips. Z [ œ á k ² ü E F ‚ „ … š › u v J K ¥ ¦ Œ � ¹ º » ¼ ¢ £ 6 7 F G Í Î “ ” • ¦ § à á @! For example, student data could be combined for analyses of larger data sets or a poster session could Wisconsin Fast Plants were developed as research tool at the University of Wisconsin – Madison and have been used by K-16 teachers around the world for nearly 30 years as an educational model-organism. Students learn Ecological Topic Keywords: plant ecology, Brassica, abiotic factors, biotic factors, seedling growth. This experiment is used at a 4 year university with 10 - 15 laboratory sections. Rapid-cycling Brassica's (RCB's: Brassica rapa L.) were designed for use inside the classroom with adequate lighting provided at all times. Extensive notes on how to conduct formative evaluation are in the Teaching Resources sector of TIEE in an ESSAY ON EVALUATION. This experiment could be conducted in any setting, preferably with a heterogeneous plant community (i.e., forest and grassland). Students count their plants and … Cycling Brassica rapa (RCBr), also known by the trademark name Wisconsin Fast Plants®. Write the hypothesis that you will test. QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER THOUGHT AND DISCUSSION. vegetation is not dormant. Carolina is the exclusive distributor of Wisconsin Fast Plants®. Factors assessing seedling growth are mentioned and discussed - 15 points. Introduction (written for students): This experiment is designed to study biotic/abiotic factors affecting seedling growth. TRANSFERABILITY: This project could be done in most field settings with a heterogeneous plant community. EXPERIMENTS: EXPERIMENTS. Wisconsin Fast Plants belong to the Mustard family (Brassicaceae) and have been genetically bred to complete their life cycle in approximately 1 month. Each student analyses/summarizes data separately, writes a scientific paper, and prepares a 5 minute oral summary for an in-class presentation. GENERIC DISCLAIMER: Adult supervision is recommended when performing this lab activity. The oral in-class presentation was worth 20 possible points. This experiment could be conducted in spring, summer or early fall (depends on geographic area) when vegetation is not dormant. The results, including tables and graphs, are clearly displayed - 15 points. This experiment is suitable for use in community Time commitment: This exercise is designed for two, 2-hour laboratories. ì! Kit A: Grow Standard Wisconsin Fast Plants® and record observations and data in controlled experiments to learn about the role plants play in the cycling of matter, flow of energy, and interdependence in … 6th edition, Harper and Row Publishers, New York, New York. You should notice the heterogeneous plant cover that could be utilized in your experimental design. The hardiness, short life cycle, and varied genetic traits make Fast Plants ideal subjects for research and classroom use. Investigating Biology. Large Classes: Assign students to groups the week before the experiment is conducted. Seedling Growth of Wisconsin Fast Plants (. Http://fastplants.org; VIDEO: Planting and Growing Wisconsin Fast Plants However, these exercises could be modified for use in non-major undergraduate courses as well. b. differing pH buffers - We usually start out with pH’s of 4, 7, and 10. Experimental plants may die suddenly (e.g., herbivores, unexpected bad weather, or students may forget to water plants). These experiments were designed to allow the students to design their own experiments and develop a testable hypothesis. It will be due at the beginning of the next lab period. Gibson, D. J., B. Note to teachers and students: The Fast Plants ® Gizmo was created in collaboration with the Wisconsin Fast Plants Program of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. a video of the study site may also be presented for visual learners. Week 1 is used to introduce the study site, equipment, and set up the experiment in the field (i.e., take first measurements on plants). 15 . Hypothesis development. d. sugar water in plastic dropping bottles - We use 5%, 10%, and 15% concentrations. 7) What is a control and why is it important? › It takes us about 10 hours to plant the seeds (1680 plants for 280 students), and additional time is needed daily to water the seedlings. Related Video. 1) What abiotic and biotic factors can affect seedling growth? This experiment is suitable for use in community college and high school biology courses and could be adapted for non-majors and upperclassmen by increasing or decreasing the amount of instructor input and preparation. Experimental design. The student states a clear, testable hypothesis - 10 points. There means as seen in the first and last figure are significantly different. Biotic factors are interactions between the living components of a community (i.e., predation, competition); abiotic factors are those between living organisms and the non living portion of the environment (i.e., pH, wind, water, and solar radiation). student experimenting with Wisconsin Fast Plants at a field site, Copyright - Valerie A. Barko. This allows your instructor to determine if your group hypothesis is testable and to guide you to the proper equipment or plant variety best used in your experiment. length of the experiment. 4) What is the value and/or limitation of field experiments? Finish the sentence stem: Describe how fertilizer affects plant growth during succession. In addition, students have a better understanding of the scientific method, hypothesis development, and real-world investigation. Wisconsin Fast Plants belong to the Mustard family (Brassicaceae) and have been genetically bred to complete their life cycle in approximately 1 month. Simply stated, Wisconsin Fast Plants are not genetically engineered plants. Manipulated systems can also be useful if these help to isolate particular experimental or environmental factors in the experiment. Some of his college level experiments investigate evolution by artificial selection, inbreeding depression, and intraspecific competition. In your work group, you should discuss the hypothesis with the instructor before conducting your experiment. 2 - Department of Zoology and. Place a flag next to them with your name and the treatments you used written on it with a magic marker. The Wisconsin Fast Plants are relatives of cabbage and broccoli that progress from seed to plant to flower in just 14 days, then on to seed by 40 days. The students are asked to formulate a hypothesis and design an appropriate experiment to test their hypothesis. (1999). 5) How does scientific research help us understand better the natural world? 8) Why is it difficult to measure more than one variable simultaneously? Wisconsin Fast Plants were developed as research tool at the University of Wisconsin – Madison and have been used by K-16 teachers around the world for nearly 30 years as an educational model-organism. This plant has a rapid life cycle fewer than 40 days (Wise, Ranker & Linhart, 2002). However, modification could be made to reduce the time requirements. plants grow if they were placed in natural lighting or under a different lighting system?” Introduction A Brassica rapa is a rapid cycling plant with a life of 35-40 days which makes it ideal for experiments. ¬ � D $ àÇ4.|ïÃ\ \ D Ú ¢ Possible variables that could be measured include growth (height, number of leaves, leaf area) or reproduction (number of flowers) with respect to treatments such as light, wind, herbivory, chemical or organic fertilizer, insecticides, or growth regulators (i.e., gibberellic acid spray, auxin paste). INSTITUTION: This experiment is used at a 4 year university with 10 - 15 laboratory sections. Students work in pairs and set up their experiments Plant Brassica rapa seeds (dwarf and wild-type) 6 to 7 days prior to the laboratory meeting to get 4-day old seedlings (follow growing recommendations provided by Carolina Biological Supply). Each pair of students will need to meet the week prior to experimentation, yet following the introductory discussion/lecture, to develop Use solely at one's own institution with no intent for profit is excluded from the preceding copyright restriction, unless otherwise noted. It also allows them to understand the work that ecologists do, by experiencing the science first hand. These lessons can be used independently or in conjunction with classroom Fast Plants experiments. For example, fertilizer is used as a test of the effect of soil nutrients on plant growth. Then place your plants in their pots on the ground in a predetermined area. Ecology and Field Biology. b Science Methodological Skills Developed: experimental design, scientific writing, hypothesis testing, implementation of the scientific method, identify biotic and abiotic interactions affecting seedling growth. Teaching Issues and Experiments in Ecology, TIEE Volume 1 © 2004 - Ecological Society of America. It is up to you to determine what will be appropriate for your experiment. Anthocyanin is a purple pigment found in many plants, including Wisconsin Fast Plants™. Digital photos and/or a video of the study site may also be presented for visual learners. Before the lab sequence we asked the students to following related to the Brassica experiment: 1. The week before beginning the experiment, a 20-30 minute lecture is