Ecocolumn Analysis and Presentation Guidelines and Rubric-Update 8/24/2015

Ecocolumn Analysis and Presentation Guidelines and Rubric-Update 8/24/2015

The ecocolumns that you and your group set up will be the focus of a semester-long analysis and data collection. The culmination of this project will be a presentation (PowerPoint) where your group shows what they have learned and discovered. Following are what is required for each week starting on Week 3 of the semester (8/17/15). You are to record as much data as possible. There will be a 45 minute window of time set aside for data collection each week. Use the time wisely and efficiently. If you finish your work in class ahead of time you may use that time for analysis. Each week must have the following information collected and tasks completed:

1. Data collection including:

Temperature of terrestrial chamber (Vernier probe)

Temperature of aquatic chamber (Vernier probe)

pH of soil in terrestrial chamber (use pH soil probe, not the Vernier probe)

pH of water in aquatic chamber (Vernier probe)

Relative humidity in terrestrial chamber (Vernier probe)

CO2 in terrestrial chamber

O2 in the terrestrial chamber

Dissolved oxygen (Vernier probe) completed twice (once during first half of the experiment and once during the last five weeks of the experiment)

1. Pictures of each chamber
2. Notes on condition of each chamber (what is taking place, what has changed)
3. Short video of a member of your team where you discuss your findings (around 1 minute for each week). Each member must do this and who does this must rotate each week. A colored sign will be provided by Mr. Sheffield and must be shown at the beginning of each video. Credit will not be given for any video segment that does not have this.

Each person in your group is required to record data equally. If a member of your group is not contributing equally, please let Mr. Sheffield know. Points will be deducted from that person’(s)’ grade (the one not contributing/working).

Once your group is completed with the analysis (approximately 10 weeks) unless otherwise noted by Mr. Sheffield, the data, pictures and videos will need to be compiled into a PowerPoint presentation. The group will turn in a single PowerPoint and each member will turn in a hard copy of the data they collected.

I reserve the right to alter this project if the need arises. Any changes will be announced and an updated guidelines and rubric sheet will be issued.

Weekly data collection template

Please use this sheet as a template as to how you should set up your weekly data collection sheet. Do not record all of your data on this sheet and turn it in. It will not be accepted. Use notebook paper or a composition book to record your data. Each week you should have this sheet will everything filled out and a full page of notes on your observations. When you turn in this, your individual portion of the project you should have 20 pages (10 data collection sheets and 10 observation pages)

Date______Week ______

Terrestrial chamber temperature ______F

Aquatic chamber temperature ______F

Soil pH ______

Water pH ______

Relative humidity of terrestrial chamber ______

Dissolved oxygen in aquatic chamber ______

CO2 of terrestrial chamber ______

O2 of terrestrial chamber ______

Pictures taken of each chamber

• Terrestrial chamber _____
• Decomposition chamber _____
• Aquatic chamber _____

Video taken _____

Who was your group’s video speaker this week:______

Ecocolumn Project Rubrics (Journal and Presentation)

This is the rubric for the hard copy data (each person)-100 points total-Individual grade-you have to provide your own hard copy of the data. Numbers should be the same for readings of all group members, but written descriptions must be IN YOUR OWN WORDS. Copying will result in a zero, a referral and a parent conference. Numbers should be the same, but your observations must be in your own words. Starting at week 6, all journal entries were required to have my stamp on them. If your journal entry (a full page for each week) does not have this, credit will not be given. Your journal should be (if you followed directions) 20 pages in length with one page dedicated to your quantitative data and one page dedicated to your qualitative data per week. Each of these assignments counts as a test grade. To avoid a late penalty, both portions of your project must be turned in when you enter class on Friday, December 4th.

Temperature of terrestrial chamber / None-0 Points / 1 Week-1 Point / 5 weeks-5 points / 7 weeks-7 points / 10 weeks-10 points
Temperature of aquatic chamber / None-0 Points / 1 Week-1 Point / 5 weeks-5 points / 7 weeks-7 points / 10 weeks-10 points
Soil pH / None-0 Points / 1 Week-1 Point / 5 weeks-5 points / 7 weeks-7 points / 10 weeks-10 points
Water pH / None-0 Points / 1 Week-1 Point / 5 weeks-5 points / 7 weeks-7 points / 10 weeks-10 points
Relative humidity in terrestrial chamber / None-0 Points / 1 Week-1 Point / 5 weeks-5 points / 7 weeks-7 points / 10 weeks-10 points
CO2 in terrestrial chamber / None-0 Points / 1 Week-1 Point / 5 weeks-5 points / 7 weeks-7 points / 10 weeks-10 points
O2 in terrestrial chamber / None-0 Points / 1 Week-1 Point / 5 weeks-5 points / 7 weeks-7 points / 10 weeks-10 points
Dissolved oxygen in aquatic chamber (completed twice during the run of the experiment-see page one) / None-0 Points / Once-5 points (completed within the first five weeks) / Twice-10 points (completed within the last five weeks)
Notes on each chamber-one full page for each week / None-0 Points / 1 Week-2 Point / 5 weeks-10 points / 7 weeks-14 points / 10 weeks-20 points

For the PowerPoint Presentation portion of the project you are to take the information and put it on a PowerPoint. This is a group effort and all members must participate. If you are having trouble with a group member not participating let me know and I will intervene. However, do not wait until the last minute if this is the case. The due date is still the due date.

You must have the following slides:

-Title page with each group member listed.

-Terrestrial chamber temperature chart

-Aquatic chamber temperature chart

-Soil pH chart

-Water pH chart

-Relative humidity chart

-CO2 chart

-O2 Chart

-Dissolved oxygen chart

-Slide for each week showing picture of your ecocolumn (label which week it was)

-Video of each week’s observations (one per slide)

-Conclusions-One paragraph explaining what ultimately happened to your ecocolumn.

Rubric for PowerPoint Presentation (group)-120 points total

Chart showing temperature of terrestrial chamber / None-0 Points / 1 Week-1 Point / 5 weeks-5 points / 7 weeks-7 points / 10 weeks-10 points
Chart showing temperature of aquatic chamber / None-0 Points / 1 Week-1 Point / 5 weeks-5 points / 7 weeks-7 points / 10 weeks-10 points
Chart showing soil pH / None-0 Points / 1 Week-1 Point / 5 weeks-5 points / 7 weeks-7 points / 10 weeks-10 points
Chart showing water pH / None-0 Points / 1 Week-1 Point / 5 weeks-5 points / 7 weeks-7 points / 10 weeks-10 points
Chart showing relative humidity in terrestrial chamber / None-0 Points / 1 Week-1 Point / 5 weeks-5 points / 7 weeks-7 points / 10 weeks-10 points
Chart showing CO2 in terrestrial chamber / None-0 Points / 1 Week-1 Point / 5 weeks-5 points / 7 weeks-7 points / 10 weeks-10 points
Chart showing O2 in terrestrial chamber / None-0 Points / 1 Week-1 Point / 5 weeks-5 points / 7 weeks-7 points / 10 weeks-10 points
Chart showing dissolved oxygen in aquatic chamber (remember there should be at least two readings) / None-0 Points / Once-5 points (completed within the first five weeks) / Twice-10 points (completed within the last five weeks)
Pictures of each chamber in order / None-0 Points / 1 Week-1 Point / 5 weeks-5 points / 7 weeks-7 points / 10 weeks-10 points
Video of each week’s finding-each video covers one week and is one minute long-must have Mr. Sheffield’s signed sign shown at the beginning being held by a group member to count / None-0 Points / 1 Week-2 Point / 5 weeks-10 points / 7 weeks-14 points / 10 weeks-20 points
Conclusions-One paragraph explaining what ultimately happened to your ecocolumn / None-0 points / Barely explains what happened-1 point / Explains, but missing detail and thought, not thorough-5 points / Fairly good explanation, but missing detail-7 points / Thorough descriptive explanation of what happened to your ecocolumn-10 points