Instructions:
Part 1:
Read through the questions below. Record a video, 60 seconds minimum, in
response to one or more of the questions below that interest you. Also, please provide your first name on the video, mention OU's Biology 1003 course, and tell which week's assignment it is.
Technical details: You should be able to record this video on a smartphone, iPad, digital camera, or webcam. If you need equipment, check with the Student Learning Center in Wagner Hall 245. You can log in to mymedia.ou.edu to either record a video directly there or to upload your previously recorded video file (make sure you set the permissions to allow us to view it; DON'T make it "private"). Then, you can post a hyperlink to the file or embed it in your D2L discussion board forum. Alternatively, you're welcome to post your video at a publicly accessible site at your own risk (e.g., YouTube, dropbox.com, portfolio.ou.edu, or your own server space), and post a stable, hyperlinked address to your production in the D2L forum.
Part 2:
Post a typed response to the Starting Assumptions posts of at least two other students. (If
you are the first or second person to post, you will have to check back later
to complete this part of the assignment).
- Please spell check and proofread your typed responses.
- Please respond to posts with 0 responses first; once every post has at least
one response, you are free to choose any post to respond to.
- When you respond, please use the name of the student you are responding
to. That is, say "Hi Jessica" or "Hi Paul" so that you
can get used to the names of the people in class. (You can find a list of
"real" names and preferred names posted on D2L).
- What constitutes a substantive response? This means that
you have read and thought about the original post, and that after some reflection,
you are extending one or more of the thoughts in the original post or offering
an additional perspective as you might in a good conversation. It is not enough
to say simply "nice job," "I liked that," "I think you're right about XXXX," "I disagree," etc. It is OK to disagree or agree,
but the goal is to thoughtfully add something else interesting and new related
to the content of the original post. At a minimum this should be at least
50 words, and 50-100 is preferable. Check out this page for more on the topic of good and bad responses.
After you have posted your video and responded to at least two other students,
go to Desire2Learn and complete the Gradebook
Declaration for this week's Starting Assumptions assignment. (Do not declare that you have completed these assignments until AFTER you have made your posts. Your Gradebook
Declaration is subject to the Honor Code.)
Here is the text of the Desire2Learn Gradebook Declaration:
(3 points) I have posted my Starting Assumptions
video (60 seconds minimum) at D2L.
(2 points) I have responded to the posts of at least two other students
(1 point per response; 50-100 words for each). |
Here are the questions to get you started:
- Do you ever think about whether we are alone in the Universe? Why or why
not?
- Have you ever heard of "Super Earths?" Look over this article about the search for other planets (especially those in a habitable zone of their companion star/sun), and give your feedback on what this discovery does to your view about possible life in the universe: http://www.universetoday.com/108452/what-is-a-super-earth/.
- Why do you think the idea of life on other planets is controversial?
- How many species do you think there are on earth? What, if anything, do
you think they all have in common with each other?
- Some scientists believe that the number of species is grossly underestimated.
Do you agree? Why or why not?
- Where do you think the “hotspots” for species diversity (number
of species) are on our planet? Why do you think they occur in some places
and not others?
- Water is the one thing that is necessary for ALL life. Why do you think
water is so important for life?
- Have you ever had a chemistry class, either in college or in high school?
If so, did the class talk about any of the chemical requirements for life?
- In some parts of the world, people are draining rivers and lakes for drinking
water. What do you think about this? What kinds of environmental impacts could
this have? What other organisms might be affected and how?
- What do you know about evolution? Do you know any of the ways that scientists
test for evidence of evolution? Do you know any examples of evolution?
- How does evolution relate to you as a member of the species Homo sapiens?
- In the 1950’s, a group of scientists discovered the double helix structure
of DNA. How do you think this discovery has revolutionized biology?
- If you've seen the movie Evolution, do you think it's possible
that a microscopic life form from space could evolve rapidly on Earth? Why
or why not?
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Contemporary Issues in Biology -- BIOL 1003
Mariëlle H. Hoefnagels, Ph.D. © 2004-2015.
biology1003 at OU dot edu (at = @, dot =.)
Last Updated
August 5, 2014 11:02 PM
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