Origin of the Species - Bonus Exercise

This is a bonus exercise. The task is to read Darwin's Origin of the Species and its 50 page Introduction by Ray Comfort (uploaded as a single document in the class' dropbox location). A reaction paper is required by answering the following questions with a 60 word essay:

1. )Based on Darwin's "Origin", what is the Theory of Evolution? What are the strengths and weaknesses of this theory?

2. ) Based on Comfort's Introduction to "Origin", what is Intelligent Design? What are the strengths and weaknesses of this theory?

3. ) In your opinion, are any of these theories truly scientific? What makes any theory truly scientific?

4. ) What is your personal position? Evolution or Intelligent Design?

This exercise is due on Mar 15, 245pm

Pandoran Desert Design Challenge

My NATSCA2 class is tasked to create a Pandoran desert ecosystem. Each group is to do a round robin among its members to create the desired product. For example member 1 starts off by generating a file. This is then followed by member 2, who edits file 1 and saves it as file 2. This goes on until the last member completes his/her version. The group may start again with member 1 editing the last member's file. They can do this until the deadline on Mar 1, 245 pm. Folders have been created on the dropbox location of the class.

Since the design challenge is to develop an ecosystem. This will require the groups to create producers, consumer levels as well as non-biological components. They will also be judged by how they develop their concepts from the original Pandoran design themes (i.e. bio-links, etc.)

Grades

I just posted the grades to date for my NATSCA2 class. Quite interesting that I have 5 students who have not submitted any of the last 3 exercises I have prescribed. Anyway, I created a grades folder at the usual dropbox location. Grades are in an excel file but a pdf version has also been upload. Graphs have been made to show their percentile scores and their standing with respect to the rest of the class.

Pandoran Ecosystem

My students have submitted their rendering of Pandoran marine life. Interesting concepts. One drawing was a Pandoran Dory with the matching hose for hook-ups. Another was a Pandoran seahorse. I'd like to take this further. I'd like to see a Pandoran Marine ecosystem. It has to include communities of producers, consumers (primary, secondary, tertiary). These components have to be properly labeled (i.e. I need to know what the role of the organism is in the ecosystem). This homework will be due on Feb 8, before 245pm, in my dropbox folder. Some students have installed dropbox but their work is not visible to me because they have not joined my shared folder.