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Saskatchewan - Science: Biology 20
Saskatchewan Foundational and Learning Objective | Adopted: 1992
1: : Introduction to Biology
1.1: : Understand the nature of the study of biology.
1.1.3: : Appreciate the nature of scientific investigations and the findings of science.

Diffusion
Explore the motion of particles as they bounce around from one side of a room to the other through an adjustable gap or partition. The mass of the particles can be adjusted, as well as the temperature of the room and the initial number of particles. In a real-world context, this can be used to learn about how odors travel, fluids move through gaps, the thermodynamics of gases, and statistical probability. 5 Minute Preview
1.3: : Explain the importance of theory in biology.
1.3.5: : Examine the principles of natural selection as identified by Darwin and Wallace.
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Evolution: Mutation and Selection
Observe evolution in a fictional population of bugs. Set the background to any color, and see natural selection taking place. Inheritance of color occurs according to Mendel's laws and probability. Mutations occur at random, and probability of capture by predators is determined by the insect's camouflage. 5 Minute Preview
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Evolution: Natural and Artificial Selection
Observe evolution in a fictional population of bugs. Set the background to any color, and see natural selection taking place. Compare the processes of natural and artificial selection. Manipulate the mutation rate, and determine how mutation rate affects adaptation and evolution. 5 Minute Preview
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Rainfall and Bird Beaks - Metric
Study the thickness of birds' beaks over a five year period as you control the yearly rainfall on an isolated island. As the environmental conditions change, the species must adapt (a real-world consequence) to avoid extinction. 5 Minute Preview
2: : Ecological Organization
2.1: : Explain how the interactions among the soil, climate, and living organisms produce the ecosystems which can be observed.
2.1.10: : Discuss the following cycles and attempt to illustrate their interrelationship: water, carbon dioxide-oxygen, nitrogen.
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Carbon Cycle
Follow the path of a carbon atom through the atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere. Manipulate a simplified model to see how human activities and other factors affect the amount of atmospheric carbon today and in the future. 5 Minute Preview
2.2: : Analyze a variety of ecosystems.
2.2.1: : Understand the concept of niche and habitat.
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Forest Ecosystem
Observe and manipulate the populations of four creatures (trees, deer, bears, and mushrooms) in a forest. Investigate the feeding relationships (food web) in the forest. Determine which creatures are producers, consumers, and decomposers. Pictographs and line graphs show changes in populations over time. 5 Minute Preview
2.2.2: : Identify the biotic and abiotic components and interactions in the ecosystems observed.
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Coral Reefs 1 - Abiotic Factors
Explore the abiotic factors that affect Caribbean coral reefs. Many factors can be manipulated in this simplified reef model, including ocean temperature and pH, storm severity, and input of excess sediments and nutrients from logging, sewage, and agriculture. Click "Advance year" to see how the reef responds to these changes. 5 Minute Preview
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Food Chain
In this ecosystem consisting of hawks, snakes, rabbits and grass, the population of each species can be studied as part of a food chain. Disease can be introduced for any species, and the number of animals can be increased or decreased at any time, just like in the real world. 5 Minute Preview
2.3: : Describe life in past ecosystems.
2.3.3: : Investigate the role of humans in creating and sustaining conditions which alter the rate of ecological change.
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Coral Reefs 1 - Abiotic Factors
Explore the abiotic factors that affect Caribbean coral reefs. Many factors can be manipulated in this simplified reef model, including ocean temperature and pH, storm severity, and input of excess sediments and nutrients from logging, sewage, and agriculture. Click "Advance year" to see how the reef responds to these changes. 5 Minute Preview
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Coral Reefs 2 - Biotic Factors
In this followup to the Coral Reefs 1 - Abiotic Factors activity, investigate the impacts of fishing, disease, and invasive species on a model Caribbean coral reef. Many variables can be manipulated, included intensity of fishing, presence of black band and white band disease, and the presence of actual and potential invasive species. Click "Advance year" to see the impacts of these biotic changes. 5 Minute Preview
2.4: : Explain how populations are counted.
2.4.1: : Recall the criteria which define a population.

Food Chain
In this ecosystem consisting of hawks, snakes, rabbits and grass, the population of each species can be studied as part of a food chain. Disease can be introduced for any species, and the number of animals can be increased or decreased at any time, just like in the real world. 5 Minute Preview
2.5: : Analyze population changes.
2.5.3: : Compare cyclic populations and stable populations.

Food Chain
In this ecosystem consisting of hawks, snakes, rabbits and grass, the population of each species can be studied as part of a food chain. Disease can be introduced for any species, and the number of animals can be increased or decreased at any time, just like in the real world. 5 Minute Preview
2.6: : Recognize ecological sequencing.
2.6.3: : Draw a climatogram and discuss temperature and moisture as major determiners of a specific ecological area.

Coral Reefs 1 - Abiotic Factors
Explore the abiotic factors that affect Caribbean coral reefs. Many factors can be manipulated in this simplified reef model, including ocean temperature and pH, storm severity, and input of excess sediments and nutrients from logging, sewage, and agriculture. Click "Advance year" to see how the reef responds to these changes. 5 Minute Preview
3: : The Diversity of Life
3.1: : Describe the principles of classification.
3.1.3: : Understand the system of binomial nomenclature. (Discuss the 7 major classification units which include Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, and Species and their associated relationships.)
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Dichotomous Keys
Use dichotomous keys to identify and classify five types of organisms: California albatrosses, Canadian Rockies buttercups, Texas venomous snakes, Virginia evergreens, and Florida cartilagenous fishes. After you have classified every organism, try making your own dichotomous key! 5 Minute Preview
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Human Evolution - Skull Analysis
Compare the skulls of a variety of significant human ancestors, or hominids. Use available tools to measure lengths, areas, and angles of important features. Each skull can be viewed from the front, side, or from below. Additional information regarding the age, location, and discoverer of each skull can be displayed. 5 Minute Preview
3.1.4: : Use dichotomous keys to help identify organisms. (One could demonstrate that a key locates actual organisms just as binomial nomenclature and the species level identifies actual organisms.)
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Dichotomous Keys
Use dichotomous keys to identify and classify five types of organisms: California albatrosses, Canadian Rockies buttercups, Texas venomous snakes, Virginia evergreens, and Florida cartilagenous fishes. After you have classified every organism, try making your own dichotomous key! 5 Minute Preview
3.2: : Recognize the role of monera, protists, and fungi in the ecosystem.
3.2.1: : Describe viral structure and activity.
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Virus Lytic Cycle
Release a lytic virus in a group of cells and observe how cells are infected over time and eventually destroyed. Data related to the number of healthy cells, infected cells, and viruses can be recorded over time to determine the time required for the virus to mature within a cell. 5 Minute Preview
3.2.8: : Collect, culture, and observe a variety of protists.
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Paramecium Homeostasis
Observe how a paramecium maintains stable internal conditions in a changing aquatic environment. Water moves into the organism by osmosis, and is pumped out by the contractile vacuole. The concentration of solutes in the water will determine the rate of contractions in the paramecium. 5 Minute Preview
3.4: : Recognize the diversity of animals.
3.4.3: : Describe the habitat and niche of animals native to Saskatchewan.

Forest Ecosystem
Observe and manipulate the populations of four creatures (trees, deer, bears, and mushrooms) in a forest. Investigate the feeding relationships (food web) in the forest. Determine which creatures are producers, consumers, and decomposers. Pictographs and line graphs show changes in populations over time. 5 Minute Preview
4: : Agricultural Botany of Saskatchewan
4.1: : Recognize the various biological processes associated with plant systems.
4.1.2: : Describe the processes of pollen production, fertilization and seed formation of plants.
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Seed Germination
Perform experiments with several seed types to see what conditions yield the highest germination (sprouting) rate. Three different types of seeds can be studied, and the temperature, water and light in the germination chamber can be controlled. No two trials will have the same result so repeated trials are recommended. 5 Minute Preview
4.1.3: : Describe the means by which solutions are transported through plants.
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Osmosis
Adjust the concentration of a solute on either side of a membrane in a cell and observe the system as it adjusts to the conditions through osmosis. The initial concentration of the solute can be manipulated, along with the volume of the cell. 5 Minute Preview
4.2: : Appreciate the relation of Saskatchewan's biogeographical regions and agricultural activity.
4.2.3: : Discuss the reasons and issues associated with various land uses and crop diversity.

Coral Reefs 1 - Abiotic Factors
Explore the abiotic factors that affect Caribbean coral reefs. Many factors can be manipulated in this simplified reef model, including ocean temperature and pH, storm severity, and input of excess sediments and nutrients from logging, sewage, and agriculture. Click "Advance year" to see how the reef responds to these changes. 5 Minute Preview
Correlation last revised: 9/16/2020
About STEM Cases
Students assume the role of a scientist trying to solve a real world problem. They use scientific practices to collect and analyze data, and form and test a hypothesis as they solve the problems.
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Each STEM Case uses realtime reporting to show live student results.
Introduction to the Heatmap
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STEM Cases take between 30-90 minutes for students to complete, depending on the case.
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Student progress is automatically saved so that STEM Cases can be completed over multiple sessions.
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Each STEM Case level has an associated Handbook. These are interactive guides that focus on the science concepts underlying the case.
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