Running head: LABORATORY LESSON PLANS

Laboratory Practical Lesson Plans

Shortwood Teacher’s College

Science Education 2

November 14, 2019

LABORATORY LESSON PLANS 1

Instructor(s): Date: November 30, Time/duration: Room #: Lab 3

Ms. Brown 2020                  9:00-10:00/1 hour

Subject: School: Group: Number of

Biology Ocular High School 10 Bio students: 10
6 females, 4 males

Unit Topic: Living Organisms in the Environment

Lesson Topic: Ecology

GENERAL OBJECTIVES:
Students should be able to:

1. Be aware that there is both diversity and similarity of form in living organisms.
2. Understand that there is interdependence between living organisms in their
environment.
3. Apply the knowledge of the interrelationship of organisms with the environment to
identify problems affecting the growth and survival of population.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES:
Students should be able to:
1. Effectively use the suggested laboratory equipment (quadrat) to carry out the practical
activity.
2. Accurately determine the frequency and population density of three (3) species of
plants after carrying out a practical activity on the school compound.
3. Work collaboratively in pairs to carry out the ecology population density and
frequency lab.
4. Use the format of the scientific method to construct a well organised laboratory report
based on the carried out experiment.
5. Proficiently manage time within their pairs to complete this laboratory activity within
the allotted time frame.

EXPERIMENTAL SKILLS:
Observation, Reporting and Recording (ORR)
Measurement and Manipulation (MM)

PREVIOUS KNOWLEDGE:
Students know that ecology is the study of organisms in their environment. They know that the
place where an organism lives is known as its habitat, which may include terrestrial and
aquatic habitats. o
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SUMMARY OF CONTENT:

When studying an ecosystem, we usually begin by finding out which species live there, this
helps us to know which species are most common or rare. Sampling is a technique used to
estimate distribution and abundance of organisms in an ecosystem. A sample is a small size of
a population that is used as a representation for the other organisms in that ecosystem. One
very useful way of sampling is using a quadrat which is a square that can be of any size which
depend on the size of the ecosystem that you are conducting your study in.

A quadrat is normally gridded to allow really small areas to be studied in detail. Your quadrat
gives you an idea of the number of plants in one small area. Quadrats allow you to estimate the
frequency of each species. This refers to the percentage of the number of quadrats in which the
particular species has been found. For example: If you put down 100 quadrats and found
broomweed (Sid asp.) in 20 of them, then the frequency of broomweed is 20%. If you put
down 10 quadrats and found it in 6 of them, then its frequency is 60%.

If you count the number of each species in every quadrat, then a figure representing the
number per unit area can be obtained. This is called the density of your species. For example:
if the quadrat has sides of 0.5m, the area enclosed by each quadrat is 0.5m x 0.5m, which is
0.25m2. There were 10 quadrats, so the totalled area sampled was:
10 x 0.25= 2.5m2.
Let us say that the total number of species in this area was 73. So we can calculate the number
of this species per square meter like this:
=73/2.5=29.2.
This would be the population density of this species in this area.

The placing of your quadrat is very important, as you should avoid biases as best as you can,
by randomly sampling. Therefore, you should never choose where you are going to put your
quadrat.

INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS:
(See students’ instructional sheet)

PROCEDURE:
(See students’ instructional sheet)

TEACHING STRATEGIES:
Discussion, Collaborative learning, Laboratory practical

PROCEDURE/ACTIVITIES

Engagement: (10 minutes)

Students will be shown a video on population sampling, after which they will engage in a
discussion based on questions asked. Questions will include:
1. Why is only a sample is considered and not the entire population?
2. How can population sampling on the economical scale be related to population
LABORATORY LESSON PLANS 3

sampling in an ecosystem?

Exploration: (15 minutes)

Students will be exposed to definitions different methods of sampling in ecology, after which
they will engage in a teacher led discussion about which method is more suitable for what
purpose.

Explanation: (10 minutes)

Students will be exposed to photographs of a quadrat, transect, and a point centre quarter
method of sampling. Based on the definitions that were provided in the explorations stage,
students will now be asked to associate the name of the sampling method to the appropriate
photograph.

Elaboration: ( 25 minutes)
Students will conduct an ecology laboratory activity outside of the four walled constraints of
the classroom setting, but in the field on the school compound after been given direct
instructions and an instruction sheet.

Evaluation: (completed outside of regular class time)

Students will write up a laboratory report to be handed in first thing for the following class.
Students will be assessed based on a specific criteria in the provided rubric. Feedback will be
given to students, and areas where improvement is needed will be pointed out to students.

REFERENCES:
Summary of content taken from:
Chinnery, L., Glasgow, J., Jones, M., Jones, G., & Williams, E. (2009). Biology for Csec (4th
ed.). United Kingdom: Latimer Trend.

Students’ Instructional Sheet

Lab #:
Name:
Date:
LABORATORY LESSON PLANS 4

Skill: ORR, MM.

Title: Ecology
Aim: To determine the frequency and population density of three (3) species of plant on the
Ocular High School compound using a 1m2 quadrat.
Apparatus/material: Quadrat (1m2), pencil, paper, lab coat.
Procedures:
1. Identify a plot of land with various species of plants.
2. Select three (3) different species of plant for study.
3. With eyes closed, throw the 1m2 quadrat on your selected plot.
4. Count and record the number of species within the quadrat.
5. Complete step 3-5 nine (9) times.
6. Complete table-record sheet of count for estimating frequency and density of plants
species. (See table below observation)
7. Calculate frequency and density for a given species. (To be given by teacher). Show all
workings.
Observation/Results (Complete table below)
Should include complete table along with a title for the table.
Species Quadrat Number Quadrat size=

Species 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 Total in Frequency in Density

Name 0 quadrats %

Calculations/Formulas:
Frequency
Frequency of any species is how often the species occurs at different sites in any particular
habitat.
(a) Number of quadrat(s) in which named species is found=
LABORATORY LESSON PLANS 5

(b) Total number of throws=

Frequency = (a/b)
Percentage frequency of species = (a/b) x 100
Density
Density is the average number of individual species per unit area or quadrat area.
1. . Total number of named species=
2. Number of throws=
3. Average number of named species per quadrat toss= 1/2
4. Area of quadrat =
5. Density of species = ¾
Discussion:
Answer the following questions:
1. What is ecology?
2. What is meant by frequency and density of plant species?
3. Use abiotic factors (such as soil type, water, light and nutrients, etc.) and biotic factors to
explain the frequency and the density of the three (3) species studied.
Conclusion:
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