Assignments

Student Presentation Topics and Rubric

Points	2	5	8	10	Total Points
Organization	Classmates are unable to understand presentation No logical sequence of information	Classmates have difficulty following presentation, Unable to generate discussion	Information is presented in a logical sequence which classmates can follow	Info is presented in a logical, interesting sequence. Able to generate conversation among classmates
Knowledge of Issue	Presenter does not grasp the information. Cannot answer questions posed by classmates	Presenter only has a rudimentary grasp on info. Does not go into great depth	Presenters understands issue and is able to discuss and elaborate on topic with ease	Presenter is able to elaborate with ease and provides references for students
Eye Contact	Reads notes without making eye contact with class.	Occasionally uses eye contact but still mostly read from notes.	Maintains eye contact most of the time but frequently returns to notes	Maintains eye contact with audience, intermittently returning to notes.
Delivery/ Elocution	Unable to be heard by class	Voice is low and difficult to hear	Voice is clear. Audience is able to hear presentation	Uses clear voice. Able to keep classmates interest with enthusiastic delivery.
Overall presenta-tion and Creativity	Presenter reads presentation from notes. No group participation or visual aids.	Reads presentation from notes but encourages some class participation	Presentation is done lecture style, but promotes group discussion and class participation.	Presents info using more than lecture style. Is able to engage classmates. Uses visual aids.

Total Points Possible: 50 SCORE _________________

Instructor Comments:

Judy's BIO10 Student Presentations

Prepare and present a 15 minute presentation on the topic that has been assigned to you. DO NOT WRITE A PAPER. DO NOT HAND IN A PAPER. Students should use visual aids (poster, pictures, charts, graphs, materials, samples etc.) and must be able to reference their sources. (journals, magazines, newspaper, interview an expert, internet etc). Be prepared to answer questions and facilitate a discussion on familiar aspects of biology and and how they apply to a new topic. THIS IS NOT A LECTURE. You may create a game, a video, a poster, powerpoint, brochure, a puppet show, a model. Get creative! Presentations will take place during week 10 of the quarter. No credit for students who miss lab this week. Students must attend the lab section in which they are enrolled during this week.

Potential Topics:

1. Carbon Sequestration:  Illustrate and review the carbon cycle.  Discuss the current rise in carbon in our atmosphere.  Identify the natural and unnatural causes of this problem.  What is carbon sequestration?  Describe several proposed concepts that may alleviate (decreasing carbon output, or removing/collecting and storing carbon from the atmosphere).  What are the pros and cons as well as obstacles for each of these strategies.  Describe what organisms can assist in reducing atmospheric carbon.
2. Pesticides and Health. What is a pesticide? What types of pesticides are there? On a cellular level, what exactly does a pesticide do that is harmful? What is the EPA's Office of Pesticide and what does it do? Discuss some examples of successful and harmful pesticide use. Is there any reason for someone living in US to be concerned about international use of pesticides? Give specific examples. Check out your own home/garage/work place for the presence of pesticides. What did you find?
3. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit the GulfCoast of the US. Describe the wetlands in this area before and after this event. What significant ecological role do the wetlands play as it relates to hurricanes? What human activities have contributed to destruction of the wetlands in the last 150 years? How much destruction has occurred? Can the wetlands be restored? Describe at least 5 organisms who rely on these wetlands.
4. You will be assigned a genetic disease. Is it autosommal or sex linked? On what chromosome is this faulty gene found? Is this disease polygenic? Describe how it is acquired. Genetic testing? How is this testing done? Is it expensive? Does insurance pay for genetic testing generally? Get Instructor approval PRIOR to beginning your research. What is the likelihood of passing this genetic pattern on to offspring? How does it affect the person who has it? Can it be treated/ prevented? Approved list of diseases as follows: Achondroplasia (dwarfism), Tay Sachs Disease, Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), Genetic Hearing Loss, Huntingtons Chorea
5. How has the Sumatran tsunami in 2004 impacted the environment? What animals habitats have been devastated? Discuss the long term impact of this. (the UN Environmental Program discusses a particular ape whose habitat is all but eliminated now.) DO not give a broad presentation on tsunami's in general. Speak only about this particular event in history and its ecological impact. What was the human loss of life. Describe at least 5 other species that have been profoundly impacted by this event. Describe any reconstruction you may discover.
6. Stem cell research and diabetes type I: Is there a connection? Define adult stem cell, embryonic stem cell and cord stem cell. How could the insulin management of a diabetic person be improved by stem cells? Do not give a presentation on Diabetes. Explain how healthy genes somehow get into a human. Precisely what cells are faulty in type I diabetes?
7. Ebola Virus:  Since this past September (2007), dozens of people infected with the Ebola virus have died in the Democratic Republic of Congo and in Sudan. Describe this virus, how it is transmitted, how does it reproduce. How can we contain this virus? What is the mortality rate of those who are infected? What tissues are attacked by this virus? How is this virus different from the E. coli virus? Compare and contrast these 2 viruses.
8. What is the avian flu? What is a pandemic vs an epidemic? How is this spread? Discuss the history of H5N1. Are all influenza's associated with birds? What is the current concern/ debate over this flu? What is being done internationally and here in the about this flu? How many deaths so far from this flu? Where? Has it been transmitted from human to human yet? Check out the Santa Clara County Public Health Webpage.
9. Sustainable Agriculture.  Define the Green Revolution.  What were the benefits and the costs of this change in how food was grown?  Was this sustainable?  Define sustainable agriculture.  How does this new concept of agriculture address the following concerns:  profitability, environmental health, climate change, and rural community development.  How does this new and evolving concept address water, air soil and biodiversity as important values in our culture and to the world.  Discuss some of the life style changes you can make to move toward a sustainable agriculture.