Biology 12

Organize a Biology Symposium • MHR 545

pool for a species or reduced biodiversity

degrade the health of an ecosystem? What

role does biodiversity play in evolution?

The conservation of species diversity offers a potentially
rich topic to explore in this Course Challenge.

Human population movement is documented

from the earliest days of human existence.

Within the last few centuries, populations

have shifted dramatically. Explore evidence of

historical population movement, and explain

how such research is done and the impact of

population mergers.

Aging and death are part of the life process.

Explore how these processes occur at the

level of cellular functions. Explore as well

the impact of aging-related cellular changes

on an individual and on populations.

“Living things are remarkably effective at

using energy and matter efficiently.” Explore

this statement at the levels of biological

activity you have studied in this course,

from molecular processes within the cell

to populations within ecosystems.

Lysosomal storage disorders such as Tay-Sachs

are genetic problems that interrupt the normal

metabolic pathways within the cell. Explore

one of these disorders. Explain the basis of the

disorder, how the cell’s pathways are altered

by the disorder, and how this alteration affects

a patient’s body. Examine as well the effects of

the disorder on a population and society.

Materials

Support your presentation by a portfolio of

research findings, and a complete bibliography

of references used. If you decide to produce

a research paper, you might wish to prepare

accompanying visuals, graphs, or lab results as

a PowerPoint™ display. You might also tape-

record an interview with a knowledgeable

expert, or, alternatively, conduct an interview

with an expert via email. If you wish, attach

print versions of interviews, first-person

accounts, or newspaper or journal articles as

appendices to your paper. (See the sample

interview with two genetic counsellors at the

end of this Course Challenge.)

To prepare a poster of your research findings,

you will need pushpins, and a large sheet of

cardboard or paper about 1.2 m ×1.2 m or

1.2 m ×1.6 m. Your poster display can feature

a title, some photographs or diagrams, some

tables and/or graphs, a literature summary,

and an abstract (a brief summary or synopsis

of your findings).

Design Criteria

A.Collect your rough notes in a research

portfolio.

B.Generally, poster displays are created in one

of two ways: you can use a matte board (the

coloured cardboard used in picture framing)

in one piece or cut up into smaller sections;

or you can prepare a one-piece poster on

glossy paper.

http://www.mcgrawhill.ca/links/biology12

When you have chosen your topic, the McGraw-Hill

Ryerson web site is a good place to begin your research.

WEB LINK

ASSESSMENT

Before beginning this performance task, work with your

class to design a rubric or rubrics for assessing this

Course Challenge. (Alternatively, your teacher may

provide you with rubrics.) After you complete the Course

Challenge, you will be assessed on

• your ability to transfer the concepts you learned in this
  course to the new contexts of this Course Challenge;


• the quality of your research;


• the accuracy and depth of your understanding;


• your symposium presentation; and


• other criteria you decide on as a class.