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Ists E-Newsletter, February, 2007, Iowa Academy Of Science

ISTS Newsletter

In this issue:

--Notes from Your President, Gale Vermeulen

--A Message From Your President-Elect, Traci Maxted

--News

--Announcements

--Your ISTS Leadership Team

Beyond Bone Dry Memorization: Using Comparative Anatomy To Better Understand How The Human Body Works, Ben Overman, Katherine Larson

Iowa Science Teachers Journal

Oftentimes students learn about the skeletal system by simply viewing pictures of bones or, if they are fortunate, by observing real bones, but then going no further than being told the names of the bones. While this approach may result in students recalling names and locations of particular bones, it does not promote an understanding of these individual structures' function and importance. Here we present an inquiry approach to teaching human anatomy that has students observe body movements, comparing these observations to other species, and then returning to look more deeply into the role of bones. This inquiry approach to …

Can A Bird Build-A-Beak? Using Inquiry To Address Student Misconceptions About Animal Adaptation, Katherine Larson, Mandy Kemp

Iowa Science Teachers Journal

The fifth grade activity presented here is a modified version of a common cookbook approach to teaching animal adaptations. The original activity gave step-by-step directions that provided few opportunities for students to be engaged in deep thinking. In presenting our version of the activity, we make clear the critical role of the teacher in promoting higher order thinking and engagement. This animal adaptation activity helps students understand how the structure of various bird beaks determines the type of food it can successfully acquire and eat. This activity addresses two common misconceptions: that animals choose their adaptations and that animals adapt …

An Inventory Of The Vascular Flora Of Hamilton County, Iowa (2001-2004), Jimmie D. Thompson

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

A botanical survey of the vascular flora of Hamilton County, Iowa was conducted from 2001 to 2004. During this survey 973 taxa (761 native) were encountered. A search of the literature and a survey of Iowa State University's Ada Hayden Herbarium for additional documented specimens added 28 taxa to the flora. This total of 1001 taxa places Hamilton County fourth in vascular plant richness among inventories conducted in Iowa since 1950. A checklist including common names of most taxa, habitat and abundance data for all taxa encountered during the current survey is presented. Information on earlier collections includes source and …

Fall And Winter Food Habits Of Bobcats (Lynx Rufus) In Iowa, Kelcey J. Brockmeyer, William R. Clark

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

The bobcat (Lynx rufus) is a widely distributed native felid of North America but nearly disappeared from Iowa due to habitat loss and unregulated harvest that occurred during the century after European settlement. Bobcats are repopulating the state and are now relatively common in southern Iowa. This study was part of a research project to understand the ecology of the species in Iowa's landscape so that conservation plans could be established. We determined food habits by the examination of stomach contents from 100 bobcat carcasses that were accidentally killed in traps, killed by automobiles, or radio-marked individuals found dead during …

Objectional Language In Young Adult Literature: A Mixed Method Analysis Of Twenty-Five Novels, Ann P. Larkin Kurt

Graduate Research Papers

This research examined 25 award-winning novels on the American Library Association's Best Books for Young Adults lists from 1995-2005 to identify through content analysis the frequency of use of objectionable language. A further textual analysis was then done to look for contextual patterns in the use of objectionable language in dialogue.

The researcher kept record of each instance of such language used in each novel. These instances were then analyzed by novel, by word, by most often used in each novel, and by most often used overall. Next, information was gathered to see if the objectionable language appeared in dialogue. …

Trypanosome Infection In Cattle And African Sleeping Sickness, Susann O. Smith

International Journal of Global Health and Health Disparities

Trypanosomes are inoculated into a host (human or animal) in saliva via the biting mouth parts of the tsetse fly. Trypanosomes circulate in the blood of their host, differentiate and spread to other tissues via the lymphatic system during a 30 day period. Humans with African Sleeping Sickness or Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) complain of having a fever, headaches and joint pain. If left untreated, a neurological phase develops causing confusion, fatigue, narcolepsy like symptoms, irreversible nerve damage and eventual death. Often associated with malnutrition and poverty, HAT has been reported to have been in existence in Africa since the …

Gender And Racial Masquerade: Female Body Performance On The Late 19th Century And Early 20th Century Variety Stage, Kathleen M. Golden

Iowa Journal of Communication

There were three women who were at the forefront of vaudeville's rise in popularity: May Irwin, Eva Tanguay, and Aida Overton Walker. These women represent, each in their own way, transformation and emergence of new gender and race roles in America. Irwin, Tanguay, and Walker developed individual styles of performance that both reinforced the accepted forms of discourse on the variety of stage, but also broke through barriers related to gender and race. Butler's (1997) work on performativity and her adoption of Austin's (1965) ideas on illocutionary and perlocutionary acts, and Bourdieu's (1991) concept of "social magic" inform this analysis.

Routes Of Exposure For Leptospirosis, Catherine C. Schmidt

International Journal of Global Health and Health Disparities

Leptospirosis was once a common zoonotic disease affecting most mammalian species. While it was once a very prevalent disease, it had tailored off only affecting humans with certain occupational hazards in developed countries. Recently, there has been an increase in the incidence of leptospirosis associated with recreational exposures and travel to tropical climates. Humans become infected with the disease through either direct or indirect contact with infected animal urine. Since leptospirosis has a longer survival period in wet, humid and warm conditions it is more prevalent in tropical and temperate climates and exposure peaks in the summer. There are a …

A Review Of Case-Control And Cohort Studies Examining Pesticides And The Risk Of Parkinson's Disease, Ruth Moytca Parks

International Journal of Global Health and Health Disparities

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer disease, having an annual incidence of approximately 20 per 100,000 people (Schapira 2004, Fischer 1999). An estimated one million persons in the United States have PD, and this prevalence is likely to rise as the population ages (Schapira 2004). This disorder is characterized pathologically by a loss of dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta that produces the neurotransmitter dopamine. The clinical features of PD are motor function abnormalities including tremor, rigidity, slowness of movement, and difficulty with balance. In the early stages of PD, treatments may …

Frje Echeverría: Self-Portraits, Frje Echeverria, Brad Covington

Art on Campus Book Gallery

A book featuring the self-portrait paintings of artist frje Echeverria. An essay by Brad Covington is included.

Proceedings Of The 119th Annual Meeting Of The Iowa Academy Of Science [Program, 2007], Iowa Academy Of Science

Iowa Academy of Science Documents

Contents:

Welcome from the Executive Director --- 3
Program Summary/Timeline --- 4
Iowa Junior Academy of Science --- 6
General Session Presentations --- 7
Symposia Presentations --- 10
Senior Poster Program --- 14
Awards Luncheon --- 16
President's Banquet --- 16
IAS Annual Business Meeting --- 17
2006-2007 Officers and Volunteers --- 18
Notes --- 19
Field Trips --- 20
Section Meeting Programs and Oral Presentations (Alphabetical by Section) --- 22
Abstracts (by Section) --- 27
Author Index --- 53

Short Story, Volume 15, Number 1, Spring 2007 [Download Entire Issue]

Short Story

No abstract provided.

Understanding Dispersion Models Using Computer Technology, Storm Project

Open Educational Resources

Objectives:

• Analyze dispersion models
• Use computer models to predict outcomes of various scenarios

9-12 NSES Standards:

• Standard A: Inquiry - Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry and Understanding about scientific inquiry
• Standard E: Science and Technology - Abilities of technological design and Understanding about science and technology
• Standard F: Science in Personal and Social Perspectives - Personal and community health, Population growth, Natural resources, Environmental quality, Natural and human-induced hazards, Science and technology in local, national, and global challenges

Indoor Air Pollution, Storm Project

Open Educational Resources

Objectives: Students will learn about indoor air pollutants the types and legal concentrations and affects on human health. The students will also determine the pathway for the formation of radon.

National Science Education Standards: As a result of their activities in grades 9-12, all students should develop an understanding of the structure of the atoms; environmental quality; and natural and human-induced hazards.

As a result of their activity the students will have a better understanding of the atom’s parts and how the atom disintegrates and interacts with the environment. The students should have a better understanding of the …

Oxygen Give And Take, Storm Project

Open Educational Resources

Summary: This is a series of three activities followed by a worksheet. The concepts taught include gas production (O2 and CO2), chemical reactions, catalysts, and pollution caused by combustion. Correlation to National Science Education Standards

• Content Standard 9-12 Physical Science B Chemical Reactions

• Content Standard 9-12 Earth and Space Science D Geochemical Cycles

There's A Whole Lotta Spillin' Goin' On!, Storm Project

Open Educational Resources

Unit Learning Objectives: The learner should be able to:

1. Compare and contrast hazardous chemical spills 2. Comprehend how hazardous chemicals affect the environment.
3. Explain the difficulty involved in cleaning up a hazardous spill.
4. Explain how the chemical travels once it is released.
5. Assess how hazardous chemicals affect the human body and animal life.
6. Analyze a chemical spill and its affects on its surroundings.
7. Create an emergency management system based on a real life situation

Evidence of Understanding: By the end of this unit, students should be able to demonstrate a clear understanding of hazardous …

It’S Time For A Change, Storm Project

Open Educational Resources

Learning Objective: (adapted from the Secondary National Science Content Standards)

1 .Chemical reactions may release or consume energy. Some reactions, such as burning fossil fuels, release large amounts of energy by losing heat and emitting light.

2. Light can initiate many chemical reactions such as the evolution of urban smog.

3. The total energy of the universe is constant. Energy can be transferred by collisions in chemical reactions. However, it can never be destroyed.

4. Everything becomes less orderly over time. In energy transfer the overall effect of the energy spreads out uniformly like the warming of our surroundings as …

Trouble Breathing?, Storm Project

Open Educational Resources

Objective:

Students will make connections from everyday situations to air quality. Students will know the 7 criteria pollutants established by the EPA and monitored by each state.

National Science Education Standard:

As a result of activities in grades 5-8, students w ill learn that natural environments may contain substances that are harmful to human beings. Maintaining environmental health involves establishing or monitoring quality standards related to use of soil, water, and air.

There's A Whole Lotta Spillin' Goin' On!, Storm Project

Open Educational Resources

Unit Learning Objectives: The learner should be able to:

1. Compare and contrast hazardous chemical spills
2. Comprehend how hazardous chemicals affect the environment.
3. Explain the difficulty involved in cleaning up a
hazardous spill.
4. Explain how the chemical travels once it is released.
5. Assess how hazardous chemicals affect the human body and animal life.
6. Analyze a chemical spill and its affects on its
surroundings.
7. Create an emergency management system based on a real life situation

Evidence of Understanding: By the end of this unit, students should be able to demonstrate a clear understanding of hazardous …

Be Particular About Our Matter!, Storm Project

Open Educational Resources

Objectives:

--Demonstrate that particulate air pollution can be invisible to the eye.
--Students will collect and observe particulate matter.
--Students will identify pollen grains and make their own pollen map for Davenport.
-- Students will collect and interpret local environmental maps.
--Students will investigate health risks involved in polluted air.

National Science Education Standards:

• Standard A: Students will conduct scientific inquiry
• Standard B: Teacher will guide and facilitate a learning environment.
• Standard D: Students will be provided with time, space and resources toconduct their research.
• Standard F: Risks and benefits; Science and technology in society

Factories - Friends Or Foes?, Storm Project

Open Educational Resources

Objective: Students will be able to role play various points of view considering placement of a factory and its effects on air quality.

National Science Education Standards:

Standard E - Understandings about science and technology

Standard F -

• Personal health
• Populations, resources, and environments
• Natural hazards
• Risks and benefits
• Science and technology in society

Standard G - Science as a human endeavor

America's Lost Landscape: The Tallgrass Prairie Activity Guide, University Of Northern Iowa. Tallgrass Prairie Center.

K-12 Curriculum Supplements

This book is a K-12 curriculum supplement developed by the Tallgrass Prairie Center at the University of Northern Iowa to accompany the film, America's Lost Landscape. The activity guide was used in the educators' workshop held at the University of of Northern Iowa in fall 2007.

Particulate Matter Matters!, Storm Project

Open Educational Resources

National Science Education Standards:

• CONTENT STANDARD D: Science as Inquiry
• CONTENT STANDARD E: Understandings about science and technology
• CONTENT STANDARD F: Personal and community health; Environmental quality

Ain't That The Truth, Diane Hinton Perry

Short Story

No abstract provided.

Canadian Blues, Emmanuel B. Omobowale

Short Story

No abstract provided.

Wangushu's Homecoming, Ernest Waititu

Short Story

No abstract provided.

Short Story, Volume 15, Number 2, Fall 2007 [Download Entire Issue]

Short Story

No abstract provided.

Foa Clock Coffy, Leon Rooke

Short Story

No abstract provided.

In Search Of Lost Time: Clark Blaise's Pittsburgh Stories As A Short Story Sequence, Robert M. Luscher

Short Story

No abstract provided.