GROUP STUDY FOCUS: Buttterflies and specificity to Plant Types QUESTION: Will selecting specific plant types specific to garden type butterflies increase the frequency of the sighting of these butterflies? HYPOTHESIS: Butterfly sightings will increase as we increase the density of their preferred food source. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Independent variable: Dependent variable: Confounding variables: Equipment needed: Procedures: DATA GENERATION: Sample size: Table and graph design: Draw representations below: Lessons & Investigations: 3. Background Information for the investigation: Butterfly speciesrepresent groups of individuals which have evolved and are adapted to exploit specific combinations of environmental conditions. Each species has a characteristic place to live called a habitat, a pattern of movement or trapline, larval foodplants and adult nectar sources, number of generations per year, and stage of life cycle in which development slows to resist adverse conditions, a form of hibernation or diapause. The Greater Los Angeles Basin is the habitat to more than 100 species of butterflies. The Project Inquiry team strives to appreciate the diversity and complex relationships between garden type butterflies and their food source plants.
type of plant, student activity on the yard, location,water
The independent variable is the variable that the researcher manipulates or changes. For example for the ozone experiment, the independent variable is time.
ratio of butterflies to butterfly plants
The dependent variable is the variable that is beingmeasured. For example, the dependent variable for the ozone example isthe amount of ozone in parts per million.
grade level observation/counting skills
These are variables which may confuse results if notconsidered and controlled - same sampling area, same sampling methods,same sample size, same observation methods. If procedures are followedclosely, then most of these will be of no concern.
plants, soil, butterfly charts, graph paper, outdoorclock, outdoor thermometer, wind anemometer, bird bath, butterfly mobiles
1st week: base line data collections/planting
2nd week: scientific process, butterfly video, fieldstudy
3rd week: field study, field study data collections,begin graphing
Number of samples:
Unit of measurement:
(ex. parts per thousand (ppt), parts per million (ppm), etc.)
The project inquiry team at 107th Street School; Vicki Huebner, Sue Ann Chapman, Francisco Encinas,Ardell Culberson, Barbara Washington, and Ben Chapman, have undertakenthe task of establishing a "butterfly garden" at the school site to attract,propagate and culture garden type butterflies for investigation and studyof this phenomenon.
Science In The City is a part of LAEP Learning Exchange.