120 Collect the Data Collect the Data Collect the Data Collect the Data Collect the Data HOW DO YOU KNOW? HOW DO YOU KNOW? HOW DO YOU KNOW? HOW DO YOU KNOW? HOW DO YOU KNOW? main idea main idea main idea main idea main idea background background background background background information information information information information To gather meaningful data, you often must go into the field to observe what you are studying in its natural environment. Some things can be studied in a lab but many animal behaviors or ecological conditions must be studied in the field. Why? Because its almost impossible to duplicate a complex natural environment in a lab. Collecting data in the field isnt always easy. Sometimes scientists need to create special equipment. Sometimes they need to travel great distances. And sometimes the data-gathering is a very expensive and lengthy process. PROGR PROGR PROGR PROGR PROGRAM AM AM AM AM SYNOPSIS SYNOPSIS SYNOPSIS SYNOPSIS SYNOPSIS SCENE 1 Data Factors 1:00 Cast member Z is getting ready to go on a scientific expedition. But wheres he going? And whats he going to study? Fellow cast member Stephanie would love to know, but Zs not saying ... yet. SCENE 2 Hunt for Hibernators 4:00 Cast member Robin joins a team of scientists trying to discover how hibernating bears store food and clean waste material from their blood. Since bears do not truly hibernate in captivity, scientists must head into the north woods of Minnesota to collect their data. SCENE 3 Essential Equipment :50 Z is still getting ready for his scientific expedition and a curious Stephanie continues to wonder where hes going, and why! SCENE 4 Fish Facts 5:00 On the island of Bonaire, cast member Todd joins biologist Jules Van Roy in tracking the behavior of parrot fish sea creatures that play a critical part in the reef ecosystem. In order to get meaningful data, Todd and Jules must don scuba gear, dive to where the fish are, and use a special underwater computer. SCENE 5 All Systems Go 1:30 Z is ready to go. Where? Behind his garage to study frogs in the wild. Although he has a pet frog at home, Z knows he has to go into the field to gather data about how wild frogs really live. vocabulary: data, hibernate, fieldwork, variable
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Collect the DataCollect the DataCollect the DataCollect the DataCollect the DataHOW DO YOU KNOW?HOW DO YOU KNOW?HOW DO YOU KNOW?HOW DO YOU KNOW?HOW DO YOU KNOW?
� To gather meaningfuldata, you often must gointo the field to observewhat you are studying inits natural environment.
Some things can be studied in alab but many animal behaviors orecological conditions must bestudied in the field. Why? Becauseit�s almost impossible to duplicate acomplex natural environment in alab. Collecting data in the field isn�talways easy. Sometimes scientistsneed to create special equipment.Sometimes they need to travel greatdistances. And sometimes thedata-gathering is a very expensiveand lengthy process.
PROGRPROGRPROGRPROGRPROGRAMAMAMAMAMSYNOPSISSYNOPSISSYNOPSISSYNOPSISSYNOPSISSCENE 1 Data Factors 1:00Cast member Z is getting ready to goon a �scientific expedition.� Butwhere�s he going? And what�s he goingto study? Fellow cast memberStephanie would love to know, but Z�snot saying ... yet.
SCENE 2 Hunt for Hibernators 4:00Cast member Robin joins a team ofscientists trying to discover howhibernating bears store food and cleanwaste material from their blood. Sincebears do not truly hibernate in captivity,scientists must head into the northwoods of Minnesota to collect theirdata.
SCENE 3 Essential Equipment :50Z is still getting ready for his scientificexpedition and a curious Stephaniecontinues to wonder where he�s going,and why!
SCENE 4 Fish Facts 5:00On the island of Bonaire, cast memberTodd joins biologist Jules Van Roy intracking the behavior of parrot fish�sea creatures that play a critical partin the reef ecosystem. In order to getmeaningful data, Todd and Jules mustdon scuba gear, dive to where the fishare, and use a special underwatercomputer.
SCENE 5 All Systems Go 1:30Z is ready to go. Where? Behind hisgarage to study frogs �in the wild.�Although he has a pet frog at home, Zknows he has to go into the field togather data about how wild frogs reallylive.
Ask students to pretend they aremarine biologists. They want to learnhow ocean animals that live deep in thewater�where there�s no light�catchtheir food. How could students findout? (Dive down and look.) What kindsof equipment do kids think they�d needfor such an expedition? (ship,submarine or diving bell, SCUBA gear,source of air, etc.) Why wouldn�t kidsjust capture some deep-sea creatures,bring them to the surface, put them inspecial water tanks, and observe them?(animals might die; animals wouldn�tbehave the same at the surface; therewould be light�so creatures wouldn�t
see the same way; other deep-sea animals,including food sources, wouldn�t bearound; etc.)
Discuss the fact that scientists needto go out into the field to collect datawhen they can�t recreate all the naturalconditions in a lab. For instance, evenwith sophisticated telescopes, we knewvery little about some outer planets in oursolar system until the Voyager spaceprobes went out to take a look for us.
TUNING INTUNING INTUNING INTUNING INTUNING INHave students describe other studies for which scientists might need to go outinto the field to collect data. (hunting patterns of night animals; food chainswithin an ecosystem; etc.) Then have students watch the video to see two casesin which it would have been impossible for scientists to conduct research onlyin a lab.
Review the video by asking studentswhy it was necessary for scientists to gointo the field to collect the data about theparrot fish and hibernating bears. (To findout how parrot fish interact within theirenvironment, scientists had to go to theparrot fish�s environment; for an accurateblood sample from a hibernating bear,scientists had to go get it from a bearhibernating in the wild.) Data-gatheringmay not always require the use of specialequipment, but the expeditions in thevideo did.
What special equipment did scientistsneed? (scuba gear and underwatercomputer for fish study; radiotransmitter and tranquilizer for bearstudy)
If time permits, ask students ifthey�ve heard stories in the news aboutscientists going into the field to collectdata: scientists who are studying thenorthward travel of Africanized beesinto the U.S., and any attacks by theseso called �killer� bees; Dr. Ballard who,with his robot Jason, gave people aclose look at the Titanic; the Magellanspace probe of Venus that�s transmittingdata to Earth; and scientists who arestudying regrowth of plants on MountSt. Helens.
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PPPPPURPOSEURPOSEURPOSEURPOSEURPOSEFor students toconduct a studythat requiresthem to collectdata in a specificlocation.
WHAWHAWHAWHAWHAT TO DOT TO DOT TO DOT TO DOT TO DO:::::1. Divide the class into groups of 5, then distribute pencils and copies of
the activity sheet, �Playground Count.�2. Ask the class to think about playgrounds: what�s in them, how they are
used, and by whom. Tell kids that today they are going to becomedata-gatherers to find out more about how a nearby playground is actuallyused by the children who play there.
3. Tell each group member that she/he is responsible for tracking one childplaying at a playground near your school. Remind kids that it is importantthat their subjects are not aware that they are being observed, so thattheir behavior will remain �natural.� Give groups time to discuss strategiesfor ensuring that the subjects do not detect that they are being watched.
4. Have groups go to the playground for 20-minute observation periods.When they arrive, groups should quietly decide which child each ofthem will be responsible for observing. Each data-gatherer will record:
� What the child-subject is wearing (for purposes of identification)� What piece or pieces of playground equipment the subject uses� How long (in minutes) the subject spends using each piece of equipment� What different ways the subject finds to use the equipment
(for example, sandbox: digging, jumping, building, throwing,running trucks, and so on.)
5. Assemble each group after its observation period so that group memberscan compile data for several subjects and pieces of playground equipment.Groups may find it helpful to make tally marks and then add them up toget a total number of minutes used for each piece. Then have each groupreport its findings to the class. Follow up by letting all the groups combinetheir data to get statistics about equipment use.
Discuss the data-gathering process and results. What was difficult�oreasy�about collecting the data? How might someone use the data to plana new playground? (Data may reveal preferences for certain pieces orpieces that allow certain kinds of play) Kids may enjoy using their pooledfindings to design an ideal playground.
Large manufacturing companies often invest a lot of money in collecting data about people�sbehavior or people�s preferences before introducing a new product. These �market research surveys�help companies decide whether or not they have a chance to make a profit with their new products.Have students work together to �invent� a product other kids in the school might want to buy,such as a new type of sneaker, a new toy, a new video game, etc. (The product doesn�t have to bemanufactured, only described and/or illustrated.) Let the class conduct a �person on the street�survey with kids in other classes to see whether or not they like the product, find it useful, and�would probably buy one.� Use the data gathered to decide if consumers think the product isworthwhile.
