ocr a: a-level biology course options - field studies … · field studies council flatford mill...

FIELD STUDIES COUNCIL

Flatford Mill Field Centre OCR A: A-Level Biology Course Programmes

FSC Flatford Mill. East Bergholt, Suffolk CO7 6UL Tel: 01206 297110 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.field-studies-council.org/centres/flatfordmill.aspx

Field Studies Council is a limited Company, registered in England and Wales No. 412621 and a Charity No. 313364. Registered Office; Preston Montford, Shrewsbury, Shropshire SY4 1HW

OCR A: A-Level Biology Course Options

For teaching from September 2015

Flatford Mill, located in the heart of an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, was made famous by the artwork of John

Constable. The Centre has a rich mosaic of lowland landscapes giving rise to a diverse range of habitats, including

unspoiled wetlands, stunning deciduous woodlands, lentic & lotic freshwater environments on the Centre grounds and

salt marsh, coppiced and coniferous woodlands just a stone’s throw away. Only an hour from London and with

excellent road and rail access, the beautiful, historically important Grade I listed 18th century water mill is at the end of

a lane which has no through traffic. It offers visitors of all ages a much sought-after sense of tranquility to complement

a unique outdoor learning environment in combination with workrooms with modern equipment and technology

opportunities.

Our new courses are designed to fit the criteria of the specifications for first teaching in 2015. As such they are designed to:

Incorporate a number of core practicals, apparatus and technique skills, and mathematics skills that students must complete before taking exams. These also go towards the practical endorsement that students must complete.

Cover a wide range of topics from the specification and, in particular, modules 1, 4 and 6 of the OCR A specification

Help to deliver a rich practical experience for students that covers a wide range of the practical activity groups (PAGs) as recommended by OCR

A residential field course could potentially cover a large amount of the content for modules 1, 4 and 6 as well as up to 4 of the 12 practical activity groups.





OCR A: Biodiversity, Ecosystems and Practical Activities – 5 day (FM 001)

The order / timings of sessions may be tide and weather dependent

Day AM PM EVE

1 Arrive 1200hrs Settle in to rooms

Welcome to Flatford, hire waterproofs etc. Practical Biodiversity and Ecosystems Starting with a big question about how Flatford has changed over time, through student led discussion and activities, observations of different habitats including wetland, woodland, lake and meadow will be made. Contemporary topics of discussion may include pollution and bioaccumulation, habitat conservation, acid rain monitoring, rare or unusual species, pollination, and climate change. Activities such as ecological field sketching, pit fall trapping, classification challenge, use of collector app and phase 1 habitat surveys to determine communities and log finds will help students to understand the bigger picture of ecology and how real ecologists work. A hypothetical vegetation analysis will be conducted to set the scene for sampling skills later in the course. Tutor to facilitate student led observations and provide answers for student questions.

Classification and Evolution Intro: - Sustainability at Flatford Mill - Why are you here, what is the FSC? What are our objectives as a charity? How can we be more sustainable? - How to we classify organisms, introduction to taxonomy a - -What is ecology (definitions) - After immersion in environment do we - think ecology matters? - How do we think scientifically and how is ecology transferable to real life - Revisit classification from earlier in the day and look at how it helps us to study evolution - Setting personal objectives

2 BIODIVERSITY ASSESSMENT AND SAMPLING Woodland biodiversity day (Grove woods (on site)): Introduction to Woodland ecosystems and how to sample in a woodland area. Classification of species – invertebrate/evidence hunt Students collect examples or photos of species or their tracks and signs during initial search of habitat and begin to classify using the Linnaean system of classification, separating out into Kingdom and Phyla and then to as precise a level of classification as possible using visual techniques. Discussion about history of classification and modern techniques of identification and classifying. Investigation into the ground cover plants in woodlands using random sampling PAG 3 – Sampling techniques (scientific drawings and annotation) Data collected to include % cover, frequency and evidence of phenotypic plasticity in chosen species e.g. surface area or thickness etc. Students complete scientific drawings, calculate appropriate averages and sketch bar charts in the field. Calculate percentage error in measurements. Data analysis Data collated into spreadsheets, data manipulated using Simpson’s Diversity index Worked example of statistics using student’s data with T-test Discussion of findings, draw conclusions and evaluate findings.

Maintaining biodiversity and sustainable resources: How is the information derived from the day’s study relevant to the real world? Is it important? Conservation, management and biodiversity loss. How can woodland ecosystems help inform us about climate change – matching climate data with dendrochronology. OR PAG 11. Students complete core practical to investigate animal responses to external stimuli





3 SUCCESSION AND VARIATION Succession day, Holbrook salt marsh (15 minute travel time) or Shingle Ridge (45 minute travel time): Introduction to succession theory, identification and adaptations of key species, nutrient cycling, management and conflicts. Investigation in to the effect of haloseral succession on the distribution and abundance of vegetation using systematic sampling Data collected to include % Frequency and abiotic measurements. Conducting transects from pioneer community to climax community. Adaptations of plants including halophytic adaptations investigated Data presentation and analysis Draw kite diagrams to show distribution and abundance of salt marsh vegetation Worked example of statistics using Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient Discussion of findings, draw conclusions and evaluate findings

PAG 6. Students complete core practical to investigate Separation of biological compounds using paper chromatography using seaweed samples collected at the salt marsh

4 BIODIVERSITY, BIOMASS AND TROPHIC LEVELS Freshwater day, (Gibbonsgate lake/Riber Brook (on site)): Introduction to freshwater ecology and invertebrate sampling Investigation into transfer energy within a freshwater ecosystem Topics – total energy fixed in an ecosystem. Transfer of biomass and energy Students will make light and dark algal bottles and calculate rate of photosynthesis and productivity

DISTRIBUTION ABUNDANCE AND CHI

2

Phylogenic variation investigation Collect a genetically variable species (e.g. banded snails) from differing habitats. Look at genetic research to form hypotheses as to which morphs should be different. Calculate Chi

2 to determine if

species variation is associated with habitat.

PAG 3 and 12 (planning) Students work individually or in small groups to research and plan for an investigation to be carried out the following morning. Teachers will have the opportunity to assess students for Practical endorsement.

5 PAG 3 and 12 (investigation) Students carry out their investigation using appropriate equipment, having assessed risks, planned methods and controlled variables. Teachers will have the opportunity to assess the students for the practical endorsement.

Course ends at 1200hrs





Maths Skills: M0.4: Estimate results (FM 001, 002, 003) M1.1: Use an appropriate number of significant figures (FM 001, 002, 003) M1.2: Find arithmetic means (FM 001, 002, 003) M1.3: Construct and interpret frequency tables and diagrams and bar charts (FM 001, 002, 003) M1.4: Understand simple probability (FM 001, 002, 003)

M1.5: Understand the principles of sampling as applied to scientific data (FM 001, 002, 003)

M1.6: Understand the terms mean, median and mode (FM 001) M1.7: Use a scatter diagram to identify a correlation between two variables (FM 001, 003) M1.9: Select and use a statistical test (FM 001, 002, 003) M1.10: Understand measures of dispersion (standard deviation) (FM 001, 002, 003) M1.11: Identify uncertainties in measurements (FM 001, 002)

MS2.3: Substitute numerical values into algebraic equations using appropriate units for physical quantities (FM 001, 002, 003)

MS3.2: Plot two variables from experimental or other data (FM 001, 002, 003)

Apparatus & Technique Skills 1.2.2(a): Use appropriate apparatus to record quantitative measurements (FM 001, 002, 003) 1.2.2(e): Produce scientific drawing from observation with annotations (FM 001) 1.2.2 (g): Separation of biological compounds using thin layer/paper chromatography (FM 001) 1.2.2(h): Safely and ethically use organisms to measure plant or animal responses (FM 001) 1.2.2(k): Use sampling techniques in fieldwork (001, 002, 003) 1.2.2(l): Use ICT such as data logger to collect data, or use software to process data (FM 001, 002, 003)

Links to

Module 1 (1.1 and 1.2): Development of Practical Skills in Biology (FM 001, 002, 002)

Module 4 (4.2.1 and 4.2.2): Biodiversity, evolution and disease (FM 001, 002, 003) Module 5 (5.1.5): Communication, homeostasis and energy (FM 001)

Module 6 (6.1.2, 6.3.1 and 6.3.2): Genetics, evolution and ecosystems (FM 001, 002, 003)

Specification links, PAGs, Assessment Skills & Mathematics

Please note – for all succession days listed, Holbrook salt marsh is given as the site. In extremely bad tidal conditions, this session will be taught at Shingle Street, a shingle ridge approximately 60 minutes drive from the centre.





OCR A: Biodiversity and Practical Ecology Skills – 3 day (FM 002)

Day AM PM EVE


Welcome to Flatford, hire waterproofs etc. Practical Biodiversity and Ecosystems Starting with a big question about how Flatford has changed over time, through student led discussion and activities, observations of different habitats including wetland, woodland, lake and meadow will be made. Contemporary topics of discussion may include pollution and bioaccumulation, habitat conservation, acid rain monitoring, rare or unusual species, pollination, and climate change. Activities such as ecological field sketching, pit fall trapping, use of collector app and phase 1 habitat surveys to determine communities and log finds will help students to understand the bigger picture of ecology and how real ecologists work. A hypothetical vegetation analysis will be conducted to set the scene for sampling skills later in the course. Tutor to facilitate student led observations and provide answers for student questions.

Ecology, Classification and Evolution Intro: - Sustainability at Flatford Mill - Why are you here, what is the FSC? What are our objectives as a charity? How can we be more sustainable? - How to we classify organisms, introduction to taxonomy - -What is ecology (definitions) - After immersion in environment do we - think ecology matters? - Revisit classification from earlier in the day and look at how it helps us to study evolution Setting personal objectives

2

BIODIVERSITY ASSESSMENT AND SAMPLING Woodland biodiversity day (Grove woods): Introduction to Woodland ecosystems and how to sample in a woodland area. Classification of species – invertebrate/evidence hunt Students collect examples or photos of species or their tracks and signs during initial search of habitat and begin to classify using the Linnaean system of classification, separating out into Kingdom and Phyla and then to as precise a level of classification as possible using visual techniques. Discussion about history of classification and modern techniques of identification and classifying. Investigation into the ground cover plants in woodlands using random sampling Data collected to include % cover, frequency and evidence of phenotypic plasticity in chosen species e.g. surface area or thickness etc. Students calculate appropriate averages and sketch bar charts in the field. Calculate percentage error in measurements. 1600 – Data analysis Data collated into spreadsheets, data manipulated using Simpson’s Diversity index Worked example of statistics using student’s data with T-test Discussion of findings, draw conclusions and evaluate findings








OCR A: Ecosystems, Research and Sampling – 3 day (FM 003)

Day AM PM EVE


Welcome to Flatford, hire waterproofs etc. Biodiversity, Biomass and Trophic Levels Students introduced to freshwater ecosystems and plan how to collect freshwater invertebrates and investigate energy transfer. Students will estimate the total amount of energy being fixed through photosynthesis within an ecosystem. They will collect numerical data enabling them to quantify pyramids of biomass and energy.

Ecology Intro and advanced surveying techniques: - Sustainability at Flatford Mill - Why are you here, what is the FSC? What are our objectives as a charity? How can we be more sustainable -What is ecology (definitions) - After immersion in environment do we think ecology matters? - How do real ecologists survey organisms? Investigate different types of sampling such as phase 1 habitat surveying

2 SUCCESSION AND VARIATION Succession day, Holbrook salt marsh (15mins travel time): Introduction to succession theory, identification and adaptations of key species, nutrient cycling, management and conflicts. Investigation in to the effect of haloseral succession on the distribution and abundance of vegetation using systematic sampling Data collected to include % Frequency and abiotic measurements. Conducting transects from pioneer community to climax community. Adaptations of plants including halophytic adaptations investigated. Data presentation and analysis Draw kite diagrams to show distribution and abundance of salt marsh vegetation. Worked example of statistics using Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient. Discussion of findings, draw conclusions and evaluate findings.








What is included in the fee? Up to 10 hours of tuition a day

Expert tuition, from fully trained staff Full board accommodation. Catering includes cooked breakfast, packed lunch, homemade cakes and evening

meal. Use of facilities including workrooms, recreational space, ICT and centre grounds

Established health and safety procedures and 24 hour emergency cover

Access to specialist equipment and resources Support before and following the course

Tuition is delivered by talented tutors, with not only an expert knowledge of their subject and field work

locations, but a passion for the subject being taught. Our education team are fully DBS checked, and

undergo a regular and rigorous training process. All tutors have received training in first aid, risk

assessment and water safety.

Course options listed in this booklet can be selected to put together a programme designed to meet the

requirements of your specification. However, if you need something that is not catered for in the field

work investigations, please contact us to discuss possible alternatives.

External Recognition of Quality

Flatford Mill has been awarded the Quality Badge by The Council for Learning Outside the

Classroom. The badge is awarded to organisations that have demonstrated that they

consistently deliver high quality teaching and learning experiences and manage risk

effectively.

This means that you will have to complete less paperwork when visiting our centre.

To make a booking or if you have an enquiry:

Call us on 01206 297110

Email us at: [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

ocr a: a-level biology course options - field studies … · field studies council flatford mill...

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