Ideas by 2009 Topic
TOPIC 1: Systems & Synergy
Closed Ecosystems (DCP_DEC) - A long-term experiment using a marine environment simulated in a jar.
2012 Data Collection and Processing
TOPIC 2: Ecosystems
Dichotomous Keys - Wisconsin exemplar of a tree species dichotomous key.
Průhonský Háj (Pl) - Planning lab exploring human influence on species diversity in the "abandoned" field behind the school bus stop.
The Malá Šárka forest les Hlásek (in Czech) - Sampling and measuring biomass.
Group IV DEC Instructions (DEC) and Group IV Planning documents from May 2012
Group 1 - pH and percent coverage
Group 2 -
Group 3 - stream velocity and transparency
Group 5 - soil pH and plant diversity
Group 6 - human activity and stream biodiversity
Group 7 - soil moisture and diversity
Group 8 -
Environmental Gradient (Pl) - Investigate how a biotic factor changes as you sample along an abiotic environmental gradient
TOPIC 3: Human Population, Carrying Capacity, & Resource Use
Nebušice Cemetery (DCP_DEC) - Investigate the population dynamics of the Czech village of Nebušice through it's cemetery.
Soil Investigation (DCP_DEC) - Investigate the properties of soil through four different tests.
Π Me a River (Pl_DCP_DEC) - Investigate the sinuosity of real rivers and their apparent ratio approximation to π. (3.141592653589793238462643383279050288...).
Population Growth (Pl) - Plan an investigation on exploring how a limiting factor (density-dependent or density-independent) affects the growth of a plant, animal, or fungus.
Diet In and Out of School (DCP_DEC) - Monitor your diet for one week in school and one week out of school. Draw comparisons and conclusions based on individual or aggregated class data, or based on the AHA Teenage Diet.
TOPIC 4: Conservation & Biodiversity
4.1.2 Streamlining Fish - Watch natural selection at work.
Tragedy of the Commons - Through this fishing simulation, explore how human behavior affects commonly shared resources.
Rabbits & Wolves (Pl_DCP_DEC) - Using this Java simulation, predict what kind of outcomes certain limiting factors will have on a predator prey relationship in specific ecosystem.
M&M Natural Selection (DCP_DEC) - Using delicious candies, simulate natural selection and speciation.
TOPIC 5: Pollution Management
Investigating Lichen in Malá Šárka (Pl_DCP_DEC) - Look at how lichen can be an indicator species for pollution levels.
Czech Republic Air Quality (in Czech & English)
Wet Acid Deposition (Pl_DCP_DEC) - Simple planning lab testing acidity on either biotic or abiotic materials, which can be carried out all the way to a DEC if necessary.
Water Quality (Pl_DCP) - Simple planning lab investigating how water quality (from an abiotic factor of your choice) affects plant life.
Solid Domestic Waste at ISP (Pl_DCP_DEC) - A look at our school's management issues with it's solid domestic waste. Project Idea
TOPIC 6: The Issue of Global Warming
US Global Warming Awareness (DEC) - Use this report conducted by Yale to serve as the raw and processed data to discuss, evaluate, and conclude with.
UV Radiation (Pl_DCP) - Simple planning lab testing the affects of UV radiation on either biotic or abiotic materials, which can be carried out all the way to a DEC if necessary.