The Radix Endeavor - Biology

ECO1.1 Hungry Hungry Schloggens

Subtopic:

Ecosystems

Walkthrough:

Quests:

ECO1.2 Mudweaver Fever

ECO1.3 Schloggen Snacks

ECO1.4 Swamp Thing

ECO1.5 Return of the Swamp Thing

ECO1.6 Mud Mystery

ECO1.7 Save the Mudweavers

Diagnosis Derby

emarisca — Tue, 25 Feb 2014 21:42:42 +0000

Diagnosis Derby: Work with the doctor and patients in the Caterwaul Clinic to diagnose their diseases. Given access to a set of tests that can be performed, along with The Big Book of Diseases, find all the abnormal results for a patient and determine which disease they must have.

Standards Covered in Quest line:

Disciplinary Core Ideas:

LS1.A: Structure and Function

Practices:

Developing and Using Models
Planning and Carrying Out Investigations
Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions

Cross Cutting Concepts:

Systems and System Models
Structure and Function
Stability and Change

HS-LS1-2. Develop and use a model to illustrate the hierarchical organization of interacting systems that provide specific functions within multicellular organisms. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on functions at the organism system level such as nutrient uptake, water delivery, and organism movement in response to neural stimuli. An example of an interacting system could be an artery depending on the proper function of elastic tissue and smooth muscle to regulate and deliver the proper amount of blood within the circulatory system.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include interactions and functions at the molecular or chemical reaction level.]

Topic:

Subtopic:

Human Body Systems

Walkthrough:

Quests:

HB2.1: Paging Patient F

HB2.2: Paging Patient S

HB2.3: Paging Patient C

HB2.4: Get Well Soon

Triage Tango

emarisca — Tue, 25 Feb 2014 21:41:35 +0000

Triage Tango: Talk to the patients in the Caterpillar Clinic to see what their symptoms are and refer them to the specialist that can best address their symptoms. Match the ailments to the body system it seems most connected to and experience the fact that some problems are not easily identified as relating to one specific system.

Standards Covered in Quest line:

Disciplinary Core Ideas:

LS1.A: Structure and Function

Practices:

Developing and Using Models
Planning and Carrying Out Investigations
Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions

Cross Cutting Concepts:

Systems and System Models
Structure and Function
Stability and Change

Topic:

HB1.2-1.6: Paging Patient X or Other

Subtopic:

Human Body Systems

Walkthrough:

Coming soon!

Quests:

HB1.1: Sick or Treat

HB1.7: Doctors Wanted

For The Birds

emarisca — Tue, 25 Feb 2014 21:40:25 +0000

For the Birds: Solve the mystery of Teebeedee birds and their foods sources in different regions. Find out about what the birds in each place can or cannot eat and why, and run an evolution simulation to see how a change in food source could affect the distribution of their traits. Use the concept of survival of the fittest to explain the evolutionary mystery.

Standards Covered in Quest line:

Disciplinary Core Ideas:

LS4.A: Evidence of Common Ancestry and Diversity
LS4.B: Natural Selection
LS4.C: Adaptation

Practices:

Analyzing and Interpreting Data
Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions
Engaging in Argument from Evidence
Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information

Cross Cutting Concepts:

Patterns
Cause and Effect

HS-LS4-2. Construct an explanation based on evidence that the process of evolution primarily results from four factors: (1) the potential for a species to increase in number, (2) the heritable genetic variation of individuals in a species due to mutation and sexual reproduction, (3) competition for limited resources, and (4) the proliferation of those organisms that are better able to survive and reproduce in the environment. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on using evidence to explain the influence each of the four factors has on number of organisms, behaviors, morphology, or physiology in terms of ability to compete for limited resources and subsequent survival of individuals and adaptation of species. Examples of evidence could include mathematical models such as simple distribution graphs and proportional reasoning.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include other mechanisms of evolution, such as genetic drift, gene flow through migration, and co-evolution.]

HS-LS4-3. Apply concepts of statistics and probability to support explanations that organisms with an advantageous heritable trait tend to increase in proportion to organisms lacking this trait. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on analyzing shifts in numerical distribution of traits and using these shifts as evidence to support explanations.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment is limited to basic statistical and graphical analysis. Assessment does not include allele frequency calculations.]

HS-LS4-4. Construct an explanation based on evidence for how natural selection leads to adaptation of populations. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on using data to provide evidence for how specific biotic and abiotic differences in ecosystems (such as ranges of seasonal temperature, long-term climate change, acidity, light, geographic barriers, or evolution of other organisms) contribute to a change in gene frequency over time, leading to adaptation of populations.]

HS-LS4-5. Evaluate the evidence supporting claims that changes in environmental conditions may result in: (1) increases in the number of individuals of some species, (2) the emergence of new species over time, and (3) the extinction of other species. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on determining cause and effect relationships for how changes to the environment such as deforestation, fishing, application of fertilizers, drought, flood, and the rate of change of the environment affect distribution or disappearance of traits in species.]

Topic:

Subtopic:

Evolution

Walkthrough:

Quests:

EV3.1: Weak Beaks

EV3.2: Beastberry Brunch

EV3.3: Good and Evo

Menji Family Reunion

emarisca — Tue, 25 Feb 2014 21:39:20 +0000

Menji Family Reunion: Investigate Menji traits across three regions and collect data to find out which varieties are most prevalent in each biome. Talk with locals in each area to gather clues about how the menjis that live there came to be that way. Using that evidence and the concepts of selection pressures and inheritance, figure out how evolution has shaped the current menji populations.

Standards Covered in Quest line:

Disciplinary Core Ideas:

LS4.A: Evidence of Common Ancestry and Diversity
LS4.B: Natural Selection
LS4.C: Adaptation

Practices:

Analyzing and Interpreting Data
Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions
Engaging in Argument from Evidence
Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information

Cross Cutting Concepts:

Patterns
Cause and Effect

Topic:

EV1.1: Clawing Your Way To The top

Subtopic:

Evolution

Walkthrough:

Quests:

EV1.2: Keeping Warm in the Winter

EV1.3: Taking the Trash Out

EV1.4: Menji Mania

Plumebillian History 101

emarisca — Tue, 25 Feb 2014 21:37:56 +0000

Provide proof to stop Antiokos from cutting down all the palunculus trees. Collect data from a number of different sources on plumebill neck length at various points in time, and put the data together into a timeline to find out how this trait has changed and what the time scale of evolution can look like.

Standards Covered in Quest line:

Disciplinary Core Ideas:

LS4.A: Evidence of Common Ancestry and Diversity
LS4.B: Natural Selection
LS4.C: Adaptation

Practices:

Analyzing and Interpreting Data
Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions
Engaging in Argument from Evidence
Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information

Cross Cutting Concepts:

Patterns
Cause and Effect

Topic:

EV2.2: Pretty Plumbill Paintings

Subtopic:

Evolution

Walkthrough:

Quests:

EV2.1: Stretch It Out

EV2.3: Creepy Cave Drawings

EV2.4: Fun with Fossils

EV2.5: Time is of the Essence

GN1.8: A Blink in Time

slindgren — Sat, 18 Jan 2014 01:07:05 +0000

Quest Line:

GN1.7: A Splotchy Situation

Previous Quest:

Summary:

Prunessa thinks she has solved the problem of which lumabells make the best cure for the Prickle. Use knowledge from the previous quests of breeding and inheritance patterns to breed blinking lumabells with hard shells.

Recommendations:

This quest requires players to use skills and knowledge from previous quests in order to complete complex crosses for specific traits. This is a culminating quest for this quest line.

Learning Objectives:

Players will identify inheritance patterns
Players will be able breed for a specific trait using the multiple inheritance patterns

Tools:

Connecting Questions:

What was your strategy for breeding the lumabells?
Discuss how organisms can have genes that follow many different inheritance patterns
Look at additional examples and/or have students discuss offspring ratios
This is a good place for a discussion on artificial selection as many of the quests in the genetics lines are exactly that.

Additional Resources:

These resources can give additional practice with complex inheritance patterns:

http://www.ck12.org/resource/activity/ProbabilityInheritancePunnettsqDiffInst.docx?eid=SCI.BIO.315&rtitle=Probability+and+Inheritance&ref=%2Fconcept%2FProbability-and-Inheritance%2F

GN1.7: A Splotchy Situation

slindgren — Sat, 18 Jan 2014 01:05:41 +0000

Quest Line:

Previous Quest:

GN1.6: Mold in the Mines

Next Quest:

GN1.8: A Blink in Time

Summary:

Prunessa is trying to understand the inheritance pattern of colors in brightwits. Help her by breeding splotchy brightwits and answering her questions.

Recommendations:

This quest introduces codominance as an inheritance pattern. It has the players discover the pattern before actually discussing it and giving it a name. It is a good quest to do before the discussion of codominance.

Learning Objectives:

Players will codominant traits
Players will be able breed for a specific trait using the codominant inheritance pattern

Tools:

Connecting Questions:

What was different about this cross as compared to the previous two?
In the game, the genotypes are denoted with capital letters – discuss how dominant and codominant traits are denoted differently
Have students try to come up with, or discuss different examples of codominance
What happens if you breed together two organisms that both display codominant traits? Discuss offspring rations from codominant crosses.

Additional Resources:

These resources can give additional practice with complex inheritance patterns:

http://www.ck12.org/resource/video/Complex-Inheritance-Patteerns---Overview?eid=SCI.BIO.317&rtitle=Non-Mendelian+Inheritance&ref=%2Fconcept%2FNon-Mendelian-Inheritance%2F

GN1.6: Mold in the Mines

slindgren — Sat, 18 Jan 2014 01:04:01 +0000

Quest Line:

GN1.7: A Splotchy Situation

Previous Quest:

GN1.5: Bake me a cake

Next Quest:

Summary:

Parslicus needs help breeding milkflies in order to detect a toxic mold that is causing problems in the mine. Breed and bring him two milkflies that have a pointed proboscis and tastebuds on their feet. Additionally bring him a Punnett Square so that he can see how to breed more. *This is a dihybrid cross.

Recommendations:

This quest deals with dihybrid crosses. The Punnett Squares for these can be confusing so we recommend going over this in class before players attempt it in the game world.

Players may not find the exact genotypes for males and females needed and may have to breed based on probabilities or breed multiple generations.

Learning Objectives:

Players will identify dominant and recessive traits
Players will complete a dihybrid cross to breed for particular traits

Tools:

Connecting Questions:

What was your strategy for breeding the milkflies?
What was most difficult about completin the dihybrid cross
What did you notice about the phenotypes/genotypes of the offspring?
This is a good place to discuss ratios of dihybrid crosses and segregation

Additional Resources:

These resources can give additional practice with dihybrid crosses:

GN1.5: Bake me a cake

slindgren — Sat, 18 Jan 2014 01:02:52 +0000

Quest Line:

GN1.4.4: Dominate and Recede

Previous Quest:

Next Quest:

GN1.6: Mold in the Mines

Summary:

Breed two non toxic glumbugs for Aubergene to use in baking his cakes. Bring him the bugs and a Punnett Square showing him how to breed non-toxic bugs.

Recommendations:

After players have completed the quests in 4.x, they are asked to use their knowledge of breeding and inheritance patterns to help characters in the world solve problems. Quests 5, 6 and 7 all deal with breeding using specific inheritance patterns and can be used either before or after learning those patterns.

Players may not find the exact genotypes for males and females needed and may have to breed based on probabilities or breed multiple generations.

Learning Objectives:

Players will understand simple dominant inheritance patterns
Players will identify a dominant trait

Tools: