Welcome to Mr. Tredinnick's Biogeography Course
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Biogeography deals with the spatial distribution of the planet's plants and animals over time, as well as the physical forces that impact them. Among others, biogeography draws from climatology, and ecology, to better understand the distributions and diverseness of the planet's organisms. The study of biogeography seeks to better understand distributions of species, and connections to the physical landscapes. Students will utilize local, and remote resources to better understand process such as speciation, adaptation, and the effects of change.
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Unit I - Physical Geography
Unit I Schedule
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Week 1: Introduction to Course Concepts
(Aug 15-19) Module 1.1: Course Introduction
Central Question: What is Biogeography? Forum: Factors Determining Life (1.1) - Course Introduction + Explore Everyday - Field Research + Getting to Know You Field Lab: How'd it Get here? (Ostrich) + NovaLabs: Biogeography - Where Life Lives + Course Syllabus - Course Vocabulary Map Lab: Ratites Geoinquiry (Assignment) + Ratite Distribution webmap Module 1.2: History and Philosophy
Central Question: What are the major theories associated with Biogeography? Forum: Science and Geography (1.2) - History of Biogeography (Notes) HW: World Physical Regions (Review) + Quiz on Wednesday/Thursday next week Week 4: Earth in the Anthropocene
(Sept 5-9) No School Sept 5 & 6 (Labor Day & Teacher PD)
Module 1.7: The Scientific Basis for Climate Change
Central Question: What are the scientific foundations for climate change? Forum: Dangers of Change? (1.7) - Natural & Anthropogenic Forces (Assignment) + Milankovitch Theory + Quanta - Natural Climate Change + Nasa - Human Caused Climate Change |
Week 2: Related Principles of Earth Sciences
(Aug 22-26) Module 1.3: Continental Drift
Central Question: How are continents formed? Forum: First Law of Geography (1.3) HHMI: Pangea, Wegener, and Continental Drift - Continental Drift Theory (Notes) Map Lab: What Fits Where? + Cornell: Continental Drift Puzzle Module 1.4: Geomorpholgy
Central Question: Why is the earth's surface shaped like it is? Forum: Earth as a Geoid (1.4) - World Physical Regions Quiz - Geomorphology: The Shaping of the Earth (Notes) Field Lab: Shape of the Earth (Assignment) Map Lab: Finding Evidence of Geomorphology (Assignment) Week 5: Unit I Celebration of Knowledge
(Sept 12-16) No School Sept 16 (Teacher PD)
Module 1.8: Climate Science
Central Question: What are the scientific foundations for climate change? Forum: Worst that could happen?? - Global Warming and Climate Change (Notes) Field Lab: Finding Physical Geography Module 1.9: End of Unit I
Central Question: How do the principles of physical geography apply to the study of biogeography? Forum: Pre-Test Questions (Unit I) - Unit I Test - Principles of Physical Geography Field Lab: Global Canary (Aquarium) 
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Week 3: Climatology
(Aug 29-Sept 2) Module 1.5: Climate Zones
Central Question: What correlation is there between climate, weather, and life? Forum: Climate Dynamics (1.5) + Bretherton Diagram of Climate Systems Map Lab: Tracking Climate Regions (Notes) + Koppen Climate Classification - Reading Climate Charts (Assignment) Module 1.6: Climatic Variations
Central Question: What is the connection between plants and animals with the climate and landscape? Forum: No Two Lands are the Same (1.6) Map Lab: Biogeographic Realms (Assignment) + Biogeographic Realms (Map) Field Lab: Biome Variations (Desert) 
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Unit I Checks for Understanding
Unit I Notes/Map SetsBiogeographic Realms (Module 1.6)
Continental Drift Theory (Module 1.3)
Geomorphology: The Shaping of the Earth (Module 1.4)
History of Biogeography (Module 1.2)
Tracking Climate Regions (Module 1.5)
Unit I Review
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Unit I Assignments
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Unit I Resources
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Unit II - Principles of Biogeography
Unit II Schedule
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Week 6: Theories of Range and Distribution
(Sept 19-23) Module 2.1: Conceptualizing Range Central Question: How can biogeographers track and communicate where species are located? Forum: Complications in Plotting Range (2.1) - Visualizing Range (Notes) Field Lab: Creating a Distribution Map (Trails) - Adventure Trails Census App HW: Tolerance Ranges of Species (Assignment) + Read for next class Module 2.2: Impacting Distribution Central Question: What may cause a species to stay put, or decide to leave its traditional range? Forum: Factors Leading to Range Changes (2.2) Field Lab: Suited for its Home (Snow Leopard) Map Lab: Limitations of Range (Notes) 
Week 9: Evolution and Adaptation
(Oct 10-14) Module 2.7: Darwin's Armada Central Question: What role does evolution have in the distribution of species? Forum: Collaborating Evidence (2.7) Nova Labs: Evolution Lab Map Lab: The Beagle's Path (Assignment) + The Beagle's Path Webmap Module 2.8: Adapting to a New Environment Central Question: How do the process of adaptation influence speciation? Forum: Referencing Adaptations (2.8) Field Lab: March of the Beavers (KON) - Case Study: American and Eurasian Beaver (Notes) + Why Beavers Matter (Vox) 
Week 13: Forces of Change
(Nov 7-11) Module 2.13: Glacial and Fire Ecology Central Question: How can other natural forces (Fire and Ice) have an effect on speciation? Forum: Fiery Conundrum (2.13) - Song of Ice and Fire (Assignment) + UGS: Ice Ages - What are they? + UGS: Utah's Pleistocene Fossils + The Nature Education: The Ecology of Fire + TEDEd - Why Wildfires are Necessary Field Lab: Fire in the Hole! (Prairie Dogs) Module 2.14: Invasive Species Central Question: What impact can the introduction of new species have on an ecosystem? Forum: Pest Control (2.14) - The Lionfish Sleeps Tonight (Assignment) + EPI: Marine Invasive Species - Invasive Species (Notes) Field Lab: Keeping Track of Bugs (Insects) - Invasive Species Story Map Map Lab: Nebraska Aquatic Invasive Species |
Week 7: Phylogeography
(Sept 26-30) Module 2.3: Genetic Mapping Central Question: What effect does physical location have on similarities and differences in species? Forum: Tobler's Genetics (2.3) Field Lab: Which one is not like the others? (Jungle) - Amazonia Cladogram (Assignment) HW: A Game of Change (Assignment) Module 2.4: Species Separation Central Question: How can we trace the lineage of the current species that we have today back to their centers of origin? Forum: Defining Phylogeography (2.4) Field Lab: A Veritable Garden of Eden (Aquarium) Map Lab: Species-energy-theory (Assignment) + Species Richness webmap HW: Wallace Line (Assignment) + Read for next class 
Week 10: Species Diversification
(Oct 17-21) Module 2.9: Importance of Biodiversity Central Question: Why is it important to preserve our planet species? No matter big or small Forum: Maintaining Biodiversity (2.9) Map Lab: The Planet's Biodiversity (Notes) - Illustrating Species Importance (Assignment) + How Wolves Change Rivers + How Whales Change Climate + US Mexico Border Wall + Eagles in Wisconsin HW: Pollinator Biodiversity (Assignment) + Read for Next Class Module 2.10: Endemic and Cosmopolitan Species Central Question: Why are some species spread out while others are concentrated? Forum: The Distribution of Species (2.10) Map and Field Lab: A Gorilla World (Gorillas) + Gorilla Range Map - Endemic and Cosmopolitan Species (Notes) HW: Effects of Climate Change on Biodiversity + Read for Next Class Week 14: Species Removal and Extinction
(Nov 14-18) Module 2.15: Forces of Extinction and Extraction Central Question: Why is it so important to maintain populations of all types of species? Forum: Make a Case for Removal (2.15) Field Lab: Serengeti Happy-meal (AfricaGrass) Data Lab: Wolves of Isle Royale + Data Set - Wolf and Moose of Isle Royale + hhmi Biointeractive: WMIR HW: NatGeo - Will Humans Survive the Sixth Extinction? Module 2.16: Fighting a Lost Cause? Central Question: What does the planet lose when a species goes extinct? Forum: Impacts of Changes to Landscapes (2.16) - TEDxMidwest: Joel Satore - Before They (Assignment) Field Lab: Before They (Student Choice) + IUCN Redlist + Joel Satore: Photo Ark |
Week 8: Dispersal and Vicariance
(Oct 3-7) Module 2.5: Dispersal Adaptation Central Question: Why is the sun so influential in connection to species diversity? Forum: Significance of the Wallace Line (2.5) - Discovering the Wallace Line - Factors of Speciation (Assignment) + Planet Earth: From Pole to Pole Field Lab: Polar Extremes (Penguins) Module 2.6: Tracking Range Movements Central Question: What do different evolutionary paths look like and how can we map them? Forum: Centers of Origin (2.6) Map Lab: The Lineage of the Wolf (Assignment) + IUCN: Redlist + Illinois State Museum: Wolves + Wolf Country: Wolf Origins + GPS Tracking of Wolves 
Week 11: Island Biogeography
(Oct 24-28) Module 2.11: Principles of Island Biogeography Central Question: Why are islands such important fields of study? Forum: Climate Change and Island Biodiversity (2.11) Speaker: Topics on Madagascar (A2 - 9-9:20, B3 12:30-12:50) Field Lab: Island Biodiversity (Madagascar) - Natural Laboratory: Galapagos Finches (Assignment) + HHMI: Galapagos Finch Evolution Module 2.12: Relationships of Life on Islands Central Question: What factors impact biodiversity on islands? Forum: Factors impacting Island Diversity (2.12) Map Lab: Island Life (Assignment) - Physical Characteristics of Iceland (Notes) - The Rise and Fall of a Fearless Fox HW: Island Biogeography- Taking the long view of nature's laboratories + Skim for Next Class - To be quizzed Week 15: Unit II Celebration of Knowledge
(Nov 21-25) No School Nov 23-25 (Thanksgiving)
Module 2.18: End of Unit II
Central Question: What is the relationship between biological species and their physical location? Forum: Pre-Test Questions (Unit II) - Unit II Test - Principles of Biogeography 
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Unit II Checks for Understanding
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Module 2.1
Module 2.13
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Module 2.16
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Unit II NotesCase Study: American and Eurasian Beaver (Module 2.8)
Endemic and Cosmopolitan Species (Module 2.10)
Limitations of Range (Module 2.2)
Invasive Species (Module 2.14)
Physical Characteristics of Iceland (Module 2.12)
The Planet's Biodiversity (Module 2.9)
Visualizing Range (Module 2.1)
Unit II ReviewUnit II Resources
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Unit II Assignments
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Unit III - Applied Biogeography
Unit III Schedule
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Week 16: Tools of the Biogeographer
(Nov 28-Dec 2) Module 3.1: Ways We Study Life Central Question: How can biogeographers actually capture and study data? Forum: Work of the Biogeographer (3.1) - Tagging and Tracking + Does Jane Goodall use GIS? + Tracking the Movement of Denali's Wolves + WWF Species Tracker: Svalbard Polar Bears - Capturing Visual Record + Fluke ID Catalog + TED Talk: Paul Nicklen + Botswana Wildlife Watch Week 17: Biogeographic Geoinquiry
(Dec 10-14) Module 3.6: Organizing Data Central Question: What are effective ways of communicating data? Forum: Advantages of Visualizations (3.6) - Biogeographic Geoinquiry (Assignment) + ESRI: ArcGIS Benchmark: All parts of Ask, Acquire, and Organize should be completed for next class Module 3.7: Analysis and Action Plan Central Question: Once you've got information together what do you do with it? Forum: Next Steps (3.7) - Biogeographic Geoinquiry (Assignment) Deliverable: Project Submission (All projects must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, December 18th, 2018) |
Week 17: Mapping Biogeography
(Dec 5-9) Module 3.2: Remote Field Study Central Question: How can modern technology be used for biogeographic studies? Forum: Modern Mapping (3.2) Map Lab: Bamboo Lemur Field Study + Kianjavato Ahmanson Field Station + ESRI: ArcGIS Homework: John Grehan: Panbiogeography Method (Read Thoroughly) Module 3.3: Panbiogeography Central Question: How can geographic analysis be used to discover spatial relationships between taxa? Forum: More of Biology or Geography? (3.3) - Panbiogeography Methods (Notes) Map Lab: Panbiogeographic Rhinocerotidae + Example Map + ESRI: ArcGIS - IUCN Red List - Panbiogeographic Relationships (Assignment) 
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Week 18: Biogeographic Geoinquiry
(Dec 12-16) Module 3.4: Formulate Geographic Question Central Question: How can geography be used to address issues in the natural world? Forum: Elements of a Geographic Question (3.4) - Biogeographic Geoinquiry (Assignment) + Project overview and requirements + Part 1: Ask Deliverable: Final Geoinquiry Question Module 3.5: Collect and Organize Data Central Question: What type of data do you need to answer a geographic question? Forum: Identifying Reputable Sources (3.5) - Biogeographic Geoinquiry (Assignment) + Data Collection Field Lab: Student Choice Benchmark: Ready to Organize Next Class Week 18: Present Findings
(Dec 17-21) Module 3.8: Project Work Day Central Question: What ties research together in the better understanding of our planet? Forum: Purpose of Research (3.8) - Biogeographic Geoinquiry (Assignment) - Student Survey Deliverable: Project Submission Module 3.9: Project Presentations Central Question: When is research not enough and how can it be used to solve a problem? Forum: Quality of Research (3.9) - Biogeographic Geoinquiry (Assignment) Deliverable: Project Submission |
Unit III Checks for Understanding
Unit III NotesPanbiogeography Methods (Module 3.3)
Unit III Resources
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Unit III Assignments
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Biogeography Course Resources
Biogeography Resources
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Biogeography Forum
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