SEVEN MAJOR BIOLOGICAL
THEMES
Organization On Multiple Levels
• The natural world has
inherent structure and
organization; Nature
is NOT random
• This organization
occurs on multiple
levels of complexity
Outback Organization
Energy Flow
• 1st Law of
Thermodynamics =
Energy cannot be
created or destroyed,
only changed
• Energy flows through
living systems on
multiple levels
Brevoortia tyrannus
(Atlantic Menhaden)
Key To Ocean Ecosystems
• Critical “small fish” linking
algae and larger,
carnivorous fish in food
chain
INTERDEPENDENCE OF LIFE
• All lifeforms are
interdependent to
some degree
• Life cannot exist in
the absence of other
lifeforms/species
• Organisms rely on
others for food,
nutrients, water,
shade, protection
and other needs
Ants & Acacias
Wolves & Willows
CONTINUITY WITHIN CHANGE
• As species evolve,
certain traits are
changed, while other
vital traits are retained
over the course of
time.
• Populations undergo
continuity, not
individuals
Hapalodectus
UNITY WITHIN DIVERSITY
• Organisms that may
not necessarily be
closely related may
exhibit similar
structures or features
• The reasons for these
structural similarities
are similar needs
created by their
environments
UNITY WITHIN DIVERSITY
FUNCTION DICTATES FORM
• The form of structures
in living organisms
serve specific
purposes that aid in
the organism’s
survival
• Evolution does not
retain superfluous or
unnecessary
structures
The Philtrum
Villi vs. Appendix
HOMEOSTASIS
• The tendency of
organisms and
populations to keep
certain aspects of
their composition the
same
• Often as a means for
combating entropy
(tendency towards
disorder in nature)
Different Modes of Thermoregulation
Populations Exhibit Homeostasis
Seven Themes Visual Essay
• Purpose: To visually represent each of the
seven biological themes/truisms and to
articulate your understanding of each
theme
• Method: Visual presentation via Google
Docs, collaborative commentary by other
groups, rebuttal/articulation of actual
themes selected
Part One: Construction
• Go to your Gmail account and access the Seven
Biological Themes Visual Essay Presentation Template
for your lab group.
• NOTE: You have been invited to comment on another
group’s presentation. HOWEVER, you should not
construct or add to their original seven slides.
• Review the seven biological themes on the first page of
this document.
• Search the web for seven images that illustrate each of
the seven themes (49 total images)
• Place images that illustrate the same theme on the same
slide. Scramble the slide order of slides 2-8 so that the
first slide is not necessarily the first biotheme from the
handout.
Part 2: Commentary
• When all members have contributed to the
construction of the presentation, the four
members from the invited group may view
the presentation
• On the appropriate comment slide, the
invited group should suggest which theme
they think is being illustrated by each of
the original group’s seven selected images
Part 3: Rebuttal/Articulation of
Original Intended Theme
• Once the invited group has completed
their suggestions on the comment slides,
the original creators of the presentation
should view these comments.
• In confirmation or rebuttal of these
comments, the original group should write
what their original biotheme choice was for
each of the original seven slides (slides 28) and why those images were chosen.
Assessment
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Assessment Rubric:
Part One:
All Seven Content Items Not Present
-0.35@
Content is not varied and/or appropriate -0.25@
Presentation not posted by deadline -0.50
Presentation not posted -3.0
Part Two:
All seven content items not explained in essay -0.35@
Reasoning is vague or inappropriate
-0.25@
Essay not submitted to inbox by deadline -0.50
Essay portion not submitted -3.0
Part Three:
Missing any of three reviews -0.25@
Reasoning is vague, inappropriate or absent -0.25
Reviews not submited by deadline -0.25
Reviews not submitted -1.0
Part Four
Missing replies to any of three reviews -0.25@
Reasoning is vague, inappropriate or absent -0.25
Reviews not submited by deadline -0.25
Reviews not submitted -1.0
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Note: While students will be working on this in a collaborative fashion,
students with significantly diminished input may receive deductions up to 20%.
Reviewing The Work
• Once all of the Glogs are posted tonight, you may start
to review any three (3) of the Glogs.
• For each Glog, pick one image/content item that you
think clearly demonstrates a particular biotheme.
• Access the Seven Themes… Google Document and
briefly (2 sentences per item) explain your understanding
of the content item in one of the three spaces
underneath that person’s submission space on the
document
• If all three of the spots are already filled for that person’s
Glog, find a different Glog and review/report on that one.
• This task should be completed by midnight on Monday
September 3rd, 2012
Responding To the Reviews
• Once three reviews/comments have been
posted on your submission space (on
9/3/12), you will respond to each of the
comments.
• For each content item of your Glog that
was reviewed, provide YOUR view/intent
for that item. You may use some of the
same explanations that you submitted to
your instructor on Thursday morning.
• This task should be completed by 9/7/12.