Comparing Results

Module 7 Lesson 9

LESSON 9: COMPARING OUR RESULTS OVERVIEW:

The purpose of this lesson is for students to compare their findings to that of other similar studies. The goal of the lesson is two-fold. First, students should understand the big idea that organisms living in urban ecosystems have modified their behavior in response to the impacts of the humans that live there. Second, this lesson should reinforce the concept of sample size as well as help students understand that we still have many gaps in our understanding of animals in cities.

LWays of Knowing Urban Ecology:

Understand
Students will understand that organisms living in urban ecosystems have modified their behavior in response to the impacts of the humans that live there. Understand that sample size is important to consider when doing research. understand that we still have many gaps in our understanding of animals in cities. No specific goals connected with acting on urban ecology in this lesson. Indentify two examples of birds which have modified their behavior in response to the living in an urban ecosystem. interpret graphs to describe how birds have modified their song in response to urban noise. No specific goals connected with acting on urban ecology in this lesson.

Talk Do

Act

SAFETY GUIDELINES:
There are no specific safety concerns associated with this activity. Time: 1 class period Materials: Copies of the student sheets Copies students data from Lesson 7

INSTRUCTIONAL SEQUENCE
Introducing the lesson: 1. Introduce the lesson by explaining to students that they are going to compare their results to a similar study of song sparrows in Oregon. Connect Back. Remind students that they learned about song sparrows in the opening story for module 6. 2. Ask students: Why would we want to compare our findings to that of other similar studies?
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Comparing Results

Module 7 Lesson 9

Activity 9.1: A Study of Song Sparrows and Urban Noise 1. As a class read through the student sheet for Activity 9.1 Teaching Strategy Predictions 1 and 2 are likely similar to what students have done in their own research. Students may need some help understanding the second prediction. In essence, the researchers were interested in whether the birds were putting more energy into singing the higher notes than the lower notes since these higher notes were less likely to be masked by the urban noise. If students are struggling with this idea, it may be helpful to project a spectrogram of one of the students recordings and point out how they split the high and low parts of the bird songs. 2. In pairs or individually, have students work through interpreting the graphs 3. Once students have had an opportunity to answer questions 1-4, bring the class back to discuss their responses. Activity 9.2: Comparing Research In this activity students compare their findings to that of the study described here. 1. In pairs or individually, have students should respond to questions on the student sheet for Activity 9.2 2. Once students have had an opportunity to respond, bring the class back together to discuss their responses. You may want to flag particularly for students o The sample size of this study compared to their own o There are still only a handful of studies which examine noise o These few studies suggest some birds are behaviorally modifying their behavior in response to noise. However we still know very little about how birds deal with urban noise. 3. Next, remind students that one of the most important parts of a scientific study is identifying the new questions and research ideas which emerge. Have students work in pairs or discuss as a class what the next study might be if they were to continue their research. Concluding the Lesson 1. Conclude the lesson by having students share their ideas for future research.

Comparing Results Name: _________________________________ Date: _________

Module 7 Lesson 9 Class/Period:________

Lesson 9: Comparing Our Results

Activity 9.1 A Study of Song Sparrows and Urban Noise Scientists around the world have been conducting research similar to the research you and your classmates have been conducting. For example, Esteban Fernedez-Juricic and his colleagues found male house finches in Los Angeles were raising the low frequency of their song in response to urban noise. They also found that these male house finches were reducing the number of notes they sang, hence shortening the message to be better heard, even though females are attracted to males with longer songs. Similarly, two scientists at Reed College in Oregon, William Wood and Stephen Yezerinac, examined the impact of noise pollution on song sparrows. Predictions: The researchers made three predictions: 1. Males occupying territories with higher noise levels (louder) will have songs with a higher low frequency (pitch) 2. Males occupying territories with higher noise levels will exhibit greater sound energy within the upper frequency portion of the song relative to the energy of the lowerfrequency portion of the song. (In other words, males will sing higher pitch portions of their song louder than the lower pitched parts of their songs) 3. Maximum frequencies of male songs will not vary based on background noise levels since these are well above the frequencies of noise in the area. Methods Study Site: Data were collected in southeast Portland, Oregon. Song sparrows were found in habitats ranging from urban parks and roadside vegetation to residential yards.

Comparing Results

Module 7 Lesson 9

Data Collection: The songs of 28 different male song sparrows were recorded. Researchers also measured the background noise level. Data Analysis Song Measurements: For each male, two songs were selected at random. To test their first and third predictions, the scientists measured the low and high frequency for each song. Below is an example from their paper of how they measured low frequency:

To test the second prediction, the songs were divided into low-frequency (1- 4 kHz) and highfrequency (4-9 kHz) ranges. The amplitude (or loudness) within each range was measured using a spectrogram analysis software, similar to RAVEN. This was measured in decibels. A ratio of low frequency amplitude to high frequency amplitude was calculated for each song. In other

Comparing Results

Module 7 Lesson 9

words they divided the loudness of the low pitch potion of the song by the loudness of the high pitch portion of the song.

Comparing Results

Module 7 Lesson 9

Data: Researchers found high frequency of bird songs did not vary with noise level. Below is the data regarding the researchers first prediction: Prediction #1: Males occupying territories with higher noise levels (louder) will have songs with a higher low frequency (pitch)

1. What does this graph tell you?

2. Does this data support or refute the scientists first prediction? Why or why not?

Comparing Results Below is the data that relates to the researchers second prediction,

Module 7 Lesson 9

Prediction #2 Males occupying territories with higher noise levels will exhibit greater sound energy within the upper frequency portion of the song relative to the energy of the lower-frequency portion of the song.

3. What does this graph tell you? Remember, to get the song amplitude ratio, they divided the loudness of the low pitch potion of the song by the loudness of the high pitch portion of the song.

4. Does this data support or refute the scientists second prediction?

Comparing Results

Module 7 Lesson 9

Activity 9. 2. Comparing Wood & Yezerinacs study of song sparrows to our own study. 1. How was your research question and prediction similar to and different from the study above?

2. How was data collection similar to and different from the study above?

3. How was your data analysis similar to and different from the study above?

4. While a few studies have examined the impact of noise on bird communication, little is still known. If you were going to continue this research, what would you study? Describe your study below: