Transect Marking is a process rather clearly defined in the following entry from Wkipedia:
"A transect is a path along which one records and counts occurrences of the phenomena of study (e.g. plants). It requires an observer to move along a fixed path and to count
occurrences along the path and, at the same time, obtain the distance of
the object from the path. This results in an estimate of the area
covered and an estimate of the way in which detectability increases from
probability 0 (far from the path) towards 1 (near the path). Using the
raw count and this probability function, one can arrive at an estimate
of the actual density of objects. The estimation of the abundance of populations (such as terrestrial
mammal species) can be achieved using a number of different types of
transect methods, such as strip transects, line transects, belt transects, point transects[1] and curved line transects.[2] "
In Dr. DiTulio's class the students had gathered plant population data from transects around the school campus. These pictures show them compiling their data onto maps of the areas they examined.
Thanks to a generous grant from the Bronxville Foundation, the high school science labs will be introducing new probeware technology into the classroom. Each lab table will now be equipped with a Labquest2 Probeware Tablet. The table interfaces with data collection probes, stores lab protocols for students to follow during the gathering of data, collects data in both tabular/graphical formats, enables statistical analysis of the data collected, allows students to take and save notes, and most importantly being WiFi equipped, the tablets can transmit all the data as it is collected in real time to each student's mobile device (IPads, IPods, Laptops, Android devices) when equipped with the proper APP. Completed experimental data maybe collected using a USB thumb drive, it can also be sent to each student's e-mail address for analysis on their home computer.
The following is a promotional video describing the system from Vernier:
The grant has enabled the department to equip each science discipline's lab with probes that can carryout basic investigations (for use in Core Bio, Core Chem, Core Earth Science and Core Physics courses) and advanced inquiry investigations that align with AP and IB curricula (for use in the Honors Biology II, Honors Chem II, Honors Earth Science II, Honors Physics II, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Environmental Science, and AP Physics courses). This system will allow our teachers to adapt included labs/customize included labs/create new labs /and upload the lab protocols to the tablets using a Lab Creator and Lab Organizer Programs/Websites provided by Vernier.
The system is completely portable, so students will be able to take the tablets and probes into the field to collect data for analysis. The following is a list of probes that will be available as classroom sets (one for each lab table, tablet). One set of probes will be assigned to each of the six high school classrooms.
Biology Probes - Temperature Probe, Hand Grip Heart Rate Monitor, Gas Pressure Sensor, CO2 Sensor
Inquiry Biology Probes - Temperature Probe, Hand-Grip Heart Rate Monitor, Gas Pressure Sensor, CO2 Sensor, Spectrovis Plus Sensor
Chem Probes - Temperature Probe, pH Sensor, Gas Pressure Sensor, Voltage Probe
Inquiry Chem Probes - Temperature Probe, pH Sensor, Gas Pressure Sensor
Tepi Ennis snared first place in the local Brain Bee Contest held at the Burke Rehabilitation Center in White Plains. The Brain Bee is a trivia quiz competition which tests the participants knowledge of the nervous system.
Tepi will represent the county in March in the US Finals to be held in Baltimore.
