Name ____________________________________ Date: ______________________ Block _____________
Honor Code:
What is the diversity of Angiosperms on the
Riverside Campus?
Lab Partners:
1. Name: ______________________________ Contact info ____________________________________________
2. Name: ______________________________ Contact info ____________________________________________
3. Name: ______________________________ Contact info ____________________________________________
4. Name: ______________________________ Contact info ____________________________________________
5. Name: ______________________________ Contact info ____________________________________________
Objective:
 Students will extend their exploration of the diversity of life by conducting a field study to identify
the diversity, abundance, growth and distribution of angiosperms on the Riverside HS campus.
 Students will record data on angiosperms and develop a research question based on data
generated by the Riverside High School Biology classes.
 Students will communicate results through a brochure developed by their “company”
Background:
Open the assignment “What is the diversity of Angiosperms on the Riverside Campus?” on the class
VISION page. Information and brochure templates can be found here.
Part 1: Make a MODEL with your class (be sure to add it to the lab research notebook)
Part 2: FIELD STUDY: In groups, students will take measurements of trees assigned to them and record
data in their research lab notebooks. Students will use the apps for LeafSnap and GPS coordinates and
tree classification/identification materials to identify their trees. Students will record data in their
research notebooks and add data to an online form to combine with other biology students.
Part 3: Culminating Research Project and Activity: Students will take on the role of plant scientist
(botanists)/forestry engineers/landscapers and/ or arborists that have their own company and were
given the task to examine and make recommendations to Riverside HS administration about the trees on
the high school campus. Students are to examine compiled data from Riverside biology students of all
trees on campus and determine a research question to investigate. Using a brochure template, students
will create a landscape information brochure from “their company” to present to the Riverside
Administration with recommendations on how to continue the diversity and health of angiosperms on
the Riverside campus.
Name ____________________________________ Date: ______________________ Block _____________
Day 1: Group Data Collection (remember you are collecting information for all the biology
students to share, so be as accurate as possible)
1. Prepare your lab research notebook.
2. Add title of this lab and pages to your notebook.
3. On the LEFT SIDE include
o Research model – from class
o Key concepts – why is this lab important to our understanding of science
o References (add any apps or classification books/websites)
o Student understandings – definitions, sketches, pictures, etc
4. On the RIGHT SIDE make sure to include the following information from your field study
o Research Question:1 What is the diversity of angiosperms on the riverside campus?
o Research Question 2: to be determined by your group with complete data
o Hypothesis and IV,DV,Control and Constants will be determined after the field study
o Include the Materials and procedures for the field study.
o Make Data tables to include all the information you need to collect on the field study .
We are studying Quadrant # _________________
Tree #
Quadrant
GPS
coordinates
Circumference
(cm) of tree at 1
M
Height of
tree
(meters)
Health
of tree
Observations
Type of
Tree
1
2
Etc.
o Add any observations from your field study to the left side of the notebook under
student understandings .
5. Homework: One member from your group needs to add your information to the following
Google Document:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1zvQzhvcAPbXzTjrmZOVga36ZSguBGGTWB-W1u4ZDkU/viewform
or submit to:
Name ____________________________________ Date: ______________________ Block _____________
Day 2: Group Research Project using data collected from all the biology students:
1. Your group has been given the task to research and make recommendations concerning the
trees on the Riverside campus – your group can choose to be arborists, forestry experts, plant
biologists etc.
2. With your group pick a research question to investigate using the data collected from all the
biology students. See VISION for the excel spreadsheet with the data. Make sure to go back
and include in your notebook
a. Research Question #2
b. Alternative hypothesis (Ha) and Null Hypothesis (Ho)
c. Experimental groups (independent variable)
d. Dependent variable (what you are measuring)
e. Control
3. Determine some descriptive statistics to use on the data (mean, median, mode etc).
4. Make a graph on Create a Graph (https://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/createagraph/) or Excel to add
to your brochure.
5. Determine results and conclusions and make recommendations to Riverside HS
administration.
Part 5: Make a brochure for your company to inform the administration of your findings and to highlight
your recommendations. Go to the class VISION page and open the document
RVHLandscapingBrochureTemplete.ppt.
o Add information and pictures to the power point template
o Save as you add information.
o If you want to share this document with your group so that you can work on it at the
same time but in different locations you can use the OneDrive or Google docs
Part 6: Print out your brochure in color and submit to your teacher. Make sure to select under Printer
properties – print two sided, flip on the short edge
Lab Research Notebook Checkpoint (finishing touches):
Did I…..
o Write my experiment in the Table of Contents
o Date and title each page
o Number each page consecutively
o Include the Cognitive Apprenticeship components (left side)
o Make a model of my prediction
o Revise my model
o Write future questions
o Outline a future experiment
o Include the Experimental Design Components
o Research Question
o Graphs and Tables
o Conclusions
Name ____________________________________ Date: ______________________ Block _____________
Name ____________________________________ Date: ______________________ Block _____________
o
FIELD STUDY INSTRUCTIONS: You will be in Quadrant # _______________
Bring outside with your group:
1. lab notebook (each member needs one)
2. something to write in your notebook with (blue or black pen preferred)
3. plastic bags to collect leafs
4. sharpie
5. tape measurer
6. meter stick
7. chalk
8. cell phone for APPS and to take pictures (to be used in your brochure)
What to do once you selected your tree:
Mark the tree with chalk to show that it has been documented by a group
Take a picture of the tree
Possibly take a picture of your group with the tree (this is your company photo)
Record GPS coordinates
Take a leaf sample (one is enough) – put in plastic bag and label the bag
Take a picture of the leaf with LeafSnap
Measure the tree’s circumference 1 Meter from the base
Measure the height of the tree – (instructions on back of this form)
Record Health of the tree
Record any Observations – close to other trees, close to cars, close to roads, on an island, in
poor soil etc.
 Mark the tree with chalk when you have finished – just a little X
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Back in the classroom
Identify the tree.
Fill out notebook if needed with any observations or student understandings
Fill out Google Form (one per group)
1. Google Document:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1zvQzhvcAPbXzTjrmZOVga36ZSguBGGTWB-W1u4ZDkU/viewform
or submit to:
Name ____________________________________ Date: ______________________ Block _____________
Height of the tree:
Use this method to find the height of a tree without doing any math. All you need for this method is a
piece of paper and a tape measure. No calculations are necessary; however, if you're interested in how
this works, you might need to know a little trigonometry.
Fold a piece of paper in half so that it forms a triangle. If the paper is rectangular (not square), you'll
have to make a rectangular sheet of paper into a square. Fold one corner over so it forms a triangle with
the opposite side, then cut off the extra paper above the triangle. You should be left with the triangle you
need.

The triangle will have one right (90 degree) angle and two 45 degree angles.
Hold the triangle in front of one eye. Hold the square corner (the 90º right angle) and point the rest of
the triangle toward you. One of the short sides should be horizontal (flat), and the other should be
vertical (pointing straight up). You should be able to look up along the longest side by raising your eyes.

The longest side, the one you'll be looking along, is called the hypotenuse of the triangle.
Move back from the tree until you can sight the top of the tree at the top tip of the triangle. Close
one eye and use the other to look directly along the longest side of the triangle, until you see the exact top
of the tree. You want to find the point where your line of sight follows the longest side of the triangle to
the very top of the tree.
Mark this spot and measure the distance from it to the base of the tree. This distance is almost the
full height of the tree. Add your own height to this, since you were looking at the tree from the height of
your eyes off the ground. Now you have the full answer!
Height of Tree (meters) = (Distance from you to the base of the tree) + (your own height)