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Unit 4 Assignment: Vertebrate Animals Research Project
You will research and collect information on one vertebrate animal in order to become a “specialist” on that animal. You cannot research humans.
Include the following information in the same format (or download the worksheet). No need to write an essay.
Common and scientific name (5 pts)
Scientific Classification of the organism (all 7 taxa), including its distinguishing characteristics. (5 pts)
Number of species of this animal alive today. (5 pts)
Physical appearance, including at least one picture. (10 pts)
Ecology (geographical distribution, biome, niche, etc.) (10 pts)
Energy (what does it eat? what eats it?) (10 pts)
Support and locomotion (how does it move around? type of skeleton?) (10 pts)
Response to its environment (nervous system? sense organs? special adaptations?) (10 pts)
Life cycle and reproduction (how long it lives, stages of life, care for young, etc) (10 pts)
Why it’s important to us. (10 pts)
Other special or interesting things you find. (3 minimum) (10 pts)
Resources used (APA style) (5 pts)

Lab #4: Herman the Worm
Go to the following site, Herman the Worm, and then answer the questions below as you go through the information. Note: you do not need to complete a “lab write up” for this activity.
My History
How did earthworms get to North America?
Why is it hard to find fossils of worms?
My Family Tree
Under Herman’s Family Tree, please list the classification of worms (Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species)
My Anatomy
What is the head of a worm called?
What is the tail of a worm called?
Do worms have bones?
How many segments does a worm have?
What is the function of the clitellum?
How many hearts does a worm have?
Draw a worm with labeled parts.
Describe how earthworms move.
Describe how earthworms eat.
Describe how earthworms breathe.
Describe how earthworms reproduce.
Can’t Live Without Me
Describe how earthworms are important.
Worm Facts
List 5 facts you found interesting.
Lab #5: Invertebrate Survey
Problem: What is the population of invertebrates in a location near you?
Hypothesis: Write in an if…then…format
Method:
1. Cut a piece of string that is 8 feet long so you can form a 2×2 foot square.
2. Head outside (your backyard, front yard, a park, etc) and use your string to create a square.
3. Observe and record all of the invertebrates you notice. Spend 20-30 minutes making observations. You can move things around in your square (like looking under a rock or a stick, but be sure to replace them).
Results: Create a chart similar to the one below to record your observations.
Location of observations: ______________
Time spent: _________

Invertebrate (name or description)
Location of Invertebrate (on something, under something, flying, etc)
Two observations of Invertebrate
Total Number of this type of Invertebrate
Discussion/Analysis:
1. Describe your success in finding invertebrates. Were you able to see any? A few? Lots? Why do you think you did/did not have success? If you had no success, you might try a different spot.
2. Where were most of the invertebrates found?
3. Did you notice any similarities between the invertebrates? What were some differences?
4. How many total invertebrates did you find? Do you think this a good sampling of the area? Why or why not?
Conclusion: What is the answer to the problem question? Was your hypothesis correct? Were there sources of error? What could be done differently next time? What did you learn?

Unit 6 Lab Assignment: Modeling Populations and Exploring Trophic Cascades
Perform the following two labs. Each lab is worth 50 pts.
For Lab #10 – You will need to submit complete a lab report for Lab #10. A lab report template is provided in Microsoft Word for you to download and use, a PDF version is provided for those who don’t have Word and want to recreate it in an application of your choice.
For Lab#11 – You will answer questions based on an interactive lab. A worksheet is provided in Microsoft Word
Lab #10: Modeling Populations
Background Information:
Scientists doing research in different areas of ecology may study organisms at different levels. Use the activity below about a model population of African lions to complete a lab write up as if you were studying this population.
BioInteractive: African Lions: Modeling Populations
Problem: Identify which problem (question) you chose.
Hypothesis: Write in an if….then…because…format
Method: Follow all directions in the activity. Answer the questions as you complete the activity both online and on your worksheet that you will submit.
Results:
Draw a graph of your predictions of the lion population after 1963.
Draw a graph of your prediction of the lion population from 1980-2012.
Draw a predicted carrying capacity on this second graph.
Discussion/Analysis:
What do you predict will happen to the lion population after 1963? Explain.
How did your graph of bacterial growth compare to the actual growth? What type of growth do bacteria experience?
Examine the graph of the lion population. Do you think it will continue to grow at the rate it did from 1963-1975? Explain.
What are three limiting factors that might affect the lion population in the crater?
Define density-dependent factors and density-independent factors. Give an example of each.
What is carrying capacity?
What was the carrying capacity for the lions before the disease outbreak?
Compare your predicted carrying capacity after the disease outbreak to the real data? What do you notice?
Given the shape of the human population on Earth, do you think we will reach carrying capacity? What might be some limiting factors? What do you think will happen if we reach carrying capacity?
Answer your initial problem/question.
Conclusion: What is the answer to the problem question? Was your hypothesis correct? Were there sources of error? What could be done differently next time? What did you learn? What questions do you have?
Lab #11: Exploring Trophic Cascades
This is a virtual lab. Follow the instructions below to get started.
1. Go to BioInteractive: Exploring Trophic Cascades.
2. Choose “Launch Interactive.”
3. Answer the questions below and submit your answers.
Introduction:
In the example trophic pyramid, which organisms are the producers?
In the example trophic pyramid, which organisms are the primary consumers?
In the example trophic pyramid, which organisms are the secondary consumers?
In the video, what effect does removal of the otters have on the ecosystem?
What is a trophic cascade?
Kelp Example:
What does a minus sign indicate?
What effect do sea otters have on urchins?
What effect do urchins have on kelp forests?
What effect do sea otters have on help forests?
Explain one of the examples of how otters affect other organisms.
Case Studies:
Go through each of the four case studies. Describe the organisms in the trophic pyramid and how they interact together.

You do NOT need to rewrite the entire paper. The paper requires attention only in the areas listed below. Please keep the formatting of the paper as is (APA style and format).

This paper needs adjustment in the following areas:
First source (the dissertation) and last source (world health org) need to be removed from references and body of paper and replaced by scholarly, peer-reviewed journal articles to support the information.
The themes need to be adjusted so that each of the three themes is present in each journal article cited.
“Identifies themes that are relevant to a research question and present in each scholarly resource cited, and fully explains the connection between the reseach question and each theme.”
The organization needs to be adjusted from article-to-article into a fully integrated synthesis of information gained.
“Uses critical thinking tools to cohesively synthesize relevant literature into well-supported and original themes (NOT explicitly stated in the articles).”

The company that I chose is FedEx, but feel free to choose your own. Here are some links to scholarly sources, please copy & paste them into your web browser:

https://smlr.rutgers.edu/sites/default/files/Documents/Faculty-Staff-Docs/Jackson_Understanding%20HRM%20in%20the%20Context%20of%20Organizations%20and%20their%20Environments.pdf

Human Resource Environment

Please see the uploaded files for the instructions for this assignment.

Please respond to EACH bullet point.

Please use TWO scholarly references and proper APA 7th edition format.

Please make sure that all headers match each bullet point.

Please write an essay to analyze the factors that will affect the fertility rate in different countries, both positively and negatively. 4 factors are required for the essay. The factors “women’s education level” and “country’s GDP/inflation level” must be included in the 4 factors. (1)Please indicate whether the factors will positively or negatively affect the fertility rate. (2) Please indicate the limitations of each factor. (3)What control variables we can use in order to maximize the accuracy of the regression model.

For this assignment, students will select an organization and assess the option to expand the reach of its operations and/or services into a new country. You need to choose a company that already has enough data and materials, and you need to review the company of how and why it went global. Students should complete the following steps:

1. External assessment: Students should utilize tools such as PESTLE Analysis to assess the external factors within the new region of interest. The output of the assessment should help to develop an in-depth understanding of external forces and variables that might influence the company’s business within the host region to varying degrees. Variables should be specific and preferably, quantifiable. Examples include ease of conducting business, licensing, hiring practices and policies, credit and banking, taxes, contract enforcement, trading across borders, culture, demographics and psychographics, market readiness, infrastructure and technology, economic conditions, politics, and legal factors.

2. Strategy formulation and key task identification: Using the results of the external assessment, students should formulate 2-3 alternative strategies to facilitate a successful expansion. Students are required to clearly indicate those external factors that informed and guided the formulation of the alternative strategies. For each alternative strategy, students should define at least two (2) key tasks that facilitate the implementation of the strategy upon completion.

3. Structure selection: Strategy shapes structure. Students should select and justify an appropriate structure (top-down, bottom-up, or both) for at least three (3) tasks identified in the previous step.
This paper will be 7 pages (excluding cover page and reference page); APA writing conventions should be followed with a minimum of eight (8) sources referenced and cited.

Substantive Guidelines:

Adopt a critical, feminist lens when reading the texts and articles assigned in this class. Select one of these texts for your annotation: Callenbach, Ecotopia; Gilman, Herland; Landgon; Within Walking Distance; or Litfin, Ecovillages. Your essay that covers the following material:
Attached below is the following book “Ecovillages” that has to be used for annotation, then please use 2 outside articles to compare to the book.

Summarize the text
Identify and discuss the strengths and weaknesses the text
Explain the usefulness of the text for understanding sustainable design and/or completing a design project or plan.
Compare the text to, or contextualize the text in terms of, other books, articles, etc. on the same topic.

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING ESSAY QUESTIONS CLEARLY AND CONCISELY. BE SURE TO ANSWER ALL PARTS OF THE QUESTION.

1) Read the following quotation and then answer the question following it.
“I regard anti-Semitism as ineradicable and as one element of
the toxin with which religion has infected us. Perhaps partly for this
reason, I have never been able to see Zionism as a cure for it. American
and British and French Jews have told me with perfect sincerity that
they are always prepared for the day when ‘it happens again and the
Jew-baiters take over. (And I don’t pretend to know what they are
talking about: I have actually seen the rabid phenomenon at work in
modern and sunny Argentina and am unable to forget it.) So then, they
seem to think, they will take refuge in the Law of Return, and in Haifa,
or for all I know in Hebron. Never mind for now that if all of world
Jewry did settle in Palestine, this would actually
necessitate further Israeli expansion, expulsion, and colonization and
that their departure under these apocalyptic conditions would leave the
new brown shirts and backshifts in possession of the French and British
and American nuclear arsenals. This is ghetto thinking, hardly even
fractionally updated to take into account what has changed. The
important but delayed realization will have to come: Israeli Jews are a part of the
diaspora, not a group that has escaped from it. Why else does Israel
daily beseech the often-flourishing Jews of other lands, urging them to
help the most endangered Jews of all: the ones who rule Palestine by
force of arms? Why else, having supposedly escaped from the need to rely
on Gentile goodwill, has Israel come to depend more and more upon it?
On this reckoning, Zionism must constitute one of the greatest potential
nonsequiturs An inference or conclusion that does not follow from the premises or evidence) in human history.”
― Christopher Hitchens, Hitch 22: A Memoir (Links to an external site.)
What is the main point that Hitchens makes about anti-Semitism? Do
you agree with him? Why or why not? Is the State of Israel capable of
being the savior of the Jews? Why or why not?

2) World War II was a dramatic turning point in American Jewish
history. Explain how and why American Jewish life was so different in
the period before the war and the period after the war (from 1945 on).
How did these shifts ultimately change the central issues of concern to
American Jews? In discussing these changes and their impact, be sure to
consider all the various dimensions of Jewish life we have discussed:
religious, economic, political, and cultural.

3) Arthur Morse in his famous book, WHILE SIX MILLION DIED,
takes the American government under President Franklin D. Roosevelt to
task for actually obstructing attempts to save the Jews in Europe from
Hitler’s Final Solution. Defenders of President Roosevelt argue that he
believed the only way to save the Jews, in the long run, was to defeat
Germany militarily and short-term solutions such as bombing Auschwitz
wouldn’t stop the carnage. Do you agree with FDR or with Morse?
Explain your answer.

4) In what way did the Leo Frank case serve as a
turning point in American Jewish history? Have American Jews learned
the lesson from Leo Frank? Explain your answer.

5) What do you feel are the 3 most serious challenges facing American Jews today? Explain your answer.

Define the following and explain how these are used to either maintain behavior, diminish behavior, or extinguish behavior:
Positive and negative reinforcement
Positive and negative punishment
Explain the difference between negative reinforcement and punishment. Provide two brief scenarios that illustrate those differences.
Extinction
Explain the importance of identifying behavior function to the design of effective, function-based behavior intervention plans.
Explain the following four functions of behavior:
Social positive reinforcement (Attention)
Tangible positive reinforcement (Access to tangibles)
Social negative reinforcement (Escape or avoidance)
Automatic reinforcement (Sensory stimulation)
Discuss the purpose and the process of the functional behavior assessment. Include indirect assessment and direct descriptive assessment in your discussion.
Explain the characteristics of an operational definition of a target behavior. Illustrate the difference between a label of a target behavior and an operational definition of a target behavior.
Discuss the questions you must ask yourself when determining the social significance of a potential target behavior.
Present the criteria for prioritizing target behaviors.
Use the following scenario to answer the questions that follow:
Lonnie is a 5-year-old boy who loves playing with his dog, Scruffy, and his little sister, Tammy. Recently, the young family has endured much upheaval. Lonnie’s dad just left one night while Lonnie was asleep and, about a month later, his mom decided they needed to move closer to Lonnie’s grandparents. Lonnie’s mom recently enrolled him in a new kindergarten. During the family’s transition to their new home, Lonnie and his mom were inseparable. He stayed close to her in case she needed him. He saw his mama cry one night and that made him sad. Since beginning his new school 5 weeks ago, Lonnie has been at the nurse’s office 10 times. The nurse’s records reveal that Lonnie always arrives at the office about 30 minutes after his mom drops him off at school. The nurse phones his mom, and she immediately picks him up and takes him home. His mom has taken him to the doctor, but there seems to be nothing physically wrong.
What is the target behavior in the case? Operationally define the target behavior.
Identify the antecedent and consequence in this case.
Based upon the usual antecedent and consequence, hypothesize the probable function of Lonnie’s target behavior.
Using the Behavior Analyst Certification Board’s Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts, Section 2: Responsibility in Practice (Codes 2.08, 2.11, 2.12, 2.13, 2.14, and 2.17), discuss the ethical guidelines governing functional behavior assessments.