Edexcel A Level Biology A Course Options

For teaching from September 2015 Dale Fort was built in 1856 in an attempt to deter the forces of Napoleon III from invading the west coast of Britain. The spectacular location near the entrance to Milford Haven uniquely provides a wide variety of on-site seashore habitats making it the perfect place for Marine Biology and Ecology fieldwork. At Dale Fort we pride ourselves on our flexible approach when designing fieldwork to meet the learning needs of students. The options listed here are popular with our groups and are designed to meet the requirements of your specification. However, if your requirements are not covered here please contact us to discuss alternatives.

FIELD STUDIES COUNCIL Edexcel A Level Biology A Course

Dale Fort Field Centre

FSC Dale Fort, Dale, Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire SA62 3RD Tel: 01646 636205 Email: enquiries.df@field-studies-council Website: http://www.field-studies-council.org/centres/dalefort.aspx

DALE FORT FIELD CENTRE

EXEMPLAR COURSE PROGRAMME

EDEXCEL ‘A’ - 5 DAYS

A LEVEL BIOLOGY: BIODIVERSITY, WILD NATURE AND CORE PRACTICAL 10

SESSION ONE SESSION TWO SESSION THREE DAY ONE

Arrive lunchtime* Room Allocation. Introduction to the Centre. Waterproof/welly hire. Outline of course. (* packed lunch not normally provided on day one)

PRACTICAL BIODIVERSITY AND ECOSYSTEMS Students will explore the varied coastal habitats around the Dale and Marloes Peninsulas, where wildlife like porpoises, seals, gannets and chough can be seen. They will make qualitative ecological observations and consider how to design quantitative investigations. Using local examples the value of long-term ecological studies will be discussed. From the deeper ecological understanding developed in this session objectives are set for the whole course which will: • make links to the EDEXCEL specification • set personal learning goals • consider wider environmental issues • consider the skills needed by working ecologists This session can also incorporate:

‘RIB’ plankton sampling

Seine netting

Conservation Walk (see last page for option details) FIELD SITE(S): Various (Dale & Marloes)

ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDS The concept of ecosystem services is increasingly important in the way we view the environment. Using local and wider UK and global examples, students will consider:

the ways in which humans use and depend on natural resources for many essentials of our lives

the implications of losing access to these resources

how we can safeguard them through responsible environmental stewardship.

DAY TWO

SALT MARSH ECOLOGY - SUCCESSION – HERE TODAY, HERE FOREVER? Students will gather biotic and abiotic data to determine the distribution and abundance of plants across a salt marsh ecosystem at the Gann Estuary SSSI (within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park). They will be guided through the investigative process from hypothesis setting, fieldwork design and sampling to analysis and evaluation. Students will learn about the theory of succession including primary, secondary and deflected succession and will discuss human impacts. Data analysis can include Simpson’s index of diversity, Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient and graphical representation. FIELD SITE: The Gann Saltmarsh

Choose from:

Climate Change

Exam Skills Workshop

Conservation of Endangered Species

Advanced Field Surveying

Data Analysis & Maths workshop

DAY THREE

ROCKY SHORE ECOLOGY - HABITAT ECOLOGY – CORE PRACTICAL 10 Building on knowledge and skills already gained, students will use appropriate equipment to carry out an ecological study of the abundance and distribution of organisms in a rocky shore environment They will discuss patterns found in relation to abiotic and biotic variables. Data analysis can include calculating arithmetic means, range and standard deviation (using the appropriate number of significant figures), student’s t-test and graphical representation. FIELD SITE(S): Castle and/or Jetty Beach or Black Rock (Dale Village)

Choose from:

Climate Change

Exam Skills Workshop

Conservation of Endangered Species

Advanced Field Surveying

Data Analysis & Maths workshop

DAY FOUR

ROCKY SHORE/FRESHWATER ECOLOGY

GREEN ENERGY – PHOTOSYNTHESIS MAKES THE WORLD GO ROUND Students will collect data from a marine or freshwater environment in order to calculate numbers of organisms at each trophic level and to construct food webs and biological pyramids. From this they can understand the relationships between GPP and NPP, and can calculate the efficiency of energy transfer between trophic levels. This session can also incorporate:

‘RIB’ plankton sampling

Seine netting (see last page for option details)

DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE – CHI SQUARED TEST Students will design a sampling strategy to investigate the distribution and abundance of a named species or group of species in a freshwater or marine habitat (e.g. topshell association with microhabitats). A chi-squared test will be applied to the data. Students will be able to justify why this statistical test is appropriate.

Core Practical 10 – Planning and Research Students will choose and plan an individual ecological investigation to be carried out the following day. They will plan the most appropriate equipment and methods, identifying the variables to be controlled and how to achieve this. They will identify hazards and assess the risks of their planned work. A range of habitats can be used for this investigation.

FIELD SITE(S): Jetty Beach (rocky shore), Watwick Pond (freshwater), Dale Fort Field/Woods (terrestrial)

FIELD SITES: Various

DAY FIVE

ROCKY SHORE/TERRESTRIAL/FRESHWATER ECOLOGY Core Practical 10 - Data Collection and Recording Students will carry out their planned individual investigation. FIELD SITES: Various

Depart - lunchtime Please note: to ensure safe and quality learning experiences for students, the timetable may alter depending on weather conditions and tides

NOTE: Using Core Practical 10 teachers will have the opportunity to assess students for the Practical Endorsement against Common Practical Assessment Criteria.

The teaching days at Dale Fort can vary in start and finish times. Most of our field sites are adjacent to or within easy walking distance from the field centre. As well as reducing transport costs and travel times, this allows teachers and FSC staff to plan in some flexibility to the days to meet students’ needs. Normally the teaching day would run from 9am to 6.30pm. Session Three can either be an evening or late afternoon session (dependent on tides, arrival time and field trip travel time during the day). Where evening sessions are not tutor-led, directed tasks and resources are available to further extend student learning.

ON DAYS TWO AND THREE PLEASE SELECT FROM THE FOLLOWING OPTIONS FOR SESSION THREE: (We can of course be flexible and re-arrange these sessions to match your own requirements): Climate Change Students have been learning about climate change for most of their school life, yet we know that when faced with an exam question, all too often they become confused and fail to communicate the key principles. This workshop will focus on the effects of climate change on plants and animals e.g. on their distribution, development and life cycles, and the consequent effects on ecosystems. Using local examples and data sets, students will have opportunities to critically evaluate the evidence for climate change and to develop a broader understanding of the potential effects on the UK as well as wider global issues.

Exam Skills Workshop We recognise that students often struggle with exam questions on ecological topics. This is partly because they find it difficult to simply restate the facts they have learnt in class. Often students do not successfully transfer their knowledge of one habitat (e.g. woodland) to a question set in a different habitat. Therefore they do not score highly even though they actually understand ecology well. This workshop will help students to identify the key ecological principles and successfully apply them to questions set in a variety of different contexts. Conservation of Endangered Species Too often students consider endangered species to be a problem confined to other countries and exotic species, without realising that the UK has more than 1100 species in danger. This session considers conservation in the UK and gives students an insight into the real difficulties faced by ecologists working in the field. We will use case studies local to Pembrokeshire and to Wales to evaluate the success of different techniques e.g. in-situ conservation through habitat protection, re-introduction of species, ex-situ conservation in botanic gardens, seed banks and wildlife reserves or zoos. Advanced Field Surveying This is a great opportunity for students to experience an additional practical technique outside the scope of the standard course. You can choose from estimating population size using the Lincoln index, moth trapping and identification, small mammal sampling, bat detecting and sampling and observation of marine or freshwater plankton using microscopes.

Data Analysis and Maths Workshop Maths skills now make up 10% of the total marks in Biology A-level exams. The standard sessions in the programme will include up to three statistical tests (Spearman’s rank, student’s t-test and chi-squared), standard deviation and some other graphical and mathematical analysis. This session is an opportunity for students to spend more time getting to grips with the basics, using real data sets to practice the techniques they find difficult. The focus can be on one of the following three areas: a) Statistics. Why is statistics important for biologists? How do you choose the right statistical test and design an investigation so that you can collect data, which can be analysed successfully? How do you interpret the results of the statistical test and link this to the hypothesis being tested? b) Data handling. In ecological investigations students can collect a large amount of data. It is important that they feel confident in identifying trends and patterns and in applying graphical and mathematical treatment to this data (e.g. mean, median, mode, standard deviation). Students will have the opportunity to practice handling real data sets relating to the habitats they are studying during the course. This will help them answer exam questions which include data handling. c) Mixture of statistics and data handling. Most suitable for more confident students who are able to work independently or in small groups. This will give practice in a number of skills. You can select in advance the areas you want to focus on. FURTHER OPTIONS:

Dale Fort Field Centre can also offer the following sessions which can be studied in addition to or instead of the above sessions: ‘RIB’ Plankton sampling (half day) Students will look at different trophic levels of marine plankton, which they can collect by plankton netting from the Field Centre RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat). The boat takes students for a 20 minute trip in the bay opposite the Field Centre. Students then use microscopes to examine and identify the plankton. This session complements the ‘Green Energy – Photosynthesis Makes the World Go Round’ session or could take place during the first afternoon or last morning - dependent on tides and weather. There is an additional cost of £7.00 per student. Seine Netting (half day or shorter) Students will help use a seine net to sample motile invertebrates and fish in the Gann Estuary. The data collected is part of a long term monitoring programme of this important SSSI. Conservation Walk: Dale – Marloes- Deer Park (whole or half day) Students will walk part of the outstanding Pembrokeshire Coast Path with spectacular views of the offshore islands of Skomer, Skokholm and Grassholm. They will study conservation management issues across a range of habitats including coastal meadows, marsh land and seal breeding beaches. This walk will complement the ‘Conservation of Endangered Species’ session. Skomer Island (whole day) Students will visit this spectacular bird reserve and marine conservation zone, which can be reached by a short boat trip from Martin’s Haven. They will walk around the island exploring the conservation management issues affecting sea birds, marine life and terrestrial habitats. This day trip will complement the ‘Conservation of Endangered Species’ session. There is an additional cost of £9 per student to cover boat and landing fees. The trip is weather dependent, but a walk around the Deer Park (on the adjacent headland) can be substituted if necessary.

THE FIELD STUDIES COUNCIL HAS TWO LARGE FIELD CENTRES IN PEMBROKESHIRE – DALE FORT AND ORIELTON. TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR COURSES AND FACILITIES VISIT OUR WEB PAGES AT: http://www.field-studies-council.org/centres/dalefort.aspx http://www.field-studies-council.org/centres/orielton.aspx PLEASE CONTACT US ON 01646 636205 or enquiries.df@field-studies-council.org