Introduction
The human body is a fascinating piece of work, comprised of numerous complex structures and maintained by thousands of vexing processes. As people, we often tend to forget the small details that keep us going throughout the day, and how we are constantly adapting to the environments around us. Of course, we know and appreciate certain bodily functions more than others (take breathing and circulation), however there are certain unsung heroes that we utilize on a daily basis. One of these such processes is homeostasis, the way by which the body maintains balance. So why is balance so important, and exactly how vital is homeostasis to survival? To understand this, it is important to realize what homeostasis manages and what conditions the body thrives in. The human body always likes to have balanced levels of things such as blood pressure, blood sugar, and oxygen and always tries to maintain the correct amount so that the body can perform to its highest capabilities. That being said, these levels can sometimes get out a balanced state, making the body feel uncomfortable and inhibiting it from functioning properly. Thus, homeostasis does what it can in certain situations to reach this balance once again.
For our class project, we were put into groups of three and challenged to investigate homeostasis by using an experiment that we designed ourselves. I was placed in a group with Emma rice and Alex Lozado, and we chose to research the effect that homeostasis has on the levels of water present in our body. We chose water levels specifically as we were interested in looking into how vital water is to us, considering that we are surrounded by it on a daily basis. We conducted a large amount of research and were able to find out several key things on the topic, and from this information, we also started designing an experiment to test homeostasis. Our experiment consisted of tested the water levels during and without physical activity via urine. We did this because in theory, the body uses more water during exercise. Thus, the amount of water expelled through urination would be smaller so the body could keep a constant amount of water. After collecting and analyzing our data, we found what we had expected, thus proving the homeostasis of water in the human body. After this, our group compiled a research article articulating our ideas. Then, we transferred this information to a poster, and communicated our findings to our classmates. |
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Abstract:
Objective: The objective of this investigation was to greater explore the concept of homeostasis in humans, more specifically how water levels are balanced in the body. Water levels between active and inactive individuals determined via varying levels of exercise and urination were used to test homeostasis.
Design: One group of students was used in this experiment, performing each specific part together. On the first day of the study the group drank water, performed no form of physical activity, and their resulting urine was observed. On the following day, the group exercised then urinated, with the results from the previous dat also being compared to it.
Subjects: The groups consisted of three high school sophomores all aged sixteen, with one individual in the group being a girl and the other two being boys.
Variables Measured: The variables measured were the levels of urine in millimeters, then converted to ounces, measured after each part of the test each day, and the color of each sample of urine that was collected.
Analysis: Analysis of the data was done by comparing the levels and color of the urine on the non exercise days to the levels and color of the urine collected on days where the subjects exercised. This data was also compared and interpreted to prior research found on the topic.
Results: The subjects in the experiment produced much more urine on exercise days than they did on non exercise days. In addition to this, the color of the urine on non exercise days was much clearer, while the urine produced after exercise leaned more towards being dark yellow in hue. After careful consideration, it was determined that these results were achieved because more water is used in the body during physical activity, so the body cannot release more water or else it will move out of a correct balance. However, when an individual is at rest, he or she does not use a large amount of water, thus making it necessary to expel more in order to maintain a balance.
Implications: The findings of this experiment show that the human body is always actively maintaining the homeostasis of water levels in the body, ensuring that enough water is present for bodily functions. That being said, this experiment suggests the ideal times when larger quantities of water should be consumed, namely when physical activity takes place. It is important for individuals to be aware of the balance of water in the body as displayed here so that they may be able to stay healthy.
Introduction:
Homeostasis is defined as the process by which an organism maintains a stable environment. Homeostasis can be seen all throughout the world, specifically in humans. Things such as blood pressure, blood sugar, and oxygen levels are all maintained using homeostasis, and the human body does its best to achieve a balance of all of these things. The specific type of homeostasis that was investigated in this lab was the balance of water levels in the human body. Humans need water for everyday functions, and a specific amount of water must be maintained at all times. Humans can gain water by drinking, and can expel it when there is an excess of it in the body by doing things such as urinating. For example, when an individual is dehydrated, he or she will drink more water and expel much less through urination (Heyden, 2013). However if there is a surplus of water in the body, there will be less need to drink water but a greater need to urinate and theoretically in higher volumes (Heyden, 2013). This happens because when water enters the bloodstream and flows through the kidneys for filtration, extra water is expelled and turned into urine, while needed water stays in the bloodstream. The hormone ADH is specifically used to detect water levels and trigger the release of excess water (Heyden, 2013). For the experiment conducted in this lab, water levels observed in the urine of a human at rest were compared to water levels in a human who had just exercised. This was done because an individual doing physical activity needs to use more water than one at rest. Thus, in theory, the person who had just exercised would have less urine than one who had been at rest. It was hypothesized that after all steps of the procedure were carried out, if a human had just exercised, then he or she would have less urine as compared to one who had not been involved in any physical activity.
Purpose: The overarching purpose of this lab was to investigate homeostasis within the human body, specifically pertaining to how it relates to water levels.
Hypothesis:
Methods/Procedure:
Procedure: Part 1
Results:
Objective: The objective of this investigation was to greater explore the concept of homeostasis in humans, more specifically how water levels are balanced in the body. Water levels between active and inactive individuals determined via varying levels of exercise and urination were used to test homeostasis.
Design: One group of students was used in this experiment, performing each specific part together. On the first day of the study the group drank water, performed no form of physical activity, and their resulting urine was observed. On the following day, the group exercised then urinated, with the results from the previous dat also being compared to it.
Subjects: The groups consisted of three high school sophomores all aged sixteen, with one individual in the group being a girl and the other two being boys.
Variables Measured: The variables measured were the levels of urine in millimeters, then converted to ounces, measured after each part of the test each day, and the color of each sample of urine that was collected.
Analysis: Analysis of the data was done by comparing the levels and color of the urine on the non exercise days to the levels and color of the urine collected on days where the subjects exercised. This data was also compared and interpreted to prior research found on the topic.
Results: The subjects in the experiment produced much more urine on exercise days than they did on non exercise days. In addition to this, the color of the urine on non exercise days was much clearer, while the urine produced after exercise leaned more towards being dark yellow in hue. After careful consideration, it was determined that these results were achieved because more water is used in the body during physical activity, so the body cannot release more water or else it will move out of a correct balance. However, when an individual is at rest, he or she does not use a large amount of water, thus making it necessary to expel more in order to maintain a balance.
Implications: The findings of this experiment show that the human body is always actively maintaining the homeostasis of water levels in the body, ensuring that enough water is present for bodily functions. That being said, this experiment suggests the ideal times when larger quantities of water should be consumed, namely when physical activity takes place. It is important for individuals to be aware of the balance of water in the body as displayed here so that they may be able to stay healthy.
Introduction:
Homeostasis is defined as the process by which an organism maintains a stable environment. Homeostasis can be seen all throughout the world, specifically in humans. Things such as blood pressure, blood sugar, and oxygen levels are all maintained using homeostasis, and the human body does its best to achieve a balance of all of these things. The specific type of homeostasis that was investigated in this lab was the balance of water levels in the human body. Humans need water for everyday functions, and a specific amount of water must be maintained at all times. Humans can gain water by drinking, and can expel it when there is an excess of it in the body by doing things such as urinating. For example, when an individual is dehydrated, he or she will drink more water and expel much less through urination (Heyden, 2013). However if there is a surplus of water in the body, there will be less need to drink water but a greater need to urinate and theoretically in higher volumes (Heyden, 2013). This happens because when water enters the bloodstream and flows through the kidneys for filtration, extra water is expelled and turned into urine, while needed water stays in the bloodstream. The hormone ADH is specifically used to detect water levels and trigger the release of excess water (Heyden, 2013). For the experiment conducted in this lab, water levels observed in the urine of a human at rest were compared to water levels in a human who had just exercised. This was done because an individual doing physical activity needs to use more water than one at rest. Thus, in theory, the person who had just exercised would have less urine than one who had been at rest. It was hypothesized that after all steps of the procedure were carried out, if a human had just exercised, then he or she would have less urine as compared to one who had not been involved in any physical activity.
Purpose: The overarching purpose of this lab was to investigate homeostasis within the human body, specifically pertaining to how it relates to water levels.
Hypothesis:
- After all steps of the procedure have been carried out, if a human had just exercised, then he or she would have less urine as compared to one who had not been involved in any physical activity.
- After all steps of the procedure have been carried out, if the test subjects drink water and don’t exercise, then their urine will be light in color and plentiful.
Methods/Procedure:
Procedure: Part 1
- Go to the gender appropriate bathroom
- Empty yourself of any waste (solid and liquid)
- Obtain 24 oz of ionized water
- Immediately after using the bathroom, drink 24 oz of water
- Go to standard track
- Exercise by running for 15 minutes at your own pace
- Wait 20 minutes after running has stopped
- Go to bathroom after 20 minutes has passed
- Urinate in measurement cup
- Measure urine from cup
- Record any observations or measurements
- At least 5 hours after the exercise test, empty yourself of any waste (solid and liquid) again
- Obtain 24 oz of ionized water
- Immediately after using the bathroom, drink 24 oz of water
- Do not do any physical activity for 35 minutes
- Go to bathroom after 35 minutes has passed
- Urinate in measurement cup
- Measure urine from cup
- Record any observations or measurements
- Compare the measurements of the urine from the 2 tests in terms of measurements and visual appearance
Results:
This graph compares the two test of exercising and drinking water, and not exercising while drinking the same amount of water.
Observations Trial 1 (Not Exercising)
Test subject #1:
Test Subject #2:
Test Subject #3:
Observations Trial 2 (Exercising)
Test Subject #1:
Test Subject #2:
Test Subject #3:
Discussion/Conclusion:
This data shows that when the subjects drank 24 oz of water and were not exercising, their urine was light colored/clear and there was a lot expelled from their bodies. Then when the subjects drank 24 oz of water and exercised, their urine was a dark yellow color and not very much was expelled compared to the first trial. This also shows that less urine was expelled when the subjects exercised, while more was expelled when they did not exercise.
This proves homeostasis because when the body is at a stable or healthy environment, then when drenched with an excess amount of water the body will use minimal amounts and expel more from the body. This was proved through the first trial of when the subjects did not exercise and their bodies were able to maintain homeostasis more easily, hence they expelled more urine in a lighter color. The second part of the experiment, trial 2, proved homeostasis because when exerting energy and sweating the body is experiencing a decrease in water levels, therefore the body uses more water that is drank. The test subject drank the given amount of water (24 oz) and then exercised, and this exertion forced their bodies to use more of the water they drank to maintain their homeostasis. This resulted in the test subjects have less urine expelled and in darker color.
The first hypothesis was if the test subjects drink water and don’t exercise, then their urine will be light in color and plentiful. The second hypothesis was if the test subjects exercise after drinking water, then their urine will be dark in color and in small quantity. As you can see in the test, when the test subjects drank water and didn't exercise, the urine was light in color and plentiful, just like how the 1st hypothesis said, proving it right. The second hypothesis is also correct because the test subjects drank water and then exercised, their urine was dark colored and in small quantity. Therefore, both hypothesis are proved correct.
What went well in this lab was the testing and the designing/planning of the experiment. While testing, everything went smoothly and swiftly which is helpful when on a deadline and getting quick and accurate results. The planning of the experiment was also a success, because the procedure and materials needed were clear and accurate, which once again allowed for accurate testing and no wasted time.
Some errors in this experiment could include the participants did not exercise for a long enough time. This would be an error because if the body was not sweating enough or losing enough water then the results from this trial would have been negatively affected and unreliable. Also, when measuring the urine there could have been some mathematical errors. To measure the urine the test subjects were asked to mark their cups with a limit line of their waste, and then empty it out to not cause any safety or health hazards in the classroom. The cups were then filled with water in substitute and poured into a graduated cylinder, then converted to ounces. During this lengthy process there very well could have been errors involved, whether mathematical or misjudgment. One last error that could have occurred was that the test subjects did not wait long enough in either trials to go to the bathroom. This would be an error because if they did not wait long enough after drinking the water, the results or findings would be inconclusive since their bodies could have needed more time to conduct homeostasis or retain the correct water levels.
Some investigations that this experiment leads to include:
Observations Trial 1 (Not Exercising)
Test subject #1:
- Mostly clear and not very yellow
- Decent amount (a lot)
Test Subject #2:
- Yellow
- Not a lot (less than expected)
Test Subject #3:
- Clear and slight yellow tint
- A lot of urine
Observations Trial 2 (Exercising)
Test Subject #1:
- More dark yellow than first time
- Less than first time
Test Subject #2:
- Darker
- Less than first time
Test Subject #3:
- Very yellow
- Not as much
- Felt warmer
Discussion/Conclusion:
This data shows that when the subjects drank 24 oz of water and were not exercising, their urine was light colored/clear and there was a lot expelled from their bodies. Then when the subjects drank 24 oz of water and exercised, their urine was a dark yellow color and not very much was expelled compared to the first trial. This also shows that less urine was expelled when the subjects exercised, while more was expelled when they did not exercise.
This proves homeostasis because when the body is at a stable or healthy environment, then when drenched with an excess amount of water the body will use minimal amounts and expel more from the body. This was proved through the first trial of when the subjects did not exercise and their bodies were able to maintain homeostasis more easily, hence they expelled more urine in a lighter color. The second part of the experiment, trial 2, proved homeostasis because when exerting energy and sweating the body is experiencing a decrease in water levels, therefore the body uses more water that is drank. The test subject drank the given amount of water (24 oz) and then exercised, and this exertion forced their bodies to use more of the water they drank to maintain their homeostasis. This resulted in the test subjects have less urine expelled and in darker color.
The first hypothesis was if the test subjects drink water and don’t exercise, then their urine will be light in color and plentiful. The second hypothesis was if the test subjects exercise after drinking water, then their urine will be dark in color and in small quantity. As you can see in the test, when the test subjects drank water and didn't exercise, the urine was light in color and plentiful, just like how the 1st hypothesis said, proving it right. The second hypothesis is also correct because the test subjects drank water and then exercised, their urine was dark colored and in small quantity. Therefore, both hypothesis are proved correct.
What went well in this lab was the testing and the designing/planning of the experiment. While testing, everything went smoothly and swiftly which is helpful when on a deadline and getting quick and accurate results. The planning of the experiment was also a success, because the procedure and materials needed were clear and accurate, which once again allowed for accurate testing and no wasted time.
Some errors in this experiment could include the participants did not exercise for a long enough time. This would be an error because if the body was not sweating enough or losing enough water then the results from this trial would have been negatively affected and unreliable. Also, when measuring the urine there could have been some mathematical errors. To measure the urine the test subjects were asked to mark their cups with a limit line of their waste, and then empty it out to not cause any safety or health hazards in the classroom. The cups were then filled with water in substitute and poured into a graduated cylinder, then converted to ounces. During this lengthy process there very well could have been errors involved, whether mathematical or misjudgment. One last error that could have occurred was that the test subjects did not wait long enough in either trials to go to the bathroom. This would be an error because if they did not wait long enough after drinking the water, the results or findings would be inconclusive since their bodies could have needed more time to conduct homeostasis or retain the correct water levels.
Some investigations that this experiment leads to include:
- How long does it take subjects to use the bathroom after drinking a certain amount of water? How regularly do they use the bathroom?
- If subjects are told to eat a bag of salted potato chips, how does the salt affect their water levels?
- What is the ideal body water level to achieve homeostasis?
homeostasis poster by on Scribd
Homeostasis: Homeostasis is the way by which the body maintains balance, or equilibrium. As stated before, homeostasis is important and necessary for bodily functions to take place, and it keeps chemical levels in our body level. For our specific project, we investigated the homeostasis of water levels. Water is used to hydrate us, as well as aiding in our basic everyday activities such as running, walking, and even sitting still. In the process of homeostasis relating to water levels, the body will tend to get rid of any excess water through urination, while keeping all needed water within its system. Water can also be gained through drinking, and is the reason why it is important to stay hydrated throughout the entirety of the day. In our experiment, we found that urinating after exercise yielded less water as the water maintained more of it to use in exercise. Additionally, a great deal of water was lost through sweat. I personally was wearing somewhat warm clothing during the experiment, so more sweat was created as I ran around, thus contributing to even more water loss. After the exercise test, I was very thirsty as I needed to replenish the water I had lost, and need more to reach an equilibrium. However, when we were sitting down and doing nothing, afterwards when we urinated, we produced more water as we had an excess of it. Because we were not doing any physical activity, there was no need for our body to use more water. Thus, the body had to get rid of water to change the current levels and reach homeostasis. Processes like this happen on a daily basis within the human body, and water levels are central to our wellbeing and overall survival.
ADH: The hormone ADH is released by the body, and signals that there is an excess of water, triggering responses that tell it to create urine in order to get rid of the excess. ADH stands for antidiuretic hormone, and measures water in the bloodstream specifically. If there is too much water in the bloodstream, then the water is converted into urine.
Kidneys: The kidneys are an organ part of the urinary system, and are used to filter out blood. In homeostasis of water levels, the kidneys filter out any excess water in the bloodstream, well keeping in water that is needed. The kidneys are aided by the aforementioned hormone ADH, and this filtered out water leads eventually to the bladder where it is urinated and gotten rid of.
Adrenal gland: The adrenal gland is a gland part of the endocrine system. It is important as it creates hormones, including the ADH that is used in the process of homeostasis in relation to water levels.
Other body parts: Through sweating, the skin excretes water during physical activity. The lungs and the respiratory system also bring in water vapor through the breathing process.
Variables: In a good scientific investigation, it is beneficial to have easily identifiable variables, as well as not too many. This is because good variables make data easy to interpret and identify, as well as making the experiment more efficient and getting rid of any margin of error. In addition to this, a control is necessary in an experiment to ensure that there is something to compare results to. In any given experiment, there are typically two types of variables that are tested, those being the dependent and independent variable. The independent variable is a variable specifically manipulated by the tester that will always have a certain type of value. An example of this can be time. A dependent variable on the other hand depends on the values of the independent variable as the name would suggest. An example of this can be beats per minute after running. For our experiment, it was designed in such a way that the time and type of physical activity (ie. running) was the independent variable, while the amount of urine produced was the dependent variable. The control for the experiment was the amount of urine produced after staying in a stationary state. In addition to this, certain constant factors were utilized in our experiment. For example, constants included the amount of water we drank, the amount of time we waited prior to urinating, and the types of materials we used to measure our urine.
Miscellaneous experiment details: In our experiment, we used milliliters to measure our urine, as well as a graduated cylinder to get precise numbers. We used solo cups to catch our urine, and ran around the track and played catch with a football as our exercise.
Feedback loops: Our body utilizes feedback loops to respond to stimuli in order to keep ourselves functioning correctly at all times and keep us safe. There are two types of feedback loops, those being a positive feedback loop and a negative feedback loop. In a positive feedback loop, the body responds to its environment by causing change to adapt to its surroundings. These changes aid it in responding to the stimulus in a desired manner, making sure that no negative implications come out of the situation. On the other hand, a negative feedback loop does not cause change, and conversely tries lessening it so that any sort of negative stimulus will eventually go away. In our experiment, we observed a great example of a negative feedback loop when the body had an excess of water. Too much water was not good for the body, so it was expelled in order to reach homeostasis again. Additionally, in terms of a positive feedback loop, after exercising the subjects were rather dehydrated, so they drank more water to add on to the water levels in order to achieve homeostasis.
Scientific method: The scientific method is the method by which all good scientific investigations are carried out upon. It deals with collecting, organizing, and researching all information in such a way that a good conclusion can be reached. In our project we used the scientific method quite a bit to investigate homeostasis, and the steps we followed were:
ADH: The hormone ADH is released by the body, and signals that there is an excess of water, triggering responses that tell it to create urine in order to get rid of the excess. ADH stands for antidiuretic hormone, and measures water in the bloodstream specifically. If there is too much water in the bloodstream, then the water is converted into urine.
Kidneys: The kidneys are an organ part of the urinary system, and are used to filter out blood. In homeostasis of water levels, the kidneys filter out any excess water in the bloodstream, well keeping in water that is needed. The kidneys are aided by the aforementioned hormone ADH, and this filtered out water leads eventually to the bladder where it is urinated and gotten rid of.
Adrenal gland: The adrenal gland is a gland part of the endocrine system. It is important as it creates hormones, including the ADH that is used in the process of homeostasis in relation to water levels.
Other body parts: Through sweating, the skin excretes water during physical activity. The lungs and the respiratory system also bring in water vapor through the breathing process.
Variables: In a good scientific investigation, it is beneficial to have easily identifiable variables, as well as not too many. This is because good variables make data easy to interpret and identify, as well as making the experiment more efficient and getting rid of any margin of error. In addition to this, a control is necessary in an experiment to ensure that there is something to compare results to. In any given experiment, there are typically two types of variables that are tested, those being the dependent and independent variable. The independent variable is a variable specifically manipulated by the tester that will always have a certain type of value. An example of this can be time. A dependent variable on the other hand depends on the values of the independent variable as the name would suggest. An example of this can be beats per minute after running. For our experiment, it was designed in such a way that the time and type of physical activity (ie. running) was the independent variable, while the amount of urine produced was the dependent variable. The control for the experiment was the amount of urine produced after staying in a stationary state. In addition to this, certain constant factors were utilized in our experiment. For example, constants included the amount of water we drank, the amount of time we waited prior to urinating, and the types of materials we used to measure our urine.
Miscellaneous experiment details: In our experiment, we used milliliters to measure our urine, as well as a graduated cylinder to get precise numbers. We used solo cups to catch our urine, and ran around the track and played catch with a football as our exercise.
Feedback loops: Our body utilizes feedback loops to respond to stimuli in order to keep ourselves functioning correctly at all times and keep us safe. There are two types of feedback loops, those being a positive feedback loop and a negative feedback loop. In a positive feedback loop, the body responds to its environment by causing change to adapt to its surroundings. These changes aid it in responding to the stimulus in a desired manner, making sure that no negative implications come out of the situation. On the other hand, a negative feedback loop does not cause change, and conversely tries lessening it so that any sort of negative stimulus will eventually go away. In our experiment, we observed a great example of a negative feedback loop when the body had an excess of water. Too much water was not good for the body, so it was expelled in order to reach homeostasis again. Additionally, in terms of a positive feedback loop, after exercising the subjects were rather dehydrated, so they drank more water to add on to the water levels in order to achieve homeostasis.
Scientific method: The scientific method is the method by which all good scientific investigations are carried out upon. It deals with collecting, organizing, and researching all information in such a way that a good conclusion can be reached. In our project we used the scientific method quite a bit to investigate homeostasis, and the steps we followed were:
- Identify Problem
- The “problem” was finding a way to investigate the homeostasis of water levels
- The “problem” was finding a way to investigate the homeostasis of water levels
- Research
- We looked online and used textbooks to learn more about homeostasis
- We looked online and used textbooks to learn more about homeostasis
- Form A Hypothesis
- We hypothesized that:
- After all steps of the procedure have been carried out, if a human had just exercised, then he or she would have less urine as compared to one who had not been involved in any physical activity.
- After all steps of the procedure have been carried out, if the test subjects drink water and don’t exercise, then their urine will be light in color and plentiful.
- After all steps of the procedure have been carried out, if a human had just exercised, then he or she would have less urine as compared to one who had not been involved in any physical activity.
- We hypothesized that:
- Plan Experiment
- We designed our experiment to compare water levels during exercise and without exercise
- We designed our experiment to compare water levels during exercise and without exercise
- Perform Experiment
- We carried out our experiment during class time
- We carried out our experiment during class time
- Analyze Data
- From our data, we found that more urine was produced when not engaged in physical activity
- From our data, we found that more urine was produced when not engaged in physical activity
- Form A Conclusion
- This data shows that when the subjects drank 24 oz of water and were not exercising, their urine was light colored/clear and there was a lot expelled from their bodies. Then when the subjects drank 24 oz of water and exercised, their urine was a dark yellow color and not very much was expelled compared to the first trial. This also shows that less urine was expelled when the subjects exercised, while more was expelled when they did not exercise.
- This data shows that when the subjects drank 24 oz of water and were not exercising, their urine was light colored/clear and there was a lot expelled from their bodies. Then when the subjects drank 24 oz of water and exercised, their urine was a dark yellow color and not very much was expelled compared to the first trial. This also shows that less urine was expelled when the subjects exercised, while more was expelled when they did not exercise.
- Communicate Results
- We made a poster to show our ideas
- We made a poster to show our ideas
- Repeat
Reflection
I was very pleased with the outcome of this project and how we were able to work together as a collective unit. Additionally, I found this project to be the most rewarding thus far, as I felt that it connected seamlessly to the work we had already been doing in class. Prior to designing our experiment and compiling our lab article, Ms. Mathews spent an ample amount of time going through the concepts of homeostasis and feedback loops with us. While I had initially found this to be a bit monotonous and to some extent aimless, finally being able to investigate these two concepts hands on truly tied everything together. I came out of this assignment feeling happier than ever about any work I had done in STEM, and I had a greater understanding of the information.
That being said, I believe that I was able to grow as a student in many ways throughout the duration of this project. First and foremost, I believe that this homeostasis project allowed me to process my presentation skills. As part of our research, our group had to create a poster that talked about the different parts of our work, as well as synthesizing it in such a manner that was easy to understand. Additionally, we had to use this information as a guide to teach our classmates about our different kinds of homeostasis. While I have always considered myself a decent presenter, this project definitely elevated my skills. I have a tendency to not be the most efficient with the way that I speak, and often find myself rambling in and on. Because there is only so much important information on the poster to present, It forced me to pick the most important details and communicate them more effectively. At the same time, this project refined my presenting skills by enabling me to become better at teaching others. As stated before, I was challenged to speak more concisely, thus allowing me to put more emphasis on making sure the peers I communicated knew what I was talking about.
` Another area that I believe I was able to improve in during this project was the area of experiment design. Prior to this project, I have never had to truly design an experiment myself, as I was often presented with set instructions for what I was supposed to do. I always had a set procedure in front of me, and I never had to do too much deep thinking to test and gather data. However, Ms. Mathews gave us quite a bit of free reign on this project and let us design our experiments. While this was unfamiliar to me at first, It allowed me to use my research to come up with something that I truly felt was my own, and helped me understand the scientific concepts even better.
While I did many good things on this project, there are also definite areas that are in need of improvement. One of these areas is staying on task. Throughout the project, I would often find myself migrating to other table groups to talk with my other friends, setting back my progress a bit. On one of the latter days of the project when I was supposed to be working on writing an abstract, I found myself talking to Diego and Simon, causing me to not get my work done. To improve upon this in the future, I will commit to sitting in a non distracting environment and doing my work until it is completely finished.
Another are that I think I could definitely improve on is talking only about project related material when working. I would often find myself starting conversations surround non school related topics, bringing my whole group off task and making us less efficient. For example, I started talking to Emma about boy bands while we were working on our experiment design. This small banter spiraled into a full on conversation, and severely handicapped our productivity. In the future to stop this problem from taking place, I will approve by instead talking about things related to our project. Thus, this will help us all in all as it will encourage diligent work.
That being said, I believe that I was able to grow as a student in many ways throughout the duration of this project. First and foremost, I believe that this homeostasis project allowed me to process my presentation skills. As part of our research, our group had to create a poster that talked about the different parts of our work, as well as synthesizing it in such a manner that was easy to understand. Additionally, we had to use this information as a guide to teach our classmates about our different kinds of homeostasis. While I have always considered myself a decent presenter, this project definitely elevated my skills. I have a tendency to not be the most efficient with the way that I speak, and often find myself rambling in and on. Because there is only so much important information on the poster to present, It forced me to pick the most important details and communicate them more effectively. At the same time, this project refined my presenting skills by enabling me to become better at teaching others. As stated before, I was challenged to speak more concisely, thus allowing me to put more emphasis on making sure the peers I communicated knew what I was talking about.
` Another area that I believe I was able to improve in during this project was the area of experiment design. Prior to this project, I have never had to truly design an experiment myself, as I was often presented with set instructions for what I was supposed to do. I always had a set procedure in front of me, and I never had to do too much deep thinking to test and gather data. However, Ms. Mathews gave us quite a bit of free reign on this project and let us design our experiments. While this was unfamiliar to me at first, It allowed me to use my research to come up with something that I truly felt was my own, and helped me understand the scientific concepts even better.
While I did many good things on this project, there are also definite areas that are in need of improvement. One of these areas is staying on task. Throughout the project, I would often find myself migrating to other table groups to talk with my other friends, setting back my progress a bit. On one of the latter days of the project when I was supposed to be working on writing an abstract, I found myself talking to Diego and Simon, causing me to not get my work done. To improve upon this in the future, I will commit to sitting in a non distracting environment and doing my work until it is completely finished.
Another are that I think I could definitely improve on is talking only about project related material when working. I would often find myself starting conversations surround non school related topics, bringing my whole group off task and making us less efficient. For example, I started talking to Emma about boy bands while we were working on our experiment design. This small banter spiraled into a full on conversation, and severely handicapped our productivity. In the future to stop this problem from taking place, I will approve by instead talking about things related to our project. Thus, this will help us all in all as it will encourage diligent work.