Vertebrate Development Lab Notebook

LAB NOTEBOOK:

EACH STUDENT WILL PREPARE A LAB NOTEBOOK THAT SUMMARIZES THEIR WORK IN THE LABORATORY PORTION OF THE COURSE.

YOUR LAB NOTEBOOK SHOULD BE ARRANGED IN THE FOLLOWING SECTIONS AND CHAPTERS. EACH CHAPTER WILL REPRESENT ONE OF THE ORGAN SYSTEMS/EMBRYONIC STAGES YOU HAVE EXAMINED.

CHAPTERS AND SECTIONS::

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTORY MATERIAL

I. REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS
II. STARFISH DEVELOPMENT

FROG DEVELOPMENT

III. EARLY FROG DEVELOPMENT
IV. 4 mm FROG
V. 7 mm FROG
VI. 10 mm FROG

YOUR NOTEBOOK WILL BE TURNED IN FOR ITS FIRST GRADING AT THE BEGINNING OF THE LAB AFTER THE FIRST LAB EXAM.

CHICKEN DEVELOPMENT

VII. EARLY AND 18-24 hr CHICK
VIII. 33 hr CHICK
IX.. 48 hr CHICK
X. 72 hr CHICK
XI. 96 hr CHICK

PIG DEVELOPMENT

XII. 6 mm PIG
XIII. 10 mm PIG

YOUR NOTEBOOK WILL BE TURNED IN FOR ITS FINAL GRADING AT THE BEGINNING OF THE LAB DURING WHICH THE LAB FINAL EXAM IS SCHEDULED.

THE FINAL GRADE FOR THE NOTEBOOK WILL BE THE ROUNDED AVERAGE OF YOUR TWO LAB NOTEBOOK GRADES.

THE GRADING SHEETS USED FOR THE LAB NOTEBOOKS ARE AVAILABLE AS A .pdf USING THE LINK BELOW.

LAB NOTEBOOK GRADING SHEETS.pdf

FOR THE EL PERFECTO NOTEBOOK:

A GOOD TABLE OF CONTENTS

EACH CHAPTER OF THE PERFECT LAB NOTEBOOK WILL CONTAIN THE FOLLOWING ITEMS IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER:

1. DETAILED LAB LECTURE NOTES FOR ALL LAB LECTURES THAT WERE CONCERNED WITH THAT ORGAN SYSTEM/EMBRYONIC STAGE.

2. LABELED DRAWINGS OF SECTIONS SHOWING EVERY STRUCTURE YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY FOR THAT ORGAN SYSTEM/EMBRYONIC STAGE.

3. A TABLE IDENTIFYING THE GERM LAYER ORIGIN OF EACH TISSUE/ORGAN/STRUCTURE TO BE IDENTIFIED, WHAT IT WILL FORM, AND WHAT ITS EVENTUAL FUNCTION WILL BE.

4. ALL QUIZZES FOR THAT ORGAN SYSTEM/EMBRYONIC STAGE.

DETERMINATION OF LAB NOTEBOOK GRADES:

SEE THE LAB NOTEBOOK GRADING SHEETS MENTIONED ABOVE.

THE LAB NOTEBOOK WILL REPRESENT 20% OF YOUR LAB GRADE.

Frequently asked questions (Prepared by Kyle Barrett, 2004):

Does it matter how I organize my notebook?

Yes. When you're putting the notebook together, please organize items as described in your lab packet. This means you'll have the notebook divided into sections based on the organism and stage of development. Within those sections, you'll have your notes from the lab intro, your drawings, and your quizzes. An exception to the instructions in your lab packet: You DO NOT need to produce a germ layer chart for each stage. Only for each organism (i.e., the frog, chick, and pig).

How should the notebook be bound?

The contents of your notebook should go into a three-ring binder.

Do my table of contents need to have page numbers?

No. You do not have to number each page in the notebook and you do not need to have page numbers in the table of contents. The table of contents will just list the order you have placed things in the notebook.

Should I include my course packet in the notebook?

No, you keep it - we already have a copy.

How many drawings are required for a section?

There is no required number of drawings. You need to have as many drawings as it takes for you to be able to label the structures listed in the ID lists in your course lab packet. Often, from a single drawing you can label a dozen structures or more. Sometimes, you may have to make a single sketch just to label one item. If this is the case, partial sketches are OK (i.e., you don't have to draw the entire slide; just show us enough so we can tell where your drawing is coming from).

But I can't draw very well, will you take off points for that?

Nope. Just do the best you can.

What sort of paper should I use for my drawings?

Plain white paper is preferred, but not required.

Do I have to label every single term on the list for a particular organism and stage?

No. Any time a term is new to an embryo you must label it on a drawing. Often times terms will continue to appear on the list after they have first developed. For example, you will see the term prosencephalon show up when you are studying the 24 hr chick. Because itÌs the first time you've seen the term for the chick, you'll want to label it. The term will continue to show up on future chick lists (48 hrs, 72 hrs, 96 hrs). You do not have to re-label the structure for these stages. You do have to re-label structures if their appearance and/or location changes as development proceeds. Also, even if you have already labeled a term from a previous type of embryo (e.g. frog), you must draw and label it again if the same term applies to a new embryo (e.g. chicken). If in doubt about whether or not you should draw and label something, just ask.

Mitosis, meiosis, and other processes, not structures, are on the list. How do I draw these?

Any time a process shows up on the list (they rarely do) you should just sketch a diagram of it. For example, with meiosis, you could draw a circle representing the cell and lines within that circle representing chromosomes. Using these symbols and the appropriate labels you should be able to show what happens during the process of meiosis.

In the section on the frog, the 4-7 mm stages are listed together. Will one set of drawings for these stages be OK?

No. You have separate slides for the 4 and 7 mm frog and you should make separate drawings. However, see the question "Do I have to label every single term..." for more on this.

What's a Germ Layer Chart?

The Germ Layer Chart is a table that contains germ layer, fate, and function information on the structures on your ID lists in the course lab packet. You must make three of them, one each for the frog, chicken, and pig. The germ layer charts must be typed. Here's an example of what it should look like:

Structure/Tissue	Germ Layer	What it forms	Function or System
Archenteron	Endoderm	Embryonic gut	Digestion
Myotome	Mesoderm	Skeletal muscle	Movement
Otic vesicle	Non-neural ectoderm	Inner Ear	Sensory -- auditory
Prosencephalon	Neural ectoderm	Forebrain	Central Nervous System

How will my notebook be graded?

SEE THE LAB NOTEBOOK GRADING SHEETS MENTIONED ABOVE.

If I encase the pages of my notebook in plastic cover sheets will my TAs be impressed with my initiative and give me a better score?

No. Please don't use plastic cover sheets for any portion of your notebook. They make it difficult to write notes/make corrections on your pages.