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Teaching Thermal Physiology of Reptiles and Amphibians to Undergraduate Students

Author(s): Allison Litmer

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Summary:
This module contains materials and activities for teaching undergraduate students about the thermal physiology of reptiles and amphibians. The module begins with an interactive lecture introducing the topic of thermoregulation and the importance of…

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This module contains materials and activities for teaching undergraduate students about the thermal physiology of reptiles and amphibians. The module begins with an interactive lecture introducing the topic of thermoregulation and the importance of temperature to reptiles and amphibians, followed by an activity for hands-on learning. The second part of the module contains an interactive lecture introducing the thermal dependence of physiological traits in reptiles and amphibians, followed by another hands-on activity for linking ideas from both lectures with thermoregulation, behavior, and fitness. The final part of the module is a hands-on activity which tests the ability of students to think critically and link all concepts presented. I have included the presentations and materials for in-class activities and assignments.

Description

The module is designed to span multiple class sessions. Instructors should begin by giving students the Intro to Thermoregulation interactive presentation, followed by the Thermoregulation SA:V Activity. Next, instructors should give students the Physiology and Temperature interactive presentation, followed by the Thermoregulation Game. Lastly, instructors should have students do the Concept Map activity, which combines aspects from all other components of the unit. Interactive presentations have questions for students to discuss in-class and allows them to engage in active-learning through lectures. 

The module includes the following resources: 

  • Two interactive presentations:
    • 1) Intro to Thermoregulation
    • 2) Physiology and Temperature
  • Materials for hands-on activity covering methods in thermal biology, thermoregulation, and surface area to volume ratio. The following items are included:
    • Instructional presentation with learning objectives 
    • Student lab handout with instructions, data tables, and assessment questions 
  • Materials for hands-on activity linking thermoregulation, behavior, life history, and physiology. The following items are included:
    • Lab handout with detailed instructions, materials needed, game rules and pre- and post-assessment questions for students
  • Materials for hands-on activity linking all topics covered in thermoregulation and physiology. The following items are included:
    • Term list for the activity 
    • Instructional presentation with learning objectives 
    • Answer key 

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