Island Biogeography & Linear Regression using RO4

<p>Students will observe patterns on a map and in a data table so that they can come up with a testable prediction using a linear regression based on island biogeography. From there students will graph and quantify the relationship between an environmental variable and species richness. In this way, students will integrate multiple ways of expressing data (verbal, numeric, graphical, and algebraic). This method of integration, the Rule of Four (RO4) method, connects the process of science with statistical concepts.</p> <p>For the lesson, we provide teaching notes, a copy of the statistical learning objectives for our RO4 working group, slides for the instructor, an interactive Excel with the island biogeography data, and a student worksheet for the island biogeography example. There is also an example RO4 worksheet filled out by faculty on probability using coin flips.</p> <p>For more information about the Rule of Four, visit <a href="http://qubeshub.org/community/groups/RO4">our group page</a>! </p> <p><b>Acknowledgment.</b> This work was supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) through the Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE) Program under Award No. 2117087. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.</p>