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Serval collage barrage (IDK)



9.25.22 This week in Unit 1 of my STEAM class called population, we learned about many different animals and how scientists use the defining characteristics, and taxonomy (studying living organisms to classify them in different categories to study further and identify) to identify and categorize organisms. We also learned about elements of a set which is any collection or group of objects which may be mathematical (In our case it was not mathematical but instead about organisms and their taxonomy) . For our first action project we had to pick an animal and research its characteristics and taxonomy. Additionally, we were assigned to create a collage representing those characteristics. We next had to compare each other's organisms to one another to create a Venn diagram comparing their features. For the math portion, we had to come up with 5 math statements about our animal using the sets and elements we learned. I decided to research the Serval (L. Serval). Here is my table on the characteristics of this creature.

Taxonomic Level

Your organism’s group

Key characteristics of group

Kingdom

Animalia

They are multicellular organisms, and they are all eukaryotic, meaning their cells have membrane-enclosed organelles and a nucleus. All animals are heterotrophic and must feed on other organisms to survive.

Phylum

chordate

a notochord, a dorsal hollow nerve cord, pharyngeal slits, and a post-anal tail.

Class

mammal

have hair or fur; are warm-blooded; most are born alive; the young are fed milk produced by the mother's mammary glands; and they have a more complex brain than other animals.

Order

carnivora

mostly carnivorous and have teeth adapted for flesh eating

Family

felidae

These felids are morphologically similar with rounded, flat faces, facial whiskers, large eyes, and large ears.

Genus

leptailurus

small head, large ears, a golden-yellow to buff coat spotted and striped with black, and a short, black-tipped tail.

Species

L. Serval

The serval has the longest legs of any cat relative to its body size



Here is my rendition of the Serval in the wild in a collage format.  I look some creative liberties with the some parts of the serval, but all the characteristics of this creature have been preserved.


These are 5 examples of sets the serval does or does not belong to expressed using sets and elements.  

1.  What is a set that your organism is an element of?
    Mammal

     What other organisms are also elements in that same set?
     whale

     How could you represent that information using mathematical language?
     Serval = S Whale = W Mammal = M

    S+W⊆M

2.  What is a different set that your organism is not an element of?
    Reptile

      How could you represent that information using mathematical language?

       Reptile=R
       S⊄R

3. Name two sets that your organism belongs to.

      Felidae and Chordates

     How could you represent that information using mathematical language?

     Felidae=F Chordates =C
     S⊆F+C

4. Name a set your organism does belong to and one it does not belong to
      Carnivora and primates

       How could you represent that information using mathematical language?

        Carnivora=C Primates=P
        S⊆C⊄P

5. Name a set your organism does not belong to
      Rodent

       S⊄P

Lastly is my Venn Diagram of the serval, gorilla, and the Cat


This AP was fun because I got to learn about the relation of one animal to another through their traits and common families.  I did have some issues creating the elements and sets because its so new and different.  If I was to do this project again I would probably choose a more well known animal because I genuinely had trouble remembering what animal I was even doing. I just chose it because it was unique and looked cool. 

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