Student
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Lessons

Materials

Overview of Student Learning Objectives

1. List the morphological characters which are used to identify the cacti in the field, and be able to describe the associated problems in using these characters for identification.
   
2. Draw the geographical ranges of Echinocereus triglochidiatus var. arizonicus and related cactus populations.
   
3. Formulate a hypothesis regarding the validity of the current status of the Arizona Hedgehog cactus as a distinct variety of cactus, taking into consideration the amount of diversity found within each population and between the two populations in question.
   
4. List and describe the steps taken to isolate DNA from plant tissue, explaining the chemical and physical properties used.
   
5. List and describe the three steps used in Polymerase Chain Reaction and explain how repeating these three steps amplifies DNA exponentially.
   
6. Explain how amplification of DNA with a "random", nonspecific primer can provide a "DNA fingerprint" for comparing similarities and differences among individuals and populations.
   
7. Describe how DNA moves through an agarose gel and how fragments of DNA are separated by size.
   
8. Explain how different banding patterns between individuals relate to differences in DNA sequence.
   
9. Explain and perform how an agarose gel is poured and DNA is loaded into the wells of the gel.
   
10. Analyze banding patterns for similarities and differences among individuals and between populations.
    
11. Describe and explain the content of each section in the format of a scientific paper or poster: title, author, abstract, introduction, materials and methods, results, discussion and bibliographic references.
    
12. Draw a conclusion about the classification of the Cochise county cacti and make recommendations about the need for protective efforts for the Arizona Hedgehog cactus (arizonicus).
    

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