ND RET Molecular Biology Workshop

Ken Andrzejewski- Marian High SchoolLouann Kensinger- Riley High SchoolDeb Semmler- St. Joseph’s High SchoolJim Keating- Washington High School

Our GoalTo evaluate pre-packaged science

kits we might want to use in the classroom– Are they cost effective?– Are they engaging?– Do they work?– How can they be modified?

Our Strategy

To work through the kits as a groupTo evaluate each kitTo determine if it would fit into the

curriculumTo create modifications as neededPost findings for others to use

ND RET Molecular Biology Workshop Resource Wiki

http://retmbw.wikispaces.com

Contains science kit evaluations for 2009/2010/2011 workshops

Has a resource page for additional reference

Kit 1: Understanding the Properties of Matter

Carolina Biological Supply kit #251200 $149.95refill #251250 $59.95

Educational Purpose

Students will Investigate intensive and extensive

properties Explore differences between chemical and

physical changes Develop skills to design and perform

experiments

Students will devise and implement a logical system for organizing matter using materials from the kit.

This included Properties of Matter Study Cards that the students could use to help them.

Activity 1

Activity 2

Students will select 5 materials from activity 1 and explore eight properties of matter:

Mass Reactivity w/ acidVolume DensityMagnetism AppearanceConductivityState at room temperature

Activity 3

Students will conduct eight different experiments and document some of the ways matter can interact. Experiments included reactions between:

Yeast and hyrdrogen peroxideSilver nitrate and copperSodium bicarbonate and acetic acidIron and copper sulfateAnd others

Evaluation

This lab is very engaging- there is plenty to keep students focused.

The worksheets and tables included were of good quality and very usable.

There is also an extension lab that allows students to design and conduct experiments that demonstrate the relationship between the intensive property of density and the extensive properties of matter. A very nice formative assessment addition.

Kit 2: Introduction to Light & Optics

Carolina Scientific$145.95

Many Labs in One KitPolarized LightTransmission GratingColor by Addition & SubtractionMirrors (plane, concave, convex)Lenses (convex, concave)Refraction

RefractionLight changes velocity when it enters a

different transparent mediumLight slows when it enters material of a

higher refractive indexLight speeds up when it enters material

of a lower refractive index

RefractionWhen light changes speed it

bends; this is refractionAll angles are measured from

normal (perpendicular) to interface of surfaces

Snell’s Law

n1sinƟ1=n2sinƟ2

EvaluationComprehensiveNice complement to lecture

Kit 3: Amino Acid Starter Kit

3-D Molecular Designs#AASKU-01 (single set)$52#AASKU-06 (6-group set)$286

Educational Purpose

Students learn about amino acid properties and structures

Students explore primary, secondary and tertiary structure of proteins.

Students use “toobers” and plastic “amino acids” to create a 3-dimensional protein model.

Evaluation

The biggest advantage of this kit is its ability to help students visualize the 3-dimensional structure of proteins.

The interactive CD has tutorials that use computer graphics to illustrate amino acids and proteins in three dimensions. Students can rotate views along three planes and even slab through proteins.

The manipulative part of this kit allows students to link a chain of amino acids and then fold the chain according to their hydrophilic or hydrophobic properties, etc.

Recommended for a second-year biology class or for an exceptionally bright group of honors freshmen.

Kit 4 Classifying Animals

LAB-AIDS #550S $59.95

Educational Purpose

Students will Classify animals according to structural

properties Collaborate to develop a classification

system Connect the problems of exotic species to

the need for classification

Part A: Exploring the Animal Kingdom

Each group of 4 students is given a set of 18 Animal Cards (which include a color photo and short description of anatomical structures)

Students collaborate to create their own classification system to place the cards in 4 to 8 groups

Groups present their results and explain their system and reasoning for classification

Part B: A Biologist’s Perspective

After a teacher lecture explaining the actual phyla of the Animal Kingdom (focusing on 6 main phyla), students are instructed to modify their classification system, now using the 6 animal phyla

Groups present their results and share their reasoning

Evaluation

This kit provided a fairly simple and useful activity Positives include the inquiry-based method of

creating their own classification system in Part A, use of uncommon animals to enhance thinking, and the connection to exotic species

Negatives would only be that the kit still references a 5 Kingdom system instead of the current 3 Domain system, and the fact that only 18 animals are shown

Other Activity Kits full explanations and evaluations can be found on the RET wiki

Balancing Chemical Equations- as a balancing equation lab this one was not as advertised. But it did redeem itself as a types of chemical reactions lab.

Reconstructing Atomic Theory- the premise was good- modeling early atomic theory experiments but the demonstrations were juvenile and required too much work from the instructor.

Other Activity Kits (continued)

Investigating Selective Breeding – a genetics lab kit that does a good job illustrating simple dominance with cardboard genetic corn, but makes no real connection to selective breeding Cellular Evolution: Formation of Coacervates – this lab creates representations of what may have been the original precursors to living cells. Unfortunately, results were not clear enough to warrant its use

Other Activity Kits (continued)

Preparation of Human Chromosome Spreads-This lab uses HeLa cells to do a chromosome

spread. It provides an excellent teachable moment about Henrietta Lacks and her cell line.

Simulating Methods of Population Estimation

This lab provides a nice introduction to the transect, quadrat, mark/recapture, & removal methods for population estimation

Other Activity kits (continued)

Biochemistry Manipulatives-

This lab uses paper models of atoms that are easily done yourself without spending the money.