GK-12 at Rocky Mountain High School 2011

Carol
Seemueller

and Katherine Kiwimagi

Ideas for GK
-
12 and Rocky
Mountain High School

Big Picture Outline


Anatomy and
Physiology


Lessons


New/Enhanced

LabQuest

labs


Bioinformatics/Tissue unit


Kinesthetic Activity/NMJ


Biology


Beetle Project (early
detection)


Introduce
LabQuest



AP Biology (next semester)


Collaboration with Slovenia
(Phages and Bioinformatics)


Micro lessons that
incorporate visualization
software of molecular
interactions


Regulation of cell cycle


Game/activity


Short presentation of
current research involving
regulation factors


Anatomy and Physiology: Lab Quest Micro
Lessons

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/46/DNA_Repair.jpg



Objective:


Emphasizing the connection between math, technology
and human physiology


Our Plan:


Develop micro lessons that integrate these concepts

1)
Grip strength lab (student write a hypothesis for muscle
fatigue
---

go to literature we provide to see what scientists
today think)

2)
Skin temperature lab (micro lesson that connects rate to slope
using students collected data)

Anatomy and Physiology: Introduce
Bioinformatics



Objective: Introduce bioinformatics while
studying tissues



Our Plan:


Find a Clinical Study related to a tissue defect caused by
genetics


Develop a lesson that has students use bioinformatics
software such as BLAST to help solve or better understand
the Clinical Case

Anatomy and Physiology: Model a
Neural Muscular Junction


Objective:


Students will increase their understanding of the
neuromuscular junction through a kinesthetic activity.



Our Plan:


Introduce the Neuromuscular Junction


Students will build a model of the neuromuscular
junction that reflects the relationship between form,
function, and cell communication


Anatomy and Physiology: Develop a
VO
2
max lab using lab quest


Objective:


To develop a new VO
2

max lab for the
LabQuest technology



To have students apply their knowledge of math to
the data they collect


Our Plan:


Find a contact in the Exercise and Sports Science
Department at CSU that would give a tour to
students and talk about VO
2

max


Develop lab that has student calculate their own
VO
2

max




Anatomy and Physiology: Expand on the
students understanding of
Bioinfomatics



Objective: Using bioinformatics software,
connect the dots between DNA and Cell signaling



Our Plan:


Find a Clinical Study related to a cell signaling defect
caused by genetics (Cystic Fibrosis / Asthma…)


Develop a Micro lesson that has students use
bioinformatics software such as BLAST to help solve and
better understand the Clinical Case

Anatomy and Physiology: Other Ideas


Possible collaboration

about testing the
characteristics of Bone


Design an EMG controlled Device


Biology: Beetle Project


Objectives:


“connect the dots”



relating rates of infestation “math to ecology”


To see the interdependence of science


Math, Engineering, Chemistry, Biology


State standards #2 and #9


Introduce the Niche concept


Brief introduction of Evolution


(golden toad article extinction/adaptation)


Application of the scientific method


Experiment design, Data analysis and Presentation



Biology: Beetle Project


Our

Plan
:


Have Students Design or do
one

of the following things

1.
A
n Early Detection system (to

detect beetles early)
(or)

2.
An

experiment that validates current methods of
detection

3.
Present opposing opinions on beetle kill
(Research Lead Discussion)



Early Detection
System


Introduce students to


Beetle life cycle


Properties of the blue fungus


Current methods of detection and prevention


Article about Global warming


(Pine Bark Beetles Affecting More than Forests: air
quality and weather)
–
NSF
-


Create a hypothesis


Design an experiment


Discuss results of experiment


Present to the class

Biology: Beetle Project

Project idea

Test Current
Methods


Help student Design experiments that
would test current method


Few current methods


Pheromone packets


Spraying techniques up to four inches


Electronic Kit noise


Slash and burn methods


Biology: Beetle Project

Project idea

http://www.estesparknews.com/wp content/uploads/2008/04/pitchtubes.jpg

Example
Student Idea


Ideas that student could come up with
on their own


Hypothesis:


Placing pheromone packet on tree will send
beetles to trees next to it.


Infected wood would be more acidic than non
-
infected wood.


Beetles favor
lodgepole

due to the resistance
other trees have to pine beetles

Biology: Beetle Project

Project idea

http://www.estesparknews.com/wp content/uploads/2008/04/pitchtubes.jpg

Example
Student Idea


Ideas that student could come up with
on their own


Material and Methods


Observe current trees with patches and without
patches (quantify)


Build a wood crushing and dissolving kit. Use a
pH indicator to see if one sample is more
acidic than the other


Identify different species of trees and graph
vs

presence of infection



Biology: Beetle Project

Project idea

http://www.estesparknews.com/wp content/uploads/2008/04/pitchtubes.jpg

Student comparison
of cause


Human impact vs. natural cycle


Students conduct research


Students present research


Student discuss research with peers

Biology: Beetle Project

Project idea

Beginning

of week


Discussions and small readings


Discuss the concept a niche


Read about extinction and the
interdependence of species on one
another


Introduction to Experimental Design


Introduction to Project Design

Biology: Beetle Project

1 Week Plan

Middle

of week


Students Draw Up Proposal


Give students time and help to develop a
beginning to end research proposal


Break it up or all together



Build and test their apparatus

Biology: Beetle Project

1 Week Plan

End

of week


Students Present to the class their
findings


Help student develop presentation


Let student present to the class

Biology: Beetle Project

1 Week Plan

Biology: Introduce Lab Quest


What is
LabQuest
?




Objective:


Introduce the connection between math, technology, and biology in a 9
th

grade
Biology classroom.




Our Plan:


Develop micro lessons that introduce and integrate these concepts


Use micro lesson in classroom




Biology: More Ideas


Design Bug catchers (pitfall traps) for current
Ecology lab


Learn how to design and work with limited materials


Model animal movement/migration (Monarch
Watch)


Add GPS sensor to prairie ecology project and
relate to size/scale of student drawn maps


AP Biology: Slovenia, Phages and
Bioinformatics


Objectives:


Expose students to international connections


Introduce and use
Bioinformatic

software



Our Plan


Design a parallel experiment with the students from
Slovenia that involves isolating soil
bacteriophages

AP Biology: Visualization Software and
Molecular Interactions

Objective: Introduce concepts of bioinformatics while
teaching molecular interactions


Our Plan: Design lesson and lab that incorporate the use
of bioinformatics software

GLI1 Promotes CDK4
Activation?

AP Biology: Regulation of Cell Cycle


Objectives:


Connect concepts learned in class to research currently
being conducted


To create lessons that make the complex cellular
interaction inspiring and memorable for the students


Our Plan


Have the fellow or a guest give a simplified research
proposal presentation


Design a game or activity that relates to cell cycle
regulation


GLI1 Promotes CDK4
Activation?

Science Olympiad Team





Rocky Mountain has a Science Olympiad team which
must complete several building events for competition
(robotics, bottle rockets, egg carrying devices,
bridges/towers)

Summary


Anatomy and Physiology


Lessons


New/Enhanced
LabQuest

labs


Bioinformatics/Tissue Unit


Kinesthetic Activity/NMJ


Biology


Beetle Project (early
detection)


Introduce
LabQuest



AP Biology (next semester)


Collaboration with Slovenia
(Phages and Bioinformatics)


Micro lessons that
incorporate visualization
software of molecular
interactions


Regulation of cell cycle


Game/activity


Short presentation of
current research involving
regulation factors


Questions?