Donna Barket
Rob Berkheiser
Tom Everett
Alyce Myers
EDCI 627
Activities and Timeline
Driving Question: How can nanomedicine be used to improve disease treatment?
Week #1
Planning
Friday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Nanotechnology
pretest
Entry event:
Disease
simulation
Activity: Prep
silver sock lab
Obtain results
silver sock lab
Activity: How
small activity
Bubble selfassembly
demonstration
Exit ticket
Complete lab
analysis along
with nano article
Complete lab
analysis
Exit ticket
Disease
treatment
whiteboarding
session
Nanotechnology
discussion
Surface area to
volume
discussion
Exit ticket
Nanotechnology
NNIN video
Activity:
Surface
area/volume
activity
(CuCl/Al, agar
cube, sugar
dissolution)
Complete lab
analysis
Discussion of
lab results
NS 1.0-1.4
CS1.0-1.1
Standards &
Objectives
SCI.B.2.02.2,2.5,6.1
SCI.B.1.1, 2.02.2,2.5,6.1
SCI.B.1.1, 2.0,
SCI.B.1.1,1.2,
2.0-2.2, 2.5
NS1.0-1.2
NS1.0-1.2
NS1.0-1.2
NS1.0-1.4
CS1.0
CS1.0
CS1.0
CS1.0
HS-LS1-2, 1.6
WEEK #1
Facilitation
WEEK #1
Facilitation
WEEK #1
Facilitation
Exit ticket
Exit ticket
Exit ticket
Assessment
Pretest
Exit ticket
Exit ticket
Student
Handouts
Pretest
Student roles
disease
simulation,
Silver sock lab,
Exit ticket
Facilitation
&
Debriefing
WEEK #1
Facilitation
WEEK #1
Facilitation
WEEK #1
Facilitation
How small
analysis
questions
Surface
area/volume
analysis
questions
Silver sock
analysis
questions
How small
analysis
questions
Surface
area/volume
analysis
questions
Nanotechnology
article, Exit
ticket
How small
activity, Exit
ticket
Surface
area/volume lab,
Exit ticket
Donna Barket
Rob Berkheiser
Tom Everett
Alyce Myers
EDCI 627
Exit ticket
Week 2
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Monday
Explain criteria
for disease
project
Continue
working on
projects
Last day to
work on
projects
Present projects
Present projects
Nanotechnology
post-test
Form groups,
begin working
on projects
Exit ticket
Exit ticket
CS1.0-1.2
CS1.0-1.2
CS1.0-1.2
CS1.0-1.2
CS1.0-1.2
NS1.4
NS1.4
NS1.4
NS1.4
NS1.4
WEEK #2
Facilitation
WEEK #2
Facilitation
WEEK #2
Facilitation
WEEK #2
Facilitation
WEEK #2
Facilitation
Exit ticket
Exit ticket
Exit ticket
Exit ticket
Exit ticket
Exit ticket
Exit ticket
Planning
Exit ticket
Standards &
Objectives
Facilitation
&
Debriefing
Assessment
Student
Handouts
Exit ticket
Disease project
guidelines,
assessment
rubric, exit ticket
Exit ticket
Exit ticket
Exit ticket
Exit ticket
NS 1.0-1.4
Exit ticket
Q/A response to
presentations
Q/A response to
presentations
Exit ticket
Exit ticket
Project rubric,
exit ticket
Post test, exit
ticket
Exit ticket
Project rubric,
exit ticket
Donna Barket
Rob Berkheiser
Tom Everett
Alyce Myers
EDCI 627
Focus on Content:
*Detailed description of how each activity will help students learn the nanoscience content.
As with any good science lesson, this project is based on inquiry and promotes the higher
order thinking skills (HOTS) critical in learning (Olson & Louck-Horsley, 2000; Anderson &
Krathwohl, 2001). The inquiry of the project is in the form of class discussions on diseases and
nanotechnology research, lab activities and analysis, and culminates with the design and creation
of nanomedical model to treat disease (Opara, 2011). It is through these inquiries that the
nanoscience objectives are met. Specifically, the SA:V activities will lead to a discussion of
material properties at the macro versus nanoscale and how they are similar and how they are
different. The bubble lab will connect the concept of self-assembly in biological systems back to
the students’ prior knowledge of DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis as well as cellular
membranes. The evaluation of nanotechnology models and tools are accomplished when the
students will need to analyze current nanotechnology work and assess its usefulness when
creating their treatment model.
It is through the discussions and research that students will understand and compare
different causes of disease states (i.e., infectious versus inherited) and combine prior knowledge
with their newly acquired understanding of nanomedicine to create their final product. All of
these abilities are the higher order skills desired from an inquiry classroom.
Focus on Teacher:
*Detailed description, with examples, of how you will prepare the students and the
environment
This project is designed to be an end-of-year lesson so that the students will have already
been exposed to chemical bonds, atoms, cellular replication, differentiation, mitosis, meiosis, cell
size, and mutations. All of these topics may play a role in the students’ project, depending on the
disease they choose to investigate. In addition, form their experiences throughout the school
year, students will be familiar with the computer technology needed for research and
presentations, any basic lab techniques and basic project management skills.
The preparation for this unit specifically will begin with the entry event which will get
the students thinking about diseases and their transmission. The timeline is set up to introduction
any new topics (i.e., nanotechnology) with an activity such as the “Silver Sock”, “How Small is
Small”, and “Bubble Assembly” activities. These lessons are designed to not only teach
nanotechnology, but begin to link nanomedicine and diseases.
The classroom set up should change over the course of the unit. For the entry event,
desks should be set up so that students sit individually and the room still has space for them to
intermingle. Individual desk arrangement, however, is not a necessity. As the lab activities start,
ideally, the room should be set up so that the research groups can work together in a functional
Donna Barket
Rob Berkheiser
Tom Everett
Alyce Myers
EDCI 627
manner. This could include moving desks together, using tables or lab benches that allow for
discussion and cooperation.
*Detailed description of the entry event you will use and an explanation of how you will
ensure it captures students’ attention and begins the inquiry process. Include copies of all
resources and materials you will use.
The entry event involves the students performing a simulation to observe how easily
diseases can spread; in this case Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). As the student’s enter
the classroom, each individual will be given a card with an assigned behavior which includes:
promiscuous, abstinence, alcoholic, drug abuser, prostitute, bisexual, one partner, and
homosexual. After the student’s are seated, the teacher will show them beakers, partially filled
with water, that represent bodily fluids. Unbeknownst to the students, one of the beakers
contains sodium hydroxide, which represents the HIV. The teacher hands out the beakers to
each student to ensure that the beaker with sodium hydroxide gets distributed to the correct
individual (promiscuous, etc.). The students are then told to rotate around the room and
“mingle” in accordance with their assigned behavior. During the mingle, students share bodily
fluids by pouring the water into each others beakers. Because of the differences of the assigned
behaviors, some students will share fluids with multiple individuals and others with no one.
After about ten minutes of mingling, the students will go back to their seats, taking their bodily
fluids with them. The class discusses what they observed and the likelihood of acquiring the
disease. The teacher then adds a chemical (phenolphthalein) to each of the beakers. If the
beakers turn pink then they’ve acquired the disease. After adding phenolphthalein to all of the
student’s beakers and observing the results, the class will discuss the activity.
*A sample of just-in-time direct instruction material with specific guidelines for knowing
when to use it
Just in time instructions may include short reviews of mitosis, meiosis, cell cycle, DNA
replication, RNA, and protein synthesis, as needed. These should be pulled and condensed from
previous lessons on the topics. The pre-tests, class discussions, and exit tickets will help
determine what reviews are needed. Teachers should also listen to intra-group discussions and
questions for cues on materials to review. In addition, a short algebra review may be necessary
during the analysis of SA:V and “How Small Is Small?” activities so that the focus stays on the
science, not the math.
Donna Barket
Rob Berkheiser
Tom Everett
Alyce Myers
EDCI 627
Focus on students:
*Description of the kinds of investigations your students might undertake to answer the
driving question (provide examples).
The students will be in small groups for this project and each group will select a unique
disease to research and develop a treatment model with nanomedicine. By having the students
research and understand separate disease states, the project will generate multiple perspectives
on how nanomedicine can be used to improve medical treatments. The students will be expected
to show their understanding of the disease by describing, at a molecular level, not only the causes
but the subsequent results of the diseases’ manifestation. From this understanding, the groups
will develop a nanomedical model for treatment of the disease. The models the students develop
must interrupt or alleviate the causes of the diseases. Students may base their work on
nanomedicine that has been reported for other disease states, or they may pull in models that are
being used in other fields of nanotechnology. By using and then reapplying the nanotechnology
information, students will demonstrate their ability to transfer knowledge and use it in a new
application.
*Detailed description, with examples, of how the activities will create student ownership
and foster engagement and active student involvement.
Ownership of any school work is critical for increased student engagement (Hidi and
Renninger, 2006), and this project allows for students to make decisions and choices on two key
aspects. First, the each student group will choose the disease that they will research and report
on. This provides students with the ability to voice their thoughts and opinions regarding the
topic, which may or may have a personal tie-in. This will also provide the group with an initial
activity to discuss and come to a consensus on a topic. Second, the group will also decide how
the model gets presented to the class. The final presentation may be done in front of the class
with a poster and a 3-D model, it may be done in the form of a movie, or it could even be done
by putting on a short play. The options allow students to complete the project in a way in which
they feel confident.
While most of the planned activities are required, there are several that are focused on the
SA:V that the students will be able to pick and choose whether or not they complete. Since the
SA:V is a topic that was covered during cell division earlier in the year, the students do not need
to complete all of them, as long as they can show understanding of the concept during the
analysis and discussion of the activity. The activities for SA:V include the CuCl and Al
dissolution, the agar gel absorption, and the dissolution of the sugar cube activities.
The roles that the students have within the groups are very important for the success of
that group. Group roles will need to be defined, recorded, and monitored throughout the project.
Donna Barket
Rob Berkheiser
Tom Everett
Alyce Myers
EDCI 627
The specific roles will be determined by mode the group will present their final report. The
teacher will have a defined set of roles based on the the various presentation that they will allow
the students to use. For example, if the group will be presenting a PowerPoint presentation along
with a 3-D model, that group should have primary roles project manager (assigning tasks and
deadlines), slide generator (gathering information from every member of the group), main point
on disease research (key person in deciding where to attack the disease) and main point on
nanomedicine research (key person on deciding how to attack the disease). By pre-defining roles
and responsibilities, the students are scaffolded into their responsibilities and can focus on the
science.
Focus on Process:
*Explicit application of course materials and presentations are visible and appropriate
You can see how this course was used through the lab activities that are present. Please click
on the links to the different labs to see the applications of this course.
References:
Anderson, L. & Krathwohl, D. A. (2001) Taxonomy for Learning, Teaching and Assessing: A
Revision of Bloom's Taxonomy of Educational Objectives New York: Longman
Hidi, S., & Renninger, K. A. (2006). The four-phase model of interest development. Educational
Psychology, 41(2), 111-127.
Olson, S. & Loucks-Horsley, S., eds. (2000) Inquiry and the National Science Education
Standards: A Guide for Teaching and Learning. Committee on the Development of an
Addendum to the National Science Education Standards on Scientific Inquiry, National Research
Council ISBN: 0-309-51895-4
Opara, J.A. (2011). Inquiry Method and Student Academic Achievement in Biology: Lessons
and Policy Implications, American-Eurasian Journal of Scientific Research. 6(1), 28-31