Ideas for GK-12 and Rocky
Mountain High School
Carol Seemueller and Katherine Kiwimagi
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

Objective:


Emphasizing the connection between math, technology
and human physiology
Our Plan:

Develop micro lessons that integrate these concepts
1)
2)
Grip strength lab (student write a hypothesis for muscle
fatigue --- go to literature we provide to see what scientists
today think)
Skin temperature lab (micro lesson that connects rate to slope
using students collected data)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/46/DNA_Repair.jpg
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
VO2 max lab using lab quest

Objective:

To develop a new VO2 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 VO2 max
 Develop lab that has student calculate their own
VO2 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

 To
the dots”
relating rates of infestation “math to ecology”
see the interdependence of science
 Math,
 State
Engineering, Chemistry, Biology
standards #2 and #9
 Introduce
the Niche concept
 Brief introduction of Evolution

(golden toad article extinction/adaptation)
 Application
 Experiment
of the scientific method
design, Data analysis and Presentation
Biology: Beetle Project

Our Plan:
 Have
Students Design or do one of the following things
1. An Early Detection system (to detect beetles early)
2.
3.
(or)
An experiment that validates current methods of
detection
Present opposing opinions on beetle kill (Research Lead Discussion)
Biology: Beetle Project
Project idea
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
http://www.estesparknews.com/wp content/uploads/2008/04/pitchtubes.jpg
Example
Student Idea
Biology: Beetle Project
Project 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 noninfected wood.
Beetles favor lodgepole due to the resistance
other trees have to pine beetles
http://www.estesparknews.com/wp content/uploads/2008/04/pitchtubes.jpg
Example
Student Idea
Biology: Beetle Project
Project 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

http://www.estesparknews.com/wp content/uploads/2008/04/pitchtubes.jpg
Student comparison
of cause
Biology: Beetle Project
Project idea

Human impact vs. natural cycle
 Students
conduct research
 Students present research
 Student discuss research with peers
Biology: Beetle Project
1 Week Plan

Discussions and small readings
Beginning
of week
 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

Students Draw Up Proposal
Middle
of week
 Give
students time and help to develop a
beginning to end research proposal
 Break
 Build
it up or all together
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: Introduce Lab Quest
What is LabQuest?
Objective:
Introduce the connection between math, technology, and biology in a 9th 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
CDK4ofActivation?
AP Biology:
Regulation
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 Team
Activation?
Science Olympiad
 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?