Motivating Life Science
Students with Technology
Karen Benitez
Science Teacher
Branciforte Middle School
Santa Cruz, CA
kbenitez@sccs.santacruz.k12.ca.us
Presenter Background
•
•
•
•
Single Subject Biology credential (SJSU)
Masters in educational leadership (SJSU)
SVEF Teacher of the year (2007)
Teaching experience: 7th grade Life
Science/8th grade Physical Science in both
Title 1 and Program Improvement schools
• Masters ARP studied the influence of
technology on classroom achievement
EETT Technology grant
• Enhancing Education Through
Technology (EETT)
• laptop, LCD projector, student laptop
cart of 32 MacBook computers, wireless
printer and internet, scanners and set of
video cameras.
• 12 teachers at my school site (teams of
3 teachers), 36 teachers in District
Masters Action Research
Project
• Masters Cohort group included science,
language arts and math teachers
• Technology was most successful in the
science classroom.
• Compared technology vs. non-technology
assignments
– Completion rate (95% vs. 70%)
– Average grade (15% better for tech.
assign.)
– Better behavior and more focus
Technology in the classroom
• Initially, technology projects can take longer
and/or be frustrating for the teacher
• Teachers do not have to be the expert on every
technology used in class, students can (and
will) be the technology experts.
• Use technology to integrate Language Arts and
math into science curriculum.
• Set up procedures, routines and clear rules
and expectations for students, especially when
technology needs to be shared across a school
site.
Table of Contents
1. Fire Alive Essay (typing)
Cancer and mitosis Essay (typing)
2. Cell PPT
3. Smiley Face Genetics
4. Punnett Square PPT (with gifted extension)
5. Mendel Pea Website/experiment
6. Pedigree - Seabiscuit website research
7. Cochlear Implant Pedigree Unit
8. Moth adaptation experiment/website
9. Plant iMovie
10. DNA Comic Life
Essays and Technology?
• These essays involve both internet research
and basic word processing, good beginning
assignments to introduce students to
computers.
• Teach students to check-in/check-out
computers, turn on and access software,
improve word processing, and spell check.
• Train students how and where to save their
work, print and/or turn in work electronically.
• Can be valuable for students with NO tech.
experience
1. Essays
• Is Fire Alive? Essay
– This assignment is done after studying the 6
characteristics of Life
• Cancer and Mitosis Essay
– This assignment is done after studying mitosis and
creating a flipbook of the stages of mitosis
– Students can write in class/homework
– Type final draft including spell check
– Stagger due date of assignment with extra credit
for turning in early
2. Cell PowerPoint Project
• This is a review assignment done at the end
of the cells unit to prepare students for the
unit test
• Combination of visual/graphic and written
assignment will appeal to a variety of learning
styles
• Use co-operative learning groups
• Students can present their projects to the
class reinforcing standards
Cell Powerpoint
David G.
Jayne S.
10/14/08
Period 2
Animal Cell
•
Cell Membrane
Golgi Apparatus
Smooth ER
Cytoskeleton
DNA
Mitochondria
Nucleus
Rough ER
Cytoplasm
Lysosome
Vesicle
Plant Cell
•
Cell Membrane
Golgi Apparatus
Smooth ER
Cytoskeleton
DNA
Mitochondria
Nucleus
Rough ER
Cytoplasm
Vesicle
Chloroplast
Cell Wall
Large Vacuole
Mitochondria vs. Chloroplast
• The chloroplast is a part of the plant cell that uses
light energy to make food for the plant. It’s only in
plant cells, and it’s green in color.
• The mitochondria is a bean-shaped part that is in
both animal and plant cells. It also makes energy for
the cell. It takes body sugar and breaks it down into
energy.
Cell Wall Vs. Cell Membrane
• Cell Walls are a protective case found
only in plant cells. They are made of tiny
fibers and enclose the cell in a
rectangular shape.
• The cell membrane holds the organelles
and keeps the cell’s shape. It’s in every
cell and is made up of a double
membrane of molecules.
Smooth ER Vs. Rough ER
• The smooth ER is a folded membrane
that is connected to the nucleus. It
makes lipids and helps get rid of
chemicals and poisons.
• Rough ER is important for making
proteins with ribosomes.
Difference
Animal Cell
Plant Cell
Spherical
Rectangular
Lysosome
Large Vacuole
Cell wall
Chloroplast
3. Smiley Face Genetics
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•
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Students work in pairs
Use a coin to determine traits
Use Microsoft word to draw face.
For each trait collect data on how many
students got the dominant or the recessive
form of the gene.
• Students then graph the class data including
labels and a key.
Smiley Face Genetics
Student work
Example
Period 3
Smiley Face Class Data
class of 32 students (can compare to 150 students)
Trait
Dominant
Phenotype
Recessive
Phenotype
Face shape
22
10
Eye shape
24
8
Hair style
21
11
Smile
25
9
Ear style
24
8
Nose style
20
12
Face color
15
15
Eye color
24
8
Hair length
19
13
Freckles
22
10
4. Punnett Square PPT
• This project is done after background
assignments on Mendel, Punnett
Squares, and basic probability
• Students write their own genetics word
problems, create PPT presentations
and present them to the class for other
students to solve.
Fish Punnett Square
Word Problem
Student Example
Period 2
Fish Word Problem
In ocean fish, black fish (B) are
dominant over grey fish (b). A
heterozygous black fish and a
homozygous recessive (true-breeding)
grey fish have baby fish. Fill in the
Punnett square and answer box
showing the offspring.
Punnett Square Answers
B
b
b
Bb
bb
b
Bb
bb
Punnett Answer Box
Genotype
Phenotype Fraction Percent
BB
Black fish
0/4
0%
Bb
Black fish
2/4
50%
bb
Grey fish
2/4
50%
Differentiated Punnett word
problem
• In Bulldogs, purple bulldogs are
dominant (B) over yellow bulldogs (b).
Two bulldogs get married and have 4
puppies. Three of the puppies are
purple and one of the puppies is yellow.
What genotype are the parents? Fill in
the punnett square and answer box.
Bulldog Punnett square
B
b
B
BB
B_
b
Bb
B_
B_
Bb
bb
Bulldog Answer Box
Genotype
Phenotype
Fraction
Percent
BB
Purple
1/4
25%
Bb
Purple
2/4
50%
bb
Yellow
1/4
25%
5. Mendel Pea Experiment
• http://sonic.net/~nbs/projects/anthro201/exper/
• This is an interactive pea experiment
where you can breed your own hybrid
pea plants.
• Students create a poster of several
generations of their pea plants and
show the Punnett Squares explaining
their results.
6. Seabiscuit Pedigree Project
• http://www.pedigreequery.com/seabiscuit
• Prior to this assignment I have
introduced the concept of pedigrees
with several examples.
• Students research the pedigree of the
racehorse Seabiscuit and create a
pedigree chart following a particular trait
(successful racing for example)
Seabiscuit Pedigree Example
Key:
Female=
Male=
Successful Racing Female/Male (won more than $10,000)=
III.
Man O’ War
Tea Biscuit
Balance
Whisk Broom
II.
Hard Tack
I.
Swing On
Seabiscuit
Cochlear Implant Pedigree
Unit
• This project is done at the end of the genetics unit
after studying pedigrees and includes the topic of
ethics in science.
• Students watch the Sound and Fury documentary
movie. http://www.pbs.org/wnet/soundandfury/film/index.html
• Students complete a three generation pedigree of
the deaf family profiled in the movie.
• Finally students write a persuasive essay advising
the parents of a deaf infant on whether or not the
cochlear implant is the right decision.
Deaf Family Pedigree Example
Key:
Female=
Male=
Deaf Female/Male =
Cochlear Implant =
III.
Peter Sr.
Nita
Peter Jr.
Marianne
Michael
Nancy
Mari
Chris Sr.
II.
I.
Heather
Baby
Brother
Tim
Peter III Chris Jr.
Older
sister
8. Peppered Moth Simulation
•
http://www.techapps.net/interactives/pepperMoths.swf
• Volunteer students act as predatory birds
preying on peppered moths. The class
collects data on moth survival rates for the
pre and post pollution forests. Students
graph and analyze the data collected.
• Additional assignments can include the life
cycle of the moth and the history of the
original experiments.
9. Plant iMovie
• In groups, students grow plants
(radishes) and record growth/weight
data.
• Students take daily photos or video of
plants on a daily basis in order to make
visual record of growth.
• Student graph/analyze data make
iMovie of results
Student Plant Movie
QuickTime™ and a
DV/DVCPRO - NTSC decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
10. DNA Comic Life Newsletter
• Students create a candy model of DNA
• Students use Comic Life software to
create a newsletter explaining how they
have discovered the structure of DNA.
The newsletter includes base pairing
rules, the importance of DNA to living
things, drawings and pictures.
General Technology Websites
• United Streaming- science movies
– http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/
• BrainPop - science movies
– www.brainpop.com
• Thinkquest - social networking for students
– http://www.thinkquest.org/en/