Enhancing Biology
Lessons with Interactive
Simulations
Jennifer Kuge
RET II Project
Westlake High School
• 2 years of College Preparatory Biology
• Currently teaching Honors Biology
• 5 periods of 9th graders: 38 students per class
Last year…
• Per class:
– ~ 1-2 ELL in my class reclassified as proficient
– ~ 1-2 students with IEP
– ~ 4 with 504 plans
• Majority have access to computers at home
with internet.
• Library open to students before/after school
and during lunch/nutrition break.
Research Project: RET I
• Chymotrypsin Inhibitor 2 (CI2) is a small,
single domain protein (~80 amino acids)
• Protease inhibitor found in barley
Mentor: Camille Lawrence
Plaxco Lab- Funded by ICB
Wild Type CI2
+
+
WT CI2:
44 s-1
How will the two positively charged side chains affect the
folding rate?
RF48 Mutant
+
WT CI2: 44 s-1
RF48: 1564 s-1
Faster!
Now there is only one positive charge. How does
this affect the folding rate?
Research Experience to Classroom
• Computer models were used to visualize and
predict the folding rates of proteins based on the
interactions of amino acid side chains.
• Data was collected and entered into a computer
to efficiently create complex graphs such as
Chevron plots.
100
10
1
kobs
(s-1)
0.1
0.01
0
1
2
3
4
0.001
0.0001
GuHCl concentration (M)
5
6
7
Project Goal
• Use computers to help students:
– Visualize/practice a concept
– To collect/analyze data
• Find at least one internet activity per unit.
• Intrinsic motivation: students are in
control of the simulations and they are
curious about the outcomes.
• Take a moment to fill out questions number
1 on your notes page.
• Skim through the questions and keep them
in mind as you see the activities.
• Write down any activities that look
interesting to you under numbers 2 and 4.
Applications:
• Extra practice to
reinforce new
material.
• Can be assigned as
homework or
extra credit.
•Video clips shown in
class can be accessed
again at home (great
for absent students)
•Make-up assignment
for a lab done in class.
Pros and Cons of Internet Activities
• Pros:
– No mess/Easy to set up
– Students can work at
their own pace
– Great visuals
– Can be finished in a
class period
– No cost for buying
supplies
– Adds variety to your
lesson plans.
• Cons:
– Internet access outside
of school may be
limited
– Not as much
interaction as doing
group work
Recommended Use
• Some activities can be done in class so you do not
need to reserve a computer lab.
• Review consequences in advance for students
who choose to go to other websites.
• Set up links on your teacher website so students
can access the websites faster in the computer lab
or at home.
• Hold them accountable for the assignments with
quizzes/writing assignments.
Overview of Materials
• Organized based on type of activity:
– Animations (can hyperlink these to your
Powerpoint lectures)
– Games
– Simulations/labs
– Independent Exploration
• Table of Materials
Animations
• Most of the animations are short video clips.
• Some of the animation are longer and have
questions for students to answer.
• Sample animation with questions:
– Inner life of cell-link
• Other animations to hyperlink into
Powerpoint lectures.
– Photosynthesis/Respiration
– DNA Microarray
Games
• Can be a fun way to practice and review
concepts.
• Blood Groups
–
–
–
–
Teacher’s Guide Blood Groups
Blood Groups WS
Blood Groups Quiz/Key
Blood Groups-link
• Mating Game
– Mating Game-link
each
simulation/lab website…
• For
I have
created:
– Teacher’s Guide:
• List of CA standards covered
• Concepts covered/what needs to be front
loaded
• Approximate length of time required
• Suggestions
– Guppy simulation-link
– Worksheet (assessment)
– Short writing assignment (assessment)
Simulations
• Recovering the Romanovs: biotechnology,
history, forensics, pedigrees
– Recovering the Romanovs link
• Mouse Party: neurotransmitters, reward
pathway, drug types, effects on brain
– Mouse party-link
• Virtual Cell: Image of organelles that
students can manipulate. (cut, zoom, rotate)
– Virtual cell-link
– How big?-link
– SEM-link
• Gene Therapy: gene therapy, Cystic Fibrosis,
types of vectors, genetic disorders, game at the
end “Space Doctor”
– Space doctor-link
• Genetic Code: Transcription, Translation,
DNA vs. RNA, DNA and RNA synthesis
– Genetic code-link
• Action Potential: Has various check points to
complete as students individually go through
the stages of an action potential.
– Action Potential-link
• Molecular models: 3D models of biochemicals
that students can manipulate.
– Molecular models-link
• A Bird Island: 2 part lesson. First is on Adaptive
Radiation, Second is on Succession and Outsider
impacts. Virtual field trip to Hawaii.
– A Bird Island-link
• Photosynthesis Simulation: Students visit various
websites to collect data and graph it. Shows how
light intensity and wavelength affect ATP
production. Focuses on the light reactions.
– PS simulation-link
– PS simulation colors-link
– Sample graph-Wavelength and % ATP graph-link
Make-up Labs
• Enzyme lab: liver, hydrogen peroxide
– Enzyme lab-link
– Enzyme lab-link 2
– Enzyme lab-link 3
• Virtual pH Lab: Make-up for pH lab done in class.
– Virtual pH lab-link
• Gel Electrophoresis: Make-up for gel electrophoresis lab.
– Gel electrophoresis-link
Dissection Unit
• Virtual Pig dissection:
– Virtual pig dissection-link
• Earthworm Dissection:
– Earthworm dissection-link
– Earthworm dissection-link 2
• Squid Dissection:
– Squid dissection-link
• Crayfish Dissection:
– Crayfish dissection-link
• Perch Dissection:
– Perch dissection-link
Independent Exploration
• These are interesting sites that you might
want to include links to if you have your
own website.
• You may want to make your own lessons
using these sites in the future.
– Earth in Peril
– Onion root tip
– Mating trickery
Now it’s your turn…
• All lessons can be adapted to your
classroom or the needs of your students.
• Try introducing an interactive lesson into
your classroom!
• Finally, fill out the form as you explore the
websites.
• Use your CD and open today’s Powerpoint
presentation.
• Click on “view slideshow” to explore the links.
• Additional lesson materials are available for
viewing in the binders.
• Feel free to ask me questions.
Acknowledgements
• Thank you:
–
–
–
–
NSF
Martina Michenfelder
Frank Kinnaman
Melanie Pearlman