SCIENCE OF INNOVATION
Biofuels
A Science Perspective (Grades 6–12)
Lesson plans produced by the National Science Teachers Association.
Video produced by NBC Learn in collaboration with the United States Patent and Trademark Office
and the National Science Foundation.
Background and Planning
About the Video
This video features Dr. Steve Hutcheson, a professor of microbiology at the University of
Maryland. While sources of biofuel currently exist, such as ethanol made from corn, Dr.
Hutcheson is developing a new approach to producing biofuels from cellulosic biomass, using a
bacterium discovered in the Chesapeake Bay. The video also discusses the potential of a highvalue bacterium for producing valuable chemical products.
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Series opening
Introducing importance of fuels and the idea of alternative fuels
Introducing Dr. Hutcheson and his view on using corn for biofuels
Describing Dr. Hutcheson’s approach for producing biofuels and what makes his
discovery innovative
Discovery of Saccharophagus degradans as the cause of a major salt grass die-off
Explaining the genome sequence and potential to make hundreds of enzymes
Explaining how the genome sequencing led to the understanding of how the
bacterium could be used
Explaining how patents and trademarks protect ideas
Dr. Hutcheson explaining the evolution of his work
Summary and conclusion about unexpected sources of ideas
Closing credits
Language Support
To aid those with limited English proficiency or others who need help focusing on the video,
make transcript of the video available. Click the Transcript tab on the side of the video window,
then copy and paste into a document for student reference.
Framework for K–12 Science Education
LS1.A: Structure and Function
LS1.B: Growth and Development of Organisms
LS2.B: Cycles of Matter and Energy Transfer in Ecosystems
ESS3.A: Natural Resources
ESS3.D: Global Climate Change
ETS1.A: Defining and Delimiting Engineering Problems
ETS2.A: Interdependence of Science, Engineering, and Technology
ETS2.B: Influence of Engineering, Technology, and Science on Society and the Natural World
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Emphasize Innovation
Innovation Process
Taking the Product to Market
By filing for a patent, Dr. Hutcheson was able to protect his ideas in the form of a tangible and
useful invention. He then had the temporary right to exclude others from making, using, or
selling his invention, although, as a stipulation of the patent process, he agreed to disclose all of
the information about how the invention worked so that others can learn from it and improve
upon it. The sharing of knowledge enables others to continuously reshape, retool, and reevaluate the world around us by constantly building upon previous platforms of invention. In
the meantime, Dr. Hutcheson created a startup company and trademarked its name. As the
product his company made changed, he changed the company’s name so as to clearly identify
those products.
Take Action with Students
Guide students to understand how the market, or potential customer base, plays a role in a
commodity being produced. Dr. Hutcheson notes that he started out with producing enzymes,
but he realized that the market’s demand—or potential for realizing a profit—wasn't as strong
as he had thought. So he moved over into a different area, which was how to engineer the
bacterium to make “value-added” products. By the term value-added, he means that the
resulting products have a higher value than either the feedstock that is being converted or the
biomass that's being utilized. Have students deconstruct a simple technology, such as a pencil,
and detail the materials that go into it—wood, metal, graphite, and rubber. Describe how that
example of a technology is a value-added product because it can be sold for more than the
combined cost of the individual materials.
Innovation and STEM
The innovation highlighted in Science of Innovation (SOI): Biofuels incorporates many aspects of
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education. For example, required
science knowledge includes an understanding of the microbe’s life and growth patterns—in this
case, how the bacterium produces enzymes to break down cell walls of plants. Math concepts
involve those that enable genome sequencing. Starting with a vision and relying on science and
math knowledge, Hutcheson is innovating a bio-technology by finding a new use for an
organism that has a potentially damaging impact on the environment. One aspect of the
engineering design process is the retooling of systems for different end products. Hutcheson
notes that he started out by producing one thing but realized that the market’s demand wasn't
as strong as he thought. So he moved over into a related, but different, area that had greater
economic potential.
Take Action with Students
 Using the Design Investigations section of Facilitate Inquiry as a guide, encourage students
to investigate how microbes can be manipulated by people to create valuable products for
our use.
 Help students brainstorm to form a list of some of the constraints within which
bioengineers have to work with in order to manipulate microbes for human use. Possible
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responses include cost, convenience, the environment in which the microbes will be used,
what the advantages and disadvantages of these microbes might be relative to more
traditional methods of refining oil for fuel, and the health and safety of the workers. Have
students make recommendations for the parameters of the constraints they list. Guide
students to understand that engineers are very interested in sustainability of the materials
they use in their processes.
Facilitate Inquiry
Encourage inquiry using a strategy modeled on the research-based science writing heuristic. Student
work will vary in complexity and depth depending on grade level, prior knowledge, and creativity. Use
the prompts liberally to encourage thought and discussion. Student Copy Masters begin on page 10.
Explore Understanding
Make the discussion of S. degradans and its biofuel byproduct more tangible for students by
using an analogous microorganism with which students are familiar and that is more easily
obtained and safer to manipulate—yeast. Elicit from students the many uses of yeast cells in
the kitchen. Use prompts such as the following to start students talking:
 Yeast are _______that are used in industry for….
 You might have used yeast in the kitchen at home when….
 Cellular respiration makes yeast valuable for baking bread because….
 Yeast cells become dormant when….
 Unicellular organisms such as yeast might be advantageous to use in experiments because….
Show the video SOI: Biofuels and encourage students to jot down notes while they watch. The
video makes the case for bacterial growth using different substrates, or kinds of biomass, that
will result in a given product. Remind students that “growth” here refers to reproduction and
that more “product” is produced by increasing the size of the colony, not the size of the
individual organism. Make the connection between the bacterium in the video and the
analogous yeast by explaining to students that just as S. degradans has the ability to produce
enzymes that allow it to digest cellulose and other plant matter in salt grasses, in order to use
those products for nutrition, yeast cells produce enzymes that allow it to break down sugars in
order to use them for its nutrition. Both organisms carry on digestive processes that break
down plant matter into products that the organism can use for life. Continue your yeast
analogy by discussing the possible substrates yeast can grow on using prompts such as the
following:
 When I watched the video, I thought about….
 The economic costs of making corn-based alternative fuels are….
 The products made by the bacteria in the video are useful for….
 Yeast might grow on….
 Yeast might grow and reproduce more quickly using a substrate such as _____ because….
Ask Beginning Questions
Stimulate small-group discussion with the prompt: This video makes me think about these
questions…. Direct small groups to list questions they have about factors that influence how
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experiments are designed. Return to the yeast analogy and remind students that yeast undergo
the anaerobic respiration process of fermentation whereby they use sugars and create the
byproducts of carbon dioxide and ethyl alcohol, or ethanol. Then challenge students to design
the optimum features of an experiment for growing yeast that would result in the greatest
amount of the “product”—in this case, carbon dioxide. Have students compare the products
formed from this process and have them distinguish between valued-added products and byproducts of the process. Ask groups to choose one question and phrase it in such a way as to be
researchable and/or testable. Some examples are:
 How could yeast be used to model the production of biofuels?
 How do the natural products of a yeast cell impact any experimental design?
 What substrates result in the best growth conditions for yeast?
 How are the byproducts of yeast reproduction important?
Design Investigations
Choose one of the following options based on your students’ knowledge, creativity, and ability level and
your available materials. Actual materials needed will vary greatly based on these factors as well.
Possible Materials Allow time for students to examine and manipulate the materials you have
available. Doing so often aids students in refining their questions, or prompts new ones that
should be recorded for future investigation. In this inquiry, student results might simply be their
experimental design protocol. If students choose to carry out their investigations, they might
use materials such as small balloons (in order to measure volume of gaseous by-products),
active dry yeast, sugar, artificial sweeteners, mashed bananas or grapes, measuring spoons,
measuring cups, warm water, test tubes, funnels, and measuring tapes. Guide students away
from any pasteurized products as they will not readily support yeast growth.
Safety Considerations To augment your own safety procedures, see NSTA’s Safety Portal at
http://www.nsta.org/portals/safety.aspx.
Open Choice Approach (Copy Master page 10)
Groups might come together to agree on one question for which they will explore the answer,
or each group might explore something different. Students should brainstorm to plan their
experimental design strategies. Student results can include their experimental design or actual
work with yeast. Work with students to develop safe procedures that control variables and
enable them to make accurate measurements. Keep students focused by using prompts such as
the following:
 Plant materials vary as a food source for yeast because….
 To enable the greatest amount of product, the growth conditions should….
 In constructing an experiment with yeast, we should consider….
 To measure the amount of “product,” we could….
 To ensure the scientific integrity of the experiment, we should consider….
 To conduct the investigation safely, we will….
Focused Approach (Copy Master pages 11–12)
The following exemplifies one way in which students might design an experiment for use in
determining the type of growing conditions for yeast that would yield the greatest amount of
the by-product—carbon dioxide. Again, remind students that “growth” refers to reproduction
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or increase in the number of individuals in the colony. Student results can include plans,
controls, or actual data.
1. Use questions such as the following to help students focus their design discussions.
 What are our experimental design constraints?
 What are the experimental design variables?
 What range of food sources does yeast require?
 What purposes do the different pieces of equipment need to serve?
 How does yeast change its rate of growth with environmental changes?
 What conditions will yield more carbon dioxide from yeast?
 What additives might yield better results?
2. If students will be experimenting, give them free rein in determining which materials they
plan to use as long as they are working within the established laboratory and safety
guidelines. Use prompts such as the following to keep students focused:
 The conditions necessary for growth of yeast require the manipulation of environmental
factors such as….
 A consideration of time for growth and reproduction might influence….
 Factors we should consider when choosing our materials include….
 In desiring a high rate of cellular respiration, we should consider….
 To ensure the growth of yeast, we should consider….
 Of many materials useful as a growth substrate for yeast, we will compare….
 The variable I will test is….
 The steps I will follow to test my variable include…
 The variables I will control are….
 To conduct the investigation safely, I need to make sure that….
3. Students might first research yeast requirements for growth and then create detailed plans
that focus on food sources or environmental influences (temperature, pH, light/dark,
oxygen/no oxygen) to change the growth of the organism. Students might explore various
aspects of their design through paper and pencil storyboards, step by step, or the actual
carrying out of tests to determine whether growth pattern of the organism is due to growth
substrate or the environmental factors.
4. Students who carry out an actual investigation might add 1 gram yeast, 20 milliliters warm
water, and a given amount of a substrate into a small balloon. After placing the balloons in a
warm environment, students could measure the circumference of the balloon over time as
the yeast population gives off carbon dioxide gas. Students should realize that a greater
circumference is indicative of a large volume of by-product. Have students measure the
circumference of the balloon at different time intervals (e.g. every 1 minute or few minutes)
and relate changes of volume over time to the higher reproductive rates for the yeast.
5. Students might continue their investigation by adapting their experimental design for
different influential factors. For example, students might test different growth media and
temperature variations to develop conditions for maximum growth rates and hence
maximum carbon dioxide production.
Media Research Option
Groups might have questions that are best explored using print media or online resources.
Students should brainstorm to form a list of key words and phrases they could use in Internet
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search engines that might result in resources that will help them answer the question. Review
how to safely browse the Web, how to evaluate information on the Internet for accuracy, and
how to correctly cite the information found. Suggest students make note of any interesting
tangents they find in their research effort for future inquiry. Encourage students with prompts
such as the following:
 Words and phrases associated with our question are….
 The reliability of our sources was established by….
 The science and math concepts that underpin a possible solution are….
 Our research might feed into an engineering design solution such as….
 To conduct the investigation safely, we will….
Make a Claim Backed by Evidence
Students should analyze their data and then make one or more claims based on the evidence
their data shows. Encourage students with this prompt: As evidenced by… we claim… because….
An example claim for the experimental design might be:
As evidenced by the way we controlled variables (balloon size, temperature, measurements of
substrates and yeast cells) in our experimental design, we claim that we can compare the
growth rate in yeast on a sugar substrate with growth rate in yeast growing in crushed fruit or
distilled water because the substrate is the only variable that will change. Therefore we can
observe which substrate yields more growth rate and therefore more carbon dioxide production
to inflate the balloons.
An example claim if students carried out their investigations might be:
As evidenced by the data collected in our trials, we claim that a higher rate of growth in yeast in
a sugar substrate is better than the rate of growth in crushed fruit or distilled water because the
amount of CO2 collected in the balloon is significantly larger in the sugar substrate so that
substrate must have a more readily available energy source in it.
Compare Findings
Encourage students to compare their ideas with others--such as classmates who investigated a
similar question or system or with those that investigated a different question or system,
material they found on the Internet, an expert they chose to interview, or their textbook.
Remind students to credit their original sources in their comparisons. Elicit comparisons from
students with prompts such as:
 My ideas are similar to (or different from) those of the experts in the video in that….
 My ideas are similar to (or different from) those of my classmates in that….
 My ideas are similar to (or different from) those that I found on the Internet in that….
Students might make comparisons like the following:
We compared our experimental design/investigations to videos we found on the Internet of
yeast being used in baking recipes. Our design was the same in that we had the yeast growing in
some similar media.
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Reflect on Learning
Students should reflect on their understanding, thinking about how their ideas have changed or
what they know now that they didn’t before. Encourage reflection, using prompts such as the
following:
 The claim made by the expert in the video is….
 I support or refute the expert’s claim because in my investigation….
 When thinking about the expert’s claims, I am confused as to why….
 Another investigation I would like to explore is….
Inquiry Assessment
See the rubric included in the student Copy Masters on page 13.
Incorporate Video into Your Lesson Plan
Integrate Video in Instruction
Bellringer: Play and replay the video with the sound muted as students are getting settled.
Have students answer a question such as, The video makes me think about…. or The bacteria
you see in the video looked like they could…. Allow volunteers to share responses and record
them as a springboards for your discussion on working with a non-bacterial microbe that would
be safe in a classroom. You might build a concept map such as the one below:
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Compare and Contrast: To support a discussion on microbes, have students watch the video,
focusing on the segment about growth of S.degradans at 1:51–2:24. Tell students the video
focuses on performance of a microbe that could be the best of all biofuel microbes and carry on
more breakdown of plant material than other species. Have students use their notes to
compare the qualities of the marine bacterium and what it does that made it so useful for
generating biofuels in a concept map, such as the following:
Using the 5E Approach?
If you use a 5E approach to lesson plans, consider incorporating video in these Es:
Explore: Use the Design Investigations section of the Inquiry Outline to support your lessons on
yeast, measurements, or microbe growth and environmental factors.
Elaborate: In a genetics lesson or one on bioengineering, use recent research into biofuels such
as that summarized by Science Daily at the following URL to expose students to real-world
methods for manipulating microorganisms.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130219121347.htm
Connect to … Health
Diet Analysis: Play the segment (0:50–1:22) that discusses corn’s “image problem” as a
substrate for biofuel production. Encourage students to research some of the many uses of
corn in our everyday diets by presenting a challenge to find the greatest number of uses or the
most unusual or unexpected use. Interested students might also research how the use of corn
for ethanol impacts the diets of people, especially children, in developing nations.
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Prompt Innovation with Video
After students watch the video, have them research patents associated with biofuel production.
They can do so with an Internet search on Google.com/patents using search terms such as the
following. If time is limited, point students toward the following patents.
Primary Search Terms
Cellulose/cellulose
Ethanol fuel
Enzyme system/Enzymatic
Commodity Chemicals
Petroleum
Biopetrols
Biofilm
Biomass
Bioprocessing
Saccharification
Additional Search Terms
Corn
Corn starch
Bacteria
“Saccharophagus degradans”
Waste Degradation
Pollutant
Patent Examples
6,759,040:
method for the preparation of multiple-specificity hydrolytic enzyme mixtures
7,365,180:
composition of an isolated polypeptide system
2007/0292929: method for producing ethanol from lignocellulosic material
2009/0305356: method for increasing enzymatic activity during a continuous processing
reaction
2010/0185017: method of producing a commodity chemical, or an intermediate thereof
Suggest students read abstracts of patents that attract their attention. Then hold a discussion
about how various innovators are improving on the process. Use prompts such as the following:
 This patent is for _____, which is related to the invention shown in the video by….
 This patent describes _____, which differs from the invention shown in the video in that….
 I think doing/making _____ would be an innovation because….
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COPY MASTER: Open Choice Inquiry Guide for Students
Science of Innovation: Biofuels
Use this guide to investigate a question about how yeast might be used to model production of
biofuels. Write your report in your science notebook.
Ask Beginning Questions
The video makes me think about these questions….
Design Investigations
Choose one question. How can you answer it? Brainstorm with your teammates. Write a
procedure that controls variables and makes accurate measurements. Add safety precautions
as needed. If possible, carry out your experimental design.
 Plant materials vary as a food source for yeast because….
 To enable the greatest amount of product, the growth conditions should….
 In constructing an experiment with yeast, we should consider….
 To measure the amount of “product,” we could….
 To ensure the scientific integrity of the experiment, we should consider….
 To conduct the investigation safely, we will….
Record Data and Observations
Record your observations. Organize your data in tables or graphs as appropriate.
Make a Claim Backed by Evidence
Analyze your data and then make one or more claims based on the evidence your data shows.
Make sure that the claim goes beyond summarizing the relationship between the variables.
My Evidence
My Claim
My Reason
Compare Findings
Review the video and then discuss your results with classmates who investigated the same or a
similar question. Or do research on the Internet or talk with an expert. How do your findings
compare? Be sure to give credit to others when you use their findings in your comparisons.
 My ideas are similar to (or different from) those of the experts in the video in that….
 My ideas are similar to (or different from) those of my classmates in that….
 My ideas are similar to (or different from) those that I found on the Internet in that….
Reflect on Learning
Think about what you found out. How does it fit with what you already knew? How does it
change what you thought you knew?
 The claim made by the expert in the video is….
 I support or refute the expert’s claim with bacteria because in my investigation with yeast….
 When thinking about the expert’s claims, I am confused as to why….
 Another investigation I would like to explore is….
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COPY MASTER: Focused Inquiry Guide for Students
Science of Innovation: Biofuels
Use this guide to investigate a question about how differing substrates affect the growth of
yeast colonies. Write your lab report in your science notebook.
Ask Beginning Questions
How do substrates vary as food sources for yeast?
Design Investigations
Brainstorm with your teammates about how to answer the question. Write a procedure that
controls variables and allows you to gather valid data. Add safety precautions as needed. Use
these prompts to help you design your investigation.
 The conditions necessary for growth of yeast require the manipulation of environmental
factors such as….
 A consideration of time for growth and reproduction might influence….
 Factors we should consider when choosing our materials include….
 In desiring a high rate of cellular respiration, we should consider….
 To ensure the growth of yeast, we should consider….
 Of many materials useful as a growth substrate for yeast, we will compare….
 The variable I will test is….
 The steps I will follow to test my variable include…
 The variables I will control are….
 To conduct the investigation safely, I need to….
Record Data and Observations
Organize your observations and data in a table such as the samples below.
Yeast Growth in Various Substrates
Substrate
Initial Balloon Size
Final Balloon Size
Artificial sweetener
Crushed fruit
Table sugar
Focused Inquiry Guide continued
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Yeast Growth in Various Substrates
Balloon size
Substrate
Make a Claim Backed by Evidence
Analyze your data and then make one or more claims based on the evidence shown by your
data. Make sure that the claim goes beyond summarizing the relationship between the
variables.
My Evidence
My Claim
My Reason
Compare Findings
Review the video and then discuss your results with classmates who did the investigation using
the same or a similar system or with those who did the investigation using a different system.
Or do research on the Internet or talk with an expert. How do your findings compare? Be sure
to give credit to others when you use their findings in your comparisons.
 My ideas are similar to (or different from) those of the experts in the video in that….
 My ideas are similar to (or different from) those of my classmates in that….
 My ideas are similar to (or different from) those that I found on the Internet in that….
Reflect on Learning
Think about what you found out. How does it fit with what you already knew? How does it
change what you thought you knew?
 The claim made by the expert in the video is….
 I support (or refute) the expert’s claim because in my investigation….
 When thinking about the expert’s claims, I am confused as to why….
 Another investigation I would like to explore is….
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COPY MASTER: Assessment Rubric for Inquiry Investigations
Criteria
Initial question
Investigation
design
Variables
Safety procedures
Observations and
data
Claim
Findings
comparison
Reflection
1 point
Question had a yes/no
answer, was off topic, or
otherwise was not
researchable or testable.
2 points
Question was
researchable or testable
but too broad or not
answerable by the
chosen investigation.
The design of the
While the design
investigation did not
supported the initial
support a response to
question, the procedure
the initial question.
used to collect data
(e.g., number of trials,
control of variables)
was not sufficient.
Either the dependent or
While the dependent
independent variable
and independent
was not identified.
variables were
identified, no controls
were present.
Basic laboratory safety
Some, but not all, of the
procedures were
safety equipment was
followed, but practices
used and only some
specific to the activity
safe practices needed
were not identified.
for this investigation
were followed.
Observations were not
Observations were
made or recorded, and
made, but were not
data are unreasonable in very detailed, or data
nature, not recorded, or
appear invalid or were
do not reflect what
not recorded
actually took place during appropriately.
the investigation.
No claim was made or
Claim was marginally
the claim had no
related to evidence
relationship to the
from investigation.
evidence used to support
it.
Comparison of findings
Comparison of findings
was limited to a
was not supported by
description of the initial
the data collected.
question.
Student reflections were
limited to a description
of the procedure used.
SOI: Biofuels, A Science Perspective (Grades 6–12)
Student reflections
were not related to the
initial question.
3 points
Question clearly stated,
researchable or testable,
and showed direct
relationship to
investigation.
Variables were clearly
identified and controlled
as needed with steps and
trials that resulted in data
that could be used to
answer the question.
Variables identified and
controlled in a way that
results in data that can be
analyzed and compared.
Appropriate safety
equipment used and safe
practices adhered to.
Detailed observations
were made and properly
recorded and data are
plausible and recorded
appropriately.
Claim was backed by
investigative or research
evidence.
Comparison of findings
included both
methodology and data
collected by at least one
other entity.
Student reflections
described at least one
impact on thinking.
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