Evaluating Cell Biology KitsNDRet 2010

Keith Madden - IVY TechBryan Smith - La Lumiere SchoolBelinda Dalke - Penn HSJulie Kern - Elkhart Memorial HS

Four Kits

1. Enzymes - the protein catalysts that run all chemical reactions in cells

2. Photosynthesis & Cell Respiration

3. DNA & Protein Synthesis

4. Chromosomes & Reproduction

Learning Cycle

1. Engage activity2. Explore activity3. Explain the outcome4. Extend – use what you learned to

experiment or answer questions

BioRad: Biofuel Enzyme Kit

Engage: Ask students what the future holds for their personal use of energy.

•Heating & cooling of homes•Power for appliances and entertainment.•Fuel for automobiles

What are potential sources of energy?•Wind, solar, water, nuclear, biomass

Biomass – Cellulosic ethanol

Engage:Biofuel Enzyme Kit

Explore: Biofuel Enzyme Kit

Use a real enzyme cellobiase Use a synthetic subtrate:

p-nitrophenyl glucopyranoside (abs. @ 410 nm)

Allow to react for 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 minutes. Compare to standards or use Spec-20 to

find concentration of glucose formed. Plot data to see kinetics

Explain: Biofuel Enzyme Kit

The reaction catalyzed by cellobiase:

+

Explain: Biofuel Enzyme Kit

Extend: Biofuel Enzyme Kit

How does one evaluate a good enzyme? Introduce concept of Vmax Michaelis-Menton kinetics

What influences rate of a good enzyme? pH Temperature Inhibitors

Evaluate: Biofuel Enzyme Kit

Pros and Cons

Carolina – Energizing Cells

Activity 1 – Engage

Activity #2 - Explore

Conduct an experiment with the aquatic plant, elodea, and bromothymol blue indicator under light and dark conditions.

Activity #3 – Explain what should happen.

What process, photosynthesis or cell respiration is taking place in each tube?

Predict what color change they will observe in each tube.

Activity #4 - Extend

Design a controlled experiment to measure the effect of one condition on cellular respiration of baker’s yeast.

Evaluation

Pros- Uses materials

readily available- Prep is relatively

easy- Really makes you

think!

Modifications-expand the engage activity to introduce bromothymol blue-use fresher Elodea- give 2-3 day for the experiment to work- use very weak base to make indicator bright blue

From Carolina

Discovering Nucleic Acids

IntroductionAll organisms are formed from the same

basic elements – DNA.Mutations occur naturally during DNA

replication when the cell makes a mistake.

Engage Prior knowledge:

Review the structure and function of DNA. Pre-lab discussion:

What kinds of effects do mutations have on living things?What role does mutation have in the process of evolution?

ExploreActivity 1 – students will model the steps of

protein synthesis. Build a DNA strand using colored beads. Transcribe the replicated DNA strand into a mRNA strand. Translate the appropriate amino acid using the chart.

Explore Continued…Activity 2 – observe the effects that changes

in DNA have on proteins. Brainstorm ways in which this DNA strand could be

altered. Predict how you expect the change in the DNA will

affect the protein. Transcribe, translate, and describe the changes in the

protein that occurred.

ExplainErrors can occur in the copying of genetic

material during cell division, exposure to UV radiation, ionizing radiation, or viruses causing cancer.

Most potential mutagens do little or no harm.

ExtendObserving mutations

Prepare a slide of a normal onion root tip. Prepare a slide of irradiated onion root tip.

(chromosomes damaged by a gamma radiation from cobalt 60, a radioactive isotope)

Observe the 2 slides under a microscope. Draw and describe your observations. Record the differences and similarities.

EvaluationsPros – appropriate for Biology 1 (9th grade) classes

Provides a good visual and hands on activity for a different topic. The kits include all the materials needed to complete the

activities.

Cons The pieces are too small. Making onion root top slides are not worthwhile.

(they should be purchased already prepared)

Overall rating of kit: 7 out of 10

Understanding Reproduction and Understanding Reproduction and ChromosomesChromosomes

Carolina Biological Supply#251007A$179.95

The objective of this kit is to compare and contrast asexual and sexual reproduction as well as build an understanding of karyotyping and genetic disorders.

Engage To engage students and assess prior knowledge before inquiry begins:1. Have students discuss in groups where traits come from and why

siblings are not identical to each other.2. Have students look around the classroom and write down

observations about physical traits that are shared among classmates and what traits vary greatly from one to another.

3. Since an understanding of meiosis is needed to complete the activities, review each phase and the process and importance of meiosis.

Explore In order for students to model the scientific process and

gain hands on experience relevant to the problem at hand, 4 activities are provided.

In activity 1, students view prepared slides and living organisms to observe asexual reproduction.

Explore In activity 2, students view a human chromosome spread

under the microscope and use magnetic chromosome representations to simulate a human karyotype.

Explore In activity 3, students observe and reproduce normal

human karyotypes and discover ways in which genetic information is passed from parent to offspring.

Explore In activity 4, students use prior knowledge to design an

inquiry based experiment to discover how genetic disorders occur.

ExplainExplain

A reading source is provided in order for students to reinforce the concepts of reproduction, chromosomes, karyotyping and genetic disorders.

Students are able to analyze the data that was collected in the explore stage of the learning cycle.

Extend

Student demonstrate their mastery of the concepts by applying what they have learned to real world questions such as:

What are the advantages of asexual reproduction?

What are the advantages of sexual reproduction?

What attributes are used to pair homologous chromosomes?

Why is it necessary for gametes to be haploid?

Evaluation

Comments from participants include: Lab has many purposes. Chromosome magnets are a great resource. Materials are awesome. Can be used in many ways for different levels of biology.

In summary, this lab was cost effective because of its

versatility and durable materials. The students will enjoy manipulating the magnetic chromosomes to learn the concepts of karyotyping, sexual reproduction and genetic disorders.