Best GK-12 Lessons at ISU
BIOLOGY
Macroinvertebrate Sampling of City Creek High School, Students started a class/school database on the biodiversity of macroinvertebrates in City Creek. This project enables students to make inferences about local water quality based on riparian biodiversity, study change overtime, be engaged in the scientific process, and become active members of their community. This project integrates several of the District # 25 standards: ecosystem interactions, comparisons of simple and complex organisms; form and function of living things; and survey of the diversity of species. Students collect macro-invertebrates from the creek using ‘kick net sampling’ techniques. The students return to the classroom with the insect samples and use microscopes to observe and investigate the insects and organize them into groups based on similar physical features. Students then quantify the data by counting the number of insects from various orders and creating bar graphs of the number of insects discovered from each order at each sample site. The next phase of the project involves splitting students up into groups, with each group doing research on a particular insect order. Students are given questions on habitat preference, form and function, adaptations, and life cycles to guide them in their research. Each group then presents this data to the class. At the end of the project students are provided a questionnaire that directs them towards analyzing their data and articulating any possible conclusions based on patterns in the data that may relate to water quality.
For more information contact Robert Miron, New Horizons HS and Jason Jones, Biology MS
Winogradsky Columns High School, This lab generated excitement with a number of students in the classroom. The lab can be used to discuss microscope procedures, biological kingdoms & classification, trophic level interactions in an ecosystem, and ecological succession. Students perform microscope observations of water samples taken from different layers of a ‘winogradsky column.’ The ‘winogradsky column’ is made with a water sample from the Portneuf River. Water and sediment from the Portneuf River are placed in a 2 litter bottle, along with a hard boiled egg and newspaper buried in the sediment. The bottle is placed in a classroom window. After about a week the bottle has considerable amount of growth. Warning, this project is stinky. Students are first given a discussion of ecological succession as it may relate to deforestation. Students then observe the winogradsky column right after the sample has been taken from the river and are told to generate a prediction about the appearance of the samples over the next several weeks. Students then make observations and sketches of prepared slides of Monera and Protista. Later, they collect samples and make observations of the winogradsky columns after considerable growth has occurred. Students observe movement, organisms ingesting other organisms, and biological diversity on their slides. They are then asked to write a description of the biological succession demonstrated in their activity and relate it to the previous class discussion. This lab give students an appreciation of ecosystem interactions that exist at a microscopic level and how this level influences the ecosystem at a macro level.
For more information contact Robert Miron, New Horizons HS and Jason Jones, Biology MS
Photosynthesis & Cell Respiration High School, We approached photosynthesis and cell respiration with these lab activities to discuss the chemical equations of each and to demonstrate that plants respire. Students first place a fish in one beaker, an elodea plant in a second beaker, and only water in a third beaker as a control, they the cover each beaker with ‘parafilm’. Students are told that after an hour we will check to see if cell respiration occurs by using the indicator bromothymol blue and hydrochloric acid (The more drops of hydrochloric acid used to change the color the less respiration). Students are then asked to generate a hypothesis to determine which beaker will show the most respiration. After students set up this first lab we perform demonstrations to discuss the chemical reactants and products of photosynthesis. We then have students use the vernier lab probes to measure and graph CO2 and O2 production of spinach leaves under regular class room light and write if the data they gather demonstrates photosynthesis or cell respiration. Once students analyze this first section we have them look at white light through replica grating slides to observe the color spectrum that makes up white light.
They are then told to design an experiment to determine if spinach can photosynthesize under various colors of light (or lack of light using tin foil). Colored film is used to cover the jars of spinach. Once students have set up their own light/photosynthesis experiments we have them return to the first lab with the fish and elodea. The results should demonstrate that plants do respire. After they analyze the data and answer the conclusion questions they return to the experiments they set up to analyze whether photosynthesis or cell respiration occurs under the color of light (or lack of light) their experiment incorporated.
For more information contact Robert Miron, New Horizons HS and Jason Jones, Biology MS
Insect Lab: 5th-6th Grade, While on an overnight camping trip (a part of our school’s curriculum) the students were challenged to hypothesize about the question “Which area has a more diverse population of insects: the sage steppe or the riparian area of our camp site?” The students followed our scientific design (it was early in the year and we wanted to model how to conduct an experiment form beginning to end) and collected insects using several different methods. They then back in the classroom sorted and classified the insects. They analyzed the results, created graphs and charts and then made a final product of their findings. The students loved the hands-on collection and had a successful experience with seeing an experiment from start to finish. We are now requiring the students to develop their own projects and many of them have chosen the insect field!
For more information contact Becky Lorig, Pocatello Community Charter School and Jon Knudson, Biology MS
Mammal Tracking Activity: 5th-6th Grade, Being elementary students, there is a natural affinity to mammals and animal life. Our students have been going on various hikes and observational outings. They have been noticing signs of animals. Some of the students are planning on conducting biodiversity studies of the local animals near the rivers we are studying. So to prepare them for this, we had a series of different tracks laid out at each table in the classroom. The students were instructed to make hypothesis about what kind of animal it was and to also consider its locomotion. They spent time examining these and then were required to re-create the animals locomotion according to how they left tracks. We will be following this activity up by snowshoeing with the students and comparing what we find in the field.
For more information contact Becky Lorig, Pocatello Community Charter School and Jon Knudson, Biology MS
Science Experiment Bad Question Activity: 5th-6th Grade, Like I said, each student is required to design, and carry out a science project that follows the scientific method. We had noticed that the kids had natural curiosity, but in the confines of an experiment had difficulty designing questions that would be of high quality for a science experiment. We had the students go out and observe along the Portneuf Greenway. They just noted observations and then questions that may stem from those observations. We shared as a class and then attempted to categorize which ones would be good for an experiment and which ones would be not so good. We had the students come up with good “bad” questions. The students really excelled at designing poor questions---it was great practice for thinking about the qualities of a worthy science experiment question.
For more information contact Becky Lorig, Pocatello Community Charter School and Jon Knudson, Biology MS
Skull Identification Lab High School, This was a collaborative project involving another GK12 Fellow working at the Pocatello Zoo. Students were provided with the opportunity to learn from a lesson utilizing authentic Idaho animal skulls. After a brief overview about how to identify an animal by its skull based on teeth and bone patterns, as well as with the use of a dichotomous key, students were allowed to utilize this information to demonstrate what they had learned by identifying as many skulls as possible.
For more information contact Sheel Bansal, Biology PhD and Markette Kelemente, Highland HS
Plant Germination Study High School, Students were provided with empty cd cases and three seeds: Douglas Fir, Radish and a “mystery seed.” Using the cd cases and paper towels, students created germination chambers and allowed the seeds the opportunity to sprout. After a designated period of time, the seeds were planted and labeled whether they sprouted or not. Growth patterns of each seed were monitored and data was recorded in their laboratory journals. Once the “mystery seeds” began to show signs of growth, students were encouraged to use identification guides to try and name each plant. In some instances this was successful, in some it was not. The Douglas Fir seeds became the most interesting portion of the project because, given identical conditions, only few actually germinated and grew. Various factors were considered and documented as to why these variations occurred. This will continue to be an on-going research project.
For more information contact Sheel Bansal, Biology PhD and Markette Kelemente, Highland HS
Individual Group Research Projects High School, As a requirement for the Academy, students will become engaged in a long- term research project that they will share at the end of the year in the form of a technical presentation to various school officials, industry personnel and parents. This is considered to be their final exam with the emphasis being placed upon utilization of the scientific method and experimental design. Attach is a copy of the projects presently underway.
For more information contact Sheel Bansal, Biology PhD and Markette Kelemente, Highland HS
Microbiology Food lab: We explained and demonstrated the importance of microbes in many foods eaten by humans. The lab consisted of four different foods made or preserved by microbes including yogurt, kim chee, bread and root beer. The groups of 2-3 students made one of the foods and the root beer was used as a demonstration. The bread yielded immediate results, the yogurt was ready in 24 hours, the root beer was ready in 4-5 days and the kim chee took 10-14 days. Students were encouraged to try only the foods deemed edible by the instructors.
For more information contact Rene Horton and Eric Rude
Astrobiology lab: We provided the students with soil samples that we said were from another planet. We had spike the sand with bread yeast, thermophilic cheese starter and one antarctic isolate. The students were asked to design a way to tell if there was life in their sample. We encouraged the students to think about not contaminating their samples as well as how to look for life. We provided the students with (Dr. Smith's) probes including the Oxygen, Carbon dioxide, gas pressure, etc. Students could also use pH change, protein presence, gas evolution in a balloon, visualization and any other methods they came up with. We encouraged them to keep notes and at the end decide whether or not they had life and what their justification for the answer was.
For more information contact Rene Horton and Eric Rude
ALU lab: We set up a lab where the students could extract samples of their own DNA from cheek cells. Using the Polymerase Chain Reaction we then amplified a small fragment of their genomic DNA. The students then used gel electrophoresis to determine their genotype (homozygous+, homozygous -, or heterozygous) based on the PCR amplification. The genotypes could then be pooled to do a Hardy-Weinberg analysis of the class.
For more information contact Rene Horton and Eric Rude
Rainey Creek Project- assaying water quality and overall health of the stream using simple chemical tests for concentration levels ( DO, phosphates, sulfates, turbidity, pH, etc.)
For more information contact James and Joe Timchak
Insect Abundance and Biodiversity: This activity contained three parts, a classroom activity, a field activity, and a lab/tabulation activity. The classroom activity involve an introduction to insects and their arthropod relatives. I brought insect collections of different Orders to the classroom for the students to observe, and asked them "what is an insect." I then layed out a field experiment, in which they collected insects in two habitats,riparian and upland sage, in order to see relative abundance and insect diversity between them. The field experiment involved teams of students, equipped with beat nets, aerial nets, and jars. They collected insects in both habitats for 15 minutes apiece, and brought their specimans to me, who killed them in poison jars. The lab activity included placing the dead insects which were collected in the field on the students' tables and having them identify and categorize them by Order. After tabulating the data, they graphed their results and had a group discussion about diversity and habitat.