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

+ +

How will the two positively charged side chains affect the folding rate?

WT CI2: 44 s-1

Wild Type CI2

RF48 Mutant

+

Now there is only one positive charge. How does this affect the folding rate?

WT CI2: 44 s-1

RF48: 1564 s-1

Faster!

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.

0.0001

0.001

0.01

0.1

1

10

100

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

GuHCl concentration (M)

kobs

(s-1)

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

For each simulation/lab website…• 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