Advanced GEMS

  MON TUES WED THUR FRI 8:00 - 8:30 Set-up, arrivals, attendance, projects, games, notebooks, checking plates….

8:30-9:00

Introduction and Evaluations

Antibiotic Mech & Dev Tetrahymena & Microevolution dilution series, plating, biofilm &

Catapults during wait times (2-3 S each grp.)

Detection of a Pesticide Protein in Corn Genetic recombination /engineering using corn genome as the

model.

Detection of a Pesticide Protein in Corn

9:00-9:30Essential Skills

The morning will be done as stations. First

everyone does Intro/Safety.

Stations: Pipettes, Micropipetting,

Intro to Tetrahymena, serial

dilutions

Biostats 2, Finalize graphs9:30-10:00

10:00-10:30 Sustainable Energy S learn about the optics &

thermodynamics. S. the sun to heat water in a pipe-

similar to how it is done in power plants. S. build a solar collector & analyze

results.

The Operon and Plasmid Acquisition Transform a

plasmid expressing bioluminescent genes into E.

coli cells, operon.

Tetrahymena Conclude

10:30-11:00

Brain Protection & Assessment Chemical and blast induced neurotrauma,

anatomical samples of damage. Intro to electrophysiology, assessing brain function.

The Operon & Plasmid Acquisition

Analyze results/doing calculation/grand finale

11:00-11:3011:30- 12:30 Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch

12:30-1:00 Antibiotic Mech. : Drug Design - S. use natural fungal species to design antibiotics for bacterial

species found in the environment.

Tetrahymena & microevolution Predator-driven natural selection in a

bacterial population. & Catapults during wait times

12:30 - 2:15 Electrophysiology with an

invertebrate model: Anesthetized crickets, biopotentials, signal

generation, observe responses. S. design exp w/ phone apps

Comparative heart anatomy & dissections. Dissect examples of 2, 3, and 4

chamber hearts and discuss design, func & pgy National Museum of

Medicine and Health Prosthetics and Biomedical

Engineering

1:00-1:301:30-2:00

Chromotography Separation of chlorphyll extract and Bogen Univ.

Indicator Rf values calculated and bands ided.

Muscular Contraction S. do serial dilutions of ATP, apply, measure contraction & create

graphs.

2:00-2:30

Biostatistics1 Students experience different

methods of data acquisition and use Microsoft Excel to

calculate andgenerate different types of charts.

2:15 - 3:30 Sustainable Energy Now that model heat exchanger is

built, collect and analyze data. Evidence based conclusions.

2:30-3:15

Antibiotic Mech: Drug Design: Results of exp.,

analysis a matrix when data is grouped. Tetra

Evolution obs

Science Fair and Senior Projects. Opportunities and

materials at the WRAIR. Forming a question.

Jeopardy, certificates, stipends and popsicles

3:15-3:30 Clean-up, evaluations and dismissal

Intermediate GEMS

  MON TUES WED THUR FRI

8:00 - 8:30 Set-up, arrivals, attendance, projects, games, notebooks, checking plates, self-directed projects ….

8:30 - 9:00 Evaluation and Safety Lab Skills

Media/making plates/ micropipetting

Archaea & More Lab Skills recording observations, analysis

of plates, using fungi and microscopes

Bacteria and Tetrahymena Gram Staining,

identification using a dicotomous key, final obs. & write conclusions based on

data

Tetrahymena driven

microevolution in bacteria Final

9:00-9:30

Take Your Stations Intro to molarity, dilutions,

pipettes, microscopes, micropipetting

9:30 - 10:00 Viruses/Epidemiology Intro to biostats, identify

point of origin, mock contagion exercise

Tetrahymena driven microevolution in bacteria P. fluorescens, a soil bacterium evolves in the presence of T.

thermophillia, a protist.

Muscle contraction Serial

ATP dilutions , apply, measure , create graphs.

10:00-10:30

Sustainable Energy Students build a simple solar collector and are introduced

to thermodynamics.

10:30 - 11:00 Living Kingdoms Taxonomy, prokaryotic and

eukaryotic cells, phylogenetic trees and

examples of each.

Microarrays Three mock diagnostic tests to determine if a patient has malaria, dengue, or cancer.

Heart Health Heart anatomy and measuring function

thru your own EKG and BP

Fragrant Esters: S. will chemically

create esters and identify fragrances 11:00-11:30

11:30-1:00 Lunches for 1 hour during this 1.5 slot. This allows time to begin a bit early or end a bit late, stagger lunches, college talks, own projects

1:00 - 1:30Catapults

S. learn physics of catapults. Use catapult.

Dissection and comparative anatomy:

S. dissect/compare 2, 3 & 4 chamber hearts, squid, dogfish shark, sheep

Electrophysiology Anesthetized crickets,

biopotentials, signal generation, observe responses. S. design

experiments w/ phone apps

Entomology Dr. Rowton, Guest Speaker.

Display, handling insects, role of insects in ecosystem, insects as disease vectors.

Eating bugs.

1:00 - 2:30 National Museum

of Health and Medicine

Forensics lecture / visiting the

museum

1:30-2:00Chemistry of Aluminum S visualize states of Al

thru chemical protocols

2:00 - 2:30 Gummy Phylogeny and Tetrapods

S. construct a parsimonious phylogeny using Gummy animals,

morphological traits, and the fossil record. (tetrapods)

Tetrahymena driven microevolution in

bacteria P. fluorescens, a soil bacterium evolves in

the presence of T. thermophillia, a protist.

Behavorial Neuroscience S explore brain anatomy

while connecting function to action. S create a play/poster

to illustrate a lobe. 2:30-3:15

Chromatography Separation of chlorphyll extract and Bogen Univ. Indicator. Rf

values calculated and bands identified.

2:30 - 3:15 Jeopardy

Evaluations/ checks / treats

3:15-3:30 Clean-up and dismissal

Beginning GEMS

MON TUES WEDS THUR FRIArrivals - Learning Games, checking their projects

Intro/Safety CSI Detectives A "who done it mystery" with microscopes, hair samples, pipettes and artificial

blood

Nature Walk Collecting local flora and fauna,

identification with dissecting microscopes, comparing morphology

Daphnia response to drug dilutions S. observe effects of

caffeine, red bull, alcohol, nicotine on heart rate, life

Tetrahymena phagocytosis S. use microscopes,

tetrahymena to examine chemotaxis and phagocytosis.

DNA Necklace S. isolate DNA from their own

cheek cells and preserve it in a necklace.

Sustainable Energy 2 Continuation of solar energy,

data, comparisons, plots

Daily Chemistry S. use milk, and food to explore chromatography and chemical

reactions.

Catapults S. fire catapults and water balloons and calculate distance and

motion.

Osmosis S. will visualize osmosis through using

dialysis tubing and various sugar/salt concentrations.

Gummi Bear phylogeny S. create a taxonomy with gummi animals and are

introduced to evolutionary terms

Fungi Friend or Foe S. use common fungus and explore

its antibiotic properties.

Heart Health Recording your own EKG, heart function during

exercise

Fungi: Friend or Foe Continuation of Monday,

data collection

Statistical Arts S. introduced to Excel & basic stat functions using their data from heart,

fungi, energy classes.

Dissection S. dissect a 4 chamber sheep heart and observe 2 and 3 chamber

hearts.

A one hour lunch either 11:30 to 12:30 or 12:00 to 1:00

Sustainable Energy 1 S. build a solar heater and learn basics of graphing their own

data.

Bacteria Plate pouring contests, plating bacteria,

morphology

Reactivity of Aluminium S. visualize the three states of Al through chemical exp.

Electrophysiology Using Crickets and iPad app students are introduced to

waves, oscilliscopes and signal generators.

National Museum of Health and Medicine Organ of the

month intro and tour

Dilutions, Pipettes, Enzymes Intro to basic lab

equip./metrics / making observations

Punnett Family Critters From alleles to phenotype students

create aliens based on initial info and crosses

Great Receptor Ambush S. visualize drug interactions with cellular

receptors.

Behavioral Neuroscience S. learn iPad brain app and

create play/poster about the function of their favorite lobe.

Jeopardy Treat / certificates / stipend

Dismissal, clean-up and evaluations