Motivating Life Science Students with Technology

Karen BenitezScience Teacher

Branciforte Middle SchoolSanta Cruz, CA

kbenitez@sccs.santacruz.k12.ca.us

Presenter Background• Single Subject Biology credential (SJSU)• Masters in educational leadership (SJSU)• SVEF Teacher of the year (2007)• Teaching experience: 7th grade Life

Science/8th grade Physical Science in both Title 1 and Program Improvement schools

• Masters ARP studied the influence of technology on classroom achievement

EETT Technology grant

• Enhancing Education Through Technology (EETT)

• laptop, LCD projector, student laptop cart of 32 MacBook computers, wireless printer and internet, scanners and set of video cameras.

• 12 teachers at my school site (teams of 3 teachers), 36 teachers in District

Masters Action Research Project

• Masters Cohort group included science, language arts and math teachers

• Technology was most successful in the science classroom.

• Compared technology vs. non-technology assignments– Completion rate (95% vs. 70%)– Average grade (15% better for tech.

assign.)– Better behavior and more focus

Technology in the classroom

• Initially, technology projects can take longer and/or be frustrating for the teacher

• Teachers do not have to be the expert on every technology used in class, students can (and will) be the technology experts.

• Use technology to integrate Language Arts and math into science curriculum.

• Set up procedures, routines and clear rules and expectations for students, especially when technology needs to be shared across a school site.

Table of Contents1. Fire Alive Essay (typing) Cancer and mitosis Essay (typing)2. Cell PPT3. Smiley Face Genetics4. Punnett Square PPT (with gifted extension)5. Mendel Pea Website/experiment6. Pedigree - Seabiscuit website research7. Cochlear Implant Pedigree Unit8. Moth adaptation experiment/website9. Plant iMovie10. DNA Comic Life

Essays and Technology?• These essays involve both internet

research and basic word processing, good beginning assignments to introduce students to computers.

• Teach students to check-in/check-out computers, turn on and access software, improve word processing, and spell check.

• Train students how and where to save their work, print and/or turn in work electronically.

• Can be valuable for students with NO tech. experience

1. Essays• Is Fire Alive? Essay

– This assignment is done after studying the 6 characteristics of Life

• Cancer and Mitosis Essay– This assignment is done after studying

mitosis and creating a flipbook of the stages of mitosis

– Students can write in class/homework– Type final draft including spell check– Stagger due date of assignment with extra

credit for turning in early

2. Cell PowerPoint Project• This is a review assignment done at the

end of the cells unit to prepare students for the unit test

• Combination of visual/graphic and written assignment will appeal to a variety of learning styles

• Use co-operative learning groups• Students can present their projects to

the class reinforcing standards

Cell Powerpoint

David G.

Jayne S.

10/14/08

Period 2

Animal Cell• Golgi Apparatus

MitochondriaRough ER

Smooth ER

Lysosome

Vesicle

Cytoskeleton

Cytoplasm

Nucleus

DNA

Cell Membrane

Plant Cell

• Golgi Apparatus

Mitochondria

Smooth ER

Cytoplasm

Nucleus

Cell Membrane

Cell Wall

Rough ER

Vesicle

Cytoskeleton

DNA

Large VacuoleChloroplast

Mitochondria vs. Chloroplast

• The chloroplast is a part of the plant cell that uses light energy to make food for the plant. It’s only in plant cells, and it’s green in color.

• The mitochondria is a bean-shaped part that is in both animal and plant cells. It also makes energy for the cell. It takes body sugar and breaks it down into energy.

Cell Wall Vs. Cell Membrane

• Cell Walls are a protective case found only in plant cells. They are made of tiny fibers and enclose the cell in a rectangular shape.

• The cell membrane holds the organelles and keeps the cell’s shape. It’s in every cell and is made up of a double membrane of molecules.

Smooth ER Vs. Rough ER

• The smooth ER is a folded membrane that is connected to the nucleus. It makes lipids and helps get rid of chemicals and poisons.

• Rough ER is important for making proteins with ribosomes.

DifferenceAnimal Cell Plant Cell

Spherical

Lysosome

Rectangular

Large Vacuole

Cell wall

Chloroplast

3. Smiley Face Genetics

• Students work in pairs• Use a coin to determine traits • Use Microsoft word to draw face.• For each trait collect data on how many

students got the dominant or the recessive form of the gene.

• Students then graph the class data including labels and a key.

Student work Example Period 3

Smiley Face Genetics

Smiley Face Class Data class of 32 students (can compare to 150 students)

Trait Dominant Phenotype

Recessive Phenotype

Face shape 22 10

Eye shape 24 8

Hair style 21 11

Smile 25 9

Ear style 24 8

Nose style 20 12

Face color 15 15

Eye color 24 8

Hair length 19 13

Freckles 22 10

4. Punnett Square PPT

• This project is done after background assignments on Mendel, Punnett Squares, and basic probability

• Students write their own genetics word problems, create PPT presentations and present them to the class for other students to solve.

Fish Punnett Square Word Problem

Student Example

Period 2

Fish Word Problem

In ocean fish, black fish (B) are

dominant over grey fish (b). A

heterozygous black fish and a

homozygous recessive (true-breeding)

grey fish have baby fish. Fill in the

Punnett square and answer box

showing the offspring.

Punnett Square Answers

B b

b

b

Bb

Bb

bb

bb

Punnett Answer Box

Genotype Phenotype Fraction Percent

BB Black fish 0/4 0%

Bb Black fish 2/4 50%

bb Grey fish 2/4 50%

Differentiated Punnett word problem

• In Bulldogs, purple bulldogs are dominant (B) over yellow bulldogs (b). Two bulldogs get married and have 4 puppies. Three of the puppies are purple and one of the puppies is yellow. What genotype are the parents? Fill in the punnett square and answer box.

Bulldog Punnett square

B_ B_

B_ bb

BB Bb

Bb

B

B

b

b

Bulldog Answer Box

Genotype Phenotype Fraction Percent

BB Purple 1/4 25%

Bb Purple 2/4 50%

bb Yellow 1/4 25%

5. Mendel Pea Experiment

• http://sonic.net/~nbs/projects/anthro201/exper/

• This is an interactive pea experiment where you can breed your own hybrid pea plants.

• Students create a poster of several generations of their pea plants and show the Punnett Squares explaining their results.

6. Seabiscuit Pedigree Project

• http://www.pedigreequery.com/seabiscuit

• Prior to this assignment I have introduced the concept of pedigrees with several examples.

• Students research the pedigree of the racehorse Seabiscuit and create a pedigree chart following a particular trait (successful racing for example)

Seabiscuit Pedigree Example

Key:

Female=

Male=

Seabiscuit

Man O’ War Tea Biscuit

I.

II.

III.

Successful Racing Female/Male (won more than $10,000)=

Hard Tack Swing On

Whisk BroomBalance

Cochlear Implant Pedigree Unit

• This project is done at the end of the genetics unit after studying pedigrees and includes the topic of ethics in science.

• Students watch the Sound and Fury documentary movie. http://www.pbs.org/wnet/soundandfury/film/index.html

• Students complete a three generation pedigree of the deaf family profiled in the movie.

• Finally students write a persuasive essay advising the parents of a deaf infant on whether or not the cochlear implant is the right decision.

Deaf Family Pedigree Example

Heather Baby Brother

Tim

Nita Peter Jr.

Older sister

Chris Jr.Peter III

MariChris Sr.

Peter Sr. Marianne Michael Nancy

Key:

Female=

Male=

Deaf Female/Male =

Cochlear Implant =

I.

II.

III.

8. Peppered Moth Simulation

• http://www.techapps.net/interactives/pepperMoths.swf

• Volunteer students act as predatory birds preying on peppered moths. The class collects data on moth survival rates for the pre and post pollution forests. Students graph and analyze the data collected.

• Additional assignments can include the life cycle of the moth and the history of the original experiments.

9. Plant iMovie

• In groups, students grow plants (radishes) and record growth/weight data.

• Students take daily photos or video of plants on a daily basis in order to make visual record of growth.

• Student graph/analyze data make iMovie of results

Student Plant Movie

QuickTime™ and aDV/DVCPRO - NTSC decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

10. DNA Comic Life Newsletter

• Students create a candy model of DNA

• Students use Comic Life software to create a newsletter explaining how they have discovered the structure of DNA. The newsletter includes base pairing rules, the importance of DNA to living things, drawings and pictures.

General Technology Websites

• United Streaming- science movies– http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/

• BrainPop - science movies– www.brainpop.com

• Thinkquest - social networking for students– http://www.thinkquest.org/en/