The Crucial Concentration module is appropriate for middle and high school classes. The students are "hired" by the Perfect Solution Company and challenged to investigate the protein content of sports drinks in the context of "truth in advertising.” Students perform colorimetric assays with spectrophotometers to determine the actual amount of protein in drinks from three different manufacturers. Math skills are involved in analyzing data, including graphing and determining linear relationships between variables. Language arts skills are incorporated in the assessment when students write letters back to the Perfect Solution Company describing the procedure they used and the results they obtained.
Standards: 6.MS-LS1-3, 6.MS-PS4-2, 7.MS-ETS1-2, 7.MS-ETS1-4, 8.MS-LS1-7, HS-LS1-2, HS-LS1-6, HS-PS1-4, HS-PS1-11
The “Green” Parking Lot module is designed for middle and high school students. In this program, students explore phosphorus contamination in parking lots through standard curves and spectrophotometric analysis (similar to Crucial Concentration). They'll also learn about impervious surfaces and the benefits of low impact design (LID) in enhancing water quality. At ɫƵ, we have an LID parking lot that serves as a real-world example, which we'll showcase and explain to students. They will then analyze a series of standards and unknowns to investigate whether our LID parking lot effectively improves water quality.
Standards: 5.ESS3, 5.LS2-1, 5.PS1-1, 5.PS1-3, 5.PS1-4, 3-5.ETS3-1, 6.MS-PS4-2, , 7.MS-ESS2-4, 7.MS-ESS3-4, 7.MS-LS2-1, 7.MS-LS2-4, 7.MS-LS2-5, 7.MS-SL2-6, 8.MS-LS1-5, HS-LS2-7, HS-PS1-11
The Lab Larceny module is most appropriate for high school biology classes. It is a forensic mystery in which high school students are hired as employees of the Forensic Institute of Bridgewater (FIB). The students perform DNA fingerprinting on samples isolated from “blood” found at the site of suspected industrial espionage at FIB headquarters. Techniques are based on restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and involve agarose gel electrophoresis to resolve the DNA fingerprints. Careful analysis of the data and critical thinking skills are encouraged in solving this "who done it?"
Standards: 7.MS-PS2-3, 8.MS-LS3-1, HS-LS1-1, HS-LS1-4, HS-LS3-2, HS-PS1-11
In this module, which is most appropriate for middle school classes, students explore the molecular basis of sickle cell anemia. Acting as medical technologists, they are asked to determine what might be causing a collection of symptoms in an imaginary patient. Students are introduced to micropipettes, and they use protein gel electrophoresis as a diagnostic tool to differentiate sickle cell hemoglobin from normal hemoglobin. A language arts component is included as a form of assessment when students write a letter to the physician who "hired" them describing their diagnosis and laboratory methods used.
Standards: 6.MS-LS1-1, 6.MS-LS1-2, 6.MS-LS1-3, 7.MS-PS2-3, 8.MS-LS3-1, 8.MS-LS3-4, 8.MS-LS4-4, 8.MS-LS4-5, HS.LS3, HS-PS1-11
Pea Power: Unraveling the Mystery of Cellular Respiration
The Pea Power module is ideal for both high school and AP Biology classes. Using a respirometer in class can be challenging and prone to errors during assembly and use. In this module, innovative Vernier technology replaces the respirometer with gas pressure sensors (O2 and CO2) and LabQuest handhelds to measure respiration rates effectively. Students will engage in experiments involving predictions and inquiries throughout. They will also conduct a student-designed lab on cellular respiration, selecting an independent variable, predicting outcomes (dependent variable), and presenting their hypotheses and results to the class post-experiment.
Standards: 1. HS-LS1-2, 1. HS-LS 1-6, 1. HS-LS 1-7, 2. HS-LS 2-5, 1. HS-PS 1-6
