Using Technology to Understand Cellular and Molecular Biology by National Institute of Health. - HTML preview

97

Using Technology to Study Cellular and Molecular Biology

In Advance

Web-Based Activities

Activity

Web Version

1

No

2

No

Photocopies

Activity 1

• Master 4.1, Microscopes Across Time, 1 transparency

• Master 4.2, Some Key Developments in Biology, Medicine,

and Technology, 1 transparency

Activity 2

none required

Materials

Activity 1 • 24 sheets of white copying paper

• black marker

• blank transparency; or a string as long as the width of

classroom, 29 paper clips, and 5 sheets of white copying

paper

Activity 2

none required

Preparation

Activity 1

On each of 24 sheets of white paper, use the black marker to write one

of the key developments listed on Master 4.2, Some Key Developments in

Biology, Medicine, and Technology (eight developments are listed in each

of three categories: biology, medicine, and technology). Do not provide

the year of the development or the name(s) of the individual(s) involved.

There are two options for this activity: use a blank transparency to record

student responses as they construct the timeline for developments in

biology, medicine, and technology, or stretch the string across the width

of the classroom and affix it well at both ends. If you choose the second

option, write one of the following on each of five sheets of white paper:

1600, 1700, 1800, 1900, or 2000. Use a paper clip to attach the sheet

indicating 1600 at the near the left end of the string. Attach the sheet

indicating 2000 near the right end of the string. Attach the remaining

sheets with 1700, 1800, and 1900 in order between 1600 and 2000.

Activity 2

No preparations needed.

98

Activity 1: Time Travel

Procedure

1.

Show students the transparency of Master 4.1, Microscopes Across

Time. Ask them to look at the pictures of the microscopes and

describe the differences they observe.

Write student responses on the board. The pictures present micro-

scopes developed over approximately 250 years. Students can

respond to differences in design, such as the development of mul-

tiple objective lenses. Some students may respond with differences

that are implied, such as better optics, electrical components, and

computerized components. The objective of this question is to

engage student thinking about the changing face of science and

technology across time.

2.

Ask the class to imagine that they are scientists or physicians

living in the mid-1800s. How much progress do they think they

would make solving the problems in Lesson 3?

For example, could they have identified the infectious agent?

Could they have determined how the disease was caused? Students

will probably have little specific knowledge of when relevant dis-

coveries were made or when relevant technologies were developed.

Allow the students to wonder about the timeline of scientific dis-

covery. Even though the problems in Lesson 3 are the same as in

any time period, the technologies and knowledge available at a

given time will determine the extent to which the problems can be

solved.

3.

Divide the class into three groups.

One group will focus on biology, the second on medicine, and the

third on technology.

4.

Provide each student in the biology group with one sheet on

which a biology development is written. Provide each member of

the medicine and technology groups with one sheet on which a

Content Standard E:

development appropriate to their group is written.

Science often

advances with new

In classes with fewer than 24 students, you can give students more

technologies.

than one sheet or you can give the group all eight sheets. In classes

with more than 24 students, you can add the following develop-

ments:

• biology: covalent bond described (1916, Gilbert Lewis), gene-

sequencing methods developed (1977, Walter Gilbert and Allan

Maxam, and Fred Sanger and Alan Coulson);

99

Student Lesson 4

Using Technology to Study Cellular and Molecular Biology

• medicine: first vaccination (1796, Edward Jenner), aspi-

rin introduced (1899, Felix Hoffmann);

• technology: protocol allowing different computer net-

works to interconnect and communicate with each

other (1973, Vinton Cerf and Bob Kahn), automated

DNA sequencer introduced (1986, Leroy Hood and col-

leagues).

Other developments can be added at the teacher’s discretion.

5.

Ask students to estimate the year the development on their

sheet occurred.

6.

Ask students to consult with other group members to place

all developments in their category in chronological order.

Allow only a few minutes for students to do this.

7.

Have students report their results.

This can be accomplished two ways. Students can call out

their results to the teacher, who then records the informa-

tion along a line drawn on a blank transparency projected for

the class to see. Alternatively, students can clip their sheets

to the string that spans the width of the room. Sheets should

be placed at a location representing the approximate date of

each development. For instance, a development occurring in

1850 would be placed midway between 1800 and 1900.

8.

Show students a transparency of Master 4.2, Some Key

Developments in Biology, Medicine, and Technology, and

quickly evaluate how students did at constructing their

timeline.

9.

Looking at the timeline, ask students what progress they

could have made in solving the problems in Lesson 3 if

they were working in the mid-1800s.

Students see that technologies available in 1850 were not

capable of providing the information required to solve the

problems in Lesson 3. Students also develop a firmer under-

standing of the relationship between technology development

and the advancement of knowledge.

Activity 2: Is That All There Is?

Teacher note: This activity should follow Activity 1 without a

break in discussion.

100

1.

Ask students if our present technology toolbox is complete. With

a show of hands, how many students believe we need new tech-

nologies?

You might ask students to suggest some new technologies and write

these suggestions on the board. Student responses are less impor-

Content Standard E:

tant than shifting the focus from existing technologies to new ones

Many scientific investi-

(or refinements of existing ones).

gations require contri-

butions from different

2.

Tell students that they will accelerate their journey through time.

disciplines, including

They are now scientists in the year 2052. Since students know

engineering.

that technologies are generally developed by teams whose mem-

bers have expertise in more than one discipline, they now will

Content Standard E:

work in teams.

Creativity, imagination,

and a good knowledge

3.

Divide the class into groups of four or five. Ask each group to

base are all required

choose one of the following problems:

in the work of science

• development of a technology to detect and measure concen-

and engineering.

trations of the abnormal protein in affected people from Les-

son 3 (that is, a biosensor),

• development of a technology to determine the structure of a

protein molecule without having to prepare a crystal of the

protein, or

• development of a technology that allows molecules of a drug

to be delivered specifically to the protein of affected people

from Lesson 3 in a way that allows the physician or scientist

to know how much drug is delivered.

4.

Instruct students to work with their group members to outline

the requirements of their technology.

This is a challenging activity for students. However, the key issue is

the rationale students provide for their technology. Students should

consider at least the following:

Content Standard G:

• What disciplines are involved in developing the technology?

Scientific explanations

• Is it a new technology or a refinement of an existing technology?

must meet certain

• What is the level of resolution required?

criteria such as consis-

• How are the issues of scale and probe size dealt with?

tency and accuracy.

• In general terms, how does the technology work?

5.

Reconvene the class. Each group in turn should present its tech-

nology.

Use class discussion to discover problems and weaknesses and to

help group members refine their ideas.

101

Student Lesson 4

Using Technology to Study Cellular and Molecular Biology

6.

As a final means of assessment, ask each student to prepare a

written report describing his or her technology.

Technologies should be described in sufficient detail to indicate the

student’s understanding of the concepts presented in this module.

102

Activity

Lesson 4 Organizer

Activity 1: Time Travel

What the Teacher Does

Procedure Reference

Show students a transparency of Master 4.1, Microscopes Across Page 99

Time. Ask them to look at the microscopes and describe the dif-

Step 1

ferences they observe.

Ask the class to imagine that they are scientists or physicians

Page 99

living in the mid-1800s. How much progress do they think they

Step 2

would make solving the problems in Lesson 3?

Divide the class into three groups.

Pages 99–100

• One group will focus on biology, the second on medi-

Steps 3–7

cine, and the third on technology.

• Provide each student with a sheet of paper on which is

written one development in his or her focus area.

• Ask students to estimate the year the development on

their sheet occurred.

• Ask students to consult with other group members to

place all developments in their focus area in chronologi-

cal order.

• Have students report their results.

Show students a transparency of Master 4.2, S ome Key Develop- Page 100

ments in Biology.

Steps 8–9

• Evaluate how students did at constructing their timeline.

• Ask students what progress they could have made in

solving the problems in Lesson 3 if they were working in

the mid-1800s.

Activity 2: Is That All There Is?

Ask students,

Page 101

• “Is our present technology toolbox complete?”

Step 1

• “How many students believe we need new technologies?”

103

Student Lesson 4

Using Technology to Study Cellular and Molecular Biology

Divide the class into groups of four or five.

Page 101

• Tell students they are scientists in the year 2052.

Steps 2–4

• Ask each group to choose one of the following prob-

lems:

o development of a technology to detect and mea-

sure concentrations of the abnormal protein in

affected people from Lesson 3;

o development of a technology to determine the

structure of a protein molecule without having to

prepare a crystal of the protein; or

o development of a technology that allows mol-

ecules of a drug to be delivered specifically to

the protein of affected people from Lesson 3 in a

way that allows the physician or scientist to know

how much drug is delivered.

• Instruct students to work with their group members to

outline the requirements of their technology, focusing on

concepts learned in earlier lessons.

Reconvene the class and allow each group to present its

Page 101

technology.

Step 5

As a final assessment, ask each student to prepare a written

Page 102

report describing his or her technology.

Step 6

= Involves using a transparency.

104

Lesson 1

Engage

title

Masters

Lesson 1, What Is Technology?

At a Glance

Master 1.1, Searching for Scale

1

copy

per

student

Lesson 2, Resolving Issues

Master 2.1, Probing for Answers Score Sheet

1

copy

per

2

students,

1

transparency

Master 2.2, Probes

1

copy

per

12

students

Masters 2.3 to 2.8, Probing for Answers—Levels 1–6

1 copy of each per 12

or

fewer

students;

2

copies

of

each

for

13–24

students;

3

copies

of

each

for

25–36

students

Master 2.9, Solution to Probing for Answers

1

transparency

( print version only)

Lesson 3, Putting Technology to Work

Master 3.1, Memo from the Director, Global Science

and Health Organization

1

copy

per

group

Master 3.2, Research Plan

1

copy

per

student,

1

transparency

Master 3.3, Example of a Research Plan 1

transparency

Master 3.4, Drug Discovery Evaluation Form

1

copy

per

student

( Web version only)

Master 3.5, Available Technologies

1

transparency

( print version only)

Master 3.6, Science Reference Manual

1

copy

per

group

( print version only)

Master 3.7, Muscle Protein Structures Determined by

X-Ray Crystallography

1

copy

per

group

or

1

transparency

( print version only)

Lesson 4, Technology: How Much Is Enough?

Master 4.1, Microscopes Across Time

1

transparency

Master 4.2, Some Key Developments in Biology,

Medicine, and Technology

1

transparency

105

Searching for Scale

Name:

Date:

Biological

Actual

Size Relative to Cell Object Used to

Measured

Size Relative

Structure

Diameter

Model Biologi-

Size of

to Model Cell

(in Meters)

cal structure

Model Object

(the Room)

Cell

1 × 10–5

1 × 10–5

Room

10 meters

10

= 1

= 1

1 × 10–5

10

Bacterium

1 × 10–6

1 × 10–6

Desk

1 meter

= 1

1 = 1

1 × 10–5 10

10 10

Mitochondrion

5 × 10–7

5 × 10–7 = 1

1 × 10–5 20

Virus

1 × 10–7

Ribosome

1 × 10–8

Protein

5 × 10–9

Glucose

1 × 10–9

molecule

H2O molecule

1 × 10–10

Master 1.1

Probing for Answers Score Sheet

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Master 2.1

Probes

Master 2.2

Probing for Answers—Level 1

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Level 1

Master 2.3

Probing for Answers—Level 2

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

1

2

3

4

5