Week 9 " Food Inc."

Week 9 " Food Inc."

 

 

This week studnets began watching a documentary called "Food, Inc.".  This movie is controversial and sparks much debate over bitechnology and food processing.  Studnets were very engaged in this program and were begining to question where their food does in fact come from.  We are also begingin to see some of the positives and negatives of using biotechnology on such a large scale in food production.  We are going to have some very good debates next week after we are finished watching this.  We will also continue research in the next few weeks about biotechnology in food production with some other informational sources.  Eventually we will have an actual debate about biotechnology and food production.



Week 8 "DNA: Your Critter's Chemical Identity"

 Week 8 "DNA: Your Critter's Chemical Identity"

 

 

This week students explored the DNA codes of their "critters" from last weeks activity.  We first determined the genetic code of you critters from their genotypes.  Next we explored what is actually in a double strand of DNA and picked apart of critters DNA (symbolically....on paper).  After looking at what parts of DNA are present in their critter's DNA students then created a model of the critter's DNA using pop beads:)





Week 7 "All in the Critter Family"

 

Week 7 "All in the Critter Family"

 

This week IMSA students again explored the world of genetic traits.  This time we were simulating what might happen with some specific genotypes of "critters" using Punnett Squares.  We compared the results of our Punnet Squares to theoretical probability using a spinner to select which traits offspring would receive.   It turns out that our theoretical probabilities are very close in number to our data we created on our Punnett Squares to determine offspring traits. Students had fun creating their "Critter Offspring"

using colored stickers to represent the possible phenotypes.

 (There are more pics below......sorry technical difficulties:)

 

Week 7 "Genes "R" Us"

 Week 7

"Genes "R" Us"

 

This week we continued our exploration of genetic traits.  This time students looked at some of their own phenotypes and determined the frequency of various traits in our class. We charted frequency of several phenotypes such as: (Hairline, Earlobes, Freckles, Hair Type, Tongue roller, Hitchhiker's thumb, PTC Taster) After charting data in groups, we combined our data into a class frequency chart. We compared our data to see if our phenotypes really



                                  were accurate with the dominant or recessive information we

                                 discussed earlier.  Each group also explored a Hardy Weinberg

                                 equation to determine our actual frequency (percentage) of

dominant and receive traits in this class.  (As you can see from the pictures finding our you are a PTC taster is an interesting experience!) Ha Ha!!!

Week 6 "Smiley Genes"



Week 6 "Smiley Genes"

 

This week IMSA students began learning about Gregor Mendel and his research of pea plants.  We learned about genes and thier alleles and how they combine from both parents to determine an organism's genotypes (dominant or recesive genes) and phenotypes (the appearance of the traits on teh organism).   Students had a great time creating thier own "offspring" using a coin flip and some basic genetic traits to determine the appearance of a potential "offspring".  The results were quite interesting!!!! :) We had a great time with this one! Too funny!

Week 5 "Microscopic Multiplpication"

Week 5

 

"Microscopic Multiplication"

 

This week IMSA students explored the challenging world of cell multiplication.  Mrs. Robinson led the group on a mini lesson of using exponents and scientific notation.  From their students discussed what they already knew about cell division and we explored this topic through a mock exercise on cell multiplication using beads.  Students were given a specific amount of beads and were led carefully on how to chart exponential growth of their bead (cell) population.  Again using a data table and their knowledge of scientific notation, students were able to mathematically calculate some predictions about cell growth (doubling).  There were some strong connections made in this lesson to cancer cells and how biotechnology has made it possible to study and research different types of cancer.  

Week 3 & 4 "Welcome to Cell Middle School"

Week 3

 

We spent much of our time this week on researching different organelles of plant and animal cells.  We looked at what the function of each part was as well as how the parts work together.  Each group was assigned two organelles to research and they then shared with the whole group as much of their information as possible.  We discussed that understanding cells and their functions are a huge part of biotechnology.  We then tried to connect today's research to how it could be helpful in the field of biotechnology. 





 

Week 4

 

This week we spent some time reviewing the different organelles of plant and animal cells.  We even had a fun trivia competition to kick things off!  The main goal of our lesson today was to further our knowledge and understanding of cell organelles and their functions by making a school related analogy for each cell part.  Students had to choose parts of a school building to relate to the different parts of a cell.  Again, we reviewed why knowledge of cells and their organelles is so important to the field of biotechnology. 

IMSA Week 2 "Natural Selection- What it Takes to Survive"

IMSA Week 2 "Natural Selection- What it Takes to Survive"

 

We began with discussion about what "natural selection" & survival of the fittest" means. From there we made some predictions about what might happen to a population of bean seeds under some special conditions. Students were then given trays with different sized holes in the bottom and a bag of 4 different types of bean seeds. They were asked to place a certain population of each type of bean in their "environment" and shake it 15 times and then record what happened to their bean population. They then recorded data and doubled the surviving bean population and repeated the shaking and data recording. They repeated the doubling process for 6 "generations" and observed what happened to their bean population. From here we analyzed data using line graphs. We also had a nice deep discussion about natural selection and genetically engineering plants for survival.

 

 

 

 

Week 1 Biotech Timeline "This is a Line Up"

After brainstorming in small groups about what they thought biotechnology was all about, we got started on our first big activity for this unit. ("This is a Line up")Students were given an event from biotechnology history and asked to find its place on a timeline posted on the wall.  Students had to interact with each other and reason through where each event might be located and why.  They then had to make their selection as to where then felt they needed to stand on the timeline.  As a whole group, we then discussed where the events actually belonged and why.  We also took a look back at some of our ideas from our original brainstorm about biotechnology and made some corrections to our original ideas.

 

Welcome!

Check here to see what is happening at IMSA Fusion at Lombard!