Following is the curriculum activities I planned around my research work to bring it my classroom.

CURRICULUM ACTIVITIES FOR CHEMISTRY-BIOLOGY INTEGRATED CLASS

Students will work on a series of tasks, which will go through two to three weeks depending on the pace of the class. The topic covered will be GENETICS.

Standards and Thinking skills:
v Describe the molecular basis of heredity, in living things, including DNA replication and protein synthesis
v Formulate predictions, questions, or hypotheses based on observations.
v Design models
v Communicate results of investigations
v Develop viable solutions to a need or problem

Materials:
v Computer
v Paper/scissors/color pencil
v Forensic DNA finger printing kit
v Horizontal gel electrophoresis chambers, 4–8
v Adjustable micropipets 2–20 µl, 1–8 20–200 µl, 1 100–1,000 µl, 1
v Pipet tips 2–200 µl, BR-35, 1 bag 100–1,000 µl, BR-40, 1 bag
v Water bath
v Mini centrifuge
v Rocking platform
v Gel support film
v Microwave oven

Description: First thing is to building concept knowledge of DNA structure, translation, mutation, replication (primer,\PCR, sequencing), ligation, restriction enzyme, digestion, and transformation(Heatshock & Electroporation). To achieve this we will repeat step-A all three parts so that I can address all different types of learning styles in my classroom.

Step-A Part-I
· PowerPoint Presentation of the Topic
· Class Discussion and Question- Answer Session


Step- A Part- II
· Computer Simulation
· http://www.biology.arizona.edu
· http://sitemaker.umich.edu/darcyholoweski/dna_transcription_and_translation_interactive_game
· http://www.med.yale.edu/genetics/ward/tavi/PCR.html; http://www.sumanasinc.com/webcontent/anisamples/molecularbiology/pcr.html
· http://www.basic.northwestern.edu/biotools/oligocalc.html

Step- A Part –III
· Paper Labs
· https://www2.carolina.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?memberId=-1002&productId=39642&langId=-1&storeId=10151&catalogId=10101

Step- B Part-I
· Hands- on Activity

Once students have learned the concept they are ready to perform experimental Forensic DNA fingerprinting investigation. This activity provides in-depth explanations about how restriction enzymes cut DNA and how electrophoresis is used to separate and visualize DNA fragments. The unique curriculum provided in this kit guides students through the procedure of constructing a standard curve using their own gel data. They can then use their standard curve to estimate the molecular weights of the unknown DNA fragments generated by different restriction enzymes.
Electrophoretic techniques that distinguish DNA fragments by size are essential in forensics and in the mapping of restriction sites within genes. With the curriculum in this kit, students also have the opportunity to read plasmid maps and predict the sizes of DNA fragments from restriction enzymes digests prior to performing the lab. They can go one step further and use restriction digest maps of lambda bacteriophage genomes to design novel plasmids. In the process of doing these extension activities, students learn how restriction enzymes function and how they are used in genetic engineering.

Step- B Part- II
· Lab report Writing

Finally students are going to write a report on their findings. They will explain the logical thinking behind the procedural steps they followed. Then in conclusion students will justify their result in detail. I usually distribute lab-report points as follows:

Lab Skills – 25%

Hypothesis – 5%
Procedural Explanation – 10%
Analysis – 35%
Conclusion - 25%