The Newsletter for Science
in Motion at Susquehanna University
Volume VI Issue 5 January 2007
Director's Column
The SIM Winter Workshop was held Thursday, January 4, 2007, at Susquehanna University Fisher Science Hall. Ten teachers attended representing Bloomsburg Area High School, Hughesville High School, Juniata High School, Lewisburg Area High School, Midd-West High School, Milton Area Senior High School, Shamokin Area Junior-Senior High School and Shikellamy High School. Teachers chose between a wide variety of sessions. Madge Schworer and Greg Stout took teachers through DNA electrophoresis, Protein electrophoresis and Vernier Physiology experiments. Mike McDevitt showed teachers how to use the FTIR to analyze organic liquids or fatty acids as well as use pH probes for analysis of acid rain and acids/bases. Jaclyn Basgil, with assistance from Dr. Krishna Chowdary, debuted Physics Crime Scene and also showed teachers Projectile Motion and Ball Toss with video analysis. Teachers were also encouraged to experiment with the Starry Night Software.
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| Biology teachers perform DNA Electrophoresis |
Physics teachers perform
Ball Toss with video analysis at the Winter Workshop. |
Many teachers have already submitted
reservation forms requesting visits or equipment loans for the spring semester.
Thank you for submitting your reservation forms in advance! In the interest
of serving as many teachers as possible, please initially
only submit your two highest priority requests for visits or equipment
loans. Once everyone has scheduled two visits/loans, the mobile educators
(MEs) will post their available dates on the SIM Web site. Then teachers can
submit additional reservation forms until the MEs schedules are filled. Biology
teachers please remember, if you are unable to schedule a visit/loan with
Madge, you can contact Greg for biology visits/loans. Thank you once again
for using SIM!
Madge Schworer, Biology Mobile Educator Says…
December was a busy month for Biology. SIM mobile educators began the month by attending sessions and staffing a Science in Motion consortium information booth at the Pennsylvania Science Teacher’s Association convention in Hershey. This was a great time for networking with our colleagues across the state and to get some new ideas. Before leaving for the convention I made a visit to Bloomsburg High School to bring the Bacteria Sensitivity lab to Donna Wood’s biology classes. Students tested the effect of various antibiotics and disinfectants on growth of two strains of bacteria. December was also a big Crime Scene Investigation month. John Slotterback at North Schuylkill Junior/Senior High School borrowed the equipment and supplies for traditional fingerprinting, blood typing, and DNA Fingerprinting elements of the Crime Scene Investigation for his classes. Jen Gurski at Shikellamy High School brought SIM to her classroom at the beginning of a thorough Crime Scene Investigation to work with students to learn about DNA fingerprinting, blood spatter, and traditional fingerprinting techniques. Students continued the following week, under the direction of Mrs. Gurski, with analysis of crime scene evidence using these techniques as well as blood typing and hair and fiber analysis to solve their crime. Gary Stair at Berwick High School brought the Crime Scene Investigation to his 9th Grade Biology students analyzing DNA Fingerprinting, hair analysis, traditional fingerprinting, and hair analysis right before the winter holiday. A highlight for these students was a visit by a local law enforcement officer sharing information about evidence collection. This combination of effort was quite effective! The electrophoresis equipment was also the focus of a DNA Fingerprinting lab with students at Milton High School taught by Jocelyn Bailey and Kathy Bower looking at the technique of electrophoresis and the use of a molecular weight standard curve to determine sizes of unknown DNA bands. The DNA Fingerprinting lab was also performed by Bob Hartman’s biology students at Shamokin High School. The other popular topic in December was photosynthesis. Al Zelnick at Line Mountain High School brought the bio van to his biology classes for Photosynthesis and Respiration using the Vernier carbon dioxide gas sensors and spinach leaves to give a visual demonstration of carbon dioxide changes produced by plants with and without light. That same visit saw his AP Biology class perform Plant Pigment Chromatography and the AP Photosynthesis lab using the reduction of DPIP to measure the rate of photosynthesis as analyzed with the Vernier colorimeters. Allison Spencer of Berwick High School brought the Photosynthesis and Respiration lab to her 9th grade biology classes. Gary Stair, also at Berwick High School, borrowed the equipment to do the same lab with his 9th graders as well. In addition Dana Hock and Greg Laubach at Central Columbia High School and Geoff Goodenow at Lewisburg High School borrowed the equipment and materials for the Limitations on Cell Size lab. Kathy Bower and Jocelyn Bailey at Milton High School borrowed the digital microscopes and materials for Human Chromosome Spread using the HeLa cells. Winter Holiday brought a nice break for us all! The first week in January found me at Central Columbia High School with AP Biology students taught by Dana Hock. This group initiated the GMO PCR lab that the teachers had tried out at the Summer Workshop. This lab involves the extraction of DNA from a variety of corn and soy foods, running a polymerase chain reaction using plant and GMO directed primers, and finally, analysis using polyacrylamide gels. Students realized that many lab procedures take time unlike the instant TV lab protocols! The GMO requires 4 days of single periods but gives students exposure to a realistic view of lab science. Another visit with Greg Laubach and Dana Hock at Central Columbia gave students the opportunity to perform Yeast Respiration in which students test the ability of yeast to metabolize various sugars and collect carbon dioxide production data using the CO2 gas sensors. I worked with Greg’s students one day and the equipment stayed behind for Dana’s students to use the next day. Thanks to all teachers for coordination efforts!
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| Shamokin High School student loading
DNA samples for |
Central Columbia High
School teacher, Dana Hock, works with students extracting DNA for the GMO PCR lab. |
Our Winter Workshop gave biology teachers a chance to work through electrophoresis of DNA and protein, test out a number of human physiology Vernier sensors, and to join forces with the chemists to learn about FTIR of trans fats and labs using pH probes such as Acid Rain and Household Acids and Bases. It was a productive day for all!
My spring calendar is almost full. I am still getting back to teachers with specific dates for requested labs. If you have a request, email me. Remember that equipment loans are another SIM alternative. Please feel free to contact me via email any time!
Jaclyn Basgil, Chemistry/Physics Mobile Educator Says…
I hope everyone had a great holiday and a relaxing break. Happy New Year!!
I’m sure that December was a busy month for everyone. I began my month by visiting the chemistry classes of Sheila Furr at Shikellamy High School. Her students analyzed various compounds using our gas chromatographs to determine their various components. Shikellamy High School students also put our nuclear chemistry equipment into action in the chemistry classes of Colleen Ruths. The students used our Vernier radiation counters to study how radiation emitted by a beta source is absorbed by increasing layers of cardboard. Brian Landis’ students at Mifflinburg High School had the opportunity to perform the Beers Law lab. His students used our Vernier colorimeters to measure the absorbance value of various solutions. Brett Criswell of Central Columbia High School utilized the services of SIM once again to perform a lab of his own analyzing oils with our FTIR’s. Selinsgrove High School students in Bob Everly’s physics classes were able to observe and measure energy changes between two carts during elastic, inelastic and completely inelastic collisions by performing the lab Momentum, Energy and Collisions. I also visited the physics students of Clark Sarge at Hughesville High School with this lab. Next I was off to visit the physics students of Ernie Tyler at Sunbury Christian School. The students used an accelerometer to analyze the motion of a bungee jumper in the lab Bungee Jump Accelerations. Tracy Hepner impressed the students at Selinsgrove High School by performing an array of demonstrations using liquid nitrogen. Last but not least, Brandon White of Danville High School once again used our Vernier computer interfaces to perform the lab Projectile Motion. Thanks again to all for a great month at SIM!
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| Sunbury Christian Academy students use an accelerometer to analyze the motion of a bungee jumper. |
Greg Stout, Mobile Educator Says...
Regular SIM visits included a trip to Tri-Valley High School with Pam Ulicny and her students. Two of her Environmental Science classes conducted an Acids and Buffers Lab in which we looked at the effect of acid on various buffered and non-buffered liquids. Students measured the effects of Hydrochloric Acid on tap water, pH 7.0 buffer and/or a potato homogenate. Another visit occurred later in the month at Line Mountain High School working with students of Heather Kieffer. Five of her Ecology classes conducted a lab pertaining to acid rain and its potential impact on the environment.
In December we continued our CBC funded water quality monitoring program with visits to six different streams. The first three visits were made to Limestone Run, Milton High School - Karen Avery, Little Mahanoy Creek, North Schuylkill High School - John Slotterback and Shamokin Creek, Shikellamy High School - Sheila Furr. In the last official week of the school year we conducted surveys at Green Creek, Central Columbia High School - Greg Laubach, Ten Mile Run, Central Columbia High School - Dana Hock and Lost Creek, Juniata High School - Dan Smith. On-site testing by these students consisted of measurements for temperature, pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen and flow rate. Additionally, samples were collected for shipment to both the Susquehanna River Basin Commission (suspended sediment analysis) and the PA DEP laboratory (inorganic analyses).
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| Juniata High School students sampling Lost Creek stream water. |
Juniata
High School students filtering water collected from Lost Creek. |
Please check our Web site for available
dates that I have for visits or drop-offs of equipment. I will be glad to
work with you on any Environmental, Ecology or Biology labs that you are interested
in.
Experiment of the Month
Acid Rain
This month we will feature several options for teaching students about the effect of Acid Rain on the Environment. Vernier Software and Technology actually offers Acid Rain labs in four different workbooks, as follows:
