1

Welcome! Flinn Scientific

Guided Inquiry Labs for Advanced Placement Biology

Presented by Maureen Hunt

Irene Cesa

2

Four Big Ideas – More Great Labs! • Integrate scientific inquiry and reasoning through a

series of student-directed, inquiry-based laboratory investigations.

• Model the inquiry process and demonstrate activities from new guided inquiry labs for AP Biology.

• Share proven strategies for improving students’ ability to generate meaningful questions, design experiments, and analyze statistical evidence

3

Today’s Workshop • Promote and Support Scientific Inquiry • Interactive Lab and Inquiry Activities Enzyme Activity Mitosis

• Transitioning Current AP Biology Labs – Inquiry Opportunities

• Critical Thinking and Inductive Reasoning Chromosome Analysis

4

The Nature of Science – A Vision for Inquiry in AP Biology • Students “construct” or

discover knowledge with an understanding of how scientists study the natural world.

• Inquiry learning extends beyond experiments to develop science practice and process skills in addition to science content.

Content

Reasoning Inquiry

Levels of Scientific Inquiry • Confirmation – verify a principle through activities with known results • Structured inquiry – investigate a teacher-

presented question following a prescribed procedure

• Guided inquiry – research and design a procedure to investigate a teacher-presented question

• Open inquiry – investigate topic-related questions formulated through student-designed or selected procedures

5

AP Biology Lab Investigations • A continuum! • The goal is for students to become proficient

exploring concepts and applying reasoning skills via guided- and open-inquiry laboratory investigations.

• Role of structured inquiry • Review prerequisite knowledge • Introduce techniques • Develop laboratory skill proficiency

6

Science Practice and Process Skills –Promote Inquiry

• Reviewing known facts, models and theories • Observations based on experience,

demonstrations, and interactive or preliminary experiments

• Making predictions • Planning the investigation

7

The world is full of obvious things, which nobody by any chance ever observes. – Sherlock Holmes

Reasoning based on the evidence!

Science Practice and Process Skills – Support Inquiry

There’s more to a good experiment than samples, specimens, chemicals, and test tubes!

• Baseline experiments • Variables and controls • Gather and analyze data • Construct explanations • Create, critique and revise models • Scientific arguments and communication

8

Enzyme Activity – Baseline Activity

Peroxidase catalyzes decomposition of hydrogen peroxide in presence of acceptor compounds, AH2, such as guaiacol.

9 4H2O2 + 4AH2 8H2O + Tetraguaiacol (orange)

Enzyme

y = 0.0016x R² = 0.9957

y = 0.0008x R² = 0.9984

y = 0.0004x R² = 0.9698

0.00

0.10

0.20

0.30

0.40

0.50

0.60

0.70

0.80

0 100 200 300 400 500 600

Abs

orba

nce

at 5

00 n

m

Time (sec)

Effect of Enzyme Concentration

[E] = 2x

[E] = x

[E] = 0.5 x

Peroxidase Enzyme Product Concentration Series

10

Effect of Enzyme Concentration on Reaction Rate

y = 0.0008x

R2 = 1

0.0000

0.0005

0.0010

0.0015

0.0020

0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5

Relative Enzyme Concentration

Rate

(Del

ta A

bs/s

ec)

Explain effect of concentration on enzyme activity in terms of dynamic theory of biological reactions. How will substrate concentration influence rate of reaction?

11

Enzyme Activity – Inquiry Opportunity

12

Effect of Substrate Concentration

y = 0.0008xR² = 0.9984 y = 0.0007x

R² = 0.9736

y = 0.0005xR² = 0.959

0.00

0.05

0.10

0.15

0.20

0.25

0.30

0.35

0.40

0 100 200 300 400 500 600

Time (sec)

Abs

orba

nce

at 5

00 n

m

[S] = 2x

[S] = 0.5x

[S] = 0.25x

12

Effect of Substrate Concentration on Enzyme Activity

00.00010.00020.00030.00040.00050.00060.00070.00080.0009

0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5

Relative Substrate Concentration

Rat

e (D

elta

Abs

/sec

)

Why does rate level off at high substrate concentrations? Explain in terms of basic model of enzyme function!

13

Inquiry Opportunities, Learning Objectives and Enduring Understandings • Effect of pH – Understand relationship between enzyme

structure and function! – Subcomponents of a biological molecule and their sequence

determine properties of the molecule (4A1)

• Temperature – Determine factors that will change the rate of an enzyme reaction. – All biological systems are affected by complex biotic and abiotic

interactions involving the exchange of matter and energy (2D1)

• Inhibitors and activators – Explain in terms of the regulation of enzyme activity and metabolism. – Interactions between molecules affect their structure and

function (4B1) 14

Mitosis– Baseline Activity • Recognize stages of

mitosis in root apical meristem tissue. – Review microscope use,

and learn how to prepare root tip squashes.

• Compare root tips grown in water to those grown with either a mitosis promoter or inhibitor.

15

Pool class data. Do a chi-square test to determine if the treatment had a significant effect on the rate of mitosis. Was there a significant difference between groups?

Treatment Tip Interphase Mitotic Total

1

2

3

Total

16

Environmental Effects on Mitosis

• What benefit would a plant pathogen derive from excreting a mitosis promoter?

• Explain in terms of rapid cell division on the overall health of the plant.

17

Mitosis Activity – Inquiry Opportunity

Design and conduct an investigation to determine what biotic or abiotic factors or substances in the environment might increase or decrease the rate

of mitosis in roots.

18 18

Inquiry Opportunities, Learning Objectives and Enduring Understandings • Effect of mitosis promoters and inhibitors – Explain in terms of

how disrupting cell cycle controls effects an organism. – The cell cycle is directed by internal controls or checkpoints. Internal

and external signals provide stop-and-go signs at the checkpoints (3A2 also 3D1a and 4C2)

• Biotic and abiotic factors – Determine factors that will change the rate of mitosis. – All biological systems are affected by complex biotic and abiotic

interactions involving the exchange of matter and energy (2D1)

• Dose response curve – Analyze quantitatively and qualitatively the effects of disruptions to dynamic homeostasis in biological systems – Biological systems are affected by disruptions to their dynamic

homeostasis (2D3) 19

Safety Considerations • Review current Material Safety Data Sheets for safety,

handling, and disposal information. – Look at hazard, first aid, personal protection, and toxicological

sections.

• Wear chemical splash goggles, chemical-resistant gloves, and a chemical-resistant apron. – Know if the chemical needs special gloves

• Carbol-fuchsin stain in mitosis lab contains phenol. Use nitrile or neoprene gloves, not latex.

• First aid – just in case – Know if the chemical needs special first aid procedures and have

those on hand before you begin. • Carbol-fuchsin stain in mitosis lab contains phenol. Rinse with IPA or

propylene glycol. NO water!

20

Transitioning Current AP Biology Labs – Inquiry Opportunities • Lab 1, Osmosis and Diffusion

– Use unknown sucrose concentration solutions and compare water potential in various tubers.

• Lab 2, Enzyme Catalysis with Catalase – Vary the enzyme or substrate concentration. Investigate the

effect of pH and temperature on the rate of catalysis.

• Labs 3A, Mitosis, and 3B, Meiosis – Explore influence of mitotic inhibitors and promoters. Vary the

type of meristem used as well as the slide preparation techniques (fixatives and stains).

– Sordaria meiosis activity remains unchanged!

21

Transitioning Current AP Biology Labs – Inquiry Opportunities • Lab 4A, Plant Pigments, and 4B, Photosynthesis

– Study different plants and different plant parts. Vary the stationary phase media for chromatography.

– Investigate effect of light source (intensity and wavelength) on the rate of photosynthesis. Explore light and dark reactions.

• Lab 5, Cell Respiration – Explore rate of respiration using various types of seeds and/or

small animals. What is the effect of temperature?

• Labs 6A, Bacterial Transformation, and 6B, Restriction Enzymes – Both labs are transitioned in the new curriculum! See new

Sample Investigations 8 and 9.

22

Transitioning Current AP Biology Labs – Inquiry Opportunities • Lab 7, Genetics of Organisms

– Vary the types of model organisms and investigate the effect of temperature, food source, egg-laying area.

– Explore drosophila mutant eye color using chromatography!

• Lab 8, Population Genetics and Evolution – Correlate food preference questionnaire with PTC taster vs.

non-taster. Compare results with annual demographic record.

• Labs 9, Transpiration – Investigate biotic and abiotic effects, such as light source and

wavelength, humidity, wind, coatings on leaves, etc.

23

Transitioning Current AP Biology Labs – Inquiry Opportunities • Lab 10, Physiology of the Circulatory System

– Vary the type of organism and examine heart-rate suppressors and promoters, as well as environmental conditions, such as temperature.

• Lab 11, Animal Behavior – Study different organisms and investigate effects of temperature,

light, pH, aromatic chemicals. Explore plant taxis?

• Lab 12, Dissolved Oxygen and Aquatic Primary Productivity – Compare dissolved oxygen levels at different locations and at

different times of year. Set up aquarium ecosystems and conduct longitudinal study.

24

Flinn Scientific – Guided Inquiry Labs for Advanced Biology

Evolution • Natural Selection,

FB1989 • Antibiotic Sensitivity

Testing, FB1935 • Gene Pool and Natural

Selection, FB1568

25

Cell Processes • Electron Capture and

Photosynthesis, FB1966 • Exploring the Rate of

Diffusion, AP7273 • The Permeability of

Yeast Cells, FB1907

Flinn Scientific – Guided Inquiry Labs for Advanced Biology

Genetics • Caution! Mold Crossing

Ahead, Sordaria FB2001 • Transformation of E.

coli with pGal, FB0313 • Meiosis Laboratory Kit,

FB1811 26

Ecology • Biofilms, FB1886 • Bacteria Soil Ecology,

FB1658 • Winogradsky Column,

Biosphere in a Bottle, FB1574