Microworld Chaining: Microworld Chaining: Scaffolding Holistic Scaffolding Holistic Meaning Across Meaning Across

Lessons in High School Lessons in High School BiologyBiology

Geoffrey W BoyleGeoffrey W Boyle

EDIT 732EDIT 732

Hello Student! You will explore a series of Hello Student! You will explore a series of microworlds that will help you to microworlds that will help you to understand how chemistry, DNA, and a understand how chemistry, DNA, and a bird’s lunch are related. bird’s lunch are related.

You will start at a very small level and You will start at a very small level and work your way up to lunch.work your way up to lunch.

Domain: Electron bondingDomain: Electron bonding

Click on letters Click on letters to make atoms to make atoms appearappear

Domain: Electron bondingDomain: Electron bonding

Basic Basic bonding is bonding is limit of this limit of this MicroworldMicroworld

Domain: Electron bondingDomain: Electron bonding

Two Two representations representations available available

Domain: Electron bonding Domain: Electron bonding In our bodiesIn our bodies

Expanded to Expanded to include include building of building of DNA bits?DNA bits?

Electron bonding in DNAElectron bonding in DNA

The electron reactions you have just The electron reactions you have just explored occur inside all living things.explored occur inside all living things.

In your journal:In your journal: Take a few minutes to explain in your journal Take a few minutes to explain in your journal

the rules the atoms followed when bonding. the rules the atoms followed when bonding. Write as if you were explaining to a Write as if you were explaining to a programmer how to write this program from programmer how to write this program from scratch.scratch.

Bonding in DNA: You are the Bonding in DNA: You are the enzymeenzyme

In this next simulation, you will play the In this next simulation, you will play the role of an enzyme in order to help build role of an enzyme in order to help build two grasshopper proteins.two grasshopper proteins.

Depending on the protein, the Depending on the protein, the grasshoppers you grow may live or die.grasshoppers you grow may live or die.

Bonding in DNA: You are the Bonding in DNA: You are the enzymeenzyme

1)Choose a 1)Choose a protein to build;protein to build;

2)Match base 2)Match base pairs as the pairs as the helix entwines;helix entwines;

3) Keep up!3) Keep up!

Bonding in DNA: You are the Bonding in DNA: You are the enzymeenzyme

In your journal:In your journal: Explain the rules that the bases follow you Explain the rules that the bases follow you

paired them as the double helix entwined paired them as the double helix entwined itself.itself.

What might interfere when two given bases What might interfere when two given bases need to bond? Consider what you know need to bond? Consider what you know about electrons and chemical bonds.about electrons and chemical bonds.

Life or Death for Grasshoppers: Did Life or Death for Grasshoppers: Did you build the right protein?you build the right protein?

Grasshoppers exoskeletons are colored Grasshoppers exoskeletons are colored by pigments, which are just proteins. by pigments, which are just proteins.

DNA coding, the base pairing you just did, DNA coding, the base pairing you just did, determines what color those pigments are.determines what color those pigments are.

Now grow grasshoppers in the incubator Now grow grasshoppers in the incubator and release them into the jungle! and release them into the jungle!

Exoskeleton AlleleExoskeleton Allele

Life or Death for Grasshoppers: Life or Death for Grasshoppers: Did you build the right protein?Did you build the right protein?

In your journal:In your journal: Think about how the proteins you made Think about how the proteins you made

affected the color of the grasshoppers.affected the color of the grasshoppers. Speculate on other traits of grasshoppers that Speculate on other traits of grasshoppers that

might help them avoid predators or might might help them avoid predators or might attract them.attract them.

Do you think there are ways the bird might Do you think there are ways the bird might adapt to catch grasshoppers with new traits?adapt to catch grasshoppers with new traits?