Testing Cleaners with E. Coli

This week, my LIFE 1020 students experimented with E. Coli and testing everyday household cleaners. Here are some of the results...Bleach is effective in cleaning. Soapy Water is decent. And...Hand Sanitizer....dud. Interesting!

Some Food for Thought.

Makes me want to do more research.

Science in an infinite cycle.

TheChristyBel

Testing Household Cleaners on E. Coli

Playing With Bacteria

This week, our Elementary Ed. Majors in Biology were experimenting with genetic engineering. This lab was super cool. They were learning how genetic engineering is a process that enables scientists to put a desired gene into a plasmid, or ring of bacterial DNA. The object of this lab was to use specific genetic engineering processes to transform bacteria with a gene that codes of Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP).

Bacteria naturally contain one or more small circular pieces of DNA called plasmids. The unique pGLO plasmid encodes the gene for GFP plus a gene for resistance to the antibiotic ampicillin called beta-lactamase. Ampicillin is an antibiotic that kills various bacterial strains. However, if a bacterium has a certain gene resistant to ampicillin then exposure to the drug ampicillin does not kill the bacterium.

The plasmid pGLO also incorporates a special gene regulation system, which can control expression of the fluorescent protein in transformed cells. The gene for GFP can be switched on in transformed cells by adding the sugar arabinose to the cells' nutrient medium. Selection of the cells that have been transformed with pGLO DNA is accomplished by growth on antibiotic plates. The transformed cells will appear white on plates not containing arabinose, and fluorescent green under UV light when arabinose is included in the nutrient agar medium.

The students seemed really engaged with this lab and were really excited to see their bacteria plates glow under UV light!

Glowing Bacteria!

Elementary Ed. Majors Meet Cockroaches

This morning, our LIFE1020 students got to have an in-depth analysis with the Invertebrates, specifically Arthropods. They were to investigate the sequence in which these hissing cockroaches move. Not going to lie, I did not even know the sequence in which legs move first to propel them to scurry! So it was cool making the hypotheses with the students and observing the cockroaches prove or falsify their guesses.

It was really awesome to see the uneasiness, excitement, and curiosity that the students had towards the hissing friends we brought into class. I was surprised many of the students actually wanted to get up close and personal with them! Many raised their hands and asked if they could hold them and how to properly hold them! It was awesome! Some even overcame their fear of 'creepy crawly bugs!' Super proud of them. 

TheChristyBel

Into the Creepy Crawly Lair

Sea Urchin

Starfish

While I was grabbing cockroach-friends for our Invertebrate - Arthropod lab, I stumbled upon some really cool specimens! Do not worry, these were not alive. However, it made me really miss being near the beach! Haha. So cool the Animal Biology students get to take a gander at these during their lab! Super jealous! However, my students got to handle and study specimens that moved...and hissed!

TheChristyBel

Sea Cucumber

While Prepping for Bio Lab

This spring, while just taking my drawing I course and finishing up my masters, I am taking a Practicum in Lab Teaching course. This is really cool; this course allows students to assist in a Biology Lab. Essentially, we are not TA's, but we are assisting the TA's. However, my situation is a little bit different. Since I am a grad student and already have teaching experience, the professor paired me with the actual professor of LIFE 1020 (Biology for Elementary Ed. Majors). So I am not just an assistant, but sort of the TA - but I do not hold office hours (only if I want to - which I am on a case by case basis) and do not have to grade (which is great!). My professor is really awesome - she is super positive, flexible, and really communicative on what she wants with her class. She is also really open to to me chiming in during class, adding my own little tid-bits, and eventually, going to allow me to teach and lead a lecture/lab. Very cool.

This course is pretty great and flexible - I can basically make it the experience I want. I have a different, more intimidate participation and involvement with my chose course than the other lab assistants. I am attending both the lecture and lab - which is great. I can get to know my students more and it's also a great opportunity to review myself with Biology (since I haven't taken a Bio class since 2006/2007. But as I look at this teaching opportunity, I get to observe my professor teach and how it affects my students' understanding and interest in the class. Also, since I am assisting, my professor and I totally bounce ideas back and forth on how to engage the students, make it more interactive and hands-on, and I'm allowed to put my thoughts and ideas on the table (which, she has used in some of the classes so far)! Also, there are plenty of opportunities to go outside and I am able to use my outdoor ed/interpretive skills too! So, I am getting a lot of review, implementation, collaboration, more teaching experience, and experience in a FORMAL classroom all at the same time. Plus, a mentor - my professor is just great talking to about teaching, the university in general, the Post-Bac program (which I am interested in doing - eventually), and being a great friend. I am so grateful and pleased with this course and the connections I am making through it. Besides the great relationship and experience I am having actually in the lab/lecture, the assistants and I all meet with our actual Practicum's professor for reflection and discussion on inquiry and other various classroom management and instructional strategy topics. It's a little review, but its great for reflection about the lab and our own teaching.

Something is Too Big For It's Shell
It's Shed Time!

I should be documenting more of my involvement, but I really haven't. I've been so focused on the class, I forget to take photos. But...Friday afternoon after my WITS recruitment event, I had a weekly meeting with my professor to go over next week's lab. This lab is talking about animal diversity and we are focusing on invertebrates...which means an opportunity for live animal specimens! Boom...and guess what we're working with - Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches! I feel like I am back at Ashland Nature Center! It was super awesome checking out all live and dead specimens in the lab. I even got to do a Handling Tutorial with my professor - since she is not keen on holding these 'creepy-crawlies.'  Felt great!

But to the right, is a photo of one that we discovered was shedding! How freaking awesome is that?!? Enjoy!

TheChristyBel