DNA Crime Scene Gel Electrophoresis Capstone Project Laura Kowalski 2010

DNA Crime Scene Gel Electrophoresis Capstone Project Laura Kowalski 2010

Project Phases: • Phase I: Research and Hands-on Authentic experiences. (One week) • Phase II: Students Apply Higher Order Thinking Skills (Four weeks) • Phase III:Outreach and Presentation (One week)

Detailed Project Timeline: Week 1: Research-Students will research on their own and then share their findings with their teams. Forensic Scientist Guest Speaker Presentation. (This took two periods and was an in-school field trip I provided for all of the Honors Biology students.) Week 2: Crime Scene Simulation: Science in Motion (This took two double periods.)

Timeline (continued) Week 3: Working Model Students developed ideas the first day on the materials they used to create and present their working model of the process of gel electrophoresis and created them the next class period. Weeks 4 and 5: Crime Scene Scenario and Data Construction Students were given the idea behind the project two weeks prior to beginning the project and they began documenting their ideas on their Google Docs site. Students created gel electrophoresis data, blood samples, hair analysis and two other forms of forensic evidence (one with a math component).

Timeline(continued) Week 6: Outreach and Presentation. Students in NJ will collaborate with the teams in PA to solve each crime. (This will take place outside of class time using each team’s Google Docs site.) All student work will be added to each student’s Honors Biology Class Laboratory Portfolio.

Phase I: Research and Hands-on Authentic ForensicsExperiences: • Guest Speaker Presentation- Ms. Regina Porobenski,a forensic scientist described the career of a forensic scientist. She also described the science and math involved in forensic science that she uses in the laboratory. (In-school field trip for two periods on 3/26/10)

Phase I (continued)Crime Scene Simulation: Students read the data provided and developed a hypothesis about who they thought committed the crime in the case. Students loaded the gels to collect DNA fingerprinting data to create a detailed analysis and appropriate conclusions. Students completed a formal laboratory report, including research and a detailed overview of the scientific method. (Due two weeks after the experiment was completed.) Simulation was provided by Mrs. Helene Hartman, Science in Motion Educator. Cedar Crest College, Allentown, PA (Two double class periods 3/15/2010 and 3/19/2010)

Phase II. Students Apply Higher Order Thinking Skills to: • Create a Gel Electrophoresis Working Model Tutorial for other students to use. (One week) • Act as forensic scientists and construct a crime scene scenario and corroborating crime scene evidence. (Three weeks) • Rubric for the working model and the crime scene scenario are posted to the wiki at: http://www.lkowalskicapstoneproject.wikispaces.com

Phase III: Outreach and Presentation • Crime scene overview and data will be reviewed by teams of detectives-students in NJ-to solve via the Google Docs sites the week of April 19, 2010. (Collaboration takes place outside of the classroom on the Google Docs site.) • All team information was posted to their Google Docs site and was printed for each student’s formal laboratory portfolio to be reviewed and self-evaluated by the student and the parent, and ultimately evaluated by the teacher. (Rubric posted on the wiki.) • Completion of a formal laboratory report for Science in Motion Case due April 8, 2010. This will also be put in formal laboratory portfolio.

Learning and Doing: • Students created a crime scene that included their data they constructed as clues specific to the crime scene scenario they created. • Crime Scene Evidence includes: -DNA Gel Electrophoresis -Blood Analysis (Teams chose how to include this component.) -Evidence that incorporated a math component -Any other piece of forensic evidence the team chose.

Technology fully integrated into the classroom Technology was interwoven throughout the project to provide the means for research, collaboration, collection and construction of data, analysis and interpretation of data, and invention and presentation of products. The following is a list of technology that was used: Google Docs Power Point Inspiration Photo Booth iMovie Garage Band Digital compound Light Microscope Interactive Polyvision Board Class Wiki

Students acting as a professional in the discipline • Students took on the role of a forensic scientists working in the laboratory and constructed data using real world DNA technology and equipment. • Students in NJ will serve as CSI detectives that serve to solve the crime.

Technology—Technology was infused into the project in the following ways: Google docs Students in PA posted their work on their Google Docs site and the teacher was also invited into their site to check on progress and address questions and issues that arose. iMovie and Photo Booth (Vodcast)-Students modeled the processes involved in the key components of the process of gel electrophoresis using these computer programs to create simulations/tutorials. This will serve as a review of the process and relate it to their correct analysis of the data presented to the CSI team in NJ. This will also be used by other students in biology classes as a tutorial for the process of gel electrophoresis. Gel Electrophoresis- (Gel electrophoretic chamber and equipment)-students were able to run a gel using corn DNA and were assessed on how well they loaded the gel, as well as how well they explained the processes and the chemical basis of why this process occurs. The Students also evaluated the use and validity of DNA evidence used in the court.

Technology—Technology was infused into the project in the following ways: Compound light microscope and Interactive Polyvision Board-students projected their hair samples using the digital projecting compound light microscope and labeled the components of the hair sample using the write-on feature of the Polyvision Board. Inspiration-Students used this program to create a sunburst that depicted what it is they needed to know. Next, they researched the specific information and shared their research with their team. The teams used this information and created a working model of the processes involved in DNA fingerprinting, which includes: 1. Harvesting the DNA sample, 2. The use of restriction enzymes to cut the DNA, and 3. The separation of the DNA fragments in the electrophoresis chamber: depicting the size and charge of the fragments and how it affects the outcomes and analysis of the gel. Computers- Computer laptops for each students were needed for the aforementioned software related to the project and for the purposes of research. Class Wiki- Students were encouraged to use the class wiki to ask questions of Ms. Porobenski, a forensic scientist who came in as a guest speaker.

References Science in Motion (n.d.). Forensic case file #24857: Death of Mrs. Lucy Bell. Science in Motion. Adapted from http://www.biologyarizona.edu/human_bio/activities/blackett2/str_description.html

Special Thanks to: • Regina Porobenski, Forensic Scientist (personal communication, March 26, 2010). • Helene Hartman, Science in Motion Educator, Cedar Crest College (personal communication March, 2010). • Samples of student work and corresponding rubrics are posted at : http://www.lkowalskicapstoneproject.wikispaces.com

DNA Crime Scene Gel Electrophoresis Capstone Project Laura Kowalski 2010