Using the Student Lessons

The heart of this module is a set of four class-room lessons that allow students to discover important concepts related to technology and its role in developing our understanding of cellular and molecular biology. To review these concepts in detail, refer to the Conceptual Flow of the Lessons chart.

Format of the Lessons

As you review the lessons, you will find that all contain common major features.

At a Glance offers a convenient summary of the lesson.

• Overview provides a short summary of student activities.
• Major Concepts presents the central ideas that the lesson is designed to convey.
• Objectives lists specific understandings or abilities students should derive from completing the lesson.
• Teacher Background specifies which portions of the background section, Information about Using Technology to Study Cellular and Molecular Biology, relate directly to the lesson. This reading material provides the science content that supports the key concepts covered in the lesson. The information provided is not intended to form the basis of lectures to students nor is it intended as a direct resource for students. Rather, it enhances your understanding of the content so that you can facilitate class discussions, answer student questions, and provide additional examples.

In Advance provides instructions for collecting and preparing materials required to complete the activities in the lesson.

• Web-Based Activities tells you which of the lesson's activities use the Using Technology to Study Cellular and Molecular Biology Web site as the basis for instruction.
• Photocopies lists the paper copies and transparencies that need to be made from masters that are provided after Lesson 4, at the end of the module.
• Materials lists all items other than photocopies needed for the activities in the lesson.
• Preparation outlines what you need to do to be ready to teach the activities in the lesson.

Procedure provides a step-by-step approach for conducting each activity in the classroom. It includes implementation suggestions and answers to discussion questions.

Within the Procedure section, annotations provide additional commentary.

• Tip from the field test details suggestions from field-test teachers for teaching strategies, class management, and module implementation.
• Assessment provides strategies for gauging student progress throughout the module, and is identified by an assessment icon.
• Icons identify specific annotations:

  
  identifies teaching strategies that address specific science content standards as defined by the National Science Education Standards.
  

  identifies when to use the Web site as part of the teaching strategy. Instructions in the Procedure section tell you how to access the Web site and the relevant activity. Information about using the Web site can be found in Using the Web Site. A print-based alternative to each Web activity is provided for classrooms in which Internet access is not available.
  

  identifies a print-based alternative to a Web-based activity to be used when computers are not available.
  

  identifies when assessment is embedded in the module's structure. An annotation suggests strategies for assessment.
  

Lesson Organizer provides a brief summary of the lesson. It outlines procedural steps for each activity and includes icons that denote where in each activity masters, transparencies, and the Web site are used. The lesson organizer is intended to be used only after you become familiar with the lesson materials. It can be a handy resource during lesson preparation as well as during classroom instruction.

Masters to be photocopied are found after Lesson 4, at the end of the module.

Timeline for the Module

The timeline below outlines the optimal plan for completing the four lessons in this module. The plan assumes you will teach the activities on consecutive days. If your class requires more time for discussing issues raised in this module or for completing activities, adjust your timeline accordingly.

Suggested Timeline

Timeline	Activity
3 weeks ahead	Reserve computers Check performance of Web site
1 week ahead	Make photocopies and transparencies Gather materials
Day 1 Monday	Lesson 1 Activity 1: Technology—What’s It All About? Activity 2: Searching for Scale
Day 2 Tuesday	Lesson 2 Activity 1: Probing for Answers Activity 2: More than Meets the Eye
Day 3 Wednesday	Lesson 3 Activity 1: Putting Technology to Work; Part 1, some of Part 2
Day 4 Thursday	Part 2 (conclude), Part 3, and Part 4 (print version only)
Day 5 Friday	Lesson 4 Activity 1: Time Travel Activity 2: Is That All There Is?
Day 6 Monday	Activity 2: Is That All There Is? (conclude)

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