Are you interested in using argument-driven inquiry (ADI) for elementary instruction but just aren't sure how to do it? You aren't alone. "Argument-Driven Inquiry in Third-Grade Science" will provide you with both the information and instructional materials you need to start using this method right away. The book is a one-stop source of…

The "plasma membrane," which controls what comes in and goes out of a cell, is integral to maintaining homeostasis. Cell transport of small molecules across the cell membrane happens in several different ways. Some small, nonpolar molecules cross the plasma membrane along the concentration gradient directly through the "phospholipid…

Molecular storytelling combines three-dimensional (3-D) structure visualization, chemical and biological knowledge, and multidisciplinary functional information from various bioinformatics data resources to generate new knowledge. It prepares students for independent and interdisciplinary learning, facile navigation of public databases to gather…

Although instruction on meiosis is repeated many times during the undergraduate curriculum, many students show poor comprehension even as upper-level biology majors. We propose that the difficulty lies in the complexity of understanding DNA, which we explain through a new model, the DNA triangle. The "DNA triangle" integrates three…

When asked about protein, students often mention meat, protein bars, and protein's role in building muscles. Many students are not aware of the most basic function of protein: linking genes and traits. Because of its importance in molecular genetics, protein function is included in the life sciences section of the "Next Generation Science…

Imagine a microscopic world filled with tiny motors, ratchets, switches, and pumps controlled by complex signaling and feedback systems. Now imagine that these parts can assemble themselves. This is the world presented to students in the protein structure unit of a genetic engineering course. Students learn how protein folding gives rise to the…

This laboratory exercise presents a novel way to introduce undergraduate students to the specific detection of enzymatic activity by electrophoresis. First, students prepare a crude peroxidase extract and then analyze the homogenate via electrophoresis. Zymography, that is, a SDS-PAGE method to detect enzyme activity, is used to specifically…

The Innovative Technology in Science Inquiry (ITSI) project is a learning portal with hundreds of free, customizable science, math, and engineering activities funded by the National Science Foundation at the Concord Consortium, a nonprofit research and development organization dedicated to transforming education through technology. The project…

More than 60 years have passed since the work of Rosalind Franklin, James Watson, and Francis Crick led to the discovery of the 3D-DNA double-helix structure. Nowadays, due to the simple and elegant architecture of its double helix, the structure of DNA is widely known. The biological role of the DNA molecule (e.g., genetic information), however,…

Teachers may be posed with such questions as, "If we evolved from chimps, why are there still chimps?" We provide teachers with answers to this and related questions in the context of the latest genetic, fossil, and behavioral evidence. We also provide references they can use to further students' understanding of human evolution and evolution in…

The process of protein translation and translocation into the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) can often be challenging for introductory college biology students to visualize. To help them understand how proteins become oriented in the ER membrane, I developed a hands-on activity in which students use Play-Doh to simulate the process of protein…

This article describes an interrupted case study that intersperses information about diffusion and osmosis with content review and knowledge application questions, as well as a simple experiment that can be conducted without the use of a laboratory. The case study was developed for use in an introductory undergraduate biology course. The case…

Genetics, one of the most influential fields, underlies all of biology and produces discoveries that are in the news daily. However, many students leave introductory biology and genetics courses lacking a coherent framework of knowledge to use in their daily lives. We identify substantial "missing links" in the teaching of foundational…

Using the life sciences, this article first reviews essential features of the "NRC Framework for K-12 Science Education" that provided a foundation for the new standards. Second, the article describes the important features of life science standards for elementary, middle, and high school levels. Special attention is paid to the teaching…

This column provides original articles on innovations in case study teaching, assessment of the method, as well as case studies with teaching notes. In this month's issue the goal of the case study is for students to expand their understanding of membrane permeability and the proton motive force in mitochondria through the study of…