Embedded Files
In a Nutshell
In a Nutshell
In the Introduction to Molecules, Cells, and Development Discussion and Laboratory, coordinated by Dr. Jenny Rahn, students explore molecular, cell, and developmental biology in a more hands-on way than a lecture course. They also gain experience in experimental design and data analysis in this BIOL 226 course. In this DIY, Dr. Rahn shows how one module teaches students to use geographic information system (GIS) mapping to relate tick distribution, the presence of white-tailed deer, and human land use. GIS has increasingly become an important tool in ecology, and students’ final result displayed the presence of ticks around William & Mary and the surrounding region using Microsoft Excel and Google Earth.
Course Description
Course Description
This lab aims to apply topics from the introductory biology lecture to real world endeavors. Dr. Rahn acts as the course’s coordinator, and graduate teaching assistants lead and instruct the labs. Throughout the semester, the lab-style course of 24 students completes several projects structured as multi-week modules. The GIS mapping of tick results is one such project. During the fall semester, students collect ticks in BIOL 221, Introduction to Organisms, Ecology, Evolution Laboratory. Students then take DNA from the ticks and analyze them for diseases during the spring semester in BIOL 226.
Course and Assignment Objectives
Course and Assignment Objectives
After completing BIOL 226 and its assignments successfully, students should have been able to do the following:
- Understand core laboratory skills and techniques, including laboratory safety practices, microscopy, sterile technique, spectrophotometry, PCR, pipetting, gel electrophoresis, and DNA extraction
- Effectively communicate scientific information and analysis
- Develop expertise in designing experiments and analyzing data
Assignments
Assignments
Lab Assignments (30% of final grade)
Module 1: Mystery Protein Project (10% of final grade)
Module 2: Students write and submit a formal lab report using local data from the GIS lab (3-5 pages, 10%)
Module 3: Group Presentation (10% of final grade)
Lessons Learned
Lessons Learned
Things that worked well:
Things that worked well:
- Easy for students to transfer the data from Microsoft Excel to coordinates on Google Earth and accessible for all students
- Served as a good introduction to mapping for students, especially given how the field of ecology relies heavily on GIS
Things to think about improving for next time:
Things to think about improving for next time:
- Students struggled with using Google Earth to answer certain questions during preparation about different types of trees
Try it Yourself / Tools Used
Try it Yourself / Tools Used
Create
Create
Create your data using a spreadsheet app like Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets
Visualize
Visualize
Visualize your data using a mapping tool like Google Earth, Google Maps, or ARCGIS
Connect
Connect
Connect your spreadsheet data to your map using importing tools like Earth Point, the resource used in BIOL 226 to import geographical data to Google Earth
Shared Resources
Shared Resources
Below are resources developed by Jenny Rahn for her lab. If these are useful to you, she would be glad to hear how you’re using them or incorporating them into your own teaching.
Biol226-Syllabus-Spring-2017v2.docxTick-PCR-lab-report-rubric-2017.pdfWeek-9-GIS-protocol.docxCopyright 2019 W&M eLearning | Creative Commons Share & Share Alike, No Commercial Use
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