Classroom Biology Kits

Abstract

Inquiries in Science[TM] Series. Cycling Through Mitosis. Carolina Biological Supply Company. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Any science instructor who purchases kits to supplement the curriculum knows that all kits are not created equal-many kits require the teacher to spend a great deal of time dividing the components into smaller amounts or groups and some kit manuals are content-rich while others merely contain a lab procedure. The new Inquiries in Science [TM] Series recently produced and released by Carolina Biological Supply Company is an exemplary model of an ideal kit. The Inquiries in Science [TM] Biology Series is composed of 19 modules divided into five strands: cell, genetics, ecology, evolution, and physiology. The classroom field-tested modules may be purchased as an entire lab package, single strand, or individually. Each individual module (which varies in price) is designed for 30 students. Within each kit, most components are already divided and prepared for each student group. For example, the Cycling Through Mitosis kit contains eight small bottles of hydrochloric acid so that one can be placed at each student station with minimal preparation by the teacher. Additional items that are required but not supplied in the kit are clearly listed in the Teacher's Manual. It's evident that Carolina Biological Supply Company's primary objective is to develop inquiry-based labs and activities with both the teacher and student in mind. The kits are packaged in a green sturdy cardboard box ideal for storage. The Teacher's Manual and Student Guide is an invaluable resource that includes the following: learning goals, content standards, time requirements, materials, safety, instructional approach, science content, preparation, implementation, helpful hints, student misconceptions, differentiated instruction, extension activities, and additional resources. Created by college and high school life science instructors, The Teacher's Manual and Student Guide are presented together as one spiral-bound book, making it durable, easy to photocopy, and prevents teachers from misplacing any of the pages. The outside margin of each page in The Teacher's Manual contains space for additional notes so the instructor can keep all resources in one place. Each module in the Inquiries in Science [TM] Biology Series is based on a guided-inquiry approach to teach concepts using the learning cycle (focus, explore, explain, and apply). In the Cycling Through Mitosis kit, students are first asked to focus on the topic by brainstorming a list of ideas about cancer and its causes while recording them in a science notebook. Students are also encouraged to create a list of reasons for cell division and propose a method of how a cell accomplishes the task. After students focus and record their thoughts, they explore their predictions in a series of three activities. The first activity, Preparing and Observing Onion Root Tip Slides, requires the instructor to grow onion root tips approximately 48 hours before the lesson. I've tried numerous methods for making onion root tip cell spreads; however, Carolina's protocol is superb; as a matter of fact, every student group observed at least a few mitotic cells on its slide! After preparing and viewing the slide, students are required to draw a picture of each different cell they see under the microscope. At this point, students have not been introduced to the names of mitotic phases; rather, they are merely noting that some cells appear to be different from one another in the root tip. After placing their cell diagrams in sequential order (based on their current understanding) and discussing the different views of a cell, the instructor distributes a handout depicting the phases of mitosis in an animal cell and a plant cell. Students can compare their drawings to the diagrams on the handout. Because students have invested time in preparing and viewing a slide, drawing diagrams of various cells, and inferring the sequence of mitotic events, they are eager to compare their results to the handouts. …