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Curriculum Projects

A Day in the Life of a Protein

Posted January 27th, 2009 by admin

A Day in the Life of a Protein

Level: High School

Content Area: Biology

The goal of these lessons, packaged under the title "A Day in the Life of a Protein," is to select an example that is not only real world, but also is connected to many of the topics taught in the course. The specific protein used here is Hemoglobin A, looking at the mutation leading to sickle cell anemia. Other proteins could be substituted into this model as needed.

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BioMusic

Posted October 29th, 2009 by admin

BioMusic

Level: Elementary School

Content Area: Music, Science

Essential Questions

  • Where is sound in our environment?
  • How can we represent sounds that are in our environment?
  • How do animals create sound to communicate?
  • How can we view and distinguish sounds?
  • How is sound like waves? How do animals echolocate?

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Critical Thinking in Science

Posted October 29th, 2009 by admin

Critical Thinking in Science

Level: Middle School

Content Area: Science

This unit teaches students to utilize and develop critical thinking skills throughout each eighth grade science content strand. The inquiry based lessons lead students to create testable questions; design and perform experiments; collect, organize, and analyze data; and use these results to decide on the next step in the scientific process. Current topics, local issues, and real life situations are used to help students find meaning in the materials while learning the necessary critical thinking skills.

CSI Dublin: The Hunt for the Irish Potato Killer

Posted October 29th, 2009 by admin

CSI Dublin: The Hunt for the Irish Potato Killer

Level: High School

Content Area: Biology, Science

In these lesson plans, students will act as CSI agents investigating the mysterious pathogen that caused the massive potato crop failure and resultant Great Famine of 1845 in Ireland. Through a variety of seven focused activities, students will map its diffusion, experience the history of the Great Famine, isolate and test samples using PCR and gel electrophoresis, create Wanted Posters of plant pathogens and take action in communicating their concerns of chemical controls of these pathogens and the danger of repeating history.

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Design Technology: Children's Engineering

Posted January 27th, 2009 by admin

Design Technology: Children's Engineering

Level: Elementary School

Content Area: Engineering, Science, Technology

A paradox of education is evident when we say we want students to become good problem solvers but then we don’t give them good problems to solve. We give them instructions to follow, we give them projects to build, we give them experiments to perform but we know from the outset what results we want to see at the end. That’s not problem solving. Design technology is problem solving. And elementary schools should be doing more of it in order to improve problem-solving skills as well as to encourage more American students to pursue science and engineering careers.

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The Kenan Fellows Program is an initiative of the Kenan Institute for Engineering, Technology & Science, and is generously supported by grants from business, foundations, government organizations, and individual partners.