If you teach Life Science, you might like...

BioQUEST: Environmental Decision Making offers an elegant systems simulation tool for life science investigation. EDM uses an icon based interface to build model ecosystems. Student can do 'what if' experiments with what BioQUEST calls a 'strategic simulation'. These simulations capture core ideas in life science and open them for inquiry. A fishing, logging, and prairie fire system are the first models. An investigation of a simulation of BIOSPHERE2 rounds out the EDM module. EDM is well suited to students in upper elementary to secondary life science. It is usable throughout the year. What do I get? A complete guide to EDM and permission to mount EDM on any computer used by an INTEC teacher or his/her students at the site. EDM is available on BOTH Windows and Mac. What do I need to use it? Windows or Macintosh computers with 4 meg of disk space and 16 meg of RAM. What content is in a lesson? Click here to view an activity for EDM. The tools of the EDM simulation are explored. How does one build a simple ecosystem to model predator/prey relationships? Experts are on-line to give a vision on how the tool works in a classroom. GenScope introduces a computer-based manipulative to the study of genetic phenomena. The GenScope hyper model permits students to explore elementary genetics, populations, pedigree. The organism explored is dragons. Models of meiosis permit students to change alleles and observe the effects on phenotypes. More complex phenomena like lethality, epistasis, and crossover can also be modeled. GenScope is well suited to upper elementary to secondary life science students. GenScope is useful as an inquiry tool during the two to four week segment of a life science curriculum dealing with inheritance. What do I get? A BETA version of Genscope with permission to install the software on any computer at your site used by INTEC teachers or students. Genscope is available on Macintosh platform only. What do I need to use it? Macintosh computers with 4 meg of disk space and 16 meg of RAM. What content is in a lesson? Click here to view an activity for GenScope. The tools of the GenScope model simulation are explored. How does one breed a azure dragon. It's not as easy as it sounds. What is the range of phenotypes? Is the color range different for males than it is for females? What parents would produce an azure dragon? Global Labfocuses on air quality testing and telecollaborative science worldwide. INTEC participants do the INDOOR air module from the full Global Lab curriculum. Global Lab was developed at TERC. In INDOOR AIR students devise a an experimental design to measure air quality at their school. Several tools are used. The first one, the Drager tube, permits measurement of CO2 concentrations. Particulate matter is also measured. Stunning results are possible with good design and collaborative work. Results are posted on the web and compared with measurements from other schools in the INTEC project who are also doing INDOOR AIR. INDOOR AIR is well suited to upper elementary to secondary life science students. What do I get? A set of two different kinds of Drager tubes (diffusion and sampling) for CO2. A pair of TERC air pumps, and instructions on how to sample CO2. What do I need to use it? Web connections to post results. What content is in a lesson? Click here to view an activity for Global Lab. How does one measure the quality of indoor air? What factors go into the measurement? What protocols would one use to make best use of the Drager tubes?

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