Download Topic Two: Synthetic Biology 101. Activity: What is Biotechnology

Topic Two: Synthetic Biology 101.
Activity: What is Biotechnology? Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How.
This lesson was taken and adapted from the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis
website. http://www.childrensmuseum.org/themuseum/biotech/biotech.htm
Objectives
Students will be able to read about biotechnology and deliver a
presentation discussing the who, the what, the where, the why,
and the how of this field.
Key Terms
Biotechnology, genetic engineering, yeast, bacteria, enzyme
Time
1-3 days
Materials
and
equipment
Computer with internet access, poster board, markers, and tape.
Procedure
1. Have students read about biotechnology from the
following website:
http://www.childrensmuseum.org/themuseum/biotech
/biotech.htm
2. Ask students to take notes on the reading. A note taking
system that would be great for this activity would be
Cornell notes or split page notes where one side is the
main idea or concept in the reading and the other side is a
question that is developed for the main topic. You can do
an internet search and learn about the Cornell note taking
system and apply it to your class as a literacy strategy.
3. Next have students conduct the biotechnology webquest:
http://www.childrensmuseum.org/themuseum/biotech
/webquest/index.htm
This one day webquest will help students explore
biotechnology and its impact on our future from a bug's
point of view! All the information on what the students
need is in the webquest.
4. Once students are done with their notes and their web
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quest put students into pairs. Have them come up with a
poster that explains who, what, when, where, why, and
how as it pertains to biotechnology. Make sure students
are as detailed as possible by using the information
presented in the reading.
Wrap-up/
1. Go over the information as a whole class.
Discussion
2. Make a class poster using all the information gathered from all
the pairs to have a complete description of who, what, when,
where, why, and how.
3. Have the class make a list of questions that describe ideas or
concept they or a student in this class might not understand.
4. Compile a vocabulary work list from the reading and have
students find definitions.
Follow-up
Activities
and
Assessment.

Brain storm with your students how they can come up with a
creative presentation like a skit, an interview, or news cast
presenting the information they learned.
Assessment: Have student make a brochure that can be given out to
their parents or other students presenting the information they learned.
Bing in different example of brochures for students to use as a model.
These can include pictures, visuals, and text that can be generated by
computer or by hand.
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Topic Two: Synthetic Biology 101.
Activity: What is Synthetic Biology? Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How.
The reading used in this lesson was taken, changed, and adapted to a 7th grade reading
level. The information was taken from the following two websites:1.
http://scitation.aip.org/IET-STB, 2. http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-syntheticbiology.htm
Objectives
Students will be able to read about synthetic biology and
deliver a presentation discussing the who, the what, the
where, and the why of this newly emerging field.
Key Terms
Synthetic biology
Time
1-2 days
Materials and
equipment
Poster board, markers, and tape.
Procedure
1. Have students read the synthetic biology reading
underlined any words they do not understand.
2. Ask students to take notes on the reading. A note
taking system that would be great for this activity
would be Cornell notes or split page notes where
one side is the main idea or concept in the reading
and the other side is a question that is developed
for the main topic. You can do an internet search
and learn about the Cornell note taking system and
apply it to your class as a literacy strategy.
3. Once students are done with their notes put students
into pairs. Have them come up with a poster that explains who,
what, when, where, why, and how as it pertains to synthetic
biology. Make sure students are as detailed as possible by using
the information presented in the reading.
Wrapup/Discussion
1. Go over the information as a whole class.
2. Make a class poster using all the information
gathered from all the pairs to have a complete
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description of who, what, when, where, why, and
how.
3. Have the class make a list of questions that describe
ideas or concept they or a student in this class
might not understand.
4. Compile a vocabulary work list from the reading
and have students find definitions.
Follow-up
Activities and
Assessment

Brain storm with your students how they can come up
with a creative presentation like a skit, an interview, or
news cast presenting the information they learned.
Assessment: Have student make a brochure that can be given out
to their parents or other students presenting the information they
learned. Bing in different example of brochures for students to use
as a model. These can include pictures, visuals, and text that can
be generated by computer or by hand.
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Topic Two: Synthetic Biology 101: Student Handout.
Activity: What is Synthetic Biology? Who, What, When, Where, and Why.
Synthetic biology is form of biological study that involves creating an overall
understanding of a concept by combining several areas of research. The term
synthetic biology has long been used to describe an approach to biology that
attempts to integrate (or "synthesize") different areas of research in order to
create more understanding of life. More recently the term has been used in a
different way, signaling a new area of research that combines science and
engineering in order to design and build ("synthesize") novel biological functions
and systems. Synthetic biology has come to represent a form of science that
combines science with engineering. In this way, new biological systems and
functions can be designed and built.
Synthetic biology refers to both:
o the design and fabrication(making) of biological components and systems that
do
not
already
exist
in
the
natural
world
o the re-design and fabrication of existing biological systems.
The term synthetic biology was first used in 1978, after Daniel Nathans, Werber
Arber, and Hamilton O. Smith won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
The prize was awarded after the Nathans, Arber, and Smith discovered
restriction enzymes and determined how to apply them to problems found in
molecular genetics. This allowed scientists to reconstruct recombinant
deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) molecules, as well as to analyze individual genes.
This example of synthetic biology made it possible for scientists to describe and
analyze the way that genes are arranged arrangements. This also allowed
scientists to learn how to arrange these genes by hand.
Synthetic biology is commonly used in the study of genetics. With synthetic
biology, researchers can create a DNA model and place it inside living cells in
order to observe the outcome. This helps researchers test their theories and
predict genetic outcomes. Systems biology studies complex biological systems as
small parts of an integrated whole by using tools of modeling, simulation, and
comparison to experiment. The focus is usually on natural systems with some
kind of influence on medicine.
However, synthetic biology studies how to build artificial biological systems
using many of the same tools and experimental techniques used in systems
biology. This is done to build and create biological machines for engineering
uses. So this work is an engineering application of biological science, not just an
attempt to do more science. The focus is often on ways of taking parts of natural
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biological systems, characterizing and simplifying them, and using them as a
component of a highly unnatural, engineered, biological system.
Since biological systems are actually physical systems comprised of chemicals,
synthetic biology has led to the field of synthetic chemistry. Now synthetic
biology and synthetic chemistry can go hand-in-hand because natural chemicals
are used to design and to create new chemicals. So the main goal of synthetic
biology is to design and build biological systems that can be engineered to
process information. Another goal is to as to change chemicals, create materials,
provide food, produce energy, maintain and improve human health, and
maintain and improve the environment. This can all be done by manipulating
the communication that happens inside the cell of organisms.
Synthetic biology does, however, have its challenges. Many are concerned about
the potential misuse of synthetic biology by terrorist countries. In past human
history the same metals created to build sewing needles and plows, for example,
were later used to created spears and swords. Nuclear physics created radiation
treatments for cancer, but also resulted in nuclear weapons. People that oppose
synthetic biology fear that, although it may be able to find a cure for malaria, the
same field can also be used to create a biological weapon for which there is no
cure.
Biologists are interested in synthetic biology because it provides a great
perspective from which to consider, analyze, and ultimately understand the
living world. Being able to design and build a system is also one very practical
measure of understanding. Physicists, chemists and others are interested in
synthetic biology as an approach with which to probe the behavior of molecules
and their activity inside living cells. Engineers are interested in synthetic biology
because the living world provides a seemingly rich yet largely unexplored
medium for controlling and processing information, materials, and energy.
Learning how to effectively harness the power of the living world will be a major
engineering undertaking. Fast and cheap DNA sequencing and synthesis would
allow for rapid design, fabrication, and testing of systems.
Synthetic Biology is a new interdisciplinary endeavor which involves the
recruitment of engineering principles to biology. Simple biological elements can
be adopted as reusable, components, which are well characterized and can be
used for the construction of more complex devices and systems.. New students
and workers are coming into the field from very diverse areas, and need to come
to grips with the nitty-gritty of unfamiliar biological systems, engineering tools
and computer sciences. There is a demand for specialized coverage of this new
field, including educational and review materials. Synthetic Biology will aim to
support this growing new community.
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Topic Two: Synthetic Biology 101
Activity: Synthetic Biology 101 Trading Cards
Adapted by a lesson A Lesson Plan from The Department of Education of The National
D-Day Museum. http://www.ddaymuseum.org/pdf/edu_lp_tradingcards.pdf
Objectives
Student will research important concepts related to synthetic
biology and create a trading card using a drawing computer
program.
Key Terms
DNA, RNA, Nucleus, Cell Cycle, Transcription, Translation, Proteins,
Ribosome, Enzymes, mRNA, tRNA, Genes , Gel Electrophoresis,
PCR, Restriction Enzymes, Ligation, Transformation, Cloning, Plasmids,
Micropipette, Plates, ligation, yeast, bacteria, Synthetic biology
Time
1-2 days
Materials
and
equipment
Computer and internet access, card stock, tape, scissors, post-its, and
glue.
Procedure
1. Explain to your students that they will be researching their
notebooks, textbooks and the internet to research an aspect of
synthetic biology. You may want to bring in actual baseball or
football trading cards and discuss the features of the trading card,
such as the photo, title, facts, border, color, etc. to give the
students a better understanding of the project.
2. Model a brief lesson to the class illustrating how to create a
trading card in a draw program. (Tips: use the rectangle tool to
draw the border; use the line tool to dissect the page in half; create
text boxes for all texts.)
3. There are 25 total concepts that are listed. Allow students to
work in pairs and assign them 15-20 concepts to do research
on.
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4. Download the rubric and the sample trading cards from the
following website:
http://www.nationalww2museum.org/pdf/edu_lp_tradingcards
.pdf
Change format to fit your needs. Distribute the rubric. Discuss the
criteria: an imported or scanned graphic, title, important facts
or information, grammar, punctuation, borders, text boxes and
returned rubric.
5. Students will research their topic using the internet virtual
interactive, their textbooks, and notebooks to create a trading
card using a draw program. Please refer to theme one: DNA
Process and Techniques excel spreadsheet for a complete list of
websites that students can utilize.
6. Students will print out their trading cards and display them in
the classroom. The trading cards can also be printed on card stock
heavier stock paper and folded and glued shut to resemble more a
traditional trading card.
Wrap-up/
Discussion
1. When done have students post 5 of their favorite trading
cards around the classroom.
2. Give students a small stack of post its.
a. Conduct a silent gallery walk of all the trading cards
and ask students to write one positive feedback
about a trading card on a post-it. Also ask students
to write down one improvement about the trading
card on a post it. Have students put post-its around
the trading cards.
b. At the end of the silent gallery tour as the pair of
students that worked on the trading cards together
to go and review the post-it feed back.
c. Discuss as a class the feed back they noticed.
d. Also discuss with the class how the trading card
lesson helped them to understand the concept better
and why.
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Follow-up
Activities
and
Assessment

Students can interview a partner, take a digital photo and
create a trading card for him/her. Students can work in
pairs and research a topic of interest and create a new
trading card series.
Assessment: Have the whole class generate a list of test questions
spanning from fill in the blank, multiple choice, short answer, and
essay questions. Make a class generated test on the content found
on the trading cards. Students will take the test they generated as
a class and study for it using their trading cards.
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Topic Two: Synthetic Biology 101.
Activity: Characteristics of Living Things and Model Organisms
Objectives
Students will be able to understand to:

To recognize and describe the characteristics of living
organisms.

To research model organisms to find out why each
organism is a good choice for a particular field of study.
Key Terms
Model organisms, genes, variations, offspring, genome,
organisms, characteristics, metabolism, homeostasis, organs, and
organ systems.
Time
2-3 days
Materials and
equipment
Computers and internet access to the following website:
Procedure
http://www.exploratorium.edu/imaging_station/activities/cla
ssroom/classroom.php
1. This activity utilizes two lessons from the Exploratorium
website which will be useful for review and background
information before students move into deeper study of
synthetic biology. Both lessons are web based with
procedures, materials, preparation, going further
activities, alternative approaches, and student pages.
These activities can be done as a whole class or as
individual lessons.
2. The first lesson is called Characteristics of Living Things
and can be found using the following link:
http://www.exploratorium.edu/imaging_station/activities/cla
ssroom/characteristics/ca_characteristics.php
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Here students will learn to recognize and describe the
characteristics of living organisms.
3. The second lesson is called Model Organisms and can be
found at the following link:
http://www.exploratorium.edu/imaging_station/activities/cla
ssroom/model_organisms/ca_model_organisms.php
Here students will learn to research model organisms to find out
why each organism is a good choice for a particular field of
study.
4. Once you have gone through both of these lessons you will be
able to refer to the concepts learned as you move through a
deeper study of synthetic biology in the lessons ahead.
Wrapup/Discussion
Put students into small groups and have them make a list of big
picture ideas and concepts that these two lessons were trying to
convey. Make a class list and discuss what students learned from
these lessons. Make sure to post this list on a big piece of poster
board so that you can refer to it during the following lessons in
the ETP that go further in the study of synthetic biology.
Follow-up
Activities and
Assessment:
1. Make sure students complete the “going further” part of the
both lessons.
Assessment:
1. Have students put together a power point presentation
the most important concepts learned
2. Students can create an iMovie to tell a story explaining
the main ideas of the lesson using the images found on
the website
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Topic Two: Synthetic Biology 101.
Activity: Introduction to GFP: A Green light for Biology: Making the invisible
visible. This lesson was adapted from the Secrets of the Sequence, “A Green Light
for Biology,” developed by the Virginia commonwealth university teaching
materials.
http://www.pubinfo.vcu.edu/secretsofthesequence/lessons/sots_lesson_124_2.pdf
Objectives
Key Terms
Students will be able to understand
 how the discovery known as Green Fluorescent Protein
has revolutionized molecular biology by making Protein
molecules found inside the body go from invisible to
visible.
 students will see how following the hand with a visible
label greatly improves their perception.
GFP: Green Fluorescent Protein, Bioflorescence,
bioluminescent, GFP Technology.
Time
1 day
Materials and
equipment
Internet Access, projector, 10 glow sticks
Procedure
Background:
In this video segment students see how a simple discovery led
to the application of a powerful tool that has revolutionized the
field of cellular biology – Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP). This
particular protein has the unique property of bioflorescence. In
bioflorescence, available light is absorbed and converted into
light of another wavelength, producing a different colored
light. In the case of GFP, photons of light in the blue
wavelength are converted into photons in the green
wavelength.
By attaching the gene for GFP to other genes that code for
proteins, scientists are able to view cellular proteins in real time
under a microscope. This technique uses recombinant
technology to “attach” the gene for GFP onto another gene that
scientists wish to study. Whenever the gene is expressed, GFP
is also expressed and bound to the protein of interest. Exposing
cells that carry these proteins to blue light results in a glowing
green color. Scientists can then trace the pathways a particular
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protein takes inside a cell, or observe where the protein stays
inside of a cell. This segment also explains the difference
between bioluminescence and biofluorescence. The segment
does not review how DNA can be spliced and recombined, so a
brief discussion should precede this segment. The segment
illustrates many applications of GFP technology among the
examples provided. Students will see glowing jellyfish,
glowing cells and the special microscopy needed to visualize
these structures. One stunning part of the segment shows the
export of proteins from a Golgi apparatus using time-lapse
photography. Only the protein of interest is illuminated, but
students can clearly see how the Golgi exports the proteins to
other parts of the cell using vesicles.
1. Preview the video and make note of the locations at which
you will later pause the video for discussion. Find the video at
http://www.pubinfo.vcu.edu/secretsofthesequence/. Choose
the video Secrets of the Sequence,” Show 124, Episode 2 “A
Green Light for Biology”
2. Before viewing ask the following questions:
1) Ask: “Can you name an organism that gives off light?”
Fireflies
2) Explain: Special enzymatic reactions (luciferase) create light
in fireflies. Certain chemicals glow
because they emit photons of light when excited.
3) Ask: “Can you think of some uses for chemicals that can emit
light?”
Paint used in watch dials, light sticks
4) Explain: Luminescence is the ability of something to produce
its own light, Fluorescence, on the other hand, is the ability of
something to emit light when exposed to other light. Some
minerals, for example, fluoresce when exposed to UV light.
5) Briefly review the concept of proteins and protein
expression. Students will need a basic
understanding of protein expression to benefit most from this
segment.
Ask: “Can we see proteins?” No
6) Optional: Show students pictures of stained cells.
Ask: “What makes it possible for us to see cell structures more
clearly?”
Stains and dyes used to highlight structures
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Wrapup/Discussion
Follow-up
Activities and
assessment
1. During viewing ask the following questions:
1. Pause the video after the computer explanation that
describes the difference between
bioluminescence and biofluorescence (2.54 minutes into the
video). With the students’ help, create a chart on the board
summarizing differences between bioluminescence and
biofluorescence:
Example:
Biofluorescence
 Use incoming light to emit fluorescent light
 Use GFP (converts blue incoming
light to green fluorescent light)
Bioluminescence
 Use lucerferase + O2 → luminescent light
 Produces own fluorescent light
2. RESUME the video and play to the end.
1. How did scientists use GFP to change the way they view
cells?
• Why would a scientist want to use GFP instead of stains and
dyes that fluoresce?
2) What are some useful applications of GFP in cellular
biology?
3) Have students list other examples of genes that have been
transferred to other organisms.
(This could be an assignment where students research the
topic.)
1. Conduct the following demonstration to illustrate how
motions can be clarified using fluorescence.
Materials:
• green glow sticks (at least 2 per class)
• a very darkened room
Procedure:
a) Divide students into two groups. Each group should choose
a short word that they will
later ‘write in the air’ in the dark. The word is unimportant but
you could limit them to a
biology topic area.
b) Turn the lights off and blacken windows if possible.
Immediately have one person in a
group “write” the word in the air using his or her hand. The
other group should try to
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guess the letters and the word that is being spelled. The darker
the room, the better the effect.
c) Then have the same group member hold a glowing glow
stick in his/her hand and spell
the same word. Hopefully, students will see how following the
hand with a visible label
greatly improves their perception.
2.Have students use the following web interactive to learn
about what makes fireflies glow:
http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/units/basics/firefly/
Assessment: Students can write a report about fireflies
and/or other bioluminescent and biofluorescencent
organisms and describe the process utilizing what they
learned in this lesson as part of their report.
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