Lesson 2. Understanding Genetic Switch Part 1: Energy and Cell Division

Sugat Dabholkar
Biology
2 class periods (90 min)
High School
v1

Overview

In this lesson, students explore the Genetic Switch model to understand how energy of a cell is a critical factor for growth and reproduction and how it is modeled. 

They also explore the relation between energy of a cell and cell division as it's modeled in this Genetic Switch computational model. 

Standards

Next Generation Science Standards
  • Life Science
    • [HS-LS4] Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity
  • NGSS Practice
    • Analyzing Data
    • Communicating Information
    • Constructing Explanations, Designing Solutions
    • Asking Questions, Defining Problems
    • Using Models
    • Arguing from Evidence
    • Conducting Investigations
Computational Thinking in STEM
  • Data Practices
    • Analyzing Data
    • Collecting Data
    • Creating Data
    • Manipulating Data
    • Visualizing Data
  • Modeling and Simulation Practices
    • Using Computational Models to Find and Test Solutions
    • Using Computational Models to Understand a Concept
  • Systems Thinking Practices
    • Investigating a Complex System as a Whole
    • Thinking in Levels
    • Understanding the Relationships within a System

Activities

  • 1. Sugars in the environment and energy of the cell: Exploration 1
  • 2. Sugars in the environment and energy of the cell: Exploration 2
  • 3. Energy of the cell and cell division
  • 4. Upload your NetLogo Logging File

Student Directions and Resources


In this lesson, you will explore the Genetic Switch model further. The focus of this lesson is on energy of the cell and cell division. 

Let's get started!

1. Sugars in the environment and energy of the cell: Exploration 1


Let's explore the effects of the presence or absence of sugar/s in the environment on the energy of the cell.

Follow the instructions below to get started:

Open NetLogo folder and click on NetLogo Logging.

Open the Genetic Switch NetLogo Model that you downloaded earlier.

Let's understand how presence or absence of sugar/s in the environment affect energy of a cell.

Conduct computational experiments using the Genetic Switch Model. 


Question 1.1

What are the effects of the presence or absence of sugar/s in the environment on the energy of the cell?

Part 1: Write your answer below.



Question 1.2

Part 2: Upload the supporting material (experimental evidence for your answer) here. Upload your word or powerpoint file. The total file size should be less than 2 MB.

Upload files that are less than 5MB in size.
File Delete
Upload files to the space allocated by your teacher.


Question 1.3

Explain your scientific investigation process.

Part 1: What were the changes that you made in the model?



Question 1.4

Part 2: What were your observations?



Question 1.5

Part 3: How did you arrive at your answer using your observations.

2. Sugars in the environment and energy of the cell: Exploration 2


Let's understand how the energy graph of the cell changes as time progresses. 

Conduct scientific investigations using Genetic Switch Model to answer the following questions.


Question 2.1

What causes energy of the cell to increase?



Question 2.2

What causes energy of the cell to decrease?



Question 2.3

What happens when energy of a cell becomes twice as much as its initial energy?



Question 2.4

Upload the supporting materials (experimental evidence for your answer) here. Upload your word or powerpoint file. The total file size should be less than 2 MB.

Upload files that are less than 5MB in size.
File Delete
Upload files to the space allocated by your teacher.


Question 2.5

Explain your scientific investigation process.

Part 1: What were the changes that you made in the model?



Question 2.6

Part 2: What were your observations?



Question 2.7

Part 3: How did you arrive at your answer using your observations.

3. Energy of the cell and cell division


Let's try to understand the relationship between energy of the cell and cell division in this model.


Question 3.1

What are the effects of cell division on the energy of the cell?



Question 3.2

What other factors (related to the cell) are affected by the cell division?



Question 3.3

Upload the supporting materials (experimental evidence for your answer) here. Upload your word or powerpoint file. The total file size should be less than 2 MB.

Upload files that are less than 5MB in size.
File Delete
Upload files to the space allocated by your teacher.


Question 3.4

Explain your scientific investigation process.

Part 1: What were the changes that you made in the model?



Question 3.5

Part 2: What were your observations?



Question 3.6

Part 3: How did you arrive at your answer using your observations.

4. Upload your NetLogo Logging File


NetLogo’s logging facility allows researchers to record student actions for later analysis.

Use the following information to find a logging file on your computer.

Logs are stored in the OS-specific temp directory. On most Unix-like systems that is /tmp. On Windows computers the logs can be found in c:\Users\<user>\AppData\Local\Temp, where <user> is the logged in user.

On Mac OS X, the temp directory varies for each user. You can determine your temp directory by opening the Terminal application and typing echo $TMPDIR at the prompt.

After you find the log files (.xml format), check for the file names that correspond to the date today. Upload those files.


Question 4.1

Upload your log file/s here.

Upload files that are less than 5MB in size.
File Delete
Upload files to the space allocated by your teacher.