Hands-on STEM: Bioluminescent Jellyfish Model - Christine Moskalik, B.S., M.S - IMSA Digital Commons

Hands-on STEM:
Bioluminescent Jellyfish Model

   Christine Moskalik, B.S., M.S.
Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy in Aurora, IL
  Curriculum and Professional Development Specialist
            Center for Teaching and Learning
         cmoskalik@imsa.edu // (630) 907-5961

Introductions…
 For your intro, please tell us
 1) Your name and district/school.
 2) What grade/s & subjects (or in what capacity)
     do you teach?
 3) What is your favorite aquatic animal?

Agenda
• Intros
• Facilitator's Guide & 5e Model
   • Engage – “What is (is not) a jellyfish?”
   • Explore – Basic Jellyfish info & anatomy
   • Explain – apply concepts while creating/improving model
   • Elaborate – “How anatomically correct is my model?” & other
     content extensions (such as chemistry of bioluminescence, etc.)
   • Evaluate – formative/informal assessments
       • (think of ways you can assess your own students)
• Various pedagogy examples (emphasis on virtual)
• Build together & strategize for your own students
• Wrap-up & Q&A

IMSA & Activity Background
• IMSA’s Center for Teaching and Learning

• Student STEM enrichment & outreach

• One-hour Activity: Oceanography Summer Program (7-8)

• Adapted to offer as a 90-minute virtual program
   • May need more time, depending on
      • your content focus/depth
      • the ages/grades of your students
      • what assessments you may choose to incorporate

Supplies
       REUSABLE                     CONSUMABLE MATERIALS
       MATERIALS                    (likely to be used-up during activity)
(will not be damaged or used-
       up during activity)
•1 pair of scissors             •Clear plastic bottle, 16-20oz (with lid, label
•1 hot glue gun                 removed, clean)
                                •5-6 hot glue sticks (glow in the dark)
                                •1 small rubber bouncy ball (~1”)
                                •2-3 plastic bags, zip-top (gallon, quart)
Optional:                       •2-3 small rubber bands, clear preferred
•Blue food coloring             (ex: rainbow loom, hair ties, etc)
•Permanent marker/s             •1-2 small red or pink balloons (3” dart
(black, blue, green)            balloon or water balloon)
•Glitter                        •Tap water
                                •Cardboard scrap, ~12”x12” (to work over
                                when using hot glue)

Essential Questions
   “…help students make sense of important but complicated
   ideas, knowledge, and know-how” – Wiggins, 2007

   • What is (is not) a jellyfish? (Engage*)

   • How can we create a jellyfish model
     that is anatomically correct? (Explore &
     Explain)

*Engage
(generate interest, activate prior knowledge, frame the idea)

Today’s Session…
• Emphasizing: Explore & Explain (building &
 analyzing the model)
  • YOU: put yourself in your students’ shoes

• Re: Engage, Elaborate and Evaluate…
  • YOU: think of strategies that would work with
    your own students (share-out at end)
  • ME: model Socratic, inquiry-based strategies
    emphasized in our enrichment settings

Explore (pre-build)
students investigate objects, events, situations

• Opportunities for Inquiry (questions to pose)
    • Are models always 100% accurate?
    • What are some initial ideas of how you could use these
      materials to make a jellyfish model?
    • What do you already know (think you know) about jellyfish?
    • How can you optimize how anatomically correct your model is?

Explore: Create your Jellyfish Model
Criteria and Constraints

 •Criteria:
    •Anatomically correct
    •Bioluminescent (glows)

 •Constraints
    •Time
    •Materials

Don’t forget – The Engineering Design Process

Virtual Pedagogy Example 1 – zoom annotation

*Engage
(generate interest, activate prior knowledge, frame the idea)

Virtual Pedagogy Example 2 – addresses EQ1*

*During Engage/Before Explore
(generate interest, activate prior knowledge, frame the idea)

Virtual Pedagogy Example 3 – video “lab”

*Explore (but, pre-build)
(experience key concepts; establish relationships & understanding)

Virtual Pedagogy Example 3 – Cont’d

                                                                     Instructional
                                                                      suggestion
                                                                       (pre-build)

*Explore (but, pre-build)
(experience key concepts; establish relationships & understanding)

Virtual Pedagogy Example 4 – fun facts

*Explore (but, pre-build)
(experience key concepts; establish relationships & understanding)

Explore:
Build together/demo - then on own…
• Demo: Creating “bell” aka “hood” (exumbrella)
   • Rubber ball
   • Glow in the dark hot glue/hot glue gun
   • Cardboard surface
• Demo: Creating “oral arms” &
   • Plastic bag
   • Glow in the dark hot glue/hot glue gun
   • Cardboard surface

• Independent Building and Testing - Asynchronous
  (10-20 min)
   • Complete model (unmute to ask questions/get
     guidance)
   • Add optional elements:
       • food coloring
       • Sharpie drawings/decorations
       • glitter

Time to Create

See you in a bit!!
•   Continue making jellyfish tentacles & oral arms
•   Place in bottle with water (food coloring, glitter, etc.)
•   Charge with light & test glow in the dark effect (in closet/dark space)
•   Decorate bottle exterior (sharpie)

Explain:
teacher asks students to share their initial models and corresponding explanations

• Revisit those “opportunities for inquiry”
    • Are models always 100% accurate?
         • Why or why not? (Ans: Balance simple with accurate; always limitations)

    • What are some initial ideas of how you could use these materials to make a jellyfish
      model?
         • Which of these original ideas persisted? Which needed revision?
         • What choice modifications could you add to your model?

    • What do you already know (think you know) about jellyfish?
         • What are some external and internal jellyfish structures?
         • What is the difference between oral arms and tentacles?
         • How did you apply new information about jellyfish to your model?

    • How can you optimize how anatomically correct your model is?
         • Explain your design choices & how your model represents different anatomical structures.
         • What are the limitations of your model?
         • What would you do differently with unlimited time and resources?

• NEW: What challenges did you face and how did you overcome them?

Elaborate:
involve them in further experiences that apply, extend, or elaborate the concepts, processes, or skills

  What ideas do you that that fit within your curriculum goals?

  • Biology Suggestions
       •   Jellyfish life cycles
       •   Jellyfish phylogeny / classification
       •   Food chains/webs
       •   Predator-Prey interactions (jellyfish are both)
       •   Digestion
       •   Jellyfish Adaptations, such as camouflage & bioluminescence
  • Physical Science and/or Math Connections
       •   Bioluminescence Chemical Reaction(s)
       •   Light Penetration in bodies of water
       •   Ocean depths
       •   Symmetry (tetrameric, radial)
       •   Engineering Design Process

Evaluate:
allows teachers to assess learning, encourages students to assess their own
understanding and abilities
• How could you evaluate & assess learning in your students?

• Formative/informal checkpoints along the way
    • Questioning strategies
        • Recalling info
        • Explaining details of model
    • Observing students apply knowledge progressively

• Summative assessment ideas:
    • What are some of your ideas?
    • Writing prompts (modeling); diagrams/label (jellyfish anatomy);
      reflections (oral, written, drawings); etc.

• Reflections – help to close the educational loop

Summary
• Built a model jellyfish - bioluminescent
• Jellyfish basics (EQ1)
   • Classification, bioluminescence
• Jellyfish Anatomy (EQ1 & EQ2)
   • External & some internal
• Engineering
   • Trouble-shooting, improving,
     trial & error
• Model Accuracy (EQ2)
   • Anatomy
   • Bioluminescence
• Physical Sci, Math & ELA connections
   • Assessment ideas
   • Taking it further (Elaborate ideas)

What questions do you have?

We hope you had fun and feel inspired to do hands-on STEM with your own students!!

References/Resources
•   American Museum of Natural History. (n.d.) How the Jelly Got its Glow. https://www.amnh.org/explore/videos/oceans/jellies-
    down-deep/how-the-jelly-got-its-glow [Accessed 16 Feb. 2021].
•   Animal Corner. (2005-2020). Jellyfish Anatomay. Available at: https://animalcorner.org/jellyfish-anatomy/ [Accessed 16 Feb. 2021].
•   Brennan, John. (April 2018). Sciencing. Limitations of Models in Science. https://sciencing.com/limitations-models-science-
    8652502.html [Accessed 16 Feb. 2021].
•   Cronodon. (n.d.). Building Bodies of Jellyfish. [online] Available at: http://cronodon.com/BioTech/Jellyfish.html [Accessed 16 Feb.
    2021].
•   MacOrganisms2 Youtube Channel Video. (Jan 2013). Jellyfish and Anemone Anatomy (Cnidaria)
    https://moonjellyfishblog.com/2018/12/06/the-jelly-jig/ [Accessed 16 Feb. 2021].
•   NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. (n.d.). The 5E Model of Instruction. https://sites.google.com/site/nasajplcsunpsti/activities/stem-
    lesson-design/5e-model [Accessed 17 Feb. 2021]
•   Oceana (n.d.). Feature: Jellyfish. https://eu.oceana.org/en/feature-about-jellyfish [Accessed 16 Feb. 2021].
•   Roders, Kara (n.d.) Britannica. Nomenclature. Available at: https://www.britannica.com/science/scientific-modeling [Accessed 16
    Feb. 2021].
•   San Diego County Office of Education. (n.d.). Science Resource Center. 5E Model of Instruction https://ngss.sdcoe.net/Evidence-
    Based-Practices/5E-Model-of-Instruction [Accessed 17 Feb. 2021]
•   SciNews Video: Bioluminescent Jellyfish in Marianas Trench. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJQ_Lh8X0QA [Accessed 16 Feb.
    2021].
•   Smithsonian Ocean Portal Team. (2018, April). Jellyfish and Comb Jellies. https://ocean.si.edu/ocean-life/invertebrates/jellyfish-and-
    comb-jellies [Accessed 16 Feb. 2021].
•   Bulba, Dana. (n.d.). Smithsonian Science Education Center. What is Inquiry-based Science? https://ssec.si.edu/stemvisions-
    blog/what-inquiry-based-science [Accessed 17 Feb. 2021]
•   Sunset Marine Labs Video. (Dec 2018). Moon Jellyfish Blog. https://moonjellyfishblog.com/2018/12/06/the-jelly-jig/ [Accessed 16
    Feb. 2021].
•   Wiggins, Grant. 2007. Understanding by Design. Authentic Education Website:
    https://www.authenticeducation.org/ae_bigideas/article.lasso?artid=53 [Accessed 25 Feb. 2020].