Gel Electrophoresis Lab

Description

Gel Electrophoresis Lab Preview

SNAPs Lab Stations Activities require students to use science, math, literacy, problem-solving and engineering skills. They are designed to enhance students’ understanding of scientific concepts and help students apply scientific ideas to the real world. Each station activity promotes skills so to develop students into proficient and competent scientific thinkers.

SNAPs lab activities have five components:
• Science Skills Station to develop science skill proficiency
• Narrative Station to build science literacy
• Assessment Station to evaluate learning and understanding
• Problem-Solving Station to foster engineering design
• Synthesis Station and Project to inspire higher-order learning

DIGITAL LABORATORY – DISTANCE LEARNING & DIGITAL CLASSROOMS
• This lab is offered in a digital format to support digital classrooms & distance learning.
• The digital lab activity is designed to work with Google Slides and Microsoft PowerPoint
• The digital lab activity CANNOT be edited. However:
– Students can manipulate text boxes
– Students can create tables, graphs and diagrams
– Students can insert images and drawings

GOOGLE FORM ASSESSMENT STATION
• The assessment station is offered as a self-grading Google Form.
• Questions are all short answer and are 100% editable.
• Suggestions for use are included in the download.

DISTANCE LEARNING COMPATIBILITY
SNAPs lab activities are rated for their ease with distance – independent learning. Refer to the preview for more information about how well this laboratory works in a fully digital classroom and with distance learning.

EDITABLE DOCUMENTS
This download includes an editable word document (docx file) of all lab components:
• Pre-Lab and Post-Lab Activities
• The Lab Overview
• Lab Station Activities and Questions
• Directed Synthesis Project (when applicable)

Important Notes:
• Diagrams, illustrations, tables and graphs essential to lab activities are included
• Illustrative clipart is NOT included
• Editable documents and rubrics are included with the FREE SNAPs Setup Guide

Editable files allow you to:
• Edit the scope of the activities so to suit your students’ needs
• Edit the materials required based on resource availability
• Create single-period “mini-labs” using activities at the individual skills stations

The activities at each station in this lab are detailed below.

Gel Electrophoresis Lab Stations Activity Learning Objectives
1. Explain the laboratory procedure of gel electrophoresis.
2. Discuss the use of restriction enzymes in preparing DNA for gel electrophoresis.
3. Compare the movement of small and large DNA fragments in gel electrophoresis.
4. Analyze the banding pattern in gel electrophoresis so to determine relationships between DNA samples.
5. Discuss scientific and forensic uses of gel electrophoresis.
6. Simulate gel electrophoresis so to compare DNA samples like a forensic scientist.

Science Skills Station
Students will learn about the process of gel electrophoresis with a computer model (from the laboratory where the procedure was developed). Students will apply what they learn from the computer model so to interpret and analyze results from gel electrophoresis.

Narrative Station
Students will read a passage about gel electrophoresis. They will also watch a video about gel electrophoresis. If time allows, students will watch a video about DNA fingerprinting and DNA profiling and their role in forensics and paternity cases.

Assessment Station
At this station, students will answer questions about key terms and ideas relating to gel electrophoresis. Students must employ lower, mid and higher order thinking skills to answer these questions.

Problem-Solving Station
Students will complete an introductory activity about the first use of gel electrophoresis in the exoneration and conviction of two murder suspects. Then students will simulate gel electrophoresis at this station. Students will be provided a DNA sample from the “crime scene” and DNA samples from three different suspects. Students will simulate the preparation of DNA samples (with restriction enzymes) and the movement of DNA fragments in agarose gel.

Synthesis Station
Students will compose a CER (claim-evidence-reasoning) report to summarize the lab. Students are provided the claim statement and must support the claim with observations, data and other information gathered in the lab. Students will explain how the evidence supports the claim using scientific reasoning.

Synthesis Project
Students will have a choice of 11 projects. Refer to the SNAPs Lab Stations Best Practices and Setup Guide for directions and suggestions on how to conduct the project.

This download includes:
• A pre-lab assignment and post-lab reflection
• Directions and questions for each lab station
• Student recording sheets
• Teacher Key

Additional Materials Required:
3 Computers or Tablets
Scissors
Glue or tape
Colored pencils
Black marker
Easel paper (one sheet per lab group)

LINKS TO VIDEOS
This laboratory requires internet to access videos. Videos are hosted on SafeShare.TV so to safely watch and share educational YouTube videos without ads, comments and other distractions. Shortened and full link(s) to SafeShare.TV included. Full link to original YouTube video(s) included.

NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS
This laboratory does not address a specific Next Generation Science Standard, but it complements NGSS concepts. It combines the three dimensions of science learning – science and engineering practices, disciplinary core ideas and crosscutting concepts – in order to meet the standard. This laboratory also makes interdisciplinary connections to STEM, Math CCSS and ELA CCSS to build the appropriate skills.

TERMS OF USE
• All rights reserved by Stephanie Elkowitz.
• This product is to be used by the original purchaser only.
• Intended for classroom and personal use only.
• Copying for more than one teacher, classroom, department, school, or school system is prohibited.
• This product may not be distributed or displayed digitally for public view.
• Failure to comply is a copyright infringement and a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).