Applications of Living Systems Knowledge
This section highlights resources that demonstrate how knowledge of living systems, obtained through
the methods of science, enables predictions and technological innovations, driving home the value of
scientific pursuits.
This annual program, running February to June, allows students to participate in the
journeys of a dozen migratory species. Students share their own field observations with classrooms across North
America. In addition, students are linked with scientists who provide their expertise directly to the classroom.
Several migrations are tracked by satellite telemetry, providing live coverage of individual animals as they migrate.
Complete program details are found on site. Free registration is required. (The Journey South program begins in August.)
MSP full record
This NASA web site explains how astronauts cope with zero gravity conditions in space. Everything from
eating, dressing, working, and having fun is included through descriptions, photographs, movies, audio files, and
more. MSP full record
This is the introductory page for a set of materials that focuses on using duckweed
in bioassay experiments. Toxicologists perform bioassays to determine how a chemical affects living things. The
first paragraph describes physical characteristics of duckweed and touches on how these tiny water-dwelling
plants reproduce. There are also statistics on the number of duckweed species that exist globally and in the
United States. The second paragraph explains how duckweed can be ideal subjects for bioassays, with
Lemna minor as the species most often tested. Concluding links go to instructions for culturing
duckweed and for conducting and analyzing a duckweed bioassay, as well as to resources about lettuce seed
and Daphnia bioassays. MSP full record
This radio broadcast illustrates how knowledge of bacteria living systems enabled
creative scientific inquiry into earth's ancient environment. Almost everybody agrees that primitive life was
unicellular. There is a general consensus about what core metabolism was, what kinds of proteins ancient organisms
had, how they synthesized new proteins, and what kind of genetic code they had. One thing that has not been clear
is what the physical environment of that microorganism was. In this broadcast, researchers reconstructed a genetic
recipe for a protein possibly used a billion years ago. When they put a copy of the recipe into modern bacteria,
the bacteria manufactured the ancient protein! The team announced that the ancient protein worked best at 65
degrees Celsius, 150 degrees Fahrenheit, suggesting that early life on Earth thrived in a very warm environment.
MSP full record
This lesson packet builds on a peer-reviewed article about antibiotic resistance in
microorganisms. The packet contains discussion questions about the article, instructions for an activity about
hand washing that uses fake, fluorescent germs, and two handouts of ideas for student activities. In many of
the activities, students create a product, such as a public service announcement about antibiotic resistance
or a funny presentation of the ways that bacteria can swap DNA. The packet also provides correlations to national
science standards and a suggested timetable for the activities. MSP full record
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Copyright
August 2007 — The Ohio State University. This material is based upon work
supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0424671. Any
opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this
material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of
the National Science Foundation.
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This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons License.
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