There are many reasons to seek alternatives to the use of vertebrates, including cost and concerns with use of vertebrates in undergraduate laboratories. This major workshop explores examples of alternatives, including: a) an exploration of thermoregulation without using animals at all, b) an investigation of actomyosin function and membrane excitation using giant alga, and c) using insects to investigate taste receptors and digestion. This workshop explores the importance of providing good background information to vertebrate processes and connecting the alternative experimental system to homologous physiological processes in vertebrates. Students can appreciate the commonality in biological processes and the importance of underlying physiological principles.
This activity from our family magazine series challenges kids to go on a microbe quest to solve a riddle. The online activity begins with a page of directions for how to find the missing letters of the riddle. As kids click their way around a virtual lunchroom, they are given 11 Yes/No questions asking whether the featured bacteria helps people. Along with the answer to the riddle, kids get a round of applause when they correctly answer all 11 questions.
To reinforce students' understanding of the human digestion process, the functions of several stomach and small intestine fluids are analyzed, and the concept of simulation is introduced through a short, introductory demonstration of how these fluids work. Students learn what simulation means and how it relates to the engineering process, particularly in biomedical engineering. The teacher demo requires vinegar, baking soda, water and aspirin.
Subject:
Mathematics and Statistics, Science and Technology
The digestive system is amazing: it takes the foods we eat and breaks them into smaller components that our body can use for energy, cell repair and growth. This lesson introduces students to the main parts of the digestive system and how they interact. In addition, students learn about some of the challenges astronauts face when trying to eat in outer space.
Subject:
Mathematics and Statistics, Science and Technology
Although a great deal of emphasis of the course is on the structures of the organs and tissues, this is not a course based solely on pure microscopic descriptions. Lectures and laboratory sessions will focus on the integration of structures with functions, drawing from many disciplines (light/electron microscopy, cell biology, biochemistry, physiology etc.). Highlights of the course are its magnificently detailed collections of tissues as represented in the Circulatory Lecture.
The Digestion and Nutrition Student Edition book is one of ten volumes making up the Human Biology curriculum, an interdisciplinary and inquiry-based approach to the study of life science.
In this lab, the student will review the physiology of the organ systems by using images of models, experiments, and videos. Then the student will be asked to assess his or her knowledge, which can eventually be put to practical or experimental use. Upon successful completion of this lab supplement, students will be able to: describe techniques used to measure the function of organ systems; relate diagnostic tools, such as those used to measure ECG, EEG, and EMG activity, and those used in spirometry and urinalysis tests, to the physiological processes; relate diagnostic tests, such as the patellar and plantar reflex tests, to physiological processes; perform laboratory observations and experiments; collect, analyze, and interpret data; and form conclusions. (Biology 304 Laboratory)
The CK-12 foundation defines a flexbook as a “free and open source textbook platform where one can build and edit collaborative textbooks.” The Kansas State University Human Nutrition (HN 400) Flexbook fits this definition but I feel the name is particularly accurate due to the flexibility of Google Docs. Students in addition to having access through Google Docs, can download the flexbook as an .odt, .pdf, .rtf, .doc, text, or html file giving them flexibility to use the document how they would like. Students can also choose whether they would like to read flexbook digitally or print and read on paper.
HN400 is a 3-hour, intermediate-level, nutrition course at Kansas State University taught on campus every spring semester, and all 3 semesters (fall, spring, summer) via the Division of Continuing Education. Ideally on campus students take the course during the spring semester of their sophomore year. On campus most students in the class are majoring in Nutritional Sciences, Public Health Nutrition, Nutrition & Kinesiology, Athletic Training, and Dietetics. There is an increasing number of Biology, Life Sciences and other majors taking the course.
Students reinforce their knowledge of the different parts of the digestive system and explore the concept of simulation by developing a pill coating that can withstand the churning actions and acidic environment found in the stomach. Teams test the coating durability by using a clear soda to simulate stomach acid.
Subject:
Mathematics and Statistics, Science and Technology
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