With the development of new sequencing and bioinformatics technologies, concepts relating to personal genomics play an increasingly important role in our society. To promote interest and understanding of sequencing and bioinformatics in the high school classroom, we developed and implemented a laboratory-based teaching module called "The…

Major advances in fundamental science are developed using model systems. Classic examples of model systems include Mendel's work with the common garden pea ("Pisium sativa"), classic inheritance work by Morgan with the fruit fly ("Drosophila"), developmental studies with the nematode ("C. elegans"), and transposable elements in maize ("Zea…

A three unit module of inquiry, including morphological comparison, cladogram construction, and data mining has been developed to teach students the nature of experimental science. Students generate angiosperm morphological data, form cladistic hypotheses, then mine taxonomic, bioinformatic and historical data from many sources to replicate and…