Dr. Kay Bidle will present his current research at the April 3, 2014 STEM Educators’ Series. Dr. Bidle will discuss his work on the interactions between marine viruses and phytoplankton, how these interactions shape ecosystem dynamics, and how using molecular biology and biochemistry techniques helps us to understand ecology. Following the lecture, we will share lesson plans related to marine food webs (viruses/phytoplankton interactions) and ecology as well as discuss how to bring these topics into your classrooms/clubs. The evening will culminate with an information/activity exchange during which educators will share with each other activities they are currently using in their classrooms to teach about molecular biology, food webs, and marine ecology.
Below we have included a summary of Dr. Bidle. We will compile Background Materials, the Lecture, and adapted Lesson Plans to teach on the topics of molecular biology, food webs, and marine ecology as we get closer to the event.
Enjoy! The East Coast MARE Team
Click to Register for this STEM Educators’ Series event.
Dr. Kay Bidle is an Associate Professor at Rutgers University. He received his bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Maryland Baltimore County and completed his Ph.D. in Marine Biology/Oceanography at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego. His broad research interests are in the fields of microbial ecology, phytoplankton physiology and mortality, biogeochemistry, and ecosystem processes. He works to elucidate, using molecular biology and biochemistry techniques, cellular strategies whereby phytoplankton and marine bacteria react to their environment and, in the process, shape ecosystem dynamics and biogeochemistry in the upper ocean.
We have compiled the following materials as optional background information if you wish to read about the topics that will be covered during the event and included in the adapted lesson plans below (coming in February).
Glossary of terms relevant to Dr. Kay Bidle’s research and science presentation.
Dr. Kay Bidle’s recent NA VICE cruise in the North Atlantic (North Atlantic Virus Infection of of Coccolithophore Expedition) was fortunate to have Rose Eveleth along to blog about the experience. Check it out at: http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/expeditions/tag/knorr/.
Evening Presentation and Discussions-
If you are interested in watching the recording of the event, click here: COMING FOLLOWING THE EVENT
If you are interested in downloading the presentation slides, click here: COMING FOLLOWING THE EVENT
We developed a packet of notes pages, data slides, and materials for participants in the program. Download Bidle STEM-ES Packet
Activity 1 (Brainstorm Discussion): What kind of questions can we ask in microbial oceanography? What methods could we use to investigate these questions?
Have the students think to themselves and jot down some notes about what kind of questions we can ask and how we can study them in microbial oceanography. After a few minutes have volunteers share out some of the variables they thought of. Write them on the chalk board as they are sharing.
Activity 2 (Identifying Patterns): What patterns do you see in this satellite image?
Explain to the students that one part of data interpretation is identifying significant features and patterns. They will do this with a satellite image. Have the students work in small groups to interpret the image. After a few minutes have volunteers share with one another what they were discussing. Make sure they site the evidence.
Activity 3 (Interpreting Data): Using the data provided: 1) What patterns do you notice in the abundance of the two groups? 2) What hypothesis can you draw as to why the groups demonstrate this pattern?
Pass out the Phytoplankton/Virus abundance figures to half of the group and GSL abundance figure to the other half of the group. Have the students work in small groups to analyze their data. After a few minutes have one group present to the others what they found and then vice versa. Make sure they site the evidence.
This activity is loosely based off of original lesson plans that were developed to teach middle and high school students about the research that Dr. Bidle is conducting.
- Plankton vs. Viruses: Host/Parasite Interactions (Middle School)
- Plankton, Viruses, Glycosphingolipids: Interactions (High School, lesson ppt)