The San Diego-based SMART Team program is Howard Hughes Medical Institute-supported pre-college science outreach program that mirrors the original program started in 2001 at the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE). The program aims to introduce high school students to basic concepts of protein structure and function. The program involves teachers and students in a series of innovative activities focused on protein structure in which student teams work with research labs to design and build a physical model of the protein being investigated in their assigned lab.
Information for
the 2009-2010 SMART Team Program A Collaborative Project of the
University of California, San Diego and The Scripps Research
Institute
Program Content
In this program,
high school students, working in teams from their own school, are mentored by a
teacher who has been trained in the use of modeling technology, a local outreach
staff member, and a scientist mentor from a local research lab.
Program Goals
For
Students
• To introduce high school students to basic concepts of protein structure and function.
• To expose high school students to the real world of science, as it is practiced in an active biomolecular research lab.
For Teachers
Teachers will gain insights into the ways in which scientific research is authentically practiced.
Specifically, all teachers will be able to:
• Describe at least three different ways that scientists collaborate to address a research question
• Name and describe a possible career pathway for at least three areas in science related to this year’s SMART Team experiences
Teachers will understand biomolecular structure and function in the context of a “big picture.”
Specifically, all teachers will be able to:
• Explain how the findings in one primary source publication contributed to the field’s understanding of the biomolecule’s structure and/or function
• Describe the “big picture” context of this biomolecule – why is it important to study?
• Explain to an outside person at least one aspect of their team’s biomolecule, as depicted on their poster, verbally and in detail
• Using this year’s biomolecule as the context, compare different types of models – the static image, interactive Rasmol image and their final 3-D physical model of the biomolecule – explaining the advantages and limitations of each
Teachers will enhance their own teaching practice as a result of experiences with SMART Teams.
Specifically, all teachers will be able to:
• Name at least one science concept they now can teach with more comfort or in greater detail
• Describe at least one new way that biomolecular models or scientific modeling has become part of their classroom practice
For Research
Mentors
• To provide an opportunity to work with young students who
are enthusiastic about careers in science. • To demonstrate the power of a
physical model as a thinking tool in their research.
This Year’s SMART Team Participating Schools and Teacher
Mentors
Arroyo Paseo Charter High School, Ann Marie
Wellhosue El Capitan High School, Sandy Martinez Francis Parker School,
Susan Moerder Lincoln High School, Stephanie Conrad Lutheran Christian
High School, Jamie Bitterman North County Student Coop, Lan
Parsons
Materials for the 2009- 2010 Academic Year
All of the materials
listed below will guide both the teacher mentor and the SMART Team through the
process of learning and understanding protein structures, protein folding, the
art of writing a scientific abstract and how to create a scientific poster. Each
task has a specific deadline so it is important to stay aware of due
dates. Download the SMART Team
Timeline Download the SMART Team
Mentor Manual
Qualification Phase Tasks 1 – 5
This series of qualification tasks will guide your team through the
Download the following documents:
Task 1: Visit the MSOE SMART Team website and answer a series of questions.
Due date: October 22, 2009 Download Task 1
Task 2: Read David Goodsell’s Molecule of the Month on potassium channels (February 2003).
Write a short, concise abstract about potassium channels. The abstract should have a “big picture” introduction, then information about the protein and how this relates to the “big picture”. The abstract should be between 150-200 words. Download Task 2
Due date: October 22, 2009
Task 3: Determining the importance of the protein or the “Big Picture”. Answer the questions specified in your task sheet. This will help you determine what important
features you want to include in your molecular story and model
Due date: October 29, 2009 Download Task 3
Task 4: After reading your background materials and the primary citation, write a 150-200 word abstract describing what role NS1 plays in viral infection of host cells. Tell the “molecular story” of NS1 and influenza infections. Download Task 4
Due date: November 5, 2009
Task 5: Develop a model design based on specific design details and complete the summary sheet. Download Task 5
Due date: November 5, 2009
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