Workshops & Summer Programs
Return-to-Campus
Twice a year alumni of the CIBT programs are invited to a one-day workshop including lab sessions, guest lectures, and opportunities to network and socialize with other alumni.
The Spring 2007 Return-to-Campus will be held on May 5. The first half of the day will be spent at Cornell's Lab of Ornithology, then we will move onto Cornell's main campus after lunch for the remainder of the program. Campus maps are available here, and there are driving directions at the Lab of O.
Schedule of Activities
| 8:30 - 9:00 | Registration and Refreshments at the Lab of Ornithology |
| 9:00 - 9:15 | Morning Announcements |
| 9:15 - 10:15 | Group 1: Tour of Cornell's Museum of Vertebrates, Lead by Dr. Irby Lovette Group 2: Presentation by Dr. Anurag Agrawal More info coming soon! |
| 10:30 - 11:30 | Group 1: Presentation by Dr. Anurag Agrawal More info coming soon! Group 2: Tour of Cornell's Museum of Vertebrates, Lead by Dr. Irby Lovette |
| 11:30 - 12:30 | Lunch-Walk around and see the Wildlife! |
| 12:30 - 1:00 | Travel to Cornell Campus (Biotech Building) |
| 1:00 - 1:30 | Announcements and Surprise Unveiling |
| 1:30 - 1:40 | Break |
| 1:40 - 2:40 | Activity Session 1 (See below for activities) |
| 2:40 - 2:50 | Break |
| 2:50 - 3:50 | Activity Session 2 (See below for activities) |
| 3:50 | Garage Sale |
Descriptions of Activities
Session 1
- NSDL's Instructional Architect program
Learn how to set up your own Instructional Architect site using web links from the National Science Digital Library! Using the site, you can develop web activities that your students can access. You will also be able to obtain web resources (science articles, activities, animations, etc.) through the NSDL.
Presented by CIBT alumna Nicole Lener - The Plasmid Toss
In this CIBT lab, developed in 2001 by Kimberlie Lascarides and Carolyn Hutter, students perform a paper simulation of recombinant DNA and bacterial transformation. The results demonstrate the expression of the Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) gene and the role of antibiotic resistance in selection of transformed bacteria. This session includes an interactive review of recombinant DNA plus a make-and-take hands-on review activity for students. Suitable for Living Environment and AP Biology students.
Presented by CIBT alumna Marilou Bebak - Sex Determination of an Unknown Skull
Info coming soon!
Presented by CIBT alumnus Greg Panzanaro
Session 2
- Molecular Models
Come to this presentation to see new tools to help students understand molecular shapes, hydrogen bonds and polarity! Two kits from 3d Molecular Designs will be available: Water cups and the Amino Acid kit. The water molecules show the differences between covalent and hydrogen bonds, properties of water, and of course polarity. The Amino Acid kits are a fabulous hands-on way to show the levels of protein structure, transcription, translation, and gene mutations. Students start with a DNA sequence and end up folding a polypeptide into its unique shape with their own hands. It is also possible to show the effects (or non-effects) of gene mutations.
If you like the kits and think you would use them in your classes, they may become available to borrow through the lending library. Free fun and door prizes ! (fun is always free)
Presented by CIBT alumna Beth Chagrasulis - What's Your Type?
We will be exploring genotypes and phenotypes using letter codes, sweets, and household materials. Use raisins, spice drops, pipe cleaners and marshmallows to teach a fun genetics lesson suitable for grades four through eight.
Presented by CIBT alumna Corinne Crawford
Requires Both Sessions
- Project WET
Project WET is an international, interdisciplinary water science program for K-12 educators. It promotes critical thinking and problem solving skills and helps young people gain the knowledge and experience they will need to make informed decisions about water source management. During the workshop participants will experience a variety of the hands on activities that are included in the Project WET Curriculum and Activity Guide, receive handouts and information on teaching environmental topics, and their own copy of the Activity Guide to take with them.
This session will focus on the project WET activities for grades 1-6.
Presented by CIBT alumna Liz McCheyne - Investigating the Virulence of Erwinia amylovora
Help CIBT test out this new lab! This multimedia exercise introduces students to the genomics using Erwinia amylovora, the bacteria responsible for causing fireblight in apples and pears. The activity takes students through the process of finding genes in a genome and the practices of studying the functions of genes of interest through reverse genetics. The exercise can be divided into two complementary but separable sections:- Finding Genes in a Genome: Students are asked to identify open reading frames, i.e. potential genes, in sequences of DNA. In the first part of the exercise, the DNA sequence is presented by reading frame; in the second part of the exercise, students must separate the DNA sequence into reading frames to search for potential genes.
- Studying Genes of Interest: Students are introduced to reverse genetics as a means to study genes. Given a set of genes of interest and information about their homology to known genes from an international database, students develop hypotheses about the role of the given genes in virulence. After developing hypotheses and viewing a lab-prepared video about the assay for bacterial pathogenicity that will be used to test their hypotheses (which includes information on lab techniques, safety, and equipment), students run the virtual experiments, consisting of time-lapse videos of fire blight infections, on mutants of their genes of interest. Students then evaluate their data and revise their hypotheses about the roles of their chosen genes in the virulence of Erwinia amylovora.
