The GK-12 Program

Brighton High School

Below is a list of lesson plans that were incorporated during the year.  Each lesson plan has a general (e.g. Lesson/Activity/Laboratory) and brief description, and an estimation of the time needed to complete the lesson.  Click on the picture or “More details…” for a complete description of the lesson (lecture notes, protocols and materials need).

Time:  45 minutes

Lesson/Activity
Text Box: This lesson is designed to get students to think critically about the science that they see in the news. The will receive a small headline from a free daily newspaper, then read the associated press article, and then be introduced to the published paper. They will be encouraged to think critically and ask questions about what they’ve read.

Science in the News

Time: ~3 1.5 hour sessions

Lesson/Laboratory

The lesson is a laboratory experiment designed to teach the students about the lethal effects of UV light on bacteria. Additionally the students will learn about the effects of UV light on humans, and it’s role in skin cancer.

The Lethal Effects of Ultraviolet light

Time: 2 45 min sessions

Lesson/Laboratory
Text Box: The laboratory will allow the students to explore how effective alcohol is used as a disinfectant. Hand sanitizers, and alcohol wipe pads are tested to see how many bacterial colonies are removed from a thumbprint.

Effectiveness of Alcohol as an Antiseptic

Time: 3 1.5 hour sessions

Lesson/Laboratory

Students will explore how DNA can be cut with restriction enzymes, and be able to visualize this using gel electrophoresis. This lesson will reinforce their knowledge of DNA structure.

Biotechnology Lesson 1: Restriction Enzyme Analysis

Time: 3 1.5 hour sessions

Lesson/Laboratory

Students will transform the pGLO plasmid into E. Coli, to make it glow green in the presence of UV light.  This lesson introduces them to the use of bacteria to produce a gene product, and how they can be used to our advantage. 

Biotechnology Lesson 2: Transformation of the pGLO Plasmid

Lesson Plans

Time: 4 1.5 hour sessions

Lesson/Laboratory

The laboratory will allow the students to explore how Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), can be used as a tool to solve crimes. Student will reinforce what they learned about DNA structure and DNA replication. 

Biotechnology Lesson 3: CSI at Brighton High: Using PCR as a Crime Scene Tool