Student Created Models in AP Biology

There are many different types of models available to AP Biology students, ranging from online lab simulations, to cellular animations, and highly detailed drawings and molecular imaging. One of the problems with a model is that they rarely fully engage my students.  They see them as just pictures, or movies, or games, even when they use the models to answer questions or test hypotheses that can't be tested in the classroom, there is always a disconnect.  

What I have seen work successfully to engage students intellectually and personally is the CREATION of models.  The old adage "when I do I understand" really seems to be applicable.  

I try to include at lease one modelling activity in each AP Bio unit, frequently having the students model a cellular, or molecular process.   Since my students all have iPads and access to MacBooks, a lot of these activities incorporate various iPad apps.  The activity that seems to be the most popular with students (to create, and to study from later), is the stop motion animation. 

Here are a couple examples of student products from the past year.   I give minimal guidelines on these projects, typically a list of things that must be modeled and some technology requirement that forces the students to expand their current skill set and keeps the project fresh.

Dehydration Synthesis - Jimmy 2013

Competitive Inhibition in Enzymes - Leslie 2013

Diffusion - Daniela 2013

 

Transcription & Translation - Yash 2013 

There are literally dozens of free apps for making stop motion animations using pictures.  I am most familiar with iMotion HD, though my students have started switching to Stop Motion Studio recently.  Many of my students also use iMovie on their iPad (not free), or the classroom MacBooks.