USING SCAFFOLDED CASE STUDIES FOR A LONG-TERM PROJECT: GENOMICS OF MICROBIAL COMMUNITIES IN THERMOPOLIS HOT SPRINGS

A number of scaffolded case studies are included in this project, beginning with a field exploration that includes water chemistry and microbial mat description. The next steps include photomicroscopy, DNA extraction and preparation for sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, genomic determination of resulting sequences and statistical analysis of the resulting sequence data. The culminating activity is an oral or poster presentation at the state undergraduate research day. This long-term project has been included in this course three times in the past four years; each year building on the data collected in a previous iteration.

While most of the secondary exercises are prescribed, the introductory session is designed to encourage discovery, apply the scientific process and cultivate observational skills, teamwork, and critical thinking. Students are given a tour of the area with a brief explanation of the overall project. They are then asked to examine the area in detail (including sketching and note-taking) and compose several research questions that could be pursued. Which question(s) to use for the study depends upon the course enrollment (a consensus must be reached), student buy-in, and approval by the instructor.