viernes, 28 de octubre de 2011

Cells Summative Assessment

During the past weeks, I have been working on a cell summative assessment.  Its purpose was to give our science teacher a tool that could be used with the students. The project could be a comic book, storybook, newspaper, game, song, talk show, etc. I decided to write a song.

  My initial plan was to create a website, which didn´t work at all due to a few technical problems. I gave up with 6 days remaining!! I couldn´t decide which project was more suitable for me until the weekend was left. So, I thought writing a song wouldn´t take me much time. Though, I was wrong. Writing the lyrics took me a whole day. Still, I hadn´t finish the entire project. My teacher requested a video which explained my work. Yet, what would I explain if it was a simple song about cell division? Ms. took this into consideration and told me to record it!?! I almost passed out but I had no choice. Despite the fact of my voice, practicing the song helped me remember each step of the cell division process without studying!

At the end comes my self-evaluation. Since I only worked on my project during the last weekend, the quality of it isn´t the most favorable. At least, it became a more interacting and fun way of learning science. The lyrics are provided below so feel free to check it out.

Lyrics:
How do Cells Divide
Ohh
How do cells divide, over and over again
A message to the man ohhh
The sequence of events, preparing to divide
Into two new cells

Let’s Go!!
Yeah, you listening now
 At interphase the cell grows to its mature size
 The cell makes an exact copy of the DNA
 At the end it has two equal sets of DNA
 Preparation in cell division beginns ahaa
 Produces structures that will be used ahaaa
 The next event of the cell cycle is prophase
 Chromatin in the nucleus condenses to form chromosomes
 The pairs of centrioles, move to opposed sides
 Spindle fibers form, a bridge from the end- sides
 The nuclear envelope breaks down
 Then is metaphase, chromosomes line up in the center of the cell
 Each attaches to spindle fibers at its centromere
 Stop making this so hard for me, damn
 I used to be a kid that couldn´t solve this out
 That’s why you have to keep singing till you understand

Ohh
How do cells divide, over and over again
A message to the man ohhh
The sequence of events, preparing to divide
Into two new cells

Yeah, anaphase is next
Two chromatids split becoming two new chromosomes
The new chromosomes
Begin moving to the opposed ends of the cell
It stretches out as the opposite ends are pushed apart
At the end, each pole has a complete pile of chromosomes
 At telophase, chromosomes begin to stretch out and lose
 Mate, now my song would leave them amazed
Great, it feels like a hard time fading out
Since the day I thought of that cunning plan
But I´m missing something I try to remember
Which belong to this song, the final stage!
It’s Cytokinesis, where the cell splits in half
Each ending with alike sets of chromosomes
 Everyone’s a kid that couldn´t solve this out
 You just gotta keep singing till you understand


How do cells divide, over and over again
A message to the man ohhh
The sequence of events, preparing to divide
Into two new cells

Ohh (4x) Interphase
Ohh (4x) Prophase
Ohh (4x) Metaphase
Ohh (4x) Anaphase
Ohh (4x) Telophase
Ohh (4x) Cytokinesis

I know how cells divide, over and over again
A message to the man ohhh
The sequence of events, preparing to divide
Into two new cells