Syllabus

Judith S. de Nuño
http:/www.jdenuno.com

jdenuno@mhs-la.org

Science at Marymount

Office Hours
Daily at Lunch in the Science Patio

Cyber Office Hours
AIM: teachsci23

Title: Curing Cancer

Purpose:

  • to learn how to set up a lab notebook
  • to organize and graph data
  • to determine if reduction affects cancer cell growth

Materials:

  • information and data on Curing Cancer
  • ruler
  • colored pencils
Procedure:
  1. Read information and data
  2. State a hypothesis~~
    • Choose one of the following
    • reduction reduces cancer cell growth
    • reduction does not reduce cancer cell growth
    • reduction has no effect on cancer cell growth
  3. Determine which groups are controls and which are the experimental groups
  4. Organize and record data in a data chart (data charts have titles)
  5. Graph data
    • multi-line graph
    • use different colors
    • include legend
    • choose a descriptive title for the graph
    • label the x- and y-axes with names and units

Results:

  • This is where you place your data charts and graphs!

Discussion:

    1. Restate the purpose
    2. Describe the pattern for each specimen...use data and numbers from the data chart and the graph.
    3. Compare and contrast the Group A and Group B specimens
    4. What do the overall results indicate?
    5. Was your hypothesis supported?
    6. What might be sources of error in the experiment for which you graphed the data?
    7. How might you improve the experiment?

Conclusion:

  • (A one sentence testable statement that follows from your results, what you did, what you observed)
  • For this activity use the following format:

    Reduction (was, was not) effective in reducing cancer cells because..........

Reflection:

  • (A personal statement about the activity, whether it relates to "real life," whether you liked it, suggested improvements.....)
 
background
 

Cancer is a large group of diseases characterized by uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells. If the spread is not controlled or checked, it results in death. However, many cancers can be cured if detected and treated early. Suppose a scientist who has been studying cancer cells finds a chemical that might reduce the number of cancer cells in mice. The scientist calls the chemical reduction. The scientist planned a series of tests to see if the chemical actually reduces the number of cancer cells.

There were 10 mice in the small laboratory. All 10 mice have cancer. The 10 mice were divided into 2 groups, 5 in each group. Group A received injections of reduction while Group B received injections of a sugar solution. The injections were given every 8 hours for 10 days.

Before beginning the injections, the number of cancer cells in a sample form each mouse was determined and recorded. After beginning the injections, the number of cancer cells in a sample from each mouse was determined and recorded every 2 days. The data from several specimens appears on the following list:

 
data
 
  • A1: 1000 cells at beginning and 1050, 1050, 1075, 1100, and 1100 on days 2,4,6,8,10, respectively.
  • A2: 800 cells at beginning and 1050, 1000, 1075, 1100, and 1200 on days 2,4,6,8,10, respectively.
  • A3: 500 cells at beginning and 600, 650, 725, 800, and 850 on days 2,4,6,8,10, respectively.
  • A4: 1000 cells at beginning and 950, 850, 975, 1000, and 1100 on days 2,4,6,8,10, respectively.
  • A5: 600 cells at beginning and 600, 750, 675, 800, and 700 on days 2,4,6,8,10, respectively.
  • B1: 1500 cells at beginning and 1520, 1530, 1550, 1600, and 1625 on days 2,4,6,8,10, respectively.
  • B2: 800 cells at beginning and 950, 1000, 1075, 1100, and 950 on days 2,4,6,8,10, respectively.
  • B3: 1200 cells at beginning and 1225, 1250, 1260, 1275, and 1290 on days 2,4,6,8,10, respectively.
  • B4: 500 cells at beginning and 600, 600. 975, 1000, and 1000 on days 2,4,6,8,10, respectively.
  • B5: 800 cells at beginning and 1050, 1000, 1075, 950, and 800 on days 2,4,6,8,10, respectively.

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