Parallel sessions II

Workshops C

C.I Sparkling IBSE: Hummingbird seeks Bromeliad (WS07), Sonja Eilers and Yvonne Matzick

Abstract: In this workshop we invite the participants to investigate some remarkable IBSE activities. We will present some of the most sparkling activities developed and conducted within the "INQUIRE for Student Course" in Bremen. We invite the participants to test some of them hands-on and/or minds-on and to discuss their further development.

We start with the IBSE activity "Climate and Ice" and invite participants to build hypotheses about the Ice-Albedo-Interdependence and how polar ice may influence the ocean streams. The experiment "Gulf Stream in the aquarium" allows the hypotheses to be tested.

A further IBSE activity we called "Expedition to Mount Kinabalu". This is a prominent mountain, 4,095 metres above sea level and the highest peak in Borneo. The mountain is among the most important biodiversity hotspots in the world, with between 5,000 and 6,000 species of plants. We invite the workshop participants to walk with us through the Malaysian rainforests and explore the different adaptation of plants in their struggle for light and mineral nutrition. Examples of this are different epiphytes like Orchis sp., ferns, and the symbioses of Nepenthes sp. with mammals. Which traces of climate change can we recognise during our hike to the peak? How do palm oil plants influence the climate?

Then we move to Central America and Costa Rica. The IBSE activity "Hummingbird seeks Bromeliad" is a sparkling activity in the context of pollination. Why are some of the Bromeliad species green and others grey? Why do they have such colourful blossoms? What makes Bromeliad species so successful in their adaptation to a changing climate?

The IBSE activity "It's my choice" is a mystery focusing on the Wild Tobacco plant, a generalist and winner from climate change, and the fascinating strategy of choosing between butterflies (Sphingidae) and birds (Hummingbirds) as pollinators to prevent predators.

C.II BioDansciences Project – Part 1 and Part 2 Workshop (WS12), Ana Guadalupe Valenzuela Zapata and Gea Zazil Hernandez

Abstract: Dance has always been a part of human culture; most dancing is about recreation and now we want to perform for biological sciences teaching. Dancing is an enjoyable way to be more physically active and stay fit and we propose it here also for teaching biology.

In our workshop we – a scientist in biology (also an amateur dancer) with a professional dancer and choreographer and some volunteer students – want to guide and encourage you to perform a "Proteins Dance". As biology teachers we are forgetting an exciting way to teach young people the dance benefits for health. We are going to test how Life Phenomena as protein movements could be performed and discovered with a choreography. If you are interested in this experience please be aware of these points:

  • All humans beings can participate
  • You do not need to be a professional dancer
  • You are not in a dance competition
  • Release your flexibility for improvisation and creative expression
  • You need comfortable clothes and shoes.

This educational "dance seminar" creates emphases in a science–art–entertainment interaction and biological information exchange with a small number of participants. In our workshop week programme we have a special course developed in improvisation dance techniques. Come for a Bio Dansciences teaching experience!