Welcome to the Tree Star-sponsored flow cytometry lesson plans for high school students and educators. This curriculum was put together with funds from Grant #024094 from NIAID.
Students, just click on your subject below to download your lesson plan and resources.
Educators will find it helpful to read the Educational Resources overview.
Biology Class Oriented (cells) Identify Cancer
Thielsen Lebo, Oliver Light and Jeff Laskos
NIH SBIR Grant# 1 R44 RR024094-01
Overview
Over the course of the unit, the class will learn about Flow Cytometry, how to use FlowJo, and how to identify certain diseases often found in patients. The students will first learn about cell structure, then learn about how cancer grows and develops. The students will also learn how to diagnose certain types of cancer. This unit will last 6 days and will cover the main ideas of flow Cytometry, how it works and how it can be used. The class will spend several days learning about cells and Cytometry, and the last day will be spent working individually or in small groups to identify one cluster of cancerous cells out of six sets of data. The teacher or instructor should go through both the basic and advanced FlowJo tutorial before starting this unit so he/she will have a basic understanding of FlowJo.
Student Learning Expectations
- Have the ability to explain the basics of a Flow Cytometer
- Be able to identify specific cell types including cancerous cell clusters
- Be able to navigate through FlowJo
- Understand the uses of flow Cytometry
- Be able to explain data results in a short scientific research paper
- Understand basic vocabulary linked with Flow Cytometry
Equipment and Programs
- One available computer per 4 students and one for the instructor
- One copy of vocabulary terms for each student
- FlowJo basic tutorial and tutorial data - http://flowjo.com/home/tutorial.html
- FlowJo, demo version - http://flowjo.com/home/download.html
- Scoring rubric
Included in Lesson Plan
- Advanced Tutorial Instructions and Data (for teacher’s better understanding)
- Student Tutorial Instructions and Data
Day One - Overview
Show the Jeopardy power point to the class and have the students yell out the answers.
Continue by talking about how cancer affects the world. In the US, about 547,000 people die each year from cancer, that’s about 1,500 people each day. Ask students to raise hands if they know anyone who has cancer.
Talk about how cancer grows and develops, as well as how far treatment has come.
Currently in the world today, scientists all over the world are using Flow Cytometry to study the mechanics and effects of cancer and cells, hoping to find a cure. Tell the students they will be doing the exact same experiments as leading scientists all over the world. Currently in the world today, scientists all over the world are using Flow Cytometry to study the mechanics and effects of cancer and cells, hoping to find a cure. Tell the students they will be doing the exact same experiments as leading scientists all over the world. Give a brief overview of the experiment they will do, to identify which sample of six is cancer positive.
Hand out included vocabulary list for student’s future reference. Define key terms in a lecture using vocabulary list, tell students to keep sheet.
Day two - Fluidics, Optics, Electronics
Go to http://www.bd.com/videos/bdb/training_ITF/home.html and go through all the steps. Have the students take the quiz at the end of each section as a class, shouting out the answers. This should take most of the day, if it goes over, finish the presentation at the beginning of the next class period. If there is time left over, the class should discuss the uses of Flow Cytometry.
Have the students take the FlowJo Tutorial, the data and instructions are found at http://flowjo.com/home/tutorial.html and the program is at http://flowjo.com/home/download.htm. Have the students get as far as possible, make sure you have gone through the tutorial previously so you can answer any questions the students may have.
Day four - Advanced Tutorial - Part One
Have the students get as far as possible in the advanced tutorial in small groups of four. The teacher or instructor should have done the advanced tutorial so he or she can answer questions. At the end of the period, have each student group write down where they are in the tutorial.
Day five - Advanced Tutorial - Part Two
Have the students finish (or at least get near the end) of the advanced tutorial in the same groups they were in the day before. If the students don’t finish, tell them they can come in after school if they have not gotten past Chapter 5: Modifying Group Analyses.
Day six - FlowJo Lab
The students will be broken into groups of four, and each group will get a computer with FlowJo installed. Each group will be given six data sets to run through and gate in the same way they did in the tutorial. After gating, the students will identify which samples have cancer, and which ones don’t, each student will take his or her data and complete a one-page (minimum) write-up. The write up should include what the results were and the procedure they used to come to their conclusion. For each sample, you will be given the correct data results, and the students will be graded upon getting those results (see the included scoring guide).
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