Lesson 8 Knowledge Mapping

Mitosis

Time

This exercise takes approximately 2 hours.

Objectives

Once you have completed this knowledge mapping exercise you should be able to:

1. Describe the process of mitosis in full or any one of its stages.

2. Describe the function of mitosis and show how the structures and processes assure that the function is achieved.

3. Be able to recognize a stage of mitosis in a photograph obtained with a light microscope.

4. Teach mitosis to someone else.

Exercise 1

Constructing a Network of Ideas about Mitosis

To Do 1. Work in Groups of three or four students each, or alone if you prefer.

2. Obtain the Mitosis exercise net from your teacher. This net contains the basic concepts and relations you will need to describe mitosis. Your job is to link them together into a coherent, robust network.

3. Mitosis is a process that occurs over time. Processes generally flow horizontally through a knowledge network, with the imaginary time axis across the bottom. Thus, the stages of mitosis will be connected in sequence by the relation 'followed by' (Figure 1). Fill in the boxes in Figure 1 with the names of the stages of mitosis.

Figure 1. Mitotic Cycle

To Do 4. The information also should be organized hierarchically, as in Figure 2. Fill in the boxes in Figure 2 with the two types of nuclear division (mitosis and meiosis) and the stages of mitosis.

Figure 2. Stages of Mitosis

5. Each stage should then be fully described, including all the major events in order of occurrence.

6. Use all of the existing concepts and relations, and add any additional concepts as desired.

Review 7. Review your net using the Traverse command on the Move menu, and select Ask About Each One in the Traverse dialog box. Make notes about the changes needed as you review your net, and when done go into the net and make the changes you have decided upon. You can repeat this process several times.

Exercise 2

Adding Pictures to your Net

1. If your instructor has a scanner and some nice pictures, scan a photograph or diagram of each stage of mitosis, as well as pictures of structures such as chromosomes and cells, and polish up your images in a suitable graphic software.

To Do 2. Otherwise use the collection of images supplied by your instructor in the application Microsoft Word. Open both the Word document and your SemNet file about mitosis.

3. Bring the Word document to the front using the Icon in the upper right corner of your screen.

4. Select the first image by clicking on it. Once selected, the outline of the picture is sharper and square dots appear in the corners. Select Copy from the Edit menu to copy that image to the Clipboard. Figure out what concept the image best represents.

5. Bring the SemNet file to the front using the Icon in the upper right corner of your screen.

6. Use the Jump command to move to the desired concept.

7. Select Picture for 'that concept' from the Concept Menu. A dialog box will open. Click on the Paste button in the dialog box to paste the picture from the clipboard into the space provided. It will appear as an attachment to the selected concept.

8. Close the dialog box. An open circle will appear next to the concept, indicating that a picture is attached. Click and hold on the circle to see the picture.

9. Select Preferences from the Edit menu. If you want your pictures to show on the screen, click once to put an 'x' in the box next to "Picture Visible at" and indicate the best position on the screen by typing in the appropriate time. If you would rather not have your pictures showing on the screen, click again to remove the 'x' in the box next to "Picture Visible At."

Exercise 3

Examining Other Networks

Review 1. Review at least two other nets constructed by different groups. Give them written feedback: What have they done especially well? How might they improve their net? Give a copy of your comments to your instructor as well.

Exercise 4

Print

1. Your teacher may want you to print your net out as follows:
a. About Net. Select Print from the File menu. Click once on the radial (round) button beside About Net in the first column. Click on Print.

b. Concepts, Alphabetical. Select Print from the File menu. Select Concepts and Text. The computer will automatically select Alphabetical and All. Select attached items, Header, Numbering, and Statistics. Click on the Print button.
c. Relations, Creation Order. Select Print from the File menu. Select Relations, Text, Creation, and All. Select attached items, Header, Numbering, and Statistics. Click on the Print button.
d. Concepts, Graphically. Select Print from the File menu. Select Concepts, Graphic, Compact Screen, Creation, and Concepts with 3 or more instances (not All). Select attached items, Header, Numbering, and Statistics. Click on six frames per page. Click on the Print button.

2. Staple the pages together in the order given, put the names of your group members on the front, and give them to your teacher for review and comment.

	Mitosis
Time	This exercise takes approximately 2 hours.

Objectives		Once you have completed this knowledge mapping exercise you should be able to:
	1.	Describe the process of mitosis in full or any one of its stages.
	2.	Describe the function of mitosis and show how the structures and processes assure that the function is achieved.
	3.	Be able to recognize a stage of mitosis in a photograph obtained with a light microscope.
	4.	Teach mitosis to someone else.

Exercise 1	Constructing a Network of Ideas about Mitosis
To Do	1.	Work in Groups of three or four students each, or alone if you prefer.
	2.	Obtain the Mitosis exercise net from your teacher. This net contains the basic concepts and relations you will need to describe mitosis. Your job is to link them together into a coherent, robust network.
	3.	Mitosis is a process that occurs over time. Processes generally flow horizontally through a knowledge network, with the imaginary time axis across the bottom. Thus, the stages of mitosis will be connected in sequence by the relation 'followed by' (Figure 1). Fill in the boxes in Figure 1 with the names of the stages of mitosis. Figure 1. Mitotic Cycle
To Do	4.	The information also should be organized hierarchically, as in Figure 2. Fill in the boxes in Figure 2 with the two types of nuclear division (mitosis and meiosis) and the stages of mitosis. Figure 2. Stages of Mitosis
	5.	Each stage should then be fully described, including all the major events in order of occurrence.
	6.	Use all of the existing concepts and relations, and add any additional concepts as desired.
Review	7.	Review your net using the Traverse command on the Move menu, and select Ask About Each One in the Traverse dialog box. Make notes about the changes needed as you review your net, and when done go into the net and make the changes you have decided upon. You can repeat this process several times.

Exercise 2	Adding Pictures to your Net
	1.	If your instructor has a scanner and some nice pictures, scan a photograph or diagram of each stage of mitosis, as well as pictures of structures such as chromosomes and cells, and polish up your images in a suitable graphic software.
To Do	2.	Otherwise use the collection of images supplied by your instructor in the application Microsoft Word. Open both the Word document and your SemNet file about mitosis.
	3.	Bring the Word document to the front using the Icon in the upper right corner of your screen.
	4.	Select the first image by clicking on it. Once selected, the outline of the picture is sharper and square dots appear in the corners. Select Copy from the Edit menu to copy that image to the Clipboard. Figure out what concept the image best represents.
	5.	Bring the SemNet file to the front using the Icon in the upper right corner of your screen.
	6.	Use the Jump command to move to the desired concept.
	7.	Select Picture for 'that concept' from the Concept Menu. A dialog box will open. Click on the Paste button in the dialog box to paste the picture from the clipboard into the space provided. It will appear as an attachment to the selected concept.
	8.	Close the dialog box. An open circle will appear next to the concept, indicating that a picture is attached. Click and hold on the circle to see the picture.
	9.	Select Preferences from the Edit menu. If you want your pictures to show on the screen, click once to put an 'x' in the box next to "Picture Visible at" and indicate the best position on the screen by typing in the appropriate time. If you would rather not have your pictures showing on the screen, click again to remove the 'x' in the box next to "Picture Visible At."

Exercise 3	Examining Other Networks
Review	1.	Review at least two other nets constructed by different groups. Give them written feedback: What have they done especially well? How might they improve their net? Give a copy of your comments to your instructor as well.

Exercise 4	Print
	1.	Your teacher may want you to print your net out as follows: a. About Net. Select Print from the File menu. Click once on the radial (round) button beside About Net in the first column. Click on Print.

		b. Concepts, Alphabetical. Select Print from the File menu. Select Concepts and Text. The computer will automatically select Alphabetical and All. Select attached items, Header, Numbering, and Statistics. Click on the Print button. c. Relations, Creation Order. Select Print from the File menu. Select Relations, Text, Creation, and All. Select attached items, Header, Numbering, and Statistics. Click on the Print button. d. Concepts, Graphically. Select Print from the File menu. Select Concepts, Graphic, Compact Screen, Creation, and Concepts with 3 or more instances (not All). Select attached items, Header, Numbering, and Statistics. Click on six frames per page. Click on the Print button.
	2.	Staple the pages together in the order given, put the names of your group members on the front, and give them to your teacher for review and comment.