Water Kit
Amino Acid Starter Kit
Dynamic DNA Kit
Flow of Genetic Information
Enzymes in Action Kit
Chromosome Connections
Insulin mRNA Protein Kit
Student Modeling Packs
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In the Modeling Marvels - 2022 Webinar Series, 3D Molecular Designs features 3DMD Model Teachers who share their approaches to using their favorite kits in their classrooms. Each webinar highlights an educator and their use of our models followed by an exploration of the deeper science concepts associated with the topic by Dr. Tim Herman.
Fee: $60 for the 6-session series, or $15 per individual session.
Registration for the series includes:
Receive the Student Modeling Pack Collection if you register for the full series.
Water & Membranes Webinar
Tuesday, Feb 15, 6:30-8 PM CST
Keep Your Head Above Water: Constructing & Crossing Cell Membranes
Explore the polar nature of water molecules and the properties of phospholipids to set the stage for students to construct their understanding of the structure and function of cell membranes and transport with engaging models.
-Kim Parfitt, 3D Molecular Designs, Boise, ID
Transmembrane Proteins: Transporting Potassium
Learn about the features of transmembrane proteins – alpha helices – and how their structure is particularly well-suited to span membranes. Explore the potassium channel as an example of a transmembrane protein that specifically transports potassium ions… but not sodium ions.
-Tim Herman, PhD, Milwaukee School of Engineering & 3D Molecular Designs
Registration includes a free Water Student Modeling Pack and a free Membrane Student Modeling Pack.
Water Chemistry Webinar
Tuesday, Feb 22, 6:30-8 PM CST
From Particles to Properties: Bridging Scales with Water Kit® Models
Explore how Water Kit® models can be used to foster an understanding of the structure of water molecules and how interactions between these molecules explain the properties of water observed on the bulk scale. This session is based on the Next Generation Science Standards MS-PS1-1 and HS-PS1-3.
-Matthew Kern, M.Sc., Walworth Barbour American International School, Even Yehuda, Israel
Exploding Frog Eggs & Discovery of Aquaporin
Explore the 3D structure of aquaporin, the water channel. Tim will tell the story behind the 2006 Nobel Prize in Chemistry awarded to Peter Agree - and the exploding frog egg experiment that provided the first evidence that aquaporin was a water transporter.
Registration includes a free Water Student Modeling Pack.
Proteins Webinar
Tuesday, March 1, 6:30-8 PM CST
Demystifying Protein Dimensionality & Exploring Enzymes
Are your students confused about protein structure and its relationship to its function? In this hands-on, interactive session, explore how proteins get their dimensionality. Then focus on enzymes, their active sites, and which factors limit enzyme activity. Finally, learn some tips to aid your students in interpreting results from the catalase lab. Extend your students' learning with these NGSS, AP, or IB consistent lessons.
-Ruth Hutson, MSSE, Blue Valley High School, Randolph, KS
Protein Folding Problem Nevermore
Learn about the recent use of AI to solve the "protein folding problem". Now that everything has changed … shouldn’t we change what we teach? Explore protein structure and function of Tim’s favorite proteins.
Registration includes a free Protein Student Modeling Pack.
DNA Function Webinar
Tuesday, March 8, 6:30-8 PM CST
Mistakes were Made: Modeling DNA Replication Errors
Explore the incredible versatility of the Flow of Genetic Information Kit and how using this kit in stages makes it a year-round asset. We will zoom in on one aspect of the kit to examine how students can use their model to make predictions and explain changes in genetic information.
-Sherry Annee, Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School, Indianapolis, IN
The Importance of Being Modified! Hear Tim’s story about the process of science, and how we went from noticing pseudouridine in the 1970’s – to understanding how this base modification was the key to functional mRNA vaccines in 2021. We have to wonder if we have missed something important while teaching mRNA all these years. Life is complicated… and amazingly interesting.
Registration includes a free Nucleotide Student Modeling Pack.
DNA Structure Webinar
Tuesday, March 15, 6:30-8 PM CST
Discovering DNA: Brief 153-year history of DNA (in 40 minutes)
Join us as we look at the history of DNA and learn how to model the scientific process with students in the classroom. DNA was initially isolated in 1869, but its relevance wasn’t determined until the 1940’s. Why did it take so long? The scientific process takes time, but the painstaking work has led to an entirely new world.
-Mark Arnholt, Hartford Union High School, Hartford, WI
Why DNA & RNA? Let’s think about how we can start emphasizing the why in our teaching …. and as a result, make science more memorable for our students. Instead of just having students identify the differences in DNA and RNA, use models to help them understand the evolutionary reasons for the differences.
Registration includes a free Double Helix Student Modeling Pack.
Tuesday, March 22, 6:30-8 PM CST
Chromosome Connections for your Classroom
Model mitosis, meiosis, chromosome structure and crossing over with hands on models to help your students connect microscopic genetics concepts to molecular DNA concepts. Bring your student hat and be ready to engage.
-Sandra Crusa, NBCT Mica Mountain High School
Modeling Methylation in Epigenetics
Explore the complexities of gene regulation in eukaryotes, and how the modification of amino acids in histones, and the modification of nucleotides in DNA, impact gene expression in eukaryotic organisms. Model methylation with the field test Nucleosome Kit to increase student understanding!
Registration includes a free Chromosome Student Modeling Pack.