Joel notices that the leopard frogs that have just arrived from Earth seem to have a strange skin condition. He can't put his finger on it, but he's worried that they may be damaged on a cellular level! Help Joel figure out what's gone wrong with Tyto's cryonic process, and if the problem affects animals, plants, and even humans in cryosleep!
MS-LS1-2. Develop and use a model to describe the function of a cell as a whole and ways the parts of cells contribute to the function.
Cell damage; nucleus, cell membrane, mitochondria, cell anatomy
This storyline helps students understand the causes of various conditions, and how small impacts can make a big difference in their health.
When leopard frogs are brought out of cryosleep, Joel notices something strange about their skin. The frogs appear to be hopping normally, but what's the matter with their skin? Students must mount an investigation.
Students work with Joel to compare healthy frog skin cells to the damaged Leopard frog skin cells under a microscope to determine the severity of the damage. While doing so, students learn about the function of four organelles: the cell membrane, mitochondria, and nucleus in animal cells, and the cell wall in plant cells.
Once students determine where the damage occurred, they research the condition to see if treatment is necessary. Students also investigate if the damage was widespread to other organisms such as plants that were shipped from Earth with the frogs.
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