Coming into the IceCube project as a biologist was apprehensive to say the least. I certainly felt like the outsider among the physics heavy staff and teaching regiment. Biology is my passion but I also have a deep interest in physics as a content area. My involvement with IceCube has given me the chance to explore some intense physics and deeper understand the world around me. I quickly found that although the program is based heavily in the physics department they eagerly welcome science of all types. This project is more about the SCIENCE happening than it is about the specifics of the project. As a biologist this helped calm my nerves and allowed me to explore the subject through the lens of the life sciences. Biology is the study of life but when broken down to its most basic components life can be explained using physics. Many biological phenomena rely on the fundamental principles of physics for explanation. The lessons presented during my week in River Falls explored the realm of electromagnetic (EM)radiation. Wavelength, frequency, amplitude, absorption, reflection and a whole gambit of other criteria were covered for the week. Attempting to bridge the gap between EM waves and biology, I chose to explore the biological process of photosynthesis through the eye of reflection and absorption of light, an electromagnetic wave. This opportunity allowed me to approach a familiar topic from a different perspective and also allowed the students to explore a direct application of the methods they had been learning.
I designed a lab requiring the students to compare the absorption efficiency of shade tolerant plants with sun tolerant plants. The procedure required the students to collect six different plant species, three from each category. Getting the students outside and out of their element was a great experience by themselves. While collect leaves off the trail the students were exposed to a brief glimpse of the natural world. I am a strong advocate for exposure to the natural world and believe that any good biology class cannot be taught solely within the confines of a classroom. The student described each plant and recorded the ambient light reading at each collection site./p> Each leaf was tested for its ability to absorb light provided from the overhead classroom lights. The data was converted to a percent absorption and presented to the class. The results showed that there was no significant difference in absorption efficiency between shade tolerant and sun tolerant plants. This result reinforces to the students that science does not always result in definite answers or results. It emphasizes the process and not the results. In the end the students applied what they had learned about EM radiation to biology and generated data. They explored a lesson integrating physics and biology but it was the process of SCIENCE that was the most important lesson of all.