Home > Past and Future Conferences > ABLE 2000

The ABLE 2000 conference logo shows Clemson landmark Tillman Hall, the South Carolina State Bird, the Carolina wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus), and a branch of flowering dogwood. Carolina wrens are found as far north as southern New England and as far west as Texas, and eat small invertebrates and some seeds. This picture was drawn by Clemson undergraduate Nathan Hadley.  

Welcome to Clemson University!

The 22nd Annual Meeting of the Association for Biology Laboratory Education (ABLE) will be held at Clemson University in Clemson, SC, from June 6-10, 2000.
 

Major conference events
The Clemson environment
Travel
Lodging and dining
Recreational facilities
Special conference events
Registration
Joining ABLE
Conference T-shirts

Major workshops

Wednesday
Thursday
Friday

Mini workshops
Tuesday field trips
Saturday field trips

Monday, June 5

ABLE Board Meeting: Jordan Room, 4 - 6 PM, 7:30 - 9 PM

Tuesday, June 6

Conference Registration: McCabe Hall Lobby, 10 AM - 3 PM
Tuesday afternoon field trips

Clemson University Genomic Institute (3 - 5 PM)
South Carolina Botanical Garden (3 - 5 PM)
Historic Pendleton (1:30 - 5:30 PM)
A Visit to Greenville (1:30 - 5:30 PM)
The Blue Ridge Foothills (1 - 5:30 PM)

Welcome Reception - Owens Pavilion on Lake Hartwell, 7 - 9 PM
Vans leave from McCabe Hall from 6:30 - 7:30 PM

Wednesday, June 7

Conference Registration: McCabe Hall Lobby, 8 - 9 AM
Major Workshops - 8:30 - 11:30 AM, Long and Jordan Halls
Box Lunch, Jordan Room, 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM
Special presentation at noon: "Map-Based Cloning in Crop Plants, from Jointless Tomatoes to the Rice Genome" by Dr. Rod Wing, Clemson University
Major Workshops - 1:30 - 4:30 PM
Special Event - ABLE Meets Advanced Placement Biology, 5 - 7 PM
Special Event - Two Year College Symposium, Tri-County Technical College, after ABLE/AP event

Thursday, June 8

Major Workshops - 8:30 - 11:30 AM, Long and Jordan Halls
Box Lunch, Jordan Room, 11:30 - 1:30 PM
Special presentation at noon: "Menance, Myths, and Medicine: The Sharks, Skates and Rays" by Dr. Bud Bodine, Clemson University
Major Workshops - 1:30 - 4:30 PM
ABLE Business Meeting 5 - 6:30 PM, Brackett Auditorium
Conference photo will be taken at start of Business Meeting
Special Event - Biologists' Night Out, after Business Meeting

Friday, June 9

Major Workshops - 8:30 - 11:30 AM, Long and Jordan Halls
Box Lunch, Jordan Room, 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM
Special presentation at noon: "From the Rainforest to the Galapagos:  A Video Adventure" by Dr. Jacqueline McLaughlin, The Pennsylvania State University/Berks-Lehigh Valley College
Mini Workshops - 1:30 - 4:30 PM
Conference Banquet - SC Botanical Garden, 5:30 - 8 PM
Vans leave from McCabe Hall from 5 - 6:30 PM

Saturday, June 10--All-Day Field Trips

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, 8 AM - 7 PM
Greenwood Genetics Center and Park Seed Company, 8 AM - 6 PM
Biltmore Estate and Chimney Rock, 8 AM - 9 PM
Riverbanks Zoo, 9 AM - 5:30 PM
Whitewater Rafting, 8 AM - 8 PM
The City of Clemson

Clemson is a small college town located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in western South Carolina. Despite its rural immediate surroundings on the shores of Lake Hartwell, Clemson is located in the rapidly-growing technology corridor between Charlotte and Atlanta. The Clemson area enjoys access to large cities (Atlanta 127 miles away and Charlotte 135 miles away), the historic neighboring town of Pendleton (all of which is on the National Register of Historic Places), and hiking and camping in the Blue Ridge Mountains and nearby Great Smoky Mountains National Park (which contains some peaks that exceed 6,500 feet). The three major local lakes—Hartwell, Keowee, and Jocassee—are an important recreational asset, and their 2000 plus miles of shoreline give this area of South Carolina the nickname "The Freshwater Coast."

Lake Keowee

Clemson University

Clemson University is one of the two Land Grant Universities in South Carolina. Although the University began in 1889 with the traditional Land Grant emphasis on agriculture and engineering, today it offers 73 undergraduate degrees and 110 graduate degrees. The University has about 17,000 students (14,000 undergraduate) on a 1,400 acre campus. The host department is the Department of Biology Instruction and Agricultural Education (DBIAE), one of 16 departments in the College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Life Sciences.
 
 

Yes, South Carolina is hot in summer. In June, Clemson's average daily maximum temperature is 88° F (with about 50% of all days over 90°) and its minimum is 64° F. 35% of all days will have some rain. Therefore, dress for warm weather, but remember to pack appropriate clothes for whatever field trips you might take.
 
 

If you can, it would be best to get into Clemson on Tuesday (perhaps in time to take advantage of the Tuesday afternoon field trips) and leave on Sunday. We plan to run a shuttle to the Greenville-Spartanburg airport especially on those two days (times to be determined by times of arrival and departure). Leaving via our shuttle on Saturday will be difficult because all our vans will be tied up with field trips on Saturday. Of course, if you're not depending on our airport shuttle, you can arrive and depart at any time.

Air Travel. The Atlanta and Charlotte airports are about 2 hours away from Clemson on I-85, and those choosing these airports would have a rent a car. The preferred air access is through Greenville-Spartanburg Airport (GSP), which is 45 miles from the Clemson campus. GSP is a major airport, served by American Eagle, Comair, Continental, Delta, Midway, Northwest, United Express, and US Airways. It handles 1.5 million passengers per year, and has 50 departures per day. While the airport has a complete selection of rental cars (Budget, Hertz, Avis, National, and Thrifty) and there is a commercial airport shuttle service available (1-800-346-7129), our department plans to run a free shuttle service to and from GSP using university vans.

Ground Travel. Most participants who will drive to campus will come on I-85. If coming from the direction of Charlotte, get off I-85 at exit 19 and take US 76 west. After 10.3 miles, turn left on SC 93, which will take you right past the campus. If arriving from the direction of Atlanta, get off I-85 at exit 14 and take SC 187 north for 5.8 miles. Turn left on US 76 west. After 4.8 miles, you will reach the SC 93 intersection described above.

Campus Shuttles. Once the participants get to the Clemson campus, we will continue our shuttle service for specific events, such as the banquet. A block of rooms has been reserved at the Lake Hartwell Inn, 2.3 miles from campus and right on the lake shore. We will run a shuttle from the Long Hall (where most of the workshops will take place) to the motel both before the workshops begin and at the end of the day.

Long Hall, where many workshops will be held

Parking (in any spaces but faculty and staff spaces) is free to workshop participants, but finding a parking space may be difficult. For example, the closest parking to McCabe Hall is near the stadium, down a steep hill and some distance away. We encourage participants to rely on our shuttles and not to try to bring cars onto campus.

Azalea garden near Long Hall

Lodging and Dining

Most workshops will be held in Long Hall and Jordan Hall. Participants electing to stay on campus will be housed in McCabe Hall, a new dorm very close to the Student Center and within a short walk of the workshops. Rooms are arranged in suites with two residents to a room and two rooms (four residents) sharing one bathroom. Rooms are carpeted and air conditioned. A room in McCabe Hall (with breakfast provided) will cost $30 per night as a single and $19/night as a double. There will also be a one-time linen fee of $6.50 per person.

Unfortunately, there are no motels within a comfortable walking distance of campus. The Martin Inn (864-654-9020) has first-class accommodations on the shores of Lake Hartwell, but it is 1.9 miles from Long Hall. The Ramada (864-654-7501), Sleep (864-653-6000), and Comfort Inns (864-653-3600) are in a cluster 2 miles from Long Hall, and the Lake Hartwell and Hampton Inns (864-653-7744) are 2 miles in another direction, but in both cases, pedestrians would have to walk along busy highways. Liberty Hall (864-646-7500) is a luxurious bed and breakfast with an excellent restaurant, but it is 4.6 miles from Long Hall, and any resident there would certainly require a car. We have reserved a block of rooms at the Lake Hartwell Inn (voice - 864-654-4450; fax 864-654-4451) at $59 per night. This includes a buffet breakfast.

Dorm residents will have breakfast as a part of their lodging fee, and all participants will receive free box lunches on all days when workshops are running (Wednesday-Friday) and on Saturday field trips. As for suppers, we will offer free heavy hors d'oeuvres at the Welcome Reception on Tuesday, on Thursday we will visit area restaurants for "Biologists' Night Out," on Friday we will have the banquet, and some Saturday field trips also include supper.

Several inexpensive downtown restaurants (e.g., Subway) are within easy walking distance of the campus. A wider variety of restaurants (including two more expensive but excellent places) are about 1.3-1.5 miles from Long Hall.
 

Fike Recreation Center has basketball, handball, and racquetball courts, an indoor swimming and diving area, weight rooms, aerobics classes, and a sauna. A Fike pass can be purchased for $8. The Walker Course is an 18-hole, championship golf course near the Martin Inn. Beach areas are also available on the shores of Lake Hartwell.
 

Reception. In keeping with the "Freshwater Coast" nickname for this part of South Carolina, the opening reception will be held at the Pavilion, a new facility on the shores of Lake Hartwell and adjacent to the Madren Conference Center and the Walker Golf Course. After the official welcome, meet old friends and enjoy our heavy hors d'oeuvres ("Clemson Tailgate"). The sun will set across the lake about 8:40 PM on June 6, so the participants should have a beautiful end to the gathering.

ABLE-AP Event. The Advanced Placement readers will be on campus while ABLE is meeting, and on Wednesday evening the two groups will meet for an evening of intellectual exchange and fun. Take some time to learn about the AP program and participate in a simulated AP reading. Enjoy the exchange of ideas and new approaches for teaching labs.

Two-Year College Symposium. Tri-County Tech, a public two-year associate-degree awarding college, is a member of the South Carolina Technical and Comprehensive Education system. The Biology Faculty in the University Transfer Division invite interested persons to join them for dessert, a tour of their new biology labs and networking. Transportation will be provided for the ten minute drive to their campus. Topics of discussion might include: integrating new technology,
student research projects, the commuting and/or open-admission student in the biology lab.

Biologists' Night Out. Thursday night, after the Business Meeting, we will organize trips to Main Street in Greenville (famed for its international restaurants) and to some of the better restaurants in Clemson and Pendleton. Sign up after you have a look at the restaurant menus at the meeting. These restaurant meals will be on an individual cash basis.

Banquet. The Friday night banquet will be held in large tents on the grounds of the South Carolina State Botanical Garden. Enjoy acres of flowers and woodland, nature-based sculptures, the Pioneer Garden, and short nature trails. Tour the Hanover House, a Lowcountry plantation home (1716) reminiscent of colonial Williamsburg. Then settle down to eat to the country and bluegrass sound of local musician Richard Challen.

Catawba rhododendron, Smoky Mountains
 

Registration

You can download conference, housing, and workshop registration forms as pdf files from here. You must have Adobe Acrobat Reader to view or print these documents; Acrobat reader can be downloaded from here. Please download the registration forms, print them, and then mail them in to the address on the forms.

Payment must accompany each registration form in order for it to be processed. Please submit separate conference, housing, and workshop registration forms for each participant. Payment must be made by check or money order to Clemson University in US funds or by VISA or MasterCard. Registration fees are as follows:
 

The registration fee includes the Welcome Reception, a box lunch on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, workshops, workshop documents, and refreshments at morning and afternoon breaks. It does not include the Friday night banquet, which is a separate charge. Accompanying persons who will not be attending workshops may register for $45; they may attend the Welcome Reception, lunches, and refreshment breaks.

Lab space in the workshops limits the conference to 160 participants. Space will be assigned in the order that registration forms are received; priority will be given to ABLE members whose dues are paid by May 8.

Please direct registration, housing, and workshop forms and all payments to:

Zan Wiggins
Summer Camps and Conferences
100 Madren Center Drive, Box 345671
Clemson, SC 29634
(864) 656-0595 (voice)
(864) 656-7308 (FAX)
wiggins@clemson.edu.

Inquiries about the program should be directed to:

Bob Kosinski
Department of Biology Instruction and Ag. Education
330 Long Hall
Clemson University
Clemson, SC 29634-0325
(864) 656-3830 (voice)
(864) 656-3839 (FAX)
rjksn@clemson.edu.

If you wish to join ABLE, the membership fee is $35 annually and includes the Conference Proceedings and the newsletter Labstracts.

You may join ABLE as part of your registration fees or by contacting the ABLE Membership Chairperson: Nancy Rosenbaum, Biology Department, Box 208104, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520-9104. Nancy's phone number is (203) 432-3864, her FAX is (203) 432-3854, and her e-mail is nancy.rosenbaum@yale.edu.  
 

The ABLE 2000 Conference Logo is shown at the top of this page. T-shirts will have the logo on the back and "ABLE 2000/Clemson University" on the breast pocket. Shirts will cost $8, paid in advance with your registration.
 

Major workshops are three hours long. Each participant can select 5 major workshops, to be attended Wednesday morning, Wednesday afternoon, Thursday morning, Thursday afternoon, and Friday morning. All morning sessions will run from 8:30-11:30 AM, and afternoon sessions will run from 1:30 - 4:30 PM. This year, Friday afternoon will be devoted exclusively to mini workshops.    

1. Preparation and Presentation of Biology Laboratory Class Materials through WebCT

Terry L. Combs (Purdue University)

An introduction to optimizing materials for web presentation: postscripting to PDF, animated graphics, still graphics, font type and size. These materials, among others, will then be used to demonstrate the creation of a WebCT course site. WebCT is a server-based course management software application. Through a very specific (and thoroughly yet simply explained set of steps), faculty place html, text files, graphics files, etc. into what is essentially an on-line course. That 'course' will allow you to place your study materials and outlines on the web, create self-testing and scoring for individual materials, give quizzes and exams, search your own glossary, keep an on-line calendar that links to files or sites inside or outside your course, keep track of grades, assign each of your students e-mail capability, run chat rooms, publish a bulletin board, and allow you to track students' study time and materials. All creation work and student participation can be done wherever there is a browser and WWW access.

2. Murder and Mayhem in Non-majors Biology [online]

Jean L. Dickey and Christine Minor (Clemson University)

Who killed James Watson, keynote speaker at ABLE 2000, in the biology lab, with the biology textbook? What dark secrets lurk in the (fictional) pasts of ABLE members? In this non-majors laboratory exercise, students use scientific inquiry skills to solve a murder mystery. Many are suspects, but only one committed the crime. Each student plays a role and tries to uncover motive and opportunity of the other suspects. Hypotheses are tested with physical evidence: fingerprints, blood type, and paper strip DNA analysis. We will use a special ABLE Edition of the mystery for the workshop. Participants will receive the generic version, suitable for adaptation to any institution.
 

3. The Good and the Bad: Symbiotic Organisms from Selected Hosts

Gayle Pittman Noblet and Michael J. Yabsley (Clemson University)

Symbiosis is defined as one organism living on, in, or with another organism.  Three primary categories are mutualism (both organisms benefit), commensalism (commensal benefits and host not affected), and parasitism (parasite benefits and host harmed).  Hands-on dissection of host animals plus demonstrations by instructors will provide examples of live symbiotes in all three types of symbiosis: mutualism to include termite flagellates and rumen ciliates; commensalism to include Leptomonas flagellates in Drosophila; parasitism to include fish hosts (monogeneans on gills, larval digeneans and acanthocephalans in liver) and frogs (trematodes in lungs and bladder; ciliates, flagellates and opalinids in large intestine/cloaca). Possible change in relationship from commensalism to parasitism will be discussed relative to demonstration of tapeworm life cycle stages in rat and beetle hosts.
 

4. Koch’s Crickets: A Study in Etiology

C. Brian Odom (Wingate University)

Students will apply Koch’s Postulates in an attempt to discover the causative agent of “Pink Plague,” a disease that has struck a group of commercially raised crickets. During this exercise, students will isolate the suspected pathogen from a group of infected crickets. This organism will  be characterized and used to infect a new group of crickets in order to determine if it can reproduce the same symptoms in this newly exposed group.  Reisolation of the suspected pathogen from this second group will confirm this organism as the etiologic agent of “Pink Plague."

5. Using a Molecular Marker to Study Genetic Equilibrium in Drosophila melanogaster

Rodney J. Scott (Wheaton College)

Using Polymerase Chain Reaction, genetic variation in a laboratory population of Drosophila is characterized. The population contains flies with two visible phenotypes, but which also differ for a molecular marker. DNA taken from individual flies is amplified by PCR. PCR products (either “long” or “short”) are visualized using agarose gel electrophoresis. Three PCR “genotypes” (long/long, long/short and short/short) are clearly distinguishable and should be present in Hardy-Weinberg frequencies. The exercise normally takes two sessions, but we will conduct part of the experiment with pre-amplified DNA. A possible technique for using “hand-cycling” PCR (with two water baths) will be described.
 

6. Spot Overlay Ames Test of Potential Mutagens

David R. Wessner¹, Peggy C. Maiorano¹, John Kenyon¹, Ralph Pillsbury², and A. Malcolm Campbell¹ (¹Department of Biology, Davidson College, ²Davidson IB Middle School, Davidson, NC)

We have developed a cost-effective modification of the Ames Test that allows students to investigate the mutagenic potential of various common substances. Potential mutagens are tested against well-characterized auxotrophic strains of Salmonella typhimurium. By analyzing the results, students determine if any of their compounds may be mutagenic. Follow-up experiments then are designed to determine the dose response of these potential mutagens. Using this protocol, we have achieved reproducible results with several known mutagens, including sodium azide and ultraviolet irradiation. This approach enables faculty to control costs and results in better student understanding of mutagenesis, biochemical pathways, experimental design, and data analysis.

7. Bringing the Laboratory into the Lecture Hall

Ruth E. Beattie (University of Kentucky)

As part of their general education studies, all students at the University of Kentucky must take two natural science courses. Many non-science majors choose the biology sequence of courses. Unfortunately these courses are lecture-only courses, and so some students can graduate without ever having had a science laboratory course. In an effort to provide students with some laboratory experience, I have developed /adapted a number of laboratory activities, which I have successfully incorporated into a non-majors biology course (Human Ecology). These activities are carried out in a lecture hall with 300 students in 50-minute time periods. In this workshop, participants will experience two of these laboratory activities: 1) Soil Testing - students test soil samples for nitrogen, potassium, phosphate and pH, and compare the relative fertility of different soil samples; 2) Water Pollution Testing - students examine the effects of household chemicals on water quality.

8. The Line-Intercept Method: A Tool for Introductory Plant Ecology Laboratories

John Cummings and Denny Smith (Clemson University)

This workshop will take participants to Bogg’s Rock, a granitic flatrock community which is in the early seral stages of succession. The line-intercept method of sampling will be employed to allow the rapid characterization of the community structure. After species composition has been defined, a simple statistical procedure will be used to test one of several factors that might be controlling species distribution.

9. Investigative Laboratories in Cell Biology Using a Host-Parasitoid Model: the Tobacco Hornworm, Manduca sexa, and the braconid wasp, Cotesia congregata

Isaure de Buron (Converse College)

A series of exercises were developed in the cell biology laboratory using a host-parasite system: the tobacco hornworm and an inoffensive parasitoid wasp. Exercises are fully investigative and no initial schedule is given to the students, who after being acquainted to the model of study, raise questions and decide as a group what they want to investigate next (Cell morphology? Cytoskeleton? Protein synthesis?…). This workshop involves initiation to the system of study, phase contrast microscopy, and digital image capturing. The numerous biological concepts that may be taught using this system will be discussed. Funded by a CCLI-NSF grant (DUE99-51371).

10. Mitochondria and Metabolism in Honeybee Flight Muscle

Alexander F. Motten (Duke University)

Honeybees provide a convenient source of insect flight muscle, a tissue especially rich in mitochondria. These organelles are easily isolated using simple laboratory equipment and their metabolic activity readily measured colorimetrically with the dye 2,6-dichloroindophenol, which changes from blue to colorless when reduced by the electrons produced during respiration. This system is well suited for studying cell fractionation, the role of oxygen in respiration, and experimental isolation of the major subcellular components responsible for glycolysis and the Krebs cycle. It can also be used for simple enzymology experiments using the Krebs cycle enzyme succinic dehydrogenase.

11. Using Humans as a Central Example in Teaching Undergraduate Biology

Martin Nickels (Illinois State University), Craig Nelson (Indiana University) and Jean Beard (San Jose State University)

We will demonstrate three activities that illustrate human evolutionary biology and underscore the immense pedagogical value and appeal of emphasizing humans as a central example in college biology courses.
(1)  Using the congruence of independent biological systems (e.g. skeletal/dental features plus DNA/protein data) to illustrate the non-arbitrary, hierarchical nature of biological classification (v classifying human artifacts).
(2)  Using multiple lines of evidence from humans to illustrate the immense overall strength of evidence for evolutionary theory.
(3)  Using additional features of the comparative skeletal anatomy and morphology of humans and apes in illustrating biological classification.
 

12. Mitochondrial DNA from Lumbriculus variegatus: Isolation and Restriction Digest Analysis

Gary Oxford (Longwood College)

Mitochondria will be isolated from the California blackworm, Lumbriculus variegatus (Phylum Annelida), by homogenization and differential centrifugation. A modified plasmid miniprep procedure (alkaline lysis) will then be used to isolate DNA from these mitochondria. Single and double enzyme restriction digests of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) will analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis. Sizes of mtDNA restriction fragments will be estimated from gel results and used to determine the total size of the L. variegatus mitochondrial genome. Issues involved in creating a restriction map of mtDNA from this organism will be discussed.
 

13. Birdsong Playback as a Tool for Teaching Animal Behavior

Jerry A. Waldvogel (Clemson University)

Animal behavior is often downplayed in general biology labs. Problems include where to deal with the topic in the syllabus, time constraints and special equipment needs, and the often unpredictable nature of behavioral responses. Birdsong playback offers a solution to these problems. Birdsong studies relate to several conceptual areas of biology, they can be easily studied using desktop computers, and they are among the most reliable behavioral responses in complex vertebrates. This workshop will provide 1) general background information about the physiology and behavior of birdsong, 2) allow participants to explore the structure of birdsong using acoustic analysis computer software, and 3) provide field experience in the use of playback techniques.  

14. An Introduction to DNA: Spectrophotometry, Degradation and the 'Frankengel' Experiment

William Clark and Kimberley Christopher (University of Alberta)

In this laboratory students perform three exercises as an introduction to the basics of handling and analyzing DNA. In the first, they expose circular plasmid, linear phage, and high molecular weight genomic DNA samples to a variety of physical, thermal, chemical, and enzymatic conditions that might be expected to affect DNA integrity. The DNAs are analyzed by electrophoresis on a group agarose gel. Second, they pour and reconstruct a "Frankengel" (a gel containing sections with three different agarose concentrations) on which they run a DNA ladder in order to investigate the effect of gel pore size on DNA fragment mobility. Lastly, they perform a UV spectrophotometric analysis of DNA from which they learn to make purity and concentration estimates.

15. Effective Methods of Training Biology Laboratory Teaching Assistants

Jean Dickey (Clemson University), Maggie Haag (University of Alberta), John Cummings (Clemson University), William Glider (University of Nebraska-Lincoln), and Louise McBain (University of Alberta)

One of the most important factors in the success of undergraduate biology laboratories rests with the instructors, often undergraduate or graduate students, who teach them. This workshop is a continuation of a workshop presented at the University of Nebraska ABLE conference. Last year's session primarily covered TA training programs. This workshop will focus on the theme "teaching effectively in the lab." Topics will include preparation, organization, supervising group work, and involving students in discussion. In addition to offering some of our materials that you may find helpful, we intend for the session to serve as a forum for all participants to share their experiences and methods.
 

16. DNA Sequencing Used to Illustrate Mutations and Evolution

Theodore Gurney, Jr. and Russell LeMon (University of Utah) and Kathleen Nolan (St. Francis College)

This workshop is both wet lab and Internet lab. We start with DNA from several insect and/or fish species as PCR products on gels. (We also supply instructions for preparing DNA and PCR products.) We extract DNA from agarose and prepare to send it to a computerized automated sequencing facility. (No radioisotopes!) Then we work with typical nucleotide sequence data from a facility, both four color graphics and text. We make pairwise sequence comparisons using the web site BLAST2 and make multi-species comparisons using MultAlin. Comparisons reveal substitutions, insertions, and deletions. Then we make a distance-based phylogenetic tree with GeneBee.

17. Dissecting Conditions Necessary for Plant-Pollinator Mutualisms

Mary N. Puterbaugh and Mary Blaine Prince (University of Pittsburgh at Bradford)

In this workshop, we will use ants (considered by some to be the"scoundrels in the pollination drama"!) to test questions about the morphological and behavioral features that permit insects to be good pollinators. Students are presented with the fact that ants are abundant insects, but fewer than 20 plant species worldwide have been documented as ant-pollinated. Students generate specific hypotheses for the rarity of ant pollination, and design experiments to test their hypotheses. This exercise has both a field and indoor component so that it can be successful even if it is raining and ants are inactive outdoors.

18. Cercariae Larvae of Digenetic Trematodes: Use in Laboratory and Field Investigations

Ron Rosen (Berea College)

Digenetic trematodes are responsible for a number of disease conditions in humans. Study of digenean species which are non-human pathogens provides students with safe models for an array of investigations. In the complex life cycle of a digenetic trematode, the cercaria larva is shed from a snail intermediate host and represents a short-lived, aquatic transfer stage to the next host in the cycle. Due to its temporary free-living existence (which is easily observed with the aid of a microscope or naked eye, depending on the species in question), the cercarial stage is ideal for a number of projects. Initially, general methods for assessing trematode prevalence and cercarial maturity in a natural snail population will be presented, and participants will observe living cercariae and intramolluscan stages (i.e., sporocysts and rediae). Teams will then conduct two general experiments designed to assess the effect of: (1) monochromatic light on the vertical swimming burst distance traversed by the cercaria of Proterometra macrostoma and (2) pH and pepsin on the emergence of the P. macrostoma distome (pre-adult) from its cercarial tail. The latter study represents an in vitro simulation of what naturally occurs in the stomach of a centrarchid fish definitive host.
 

19. Plant Reproductive Systems: An Investigative Approach

Laura K. Thompson (Furman University)

This plant evolution exercise endeavors to move away from a purely observational approach to one of investigation. Students investigate the increasing use of air and animals for gamete and population dispersal that aided plant development on land. The first part deals with a common woodland fern of the order Filicales. Students examine sprorophyte and gametophyte plants, and experiment with air-borne spore release. The second part has two main objectives dealing with the reproductive structures of angiosperms. First, students learn to recognize flower structures and variation in structural patterns. Second, students observe how floral structure and pollen size differs in relation to two agents of pollination, wind and insects.

Mini workshops are either half an hour or an hour long, and will all be offered during a 3 hour period on Friday afternoon. Each participant can select 3-6 mini workshops; this selection is done by signup sheets at the meeting. Abstracts of the mini workshops appear below:

Developing Biological Board Games

William Beachly (Hastings College, Hastings NE)

Developing a working knowledge of biology  in students requires a variety of teaching modalities.  One modality that can augment the traditional laboratory is to involve small groups of students in competitive board games designed to challenge and engage.  I will share how to develop and use three such games: Immunopoly, Pipes & Pressures, and Where in the Brain is the Nucleus Accumbens?  These examples are primarily physiological but the possibilities are limitless.  Student feedback has been very positive on these activities.  The goal of the workshop is to show how easily this can be done for a variety of curricula and to brainstorm ideas for other games.
 

Use of Video Microscopy with Networked Computers to Promote Collaborative Learning in Developmental Anatomy and Histology

Betty L. Black and Harold Meeks (North Carolina State University, Raleigh NC)

A Zoology laboratory has been designed to provide hands on experience in imaging while encouraging collaborative learning in the subjects of Developmental Anatomy and Histology.  The room contains an instructor's computer with video stereoscope plus 10 workstations equipped with research quality microscopes, color video cameras and networked Macintosh computers.  Laboratory exercises require students to work in pairs to capture, label and analyze both still images and video clips of tissues or embryos.  Networking via Timbuktu software allows students to send selected images to one another and to share their work in formal class presentations.  Students pursuing Honor's options access the internet to present unusual images during class discussions.  Images captured by the students are also utilized to prepare interactive image maps in QuickTime movie format which are used on the course web site by instructors for brief presentations and by students for review of materials outside of the laboratory.
 

On-Line Manual Enhances Student Learning

Arthur L. Buikema, William Zabaronick, and Mary Alice Schaeffer (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA)

In 1998 the Biology Department at Virginia Tech instituted an On-Line Biology Laboratory Manual for Freshman Biology lab classes to enable students to prepare for laboratory exercises prior to class.  This allows more class time for doing experiments and discussing the results and significance of experiments.  As most of our labs are two hours long, students previously only had time to learn basic information pertaining to the lab, then barely had time to complete our most involved labs.  We had little way to insist students read the lab beforehand, except by quizzing them, taking up more lab time.  Outside preparation time has improved the students' background of the current topic, so less time is used explaining basic concepts.

We include pre-quizzes on-line of material for the current week to ensure pre-lab preparation, and a few questions from the previous lab to reinforce retention of previous material.  On-line tutorials of the pig dissection and fungi lab are used as study aids, allowing students to look at laboratory specimens outside of  lab class to prepare for exams.  Other tutorials give basic instruction on use of laboratory equipment.  Additional features include an interactive food web exercise and data compilation for statistical analysis among many classes.

This on-line manual costs less than many published manuals, and funds the computerization of the laboratories and updating of computer systems.

Chemistry of Digestion: Construction of an Artificial Stomach

Mary Culp (Canisius College, Buffalo, NY)

Chemical digestion is the decomposition of macromolecules by the action of enzymes. Chemical digestion begins in the mouth and stomach, but occurs primarily in the small intestine. We  will construct a simulated stomach and duodenum using common laboratory equipment and chemicals. This lab clearly demonstrates the effect of a gastric enzyme, pepsin, on proteins while leaving other food substances intact. Directions for demonstrations of other digestive actions will be distributed—the effects of bile on fats, the effects of lipase on fats, and the effects of saliva (amylase) on starch (using the Benedict's test).

Using Projects to Encourage Exploration of Animal Diversity and Educational Resources

Jean Dickey and Jeanne Leonard (Clemson University, Clemson, SC)

We have developed a student project to encourage elementary education majors to explore the profusion of materials that are available for learning about life on earth.  The project and many of the resources would also be appropriate for any introductory biology course. We have assembled a collection of lavishly illustrated books and CD-ROMs and built a web site with links to dozens of informative sites.  Each student chooses a particular animal to research and uses these resources, locates others, and adds potential web links to our collection. Part of the project is writing a report, which the student adds to a database on the web site.  With about 250 entries so far, the database is an ever-expanding resource that our students can use once they are teaching.  In addition, each student prepares a poster presenting his or her animal. Many of these are uniquely creative.  We will explain the project's requirements and organization and demonstrate the web site, the resource materials, and sample posters.
 

The Use of Interactive Web-Based Courseware in Intro Biology

Corey Goldman (Departments of Botany and Zoology, University of  Toronto, Toronto, ON)

This hands-on workshop will introduce participants to three interactive Web-based exercises that complement the laboratories and lectures in intro biology at the University of Toronto. These exercises are freely available for anyone to use via the course's Web site. "The Evolution of Cooperation" introduces game theory and its application to animal behaviour. "Saving the Whooping Crane" applies principles of population growth to management of an endangered species. In the "Optimal Foraging Game" students learn how animals feed efficiently in patchy habitats.

These exercises use a game-based approach to teaching and include Java applets which allow students to conduct experiments; results that are tracked and passed to subsequent pages; the outcome of each game being added to a class database; multiple-choice pop-up quizzes with explanations; engaging interface and content; and an extensive reference section for further reading.

Dispersal Cues Used by Parasitic Wasps: Photo- and Geo-taxis and the Mated Melittobia

Judith A. Guinan (Institute of Ecology, University of Georgia) and Robert W. Matthews (Entomology Department, University of Georgia, Athens, GA)

At last year's (1999) ABLE conference, we examined the mating behaviors of a parasitic wasp species, Melittobia digitata.  The next step in the life of mated females is to disperse and find a host on which to lay their eggs.  In this workshop, we will examine the effects of two possible cues that females may use to aid in their dispersal, namely, light and gravity.  In addition to the ease with which Melittobia can be reared and handled, this species has the added benefit of being relatively unstudied, which provides wonderful opportunities for enterprising students.  At the end of the workshop, we'll discuss some ways in which students can take advantage of this fact to design and implement simple independent study projects to further explore aspects of Melittobia behavior.
 

DNA: A Kinesthetic Experience

Sandra L. Johnson (Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN)

DNA is the molecule that transmits hereditary information to  subsequent generations. As is often true in the  structure/function world of modern biology, concrete  experiences with the structure of DNA can help students better  understand its central role as the self-replicating genetic  material. Using elbows and arms as parts of the nucleotide,  grasping hand-to-shoulder and palm-to-palm as different types  of chemical bonds, students synthesize a double-stranded DNA  molecule, and illustrate related concepts, like antiparallel, 5’ to  3’ synthesis, and the relative strength of chemical bonds. When  it’s all said and done, the group ends up in a ladder-like  structure similar to DNA. However, in reality the DNA molecule  is a double helix, not just a ladder. Students are challenged to  come up with a workable way to twist the model (working  individually or in groups).

Student Reviews of Scientific Literature: Opportunities to Improve Students' Scientific Literacy and Writing Skills

Susan J. Karcher (Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN)

As biology educators, we seek to improve students' abilities to read scientific articles and evaluate them critically. Frequently, we also strive to improve students' writing skills.

This mini workshop will present what has worked in a large laboratory genetics and moleuclar biology class of 200 biology majors.  At Purdue, we have had students summarize recent scientific journal articles related to their course.  Students first email citations of recent articles to the course instructor to get approval of the article to be summarized. Students write a brief--one to two paragraph--summary of the article.  The articles are evaluated by the instructor; students have an opportunity to re-work their summaries.  The summaries are then posted on the course web site for all student to read.  Students have two opportunities to do such summaries during the semester.

Participants, please come with examples of what you have tried and what has worked for you!
 

Biology Labs OnLine

Maureen Kennedy (Media Producer, Biology, Benjamin Cummings Science)

These 10 interactive labs provide an innovative Web-based experience to complement traditional wet lab exercises. The online labs cover topics that students cannot study in traditional labs due to safety, financial limitations, or time restrictions. They allow students to obtain instant results that would take days, years, or decades in the real world. Labs include FlyLab, EvolutionLab, HemoglobinLab, DemographyLab and TranslationLab. Developed through a unique partnership between Benjamin Cummings and the California State University, the labs are scalable across the curriculum and are appropriate for general biology, genetics, cell biology, and ecology courses.
 

Rearing of Xenopus Life History Stages

Ron Koss and Bruce Wakeford (University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta)

 The African clawed frog, Xenopus laevis, has been utilized extensively in teaching and research.  Adults are capable of surviving a broad range of artificial water conditions, giving the impression that all the life cycle stages can be cultured with ease.  However, after applying traditional aquaculture and dietary protocols over several years and generations, we observed recruitment to be variable and unpredictable.  Tadpoles reaching metamorphic competence were usually stunted in terms of growth rate and eventual size.  An alternative aquaculture method, using commercially available supplies, was developed to yield consistent numbers of viable, robust offspring.  These individuals progressed through to metamorphosis in about one month.  The abridged time line enabled the creation of more detailed laboratory exercises within the time constraints of a one-term undergraduate animal development course. The rearing protocols will be presented and available in handout form.
 

Introducing Inquiry in a Biology Lab for Non-majors

Phyllis S. Laine and Linda J. Heath (Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH)

Participants will perform a guided inquiry activity.  This activity was used to introduce the process of  inquiry to students in a Biology laboratory for  non-majors, including elementary education majors. This new Biology laboratory is currently in development with partial support from a NSF grant DUE 99-50373.  The course is organized into three phases: introduction, practice, and performance.  Students work as research teams to conduct inquiry investigations.  Their TLNB, team lab notebook, as well as the laboratory instructions are on-line.  Teams complete three "journal articles" for the electronic class journal, JUBI, the Journal of Biological Inquiry.  The course has been adapted from an investigative Biology lab for non-majors at Clemson University.  Information about and results of the pilot course will be discussed.

Tackling Phylogeny in Introductory  Biology Laboratories

Marianne Niedzlek-Feaver (North Carolina State U., Raleigh, NC)

We use a method of examining relationships in which all characters initially have the same value.  Once students are familiar with building all possible trees using four vertebrate classes, so only a reasonable number of trees are possible, they apply the method to become more familiar with invertebrate phyla.  Here students only use characters they can assess, although we give them hints through demonstrations using live material on locomotionary trends in animals.  More importantly, with both vertebrate and invertebrates, students themselves decide what characters to assign to the different classes and often what certain characteristics mean.  Often different tables come up with different relationships even regarding the vertebrate classes, because of how characters are assigned. References in the form of  CDs, short films and textbooks on natural history and behavior are available so students can add these characteristics if they wish.  Instructors encourage debate and exploration of reference material.
 

A Computer-Based Approach for Generating Standardized Student Assessment Using a
First Year Biology Programme as a Model to Evaluate Its Effectiveness

Todd Nickle & Jeffrey Sheedy (Mount Royal College, Calgary, AB, CANADA)

Biological Sciences education at Mount Royal College accommodates students of a variety of backgrounds to fulfil University transfer requirements.  Our large Introduction to Biology programme requires coordination of several instructors to administer laboratory material to many small classes of students. To ensure consistency of student skill evaluation and to reduce the workload on instructors, we designed a system for creating quizzes that are presented to students at each laboratory.  In this workshop, we will demonstrate the software we designed which generates quizzes and answer keys on demand.  The software design enables the program to handle "data cassettes" which can be transferred across a variety of computer platforms and which are relevant to any discipline for which multiple choice and single word response assessment is possible.  The workshop concludes with our observations of how the software has helped lab coordination, areas that need further investigation, and future enhancements to our protocol.

Group Projects: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Joy B. Perry (University of Wisconsin Fox Valley, Menasha, WI)

Group projects offer students unique and valuable benefits. However, they also may present difficult challenges to both student and instructor. This workshop presents the evolution of group projects in introductory level courses at the University of Wisconsin Fox Valley, including methods of assessment. Participants will be encouraged to offer suggestions and share their expertise in managing group projects.

Seeing the Forest AND the Trees

Janet W. Phelps (University of WisconsinColleges,  Baraboo,WI)

For many years students in my General Botany and Introductory Biology courses have taken field trips to a sugar maple woods and a red oak woods.  In the past neither ‘traditional sampling’ (laying out quadrats, measuring dbh, etc.), nor ‘no sampling’  (just looking at the woods) worked well to help these students understand that each woods is a community controlled by certain trees, with characteristic herbs & shrubs associated with them, and that the two areas are quite similar, yet very different. For the past few years we have used a simple sampling method, which seems to help the students to see the trees as well as other plants, and gives them enough data (though primitively collected) to compare the two areas.

I’ll describe how we do the sampling, the kind of information we get, and discuss how the class and I go about drawing conclusions about the two areas.

Oxygen Consumption of Aquatic Organisms

Ruthanne B. Pitkin  (Shippensburg University, Shippensburg, PA)

You will determine the oxygen consumption of an aquatic organism using a MicroWinkler technique. The oxygen concentration in the water is determined using a titrimetric procedure based on the oxidizing properties of dissolved oxygen (DO). This is a standard method but with the MicroWinkler you only need 10 ml of water.  All types of aquatic organism can be placed in closed containers as long as you can get two 10 ml samples.  To determine the oxygen consumption, you compare the DO in a container without an animal to a container with an animal   Many different investigations can be set up such as effects of temperature, size,  and activity.   I use this in an upper level animal physiology class.

Investigating Your Watershed: Detection of Fecal Coliform Bacteria

Karin E. Readel (University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD)

Fecal coliform bacteria, members of the family Enterobacteriaceae, are found in the feces of warm-blooded animals, including humans.  Though not harmful themselves, large numbers of fecal coliform bacteria have been associated with the presence of other pathogenic organisms.   These disease-causing organisms are often very hard to detect due to their small numbers, and low survival rate outside their host organisms.  Fecal coliform bacteria, on the other hand, can be detected very easily, and are therefore useful indicators of contaminated water.  Micrology Laboratories has developed a simple method for fecal coliform detection called “Coliscan EasyGel ®”.  Each testing unit consists of a specially treated petri dish and a bottle of liquid medium.  A small sample of test water is added to the media and poured into the petri dish. Ions in the petri dish coating react with the liquid causing it to gel completely within about 30-40 minutes.  Plates are incubated from 24-48 hours (temperature is not critical) at which time colonies can be counted. The media contains two dye-linked sugars that are activated through bacterial enzymes. Fecal coliform bacteria produce both of these enzymes, resulting in dark purplish blue colonies that can be easily distinguished from other colonies.
 

Interactive Exploration of Kingdom Animalia Using the Animal Diversity Web

Cynthia Sims Parr (University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI)

Use student interest in charismatic megafauna to introduce concepts such as Linnaean classification,  life history evolution, and phylogenetic analysis.  University of Michigan Museum of Zoology’s Animal Diversity Web (http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu) is a free multimedia website offering a natural history database on thousands of animals,  including images, sounds, and spinning skulls (Quicktime movies).   Descriptions of higher taxonomic levels are written by systematists, while species accounts are written by students.  All information is organized hierarchically and easily searched.  This workshop will present several ways to use the site, including inquiry-based exercises, student authoring of species reports, and exercises critiquing web resources.

Using Student-Centered Investigative Modules to Teach a Multidisciplinary Scientific Methods Laboratory Course to Undergraduate GER Students

John D. Usis (Youngstown State University, Youngstown, OH)

The natural science faculty (Depts. of Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Geology, Physical Geography, Physics & Astronomy, and Center for Environmental Studies) developed an interdisciplinary science laboratory experience for the non-science undergraduate.  Faculty desired that students participate in the scientific process by investigation of natural phenomena. Five-week laboratory modules are designed to encourage students to pose hypotheses and make predictions about demonstrations or initial guided excercises that present potential questions.  Over the semester, students transition from one five-week module to the next in no prearranged sequence. Individual instructors teach their modules three times.  An interesting result of this pedagogy is that as the semester progresses students enter a module with an increasing awareness of how the scientific method operates. Each module ends up reinforcing the other modules even while they are different disciplines.  The development and coordination of investigative modules and subsequent scheduling matrices used to administer a multi-discipline laboratory course are the primary focus of this workshop.

Connecting Teaching Lab Development with Education Research: An Introduction

Brian White (University of Massachusetts, Boston, MA)

There has been substantial progress in our understanding of teaching and learning over the past several decades. Various methods have been used to explore teaching and learning and have yielded results that are relevant to undergraduate laboratory exercises. This workshop will provide participants with a detailed strategy for lab development and evaluation that incorporates the methods and findings of education research. This strategy begins by identifying the parts of the material that are most challenging to the students and designing a lab exercise specifically targeted to these difficulties. The lab exercise can then be evaluated in terms of its success at helping the students over the previously-identified "trouble spots." The workshop will illustrate this strategy using examples from undergraduate labs used at UMass Boston and will provide resources for participants to explore the literature and conduct research on their own laboratory curriculum.

All tours will leave from the front door of the conference dorm, McCabe Hall. No Tuesday field trips offer lunch, so eat before you leave.

1. The Clemson University Genomics Institute

The CUGI is a state-of-the-art research facility for sequencing and functional analysis of agriculturally important genes, especially rice and rice blast, corn, and sorghum. Four different centers of CUGI focus on BAC (bacterial artificial chromosome) libraries; sequencing DNA; chromosome mapping and fingerprinting; and a powerful bioinformatics center. The bioinformatics center analyzes sequences, constructs maps, and develops new computational tools for genomic research. Our tour will go through all four centers.
 

1.CUGI

Tuesday, 3-5 PM

Cost: free

2. South Carolina State Botanical Garden

The official State Botanical Garden has some 2,200 varieties of ornamental plants. Of special interest are the azalea and camellia trails, the wildflower, butterfly, fern and bog gardens, a xeriscape garden, nature trails, a pioneer garden labeled in Braille, the flower and turf display garden of bedding plants and turf grasses, and an arboretum containing more than 1000 trees and shrubs. The Garden has many winding trails that lead to shady retreats, and small streams crisscross the area. The Botanical Garden will be the site of the closing banquet.
 

2.  Garden

Tuesday, 3-5 PM

Cost: free

3. Historic Pendleton

Pendleton is a charming town just four miles from the Clemson campus, and one of the largest historical districts in the United States. Our tour will include the beautiful town square, historic homes and churches, and Ashtabula, a restored plantation. The tour will be led by the Pendleton District Historical, Recreational, and Tourism Commission.
 
 

3.  Pendleton

Tuesday, 1:30-5:30 PM

Cost: $12

4. A Visit to Greenville

The neighboring city of Greenville is 33 miles from Clemson. We will visit the Greenville County Art Museum, famed for its collection of Andrew Wyeth watercolors. Among the other artists represented in the "Southern" collection are Thomas Sully, Washington Allston, Georgia O’Keeffe, Edward Hopper, Thomas Hart Benton, Andy Warhol, and Jasper Johns. Then we will travel a short distance and see the Roper Mountain Science Center, which promotes quality K-12 science instruction in the City of Greenville by interesting, hands-on instructional techniques for both students and inservice teachers. We will tour a miniature rainforest with 100 kinds of plants, see a marine "petting aquarium," follow a short nature trail, and hear about the Center's engaging approach to science instruction.

 

4.  Greenville

Tuesday, 1:30-5:30 PM

Cost: $10

5. The Blue Ridge Foothills

This half-day van tour will give visitors a taste of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The tour will include Caesar's Head State Park, with a panoramic view of the Blue Ridge Foothills; Table Rock State Park, with mountain and lake views and a 1.9 mile guided hike on a nature trail; and some spectacular views of Lake Keowee. Much of the driving between points will be on the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway. Wear warm-weather clothing and comfortable walking shoes, and bring sunscreen and insect repellent.
Falls on the Table Rock Nature Trail

5.  Foothills

Tuesday, 1-6 PM

Cost: $10

All tours will leave from the front door of the conference dorm, McCabe Hall.

6. Biltmore Estate and Chimney Rock Park, NC

With 250 rooms and spectacular furnishings and artwork, the Biltmore House was the largest private residence in America when George Washington Vanderbilt finished it in 1895. Today the house and 8,000 remaining acres are a museum and one of the most popular tourist attractions in western North Carolina. We will tour the house and formal garden. After a picnic lunch (provided) on the Biltmore grounds, we will visit Chimney Rock, NC, 20 miles away from the Biltmore Estate. Chimney Rock is a 315 foot granite formation overlooking Lake Lure. On clear days the view from the top of Chimney Rock is 75 miles. We will take an elevator to the Nature Center at the summit, where a ranger will take us on a geological and biological tour of the sheer cliffs, and then into a cove forest. For supper, we will go to Larkin's on the Lake Restaurant, overlooking Lake Lure. Larkin's has a fine restaurant upstairs (complete meals $10-$20), and a more informal and inexpensive bar and grill downstairs (a la carte, burgers, chicken sandwiches, etc.). Supper at Larkin's will be on an individual, cash basis. Bring sunscreen, insect repellent, and comfortable walking shoes.
Chimney Rock Park, Lake Lure in background

6.  Biltmore	Saturday, 8 AM-9 PM	Cost: $50
Note: cost includes lunch and all admission charges, but does not include the cost of supper at Larkin's.

7. Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Cherokee, NC
 

Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) is an International Biosphere Preserve and a World Heritage Site. Some of the highest mountains east of the Mississippi shelter 4,000 plant species and 130 species of trees. Our tour will start at a restored mountaineer homestead in a cove hardwood forest at low elevation, and then will go (by van) to the spruce-fir forests atop Clingman's Dome (6,643 feet), the highest point on the Appalachian Trail. There will be a half-mile hike up a steep paved road to the observation tower on the summit. The trail has regularly-spaced benches for resting. A ranger will tell us about the severe decline that has afflicted the high-altitude forest due to acid rain and the balsam woolly adelgid, an aphid-like insect. Then, after a picnic lunch (provided) we will return to the lowlands and visit Cherokee, a tourist town on the Cherokee Indian Reservation. The scholars among us will visit the Museum of the Cherokee Indian, while the rest will try their luck in Cherokee's brand new Harrah's Casino. We will return to Clemson in time for supper.
Sunset from Newfound Gap, Great Smoky Mountains National Park

7.  Smokies	Saturday, 8 AM-6:30 PM	Cost: $25
Note: Cost includes picnic lunch.

8. The Greenwood Genetics Center and Park Seed Company

The Greenwood Genetics Center (GGC) diagnoses genetic conditions, provides genetic counseling, and researches the causes of genetic disease. Research centers on mental retardation and birth defects, especially neural tube defects, uniparental disomy, and Down's syndrome. Epidemiology of genetic defects is another area of emphasis. Our tour will go through a diagnostic lab where we will observe chromosome analysis and various molecular techniques, and we will hear about GGC's approach to genetic counseling. After eating lunch in the Old South ambience of the Inn on the Square, we will also stop at the Park Seed Company, whose 9-acre test gardens, containing 1000 varieties of flowers and herbs, will be at their peak of color during our visit. After the garden tour, we will get a "behind the scenes" look at the facilities that support this massive operation.
 

8.  Greenwood	Saturday, 8 AM-5:30 PM	Cost: $20
Note: Cost includes a buffet lunch at the Inn on the Square in Greenwood.

9. Riverbanks Zoo

Riverbanks Zoo, in Columbia, SC, is one of the leading zoos of the US. It houses 2000 animals without any bars or cages. The showpiece of the zoo is the Aquarium/Reptile Complex, which includes displays from across the world, plus a 55,000 gallon Indo-Pacific coral reef tank. Riverbanks also includes a 70 acre botanical garden. After seeing Riverbanks as tourists and eating a picnic lunch (provided), we will go behind the scenes and see backup facilities for the mammal collection, Aquarium/Reptile Complex, and the veterinary hospital.
 
 

9. Riverbanks	Saturday, 9 AM-5:30 PM	Cost: $30
Note: Cost includes picnic lunch, zoo admission, and zoo tour fee.

10. Whitewater Rafting on the Chattooga River

The tumultuous beauty of the Chattooga River was introduced to moviegoers by the film Deliverance. The Chattooga has not only been declared a National Wild and Scenic River, but one of the top 10 rivers in the US for whitewater rafting, and it's only 30 miles from Clemson. We will raft Section III, containing class II, III and IV rapids, ending with the infamous Bull Sluice. We will be on the river 5 hours. The price includes lunch on the river and both shower facilities and a barbecue supper after the trip is over. Commercial guides of Wildwater, Ltd. will assure a safe trip. The cost for rafting on a summer weekend is high, but you can count on an authentic adventure. Bring waterproof sunscreen, and expect to get very wet! This trip has a limit of 30 and will fill up fast, so register early.


Photo coutesy of Wildwater, Ltd.

10. Rafting	Saturday, 8 AM - 8 PM	Cost: $90
Note: Cost includes both lunch and supper.

Zan Wiggins
Summer Camps and Conferences
100 Madren Center Drive, Box 345671
Clemson, SC 29634
Fax: 864-656-7308
Voice: 864-656-0595
E-mail: wiggins@clemson.edu

Bob Kosinski
Dept. of Biology Instruction and Ag Education
330 Long Hall
Clemson University
Clemson, SC 29634-0325
Voice: (864) 656-3830
Fax: (864) 656-3839
E-mail: rjksn@clemson.edu
 

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This page was last modified on 2 May 2000.