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Virtual Experiments
This section of the website is designed to enable you experiments without the use of an actual laboratory. Not all educational facilities have the resourses to have zebrafish labs available for experimentation. As such, aim is to provide an avenue for interactive learning through virtual experiments. The incentive behind these virtual experiments is to give students a better understanding of developmental biology and at the same time demonstrate the scientific method.
All of the experiments here will be outlined in such a way that follows the scientific procedure, for example developing, testing, and supporting/disproving a hypothesis.
Virtual Experiments on GloFish genetics
The GloFish Experiments can be used to learn Mendelian genetics and Chi-square analysis. See Classroom Experiments for a paper introducing this approach.
Carry out virtual crosses using this interactive ppt
Lesson plans and virtual dihybrid cross example by Cory Doroff and Amy VanHecke
Cross: purple X purple
-Introduction
-Ppt Presentation
-Worksheet (with answers)
-Data figure for cross
15 GloFish crosses including answer keys for fish phenotypes and chi-square analyses by Sooji (Katie) Jo, Bethanie Borg, Suzzy Arika, and Jennifer Liang
Collated pdf with images for all 15 crosses and all answer keys
Collated pdf with images for all 15 crosses
Pdf of phenotype answer key for all 15 crosses
Pdf of chi-square answer key for all 15 crosses
PDFs containing images of parents and progeny for each cross
Cross 1: Grey X Red
Cross 2: Red X Red
Cross 3: Red X Grey
Cross 4: Red spotted X Red striped
Cross 5: Red X Yellow
Cross 6: Red X Yellow
Cross 7: Purple X Purple
Cross 8: Red X Purple
Cross 9: Grey X Orange
Cross 10: Purple X Yellow
Cross 11:
Orange X Orange
Cross 12:
Purple (redblue) X Purple (redblue)
Cross 13: Red X Yellow
Cross 14: Green, no pigment X Purple, striped
Cross 15: Grey X Red
The casanova virtual experiment can be used to learn the effects of genetic mutations to and the properties of heart formation and function in zebrafish.
The virtual Staging Experiment illustrates the morphological changes that occur in a zebrafish embryo over time.
Fin regeneration
The purpose of this experiment is to learn more about the process of regeneration and the molecular mechanisms behind tissue regeneration. In this experiment, a hypothesis regarding regeneration will be tested by making measurements and observations on images of zebrafish caudal fins in the process of regenerating.
Powerpoint introduction to fin regeneration
Pre- and post-laboratory questions in pdf form
Pre- and post-laboratory questions in docx form
Virtual laboratory in pdf form
Virtual laboratory in docx form