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Peer Review

Zebrafish K-12

Reviewed:

Aug 23, 2003 by Teacher Education
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Ratings

Overall Rating: 4.6 stars
Content Quality: 4.6 stars
Effectiveness: 4.4 stars
Ease of Use: 4.8 stars
Overview:

The University of Oregon is considered by many to be a founding site of
zebrafish research. Scientists at Oregon published a method using zebrafish that
allowed screening for mutants among offspring of mutagenized females without
mating. Some of the original zebrafish for research were collected in the wilds
in India. Now K-12 teachers are using zebrafish as a model organism to teach the
National Science Education Standards (NSES). This website is useful for
understanding and finding out about methods used to successfully breed and use
Danio rerio (zebrafish) in K-12 curriculum. It contains on-line resources, a
simplified version of the research manual, The Zebrafish Book, and lab protocols
for K-12. The protocols, submitted by undergraduate and high school students,
are most appropriate for implementation in an inquiry based science curriculum.
The protocols include the development of the egg with clear diagrams of the
different stages, genetic development, and investigations of the larval and
embryological stages of the zebrafish. This online manual is useful for
accessing research information about zebrafish. This site is ideal for helping
anyone interested in teaching research methods. The topic is timely, since
zebrafish have been used increasingly by researchers who identify genes of
functional importance and investigate developmental processes and regulatory
physiology.
Type of Material:

Reference Material, but it could be used as a Tutorial or Lab Protocol.
This website also contains:
Diagrams and drawing of different stages of the zebrafish.
Links to facts and information about zebrafish.
Links to On-line resources of other zebrafish websites.
Lab Protocols for K-12 science curriculum
Methods for maintaining and breeding zebrafish
Simplified version of research manual, The Zebrafish Book
Recommended Uses:

This website can be used by K-12 teachers and college instructors for use in
their labs and classrooms. It can be used for training science teachers in the
implementation of science inquiry methods of learning. K-12 teachers can
explore material appropriate for inquiry-based teaching that will interest and
challenge each individual learner at a level appropriate for their zone of
proximal development. It is useful to anyone interested in basic research or
information about zebrafish.
Technical Requirements:

Space for raising zebrafish and a tank, water source, and air supply.
Identify Major Learning Goals:

The major learning goals include:
1. Students understand embryonic/larval development of simple vertebrates by
using a model organism.
2. Students learn how to use On-line research to find answers to their
investigative questions.
3. Students understand how a model organism like Danio can be used to access
science concepts of genetics.
4. Ecological characteristics are learned as students practice husbandry,
feeding, and encounter toxicity and disease.
Target Student Population:

Elementary through high school, college, and science teachers.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:

There are no skills or prerequisite knowledge needed to use the On-line manual
because the author is very clear and concise about the protocols and links to
other sites.

Content Quality

Rating:
Strengths:

Scientists and K-12 teachers provide content about raising zebrafish using
protocols from scientists who are among the world experts on the use of
zebrafish for research. Understanding how genetics and life cycles and ecology
and evolution all fit into a unified view of biology is difficult to teach from
an inquiry-based perspective. The materials presented on this web site are sure
to make children successful zebrafish breeders. The Zebrafish ABZs on-line
manual designed for the novice who wishes to use zebrafish, Danio rerio, for
teaching scientific research or for simple projects is an important with all the
procedures needed to successfully raise zebrafish. Such a project requires
investigating basic biology content that is a pre-requisite and should encourage
understanding more advanced material in the discipline. Concise and clear
diagrams and protocols, excellent links to other websites, a simplified version
of a published book, and the potential for implementation at many educational
levels are the major strengths. The author, who has continued to maintain and
up-date the web site, welcomes suggestions and comments on how to make this a
better, more useful site.

Concerns:

Some of the lab protocols use materials that may be difficult to acquire. The
lesson plans presented may not be utilized due to the poor feasibility of
scheduling breeding and study of embryos into a school year (since the fish do
not always breed on schedule). Due to the timing of the breeding cycle,
students may have difficulty seeing all of the developmental stages in some of
the protocols. However, the lab teaching protocols suggest possibilities.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

Rating:
Strengths:

I would use this resource as a tool for teacher education during discussions of
how teaching can be used to promote understanding of the goals and methods of
on-going scientific research. Zebrafish embryos have become very popular
worldwide as a means of understanding how not only fish, but all vertebrates
including people, develop from the moment that sperm fertilizes an egg. The eggs
are clear and develop outside of the mother's body, allowing scientists (and
students) to watch a zebrafish egg grow into a newly formed fish under a
microscope. The scientists watch while the cells divide and form different parts
of the baby fish's body. In the development span of 2-4 days, some form to make
the eyes; others, the heart, the liver, the stomach, the skin, the fins, etc.
until the fish is complete and ready to begin it's new life. Occasionally a cell
is removed or destroyed or a gene is changed to see what the result is to the
fish once it has developed. This is how scientists are discovering the causes of
gene functions and it's how they are trying to find a way to prevent birth
defects by understanding why they happen and what original cells are involved.
So, this little fish of the Ganges River is helping us to learn about how all
vertebrates develop and why sometimes things go wrong in that development to
cause birth defects and other health problems. Teachers can use the zebrafish
model to ask questions about structures and functions, life cycles, and
interactions between organisms or between organisms and their environment. The
material is most appropriate for science teachers with teaching and classroom
management experience who are looking for new ways to incorporate inquiry into
biology teaching and to help students make science relevant. Links to website
are helpful as an additional teaching tool.
Concerns:

The work involved in raising zebrafish is substantial. One suggestion for
enhancing this site would be to create mechanisms (communities of scientists
with teachers) for kits to be developed that would make the work more
manageable.

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating:
Strengths:

The color and design and the navigation links make this resource easy to
navigate. Links to the ZFIN Zebrafish Information Network database provides an
important example showing how technology is changing the way scientists work
together. A more detailed version of the Zebrafish Book was found by following
the links to http://zfin.org/zf_info/zfbook/cont.html#cont2 But since these
protocols were created by high school and college students, the
implementation of this by faculty and students can easily be done.
Submission of other methods, labs, etc by students and faculty are welcomed by
the author.
Concerns:

This site could be improved by reducing the font for the Zebrafish ABZs manual.
Other Issues and Comments:

This site is being used by teachers and their students who are doing basic
research with Danio rerio. The links to other websites help answer many
questions about zebrafish.
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