“The Strawberry Caper”

Abstract

Achieving a deep understanding of the many topics covered in middle school biology classes is difficult for many students. One way to help students learn these topics is through scenario-based learning, which enhances students’ performance. The scenario-based problem-solving module presented here, “The Strawberry Caper,” not only meets but connects ecological and genetic concepts that are required standards in middle school. Here, students are required to provide expert witness for a patent-infringement claim against an organic strawberry farmer by a large neighboring company. The students must think critically and formulate and test hypotheses to provide evidence for the case. Through phenotypic and genotypic analyses, the students are immersed in an inquiry-driven investigation that provides a real-world context for topics covered in the classroom. This, interspersed with integration of concepts, promotes understanding and application of these topics.