Media representatives are invited to experience hands-on science aboard Destiny and Discovery, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s two traveling science laboratories, when they visit Thomasville High School, North Iredell High School, Salisbury High School, Davie County High School and South Iredell High School next week.
Tuesday (September 18)
9:41 a.m. to 11:11 a.m.
11:16 a.m. to 12:41 p.m.
Thomasville High School
400 Turner Street, Thomasville
Students from one of Alvin Rubin’s science exploration classes and one of his biology classes will perform a lab exercise called “Mystery of the Crooked Cell.” Students will discover the molecular basis of sickle cell disease by using gel electrophoresis as a diagnostic tool to differentiate normal hemoglobin from hemoglobin found in individuals with sickle cell disease.
Tuesday (September 18)
8:10 a.m. to 9:40 a.m.
9:45 a.m. to 11:20 p.m.
North Iredell High School
156 Raider Road, Olin
Students from Pamela Bowman’s biology classes will perform a lab exercise called “Case of the Crown Jewels.” Students will assume the role of forensic scientists and perform DNA restriction analysis (popularly known as DNA fingerprinting) to analyze drops of "blood" and other kinds of evidence found at crime scenes as they determine which suspects are guilty or innocent.
Wednesday (September 19)
9:08 a.m. to 10:41 a.m.
Salisbury High School
500 Lincolnton Road, Salisbury
Students from one of Mark James’ biology classes will also perform “Case of the Crown Jewels.”
Wednesday (September 19)
9:50 a.m. to 11:20 a.m.
12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Davie County High School
1200 Salisbury Road, Mocksville
Students from two of Jennifer Richardson’s honors biology classes will also perform “Mystery of the Crooked Cell.”
Thursday (September 20)
1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.
South Iredell High School
299 Old Mountain Road, Statesville
Students from one of Carolyn Elliott’s honors biology classes will also perform “Mystery of the Crooked Cell.”
The Destiny traveling science learning program is Morehead Planetarium and Science Center's formal science education initiative serving pre-college teachers and students across North Carolina. Destiny develops and delivers a standards-based, hands-on curriculum and teacher professional development with a team of educators and a fleet of vehicles that travel throughout the state.
Destiny and Discovery, two custom-built, 40-foot, 33,000-pound buses, bring the latest science and technology equipment to students who otherwise would not see a high-tech laboratory or what a career in science can offer. The modules described above are among 14 offered as part of Destiny’s curriculum. “Case of the Crown Jewels” and “Mystery of the Crooked Cell” are developed from Boston University School of Medicine CityLab modules. All of Destiny’s modules are aligned with the N.C. Standard Course of Study.
The science buses are powerful visual images that heighten public awareness of the importance of and funding necessary for quality science education. The Destiny program first hit the road in 2000.
Destiny Web site: http://www.moreheadplanetarium.org/go/destiny
Destiny contact: Claire Ruocchio, (919) 843-5915 or clr@unc.edu