Visual Library of Modeling Elements

A common roadblock for learners when they are drawing models is simply how to represent concepts and ideas they have in their minds. The Visual Library provides scaffolding to help overcome this roadblock. Inspired by conversations and input from high school science teachers, the Visual Library provides visual examples and prompting (e.g., What is going in the model? How could it be drawn? Why is this visual appropriate?) for common model elements (e.g., cells) and sensemaking components (e.g., zooming in/out) used within the life sciences.

The Visual Library can be used in lesson planning or as a tool for creative and generative modeling activities. You can choose from 3 formats—Full Support, Partial Support, or Framework Only—depending on the needs of the student(s) and your instructional goals. The different formats can provide example visual representations and rationale or can be left blank to give opportunities for students to generate their own ideas and reasoning. The Full Support option provides all the information to the students. The Partial Support option provides ideas for what could go in a model, but allows students to create their own visual representations and rationale. The Framework Only option provides only the column headings (i.e., What is going in the model? How could it be drawn? Why is this visual appropriate?) and allows students to answer all three questions.

The Visual Library also connects to other tools in the VMC3 Resource Center. If you want to see links to related Modeling Exercise Snapshots and Vignettes, choose the "My planning" option under the question “Are you preparing this library for your planning or for student use?”. If you want to work only with the Visual Library (i.e., no links), choose the "Student use" option. You can print the Visual Library for your use or to provide to students.

The crosscutting concepts (CCCs) represent different ways a learner could make sense of a phenomenon. The Visual Library sensemaking components can be thought of as representations of students’ use of the CCCs. For example, a student may be making sense of a phenomenon through the Cause and Effect CCC and use visual representations of temperature and flows of energy to show causal relationships. As you browse the other tools in the VMC3 Resource Center, you will see how they focus on each of the different CCCs. Through the Visual Library you can either cultivate student use of a particular CCC or respond to students’ models and further their CCC use by using Quick Prompts at the intersection of a CCC and a sensemaking component. The Modeling Exercise Snapshots and Vignettes provide other illustrations of how sensemaking components, CCCs, and scientific phenomena intersect.

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What is going in the model? How could it be drawn? Why is this representation appropriate?
Cells: Bacterial Shape shows just a basic circle representative of them not having a nucleus.
Biomolecules: Carbohydrates Hexagon shape conveys carbon-bond structure; Can label with letters to indicate the type of carbohydrate (e.g., “G” for glucose).
Organelles: Cell membrane Shape shows the semi-permeable nature of the membrane. This can be modified in different ways to specifically show different integral membrane proteins too (i.e., receptors, channels, pumps, etc.) based on need.
Organelles: Cell wall Shape shows more squared structure of cells which, when paired with the cell wall, contribute to plant tissue structure and stability.
Organelles: Chloroplast Includes two different shapes based on teacher/student need. Top: Shape shows internal membranes (thylakoids) increasing surface area for chlorophyll/proteins needed for photosynthesis. Bottom: Shows a simplified version with a sun symbol to remind students of the photosynthesis role of the chloroplasts.
Organelles: Cytoskeleton Shows just a basic branching partial structure of the cell’s cytoskeleton which is dynamic and can be rearranged for cell structure, movement, cell division, and internal transport purposes.
Biomolecules: DNA Double helix shape gives the molecule increased stability.
Flow of Energy

Flow of Energy Quick Prompts 		Directional movement of energy (light, heat, etc.) Squiggly to differentiate flow of energy from flow of matter or motion arrow
Flow of Matter

Flow of Matter Quick Prompts 		Matter moves from particle to particle/object to object/thing to thing through physical interactions.
Cells: General Cells are all differentiated by type and function but generally all have a membrane, DNA, ribosomes and cytoplasm. This representation can be used when the specific shape and composition of the cell is secondary to the sensemaking.
Organelles: Golgi Shows the double membrane characteristic of being part of the endomembrane system (critical for protein transport). In addition, the stacked membrane structure of the Golgi allows spaces for post-translational modification and packaging of proteins (represented by diamond and triangles).
Cells: Intestinal Shape shows extended cell membrane (microvilli) to maximize area of absorption.
Biomolecules: Lipids Draw shape of the type of lipid A. Phospholipid B. Triglycerol/Triglyceride C. Sterol (e.g. cholesterol)
Organelles: Lysosome Shows the double membrane characteristic of being part of the endomembrane system (critical for protein transport). In addition, indication of low pH shows the highly acidic environment which supports the breakdown of biomolecules.
Cells: Macrophage Shape shows a more flexible membrane needed for phagocytosis (engulfing and breaking down invading pathogens).
Organelles: Mitochondrion Includes two different shapes based on teacher/student need. Top: Shows internal membranes (cristae) needed to maximize presence of proteins needed for cellular respiration. Bottom: Shows a simplified representation of the mitochondrion with a lightning bolt to represent energy (ATP) generation.
Movement/Motion

Movement/Motion Quick Prompts 		Arrows to/from whatever is in motion (like a water molecule in motion); Lines behind object to indicate direction of movement (can use the length of the line to indicate speed—long for fast, short for slow)
Cells: Muscle (skeletal) Shape shows multi-nucleation and fibrous shape connected to both cell size and contractile properties.
Cells: Neuron Shade shows extended cell length and extensions for articulating with additional cells for communication.
Organelles: Nucleus Shows a nuclear membrane and a duplicated chromosome (sister chromatids) to remind students about the role of the nucleus.
Cells: Plant Shape shows more squared structure of cells which, when paired with the cell wall, contribute to plant tissue structure and stability.
Biomolecules: Protein Draw shape of type of structures (primary-quaternary structure) I.Primary Structure II.Secondary Structure III.Tertiary Structure IV.Quaternary Structure
Organelles: Ribosome Shows a very basic representation of a ribosome. Since these are smaller than other organelles, details for students will be hard so a simple structure has been used.
Biomolecules: RNA Single helix shape gives the molecule less stability but more flexibility.
Cells: Rod Shape shows extended cell structure to allow dense packing of photosensitive cells. Lines in the top area represent layers of internal membranes packed with the protein rhodopsin which is photosensitive.
Organelles: Rough endoplasmic reticulum Shows the double membrane characteristic of being part of the endomembrane system (critical for protein transport). Also shows ER bound ribosomes (black dots) connected to rough ER function.
Temperature

Temperature Quick Prompts 		Thermometers could be given labels or specific color codes, such as blue for Celsius, Red for Fahrenheit, and Purple for Kelvin.
Organelles: Vesicle Shows the double membrane characteristic of being part of the endomembrane system (critical for protein transport). The role of a vesicle as the basic unit of transport and storage is represented by this.
Zoom In/Out (Levels)

Zoom In/Out (Levels) Quick Prompts 		Use zoom in (+) and zoom out (-) magnifying glasses to indicate scale of model.