Argumentation With Virus Explorer
In 2000, scientists drilled a hole into the Siberian permafrost to collect soil samples estimated to be around 30,000 years old. Ten years later, the researchers added portions of these samples to amoebae colonies to see if any ancient viruses from the soil would infect the amoebae. They found a virus new to science and named it Pithovirus sibericum. This newly discovered virus was giant, measuring about 1.5 micrometers long. After 30,000 years, P. sibericum had been thawed and brought back to life.
Well, maybe.
The problem, of course, is how do you bring something back to life that isn’t considered living in the first place?
Most biology textbooks state that all living organisms exhibit certain characteristics. These “requirements” unify all of life. For example, organisms are made of cells, are able to adapt and reproduce, show some sort of metabolic behavior, are organized, and grow in some capacity.
Viruses are no doubt a large part of the planet’s biomass, but whether they qualify as “bio” is something of a gray area.
The question of whether viruses should be considered living is a great way to bring argumentation into the classroom. Argumentation is a central element of science education simply because arguing has always been, and still is, an important way science works (Sadler, 2006). Students often think that argumentation means people talking to each other without really listening or considering each other’s points. Unlike this common type of arguing, there does not need to be a “winner” in scientific argumentation. Students may be presented with a problem, then be required to evaluate the evidence, assess the alternatives, and establish the validity of the scientific claims (Sadler, 2006).
I teach at a community college in North Carolina, and I use the question of whether viruses should be considered living as a topic at the beginning of my biology courses. Fortunately, HHMI BioInteractive has created a Click & Learn activity called Virus Explorer that will fully engage and introduce students to viruses. Using this resource, along with several other scientific papers, can prepare students and therefore enhance a class discussion about the definition of life.
This Click & Learn and associated worksheet gives instructors the perfect opportunity to bring argumentation into a higher ed biology classroom. In my class, we use a modification of Larry Michaelson’s “Team-Based Learning” in which students join permanent groups of three or four students. These groups do not change throughout the semester. The students have the opportunity to work together not only in lab settings but also during lecture classes.
Before the lecture, the students are given the Virus Explorer link along with some of the questions from the worksheet. Each individual student is responsible for completing questions #1-4 as well as the Extension Activity. These questions serve two purposes: They hold students accountable for when they meet with their group during lecture time, and they act as a primer to learning about virus diversity.
During the lecture, students are presented with the standard textbook definition of life and the common characteristics of organisms. Each student group is then assigned an argumentation position. Half of the groups will collect evidence to support the position that viruses should not be considered living organisms, and the other half will gather information to support the position that viruses should be considered living. I provide the students with several resources to help them with their evidence. These are listed below.
Before the student groups collect evidence, I introduce them to an argument writing frame set forth by Osborne et al. (2001). (This paper is open-access.) The groups will use this argument frame as their product to present to the class. This will not only help them understand their position but also allow them to predict the opposing position. This frame will fuel the class discussion/debate.
The argumentation frame asks students to complete the following prompts:
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My idea is that …
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My reasons are that …
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Arguments against my ideas might be that …
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I would convince somebody that does not believe me by …
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The evidence I would use to convince them is that …
Instead of just listing the characteristics of life to a class of first-year biology students, pairing these activities and allowing students to weigh the evidence can stimulate and enhance a class discussion.
The following shows a model of progression that has worked well with this activity:
|
Time |
Assignments |
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1 day out-of-class |
Students: complete the “Virus Explorer” activity as well as the worksheet questions 1-4 and the “Extension Activity” |
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10-15 minutes |
Instructor: leads class discussion on the characteristics of life and then assigns positions for each group |
|
15-20 minutes |
Students: collect data to support their position |
|
10-15 minutes |
Instructor:introduces students to an argument writing frame |
|
20-30 minutes or out-of-class |
Students: complete the argument writing frame based on their position and their collected data |
|
20-30 minutes (optional) |
Students:present their writing frames to the class Instructor: facilitates discussion |
Have questions, comments, or suggestions for teaching argumentation? Come discuss them on our Facebook Group.
Resources for Students
Gortner, R. A. (1938). Viruses—living or non-living?Science, 87(2267), 529-530.
Villarreal, L. P. (2004). Are viruses alive? Scientific American-American Edition, 291, 100-105.
Resources for Educators
Parks Collins is a biology professor at Mitchell Community College in Statesville, NC, where he teaches biology and ecology courses. Prior to teaching at Mitchell CC, where he has been for eight years, he taught high school biology. He and his wife have three children and spend most of their time in the woods.