Upper School science teacher Sabrina Hoong recently brought her Grade 11 Biology HL students to the Alan Reese Design Lab, where they "were building a fluid mosaic model of the cell membrane, and also adding substances being transported across the membrane via various means to the model." Students had some thoughtful reflections when asked "How has making deepened or shifted your understanding of membrane structure and transport?"

• “I now can better visualize how each independent part of the membrane works together.” 
• “Making a model that shows the membrane in a snapshot of time helped me understand that many processes are occurring at the same time and are at different stages.” 
• “This activity allowed me to understand further the specific processes of endo and exocytosis because it’s what I constructed but also how the fluid mosaic model looks on a larger scale."
• “I now have a deeper understanding of … biology because now I can physically see how each part works, whereas before I only had a basic understanding. I can now visualize the functions of the fluid mosaic model.”
• “This activity has allowed me to consider the individual components of the model. Rather than an overall view, I now see the individual interactions.” 
• “Helped me visualize overall the process, and specifically endocytosis and exocytosis.”
• “Being able to visualize the different components and how they collaborate, and labeling them, helps to understand why certain things happen and remember where/what.”

The model is now on display in the Carriage House hallway for anyone to come visit!