1. Log onto the Web site http://science.education.nih.gov/supplements/alcohol/student and click on “Lesson 1—Alcohol: Separating Fact from Fiction.” Select the type of Internet connection you are using (56k modem, ISDN, or T1) and click to play a mouse video.

2. Introduce the activity by having the class review the two short video clips of the mice used during Lesson 1. Remind students which type of Internet connection your school uses. Ask students to recall their conclusions about the effects of alcohol on mouse behavior, especially with regard to the loss of inhibition.
3. Explain to students that they will be analyzing data from three experiments that investigate the effects of alcohol on the movement of mice. They will begin by investigating the effects of alcohol dose on motor activity (movement) in mice.
4. Instruct students to click on the “Student Activities” link to return to the “Web Portion of Student Activities” page.
5. Give each student a copy of Master 3.1, Study 1—Effect of Alcohol Dose on Mouse Movement, and Master 3.3, Study 1—Worksheet and Graph Template.
6. Instruct students to read Master 3.1, Study 1—Effect of Alcohol Dose on Mouse Movement. Be sure they understand how the experiment was performed and answer any questions.
7. Next, instruct students to click on the link to Lesson 3—Responding to Alcohol: What’s Important? They should click on the “Start” button to listen to the introduction.

Students will hear a brief introduction to the activity and be taken into the virtual laboratory.

8. Instruct students to click on the link to Study 1—Effect of Dose.

Students will read instructions asking them to select a mouse and count the number of grid lines it crosses. This number should be recorded in their data table on Master 3.3. This process is repeated for the three remaining mice.

1. Give each student 1 copy of both Master 3.4, Study 2—Effect of Time on Alcohol Response, and Master 3.7, Study 2—Worksheet and Graph Template.
2. Instruct students to read Master 3.4, Study 2—Effect of Time on Alcohol Response. Be sure they understand how the experiment was performed and answer any questions.
3. Instruct students to click on the “Back” button and then on the link for Study 2a—Effect of Time.

Students will read instructions asking them to select the control mouse and count the number of grid lines it crosses for each time interval. These numbers should be recorded in their data table on Master 3.7.

4. After collecting data on the fourth mouse, students should click on the “Back” button. Next, they click on the link for Study 2b—Effect of Time.
5. Students repeat the data collection procedure in Step 3 for the experimental mice.

1. Explain to students that the different colors of the two mouse strains used in this study reflect genetic differences. Ask students what sort of genetic differences might exist between the two strains that could account for different responses to alcohol.

Students’ responses may be very general: differences in the brain or differences in the way the animals metabolize the alcohol may be suggested. Accept all reasonable answers and explain that it is time to investigate. Discussion of genetic variation can occur after this study and during Lessons 4 and 5.

2. Give each student 1 copy of both Master 3.8, Study 3—Effect of Genetics on Alcohol Response, and Master 3.11, Study 3—Worksheet and Graph Template.
3. Instruct students to read Master 3.8, Study 3—Effect of Genetics on Alcohol Response. Be sure that they understand how the experiment was performed and answer any questions.
4. Instruct students to click on the “Back” button and then on the link for Study 3a—Effect of Genetics.

Content Standard C:
Behavior is one kind of response an organism can make to an internal or external environmental stimulus.

Students will read instructions asking them to select a mouse and count the number of grid lines it crosses. This number should be recorded in their data table on Master 3.11. This process is repeated for the three remaining mice of that genetic strain.

5. After collecting data on the fourth mouse, students should click on the “Back” button. Next they click on the link for Study 3b—Effect of Genetics to access the experiment with mice using a different genetic strain.
6. Students repeat the data-collection procedure in Step 4 for mice of the second strain.

1. Explain that students will be analyzing data from three experiments to investigate the effects of alcohol on the movement of mice. They will begin by investigating the effects of alcohol dose on motor activity (movement) in mice.
2. Give each student 1 copy of Master 3.1, Study 1—Effect of Alcohol Dose on Mouse Movement, Master 3.2, Study 1—Mouse Movement Data, and Master 3.3, Study 1—Worksheet and Graph Template.

• Master 3.1 describes how the experiment was performed.
• Master 3.2 contains the experimental data.
• Master 3.3 contains a worksheet and graph template.

3. Instruct students to read Master 3.1, Study 1—Effect of Alcohol Dose on Mouse Movement. Be sure they understand how the experiment was performed and answer any questions.
4. Next, instruct students to count the number of grid lines crossed by each mouse on Master 3.2 and record the numbers in the appropriate spaces on their data table on Master 3.3.

1. Give each student 1 copy of Master 3.4, Study 2—Effect of Time on Alcohol Response, Master 3.5, Study 2a—Control Mouse Movement Data, Master 3.6, Study 2b—Experimental Mouse Movement Data, and Master 3.7, Study 2—Worksheet and Graph Template.

• Master 3.4 describes how the experiment was performed.
• Masters 3.5 and 3.6 contain the experimental data.
• Master 3.7 contains a worksheet and graph template.

2. Instruct students to read Master 3.4, Study 2—Effect of Time on Alcohol Response. Be sure they understand how the experiment was performed and answer any questions.
3. Instruct the students to count the number of grid lines crossed by each mouse on Masters 3.5 and 3.6 and record the numbers in their data table on Master 3.7.

1. Explain to students that this study uses two mouse strains with different genetic backgrounds. Ask students what sort of genetic differences might exist between the two strains that could account for differing responses to alcohol.

Students’ responses may be very general: differences in the brain or differences in the way the animals metabolize the alcohol may be suggested. Accept all reasonable answers and explain that it is time to investigate. Discussion of genetic variation can occur after this study and during Lessons 4 and 5.

2. Give each student 1 copy of Master 3.8, Study 3—Effect of Genetics on Alcohol Response, Master 3.9, Study 3a—Mouse Movement Data, Master 3.10, Study 3b—Mouse Movement Data, and Master 3.11, Study 3—Worksheet and Graph Template.

• Master 3.8 describes how the experiment was performed.
• Masters 3.9 and 3.10 contain the experimental data.
• Master 3.11 contains a worksheet and graph template.

1. Students should use their data and the graph template on Master 3.3, Study 1—Worksheet and Graph Template, to create a plot of movement (number of grid lines crossed) versus alcohol dose. After students plot their data, instruct them to connect the data points with lines.

If you prefer, have students graph their data in histogram form.

2. Students’ data for Study 1 should be as follows:

3. Ask the class how the movement of mice varies with increasing doses of alcohol.

Students should explain that mouse movement (number of grid lines crossed) increases as the dose of alcohol increases from 0 to 1.5 g/kg and again from 1.5 g/kg to 2.0 g/kg. Movement then decreases from 2.0 g/kg to 3.0 g/kg. Students should note that alcohol affects the movement of mice and that this effect depends on the dose of the alcohol.

Figure 3.2. Data for Study 1—Effect of Alcohol Dose on Mouse Movement.

4. Ask the class why the study included a mouse that was not given any alcohol.

The mouse that was not given alcohol is called a control mouse. Mice given alcohol are called the experimental mice. In order to reach a conclusion about the effect of alcohol on mouse movement, it is necessary to compare mice that were given alcohol with those that were not. Ideally, the control mouse should be just like the experimental mice except for the variable being tested (alcohol).

1. Students should use their data and the graph template on Master 3.7 to create a plot of movement (grid lines crossed) versus time after alcohol consumption. After plotting their data, instruct them to connect the data points with lines.

If you prefer, have students graph their data in histogram form. Data for the control and experimental mice should be plotted on the same graph.

2. Students’ data for Study 2 should be as follows:

3. Ask the class to describe the effect of alcohol on mouse activity over time.

Compared with the control mouse, the mouse given alcohol was initially more active, but then as time passed, its activity slowed, while that of the control mouse increased.

4. Ask students if they collected data on the mouse given alcohol for hours instead of minutes, what would happen?

This question may be difficult for students to answer. The movement of the mouse would slow to its lowest level and remain there for a while; then, the rate of movement would slowly increase up to the level of the control mouse. This is because the alcohol is being metabolized, and the blood alcohol concentration slowly decreases back to zero. When the BAC of the experimental mouse reaches zero, the mouse given alcohol and the control mouse would be expected to behave similarly.

Figure 3.3. Data for Study 2—Effect of Time on Response to Alcohol.

5. Why does the movement of the control mouse change over time?

This is an opportunity to discuss the nature of science. As mice become familiar with their environment, they tend to be less cautious. Since control mouse activity increases over time, this mouse is becoming familiar with its test surroundings.

1. Students should use their data and the graph template on Master 3.11 to create a plot of movement (number of grid lines crossed) versus alcohol dose. After plotting their data, instruct students to connect the data points for each mouse.

If you prefer, have the students graph their data in histogram form. Data for the two different mouse strains should be plotted on the same graph.

2. Students' data for Study 3 should be as follows:

3. Ask the class whether the mice in Study 3a behaved like the mice in Study 3b.

In some ways the mice in Study 3a did behave like the mice in Study 3b. Initially, they both were fairly active. They responded differently, however, to the higher doses of alcohol. The mice in Study 3a rapidly slowed down their movement as the dose increased from 1.5 to 3.0 g alcohol/kg body weight. In contrast, the mice in Study 3b first increased, then decreased their movement as the alcohol dose went from 1.5 to 3.0 g alcohol/kg body weight.

Figure 3.4. Data for Study 3—Effect of Genetics on Response to Alcohol.

4. Does this experiment suggest that genes play a role in an animal’s response to alcohol? Why or why not?

The Study 3a and Study 3b mice show different responses to alcohol. The experimental environments for the two strains of mice were the same. The two mouse strains were handled identically in Study 3a and Study 3b. However, the two mouse strains have some genes that are different from each other. This genetic difference between the two mouse strains is the experimental variable. Consequently, the experiment suggests that genes play a role in response to alcohol.

5. Ask the class to summarize what they have learned about alcohol’s effects on behavior from these three studies.

Students should mention that the effects of alcohol depend on the dose, the time after the alcohol was consumed, and the genetic background of the individual.

6. Ask the class why scientists would use mice to investigate the effects of alcohol.

Assessment:
Ask students to define scientific controls as related to the design of experiments. Instruct them to describe how the concept of controls was used in each of the three mouse studies in this lesson.

Assessment:
Before the class discussion, you may want to have students write a short summary of what they learned from the mouse experiments. This gives students an opportunity to organize their thoughts. Listening to the discussion and reading their summaries will help you evaluate their understanding of the experiments.

Student responses will vary. Be sure to bring out the idea that scientists use animals in experiments when using humans is either impractical or unethical. Data obtained from mice have relevance because the mice have similar genes and biochemistry to humans. It is important to keep in mind the limitations of such studies, however. Humans have greater cognitive abilities than mice and can more readily alter their behaviors.

7. On the basis of data from these three studies, can you make any inferences about the effects of alcohol on humans?

These studies allow students to make inferences about how alcohol might affect humans. For example, students may comment that at the lowest dose of alcohol, the mice became more active, then, as the dose was increased, less active. They may propose that something similar happens to people and comment that some people who have a few drinks at a party become more outgoing and talkative, but if they drink to excess, they can become very quiet and may even pass out.

Students should also reflect on individual variation in response to alcohol. Results of the study using mice of different strains suggest that different people may respond to the same dose of alcohol differently. This is true. Alcohol affects some people more profoundly than others. Some of the variation in response to alcohol is due to genetics (see Information about Alcohol, 8.2 Alcoholism and genetics).

8. Conclude the lesson by reminding the class of the statement from the survey in Lesson 1, which declared that alcohol is a stimulant. At that time, students either agreed or disagreed with the statement. Ask the class to use what they learned in this lesson now to respond to that statement.

This likely will be a difficult concept for students. Based on the studies explored in this lesson, students may believe that alcohol initially acts as a stimulant. In fact, alcohol is always a depressant. It appears to be a stimulant because it initially depresses that part of the brain that controls inhibitions. See “Misconception 1: Alcohol is a stimulant.”