As I’m trying to make my first lesson plan based on my summer externship, I am struggling a bit with this.  I know that I am going to be able to bring back some big picture ideas (importance of technology, collaboration between different specialists, real world problems, scientific method/procedures), but I’m also struggling with smaller ideas that I can bring back and translate.  I don’t think I can count the times when I’ve said something like “could you explain that again?” or “you lost me there” or something along those lines.  The work that they’re doing here is really important and intense, but it’s also advanced.  I know I can bring back some ideas on polarity and hydrophobicity, but there’s a lot of biochemistry here.  My lack of familiarity with biochemistry (and I do have a degree in chemistry, I should point out) makes me uncertain how to approach this with my students and whether I can go into too much detail (time-wise and also making sure I don’t aim way over their heads).  My first lesson plan is actually going to be a project, so that should alleviate some of the in-class time concerns, but I’m going to really have to think more about how specifically I’m going to be pulling this experience in.  I have lots of ideas – just need to translate them into meaningful experiences for my students.