Climbing the Ladder of DNA

MODULE #4

GENETIC DISORDERS: PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER!

ESTIMATED TIME TO COMPLETE: 3 blocks of 90 minutes

MODULE OBJECTIVES:

Students will explore amino acid sequences of normally functioning proteins and mutated proteins.
Students will link the function of the protein to the amino acid sequence.
Student will look indepth at a specific genetic disorder to determine the (symptoms, possible treatments, nucleotide and corresponding amino acid sequences, associations, etc.)

CONCEPT(S) LEARNED IN THIS MODULE:

Genetic disorders are harmful alterations in a genetic sequence that have been inherited from past generations.
The genetic information encoded in DNA has assembled a protein with an abnormal amino acid sequence and therefore an altered function.

STANDARDS ADDRESSED IN THIS UNIT MODULE (AAAS PROJECT 2061):

Genes are segments of DNA molecules. Inserting, deleting, or substituting DNA segments can alter genes. An altered gene may be passed on to every cell that develops from it. The resulting features may help, harm, or have little or no effect on the offspring's success in its environment (5B, Grades 9-12, 4).
The function of each protein molecule depends on its specific sequence of amino acids and the shape the chain takes is a consequence of attractions between the chain's parts (5C, Grades 9-12, 3).
The genetic information encoded in DNA molecules provides instructions for assembling protein molecules (5C, Grades 9-12, 4).

TECHNOLOGY-ENHANCED INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES UTILIZED IN THIS MODULE:

Teleresearch- students will explore a genetic disease using the World Wide Web

Databases

Workbench (http://workbench.sdsc.edu/)
NCBI (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/)

Module Overview

Component names which are hot links indicate that associated student activities and teacher materials may be downloaded as pdf files. Go to the Adobe Acrobat^®websitefor a free software download if you do not have the plug-in.

Components Brief Description of Module Activities Student
Grouping Materials / Technology

Engagement Story of boy with sickle cell anemia (Rensberger, Life Itself, 1996). Class

Exploration Direct Instruction - teacher models the research and presentation of a genetic disease (sickle cell anemia).
Student Directed - students explore a genetic disease of choice using the outlined rubric. Class

Pairs or Individual Concept Map
Normal and abnormal hemoglobin sequences

Explanation Students make connections between normal and abnormal nucleotide and amino acid sequences for their disease. What are the resulting symptoms due to the change in amino acid sequence? Are there any treatments available? What associations are available to help people with a genetic disorder? Pairs or Individual

Extension Explore different parts of the world to investigate where the particular genetic disorder is most prevalent? Why might that be? Pairs or Individual

Evaluation Rubric for student presentation. Pairs or Individual Electronic Portfolio
Power Point
Internet Access

EXPECTED MODULE OUTCOMES:

Students will make the connection between DNA, gene, and protein.
Students will use this knowledge and apply it to an exploration of a particular genetic disorder.
Students will compare and contrast sequences of DNA to establish

PERFORMANCE-BASED ASSESSMENT OF MODULE OUTCOMES:

Students will be evaluated on their research and presentation of a genetic disease of choice.

Components	Brief Description of Module Activities	Student Grouping	Materials / Technology
Engagement	Story of boy with sickle cell anemia (Rensberger, Life Itself, 1996).	Class
Exploration	Direct Instruction - teacher models the research and presentation of a genetic disease (sickle cell anemia). Student Directed - students explore a genetic disease of choice using the outlined rubric.	Class Pairs or Individual	Concept Map Normal and abnormal hemoglobin sequences
Explanation	Students make connections between normal and abnormal nucleotide and amino acid sequences for their disease. What are the resulting symptoms due to the change in amino acid sequence? Are there any treatments available? What associations are available to help people with a genetic disorder?	Pairs or Individual
Extension	Explore different parts of the world to investigate where the particular genetic disorder is most prevalent? Why might that be?	Pairs or Individual
Evaluation	Rubric for student presentation.	Pairs or Individual	Electronic Portfolio Power Point Internet Access

MODULE #4

GENETIC DISORDERS: PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER!

Module Overview

Unit Flow Chart Unit Description Modules: 1 2 3 4

Unit Flow Chart
Unit Description
Modules: 1 2 3 4