Virginia Department of Education
Genetic Variation and Mutations
Young scientists demonstrate their creativity while completing several activities, to assess genetic variations and mutations. Instructors provide a list of options and scientists choose to write a comic strip, create a book,...
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Basic Human Inheritance Patterns
Students study the stages of the cell division (meiosis) which results in the formation of gametes and study topics as crossing over, gene linkage, and human inheritance patterns in certain diseases.
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Teaching About Inherited Human Disorders Through Case Studies
Students explore case studies involving human disorders. They identify options and consequences of each decision. Students interview a family member with a disorder. They create a presentation of their interview.
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Inheritance of Genetic Disorders
Students explore inheritance patterns of diseases. In this genetic lesson, students explain how recessive genes may cause human disorders. They identify and research five genetic disorders and present their findings to the class.
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The Real Eve
Students research about human migration during a specific time period. In this physical science lesson, students watch a video about human evolution. They prepare a presentation on human migration and share it with the class.
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Lesson 10: Karyotypes
Students predict traits of future offspring. In this biology lesson, students study karyotyping to predict genetic disorders. They research an assigned karyotype and present information about it.
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Genetic Pamphlet with a Purpose
Students design a human genetic condition pamphlet which they present to the class and then take to a doctor's or pediatrician's office.
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Genetic Disease Pamphlet
Learners design a pamphlet to inform and educate people about an inherited disease or disorder.
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Inherited Traits
Students work with a partner to complete an inventory of their traits and compare and discuss their unique qualities. In this biology lesson, students determine percentages for the frequency of observed traits of classmates, compile the...
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Lesson 5: Untangling DNA
Students extract DNA from split peas. In this biology lesson, students research how chromatin form into chromosomes. They draw the stages and present their work in class.
National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science
In Sickness and in Health
Based on family history, how likely is it that a couple's children will have a recessive disease? In an in-depth, but easy-to-follow case study, future geneticists learn the story of Greg and Olga, who are hoping to have children, but...
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Gene Puzzles
Students come to understand that in sexually reproducing organisms, such as humans, typically half of the genes come from each parent.
Students examine a fictional pedigree and determine which gene is responsible for a given trait. The...
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Heredity And Environment
Learners complete a pre-test on the relationship between heredity and the environment. As a class, they write down descriptions of themselves and identify which traits can be changed and not changed. In groups, they determine which...
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Ethics and Reproductive Issues: The Dilemma of Choice
Students research various websites to answer questions and take part in class discussion regarding Prenatal testing. Students listen to an audio file and complete student worksheet. Students discuss different roles of people and...
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Nature vs. Nurture
Eighth graders investigate the concept of nature versus nurture in human development through this series of lessons.
Agriculture in the Classroom
A Rafter of Turkeys
How did that turkey get from the early Aztec culture to your table? Learn about the history of wild and domesticated turkeys in North America, as well as their inclusion in Thanksgiving traditions, with a two-part agricultural science...
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Where Are the Dinosaurs?
Students explore the concept of extinction by studying dinosaurs. In this dinosaur lesson, students distinguish between extinct creatures and those that still exist.
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Where are the Dinosaurs?
Young scholars construct their own diorama based on the life of a dinosaur. In this dinosaur lesson, students create models of dinosaurs and dinosaurs' eggs to explore the life cycle of this extinct species.
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Lesson 16: DNA Technology
Students research different areas of biotechnology. In this biology lesson, students create a presentation about their research. They debate the topic presented and share their views on the subject.
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Cells and Cancer
Students idenitfy that cancer is a growth of mutated cells and that cancer cells are only one type of cell that causes disease in our body. They also identify that all eukaryotic cells contain a nucleus, cytoskeleton, and a cell...