Teacher's guide for The Human Genome WebQuest

by St. Charles Parish

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Introduction

Use this WebQuest to help 7 - 9 Science students learn about Human Genome. The goal is to get students engaging in critical thinking.

Overview

Main Topic:	Human Genome
Subtopics:	genetics
Grade Level:	7 - 9
Subject(s):	Science
Learning Goal:	engaging in critical thinking

Vision and Reality

If the learning goal were achieved in the most ideal of perfect worlds it would look something like:

Students will be actively engaged in making a decision. They will work in cooperatively to gather information. The students will then reach a consensus using all of the information gathered and form a final decision for presentation.

However, what I anticipate probably looks more like:

The students will work cooperatively, but need guidance and questioning to help them fulfill the quest.

The What - If Inventory

To give the activity its best chance at helping students learn, I assembled this list of possible resources:

Internet
Inspiration
PowerPoint
Excel


Web sites are available to conduct research on the process, ethics, benefits, opinions and future projections of human genomes.

Medical
Media
Activist
Politicians
Clergy
Insurance

Standards

LS-M-B3 describing how heredity allows parents to pass certain traits to offspring.
LS-M-B2 describing the role of chromosomes and genes in heredity;
LS-M-A7 describing communicable and non-communicable diseases.
LS-M-A6 describing how the human body changes with age and listing factors that affect the length and quality of life;
LS-H-G4 exploring current research on the major diseases with regard to cause, symptoms, treatment, prevention, and cure;
LS-H-G3 explaining the role of the immune system in fighting disease; LS-H-G2 contrasting how organisms cause disease;
LS-H-G1 relating fitness and health to longevity;
LS-H-B4 exploring advances in biotechnology and identifying possible positive and negative effects.
LS-H-B3 describing the transmission of traits from parent to offspring
and the influence of environmental factors on gene expression;
LS-H-B2 comparing and contrasting mitosis and meiosis;
LS-H-B1 explaining the relationship among chromosomes, DNA, genes, RNA, and proteins;

created by St. Charles Parish email: efitzgerald@stcharles.k12.la.us http://www.web-and-flow.com/members/efitzger1/genetics/webquest.htm