Genetics+and+Probability

Lesson Plan: Genetics and Probability

Anesia Wells, Emily Wilson, and Josh Brown 26 July 2010 Advisors: Chris Atchinson and Ryan Harrison Life Sciences/Mathematics Grade 9-10 Arps Hall, Room 274 Genetics and Probability

Standards Addressed: Science Standards Addressed (OH ACS): Grade 9-10 Life Sciences (Heredity), Benchmark C: Explain the genetic mechanisms and the molecular basis of inheritance. Grade 10, Indicator 6: “Explain that a unit of hereditary information is called a gene, and genes may occur in different forms called alleles.” Grade 10, Indicator 8: “Use the concepts of Mendelian genetics to explain inheritance.” Mathematics Standards Addressed (OH ACS): Grade 9-10 Mathematics (Data Analysis and Probability) Grade 10, Indicator 2: “Describe the probability of an event symbolically.” Grade 10, Indicator 3: “Make and justify predictions based on experimental and theoretical probabilities.” Grade 10, Indicator 5: “Find all possible outcomes of simple experiments or problem situations, using methods such as lists, arrays, and tree diagrams.” Technology Standards Addressed (OH ACS): Standard 2: Technology and Societal Interaction Benchmark A: Interpret and practice responsible citizenship relative to technology. Grade 9, Indicator 3: “Review how different factors, such as individual curiosity, advertising, the strength of the economy, the goals of a company and the current trends, contribute to shaping the design of an demand for various technologies.” Grade 11, Indicator 2: “Describe how changes caused by the use of technology can range from gradual to rapid, from subtle to obvious.” Benchmark C: Interpret and evaluate the influence of technology throughout history, and predict its impact on the future (Technology and History). Grade 9, Indicator 2: “Select a technology or tool and predict how it will change in the future.”

Student Objectives: After completion of this lesson, successful students should be able to: Recognize that traits are observable characteristics inherited through genes Describe and give examples of alleles Understand that DNA is a set of instructions that specifies the traits of an organism Describe the method of genetic inheritance and be able to explain why Create and complete a Punnett square when given two genotypes Given a Punnett square, students should be able to predict the probability of a trait occurring in an offspring Explain the relationship (integration) between the scientific concept of genetics and the mathematical concept of probability Calculate probabilities involving 2 and 4 choices

Purpose or Rationale for Lesson: Genetics and probability are science and mathematics concepts that can be readily integrated to enhance and promote student learning in either classroom setting. Literature documents that students harbor misconceptions in each of these key content areas. Combining the two lessons may facilitate transfer, thus providing students with a better opportunity to overcome their alternative conceptions. This small lesson is embedded within a larger unit on meiosis, genetic disease, pedigree analysis, mutations, in-vitro fertilization, genetically modified foods, and pre-implantation diagnosis. This larger context calls on students to draw from their science and mathematics skills to solve increasingly complex problems. Additionally, the recent technological advances in the field of genetic research will play an important role in students’ futures and it is important to provide them with a knowledgeable foundation so they can make informed choices in adulthood. Students may well utilize their understanding built in the classroom to prepare them for experiences with genetic counseling, gene therapy, and other scenarios yet to imagined.

Opening: Before beginning the unit on heredity, diagnostic pre-assessment will occur in the form of either a multiple-choice or flash assessment format. Diagnostics are useful in both evaluating the level of student understanding of the material and in revealing to the educator student misconceptions. The unit will then be planned according to the data gathered from the pre-assessment. Each lesson will implement a hook to get the students engaged and motivated to learn the subject matter of the day. The hook for the genetics/probability lesson will utilize TurningPoint software. Students are asked questions that are unique to them such as: Can you roll your tongue? Are you right-handed or left? Which thumb is on top when you clasp your hands together? Have you eaten cornflakes this morning? Did you know that the corn you eat has a gene from a bacterium in it? These questions engage the student because they will become curious to see how the material relates to them personally, therefore making learning uniquely meaningful. The last question acts as a build up to future material covered later in the unit.

Body of the lesson: Planned according to block scheduling time frame, ~100 minutes Materials needed: TurningPoint, SmartBoard, and Powerpoint technologies. Lab Activity: How are human genetic traits inherited? (see attached) Homework Handouts: Genetics and Probability worksheet Accommodations will be met according to students’ individual education plan (IEP) Potential Pitfalls, difficulties, student misconceptions: Assumes prior mathematical knowledge of fractions and percents Probability examples with quarter flip and spinners could not turn out as anticipated Student misconceptions regarding probability and genetics Students believe genetic inheritance is a blending of parental traits (black x white = grey, etc). Students assume only one parent is responsible for passing on genes (usually the parent of the same sex) Students may believe that the Punnett square is the outcome of four offspring, not the probabilities of a trait occurring for one child Technological difficulties may arise as well TurningPoint SmartBoard Powerpoint Video hyperlink embedded into powerpoint

Introductory Notes and Hook: ~ 5 minutes Students will be arranged approximately four student to a table. Each student will be given a clicker so that they may participate in the opening activity. A few moments at the beginning of the lesson will be used for rapport building and classroom interaction and discussion with the clickers to help engage students in the topic of the day.

Genetics/Probability Lesson: ~1.5 hours The lesson will begin with asking the students to compare and contrast their answers to the clicker questions with other students at their tables to determine which traits they have in common with others, as well as which traits are unique to them. The lesson will advance with the question: “Where do these traits come from?” A subsequent brief lesson on the mechanism of heredity and the concept of probability will be presented via powerpoint and SmartBoard. Students will be asked to complete punnett squares for genotypes and engage in a lab activity which reinforces their understanding of genetic inheritance and probabilities of traits occurring in offspring. The lesson will conclude with a brief video on The Human Genome Project, class discussion of societal impacts of technology/question & answer period, and homework assignment.

Lesson Outline & Discussion (formative assessment) questions: I). Hook: What traits do you have in common with others? What traits are unique to you? II) Genetic Inheritance Lesson: A. Genetic Inheritance: What are traits and how are they inherited? B. Genes: Sections of DNA that code for traits C. Genotype / Phenotype: Definitions D. Alleles: Different versions of a gene a. Homozygous / Heterozygous b. Dominant / Recessive c.Why are there always two version for a trait? d. What is a child’s chances of inheriting a particular trait? E. Punnett Squares a. Teacher demonstration: How to set up a Punnett square based on parental genotypes to determine potential genotypes of offspring Isn’t a Punnet square just showing the probability of a certain trait occurring? III). Probability Lesson: What is probability? The likeliness of some event happening Using mathematics, we can actually determine if an event is likely to happen or not. Probability isn’t meant to predict exactly what will happen. Real life doesn’t work that way because unlikely events do occur (people get struck by lightning, people win the lottery, and people get cured from incurable diseases). Probability can tell you the chance that something like that will happen. C. Typically, the basic probability of an event, A, occurring, is represented by: P(A) = (The number of ways event A can occur) / (The total number of possible outcomes) If we look at this model, what type of numbers should we be getting? Will probability ever be negative? Will probability ever be zero? Can the top of the fraction ever be bigger than the bottom? Why? Ways to get even A can’t be greater than total possible outcomes This means that fraction, decimal representations of P(A) should be contained in [0,1] D. Quarter Toss: SmartBoard Simulation A. If we toss the quarter once, what is the probability that it will come up heads? a. A = heads --> P(A) = 1/2 b. 1 = number of ways to get heads c. 2 = total possible outcomes (heads or tails) d. If we toss the quarter two times, what is the probability that it will come up heads once and tails once? e. A = heads --> P(A) = 2/4 = 1/2 f. 2 = number of ways to get heads both times (HT, TH) g. 4 = total possible outcomes (HH, TT, TH, HT)

B. Test on SmartBoard a. Flip coin once b. What was the outcome? How likely was this to happen? What would happen if we repeated this experiment 100 more times? Why? Colored Spinner: Simulation provided on SmartBoard A. How many colors do we have? Is there an equal chance to land on each? B. What’s the probability that the spinner will land on red? A = red --> P(A) = 1/4 1 = number of ways to get red 4 = total possible outcomes (blue, green, red, yellow) C. If we spin the spinner two times, what is the probability we will land on red, green, or yellow each time? a. A = red, green, or yellow --> P(A) = 9/16 = 3/4 b. 9 = number of ways to get red, green, or yellow (RG, RY, RR, YG, YR, YY, GR, GY, GG) c.16 = total possible outcomes (RG, RB, RY, RR, BG, BY, BR, BB, YG, YR, YB, YY, GB, GR, GY, GG) IV). Integration of Probability and Genetics A. Working through examples on SmartBoard Suppose parents produce four offspring. Will they always fit with what’s shown on the Punnet Square? Why or why not? Lab Activity: How are human genetic traits inherited? Students will work in pairs to complete the laboratory exercise (see handout). V). Technological Advances ~10-15 minutes Video: The Human Genome Project Class discussion: How could this technology impact your future? VI). Lesson Wrap-Up ~5-10 minutes A. Questions? Comments? Thoughts? Homework Assignment a. Genetics and Probability worksheet Research a current topic in genetics and prepare for discussion tomorrow Closure: The genetics/probability lesson will close with a brief glimpse into the technological advances in the field of genetic research. A short video on The Human Genome Project will be shown followed by a brief discussion period where students are asked to think about how this technology could possibly impact their futures.This wrap-up encourages students’ to apply their knowledge to address the benefits/concerns with the new technology. As genetic diseases will be covered in the next lesson, the closure format will foster their anticipation for the next lesson in the unit. Additional questions about the lesson will also be addressed during this closure/discussion period and homework will be assigned. Anticipated time for an effective closure period is ~7 minutes.

Accommodations: The lesson incorporates various techniques that can accommodate different learning styles. The clicker opening offers an interactive opportunity between the students in the classroom as well as a student-teacher interaction. Interactive simulations and virtual manipulatives are also put to use with the SmartBoard device. Visual learners are accommodated with the video presentation. Class discussion is implemented throughout the lesson to assess for understanding. The student will also get an opportunity to work individually with the homework assignment. A lab activity is also incorporated in which students work with a partner to determine their phenotypic appearance and underlying genotype. The students will then mate with a partner in the class to determine if their offspring will share their characteristics.

Assessment of the class: Formative assessment and instructor feedback will be implemented throughout the lesson with questions that have been embedded into the powerpoint and SmartBoard presentations. Students will have the opportunity to ask questions at any time in the lesson and class discussion will take place at the end of the presentation. Students will also be evaluated on their lab activity and with their individual homework assignments on genetics and probability, as well as a small individual research on a genetics topic. At the end of the lesson, students will be given an opportunity to show what they have learned with an end of the unit test.

Evaluation of the lesson (done after the lesson is taught) Were the objectives met? Did students learn? Could it have been done another way? How did the lesson flow? Did the timing work out? Any unexpected pitfalls encountered? Things to remember for the next time this lesson is implemented? Other consideration