Switched at Birth

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Switched at Birth
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by Lindsay TalaricoCollierville Middle
Schoola Shelby County SchoolRevisions by Ms.
Kemp February 2007       
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Introduction "SWITCHED AT BIRTH!" Headlines
like this haunted the distraught new parents in
hospital room 101. Mr. and Mrs. Gullible both had
brown eyes and the nurse just brought them a
beautiful, healthy baby boy with BLUE eyes. Yes,
he did seem to have Grandma Gullible's ears...but
- could this possibly be their baby? Did the
nurse make a big mistake? Can two brown-eyed
parents produce a blue-eyed baby? Panic surged
through the new parents as they pondered these
questions. They need some answers! You and your
investigative team will take a fascinating
journey into the world of genetics. The secrets
of heredity and the answer to the Gullible's
question lie within the cells of all living
organisms. The solutions await uncovering through
the use of your scientific problem solving and a
few mouse clicks on this quest. You have the
tools - prepare to meet the challenge!
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Task Your mission, is to answer the Gullible's
question. By implementing this power point you
will gather information and use the scientific
method to prepare individual lab reports with
complete conclusions. Each Investigative Team
member will have a specific role to play to
create a power point to educate others of your
new knowledge of genetics. You can agree upon
your roles or write them on slips of paper and
select them randomly. The team roles are
Historian, Biotechnologist, Statistician, and
Genetic Case Manager.
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Process

• In order to complete your genetic
  investigation and help the Gullibles, you must
  accomplish individual tasks and two culminating
  team tasks. The individual tasks will be
  completed in your science journal for use in
  completing your lab report and your group
  presentation. Portions of the individual tasks
  will be made into slides for specified group
  members to prepare for your Power Point. Be sure
  you check the evaluation page, which details how
  your work will be assessed.

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Investigation Team Tasks

• Each of these will be completed by the members in
  your individual science folders
• Research and create a graphic organizer of a
  brief history of genetics.
• Use Punnett squares to identify inherited traits.
  
• Describe and diagram DNA structure
• Complete a lab report to answer the Gullible's
  question.
• The following tasks will be completed by the
  Investigative Team
• Reach a consensus to support a position on
  genetic testing.
• Create Power Point presentation on genetics
  (different roles assigned specific slides).
• You are now ready to proceed to the process
  section of your mission!

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Process (Cont.)
Investigative Team Roles and Major
Responsibilities Historian Concerned with the
history of genetic study Biotechnologist
Concerned with the structure and components of
DNA Statistician Concerned with the
computation of probability and ratio of inherited
traits Genetics Case Manager Concerned with
organization of presentation, the group's
consensus on genetic testing and informing the
parents of the team's findings.  
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• Historian Process 1                            
                             
• Research Gregor Mendel and the early history of
  genetics and modern day Watson/Crick and Rosalind
  Franklin
• You will then prepare a graphic organizer about
  Mendel and his findings.
• Include a brief description of his experiments
  with pea plants and Mendel's laws of genetics.
• You may use any graphic organizer you wish from
  the special foldable book.
• You are also to take the idea of inheritance
  into the 20th century by investigating Watson and
  Crick and their contributions to genetics. Be
  sure to look at information that was contributed
  by Rosalind Franklin!
• Gregor Mendel Sites
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mendelian_inheritance
  
• http//www.accessexcellence.org/RC/AB/BC/Gregor_Me
  ndel.html
• http//anthro.palomar.edu/mendel/mendel_1.htm
• http//encarta.msn.com/encnet/refpages/search.aspx
  ?qgREGORmENDEL
• Watson and Crick Sites
• http//www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/databank/entries/do53d
  n.html
• http//nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laurea
  tes/1962/
• http//www.ba-education.demon.co.uk/for/science/dn
  amain.html
• http//www.ba-education.demon.co.uk/for/science/dn
  amain.html
• http//www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/audiointerviews/profi
  lepages/crickwatson1.shtml

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• Statistician Process 2
• It is imperative that you understand how traits
  are inherited in order to complete your
  assignment. Biologists use genetic crosses and
  Punnett squares to find probability of inherited
  traits
• Go to the following websites and read about
  inherited traits. Be sure you read, understand,
  and can explain the following terms allele,
  dominant, recessive, monozygous, heterozygous,
  hybrid, genotype, phenotype.
• On these sites are monohybrid cross problems with
  Punnett squares. Complete these in your folder,
  including the probability and ratios of inherited
  genotypes. (Only do single trait problems.)
• Each of these sites has information on the above,
  if you feel you need review - go back!
• Punnett Squares and Related ConceptsMonohybrid
  Cross Problem Set
• Small group teacher directed activities on
  punnett squares and genetic cross simulations.

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Biotechnologist Process 3 Research the
structure of DNA. Describe the components that
comprise DNA. Be sure to include information on
the four nitrogen bases and how they pair.
Describe the components of the backbone of DNA
and the bonds between the bases. Diagram DNA in
any form which will make it easy for you to
remember and understand. Label the components.
http//www.thetech.org/exhibits_events/online/gen
ome/overview.html http//www.blc.arizona.edu/Molec
ular_Graphics/DNA_Structure/DNA_Tutorial.HTMLComp
onents DNA Museum exhibition with
animationIntroduction to DNA Structure Small
group activity on DNA structure and diagrams
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Case Manager Process 4 Read and evaluate the
following articles on the benefits and risks of
human genetic testing. Decide which position you
agree with and write a paragraph in your journal
supporting it. If you feel you need further
information before you decide ask others, read
current event articles on the subject or go to
other appropriate internet sites to get further
information. Be prepared to reach a group
consensus to present to the class. Benefits of
Human Genetic TestingRisks of Human Genetic
TestingInformation on Genetic Diseases
(Optional)
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Team Collaboration Process 5 You are now
ready to complete a report to answer our
desperate parents' question. This will be done in
the form of a lab report. Communication skills
are invaluable to everyone, especially
scientists. Be sure you communicate clearly,
using good grammar and complete sentences. Title
your lab report and be sure to complete the
following steps. This will be turned in and
graded.                 Continued..             
                                                  
                  
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"SWITCHED AT BIRTH"   EVALUATION FOR TEAM
PRESENTATION TEAM MEMBERS NAMESHISTORIAN_______
_______________________BIOTECHNOLOGIST___________
____________STATISTICIAN_________________________
___GENETIC CASE MANAGER__________________
Team Collaboration (Continued) Process
5 Problem Can two brown-eyed human parents
produce a blue-eyed baby? Gather information.
(This is accomplished by completing all the tasks
of this WebQuest.) State your hypothesis.(Use
complete sentences in your own words before you
test.) Test your hypothesis. (In order to do
this you must complete a genetic cross with a
Punnett square for eye color. Hint brown is the
dominant eye color trait ) Gather data (You can
use your Punnett square results to figure
probability of blue-eyed offspring) State your
conclusion (Write at least one paragraph to
answer the Gullible's question. Be sure to use
the scientific information you have gathered, and
address your hypothesis, explaining why it is
correct or incorrect. Remember, an incorrect
hypothesis is okay - you and the Gullible's still
learned!)
  Introduction Task Process Evaluation
Conclusion Credits
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Process 6 (Team Collaboration). You should have
read the articles from process 4 and written a
position paragraph. 1. With your team, review
the position paragraph about human genetic
testing each has written in his/her journal. 2.
Reach a group consensus about human gene testing.
Do you think there are certain cases that should
be an exception?
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•             
• Process 7 (Team Collaboration )
• Your investigative team is now ready to create a
  presentation to educate other people about the
  genetic information you now have. A Power Point
  presentation should be prepared and a letter to
  the parents, the Gullible's, informing them of
  your findings. Each team member has specific
  slides to prepare. Please keep your audience in
  mind during your preparation. The evaluation page
  details the assessment of this culminating
  process.
• Historian - Prepare slide(s) to teach about the
  history of genetics (briefly). Include a graphic
  organizer. Be sure to include all the details
  given in Process 1.
• Biotechnologist - Prepare slide(s) to inform
  about the structure of DNA. Be sure to include
  details given in Process 2. Include diagrams and
  brief explanations of components.
• Statistician - Create slides as directed in
  Process 4. Make sure you include examples of
  genetic crosses using Punnett squares and the
  resulting probability of traits of offspring.
• Genetic Case Manager -Decide how the slides
  should be arranged to best facilitate
  understanding for your audience. Prepare the
  introduction and title slides. Prepare a slide
  showing your team's position on genetic testing.
  Prepare a letter informing the Gullibles of your
  team's findings regarding their "switched at
  birth" anxieties.
•  

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Conclusion By completing the "Switched at Birth"
WebQuest you have gained understanding of the
history, structure, and basics of genetics. This
knowledge enables you to answer questions such as
"can two brown-eyed parents produce a blue-eyed
baby?" You may now have questions of your own
about genetics. How do you feel about genetic
engineering of plants and animals? You may be
interested in what happens when there mistakes
occur in genes, and the human genome project
that's been in the news so much. Do you know how
police use DNA in solving crimes?!
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Evaluation