Lesson Plan
Title of Lesson:
Introduction to the Human Genome Project
Grade: 10 and 11
Subject Area: Biology
Anticipated Time Frame: 70 Minutes, (Part of 80 minute block)
1. Anticipatory Activity – Quick Write in Journal (10 Minutes)
2. Welcome (5 Minutes)
3. Anticipatory Activity – Discussion of Quick Write (10 Minutes)
4. Read Aloud (30 Minutes)
a. Think Aloud
b. Concept Definition Procedure
5. Anticipatory Activity – Visual Display (5 Minutes)
6. Closing activity (10 Minutes)
Classroom Organization: Whole group
Resources and Materials:
- Notebook or Chrome Book
- Genome, By Matt Ridley
- Access to Quizlet, (Ms Aldrich’s Class – HNHS Bio, http://quizlet.com/class/1447619/)
- Projector and computer to watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvuYATh7Y74
CA Content Standards:
- Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; trace the text’s explanation or depiction of a complex process, phenomenon, or concept; provide an accurate summary of the text. (Grades 9-10)
- Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and other domain-specific words and phrases as they are used in a specific scientific or technical context relevant to grades 11–12 texts and topics. (Grades 11-12)
- Analyze how the text structures information or ideas into categories or hierarchies, demonstrating understanding of the information or ideas. (Grades 9-10)
- Students will activate their background knowledge of DNA and RNA (studied the previous week).
- Students will listen actively to a reading and video about the human genome and interact with the text through discussion and drawing
- Students will ask thought-provoking questions at the end of the lesson to ignite their interest in the upcoming genetics unit.
Students have completed semester 1 of Biology
Students have completed Unit 4, Chapters 11, 12 and 13 of Biology By Miller and Levine
Students have access to the class Quizlet
Key ELD Standards:
1.1 Collaborative (SL.9-10.1,6;L.9-10.3,6)
- Exchanging information and ideas with others through oral collaborative discussions on a range of social and academic topic
- Interacting with others in written English in various communicative forms (print, communicative technology, and multimedia)
- Exchanging information/ideas, Contribute to class, group, and partner discussions, sustaining conversations on a variety of age and grade appropriate academic topics by following turn taking rules, asking and answering relevant, on topic questions, affirming others, providing additional, relevant information, and paraphrasing key ideas.
There are biology content specific terms in the book the class is reading (Book is called Genome, By Matt Ridley), i.e. cells, nucleus, genome, genes, chromosomes, recombination, introns, codons, bases.
Access to the Curriculum/Modifications:
EL and Inclusion students will receive a printed copy of the reading with vocab words underlined.
Assessment:
- Informal observation of students as they work independently and ask they share in groups.
- Collect and evaluate the drawing students do of description in paragraph 3 of second half of intro.
- Collect and evaluate the questions students have about genetics and DNA after the short video.
- Observe the class discussion and identify (to myself) which students seem to be very familiar with the subject material, and which are not familiar at all.
Instructional Sequence:
1. Anticipatory Activity – Quick Write
Post on Google Classroom (where students find their opening activity): “Write down everything you know about the human genome in your class journal, this does not need to be full sentences, it can also be drawings.” (7 minutes)
2. Welcome students to class, introduce myself. Remind students that I am in their class to teach for my HNU credential program and will be teaching about the human genome.
3. Class discussion about quick write. I call on students to share what they wrote down.
4. Read Aloud
a. Introduce the book:
“This book is about the human genome project, but it is written in a very particular way. The author chooses one newly discovered gene from each pair of chromosomes and tells its story. Matt Ridley is a former science editor, Washington correspondent, and US editor for The Economist.
b. Context of book:
“This book was written in 2000, since then much more research has been done. The human genome was completed in 2003.”
c. Explain activity:
“I am going to read you the introduction of Genome. I will stop periodically to ask questions. While reading, please think about how this book is written differently that your text book”
Talk about class, literacy in subject classes
d. I read pages 4-8 of Introduction of Genome
e. Stop periodically to ask questions
After paragraph 1-3: Think Aloud:
- “What is the tone the author uses?
- How is this different than science textbooks you have read in the past?
- Why do you think he is speaking this way?”
- During P4, Define “Vicissitudes” – here meaning “changes"
- After P4, “the author is telling us that inside the genome is the story of our species. History has been recorded on this extremely small level and exists inside every single one of us. Isn’t that amazing?!?! The author is, first, taking a more relatable approach to explaining the genome, rather than overwhelming us with technical terms; he is setting the context so we know why this is so important for scientists to explore and understand”
- Before paragraph 6 stop and point out that the author is talking about genes in terms of their “personalities” making them more relatable and showing the connection between the tiny structures and our lived experience. Calls genes “middle managers.”
- After paragraph 8: ask a clarification question, “why is mapping the genome so important?
- After P1: “P1 tells us that the author is going to define terms for us. I need Kassie to add these words to the class Quizlet.”
- Read p2, note the words that should be added to the Quizlet. Repeat all of the words at the end of the paragraph.
- After P2: “take out your journals, and while I read the next section, please draw what you hear. This does not have to be a technical drawing, more interpretive.
- Read P3 to class.
- Draw sample on the board while I re-read each line.
- Give students time to draw and repeat the paragraph/metaphor several times.
- Show examples of student drawings and discuss with the class.
a. Have students write down three questions each about the human genome.
b. “I have found a video that gives you a better idea about how this works. Please watch the video, after the video you will write down three things you learned and three new questions you have about genetics after seeing the video.
c. Show Video: How to sequence the human genome - Mark J. Kiel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvuYATh7Y74
d. 5 minutes for students to write down their facts and new questions.
6. Closing activity: Discuss the video and the questions it raised for students in the class. Have Carree create a Google doc of questions for the class and type them as people share them. (Caree share Google doc with me and Ms. Aldrich.)