Genetic Disorders Research Project
Create a research project that informs people about a specific genetic disorder. This project can
be a newsletter, brochure, or poster created in a Google application and should include answers
to the questions below, as well as a minimum of 5 pictures. Your topic must be chosen from the
list (or approved by the teacher). Please cite your sources. (use MLA format) Be sure to put the
information in your own words; plagiarism will result in a zero for this project!
Possible genetic disorders to choose:









Achondroplasia (Dwarfism)
Albinism (Albino)
Autism/Asperger’s Syndrome
Cystic Fibrosis
Down Syndrome (Trisomy 21)
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
Hemophilia
Huntington’s Disease
Jacobsen’s Syndrome









Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS)
Marfan Syndrome
Polycystic Kidney Disease
Progeria
Proteus Syndrome
Retinoblastoma
Sickle Cell Anemia
Tay-Sachs Disease
Tourette Syndrome
What to include in your project:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
What is this disorder? (give a description of the disorder)
What are the signs/symptoms of this disorder?
Is the disorder life threatening?
How long can a person live with this disorder?
Are there any medications or treatments (including gene therapy) available for someone with
this disorder?
6. Is there a cure for this disorder?
7. How does one inherit this disorder?
8. Who is most at risk for inheriting this disorder?
Additional information to include in your project:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Website that a person could visit to learn more about this disorder
Pictures of karyotypes
Punnett squares
Names of notable people with the disorder
Genetic Disorders Research Project Grading Rubric:
Expectations
Score
Acceptable format (newsletter, brochure, poster)
/5
Your name and clear title
/1
Clearly researched (and cited) answers to all 8 questions with proper
grammar and punctuation (5 points each)
Additional information (4 minimum @1 point each)
/40
Pictures (5 minimum @1 point each)
/5
Creativity
/5
TOTAL POINTS
/4
/60
GENETIC DISORDERS RESEARCH
Name: _________________________
Genetic Disorder Chosen: _________________________________
Format: _______________
Research:
1. What is this disorder? (give a description of the disorder)
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
2. What are the signs/symptoms of this disorder?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
3. Is the disorder life threatening?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
4. How long can a person live with this disorder?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
5. Are there any medications or treatments available to help someone with this disorder?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
6. Is there a cure for this disorder?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
7. How does one inherit this disorder?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
8. Who is most at risk for inheriting this disorder?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
9. Website that a person could visit to learn more about this disorder
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
10. Pictures of karyotypes (describe)
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
11. Punnett squares (describe)
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
12. Names of notable people with the disorder
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
5 Pictures (describe):
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Cited Sources: (use MLA format)
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Name: _______________________________
Genetic Disorders Research Project Grading Rubric:
Expectations
Acceptable format (newsletter, brochure, poster)
Score
/5
Your name and clear title
/1
Clearly researched (and cited) answers to all 8 questions with proper
grammar and punctuation (5 points each)
/45
1. What is this disorder? (give a description of the disorder)
2. What are the signs/symptoms of this disorder?
3. Is the disorder life threatening?
4. How long can a person live with this disorder?
5. Are there any medications or treatments available to help someone with this
disorder?
6. Is there a cure for this disorder?
7. How does one inherit this disorder?
8. Who is most at risk for inheriting this disorder?
9. Proper citation of research information (5 points)
Additional information (4 minimum @1 point each)
/4
1. Website that a person could visit to learn more about this disorder
2. Pictures of karyotypes
3. Punnett squares
4. Names of notable people with the disorder
Pictures (5 minimum @1 point each)
/5
Creativity
/4
TOTAL POINTS
/60
Name: _______________________________
Expectations
Acceptable format (newsletter, brochure, poster)
Score
/5
Your name and clear title
/1
Clearly researched (and cited) answers to all 8 questions with proper
grammar and punctuation (5 points each)
/40
1. What is this disorder? (give a description of the disorder)
2. What are the signs/symptoms of this disorder?
3. Is the disorder life threatening?
4. How long can a person live with this disorder?
5. Are there any medications or treatments available to help someone with this
disorder?
6. Is there a cure for this disorder?
7. How does one inherit this disorder?
8. Who is most at risk for inheriting this disorder?
Additional information (4 minimum @1 point each)
/4
1. Website that a person could visit to learn more about this disorder
2. Pictures of karyotypes
3. Punnett squares
4. Names of notable people with the disorder
Pictures (5 minimum @1 point each)
/5
Creativity
/5
TOTAL POINTS
/60