Matthew Wegimont
Text Set Assignment: Genetics
EDC 448
Online Texts:
1. Genetics 101 Part 1: What Are Genes? Prod. 23andme. YouTube. 23andme, 20
Nov. 2007. Web. 16 Feb. 2011.
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOvMNOMRRm8>.
This video is part one of a four-part video set which was posted on youtube. The
video is 4:26 long and is explaining the basic concepts of genetics in a simple way
that is easy for people to understand. This is relevant to the topic of genetics
because it provides a basic platform for students to start from when introducing
the topic of genetics. This would be a way for all students to gather general
information on the topic as there is little to no reading involved and it lays out the
subject of genetics in an easy to learn way.
2. Genetic Science Learning Center. "Learn.Genetics™." Learn.Genetics 16
February 2011 http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/.
This website is based from The University of Utah genetics page. This is a
website that is very interactive where you can explore the individual cells of the
human body and the DNA inside of them. This website would be especially
helpful to students who struggle with reading. It not only speaks the information
but also has the vocabulary and important points outlined. There are different
sections, each of which are interactive which can grab student’s attention and
enable them to be interested in the subject.
3. The Translational Genomics Research Institute. "Whole genome sequencing used
to help inform cancer therapy." ScienceDaily 16 February 2011. 17 February
2011. http://www.sciencedaily.com- /releases/2011/02/110216082703.htm.
This online article from ScienceDaily is yet another example of the huge strides
science is taking in the field of genetics and genetic research. The article is not too
extensive and would probably take between five and ten minutes for a class to
read. The article is a news article reporting on the genome sequencing which is
extremely relevant in the topic of genetics. This could be interesting to students
because everyone know someone who has been affected by cancer or another
genetically related disease. This article is about advancing cancer research, which
can hit home to many. While some of the vocabulary may be difficult to some
readers, exercises can be employed for readers to understand the text, such as
circling vocabulary they do not know.
4. Mendelian Genetics. Dir. Brandon Buck. 2009. Youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVl8OH_7QSc.
This video is 4:58 long and discusses the discovery of modern inheritance, Gregor
Mendel. The video is an informative documentary that is to inform the viewer of
the discovery of the punnet square, which gives a perspective on inheritance. This
would be relevant to the topic because drawing and filling out a punnet square is a
very important aspect of genetics. This would be interesting to students because it
would provide a different perspective on the teaching of genetics and it would
also give students who struggle in reading another source to learn from.
Offline Texts:
5. Lowry, Lois. The Giver. New York: Laurel Leaf, 1993. Print.
The Giver is 179 page novel which can spur conversation among students. This is
already a staple among students and it can be easily related to the idea of genetics,
as it is a soft science fiction novel. The language is not too intense so readers of
most reading levels would not have a problem with the language. The novel is a
very good read which has earned numerous awards for children and young adult
books. This has the potential to be linked with an English class as well.
6. Butters, Paul. “Frenetic Genetics.” Poem Hunter. 4/24/2008.
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/frenetic-genetics/.
Frenetic Genetics is a poem written by Paul Butters which focus’s on the both the
positives and negatives of genetics research. The poem is three stanza’s in length
and not very extensive. This is an interesting poem because it is very relevant to
the topic of genetics and could generate some very interesting discussion on the
morality of genetic work. The poem is relatively easy to read as the words that
Butter’s uses aren’t too intense.
7. http://www.biologycorner.com/worksheets/cell_cycle_cut_and_paste.html.
This is a one-page worksheet in which students cut out terms and paste them in
order of cell division. The length of this exercise would probably take a class
period and is based on the phases of mitosis, which is a key part of genetics. This
would be interesting to students because it allows them to be social and use their
hands to cut and paste terms. This would be a relatively simple exercise for
students with trouble reading, as they can look of the words individually and
figure out the meaning and order of the terms.
8. Holmes, Bob. "Accidental Origins." New Scientist 13 Mar. 2010: 30-33. Print.
This three-page article looks at the pure accidentalness of evolution. It looks into
how random it truly is that humans were able to evolve into who we are today. It
looks at why there are so many species of certain animals and so little of others.
This is relevant because the reason for evolution is genes. This is an interesting
read for students because it suggests that if history were to be repeated, an entirely
different set of organisms would be living today. If students were to have a tough
time reading this article, I would have them highlight the interesting paragraphs
that got their attention.
9. Yolen, Jane, and Barbara Cooney. Letting Swift River Go. Boston: Little, Brown,
1992. Print.
Letting Swift River Go is a 32 page children’s book, which discusses the double
edge sword of advancement. When the Quabbin reservoir was created in
Massachusetts to give water to Boston towns were destroyed in the process to
create this reservoir. The book is a picture book with beautiful illustration and can
be related to the topic of genetics because people often have different opinions on
the subject. This can be read to students to produce discussion and it would be an
appreciated change from the normal school day. This would not be an issue for
low skill readers.
10. National Geographic. Genetics: From DNA to Designer Dogs. National
Geographic Children's. Print.
This 64-page book is originally target for sixth grade students, however it could
easily draw in students of a higher grade as well. This well written book by
national geographic discusses the importance of genetics in testing and even
cloning. The book starts out with a mummy being discovered and the only way of
figuring out whom it is would be to perform DNA tests on it. This is very
accessible to struggling readers as well as students who read at a high level
because it is a very interesting and quick read.