PTC Unit: Lesson #1 An Inquiry Activity – Why can some people taste PTC and others cannot?
Grade(s)/
Biology I (9th grade) Biology II (12th grade)
Courses
Title and/or
PTC Inquiry Activity
Essential
Question(s)
Why do some people taste PTC and others do not?
GSEs and
Benchmarks
Context for the
Lesson
Opportunities to
Learn
Objectives
Instructional
procedures
Which GSEs or Benchmarks will be the primary focus of this lesson?
Which specific indicator(s) will be addressed within this lesson?
GSE’s: LS1 (9-11) 2c
LS3 (9-11) 6a
What is the reason for using this lesson? What data/evidence supports using this
lesson? How much time is required for this lesson? What other information
supports using this lesson?
Determine whether they are tasters / nontasters.
To understand the role of mutations.
The connection between phenotype and genotype.
The chronology of trait development in humans through mutations.
Analysis of DNA snippets to cite differences.
This lesson is designed for 1 class period.
How are you using multiple ways of approaching or engaging students in the
lesson activities?
Physical and sensory perception
How are students given an opportunity to apply skills and concepts learned?
They will analyze the sequence of DNA of a taster and a nontaster.
What is the rigor of the activity/activities in which students are engaged? (Depth
of Knowledge) DOK 3
How do you differentiate instruction to accommodate different learning styles of
your students?
Students will collaborate with other students.
How do you group the class to best engage students in this lesson?
They will work with their lab partners / lab group
What does the student need to have prepared prior to this lesson?
Prior knowledge as listed in the unit plan.
What materials do you need to have prepared prior to this lesson?
 Handouts, writing implements, PTC paper, etc.
What conditions must exist to facilitate or enhance this lesson?
 Access to DNLC website to compare species DNA sequences forPTC.
What do you want the students to know, understand, and be able to do as a result
of this lesson?
That genotype causes phenotype
Different genotype exist (via mutations)
Compare DNA sequences of organisms
Identify variations in species.
Compile possible hypothesize regarding the value of being a taster/nontaster.
What activities will you and your students do and how are they connected to the
objectives?
See final page
Assessment
How will you determine what the students know and are able to do during and as
a result of the lesson?
Reflection Journal
Reflection on
student work
Inquiry questions and activity worksheet.
Quiz to check for understanding
What does the student work tell you about the students’ understanding and the
effectiveness of your lesson?
What are student misunderstandings, if any? How will you provide instructional
support to improve student learning?
Reflection on
lesson
implementation
Were the lesson objectives met? What worked well in this lesson?
What changes would you propose for the next time you teach this lesson? What
did you learn from teaching this lesson?
Project ARISE
4/2008
What activities will you and your students do and how are they connected to
the objectives?
What will you be doing?
What will the students be doing?
Instructional Procedures
OPENING
(How do you activate and assess students’ prior
knowledge and connect it to this new learning?
How do you get students engage in this lesson?)
Complete journal
Have students complete journal: “What do you
know about genetics”?
ENGAGEMENT
(What questions can you pose to encourage students
to take risks and to deepen students’ understanding?
How do you facilitate student discourse? How do
you facilitate the lesson so that all students are
active learners and reflective during this lesson?
How do you monitor students’ learning throughout
this lesson?
What formative assessment is imbedded in the
lesson?)
Present Hook: Tasting PTC
Facilitate lesson
Collect and record student data on the board.
Students record class data.
Have students complete the understanding
check and inquiry questions with their lab
group.
CLOSURE
(What kinds of questions do you ask to get
meaningful student feedback? What opportunities
do you provide for students to share their
understandings of the task(s)? How do you ensure
that the salient points of this lesson are highlighted
to guide student understanding?
Students hypothesize: How would this data be
used?
Grade packet & discuss where we are going from
here…
PTC Unit: Lesson #2 An Inquiry Activity – Genetic variation over time
Grade(s)/
Courses
Title and/or
Essential
Question(s)
GSEs and
Benchmarks
Biology I (9th grade) Biology II (12th grade)
Mutations: Genetic Variation Over Time
Which GSEs or Benchmarks will be the primary focus of this lesson?
Which specific indicator(s) will be addressed within this lesson?
GSE’s: LS3 (9-11) 6a
Context for the
Lesson
Opportunities to
Learn
Objectives
Instructional
procedures
What is the reason for using this lesson? What data/evidence supports using this
lesson? How much time is required for this lesson? What other information
supports using this lesson?
The chronology of trait development in humans through mutations.
Analysis of DNA sequences to find differences and interpret their
significance.
This lesson is designed for 1 class period.
How are you using multiple ways of approaching or engaging students in the
lesson activities?
Hands on activity, discussion, and personal writing reflection
How are students given an opportunity to apply skills and concepts learned?
They will analyze the sequence of DNA from humans and chimps.
What is the rigor of the activity/activities in which students are engaged? (Depth
of Knowledge) DOK 3
How do you differentiate instruction to accommodate different learning styles of
your students?
Students will collaborate with other students.
How do you group the class to best engage students in this lesson?
They will work with their lab partners / lab group
What does the student need to have prepared prior to this lesson?
Prior knowledge as listed in the unit plan.
What materials do you need to have prepared prior to this lesson?
 Handouts, writing implements, board or computer with projector
What conditions must exist to facilitate or enhance this lesson?
 They must have already started the PTC unit to know whether they
are tasters or non-tasters.
What do you want the students to know, understand, and be able to do as a result
of this lesson?
Different genotype exist (via mutations)
Compare DNA sequences of organisms
Identify variations in species.
Compile possible hypotheses regarding the evolution of mutation.
What activities will you and your students do and how are they connected to the
objectives?
See final page
Assessment
Reflection on
How will you determine what the students know and are able to do during and as
a result of the lesson?
Reflection Journal
Inquiry questions and activity worksheet.
What does the student work tell you about the students’ understanding and the
student work
effectiveness of your lesson?
What are student misunderstandings, if any? How will you provide instructional
support to improve student learning?
Reflection on
lesson
implementation
Were the lesson objectives met? What worked well in this lesson?
What changes would you propose for the next time you teach this lesson? What
did you learn from teaching this lesson?
What activities will you and your students do and how are they connected to
the objectives?
What will you be doing?
What will the students be doing?
Instructional Procedures
OPENING
(How do you activate and assess students’ prior
knowledge and connect it to this new learning? How
do you get students engage in this lesson?)
We have been examining PTC taste receptor DNA
sequences from two different people. Is it possible
to determine whether the taster sequence changed
to the non-taster or vice versa? Can you propose
a way to determine this? What species are most
closely related to humans? What data would we
need from non human primates to determine if
some humans have evolved the ability to taste
PTC or lost the ability to taste PTC?
Scientists can now compare the PTC receptor
DNA sequence from humans to that of nonhuman primates and begin to determine if
humans evolved the ability to taste bitter
compounds or if we have evolved to be non-tasters
Predict: what can DNA sequence comparisons
tell us about our common ancestor?
ENGAGEMENT
(What questions can you pose to encourage students
to take risks and to deepen students’ understanding?
How do you facilitate student discourse? How do
you facilitate the lesson so that all students are active
learners and reflective during this lesson?
How do you monitor students’ learning throughout
this lesson?
What formative assessment is imbedded in the
lesson?)
At each of the different locations in the gene,
which human sequence matches the sequence of
non-human primates?
Based on the sequence data, can you predict our
“ancestral state” for the PTC taste receptor? Can you
predict if the common ancestor of humans and nonhuman primates had the ability to taste the bitter
compound PTC?
Can you predict if humans have evolved the ability to
taste bitter compounds or have evolved to be nontasters?
How does DNA evidence support your
interpretation?
How is it possible that chimps differ in their ability
to taste PTC if the sequences examined all match that
of human tasters?
What data is missing? Do we have complete DNA
Students compare PTC taste receptor DNA
sequences of a human taster, a human non
taster and non-human primates.
From data presented on DNA sequence of the PTC
taste receptor, is it possible to determine if
bonobos, chimps and gorillas can taste PTC? Why
or why not?
What would scientists need to do to determine if
non-human primates are tasters or non-tasters?
Taste tests using PTC in non human primates have
been done. Since we cannot work with non-human
primates in class, studies have shown that chimps
also differ in their sensitivity to PTC.
sequences of the PTC taste receptor gene?
Study the sequence alignments comparing PTC DNA
from human non-tasters, human tasters and chimps.
What differences do you observe? How many
differences exist between humans (either taster or
non-taster) and chimps?
Can you predict why some chimps do not taste PTC?
How would DNA evidence support your prediction?
What experiment or study would you design to
investigate your prediction?
CLOSURE
(What kinds of questions do you ask to get
meaningful student feedback? What opportunities do
you provide for students to share their
understandings of the task(s)? How do you ensure
that the salient points of this lesson are highlighted
to guide student understanding?
Grade packet & discuss where we are going from
here…
PTC Unit Lesson #3: Techniques in Micropipetting
Biology I (9th grade) Biology II (12th grade)
Grade(s)/
Courses
Techniques in Micropipetting
Title and/or
Essential
Question(s)
GSEs and
Benchmarks
How are small volumes measured and transferred in biology?
Which GSEs or Benchmarks will be the primary focus of this lesson?
Which specific indicator(s) will be addressed within this lesson?
GSE: LS3 (9-11)- 6a NOS
Context for the
Lesson
What is the reason for using this lesson? What data/evidence supports using this
lesson? How much time is required for this lesson? What other information
supports using this lesson?
The students will develop the skills necessary to measure small volumes using
techniques in micropipetting in preparation for the PCR lab.
This lesson will take 1 class period.
Opportunities to
Learn
How are you using multiple ways of approaching or engaging students in the
lesson activities?
Students will practice measuring volumes using the appropriate laboratory
equipment. Students will answer inquiry questions posed by the teacher and
provided with the lab worksheet.
How are students given an opportunity to apply skills and concepts learned?
Students will use skills learned in this activity when following the PCR
protocol.
What is the rigor of the activity/activities in which students are engaged? (Depth
of Knowledge) DOK 1 & 2
How do you differentiate instruction to accommodate different learning styles of
your students?
Have students work with a partner to complete the lab.
What materials do you need to have prepared prior to this lesson?
 Handouts, writing implements,and manipulatives.
What conditions must exist to facilitate or enhance this lesson?

special equipment, Lab space
Objectives
Instructional
What do you want the students to know, understand, and be able to do as a result
of this lesson?
Students will know:
Proper procedures used for measuring small volumes in biology.
Students will be able to:
Follow the procedures outlined in the activity.
Measure small volumes using the various sized micropipettes.
What activities will you and your students do and how are they connected to the
procedures
objectives?
See final page
Assessment
Reflection on
student work
Reflection on
lesson
implementation
How will you determine what the students know and are able to do during and as
a result of the lesson?
Teacher will circulate the room to ensure student procedure is correct.
Students will complete the micropipetter challenge.
End of lesson class discussion.
What does the student work tell you about the students’ understanding and the
effectiveness of your lesson?
What are student misunderstandings, if any? How will you provide instructional
support to improve student learning?
Were the lesson objectives met? What worked well in this lesson?
What changes would you propose for the next time you teach this lesson? What
did you learn from teaching this lesson?
What activities will you and your students do and how are they connected to
the objectives?
What will you be doing?
What will the students be doing?
OPENING
Journal Entry:
(How do you activate and assess students’ prior
Why would scientists need to measure very
knowledge and connect it to this new learning? How small quantities?
do you get students engage in this lesson?)
Show micropipettes to students and model the
correct procedure for their use in measuring
small volumes.
Engagement:
How have you measured small volumes in
science in the past?
Discuss / Review prior knowledge of conversions
and small volumes.
Instructional Procedures
ENGAGEMENT
(What questions can you pose to encourage students
to take risks and to deepen students’ understanding?
How do you facilitate student discourse? How do
you facilitate the lesson so that all students are
active learners and reflective during this lesson?
How do you monitor students’ learning throughout
this lesson?
What formative assessment is imbedded in the
lesson?)
CLOSURE
(What kinds of questions do you ask to get
meaningful student feedback? What opportunities
do you provide for students to share their
understandings of the task(s)? How do you ensure
that the salient points of this lesson are highlighted
to guide student understanding?
Students receive micropipettes and lab handout.
Use micropipettes to complete lab exercise.
Complete Micropipetter Challenge
Review Micropipetter challenge and discuss how
the micropipettes will be used in the upcoming
PCR protocol.
PTC Unit Lesson #4: PCR Protocol
Biology I (9th grade) Biology II (12th grade)
Grade(s)/
Courses
Title and/or
Essential
Question(s)
GSEs and
Benchmarks
Context for the
Lesson
Opportunities to
Learn
PTC Protocol – Inquiry Activity Days 4-6
Which GSEs or Benchmarks will be the primary focus of this lesson?
Which specific indicator(s) will be addressed within this lesson?
LS3 (9-11) 6a NOS
What is the reason for using this lesson? What data/evidence supports using this
lesson? How much time is required for this lesson? What other information
supports using this lesson?
This activity will give students real world application of science skills such as
following procedures, collecting data and analyzing data. Students can see the
relevance of the activity to answer the question “Why do some people taste PTC
and others do not taste PTC?” by observing and analyzing their own DNA and
thereby giving them a personal stake in the outcome that goes beyond a grade.
This lesson will take 3 days.
Students will already have completed the inquiry activity on Day 1 that shows the
DNA sequence and compares tasters non-tasters and nonhuman primates and the
PCR Dry Lab on Day 2 that enables students to simulate how a restriction enzyme
works and what you can expect to see in the actual PCR.
How are you using multiple ways of approaching or engaging students in the
lesson activities?
How are students given an opportunity to apply skills and concepts learned?
Each student will isolate their own DNA and prepare it for the PCR. Additionally,
each student will demonstrate their skills in the use of micropipettes, preparing
and loading their samples, and analyzing the data collected.
What is the rigor of the activity/activities in which students are engaged? (Depth
of Knowledge)
Level 1 Perform a clearly defined set of steps
Level 3 Form conclusions from experimental or observational data
How do you differentiate instruction to accommodate different learning styles of
your students?
Students work in groups and students with fine motor disabilities can be aided in
the use of micropipettes.
How do you group the class to best engage students in this lesson?
Students are placed in groups of 4
What does the student need to have prepared prior to this lesson?
What materials do you need to have prepared prior to this lesson?
 Picture protocol of PTC lab, Saline solution, cups, microcentrifuge tubes,
Chelex, primer dye, HaeIII enzyme, ice, markers.
 What conditions must exist to facilitate or enhance this lesson?
 Lab tables necessary for equipment.
 Access to technology, special equipment, structure of working space
 centrifuge, micropipettes, access to PCR,
 Integration across content areas
Objectives
Instructional
procedures
What do you want the students to know, understand, and be able to do as a result
of this lesson?
Students will follow scientific protocols to generate and analyze sets of data and
accurately interpret the results of a gel electrophoresis.
What activities will you and your students do and how are they connected to the
objectives?
See final page
Assessment
How will you determine what the students know and are able to do during and as
a result of the lesson?
Periodic reflective / notebook journal for identifying student questions and
reflecting on activities conducted during class.
Demonstrate proficiency in scientific measuring
Students will isolate DNA and set up PCR reaction
Interpret electrophoresis data by answering questions.
Student will develop and orally present electrophoresis experimental data,
followed by student / teacher debriefing.
Reflection on
student work
Reflection on
lesson
implementation
What does the student work tell you about the students’ understanding and the
effectiveness of your lesson?
Student responses to questions about techniques used and what results they expect.
What are student misunderstandings, if any? How will you provide instructional
support to improve student learning?
Were the lesson objectives met? What worked well in this lesson?
What changes would you propose for the next time you teach this lesson? What
did you learn from teaching this lesson?
What activities will you and your students do and how are they connected to
the objectives?
What will you be doing?
What will the students be doing?
OPENING
Using previous experience from the micropipette
(How do you activate and assess students’ prior
lab students will follow the PTC protocol for
knowledge and connect it to this new learning?
isolating DNA, preparing it for the PCR,
How do you get students engage in this lesson?)
digestion of the PCR product, and loading and
running of gel electropheresis.
Instructional Procedures
ENGAGEMENT
(What questions can you pose to encourage students
to take risks and to deepen students’ understanding?
How do you facilitate student discourse? How do
you facilitate the lesson so that all students are
active learners and reflective during this lesson?
How do you monitor students’ learning throughout
this lesson?
What formative assessment is imbedded in the
lesson?)
CLOSURE
(What kinds of questions do you ask to get
meaningful student feedback? What opportunities
do you provide for students to share their
understandings of the task(s)? How do you ensure
that the salient points of this lesson are highlighted
to guide student understanding?
Students will demonstrate proper use of tools.
Students will answer questions during the lab as
to why certain steps or products are necessary.
Students will answer questions for their journal.
Students will complete questions relating to
procedures and analysis of data.
Individual Unit Test
Oral Presentation / final group presentation
PTC Unit Lesson #5: End of unit inquiry activity: The Genetics of Taste
Grade(s)/
Courses
Biology I (9th grade) Biology II (12th grade)
End of PTC Unit: Wrap up Inquiry Activity
Title and/or
Essential
Question(s)
GSEs and
Benchmarks
Is there a relationship between tasting PTC and tasting other substances
(Thiourea, Sodium Benzoate)?
Which GSEs or Benchmarks will be the primary focus of this lesson?
Which specific indicator(s) will be addressed within this lesson?
GSE: LS3 – 6a NOS
Context for the
Lesson
Benchmarks:
What is the reason for using this lesson?
This lesson is designed to provide closure to the PTC unit.
What data/evidence supports using this lesson?
This lesson is designed to provide closure to the PTC unit. Students will take
the data they have collected at the beginning of the unit and compare it to
data they will collect in this activity.
What other information supports using this lesson?
In their analysis, they will develop a data table that organizes the class results
for each substance. In addition they will analyze the data to identify any
patterns.
This lesson will give the students an opportunity to establish the presence or
absence of a relationship being a taster of PTC and a taster of Sodium
benzoate and Thiourea and vice versa.
How much time is required for this lesson?
This lesson will take one class period as the last day of the unit.
Opportunities to
Learn
How are you using multiple ways of approaching or engaging students in the
lesson activities?
Using physical and sensory perception.
How are students given an opportunity to apply skills and concepts learned?
Data analysis of the relationship between being a PTC taster and a taster of
either thiourea and/or sodium benzoate.
Opportunity to hypothesize reasons for patterns/trends that they observe.
What is the rigor of the activity/activities in which students are engaged? (Depth
of Knowledge) DOK 3
How do you differentiate instruction to accommodate different learning styles of
your students?
This can be done as either whole group, small group or on an individual
basis. In all cases the activity will be followed by class discussion.
What does the student need to have prepared prior to this lesson?
All materials from prior activities completed in the PTC unit.
What materials do you need to have prepared prior to this lesson?
 Handouts, calculators, test paper (Thiourea, Sodium benzoate),
rulers, writing implements.
Objectives
What do you want the students to know, understand, and be able to do as a result
of this lesson?
Students will know:
How to interpret data and identify relationships.
Possible connection exists between tasters of one substance and particular
other substances.
Students will be able to:
Analyze data to establish patterns or trends.
Develop a hypothesis as to why such patterns may or may not exist.
Instructional
procedures
What activities will you and your students do and how are they connected to the
objectives?
See final page
Assessment
How will you determine what the students know and are able to do during and as
a result of the lesson?
Formative assessment
Analysis questions
Pedigree construction
Data tables
Summative assessment
Detailed explanation by student which incorporates major concepts conveyed
in the activity.
Reflection on
student work
Reflection on
lesson
implementation
What does the student work tell you about the students’ understanding and the
effectiveness of your lesson?
What are student misunderstandings, if any? How will you provide instructional
support to improve student learning?
Were the lesson objectives met? What worked well in this lesson?
What changes would you propose for the next time you teach this lesson? What
did you learn from teaching this lesson?
What activities will you and your students do and how are they connected to
the objectives?
What will you be doing?
What will the students be doing?
Instructional Procedures
OPENING
(How do you activate and assess students’ prior
knowledge and connect it to this new learning? How
do you get students engage in this lesson?)
Complete the journal activity.
Reviewing and discussing electrophoresis data.
Journal: Review prior knowledge: Based on the
activities you have completed, How is PTC
inherited?
Post Student electrophoresis data on the Projector
for reference. What do these results tell you?
Review procedure for constructing a data table
and the process of analyzing collected data.
Review procedure for constructing and analyzing a
pedigree.
ENGAGEMENT
(What questions can you pose to encourage students
to take risks and to deepen students’ understanding?
How do you facilitate student discourse? How do
you facilitate the lesson so that all students are active
learners and reflective during this lesson?
How do you monitor students’ learning throughout
this lesson?
What formative assessment is imbedded in the
lesson?)
Ask the question: Do you think the inheritance of
either PTC taster or nontaster could be linked to
the ability to taste other substances?
Instruct students to taste Sodium benzoate and
Thiourea and record their results.
Circulate the room questioning the groups of
students to verify understanding and answer
questions.
Formative assessment includes lab data and
inquiry questions.
CLOSURE
(What kinds of questions do you ask to get
meaningful student feedback? What opportunities do
you provide for students to share their
understandings of the task(s)? How do you ensure
that the salient points of this lesson are highlighted to
guide student understanding?
Test ability to taste Thiourea and sodium
benzoate.
Construct a data table to record all data.
Secure class data and work collaboratively with
group members to analyze and interpret the
data.
Analyze a typical pedigree.
Optional Activity: Take PTC paper samples
home to test family members and develop a
pedigree for the family for the ability to taste
PTC.
Students complete inquiry questions.
Complete a unit test and an essay where they
justify the statement: “The ability to taste is
inherited”
Post Student Data on the board and Ask
questions: Why did we do this?
What does this data tell us?
Can you develop a hypothesis that corresponds to
your results?
What could you do to explore the tasting/
nontasting relationship.
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