STEMM Lesson Template
Title: Genetic Disorders Project
Grade Level: 9-10 Honors Biology
Resources:
Questions to ask before designing a lesson:
1. What is the essential question(s) for the lesson?
-How is the hereditary information in genes inherited and expressed?
-How are genetic disorders diagnosed and treated?
-How are Punnett squares used to determine the probability of
inheritance?
-Describe how genetic mutations affect the phenotype of an individual.
-How are individuals with genetic diseases diagnosed?
-How are individuals with genetic diseases treated? (including gene
therapy and newer technologies)
-How do pedigrees, blood typing, karyotypes, and Punnett Squares help
determine the probability of this patient passing on this genetic disease?
-What is the role of a physician, specialist, and genetics counselor in
diagnosing, treating, and referring patients?
a. Why is this question relevant?
Students must be able to understand the implications of genetic diseases
on an individual, as well as the probability of passing on the disease to the
next generation.
b. What is the connection to real life?
-Study of genetic diseases and heredity.
-Application of content: pedigrees, Punnett Squares, blood typing, and
karyotypes.
-Medical career exploration
2. What techniques are used to make the lesson:
a. inquiry- based?
Students create a patient who has a specific genetic disorder of their
choice and complete a physician patient chart for this patient. Students
must determine the general characteristics of the patient (gender, age,
etc.) and the specific symptoms that a patient with this particular genetic
disease would present to construct an authentic patient chart that reflects
a patient with the specific genetic disease.
b. project- based?
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Students serve as genetics counselors to diagnose a patient created by
another student and determine the disease, the cause of the disease, the
treatment, local resources available to the patient, the prognosis of the
patient with this disease, and the probability that the genetic disease
would be passed on in the next generation.
3. What are the lesson outcomes?
-Research a genetic disorder
-Evaluate the symptoms of a patient to create a patient chart
reflective of a patient with this disease
4. How is participant discourse promoted?
Students complete the project as an individual to research a genetic disease and
create the patient. Next, they solve a patient case he/she receives, and work
collaboratively in teams to help diagnose them.
5. How are science, technology, engineering, and mathematics addressed in the
lesson? Students pose as physicians and specialists in the field of genetic
diseases.
Phase I:
Students create a patient who has a specific genetic disorder of their choice and complete a
physician patient chart for this patient. Students must determine the general characteristics of the
patient (gender, age, etc.) and the specific symptoms that a patient with this particular genetic
disease would present with.
Phase II:
Students serve as genetics specialists and counselors to diagnose a patient created by another
student and determine the disease, the cause of the
disease, the treatment, local resources available to the patient, the prognosis of the patient with
this disease, and the probability that the genetic disease would be passed on in the next
generation.
Activities Phase I
- Research a genetic disorder of choice and develop a patient medical summary and complete
the Patient chart.
-Construct a pedigree for the patient's family.
-Complete a karyotype of your patient's chromosomes. Analyze the karyotype and describe the
results to your patient/patient's family in writing.
-Complete the blood type analysis using simulated blood in the laboratory.
Activities Phase II:
-Describe the inheritance pattern of this genetic disorder and include the rationale and analysis
using the data provided..
-Identify the genetic disorder. Be able to explain the genetic disorder as it presents itself in the
patient. How was it caused? Is there a cure? What new treatments exist for this genetic disorder?
-Create a Punnett square to determine the genotypic and phenotypic ratios of the patient's
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offspring to determine the chances of passing on this genetic disorder to future generations.
-Identify local physicians and resources for the patient and the family.
-Final formal diagnosis and products will be included in the laboratory portfolio.
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6. Use the table below to match standards.
Standard
Standard Number (s)
Activity
PA Common Core Standard for
Mathematics
PA Science Academic Standards
S11.A.1.1.1,
S11.A.1.1.3,
S11.A.1.2.1,
S11.B.2.2.1,
S11.A.3.2.1,
S11.A.1.1.2, S11.A.1.1.4
S11.A.1.1.5,
S11.A.1.3.1,
S11.B.2.2.2, S11.B.2.2.3
S11.A.3.2.2, S11.A.3.2.3
Biology Keystone Anchors:
Bio.B.2.3
BIO.B.2.4B
BIO.B.2.1
Activities Phase I:
- Research a genetic disorder of choice and develop a patient
medical summary as well as a completed Patient Intake chart.
-Construct a pedigree for the patient's family.
-Complete a karyotype of your patient's chromosomes. Analyze
the karyotype and describe the results to your patient/patient's
family in writing.
-Complete the blood type analysis using simulated blood in the
laboratory.
Activities Phase II:
-Describe the inheritance pattern of this genetic disorder and
include the rationale and analysis using the data provided.
-Identify the genetic disorder. Be able to explain the genetic
disorder as it presents itself in the patient.( How was it caused?
Is there a cure? What new treatments exist for this genetic
disorder? )
PA Common Core Reading
Standards for Literacy in Science
and Technical Subjects
4
Standard
Standard Number (s)
Activity
PA Common Core Writing Standards
for Literacy in History/ Social
Studies, Science and Technical
Subjects
PA Career and College Readiness
Standards
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1. STEMM lessons
Lesson Components
Engagement
The activities in this section capture the
participants’ attention, stimulate their
thinking, and help them access prior
knowledge.
Exploration
In this section, participants are given time to
think, plan, investigate, and organize
collected information.
Explanation
Participants are now involved in an analysis
of their exploration. Their understanding is
clarified and modified because of reflective
activities.
Description of Activity
Students choose the genetic disease they would like to research. Students
must create a patient chart based on the symptoms and characteristics of
patients who would be afflicted by the disease. .
Students must create a patient chart based on the symptoms and
characteristics of patients who would be afflicted by the disease. Students
complete blood typing analysis, a karyoptype, and various Punnett Squares.
Students apply what they learned about Mendelian genetics and nonMendelian Genetics problems to interpret the inheritance pattern of the
genetic disease.
Students analyze and evaluate the patient chart and patient information
provided in the blood test, karyotype, and pedigree to determine the final
diagnosis
Extension
This section gives participants the
opportunity to expand and solidify their
understanding of the concept and/or apply it
to a real world situation.
Evaluation
Evaluation occurs throughout the lesson.
Scoring tools developed by teachers and
Students gain an understanding of the effects of mutations on the phenotypic
expression of the genes in the form of disease symptoms.
Students must be able to correctly diagnose their patient and provide an
appropriate treatment plan.
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participants target what participants must
know and do. Consistent use of scoring
tools improves learning.
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