In the spring of 2011, iQUEST teachers designed a lesson using an interactive simulation that
allows students to investigate cloning. Student investigations include some pre-activity reading
about history and myths related to cloning. They ultimately learn the six steps of cloning which
they practice as they clone a brown mouse. You will be amazed at the higher level of student
conversations and as their curiosity makes them truly engaged in this hands-on lesson.
To access the Click and Clone website, visit http://learn.genetics.utah.edu and click the
“Cloning” option button to start the simulation.
iQUEST Lesson: http://www.csusm.edu/iquest - NSF Project Award Number: 0833753 Click and Clone
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Activity #1: Follow these steps and discuss your experience with the person sitting next to you.
Step 1. Select ‘What is Cloning’ to read about the subject.
Step 2. As you read, fill out the Cornell Notes handout
Step 3. On the back of the paper, write a quick summary of your reading and any
questions you might have.
Activity #2: Return to the page http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/tech/cloning
Step 1. Choose “Click and Clone”
iQUEST Lesson: http://www.csusm.edu/iquest - NSF Project Award Number: 0833753 Click and Clone
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Step 2. Begin the cloning of Mimi by clicking the mouse
Step 3. With the person sitting next to you, read and discuss each step in the cloning process as
you write down notes on the handout ‘Click and Clone Student Notes’.
Step 4. Try to memorize the six steps by concentrating on the “Action Words” column.
iQUEST Lesson: http://www.csusm.edu/iquest - NSF Project Award Number: 0833753 Click and Clone
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Activity #3: Return to the page http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/tech/cloning and on the
right side, choose ‘Is it cloning? or not?’ to quiz yourself.
An interactive simulation on cloning
Lesson Title: Recipe for Cloning
Contributors: Barbara Spinosa, Robert Ho, Janet Callais, Joe Keating, and Kathy Hayden
Overview: This lesson is designed to engage, educate, and extend young life-science
students’ curiosity about cloning and reproduction through a web-based simulation tool
from the Genetics Science Learning Center
http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/tech/cloning/clickandclone/
During this lesson, students work in pairs or collaborative groups to discover the history
and current controversy related to cloning as they quickly acquire the knowledge and skills
to clone a brown mouse named Mimi. Cloning is nothing new. Students journey back 100
years to discover the many contributions to the incredible timeline of cloning, and then can
challenge their own knowledge with an interactive quiz.
Science Concepts: Students are able to understand the differences between
reproduction of sexual and asexual organisms.
iQUEST Lesson: http://www.csusm.edu/iquest - NSF Project Award Number: 0833753 Click and Clone
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Students are able to explain how advancements in technology (cloning) affect how an
organism can (potentially) be reproduced. Students can put the steps to cloning in order.
Students discuss the ethical responsibility of science issues such as the use of cloning in
both plants and animals.
Objective 1 c. the nucleus is the repository for genetic information in plant and animal
cells.
2a. the differences between the life cycles and reproduction methods of sexual and asexual
organisms.
2b. sexual reproduction produces offspring that inherit half their genes from each parent.
Pre-Activities and Concepts:
Concepts: Prior to this lesson, students need a working understanding of the following
concepts:
 The nucleus is the depository of DNA for most living things
 DNA is the blue print of life
 The difference between asexual and sexual reproduction
Pre-activities:
1. Students explore the following link from the Genetic Science Learning Center to
get a basic understanding of cloning
(http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/tech/cloning/whatiscloning/)
2. Discussion on the ethics of cloning. Students read/discuss some issues in
cloning on the Genetic Science Learning Center website
(http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/tech/cloning/clissues/)
NETS Standards (http://www.iste.org):
Communication and Collaboration
a. interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts or others employing a
variety of digital environments and media.
b. Communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a
variety of media and formats
Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making
a. identify and define authentic problems and significant questions for
investigation
Technology Operations and Concepts
a. understand and use technology systems
Support Materials (video Links, Web links, etc)
iQUEST Lesson: http://www.csusm.edu/iquest - NSF Project Award Number: 0833753 Click and Clone
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Online Click and Clone Activity:
http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/tech/cloning/clickandclone/
Google Forum, blog post, or other interactive Learning Management System: students
respond to prompt: “Is cloning classified as asexual or sexual reproduction? Explain your
reasoning.”
Technology/system requirements:
Computers with broadband and browser able to play flash media.
Material Requirements:


Note taking sheet/Cornell notes from readings
Paper quiz of 6 cloning steps
Teacher Notes: It is a good idea to have the websites already bookmarked or available
through Teacher Web page or LMS (such as Moodle) to make the links available to students
beforehand.
It is also recommended that science teachers work with English Language Arts teachers so
that this topic can be explored as a persuasive essay 
Optional: We were lucky enough to use Skype to speak with a scientist and students asked
questions about cloning/science/laboratory practices.
Lesson Elements Guide for Teacher:
Engage: Students will be able to think-write-share about the information needed
to make an informed decision on a controversial topic.
Evaluate: Students take a quiz on the steps of cloning – paper based or online if the
technology is available
Extend: Students search scientific topics related to their interests. Students write a
persuasive essay defending their point of view about the use of cloning or revival of extinct
species.
Assessment, Product, or Outcome:
1. Students are assessed throughout the lesson by teacher questioning and
observation.
2. Students produce a worksheet with descriptions of the cloning steps
3. Students take a short quiz at the end of the period/lesson (without notes)
listing the chronological steps of cloning as well as an essay explaining
how one would classify cloning as a reproductive process (sexual or
asexual).
iQUEST Lesson: http://www.csusm.edu/iquest - NSF Project Award Number: 0833753 Click and Clone
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Evidence of ICT alignment with science concept:
Communication and Collaboration: Students work in pairs or groups to learn, study, plan
and discuss.
Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making:
Students formulate questions about cloning and conference with each other, as well as
reference text for further research and preparation to write persuasive essay.
Students working during the lesson
Sample Work
iQUEST Lesson: http://www.csusm.edu/iquest - NSF Project Award Number: 0833753 Click and Clone
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