Biology Research Project
Task : Ms. Winter wants to learn more about the many diseases & abnormalities that can occur in humans,
and how they affect various organs & systems in the body. It is your job to choose a disease /
abnormality that can occur in humans, research & learn about it, and then present your information in a
creative way. Choose a topic that truly interests you (or you have been affected by), but be sure to do
some research first to be sure you can cover all components of this project well.
Your goals are to:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
Demonstrate knowledge of disease / abnormality in humans
Explain how different systems within the human body are affected (impacted) by disease / abnormality
Discuss medical equipment used to diagnose & treat disease / abnormality in humans
Analyse ethical issues related to a technological development associated with a disease / abnormality
Express information and ideas in visual form in a creative and original manner
Reference researched material in APA format
Use accurate scientific vocabulary
How to do it:

Choose a disease or abnormality: __________________________
GALLERY PIECE: Create an art piece to help explain your topic + a short description to explain your piece


Use any material that you want (play-doh, papier maché, recycled items, etc.) to create your piece
Have the following information in your description:
 name of your chosen disease / abnormality
 background info about your disease & the systems it affects
 cool/unusual facts that make your disease / abnormality stand out from others
 medical technologies or equipment used to diagnose & treat your disease / abnormality
 controversies / ethical issues associated with the technologies used to diagnose or treat it

Description can be in point form or a paragraph, the choice is yours! Maximum 300 words

be clear and concise (straightforward & to the point)
Be creative, colourful, & original --- use unusual materials to create your work of art

SYSTEMS INTERACTIONS: Explain how your topic affects human organs & (at least 2) systems



Use a word wall, concept map, brainstorming chart, or some other sort of graphic organizer to portray
your findings
 name each system affected
 name any organs that are affected in each system you investigate
 explain how your topic impacts the system


Be short, concise & specific (no full sentences or paragraphs, point form only)
Be creative & original! Use Powerpoint or another computer program, scrapbook, poster, etc. to convey
your findings
All facts & info must be in your own words
 Level 4: submit a small glossary of tough medical terms with your project

definitions must be in simple terms (i.e. in your own words)
Submit a reference list with your project, APA style (preferably glued to the back of your gallery piece)
Feedback:
Did I start my project at least two weeks before the due date?
Did I refer to the rubric at least 5 times to complete my project?
Did I add creativity and variety for each part of the project?
Am I happy with my work?
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
Project choices:
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
cancer (be specific)
diabetes (type I or II)
(coronary) heart disease
sickle cell anemia
cystic fibrosis
tuberculosis
meningitis
hypothyroidism
Crohn’s disease
Parkinson’s disease
ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease)
muscular dystrophy
spina bifida
Student
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
multiple sclerosis
osteoporosis
hepatitis
cerebral palsy
asthma
kidney disease (failure)
mononucleosis
Huntington disease
Down’s syndrome
hemophilia
epilepsy
Turner syndrome
Tay-Sachs disease
Disease / Abnormality
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
atherosclerosis
congestive heart failure
chronic traumatic
encephalopathy
PKU
fetal alcohol syndrome
liver disease / cirrhosis
Klienfelter’s syndrome
Marfan’s syndrome
Creutzfeldt – Jakob disease
Hodgkin’s disease
Raynaud’s syndrome
another not mentioned?
Disease Research Project – Rubric
Name : ______________________________
Criteria
F
Knowledge of
disease
Medical
technologies
used to
diagnose &/or
treat disease
T & I  gallery
piece, graphic
organizer,
reference list
Planning &
Organization
Incomplete
piece description,
graphic organizer
Does not meet minimum
expectations (Incomplete)
K & U  gallery
Referencing of
sources
C  gallery piece
& description,
graphic organizer
Colour
Creativity
Incomplete
Express ideas
in written &
visual form
Use of
scientific
vocabulary
A  gallery piece
Ethical issues
surrounding
diagnosis/
treatment of
disease
Organs &
systems
impacted by
the disease
Incomplete
description,
graphic organizer
Disease/abnormality: _______________________
Level 1
Level 2
Student:
- gives vague
background info
- states 2 ‘cool’ facts
- identifies 2 disease
symptoms
- gives vague,
general treatment
for disease
- gives some relevant
background info
- states 3 ‘cool’ facts
- identifies 3 disease
symptoms
- gives a brief
treatment for the
disease
- gives examples of
medical technology
related to diagnosis
or treatment of
disease
Level 3
- states 4 ‘cool’ facts
- identifies 4 disease
symptoms
- gives examples of
treatment for
disease
- gives examples of
medical tech. and
briefly explains
them
Level 4
- gives relevant
background info
- states 5+ cool facts
- identifies 5+
disease symptoms
- gives several
possible treatments
for disease &
assesses risks of all
- gives examples of
medical tech. for
both diagnosis &
treatment and
explains all
- poorly-organized,
somewhat untidy
- project is organized,
but untidy
- project is wellorganized & tidy
- well laid out, tidy, &
reference list is
attached (i.e. glued)
- consults 3 sources
- references are not
in APA format
- consults 4 sources
- references are in
APA format, but out
of alphabet. Order
- consults 6 sources
- references are in
APA format & in
alphabetical order
- consults 7+ sources
- includes some nonInternet references
- ideas are often
unclear
- weak link between
art piece & disease
- ideas are at times
unclear
- vague link between
art piece & disease
- ideas are mostly
clear
- clear link between
art piece & disease
- lacking colour
- uses 1 unusual
material
- some colour used
- uses 2 unusual
materials
- uses 3 unusual
materials
- ideas are always
clear and concise
- obvious link
between art piece
& disease
- colourful
- uses more than 3
unusual materials
- little use of scientific
vocabulary
- some scientific
vocabulary used,
but terms are
obscure (random)
- scientific vocabulary
used, but some
terms are obscure
(random)
- accurate, frequent
& purposeful use of
scientific vocab.
- glossary of terms
defined in own
words attached
- weak analysis of
ethical issues
- ethical issues
explored, but not
focused on topic
- ethical issues
explained, but in
little detail
- analyses ethical
issues accurately &
in depth
- alternatives/
solutions to ethical
issues identified
- identifies some
affected systems
- attempts to explain
impacts on
systems, but is
inaccurate
- explains impacts on
one system
accurately
- explains impacts on
most systems
accurately
- identifies all
affected systems
- explains impacts on
all systems
accurately