Online Projects, Collaboration Sites and Publishing Opportunities

Lesson Idea Name: The Human Genetics Project

Content Area: Biology
Grade Level(s): 9th/10th
Content Standard Addressed:
SB2. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to analyze how genetic information is expressed in cells.
a. Construct an explanation of how the structures of DNA and RNA lead to the expression of information
within the cell via the processes of replication, transcription, and translation.

Technology Standard Addressed:

Selected Online Project/Collaboration Site/Publishing Opportunity: Online Collaborative Project: The

Human Genetics Project

URL(s) to support the lesson: http://ciese.org/curriculum/genproj/

Describe how you would incorporate an Online Project/Collaboration Site/Publishing Opportunity in your
classroom:
The Human Genetics Project allows students to survey phenotypic traits of classmates and schoolmates.
They are then able to compile their data with students from around the world. After the collection, they will
analyze the data to determine if the prevalent phenotype is the dominant allele. This activity also includes a
discussion board for students to collaborate with other students across the world. I would also have students
explore the link on “Current Genetics Issues” included in the project.
Students will first work together to compose a letter of introduction to the other schools participating in the
projects. This letter will include:
Name of your school, subject, and grade level of your class.
Location of your school including city, state/province, country, latitude and longitude (so other students can
pin-point your location on the map).
Any other information that you would like to share about your city, school, and community.
What hypothesis or hypotheses does your class hope to test by participating in the Human Genetics project?
What results do you expect?

Next, they will conduct surveys and record responses in a data table. The data they will be collecting includes:
# of free ear lobes (dominant), # of attached ear lobes (recessive)
# of people with white forelock (dominant), # of people without white forelock (recessive)
# of people with dimples (dominant), # of people without dimples (recessive)
# of people with straight thumb (dominant), # of people with curved thumb (recessive)
# of people with straight pinky (recessive), # of people with bent pinky (dominant)
# of people with mid-digit hair (dominant), # of people with no mid-digit hair (recessive)
# of people showing color blindness, # of people with normal color vision

Students will then look at the collected data and perform data analysis and draw conclusions.
To wrap up, students will write a final report to be submitted focusing on the questions:
What did you learn about genetics? What was your hypothesis? What conclusions did you reach? What did
you learn from participating in this project?

What technologies would be required to implement this proposed learning activity in a classroom?
Internet connection and digital learning devices.

Describe how the following features are addressed in this learning experience (note: all of them may not be
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 Online Projects, Collaboration Sites and Publishing Opportunities
addressed in the project, but most should be if you are reaching a high LoTi Level).
a. Collaboration with peers, near-peers, mentors outside their classroom and often beyond their
school: Students work with their peers to collect data and share with other students and teachers
outside of their classroom. There is a discussion board also for collaboration with outside sources.

b. Student-centered learning and knowledge creation (creating original data and or producing original
products as a result of engaging in a project): Students are collecting original data on recessive and
dominant genes and producing data sets and analysis as original products.

c. Higher-order thinking: Students are using the higher-order thinking skills of creating data and data
sets, analyzing their findings, and evaluating what it means during this project.

d. Students publishing their original work to others who will use/care about their product: Students
publish their findings and report on the discussion feature to share with other classes and schools
participating in the same project. Final reports are published by the site.

Bloom’s Taxonomy Level(s):

☐ Remembering ☐ Understanding ☐ Applying ☒ Analyzing ☒ Evaluating ☒ Creating

Levels of Technology Integration (LoTi Level):

☐ Level 1: Awareness ☐ Level 2: Exploration ☐ Level 3: Infusion ☐ Level 4: Integration

☒ Level 5: Expansion ☐ Level 6: Refinement

Universal Design for Learning (UDL):

ENGAGEMENT: Optimize relevance, value, and authenticity: This activity provides students with content in
the context of their own lives. Learning outcomes are authentic, communicated to real audiences, and reflect
a purpose that is clear to the participants.
REPRESENTATION: Highlight patterns, critical features, big ideas, and relationships: Students analyze the
patterns of recessive and dominant genes.
ACTION AND EXPRESSION: Facilitate managing information and resources: Data table templates are provided
for student to record their findings on.
Lesson idea implementation and Internet Safety Policies:
Inform administrators and parents about what you are doing and how it will support learning. Show
administrators and parents how you are going to protect students’ privacy and safety. Do not let individual
students speak with other individuals without teacher moderation. Do not allow anonymous communication
from your students. Always know who is posting what so you can coach and/or discipline appropriately.
• Educate students about Internet safety and teach them not to give out their names or contact information
to others online
Reflective Practice: I feel like this online collaboration project brings in a great detail of authenticity to the
classroom. Students can analyze their own characteristics and those of other students around the world. I
believe that this would be a great project to do throughout a genetics unit and use the final report as a
summative assessment. This lesson could be furthered by having students analyze their family tree of genetic
traits in order to see the how certain traits are passed down through their relatives. This would add in
elements of cultural responsiveness and give students more of an opportunity to see how genetic information
is expressed.

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