Human Genetics Webquest
Introduction
There are thousands of genetic disorders that affect humans, some of which can have profound effects on a person's quality of life. Genetic disorders are passed from parents to offspring in the genetic code, and in some cases, a person may be a carrier for a disease and pass it to their children without knowing. Because genetic diseases are usually caused by errors or mutations in the genetic code, it is extremely difficult to cure the condition, and in most cases, doctors can only treat the symptoms. In this webquest, you will explore a genetic disease and present a short presentation to the class about the disease you researched.
Task
Step 1: Form your group, groups can have one to four members.
Step 2: Choose which disease you will research. There are many genetic diseases to choose from, and a list of links that you can use to explore the known human genetic diseases. A word of caution though, some of the sites include diseases that are questionable whether there's a genetic component - diseases like cancer, or mental health diseases are iffy. If you choose something not on the list below, have your choice approved before proceeding.
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Some examples of genetic diseases are: Sickle-Cell
Disease *Down Syndrome
not listed because we go over that in class
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Links Genetic and
Rare Conditions Site Genetic Information
and Patient Services Ask NOAH
about Genetic Disorders
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Each group must choose a different disorder - with the number to choose from, it is unlikely that two groups will choose the same, but just in case, once you've chosen the disorder, you'll sign a class page with your groups name and the disorder you are researching. If someone else is already doing that disease, you'll have to go with your second choice.
Step 3: Research your disorder
Your presentation to the class will need to provide an overview of the disease, addressing what causes it, what the effects and symptoms are, and how likely it is to pass the disease on to the next generation. Use the following questions to guide you in your research:
Medical
1. How does a person
inherit it? Is it dominant or recessive?
2. What are the possible genotypes of the parents? If the disease is a chromosomal
abnormality, describe the abnormality.
3. How prevalent is the disease in the population (include statistics)?
4. What are the chances of a person with this disease passing the disease to
their offspring (include possible scenarios)?
5. How is the disease diagnosed?
6. What are the physical symptoms of the disease?
7. What is the life expectancy of someone with the disease?
8. How can the disease be treated?
Personal
1. What is everyday
life like? What is the quality of life?
2. What limitations does the person have?
3. What are some organizations that can help a family cope with a child's disorder
(web links)
4. How possible is it that a cure will be found?
You can use a search engine to find information about your disease (google, lycos, yahoo) or explore the links in the genetic disorders pages.
Step 4: Prepare Your Presentation
You will compile your information and present it as a POWERPOINT presentation. Powerpoint can be accessed from the school's webserver. Your teacher will explain the basics of powerpoint.
It is recommended that you organize your presentation into sections (or slides). The purpose of the presentation is to inform the class about the disease.
Step 5: Presentation
At this point, you will present your findings to the class. If you are working as a group, you will need to divide portions of the presentation among members so that every person has a chance to speak.
At the end of the presentation, you will allow the audience to ask questions. Your teacher will ask you at least one question to elaborate on regarding your topic.
Grading
| UnSatisfactory (1 pts) | Satisfactory (3 pts) | Good (4 pts) | Excellent (5 pts) | |
| Mechanics | Presentation had 4 or more spelling or grammar errors | Presentation had 3 spelling or grammar errors | Presentation had no more than 2 spelling or grammar errors | Presentation had no spelling or grammar errors |
| Organization | Audience cannot understand the presentation because there is no sequence of information | audience has difficulty following, topics jump around | logical sequence, audience can follow | logical, interesting sequence which audience can follow. |
| Technical | Transitions are not used, slides have major technical mistakes | Bullets and transitions are used ineffectively, or are distracting | Bullets and transitions used, but there are some problems with flow | Bullets and transitions used effectively, presentation flows smoothly |
| Information | Presentation has major gaps in knowledge, audience is not likely to leave with useful information | Presentation has some major gaps in knowledge, or is presented in such a way that the audience has trouble understanding | Presentation provides information on the topic, some elements are missing (see questions) | Presentation provides a wealth of information on the topic, all questions are answered in a way the audience can understand |
| Information 2 | Information is way too technical for an average person to understand, information is cut/paste from sources | A majority of the information seems copied from sources, group attempts to make it underestandable | Some information seems cut and paste from sources, too technical for a layperson to understand completely | Group presents information in their own words, with consideration to the audience |
| Speaking | Speech was not well presented, members seems confused, or lost. Failed to answer the audience's question | Not all of the members spoke on the topic, more than one of them seemed unknowledgeable | All members spoke, though some seemed to not understand issues, or questions were answered inaccurately | All members spoke, and appeared to understand the issues of the topic. Questions were answered accurately |
Follow Up
After presentations are completed, you'll need to fill out a group evaluation form, which will be added to your overall grade.
A quiz will be given over the diseases covered by the different groups - you may want to take notes during the presentations.