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DNA

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Cynthia Rodriguez Cynthia Roller 300 Points

What ideas do you have for teaching about DNA in a 9th grade Biology class?
Sharla Dowding Sharla Dowding, NBCT 1135 Points

I just ran across this, I haven't had a chance to check it all out, but it looks engaging! [table][tr][td][color=black][size=5][font=Arial][b]Fingerprinting Elephants[/b][/font][/size][/color][/td] [/tr] [tr][td][/td] [/tr] [tr][td][/td] [/tr] [tr][td][size=4][font=Arial][color=black]Students play detective in our [/color][url=http://hhmi.us5.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=3c8034ebf5d74492b5c8ef8c9&id=3164dc5f6c&e=a3ace0bd38][b]new interactive[/b][/url][color=black]. By using DNA fingerprinting to solve two cases of elephant poaching, they’ll learn about genetic markers, PCR, gel electrophoresis, allele frequencies, and population genetics. In the process, students reflect on how these techniques enable better protection for elephants.[/color][/font][/size] [size=2][font=Calibri][url=http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/csi-wildlife?utm_source=BioInteractive+News&utm_campaign=69a1a4a90a-BioInteractive_News_Vol_766_14_2016&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_98b2f5c6ba-69a1a4a90a-69340633]http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/csi-wildlife?utm_source=BioInteractive+News&utm_campaign=69a1a4a90a-BioInteractive_News_Vol_766_14_2016&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_98b2f5c6ba-69a1a4a90a-69340633[/url][/font][/size] [color=#333333][size=3][font=Calibri]Many students are fascinated with three aspects of modern biology: large charismatic mammals, species conservation, and forensics. CSI Wildlife combines all three to teach students key biological concepts and science practices as they explore two actual cases (adapted to be approachable by students) in which scientists use DNA profiling to investigate elephant poaching to support the ivory trade. In the process, students reflect on how these techniques enable better protection for elephants.[/font][/size][/color] [color=#333333][size=3][font=Calibri]Key Terms: Key-Stone Species[/font][/size][/color] [size=3][color=#333333][font=Calibri]The scenarios investigated by students are based on recently published results (Wasser, S. K., Brown, L., Mailand, C., Mondol, S., Clark, W., Laurie, C., & Weir, B. S. (2015). Genetic assignment of large seizures of elephant ivory reveals Africa’s major poaching hotspots. [/font][/color][color=#333333][font=Calibri][i]Science[/i][/font][/color][color=#333333][font=Calibri], 349(6243), 84[/font][/color][color=#333333][font=Helvetica Neue]–87) and the underlying data are available on the Dryad Digital Repository: [/font][/color][url=http://dx.doi.org/10.5061/dryad.435p4][font=Helvetica Neue]http://dx.doi.org/10.5061/dryad.435p4[/font][/url][/size] [size=2][font=Calibri] [/font][/size] [color=#595959][size=2][font=Calibri]From [/font][/size][/color] [size=2][font=Calibri] [/font][/size] [size=2][font=Calibri] [/font][/size][/td] [/tr] [/table]

Matt Stewart Matt Stewart 125 Points

I just ran through that HHMI activity. It is absolutely engaging and heartbreaking, however even as a teacher, in a relaxed setting, hopped up on coffee, I was overwhelmed by the amount of technical information that was being presented. Without a chance to make meaning of all the vocabulary in the sidebars, I had trouble sticking it out until the activities part. This could probably be adapted though. I think the most useful practice is being able to interpret the gel ladders, using that data to come to a conclusion. As it's presented, students could just click randomly and press next to check their answer until they get it right. It might be much better to have students construct arguments by being able to cite specific evidences. Writing a technical evidence based argument would be one of my primary student goals if I were to use this resource. You could also extend this conversation to hit other topic, such as diversification, reducing human impacts to biodiversity, or others. *Also, today is World Elephant Day. Woot. 
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