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Life: The Book
Purchase your copy of Life: The Book below and learn about the growing role of genetic engineering in our lives.
Volume One: Genetic...
By High Tech High Me...
We will create and publish a book that explains the growing role of genetic engineering in all stages of American life, from birth through childhood, adolescence, adulthood, old age and beyond.
Each student will be responsible for one article that addresses genetic engineering in one specific stage of life, including the relevant scientific, cultural and economic context.
Each article will:
Explain one specific genetic engineering concept in depth & detail for an audience that is educated, but unfamiliar with jargon.
Include relevant cultural, historical, geographical, economic and/or governmental context and history.
Honors requirements:
Honors bio: Explain one specific biopharmaceutical in depth.
Honors hum: Explain one specific gov’t concept, pro/con argument, literary connection, etc. in depth.
Honors math: Incorporate specific mathematical analysis into their articles.
Honors requirements may be integrated into the initial article and/or presented as sidebars and supplemental support
Life: Potential chapters and ideas that could lead to articles
Conception & Pregnancy
Designer babies (Can I pick out my child’s eye color?)
Genetic Screenings (Do I want to know if my unborn child has genetic abnormalities?)
Birth
Vaccinations (production of a particular vaccine)
Cord blood banking
Creation of the first synthetic cell
Childhood
Diabetes - Insulin production
Multiple Sclerosis
Adolescence
HPV vaccinations
Flu vaccinations
Young Adulthood
iGEM Competition highlights (http://2010.igem.org/Main_Page)
Adulthood
Growth hormones used in sports
Cancer treatment
Parkinsons treatment (potential of stem cells)
AIDS treatment
Old Age
Alzheimer's
Arthritis & treatment (side bar: joint-replacement surgery)
Beyond?
Passing genetic modifications to offspring (interfering with evolution?)
What is death? When does it happen?
Less obvious connection with a particular phase of life:
genetically modified food (Pharming)
genetic pesticides
bioremediation (ex. genetically modified bacteria to digest oil spill)
Describe the process of bringing a drug to market (conduct interviews to support)
Use of online Registry of Biological Parts
Clinical Testing of a drug (FDA/medical/economic connections)
Articles for Class
Opposing viewpoint articles and questions
Example Articles
FDA Rules Won’t Require Labeling of Genetically Modified Salmon
Do new cystic fibrosis therapies hold the key to treating other genetic disorders?
Darwin’s Surprise: why are evolutionary biologists bringing back extinct deadly viruses?
Adult World Connections:
Interview relevant community members, such as doctors, biotech researchers, and so on.
Visit relevant sites, such as a hospital, maternity ward, senior care facilities, biotech firms, etc.
Additional Resources
National Public Radio's timeline of the stem cell debate (this page contains numerous links to related articles)
Reflection
Please answer the following:
What is the writing about?
1. Go back and read the prompts at the top of the page (the parts that describe the project). How well does your final draft fully answer the prompt? Which parts of the prompt are answered well? Which parts could be answered more completely?
The writing in the final draft... All answers to these questions must include specific quotes from your writing.
2. What aspects of my final product stand out and stand on their own as examples of high quality, informative writing? What makes these great?
3. What aspects of my final product could be revised? Why? How could they improve?
4. Which of our class' writing tips were used best in the final product? What makes these specific sections stand out?
Self assessment...
5. Overall, this final draft deserves ___ out of 50 points, when judged purely on it's own as a high quality, informative piece of writing, because...
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