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Life Science
CHARACTERISTICS OF LIVING THINGS LESSONS
CHARACTERISTICS OF LIVING THINGS LESSONS
Lessons are intended to take 1-2 days to complete (1.5-2 weeks)
Table of Contents
Click on the link in the Table of Contents to be taken to the lesson below.
City Planning for Biodiversity
7.LS.2: In any particular biome, the number, growth and survival of organisms and populations depend on biotic and abiotic factors.
Weekly Overview: Throughout the week students will define biodiversity and brainstorm how cities can have an impact on the biodiversity of an area. They will also explore the biodiversity of their own backyards. Students will take on the role of city planners to create and present their own unique model of a city that is laid out in a manner that meets the needs of people and encourages biodiversity in each of the required zoning areas—residential, commercial and industrial.
Lessons Developed by Corrie Nelson
What is Biodiversity?
What is Biodiversity?
Description: Students will be introduced to Biodiversity and how city planning and design affects wildlife. Students will be invited to synthesize their understanding of what Biodiversity means in a short vocabulary activity.
Links: Click Here for Google Slides
Biodiversity Index and Your Backyard
Biodiversity Index and Your Backyard
Description: Students will learn about the Biodiversity Index and how increasing the biodiversity of an area helps to improve the overall health of an ecosystem. Students will be given the opportunity to measure the biodiversity of an area simulated with a bag of candy and/or investigate animal life in an area around their home to measure the biodiversity of their backyard.
Links: Click Here for Google Slides
How Do Cities Impact Biodiversity?
How Do Cities Impact Biodiversity?
Description: Students will continue to investigate how cities impact biodiversity and will begin to design a balanced city as part of a city planning committee. Students will prioritize important city features and consider green space and sustainable design in their City Planning for Biodiversity project planning.
Links: Click Here for Google Slides
Design Your City Planning Project for Biodiversity
Design Your City Planning Project for Biodiversity
Description: Students will sketch a scaled drawing of their city and will continue designing after choosing from one city constraint scenario. Students will have to modify their design models around an environmental constraint. Students are invited to draw by hand or choose from a free 3-D modeling software program to design their city in three-dimensions.
Share Your City Planning Project for Biodiversity
Share Your City Planning Project for Biodiversity
Description: Students will conduct research on what LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is, what green construction is, and how buildings and communities qualify for LEED. They will use a one point rubric to continue to work on their City Design Project for Biodiversity. Students are invited to share their designs, the benefits of their city and what features they have added to encourage and support biodiversity based on the environmental constraint that was chosen.
TAKING IT FURTHER
TAKING IT FURTHER
Human Editing DNA and the Implications
B.H.2: Structure and function of DNA in cells Genes are segments of DNA molecules. The sequence of DNA bases in a chromosome determines the sequence of amino acids in a protein. Inserting, deleting or substituting segments of DNA molecules can alter genes.
B.H.4: Mutations Genes can be altered by insertion, deletion, or substitution of a segment of DNA molecules. An altered gene is a mutation and will be passed on to every cell that develops from it. The resulting features may help, harm or have little or no effect on the offspring’s success in its environments. Gene mutations in gametes are passed on to offspring.
B.H.5: Modern genetics Technological developments that lead to the current knowledge of heredity are introduced for study. The development of the model for DNA structure was the result of experimentation, hypothesis, testing, statistical analysis and technology as well as the studies and ideas of many scientists. James Watson and Francis Crick developed the current model based on the work of Rosalind Franklin and others. Scientists continue to extend the model and use it to devise technologies to further our understanding and application of genetics. The emphasis is not on the memorization of specific steps of gene technologies, but rather on the interpretation and application of the results.
DNA: Structure, Gene Expression
DNA: Structure, Gene Expression
Description: Students review the structure of DNA, they review the steps of eukaryotic gene expression and learn how this knowledge can be used to affect different genetic conditions. Additional practice will introduce students to genetic engineering practices in the world of medicine.
Link: Click Here for Google Slides
Gene Therapy
Gene Therapy
Description: While reviewing case studies of genetic diseases students will understand the process and value of gene therapy as treatment for controlling and/or correcting some genetic conditions. Students will gain an understanding of the testing and scrutiny that takes place before a treatment can be approved for use on humans.
Genetically Modifying Organisms
Genetically Modifying Organisms
Description: Students will learn about genetic modification (GM) and realize that genetic modification of organisms has been taking place for a very long time. Whether it is done in the form of cross-pollination, selective breeding or by implanting genes from another organism into seeds, the means by which food sources are enabled to grow bigger, grow faster, resists pests or resist herbicides has been taking place almost since humans have been farming.
Students will have the opportunity to consider how far GM should go in its endeavor.
CRISPR & Cas-9
CRISPR & Cas-9
Description: Students will advance their understanding of CRISPR and how it can be used to advance agriculture and health. They will create a paper model of CRISPR to realize the process of gene insertion and modifications that can be made to DNA. Students will be introduces to numerous applications of CRISPR that currently exist.
Does Because We Can Mean That We Should?
Does Because We Can Mean That We Should?
Description: To culminate the learning that has taken place through this unit students will reflect on the genetic engineering practices they have learned about. Then students will make a claim that will be justified with evidence and reasoning as to their stance regarding the application of genetic engineering and the degree to which it should be implemented.
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