Introduction

Have you ever wondered how they make those supersized tomatoes or seedless watermelons? Could you make an identical copy of yourself? Is it possible to completely free yourself from inheriting a fatal heart disease? How do police officers track down criminals using blood samples? And who pays for most of these discoveries?

All of these questions can beanswered with the knowledge of genetics. Genetics is a topic that has stirred up alot of controversy in the last two decades. With new discoveries, genetics is drastically changing the world we all live in. Now is your chance to evaluate these topics and implement your knowledge.

Guess what: you're going to use the Web for learning. And grabbing someone else's ideas without giving them a close look is worse than silly. Think of it as intellectual slavery. So let's break the chains.

As a group you're going to explore the topic of The Science of Genetics. Each member of your team will become an expert in one part of the topic. Then you'll have to come back together to answer a question that gets to the heart of 'what's the truth and who says so?' We want you to do a good job, so why not read the evaluation rubric for this WebQuest?

The Question

The main question you will be asked to find an answer for is:

The following four issues are currently under debate:
1. Genetically engineered food and animals.
2. Cloning.
3. Geneic testing for diseases.
4. The use of genetic material for forensic cases.

With respect to these four aspects of genetics, you, as a group must decide how the federal government should prioritize funds intended for genetic research and convince the 'President' to accept your proposal.

Background Information

Although we have discussed genetic related issues in class, it is very important that all group members have the same basic understanding. Using the links below, be able to answer the following questions.
1. What is genetic engineering and give and example of it?
2. Give an examle of how an animal can be clonned, step by step.
3. What are genes and what makes a disease genetic.
4. How do police use DNA in forensics.
5. What is the Human Genome Project.

Glossary of Human Genetics

MOrgan: A genetics Tutorial

Genetics Science Learning Center

U.S. Department of Energy: FAQs

U.S. Department of Energy: Links to the Genetic World

Mendelian Genetics: Information and Problems

Individual Roles

Now that you have some overall background knowledge, it's time to return to the main question for this WebQuest. Questions this big and important are better answered when broken up into smaller parts. Each person will be given one of the four aspects of genetics given above to research. Each person will be responsible for their own specific topic and their explanation to their group members. All individual work will be turned in with their group consensus on the Main Question. Use the questions provided under each aspect to help guide your research and contribute to your team's consensus.

Hints:
*Remember to write down or copy/paste the URL of the file you use so you can quickly go back and use it.
*Be prepared to focus what you've learned into one main opinon that answers the question pertaining to genetics research funding allocation.

Genetically Engneering Crops/Amimals

Use the links below to learn more about your role. Specifically, look for answers to the following questions:

1)How do scientists genetically modify plants and animals?
2)How are genetically modified crops beneficial to society?
3)How are genetically modified animals beneficial to society?
4)Are there any harmful effects of genetically altered crops or animals?

WhyFiles? - Field of Genes (Read all 6 pages)

Why Files? Fit to Eat

Designer Seeds

Safety of Geneticall Engineered Foods

Sheep That Make Medicine

U.S. Department of Energy: Genetically Modified Foods and Organisms

Genetic Engineering and Its Dangers

The Quest for the Perfect Tomato

Genetically Modified Crops

Cloning

Use the links below to learn more about your role. Specifically, look for answers to the following questions:

1)What are the procedures scientists use to clone animals?
2)Is cloning humans realistically possible in the next ten years? If so, should it be continued?
3)Shuld we clone animlas or organs? Why or why not.
4)Is it ethical to clone humans?

WhyFiles? - Cloning Animals (Read all 11 pages)

Essay On Cloning

Cloning Ethincal Concerns

PBS: The inside is out

Cloning Ariclte: Ask a Question

U.S. Department of Energy: Cloning Fact Sheet

How Cloning Works

All About Cloning: 200 web sites

Genetic Testing for Diseases

Use the links below to learn more about your role. Specifically, look for answers to the following questions:

1)Describe the process of genetic testing.
2)Is genetic testing of prenatal babies harmful to the health of the babies and/or the mothers?
3)How reliable is genetic testing for diseases?
4)Can genetic testing lead to discrimination and if so what type so of discrimination?
5)What is the future of genetic testing?

Genetic Science Learning Center: Tour of the Basics (Click on What is Inheritence?)

Genetic Science Learning Center: Genetic Disorder Corner

Understanding Gene Testing

Gene Testing

Medical Genetics: Support Groups

Genetic Discrimination

Bio Capitalism: What Price for the Genetic Revolution?

U.S. Department of energy: Medicine and the New Genetics

Department of Energy: Gene Testing

U.S. Department of Energy: Genetic Counseling

Genetic Engineering: Advantages and Disadvantages

Forensics

Use the links below to learn more about your role. Specifically, look for answers to the following questions:

1)Describe the process of collecting and using genetic information for criminal court cases.
2)What are some advantages and disadvantages of using genetic forensic evidence in criminal court cases?
3) What are all the possible sources and methods of collecting the different samples of DNA?
4)Is using DNA in forensics a well researched form of identification? If not, what future research is required?

DNA Fingerprinting in Human Health and Society

Interview with Forensics Expert Dr. Weir

Use of DNA in Identification

Department of Energy: Forensics

Department of Energy: Forensics in the Courtroom

Nova: Identifying Remains with DNA

DNA Detective

How DNA Evidence Works

Group Synthesis

Congratulations! Your team is now full of expertise. Each person on your team have become experts on one topic of The Science of Genetics and shared that with the group. You've all learned a lot of information. But guess what, gathering useful information isn't the same as truly understanding a topic. To truly understand a topic you have to use it in an original way.

So with your team members all gathered together, carefully read and try answering the main question for this WebQuest. See where you all agree and where differences arise.

Use information, pictures, movies, facts, opinions, etc you explored to convince your teammates that your viewpoint is important and should be part of your team's answer to the Task / Quest(ion). Your WebQuest team should write out an answer that everyone on the team can live with. Both your teams answer and each individual papers should all be turned in. Your team consensus will be presented to the class in a 5-10 min presentation. Your goal is to convince the 'President' to accept your funding proposal.

Be sure your team forms a consensus and builds a persuasive arguemtnt so that the 'President' accepts your views.

Real World Feedback:
        Ask an expert
       Your Congressman, www.house.gov/writerep

Conclusion

At the beginning of this activity, you were asked about the truth. Did you discover it? Was there only one? Did everyone on your team think so? How did you answer the main question for this WebQuest? Have you checked the evaluation rubric to guide what you did?

You deserve a lot of praise for all the work you've done. And so does your brain. You've sure put that gray stuff to the test. You gained background information, developed expertise in one particular area and got into some pretty expert analysis. At times, you must have felt confused with ideas spinning every which way. That's normal when you're building new mental connections. It's funny, with each link between what you already knew and the new learning going on, you broke another different kind of link, remember the intellectual slavery we spoke about earlier? You're free! How will you use these ideas and strategies as you continue to grow and learn? It's all up to you. Good luck.

created by Carl Schopf email: caschopf@garfield-heights.k12.oh.us http://www.web-and-flow.com/members/cschopf/schopfgenetics/webquest.htm