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Who’s the Daddy? A Problem Based Learning Unit on DNA Structure, Function and Analysis

Danielle BenedettoKathy Hoppe

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What is PBL?????

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Goals Of PBL

PBL Model

Motivate and Involve Students

Facilitate Learning Rather Than Dictate

Interdisciplinary Lesson ELA/Science

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Students working together in small groups to solve real world problems

through:

Stories Personal Inquiry

Literature Research Scientific Inquiry

Group Problem Solving Reporting Out

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Standards Anyone?

Math and Science

Social Studies

ELA

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In the Beginning…….

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Now!

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Who’s the Daddy? Take a Book Tour (Contents)

Where do I find this unit online? www.sciencesupport.net go to right side and click problem based learning under “What’s New?”

Pre-Assessment What do you know about DNA?

Complete a Carousel Brainstorm Activity Use a different color pen in each group Travel to each poster and brainstorm in

order to finish the statement Return to original poster in your group and

report out

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Who’s the Daddy?

Background: Part 1: Building DNA Building DNA Model (p. 16-19)

DNA Explorer (p. 20-21)

Part 2: PBL 1 Who’s the Daddy Read PBL 1 (p. 22-23) Highlight or use post-it notes to

identify important information

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Work on Your Own

List Facts

Develop Questions

Record Lists on Individual Facts and Individual Questions Sheets

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Team Roles: Role Cards

Secretary

RecorderSpokesper

son

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Brainstorm Guidelines

Take Turns and Call out ideas

Record ideas as stated (verbatim)

Strive for quantity

Resist evaluation of ideas

Encourage all ideas

Piggy-back on other ideas

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Team Brainstorming Recorder creates 2 posters

Team brainstorms a list of Facts Team brainstorms a list of Questions

Each team member adds to their “Facts” and “Questions” sheets (Optional)

Facts Questions

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BREAK

Who’s the Daddy?

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Part 2: PBL 1 Who’s the Daddy DNA Extraction (p. 26-30)

Part 3: Research Spinner Activity Chart (p. 31-34)

Technical Information DNA Analysis (p. 35-40)

Who’s the Daddy?

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How do we STOP and SPIN?How do we STOP and SPIN? You will read sections of the article provided Use the spinner in order to choose a word which

will direct you on how to explain the text (in a chart)

Each person in your PBL group may spin and use a different way to interpret the text such as:

Predict: write about what might happen in the future Describe: write what is happening Compare: write about things that are the same Clarify: write about the text to get rid of confusion Visualize: recall in images; describe a picture Summarize: write a short explanation of what you

read Question: write to ask for more information or to find

out something that is unclear

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Stop and Spin ActivityStop and Spin Activity Summarize

Visualize

Clarify

Compare

Question

Predict

Describe

ARTICLE: Technical Information about DNA Analysis

PredictDescribe

QuestionClarify

SummarizeCompare

Free PickVisualize

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Who’s the Daddy?

Part 4: PBL 2 Who’s the Daddy PBL Story (p. 41)

Simulated Gel Electrophoresis (p. 42-47)

Bioethical Decision Making (p. 48-49)

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Debriefing

WHAT DO YOU LIKE?

SUGGESTIONS

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Our Path PBL: Who’s the Daddy?

PBL: Family Secrets

Biodiversity Lab

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More PBL’s Available Online Mad Honey Killer Bees Diagnosis Sam Quiggle (adapted from unknown

author) Owl and Hurricanes Mitosis and Meiosis (adapted from UB)

www.sciencesupport.net