Monday, May 16, 2011

Human Genetics Webquest

Introduction

There are thousands of genetic disorders that affect humans, some of which can have profound effects on a person's quality of life. Genetic disorders are passed from parents to offspring in the genetic code, and in some cases, a person may be a carrier for a disease and pass it to their children without knowing. Because genetic diseases are usually caused by errors or mutations in the genetic code, it is extremely difficult to cure the condition, and in most cases, doctors can only treat the symptoms. In this webquest, you will explore a genetic disease and create a poster about your disease.

This Homework is Due: Tuesday 31st May


Task

Step 1: Choose which disease you will research.

There are many genetic diseases to choose from, and a list of links that you can use to explore the known human genetic diseases. Choose a disease from the list below:



·        Sickle-Cell Disease
·        Hemophilia
·        Albinism
·        Colorblindness
·        Coffin-Lowry Syndrome
·        Achondroplasia (dwarfism)
·        Huntington's Disease
·        Trisomy 18 (Edward's Syndrome)
·        Phenylketonuria (PKU)
·        Progeria (premature aging)
·        Down Syndrome
·        Cystic Fibrosis
·        X-linked Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Disease




Step 2: Research your disorder

Your presentation will need to provide an overview of the disease, addressing what causes it, what the effects and symptoms are, and how likely it is to pass the disease on to the next generation.


Use the following questions to guide you in your research:

1.    How does a person inherit it? Is it dominant or recessive?
2.    How prevalent is the disease in the population (include statistics)?
3.    What are the chances of a person with this disease passing the disease to their offspring (include possible scenarios)?
4.    How is the disease diagnosed?
5.    What are the physical symptoms of the disease?
6.    What is the life expectancy of someone with the disease?
7.    How can the disease be treated?

You can use a search engine to find information about your disease (google, lycos, yahoo) or explore the links in the genetic disorders pages, but make sure you use reputable links (avoid .com unless you know it’s legit!)

Links:  Note that every link may not have info on your disorder


Step 3: Prepare Your Presentation

You will present the information you have gathered on a piece of A4 paper, or as a word document.
You need to have answered all the questions above.
Make it colourful and interesting!
You should have a reference list on the back of your poster that lists your sources of information.


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