iTitle of Unit

Genetic Disorders

Grade Level

11th

Curriculum Area

Science

Time Frame

4 Blocks

Developed By

Amy Nimmer

Stage 1: Identify Desired Results

Content Standards
Biology Standard
SB2: Students will analyze how biological traits are passed on to successive generation.
Standards for the 21st Century Learner
1.1.4 Find, evaluate, and select appropriate sources to answer questions.
1.3.5 Use information technology responsibly.
1.4.4 Seek appropriate help when it is needed.
2.1.4 Use technology and other information tools to analyze and organize information.
2.2.4 Demonstrate personal productivity by completing products to express learning.
3.1.4 Use technology and other information tools to organize and display knowledge and
understanding in ways that others can view, use, and assess.
International Society for Technology Standards in Education (ISTE)
ISTE 1: Creativity and Innovation
ISTE 3: Research and Information Fluency
ISTE 5: Digital Citizenship
ISTE 6: Technology Operations and Concepts

Understandings
Overarching Understandings
Students will understand how
biological traits are passed on to
successive generation.
Students will understand how to
use the internet ethically and
responsibly.
Students will understand how to
use a web 2.0 tool to present
their findings.

Essential Questions
Overarching
How does a
specific genetic
disorder affect a
persons life?
How will
students use the
internet
ethically and
responsibly?

Related Misconceptions:

Information can be copied and

pasted without giving credit to
author

Topical
What specific
chromosomal
abnormalities are
present in a
specific disorder?
How is the
disorder inherited,
and what are the
causes?
How is the
disorder
diagnosed and
treated?

Knowledge

Skills

Students will know

Students will be able to

Explain how biological traits are passed on

The definition of a specific

genetic disorder.
How to ethically and
responsibly use the internet to
research a specific genetic
disorder using Weebly,
Piktochart, or Smore.

to successive generation
Upload their finished project to padlet, and
present their findings using Weebly,
Piktochart, or Smore.

Stage 2: Assessment Evidence

Performance Task Description
After the lessons, students will be able to successfully describe a specific
genetic disorder and how biological traits are passed on to successive
Goal generations. Students will also be able to responsibly and ethically research
their topic on the internet. They will also be able to successfully create a
presentation using a web 2.0 tool, and add that presentation to a padlet.
Under the instruction of the teacher and media specialist, students will be
Role responsible for researching a specific genetic disorder and present the
information using a web 2.0 tool.

Audience
Situation

11th Grade Honor Students, Teacher, Media Specialist

Students will work in the classroom, media classroom, and computer lab to
create their project.

Product/ Students will create a presentation using a web 2.0 tool that describes in
Performance detail a specific genetic disorder.
Biology Standard
SB2
st
Standards Standards for the 21 Century Learner
1.1.4, 1.3.5, 1.4.4, 2.1.4, 2.2.4, 3.1.4

ISTE
1, 3, 5, 6
Other Evidence

Stage 3: Learning Plan

Day 1
Before the lesson, students have been introduced to the vocabulary that will be needed for the
successful completion of this project. The students have also been quizzed by the teacher to
determine if the students are ready to move on to the class project using a web 2.0 tool
The teacher will introduce the project by showing a YouTube video about Dominant and
Recessive Genetic Disorders. This is a four minute video that gives a brief introduction to
genes and how they are passed from parents to children. Once the video has been shown,
there will be a short classroom discussion about genetic disorders to determine the level of
knowledge the students have about genetic disorders. After the discussion has taken place, the
teacher will pass out all necessary paperwork to complete the project. The teacher will begin
discussing what is expected from each student for the successful completion of the project.
Students will be assigned a specific genetic disorder by the teacher. Students will be given
genetic disorder presentation guidelines to follow to complete the project. The students will
also be provided a research checklist that will be used to grade the assignment. Each of these
items will be discussed with the class.

Day 2

Today, the students will go to the media classroom and three different web 2.0 tools will be
introduced to the class by the media specialist as well as a short lesson on ethical and
responsible use of the internet. A curated list on ethical use has been provided to help
students better understand how to ethically use information from the internet. Each of the
resources will be shared with the class. A second curated list of resources has been provided
to help assist the students with the different web 2.0 tools. One website has been provided to
give the students a good place to start with their research process.
The different web 2.0 tools that will be used include the following: Piktochart, Smore, and
Weebly. The media specialist will demonstrate how to use each of the tools by displaying
them using a projector and screen. The media specialist used examples that had been
previously completed for other projects. After the introduction of the web 2.0 tools, the
students will choose a tool. Students will move to the computer lab and create a Gmail
account if they do not have one. The Gmail account will allow them to sign in to one of the
web 2.0 tools. Each of the tools are free, but they require an email address to sign up. Once
each student has an email address, they will create a free account for the web 2.0 tool they
selected. Students will begin researching to find the information they need for their project.
Day 3
Students will continue working on the project. They will continue researching their genetic
disorder. They will also begin placing their information in the web 2.0 tool. The teacher and
media specialist will walk around and assist with any questions the students may have about
the project. Students also have their curated list of resources to assist them in the research
process and using the web 2.0 tools. By the end of the block, the students will have finished
the majority of the assignment. Students who do not complete the assignment by the end of
the block will be required to finish the assignment at home. All students will place the
completed assignment on a padlet created by the teacher. The padlet is located on the
homepage of the school web site under the teachers name.
Day 4
Students will present their findings to the class. As the students are presenting their findings,
the students will be recording information for each genetic disorder that has been assigned. A
handout will be provided that will allow the students to write the definition, symptoms, and
causes. When the presentations have been completed, the students will turn in their disorders
chart to prove they were engaged as the other students were presenting their findings.

Feedback and Reflections

Students seemed to be really interested in this project. Not only did they get to create a
project using the internet, but they also got to learn about something that is a very real part of
life. Many of the students know someone who has a genetic disorder, so it makes more sense
to them to research something that they have actually seen at some point in their life. The
students were very eager to learn how to use their web 2.0 tool. They were so eager, they
didnt want to take the time to listen to me explain the three different tools at one time. Next
time, introducing one tool may be better depending on the group of students. Because this
was an Honors Biology class, they were very capable of completing the assignment without
needing a lot of additional help. I like how several of the students asked which tool was the
most difficult to use. I told them Piktochart, and that is what they chose to use. They wanted a
challenge when using the technology. I was excited to work with these students. It was my
first group of students that I worked with as a high school media specialist.