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A WebQuest for 9th Grade Biology

Designed by

Ms. Jessica TaylorEvenstarNessaS@aol.com

Based on a template from The WebQuest Page,Go here for more resources: The WebQuest Slideshare Group

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TitleAt the end of your tour and exploration, you will build your own DNA molecule using the knowledge you have gained and the blueprints provided.

Be sure to pay attention to your specific building block so that you know how your piece will fit in with the other pieces at the end of your exploring, your teammates are depending on you to help them build their ultimate masterpiece!

First, in your groups, decide who wants the following roles:-A-T / U-C-G

Now, let’s begin our exploration! Your first step will be in determining what DNA looks like when it’s all put together. Now you need to better understand DNA’s purpose as a whole.

Continue with your task…

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TitleNow that you know what DNA is like overall, you need to know how it builds! You also need to know how your piece is important by itself and how it interacts with other pieces to build.

First, let’s examine your specific piece. After reading about your role, be able to explain which pieces you can interact with, and how.

If your role is A, you will need to know all about your role as Adenine.

If your role is C, you’re a Cytosine, and you’ll need to understand your role.

If your role is G, you will need to understand the role of a Guanine.

If your role is T, you are a Tyrosine, and you have a different role as well.

T is special, as you will read about. So, if you’re a T, you will also want to know about your special role as a U, or Uracil.

Once you understand your role, and how you can interact with others, we can continue with our exploration!

Continue…

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In order to build your own DNA strand, you have done some exploring. Now, you should know which piece you are playing the role of in DNA. You explored the websites provided to understand what your piece is, what it does, and how it interacts with the other pieces. This knowledge of your role will be vital to completing your task.Third, you understand the overall picture, try answering the following questions: What is DNA? What does it do? What parts must be put together for this to happen? Why is DNA important?

You have followed these steps in order to arrive at an understanding of DNA and your specific role in that DNA strand.

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Now you know the pieces of DNA: A, T, C, and G, and how they interact to form a DNA strand. You know how they are put together and what is required in order to put them together. Your challenge now is to build your own DNA strand with other members from your group. Fulfill your role and see if you can build a DNA strand based on those roles and how they interact. If you can build a small DNA strand, see if you can join with another group and continue your interaction between roles to build an even bigger one! And if you’re really adventurous, try to make your entire class of small DNA strands into one large DNA strand!

Here are some questions to consider at the end:What would happen if two of the nucleotides were mismatched? What are some ways that DNA might try to fix this? What is the difference between RNA and DNA? Why is RNA important in making DNA? What would happen without RNA?

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Credits:Image on Title page from Flickr, taken by ynse.

References:http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/begin/dna/builddna/ - how DNA buildshttp://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/adenine.aspx - “A” rolehttp://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-nucleica.html What DNA ishttp://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/guanine.aspx -“G” rolehttp://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/thymine.aspx - “T” rolehttp://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/cytosine.aspx - “C” rolehttp://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/uracil.aspx - “U” rolehttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e4/DNA_chemical_structure.svg/350px-DNA_chemical_structure.svg.png - Picture of DNA Structurehttp://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/c/c6/350px-NA-comparedto-DNA_thymineAndUracilCorrected.png - DNA compared to RNA

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A WebQuest for 9th Grade Biology

Designed by

Ms. Jessica TaylorEvenstarNessaS@aol.com

Based on a template from The WebQuest Page

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This WebQuest was developed as part of an educational technology course designed to educate teacher candidates about technology and how to use it effectively in their classrooms.

This WebQuest was designed to help students of grades 8/9 better understand the process and building blocks behind DNA.

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This WebQuest can be applied to Standard 3 in 8 th and 9th grade science classrooms, specifically grades 6-8, #3: That there is differentiation among levels of organization and their roles within the whole organism, as well as grades 9-12, #11: DNA has a general structure and function and a role in heredity and protein synthesis.  Standards- grades 6-8, #3: That there is differentiation among levels of organization and their roles within the whole organism, as well as grades 9-12, #11: DNA has a general structure and function and a role in heredity and protein synthesis.

Learners will have to be able to navigate through basic weblinks and be able to read encyclopedia pages provided for them (these encyclopedia pages are written with scientific terminology and students below an 8/9 th grade level may struggle with this reading).

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As a result of this lesson, Colorado Standard 3 will be addressed:

Science Standards Addressed

-Grades 6-8, #3: That there is differentiation among levels of organization and their roles within the whole organism -Grades 9-12, #11: DNA has a general structure and function and a role in heredity and protein synthesis..

There are also several types of thinking encouraged by this WebQuest, including teamwork, thinking about the big picture versus the small picture, and applying theory to practice. The addition of making larger and larger DNA strands also includes critical thinking and problem solving skills, as well as an even broader focus on teamwork.

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The WebQuest is organized to be completed by groups of 4 in one class period. The students can choose their own groups of 4, or be divided by the teacher, depending upon the class. Some main points that the students must understand is that RNA is single-stranded while DNA is double-stranded, and that Thymine in DNA is equivalent to Uracil in RNA. The teacher should be able to direct the students through the process and facilitate students interacting with one another. It requires a basic knowledge of DNA and how it fits together, as well as the ability to help the students interact as “puzzle pieces”.

VariationsIf student groups must have more than 4 students, you can split the T/U role between two students to further exaggerate how T and U change between DNA and RNA. You could also add the role of DNA Ploymerase and allow those students to “piece together” the other students.

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Adequate computers for the class are needed, as well as red, green, yellow, and blue construction paper with A on one color, T on another, C on another, and so on, with strings tied through to allow the students to wear them around their necks. U should be written on the back of the papers with T written on them. (These signs or labels for the students are designed to facilitate both your and their speed when it comes to their interactions; these signs are used to make obvious one’s role in the final task). One teacher should be adequate to teach this lesson and be a group facilitator.

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The students will be evaluated at the end on the basis of their ability to form their own mini-DNA molecule with their group members. The A and T roles should hold hands and be bound with each other across, as well as the C and G roles. They can place their free hand on the shoulder of the group member in another pair in front of them to show the bond between pairs of nucleotides. Students that can successfully complete this and even “join” with other groups will have achieved the purpose of this WebQuest.

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As a facilitator of this lesson, there are several points at which student engagement with you will be helpful and probably required. The following can be used as a roadmap for these points:

Introduction: the pronunciation of Deoxyribonucleic Acid may be an issue here, as well as its association with its acronym, DNA.

The Task: One point at which the student will need engagement and encouragement will be reading through DNA’s purpose as a whole. Helping the student to summarize this encyclopedia entry as well as to get the overall general idea will be helpful here. Doing this with whichever role the student is given will also be helpful, whether its A, C, T and U, or G (also be sure that the student understands what a nucleotide is). They will also need help comprehending how DNA is built, as well as what RNA is. Finally, be sure to tie all the things together with the student and make sure they understand the significance of the blueprint provided for them.

The Process: Be sure that the student can answer the following questions, which they will be prompted to think about-What is DNA? What does it do? What parts must be put together for this to happen? Why is DNA important?

Conclusion: Talk through these questions with the student to make sure they understand their significance:What would happen if two of the nucleotides were mismatched? What are some ways that DNA might try to fix this? What is the difference between RNA and DNA? Why is RNA important in making DNA? What would happen without RNA?

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This lesson will teach the students how DNA is built up and the pieces that build it up so that they may better understand its structure and purpose in living systems.

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Credits:Image on Title page from Flickr, taken by ynse.

References:http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/begin/dna/builddna/ - how DNA buildshttp://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/adenine.aspx - “A” rolehttp://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-nucleica.html What DNA ishttp://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/guanine.aspx -“G” rolehttp://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/thymine.aspx - “T” rolehttp://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/cytosine.aspx - “C” rolehttp://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/uracil.aspx - “U” rolehttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e4/DNA_chemical_structure.svg/350px-DNA_chemical_structure.svg.png - Picture of DNA Structurehttp://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/c/c6/350px-NA-comparedto-DNA_thymineAndUracilCorrected.png - DNA compared to RNA

Go here for a template to make your own WebQuest:The WebQuest Page Go here for additional resources: The WebQuest Slideshare Group

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