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Chapter 12: Drawing Together Evidence-Based Explanations

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STRATEGY: "Drawing together" by co-constructing "gotta have checklist," pressing for gapless explanations and models and assessing for understanding.

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Students work in groups of 4, each receiving a different DNA strand to learn transcription and translation. Along with the original DNA strand, they also receive Mutation #1, Mutation #2 and Mutation #3 of their unique DNA strand. As they work, they discover that the mutant DNA is very similar, just an additional or missing nucleotide from the original but as they do transcription and translation they begin to understand that what seemed like a simple change actually results in change to the amino acid sequence. Students then use the amino acid sequence with graph paper to create models of the proteins created from the sequences and then match their amino acid sequences to a card that exhibits a human phenotype thus connecting that melanin is a protein that gives humans their skin color, hair color and eye color, mutations to the genes can cause variation in the traits exhibited.

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Formative

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After teaching protein synthesis for the second year using two different lesson plans, I better understand the value of creating the models to help students understand the change that a single mutation makes to the shape of the protein. Creating a checklist with students helps to review concepts using vocabulary and build a framework for their CER writing.

As students create and analyze their models, they are able to visualize, begin to understand and then use a CER to explain how the change in just one amino acid completely changes the shape of the protein resulting in a human phenotype change.

Next year I would like to continue to find ways to make even more connections like this, helping students better understand complex concepts making authentic connections from models to checklists to assessment.