Drugs and Chromosomes

 

                                   

Prepared   by Ira Rosenkrantz

 

Introduction

I can’t belief it. I saw pictures on T.V. The babies were born deformed. Sometimes the babies had no arms or legs. The deformities came from drugs that women had taken during pregnancy. Now my wife was pregnant. I was concerned about the everyday drugs that she was taking such as aspirin, and other drugs that she may have to take because of pregnancy.  During pregnancy her doctor prescribed a new drug.  The medicine bottle said give 1 pill every four hours.  Is everybody suppose to take1 pill? Are there different doses for different size people?  Did the drug commission analyze it carefully? It takes years before a drug comes to the general public because the drug commission is suppose to analyze it carefully. You are a congressman working with the drug commission about the safety of drugs. You will have to report during a congressional meeting about your findings.   

 

 Task

Investigate whether using drugs can cause genetic defects. What are the current policies about testing drugs, and for creating drugs that will not cause genetic defects?  Should we develop new policies to prevent the production of drugs that will cause genetic defects? You will use the public policy analysis website, and the internet to develop a storyboard presentation. A storyboard is a visual presentation of a concept.  As part of your evidence, include pictures or other visual aids such as charts and graphs from the websites. You will make a 3- 4-minute oral presentation that explains the storyboard using the public policy analysis. The oral presentation should have two questions on each of the public policy steps that will allow you to know that the students understand your presentation. Both the storyboard and the oral presentation will be done by a group of students

 

 

Process

You will be placed in groups of four.

 

In order to develop your report, use the 6 step public policy analysis format found

on the website   http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/ppa/intro.html

 

ü      1   Define problem

ü      2.  Gather evidence

ü      3.  Identify causes

ü      4.  Evaluate a policy

ü      5.  Develop solutions

ü      6.  Select best solution

 

On day one do the following:

Ø      Define the problem based on the introduction

Ø      Click on the highlighted blue word above, which is the problem.

Ø      Go to the end of the worksheet and click on worksheet 1 defining social problem

Ø      Fill out the worksheet, based on the problem from the introduction you read above, which you will find on problem sheet.

Ø      After completing the worksheet, join your group of 4 and discuss the problem

Ø      Read the “define problem page” to help you in your discussion. 

Ø      Come up with one problem for the whole group based on the introduction

 

On day two do the following:

 

  1. click on the blue word gather 
  2. Read the page and do the worksheet
  3. Go to websites to gather evidence to show that there is a problem.
  4. As part of your evidence, include pictures or other visual aids such as charts and graphs from the websites.
  5. Write two questions to ask the class, during your   group oral presentation that will indicate to you that the students understand the reasons that your evidence supports your problem. For example, if you show a picture of a deformity, why is the picture an example of evidence that supports your problem?
  6. Go back to your group and discuss the worksheet and information from the worksheets

 

 

 STORYBOARD HELP

 

The storyboard could be a:

 

1.  Poster board

2.  Power point presentation storyboard

3.  Set of pictures taped to the blackboard

4.  Series of overhead projections

 

Storyboard Websites

Use the following websites to help you in making the storyboard:

 

How to do power point presentations

http://www.indezine.com/ideas/storybrd.html

 

Key to Effective Storyboards

http://www.holberton.com/sol_vol-3-no1.html

 

Tips about doing a story board

http://www.holberton.com/sol_vol-3-no1.html

 

In order to use the internet, use the following search engines:

www.google.com

www.yahoo.com

 

Visual aids

In order to get visual aids for your storyboard go to

www.google.com -   type in “drugs and chromosomes or deformities or genetic deformities “click  on the word  images

 


 

Here are some sites that will help you with your report:

 

Drugs and chromosome damage

http://www.ahrp.org/infomail/05/03/11.php 

 

LSD and chromosome

http://users.lycaeum.org/~sputnik/Drugs/LSD/LSD.genes.html

 

Drugs and chromosome Damage

http://www.allergan.com/site/products/consumers/safety.asp?id=fluoroplex&largeText=

 

Birth Defects

http://www.chclibrary.org/micromed/00039910.html

 

Follow the same procedure you did for day two, and use the following  other steps :

 

Day 3         3.  Identify causes       

Day 4         4.  Evaluate a policy       

Day 5         5.  Develop solutions

Day 6         6.  Select best solution

 

In addition, decide which member of your group will write up each part of the paper.   

 

 

Evaluation

 

Learning Standard for English

    New York Standard 1

   Student will read, write, listen or speak for information and understanding.

 
New York State Learning Standards For the Living Environment

 

Students will understand the following:

Major Understandings

2.1a Genes are inherited, but their expression can be modified by interactions with the environment.

2.1b Every organism requires a set of coded instructions for specifying its traits. For off-spring to resemble their parents, there must be a reliable way to transfer information from one generation to the next. Heredity is the passage of these instructions from one generation to another.

2.1c Hereditary information is contained in genes, located in the chromosomes of each cell. An inherited trait of an individual can be determined by one or by many genes, and a single gene can influence more than one trait. A human cell contains many thousands of different genes in its nucleus.

genetically identical to the parent.

2.1e In sexually reproducing organisms, the new individual receives half of the genetic Information from its mother (via the egg) and half from its father (via the sperm). Sexually produced offspring often resemble, but are not identical to, either of their parents.

2.1F Genes are segments of DNA molecules. Random alteration of mutations can cause mutations. An altered gene may be passed on to every cell that develops from it.

2.1G In all organisms the coded information for specifying the characteristics of the organism is carried by the DNA, a large molecule formed from the subunits of four kinds (A, G,C,T). The chemical and structural properties of DNA are the basis for how the genetics information that underlies heredity is both encoded in genes (as string of molecular” letters”) and replicated by means of a template.

2.1h Cells store and use encoded information. The genetic information stored in DNA is used to direct the synthesis of thousands of proteins that each cell requires.

2.1I The work of the cell is carried out by many different types of molecules it assembles, mostly proteins. Protein molecules are long usually folded chains made from 20 different finds of amino acids in a specific sequence. This sequence influences the shape of the  protein. The shape of the protein, in turn, determines its  function.

 

Storyboard Presentation Rubric

  

Point value

3

2

1

Has a picture that shows the problem

Excellent picture of the problem.

Good picture of the problem.

 Poor picture of the problem.

Has visual aids that identifies causes

Visual aids which identifies all causes

Visual aids which identifies most causes

Visual aids which identifies some causes

 

Has visual aids that

explains causes

Has visual aids that explains how each cause is related to the problem

Has visual aids that explains how most causes are related to the problem

Has visual aids that explains how some causes are related to the problem

Has visual aids that identifies solutions    

Has visual aids that

identifies all solutions

Has visual aids that

identifies most solutions

Has visual aids that

identifies some solutions

Questions

Writes two questions for each of the visual aids so that students understand what is being presented.

Writes two questions for 3 of the

visual aids

so that  students understand

what is being presented.

Writes two questions for 2 of the visual aids so that students  understand what is being presented.

A-15-14points

B-13-12 points

C-11-10 points

 

Oral Presentation Rubric

 

Point value

3

2

1

Heading

 

 

 

Problem

Thoroughly explains why there is a problem.

Good explanation of the problem.

Explains the problem poorly.

Gathering evidence

Gathers evidence from 5 internet sites

Gathers evidence from 3 or 4 internet sites

Gathers evidence from 2 or less internet sites

Explains evidence

 Thoroughly explains why the evidence is related to the problem

Good explanation. Understands how most of the evidence is related to the problem .

Poor explanation. Understands why some of the evidence is related to the problem.

Identifies causes

Identifies all causes

Identifies most causes

Identifies some causes

Explains causes

Explains how each cause is related to the problem.

Explains how most causes are related to the problem.

Explains how some causes are related to the problem.

Identifies solutions

Identifies all solutions

Identifies most solutions

Identifies some solutions

Explanation of solutions

Explains how each solution will solve the problem.

Explains how most of the solutions will solve the problem.

Explains how some of the solutions will solve the problem.

Choice of best solution

Thorough explanation of why the choice is the best solution.

Good explanation of why the choice is the best solution.

Poor explanation of why the choice is the best solution.

Presentation

Visual aids

Uses four visual aids such as pictures to help in their presentation. Asks at least two questions about the pictures or visual aids to show how they are related to the report.

Uses three visual aids such as pictures to help in their presentation. Asks at least two questions about the pictures or visual aids to show how they are related to the report.

Uses two visual aids such as pictures to help in their presentation. Doesn’t ask at least two questions about the pictures or visual aids to show how they are related to the report.

Discussion

 of questions  related to Public Policy Steps

Discusses two questions for each of the following steps in the public policy analyst format: evidence, causes, evaluation, and solution that will help determine if students understand what is being presented.

Discusses two questions for three of the following steps in the public policy analyst format: evidence, causes, evaluation, and solution that will help determine if students understand what is being presented.

Discusses two questions for one or two of the following steps in the public policy analyst format: evidence, causes, evaluation, and solution, that will help determine if students understand what is being presented.

 

Explanation of points

 

A-30 28 points

B-27-24 points

C-23-20 points

 

 

Conclusion

Congratulations as a student you have learned the following:

 

Ø     Ø     Search for websites using the internet

Ø     Ø     Develop critical thinking skills

Ø     Ø     Provide questions that will test for students’ understanding

Ø     Ø     Present an oral presentation

Ø     Ø     Present a storyboard presentation

Ø     Ø     Apply scientific concepts, principles, and theories pertaining to the physical setting and living environment

Ø     Be vigilant about reproducing organisms from cells