Teaching About Genetics (9-12)

Teaching About Genetics examines how to employ content knowledge, sound teaching strategies, and real-life case studies to give students a deep and meaningful understanding of genetics.

Course Objectives

• Examine techniques for assessing student knowledge
• Explore methods for identifying and approaching the teaching of "big ideas" in genetics
• Identify effective ways to teach about real-world applications of science topics

Course Syllabus

Session 1: Topics in Genetics
Identify challenging genetics topics and use a combination of content knowledge and sound teaching strategies to develop effective teaching approaches for these topics.

Session 2: Topics in Applied Genetics
Self-assess knowledge of applied genetics, explore how preconceptions affect learning, and identify a set of resources and strategies for using them to deepen student understanding of this subject.

Additional Course Information

• 15 contact hours
• Second in a series of four courses for teachers of high school biology
• Other courses in the series:
  • 1st course: Inquiry in Science Education ^‡
  • 3rd course: Teaching About Evolution
  • 4th course: Designing Effective Lessons
  • ^‡recommended before taking this course
• A full survey course (45 contact hours), Teaching High School Biology, is also available.

We recommend course modules be taken in order. If this is not possible, it's important to have a basic knowledge of the content and methodology described in the preceding courses.

See also: Course Tour example

About Teachers' Domain High School Courses:
Unlike the elementary and middle school courses, all high school courses assume a basic knowledge of the subject matter. These courses emphasize teaching strategies and methodology, particularly inquiry, and the use of technology and rich media in lessons. Science topics within these courses are those that are often found to be challenging to teach and learn. These topics are used to facilitate the study of methodology.