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Recommended for: Grades 9-12

Lesson Plan: Genetic Testing

Lesson
Standards

Overview

In this activity, students view case studies about two genetically related diseases: Alzheimer's and breast cancer. They decide if they would choose to have genetic testing in these situations. Students continually reevaluate their decisions as they learn more about gene testing, family disease pedigrees, the role of the environment vs. genetics in causing disease, and possible treatments for genetic diseases.

Objectives

Describe the process of gene testing
Understand the benefits of gene testing
Recognize the limitations of gene testing
Identify the risks of gene testing
Learn about the interaction of environment and genetics in causing diseases
Explore the possibility of gene and protein therapies for treating genetic diseases
Make decisions based on information about genetic testing

Suggested Time

1-2 class periods

Multimedia Resources

Alzheimer's Disease QuickTime Video
A Family Disease QuickTime Video
Personal Opinion Record PDF Document
Three Ways to Check a Fetus's Chromosomes JPEG Image
Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis QuickTime Video
Understanding Gene Testing PDF Document sections for jigsaw:
- How does heredity influence disease?
- What is gene testing?
- What are the uses of genetic testing?
- What are the limitations of gene testing?
- What are the risks of gene testing?
Understanding Gene Testing PDF Document section for procedure 8:
- "How do scientists develop predictive gene tests?
Nature vs. Nurture Revisited HTML Document
Finding Disease Genes QuickTime Video
How to Conquer a Genetic Disease PDF Document
Genetic Therapy and Breast Tumors QuickTime Video
Finding Cures Is Hard QuickTime Video
Jigsaw Explanation PDF Document

Materials

Copies of the Personal Opinion Record (PDF) sheet
Transparency of the Three Ways to Check a Fetus's Chromosomes image
Copies of the Understanding Gene Testing sections
Copies of the Nature vs. Nurture Revisited document

Before the Lesson

Make copies of the Personal Opinion Record (PDF) sheet.
Make a transparency of the Three Ways to Check a Fetus's Chromosomes diagram.
Make copies of the sections from Understanding Gene Testing.
Make copies of the Nature vs. Nurture Revisited document.
Review the Jigsaw Explanation (PDF).

The Lesson

Part I

1. Show the videos Alzheimer's Disease and A Family Disease. Ask students to discuss the following in small groups:

Would you choose to be tested if you knew genetically related breast cancer or Alzheimer's disease ran in your family? Why or why not?

2. Have students use the Personal Opinion Record (PDF) sheet to record their decision and explanation for it under the heading "Take One."

3. Survey the class for the results of their discussion, and record it on the board.

4. Show a transparency of the diagram Three Ways to Check a Fetus's Chromosomes. Ask:

What are some similarities and differences in the three ways a fetus's chromosomes are checked?
What is a karyotype and how is it used?"

Then introduce the video Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis as one of the newest ways to do prenatal testing. Discuss the following:

At what stage of embryo development does Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) take place? Why is it done at this stage?
Why would PGD be especially valuable for preventing sex-linked diseases?
What are the benefits and risks of PGD?

5. Hand out and have all students read the section "What is gene testing?" from Understanding Gene Testing noting questions that arise during their reading. Answer any student questions.

6. Give students the four jigsaw sections from Understanding Gene Testing and have them explore genetic testing by doing a jigsaw (Jigsaw Explanation (PDF)). Have teams of students divide up and read their assigned sections from Understanding Gene Testing identifying at least three key ideas. Then have students teach the key ideas of their topic to the rest of their group.

7. When teams have completed the jigsaw, ask students if what they have just learned causes them to reconsider their earlier decision about genetic testing, which they recorded on their Personal Opinion Record (PDF) sheet. Have them write their current decision under the heading "Take Two."

8. Show the video Finding Disease Genes. Ask:

How can pedigrees (family trees) help identify inherited diseases?
What are the benefits of combining information about a person's DNA, medical history and family tree into a database? What concerns might people have about this?

9. Give out and have students read the section "How do scientists develop predictive gene tests?" from Understanding Gene Testing. This section describes how researchers create pedigrees for genetic diseases.

10. Ask students if what they have just learned makes them reconsider their earlier decision about genetic testing, which they recorded on their Personal Opinion Record (PDF) sheet. Have them write their current decision under the heading "Take Three."

11. Have students read the Nature vs. Nurture Revisited essay.

12. Ask students if what they have just learned causes them to reconsider their decision about genetic testing once again. Have them write their current position and explanation under the heading "Take Four."

13. Have students read How to Conquer a Genetic Disease. Then show the Genetic Therapy and Breast Tumors and Finding Cures Is Hard videos to demonstrate to students how medical researchers are beginning to use what they have learned to treat genetic diseases.

14. Ask students one last time if what they have just learned causes them to reconsider their earlier decisions about genetic testing. Restate the question:

Would you choose to be tested if you knew breast cancer, Alzheimer's disease, or another genetic disease ran in your family? Why or why not?

Have them write their final decision under the heading "Final Take." Tally class results again and compare them to the first results on the board. Discuss any changes in opinions. Ask: