Genetics Project – Genetics Conditions and Issues

The Genetics Project is your chance to learn about some condition or issue related to genetics. Most often the topic is something that you or someone in your family has experienced. It could also be something you want to know about.

In the past students have done projects on:

• Diabetes
• Tourettes
• Cancer
• Twins – Nature vs. Nurture
• Is there a sports gene?
• Designer babies
• Genetic engineering
• ADHD

The project may be done in any format approved by your teacher. Formats include: Word document, Power Point Presentation, Google Documents or Presentations, handwritten paper, 3-fold poster board.

The Media Center has put together resources to help you find information. Contact them for help.

Whatever format you choose, it should include information on;

·         Why this topic interests you.

·         Describe the condition or issue. What are the symptoms?

·         Is it inherited? Has a gene been identified?

·         Are there environmental factors that start or influence the condition?

·         How is the condition prevented or treated? This is where you discuss if a person with the gene for the condition can do anything to prevent or reduce the impact of the condition.

·         What will happen in the future? Is there any thought that genetic engineering will be used to treat the condition?

·         State your opinion about how much the condition is due to genetics.

General Guidelines

·         Use 2 outside sources and cite your sources.

o   Use credible sources for your information.

§  Here’s the link for the Media Center sources  https://sites.google.com/site/fremontmsmediacenter/useful-links/genetics-saeger

o   If you use sources not listed with the Media Center, focus on websites that are a .edu or.org. Check to be sure the author is trustworthy and the information is valid.

o   The Media Center has citation forms

·         Writing conventions and grammar will be graded.

·         Do not Copy and Paste! No credit will be given for copied work. I want your ideas and your words.

·         Due: Monday, January 27

Drops of Water on a Penny lab report instructions

Title: What would you name this report?

Observations: Summarize what we saw in the very beginning when we watched what happened to the water drop when it landed on a flat surface.

Testable Question:

Mr. Saeger has a roll of new pennies. What is a testable question about drops on pennies of different ages?

Hypothesis:

A hypothesis is an answer to the testable question. Don't use personal pronouns. Don't try to explain why you think one type of penny will hold a different number of drops.

Independent Variable:

The independent variable is the thing you changed in the experiment. What was the independent variable?

Dependent Variable:

The dependent variable is what was affected by the independent variable and is usually what you measure. What was the dependent variable?

Variables to Control

Some of the ways you did the lab might have changed the number of drops the penny held. We listed several in your notes. List ten using bullet points

Procedure:

List materials.

Give step-by-step instructions so someone else could do the lab the same way you did.

Bullet points are OK.

There are 5 to 10 steps depending on how you write them.

Results:

	Number of Drops (mean)
Control group Pennies > 13 years
Experimental group New pennies

Conclusion:

This is at least 3 complete sentences.

1.     What do the results show about how many drops fit on old and new pennies.

2.    Restate your hypothesis.

3.    Was your hypothesis right or wrong?

4.   Did you think of any other factors that might have affected your results while doing the experiment?

 

 

 Use complete sentences in all sections unless there are directions telling you bullet points are OK. All writing conventions count.

 

 

How to Write a Lab Report Update - Tilt Lab version

Here’s what goes in the Tilt lab lab report.

Title;   
A very brief description of what the lab is about.

Testable Question: 
A question that can be investigated with an experiment. This was done for you on the lab form.

Hypothesis:
A prediction of how the test you are doing will turn out. It is an answer to the question you are testing. Complete sentence. No personnel pronouns. It is not a question. Do not say why or use the word 'because.'

Independent Variable:
The one thing you change in the experiment to see what kind of difference it makes.

Dependent Variable:
The thing that is affected by the changes in the independent variable. It’s what you measure.

Controlled Variables:
The factors you keep the same because they might affect the outcome of the experiment.

Procedure:
Include materials here: A list of everything you used to do the experiment. Do not include everyday items like pencil and paper. Bullet points.
Describe how to do the experiment so someone else could read it and do the exact same thing. Bullet points. It should have at least 6 or as many as 15 steps.

Results:
For this lab its the table and graph. Every table and graph needs a title, each number needs a label, each axis on the graph needs a label, and include a legend for each line on the graph.

Conclusion:
This is where you decide if the independent variable made a difference in the experimental group. Look at the lines on the graph. If the slopes are different, the independent variable made a difference. Use the results to support your conclusion about the independent variable.
 State if the hypothesis was right or wrong.
 If necessary, mention how other factors may have influenced your results. Complete sentences.

Grading comments:

• 30 of the 50 points will be over how well you followed the instructions above.
• Writing conventions (spelling, punctuation, grammar) will be worth 10 points.
• 'Voice,' or how much it looks and sounds like a scientist will be worth 10 points.

Life Science CRT

The Life Science CRT will be on Friday, February 22. We will review in class on Wednesday and Thursday. Students should study all Life Science notes (Cells, Genetics, Interactions of Living Things, and Evolution) and old unit tests. There are vocabulary reviews on Quizlet. Use the links to the right to find them.

The Osmosis Lab Report is due Monday, December 17. It is a 50 point project and may be word processed or had written. The Osmosis Lab Report template in the 7C Science folder on the Shared file has the section headings and table to use. The information you need to write the report is in the lab notes you recorded daily.

Here's what goes in the report:

Title (1 point)
- The title describes what the lab tested.

Introduction/Notes (3 points)
- Use complete sentences to define osmosis and diffusion. Explain how cells get the water they need to live.

Testable Question: (3points)
- One sentence that asks the question we will try to answer in the lab. (It should be part of your Day 2 lab notes)
Hypothesis (2 points)
- No personal pronouns
-Do not try to explain why

Independent Variable (2 points)
- This is what we did to the cell to see what happens

Dependent Variable (2 points)
-What happened to the cell because of the independent variable

Variables to Control (2 points)
- We noted 2 things that we needed to control because they might effect the dependent variable

Procedure (10 points)
- Include the materials list here
- Organize this section by Day. For example, list the materials used and what was done for Day 1 then Day 2 etc.
- Bullet points are OK

Data Table (5 points)
- Put a title on the table
- Label all numbers with the correct unit of measurement

Observations (5 points)
- Describe how the egg appeared
- Organize this section by the Day. (Day 1, Day 2, etc)

Conclusion (5 points)
- Use what you know about osmosis and diffusion to explain why the egg shrunk on Day 3 and grew on Day 4.
- State if your hypothesis was right or wrong

Effort (10 points)
- Is it neat and easy to read?
- Did you explain what happened and why we did the lab?
- Are the sections organized in a way that is easy to understand? For example, the results and observations sections go between the procedure and conclusion; not at the very beginning or end.
- Could someone read the report and do the same thing you did?
- Spelling, grammar, and punctuation count!

Daily Notes (3 points)
- Attach the daily lab notes to the back of the report