CH_DANCE.GIF

Lesson 5

The previous lesson introduced Mitosis and Meiosis, which had the students look at the implications to the genetic material and the passing on of genes to cell offspring. Today's lesson step out of the biology classroom and look at a real world application of this genetic knowledge and also a have the students work with Windows Movie Maker. The goal is to have the students create a brief movie revolving around "the impact of DNA technologies."

Key Concept / Question

Windows Movie Maker, DNA technologies. What impact has research had on our lives today? What are the controversies?

Resources

Laptops, internet use, websites such as www.teachertube.com to see samples. LCD projector.

Warm Up

Begin the lesson by going over the previous day's assignment, annotated drawings of mitosis and meiosis. Hold up sample drawings and review each process. Answer any questions that remain.

Introduction

Have the students take out their laptops and open up the Windows Movie Maker program. Open up the program yourself and connect your laptop to the LCD projector. Go through the steps of creating a movie, pointing out the essential functions and steps. The students are to practice along and continue after your demonstration. Go throughout the room and ensure understanding of the program and good working knowledge of the needed steps.

Lesson

1. Explain the lesson and their objective, which is to create a movie that focuses on some current event that involve DNA. For example, the Human Genome Project, Genetic Engineering, Cloning, etc...

2. They are to create a 2 minute movie from a perspective of a lobbyist (explain term if needed) who is lobbying for or against the topic that they chose.
The target audience is a government representative.

3. They are to work in pairs, that you will choose. They have the remainder of the class period and next to complete the movie. After completion, we will watch them all.

4. Show them the following sample.


5. Be sure to answer any questions that they have, especially if this is the first time to work with the program.

6. Reiterate that you are looking for a 1-sided persuasive argument in their video.

7. Share with them that it is a good idea to brainstorm and create a flowchart or storyboard of the images that they foresee using.

8. Again make sure to stress that the importance of group work and to make sure that everyone is involved. Secondly, grading of this assignment will be done as a group as a whole.

9. Split them into groups of 2 to 3.

10. As they are working, walk around the room and be available to answer any questions and to ensure that the work is done as a group.

Evaluation / Assignment

I am going to look at 2 things to check their comprehension:
1) if they are successful in creating a 2 minute movie
2) how persuasive their video is

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