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Science lesson plan · 11th grade (Year 12 in England) · 60 minutes

Selective breeding, genetic engineering and gene editing

Cells, genetics and evolution

CCSS NGSS.HS-LS3-1CCSS NGSS.HS-LS4-6CCSS NGSS.SEP 8England: GCSE Combined Science: Inheritance, variation and evolution

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Selective breeding, genetic engineering and gene editing.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells; DNA, genes and chromosomes

Leads to: the next skill in this area.

Materials: Microscope images or slides, Cell diagrams, Mini whiteboards, A diagram or short video clip of the idea, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 6 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells; DNA, genes and chromosomes). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Where is this found: plasmids (small rings of DNA)? (prokaryotic cells only / eukaryotic cells only / both types of cell) → prokaryotic cells onlyPrompt: “Pro-karyote” means “before nucleus”.
  2. What is a gene? (a disease / a whole chromosome / a type of cell / a section of DNA that codes for a protein) → a section of DNA that codes for a proteinPrompt: Genes are found along chromosomes.
  3. A bacterial cell is about 2 µm long and a cheek cell is about 60 µm. How many times longer is the cheek cell? (300 times / 30 times / 120 times / 3 times) → 30 timesPrompt: Divide the larger size by the smaller one.

Hook · 6 min

  • Show a microscope image of cells and ask what students think they are looking at.
  • Share the objective: Selective breeding, genetic engineering and gene editing. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 12 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: What does CRISPR-Cas9 allow scientists to do?
  • Step 1: CRISPR uses guide RNA to direct Cas9 to a target sequence, where the DNA is cut and edited.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: cut DNA at a chosen place to edit a gene precisely
  • Answer: cut DNA at a chosen place to edit a gene precisely
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 12 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. What does CRISPR-Cas9 allow scientists to do? (read a person's thoughts / remove all mutations from a population / make copies of whole animals / cut DNA at a chosen place to edit a gene precisely) → cut DNA at a chosen place to edit a gene preciselyPrompt: Cas9 is an enzyme guided by a short piece of RNA.
  2. Evaluate this claim: “Insect-resistant GM crops mean farmers never need to manage pests again.” Which response is best supported by evidence? (Insects cannot evolve. / They can reduce insecticide spraying, but insects can evolve resistance, so careful management is still needed. / Pests disappear forever after one season. / The crops kill every animal that touches them.) → They can reduce insecticide spraying, but insects can evolve resistance, so careful management is still needed.Prompt: Be wary of answers that use “never”, “every” or “always”.

You do: independent practice · 17 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 7 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. What does CRISPR-Cas9 allow scientists to do? (remove all mutations from a population / make copies of whole animals / read a person's thoughts / cut DNA at a chosen place to edit a gene precisely) → cut DNA at a chosen place to edit a gene preciselyPrompt: Cas9 is an enzyme guided by a short piece of RNA.
  2. Evaluate this claim: “Gene therapy can cure every inherited disease.” Which response is best supported by evidence? (It only works on plants. / It has never helped anyone. / It changes the genes of every person on Earth. / Some gene therapies are approved for specific conditions, but many diseases are still being researched.) → Some gene therapies are approved for specific conditions, but many diseases are still being researched.Prompt: Be wary of answers that use “never”, “every” or “always”.

Watch out for

  • Everyday meanings of words getting in the way of the science meaning: define key words explicitly.
  • Remembering facts without the reason: ask "why?" and "what is the evidence?"

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.
  • Use concrete materials: microscope images or slides.
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/science/grade-11.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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Selective breeding, genetic engineering and gene editing

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    A problem with selective breeding is…

    • A. it is always too fast
    • B. it uses radioactive materials
    • C. inbreeding, which reduces variation and can increase inherited disorders
    • D. it creates new species every year

  2. Question 2

    Evaluate this claim: “GM crops are unsafe to eat.” Which response is best supported by evidence?

    • A. Large reviews of studies have found approved GM foods as safe as conventional foods, but each new crop is tested separately.
    • B. Nobody has ever tested GM food.
    • C. All GM crops are identical, so one test proves everything.
    • D. A website says so, so it must be true.

  3. Question 3

    What does CRISPR-Cas9 allow scientists to do?

    • A. cut DNA at a chosen place to edit a gene precisely
    • B. make copies of whole animals
    • C. read a person's thoughts
    • D. remove all mutations from a population

  4. Question 4

    Evaluate this claim: “Selective breeding is new and unnatural.” Which response is best supported by evidence?

    • A. It was invented in the last ten years.
    • B. Humans have selectively bred crops and animals for thousands of years; for example, maize was bred from a wild grass called teosinte.
    • C. It only works on bacteria.
    • D. It uses CRISPR to cut DNA.

  5. Question 5

    Golden rice was genetically modified to make a substance the body turns into vitamin A. What problem does it aim to reduce?

    • A. obesity
    • B. antibiotic resistance
    • C. lack of protein
    • D. vitamin A deficiency, which can cause blindness

  6. Question 6

    Evaluate this claim: “Insect-resistant GM crops mean farmers never need to manage pests again.” Which response is best supported by evidence?

    • A. Pests disappear forever after one season.
    • B. Insects cannot evolve.
    • C. The crops kill every animal that touches them.
    • D. They can reduce insecticide spraying, but insects can evolve resistance, so careful management is still needed.

  7. Question 7

    Farmers breed only the cows that give the most milk, generation after generation. What is this called?

    • A. selective breeding (artificial selection)
    • B. genetic engineering
    • C. cloning
    • D. natural selection

  8. Question 8

    Evaluate this claim: “Gene therapy can cure every inherited disease.” Which response is best supported by evidence?

    • A. It changes the genes of every person on Earth.
    • B. It only works on plants.
    • C. It has never helped anyone.
    • D. Some gene therapies are approved for specific conditions, but many diseases are still being researched.

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Answer key: Selective breeding, genetic engineering and gene editing

  1. 1. C. inbreeding, which reduces variation and can increase inherited disorders

  2. 2. A. Large reviews of studies have found approved GM foods as safe as conventional foods, but each new crop is tested separately.

  3. 3. A. cut DNA at a chosen place to edit a gene precisely

  4. 4. B. Humans have selectively bred crops and animals for thousands of years; for example, maize was bred from a wild grass called teosinte.

  5. 5. D. vitamin A deficiency, which can cause blindness

  6. 6. D. They can reduce insecticide spraying, but insects can evolve resistance, so careful management is still needed.

  7. 7. A. selective breeding (artificial selection)

  8. 8. D. Some gene therapies are approved for specific conditions, but many diseases are still being researched.