Lessons & Activities
The Surprising Patterns of Health and Disease
Wednesday, March 25th, 2015
This peer-reviewed lesson was published in Science Scope in March 2015. Science Scope is the peer-reviewed journal for middle school science teachers. Our lesson presents authentic data that helped scientists discover the field of developmental origins of health and disease (DOHAD). This lesson has been reviewed by scientists and teachers to introduce the concepts at a middle school level. Materials for this lesson are found at the bottom of this page. Estimated Lesson Duration: 55 minutes (can be extended to a multi-day lesson if desired) Overview: In this jigsaw activity, students analyze five authentic data sets to explore some of the same patterns…
Grade Levels: High School, Middle School
Subjects: Health, Science, Social Studies
Key Concepts: Epigenetics and Development, Research Methods
Protected: Surprising Patterns of Health and Disease Supplemental Materials
Wednesday, March 25th, 2015
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Grade Levels: High School, Middle School
Subjects: Health, Science, Social Studies
Key Concepts: Epigenetics and Development, Research Methods
Summary of all Lessons Available
Friday, October 31st, 2014
This booklet summarizes the lessons that are available -- by subject, grade and key concept. Perfect for seeing the bigger picture, planning a unit, or organizing team-teaching related to fair content. (.docx) (.pdf)
Cell Development Pathways
Friday, August 2nd, 2013
Estimated Lesson Duration: 30 minutes Overview: As a class, students role-play as individual developing cells in an embryo to understand how cells in a human body have the same DNA, yet through epigenetics become specialized and take on a unique epigenetic profile. Big Understanding: The changing epigenome informs gene expression in a cell. As an embryo develops, signals received over time causes increasing changes in gene expressions. Epigenetic markers create further changes in the genes expressions as the markers shut down some genes and activates others nudging a cell toward its final destiny. The epigenetic profiles of each cell grow…
Grade Levels: Elementary, Middle School
Subjects: Language Arts, Science
Key Concepts: Epigenetics and Development, Healthy Choices
Epigenetics IQ
Friday, August 2nd, 2013
Estimated Lesson Duration: 15 minutes Overview: Students test their knowledge and understanding of epigenetics by answering 18 true and false questions. Big Understanding: The epigenome is a set of chemical switches and markers that influence gene expression. Diet, environmental stressors, physical activity, and exposure to toxins can activate these chemical switches that regulate gene expression without changing the underline genetic code. Epigenetics is the study of changes in gene activity that do not involve changes to the genetic code. Key Concepts and Standards: Key Concepts: Introduction the topic and brand new field of epigenetics Standards: Download the summary sheet about how…
Grade Levels: Elementary, High School, Middle School
Subjects: Health, Science
Key Concepts: Epigenetics and Development, Healthy Choices
Diverging Twins
Friday, August 2nd, 2013
Estimated Lesson Duration: 45 minutes Overview Introduce students to epigenetics and how an individual’s genome responds to his or her environment. Big Understanding: The epigenome is a set of chemical switches and markers that influence gene expression. Diet, environmental stressors, physical activity, and exposure to toxins can activate these chemical switches that regulate gene expression without changing the underline genetic code. Epigenetics is the study of changes in gene activity that do not involve changes to the genetic code. Essential Questions: Identical twins are genetic carbon copies, meaning their DNA sequencing is the same. Yet physically they become increasingly different…
Grade Levels: Elementary, High School, Middle School
Subjects: Health, Science
Key Concepts: Epigenetics and Development, Healthy Choices
Dutch Hunger Winter
Friday, August 2nd, 2013
Estimated Lesson Duration: 1 class period Overview: The Dutch Hunger Winter took place in the Netherlands at the end of World War II, November 1944 to the spring of 1945. The survivors were a well-defined group of people, who suffered just one period of malnutrition at exactly the same time. The immediate and long-term effects of this famine were completely unexpected to scientists. Students will learn about the immediate and long-term epigenetic effects of the Dutch Hunger Winter. Students will read and create an epigenetic pedigree chart. Students will learn how healthy and unhealthy choices can affect the epigenome. Key Concepts…
Grade Levels: High School, Middle School
Subjects: Health, Language Arts, Science, Social Studies
Key Concepts: Advocacy, Epigenetics and Development, Healthy Choices
Your Baby’s Genome, Epigenome and More
Friday, August 2nd, 2013
Estimated Lesson Duration: 2-3 class periods Overview: Students learn how genes are passed down from parents to child; how genes determine traits, and how environmental factors affect the expression of the genome. This lesson begins with the Desert Vista High School Genotype to Phenotype Simulation Booklet and once the students have selected their baby’s genome they will add a layer of epigenetics onto their baby’s DNA and draw the resulting adult. Background: The epigenome is a layer of markers that are placed on, or taken off of, your DNA when you’re exposed to certain environmental factors. Your DNA is set…
Grade Levels: Middle School
Subjects: Art, Health, Language Arts, Science, Social Studies
Key Concepts: Epigenetics and Development, Healthy Choices
Data Analysis and Action Plan – That’s not just a number, that’s me!
Tuesday, June 18th, 2013
Estimated Lesson Duration: 3 days Overview: Small groups briefly research a health problem to understand causes, measurement and risk. Each group then analyzes related data from the Let’s Get Healthy! fair and identifies areas to be flagged for risk. Groups list variables that will affect health outcomes and present their findings. Key Concepts and Standards: Key Concepts: Cause, measurement, risk, analyze, research, presentation Standards: Download the briefing sheet about how this lesson meets standards (.docx) The standards listed were identified using key concepts from each individual lesson. These key concepts were aligned with the specific Oregon State Standards, Common…
Grade Levels: Elementary, Middle School
Subjects: Health, Language Arts, Physical Education, Social Studies, Technology
Key Concepts: Advocacy, Healthy Choices, Using Data
Science Inquiry Using Humans and the Ethical Considerations
Tuesday, June 18th, 2013
Estimated Lesson Duration: Three – 15-25 minute lessons Overview: Students will develop a question and hypothesis based on their interpretation of one of the Let’s Get Healthy! graphs. Then they will design a hypothetical experiment to test their hypothesis. Following this, students will share their experiments and discuss the ethical implications of each. Once the ethical issues have been identified, students working in a small groups will chose one experiment and design an Institutional Review Board (IRB) to further explore and resolve ethical implications. Key Concepts and Standards: Key Concepts: Question, hypothesis, interpretation, institutional Review Board, ethics, human research, data…
Grade Levels: Middle School
Subjects: Health, Social Studies
Key Concepts: Fair Preparation, Research Methods
