A Family Disease

Author:

WGBH Educational Foundation

Subject:

Science and Technology

Institution Name:

Teachers Domain

Collection:

Teachers' Domain

Grade Level:

Primary, Secondary

Abstract:

This video segment from NOVA: "Cracking the Code of Life" explores the challenges and questions faced by women who have a strong family history of breast cancer, and who now have the option of being genetically tested for a disease that has no cure. Grades 9-12.

Course Type:

Learning Module

Languages:

English

Material Type:

Activities and Labs, Curriculum Standards

Media Format:

Video

Curriculum Standards:

MCREL Compendium of K-12 Standards US.MCREL.K-12.sci.4 Standard 4. Understands the principles of heredity and related concepts US.MCREL.9-12.sci.4.1 1. Knows the chemical and structural properties of DNA and its role in specifying the characteristics of an organism (e.g., DNA is a large polymer formed from four kinds of subunits; genetic information is encoded in genes as a string of these subunits; each DNA molecule in a cell forms a single chromosome and is replicated by a templating mechanism) US.MCREL.9-12.sci.4.2 2. Knows ways in which genes (segments of DNA molecules) may be altered and combined to create genetic variation within a species (e.g., recombination of genetic material; mutations; errors in copying genetic material during cell division) US.MCREL.9-12.sci.4.3 3. Knows that new heritable characteristics can only result from new combinations of existing genes or from mutations of genes in an organism''s sex cells; other changes in an organism cannot be passed on US.MCREL.9-12.sci.4.4 4. Knows that mutations and new gene combinations may have positive, negative, or no effects on the organism US.MCREL.9-12.sci.4.6 6. Knows features of human genetics (e.g., most of the cells in a human contain two copies of each of 22 chromosomes; in addition, one pair of chromosomes determines sex [XX or XY]; transmission of genetic information to offspring occurs through egg and sperm cells that contain only one representative from each chromosome pair; dominant and recessive traits explain how variations that are hidden in one generation can be expressed in the next).

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