The Gene Factor:
Cracking the Code: A Similuation
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Introduction
Decoded Messages
For more activities and information at other Web sites...
Relevant National Science Education Standards
Relevant New Jersey State Science Education Standards
Introduction
Students will enjoy this "game" of finding the code. Each of the hidden (coded) statements is
taken from this module. The decoded messages appear below along with an extra clue that tells
students where to look in the module for information. The coded messages were produced using the
Wingding font in Microsoft Word 97. Several clues are given on the student page to help students
and to decrease the time involved for this activity.
The activity is intended to give students a small insight into the process of determining
genetic structure and function. What are each of the “units” and how are they sequenced? And
why is each unit important?
You may print the student page with all the coded messages and assign individual students or
teams of students to a lettered message or you might print the statements and cut the page up so
that teams see only their assigned message. It will be helpful, however, if students can
compare results with each other as they work. This does, in fact, simulate the collaboration
that takes place in the scientific community. An interesting added step might be to ask the
class to construct the entire code, similar to the Human Genome Project. Ask each team to give
each letter of the alphabet and its symbol. From this exercise students can determine all lower
case letters except j and q.
Decoded Messages
For more activities and information at other Web sites...
DNA Sequencing Module — a class project investigating the link between genes
and tobacco addiction, from the High School Human Genome Program, University of Washington.
Genes and Disease — learn
specifics about the connections between DNA and health, from the National Institutes of Health.
Introduction to Chromosomes — from the Genetics Science Learning Center at
the University of Utah.
Search for the
Sequence — an interactive game simulating the hunt for DNA sequences, from The Tech Museum
of Innovation in San Jose, California.
Relevant National Science Education Standards
Life Science — The activity
illustrates the method by which the sequence of genes is found.
Science and Technology —
The activity is a simulation of modern gene analysis technology.
Relevant New Jersey State Science Education Standards
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Pharmaceutical Achievers Home
Exposure to UV radiation
causes skin ageing and skin cancer.
Exposure to UV radiation causes skin aging and skin cancer.
Extra Clue: the sun
Surgery, radiation and
chemotherapy are primary cancer treatments.
Surgery, radiation and chemotherapy are primary cancer
treatments.
Extra Clue: choose your weapons
Compounds in fruits and
vegetables that fight cancer are called phytochemicals.
Compounds in fruits and vegetables that fight cancer are called
phytochemicals.
Extra Clue: food
Gertrude Elion and George
Hitchings earned Nobel Prizes in 1988.
Gertrude Elion and George Hitchings earned Nobel Prizes in 1988.
Extra Clue: 6-MP
Smoking is the leading cause
of lung cancer in the United States.
Smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer in the United
States.
Extra Clue: nicotine
Cancer cells undergo cell
division more rapidly than normal cells.
Cancer cells undergo cell division more rapidly than normal
cells.
Extra Clue: mitosis
The anti-cancer drug
cisplatin was discovered serendipitously.
The anti-cancer drug cisplatin was discovered serendipitously.
Extra Clue: platinum
The drug Taxol was first
isolated from the bark of the Pacific yew tree.
The drug Taxol was first isolated from the bark of the Pacific
yew tree.
Extra Clue: barking up a tree
Breast cancer and prostate
cancer can be treated with sex hormones.
Breast cancer and prostate cancer can be treated with sex
hormones.
Extra Clue: estrogen
Scientists know that
mutations in specific genes can cause cancer.
Scientists know that mutations in specific genes can cause
cancer.
Extra Clue: faded genes
Atlas of Genetics and
Cytogenetics in Oncology and Haematology — contains a database of genes, from the
Groupe Français de Cytogénétique Oncologique, INFOBIOGEN, and the University Hospital of
Poitiers.
Science as Inquiry — The activity
is inquiry-based.
5.1
The activity is a simulation of modern gene analysis technology.
Copyright ©2001
The Chemical Heritage Foundation