Six Ws

Overview

This activity introduces a number of different ways that genetic tests can be used in medicine.

It uses real-life scenarios to explore the many reasons why someone would seek or be offered a genetic test. Students are given a scenario and use problem solving to choose the features of an appropriate genetic test. Students then role play a genetic counselling appointment.

The activity also introduces some of the social and ethical implications of genetic testing.

A full teacher guide is available for this activity. It includes further information and examples of current tests for each of the scenarios. Teachers can email kccgeducation@garvan.org.au from a school email address to gain access.

Syllabus connections

HSC Biology NSW

Heredity

• investigate the use of technologies to determine inheritance patterns in a population using, for example:
  • DNA sequencing and profiling

Genetic Technologies

• evaluate the benefits of using genetic technologies in agricultural, medical and industrial applications  
• interpret a range of secondary sources to assess the influence of social, economic and cultural contexts on a range of biotechnologies.

Causes and Responses (Non-infectious Diseases)

• investigate the causes and effects of non-infectious diseases in humans, including but not limited to:
  • genetic diseases
  • investigate the treatment/management, and possible future directions for further research, of a non-infectious disease using an example from one of the non-infectious diseases categories listed above  

Problem Solving

Communicating

Assumed Knowledge

• Inheritance and associated terminology (allele, genome, multifactorial, genotype, homozygous/heterozygous, dominant/recessive, carrier)

• Punnett squares for predicting risk to offspring

• Variants, SNPs (could be introduced during the lesson)

• Technology- PCR, microarray, sequencing (could be introduced during lesson, resource links provided)