Introduction to Biology
Who Gets Sick: Do Our Genes Determine Our Health?
Understanding human genetic variation has a practical value for understanding and combating disease. Almost every human disease has a genetic component. In some diseases, such as Huntington disease and cystic fibrosis, this component is very large. In other diseases, such as hypertension, age-related macular degeneration, the genetic component is not as pronounced. Even infectious diseases, diseases that we have traditionally placed in a completely different category from genetic disorders, have a real, but smaller, genetic component.
Assignment:
• 1 page of text plus a works cited page. No cover page is needed. Thank you
1.Please visit the website: https://www.genome.gov/For-Patients-and-Families/Genetic-DisordersLinks to an external site.
Additional link in case above doesn’t work: https://www.genome.gov/For-Patients-and-Families/Genetic-Disorders
*Scroll down to the "List of Genetic Disorders"
2. Choose a genetic disorder (you can choose the disorder that interests you)
After choosing a disease, click on it and review the information given on the website.
3. Answer the following questions:
a. Describe the effects of the disease, including symptoms (at least 3 sentences)
b. Describe treatment of the disease (at least 3 sentences)
c. Explain in plain language how the disorder is inherited (ex. autosomal dominant, autosomal recessive, X-linked, etc...)
d. Choose at least one of the additional resources listed at the bottom of the disorder page and include at least 2 facts learned from that resource that you did not learn from the original website given to you. (at least 4 sentences)
Sample Solution
Our genes are undoubtedly a major factor in our health. Genetics plays an important role in understanding why some people get sick and others remain healthy. Genes can influence the development of chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and other diseases. For example, certain genetic mutations may make us more prone to developing certain types of cancer or cardiovascular disease if we do not take preventive measures against them from a young age. Even our innate immune system is influenced by genetics which can affect how well the body fights off infections and illnesses. Furthermore, research has shown that there are many variations in our DNA sequence which can account for susceptibility to different diseases or even determine drug response efficacy between individuals with similar medical diagnoses.
Python is its own language and has its own syntax for programs to execute correctly; likewise in the English language there are correct ways to construct sentences. These are the rules we all follow. Python makes use of grammar students use in every subject, for example brackets and speech marks and often students fall short because they forget that these come in pairs, therefore syntax errors would appear in their work and their programs would not work. Grammar and spellings are just as important in a programming language as well as any other language.
Understanding the importance for numeracy and literacy integration can help to become more inclusive in the classroom. Students must be able to access the lesson content. Florian (2005) describes inclusion as ‘not a denial of individual difference, but an accommodation of it within the structures and processes that are available to all learners’ along with Tomlinson (1997) who says that it is ‘matching the resources we have to the learning styles and educational needs of the students.’ Inclusion is not just about those students with Special Educational Needs, but allowing every student with the fair chance to succeed. This could be as little as getting the student who struggles with literacy to react verbally to deepen their understanding of a topic first, before constructing their evaluation.
One of my students in Year 10 class has poor social skills, by incorporating room for discussions this is aiding his communications skills by talking but also scaffolding his learning. With using pair work, I am driving him to be verbal. Literacy is not just about reading and writing. I also ensure that he both verbally explains his work to me, as well as a written evaluation. If students cannot access learning due to lack of literacy and numeracy skills they can become excluded from the learning environment. Cologne (2015) said that no children should be segregated. Boosting students’ knowledge of literacy and numeracy, I am giving the students the best chance for accessing the curriculum not just in Computer Science but also with skills they will need outside the classroom.