Empowering Teachers Through Modeling Your Modeling Project!
Background Information Robert Guthrie, M.D., Ph.D. 1947 son John born disabled Became interested in the causes and prevention of mental retardation Son’s disability was never diagnosed 1958 15-month-old niece diagnosed with phenylketonuria
Background Information Dr. Guthrie: Pioneered the collection of whole blood on specially designed filter paper Developed first newborn screening test in the United States to detect phenylketonuria (1960)
Phenylketonuria What are the symptoms? Stunted or slow growth Severe intellectual and developmental disabilities Musty odor in urine, breath or skin Fair skin due to body’s failure to transform phenylalanine into melanin Seizures Behavioral or social problems
The Faces of Phenylketonuria
Reaching across the aisle The Connection of Science and Pearl S. Buck Author of The Good Earth Pulitzer Prize winner (1932) First American Woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature (1938) Daughter with undiagnosed PKU
Links to English Language ARTS/Literacy WHST.9-12.2: Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events, scientific procedures/experiments, or technical processes. WHST.11-12.8: Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the strengths and limitations of each source in terms of the specific task, purpose, and audience; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and overreliance on any one source and following a standard format for citation
Links to English Language ARTS/Literacy RST.9-10.7: Translate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text into visual form (e.g., a table or chart) and translate information expressed visually or mathematically (e.g., in an equation) into words. RST.11-12.1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts, attending to important distinctions the author makes and to any gaps or inconsistencies in the account
Now it’s your turn! What is your “hook”? What is the cause of PKU? Design your PAH model (pdb.1J8U) The model should tell the structure/function molecular story. Prepare your model description sheet.