1. Danielle Benedetto Kathy Hoppe
Who’s the Daddy? A Problem Based Learning Unit on DNA Structure, Function and Analysis
Danielle Benedetto
Kathy Hoppe

2. What is PBL?????

3. Goals Of PBL PBL Model Motivate and Involve Students
Facilitate Learning Rather Than Dictate
Interdisciplinary Lesson ELA/Science

4. Students working together in small groups to solve real world problems through:
Stories
Personal Inquiry
Literature Research
Scientific Inquiry
Group Problem Solving
Reporting Out

5. Standards Anyone?
Social Studies
ELA
Math and Science

6. In the Beginning…….

7. Now!

8. Who’s the Daddy? Take a Book Tour (Contents) Pre-Assessment
Where do I find this unit online? go to right side and click problem based learning under “What’s New?”
Pre-Assessment
What do you know about DNA?
Complete a Carousel Brainstorm Activity
Use a different color pen in each group
Travel to each poster and brainstorm in order to finish the statement
Return to original poster in your group and report out

9. Who’s the Daddy? Background: Part 1: Building DNA
Building DNA Model (p )
DNA Explorer (p )
Part 2: PBL 1 Who’s the Daddy
Read PBL 1 (p )
Highlight or use post-it notes to identify important information

10. Work on Your Own List Facts Develop Questions
Record Lists on Individual Facts and Individual Questions Sheets

11. Team Roles: Role Cards
Secretary
Recorder
Spokesperson

12. Brainstorm Guidelines
Take Turns and Call out ideas
Record ideas as stated (verbatim)
Strive for quantity
Resist evaluation of ideas
Encourage all ideas
Piggy-back on other ideas
Review Brainstorm Guidelines
5 min
Finish by 9:05

13. Team Brainstorming Recorder creates 2 posters
Team brainstorms a list of Facts
Team brainstorms a list of Questions
Each team member adds to their “Facts” and “Questions” sheets (Optional)
Facts
Questions

14. Who’s the Daddy?
BREAK

15. Who’s the Daddy? Part 2: PBL 1 Who’s the Daddy Part 3: Research
DNA Extraction (p )
Part 3: Research
Spinner Activity Chart (p )
Technical Information DNA Analysis (p )

16. How do we STOP and SPIN?
You will read sections of the article provided
Use the spinner in order to choose a word which will direct you on how to explain the text (in a chart)
Each person in your PBL group may spin and use a different way to interpret the text such as:
Predict: write about what might happen in the future
Describe: write what is happening
Compare: write about things that are the same
Clarify: write about the text to get rid of confusion
Visualize: recall in images; describe a picture
Summarize: write a short explanation of what you read
Question: write to ask for more information or to find out something that is unclear

17. Stop and Spin Activity Summarize Visualize Clarify Compare Question
Predict
Describe
Describe
Predict
Clarify
Question
Compare
Summarize
Visualize
Free Pick
ARTICLE: Technical Information about DNA Analysis

18. Who’s the Daddy? Part 4: PBL 2 Who’s the Daddy PBL Story (p. 41)
Simulated Gel Electrophoresis (p )
Bioethical Decision Making (p )

19. Debriefing
WHAT DO YOU LIKE?
SUGGESTIONS

20. Our Path
PBL: Who’s the Daddy?
PBL: Family Secrets
Biodiversity Lab

21. More PBL’s Available Online
Mad Honey
Killer Bees
Diagnosis
Sam Quiggle (adapted from unknown author)
Owl and Hurricanes
Mitosis and Meiosis (adapted from UB)