Genetics Unit Project Outline and Rubric

Assigned: A-Day 3 Nov. / B-Day 4 Nov.

DUE NO LATER THAN: B-Day 17 Nov. / A-Day 18 Nov.
If the student anticipates being absent on the assigned due date, the assignment may be
submitted earlier, not after the due date. Late submission will result in a zero for the
assignment. No exceptions.
I Can statement: C.1.n: I can complete a major project relating to recombinant DNA, cloning
or stem cell research.
Students are expected to create a research project pertaining to recombinant DNA,
cloning or stem cell research. Students can choose a topic from the list below, or they can
propose an original topic to be approved by the teacher. The project can be submitted in the form
of a PowerPoint presentation, a brochure, a storyboard (made on a solid foam poster board) or
research paper. All projects must be submitted in a hard copy type sin Times New Roman or
Arial with 10 or 12 point font. If you choose to do a PowerPoint, research paper or brochure it
must be printed off the day that the project is due.
List of possible topics:
-

Genetically
Modified
Organisms (plants
or animals)

Selective Breeding
Southern Blotting
Cloning
Stem Cell Research

Recombinant DNA
Gene Therapy
Epigenetics

This research project must contain the following elements or answer the following questions.
These elements must be fully explained or answered (a paragraph or more of information per
element) to receive full credit:
Criteria for elements that must be present (5 total):
1. What is it? * BE SPECIFIC*
o Describe what your topic concerns. Provide a succinct definition as well as a
deeper explanation. Imagine you are having to explain this topic to someone who
has never heard of it before.
2. How is it made or produced? What processes are done? *BE SPECIFIC*
a. Every single topic provided requires DNA to be a part of some sort of process, or
to be put through some process. Describe these in detail. Again, word it so that
someone who has never heard of your topic will understand the process. Break it
down into steps if necessary.

3. How it impacts society.

a. How does this topic impact people on an individual and societal level?
4. Ethical issues concerning the topic.
a. Is this topic controversial? Explain why or why not.
5. What does the future hold for the topic?
a. Will scientist continue to utilize this process or develop this technology? Will it
help or harm society as a whole if it is continued? Are scientist still learning
about this topic, and/or is it a part of everyday life (ex: in hospitals)? Is the
technology concerning this topic improving? If yes, in what ways?
*Sources (no more than 2 online sources, and you must use your textbook) must be cited using
CSE name-year style (format will be taught prior to implementation). The following website can
be used to guide your citations.
http://www2.lib.unc.edu/instruct/citations/index.html?section=name&page=1

Examples of CSE citations

General outline for a website citation:
Author or Compiler. Year of Publication. Title [Internet]. Place of Publication: Publisher; [Date
Cited]. Available from: URL
Example of a website citation:
Hilton-Taylor C, compiler. 2000. 2000 IUCN red list of threatened species [Internet]. Gland
(Switzerland) and Cambridge (UK): IUCN; [cited 2002 Feb 12]. Available from:
http://www.redlist.org/
General Outline for textbook citation:
Author. Year of Publication. Title of the Book. City of Publication (State of publication):
Publisher. Page number.
Example of textbook citation:
Miller, KR and Levine, JS. 2009. Biology. Boston (MA): Prentice Hall. 376 p.

*THIS PAGE MUST BE ATTACHED TO THE FINAL PRODUCT FOR GRADING

PURPOSES*

Rubric:
There are 5 possible point for each category/topic.
Excellent
Goes above
and beyond or
meets the
criteria.

Adequate
Meets
minimum
criteria.

Needs
Improvement
There were
issues with the
element.
(scientific
inaccuracies,
gaps in
knowledge,
excessive
grammar
issues).

Incomplete
The element
was not met
entirely. All
parts were not
answered or
fully
explained.

Not
Present
The element
was not
present or
addressed in
the project.

Ethical Issues

The future of
this topic.
Points Earned:

Element

What is it?
How is it made
or produced?
What processes
are done?
How it impacts
society.

Total Points
Earned:

/25