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How Novel Icefish Genes Can Improve Human Health

Photo of an icefish in sub-freezing water

Topic

  • Anatomy & Physiology
  • Cardiovascular System
  • Evolution
  • Natural Selection
  • Scientific Skills & Literacy
  • Explanations & Argumentation

Resource Type

  • Activities
  • Lessons

Level

High School — GeneralHigh School — AP/IBCollege
Saved By
7 Users
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Description

This lesson supports concepts covered in the film The Birth and Death of Genes. After watching the film and reading a couple of scientific passages, students explain how understanding about icefish adaptations might help develop treatments for health conditions.

Students will read about two common human conditions: anemia and osteoporosis. Both share similarities with icefish adaptations. Students are then asked to explain how icefish adaptations affect different aspects of physiology and make inferences about how studying the genetics of these traits could help develop treatments to improve human health. In an extension activity, students complete a framework for a short essay about how icefish can serve as a model organism for studying human health.

Student Learning Targets

Describe the connections between a genetic variation, a trait affecting a protein or cell, and an organism’s physiology.

Estimated Time

One to two 50-minute class periods.

Key Terms

anemia, blood, bone density, hemoglobin, model organism, mutation, osteoporosis, oxygen, trait, variation

Terms of Use

The resource is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International license. No rights are granted to use HHMI’s or BioInteractive’s names or logos independent from this Resource or in any derivative works.

Version History

Date Published 03.08.11

NGSS (2013)

HS-LS1-2, HS-LS3-1, HS-LS4-4; SEP6

AP Biology (2019)

EVO-1.C, EVO-1.O, IST-2.E, IST-4.A, IST-4.B, ; SP1, SP6

IB Biology (2016)

3.1, 5.2, 6.2

AP Environmental Science (2020)

Topic(s): 2.4, 2.6
Learning Objectives & Practices: ERT-2.H, ERT-2.F, SP3, SP5

IB Environmental Systems and Societies (2017)

3.2

Common Core (2010)

ELA.WHST.9–12.4, ELA.WHST.9–12.9

Vision and Change (2009)

CC1, CC2, CC5; DP1, DP6

Materials

Student Handout (PDF) 131 KB
Teacher Materials (PDF) 135 KB

Use This Resource With

Video Resource
The Making of the Fittest: The Birth and Death of Genes

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Photo of arctic waters
Film Activities
Activity for The Birth and Death of Genes
Photo of icefish in the wild
Labs & Demos
Icefish Blood Adaptations: Antifreeze Proteins
Photo of a researcher comparing icefish blood to bass blood
Labs & Demos
Icefish Blood Adaptations: Viscosity
Screen shot of the icefish quiz screen
Interactive Videos
Interactive Assessment for The Birth and Death of Genes
Photo of an icefish in sub-freezing water
Short Films
The Making of the Fittest: The Birth and Death of Genes
Image from the film
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