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Resource Type
Description
This activity extends concepts covered in the film Got Lactase? The Co-Evolution of Genes and Culture. Students analyze data from the scientific literature to draw conclusions about the geographic distribution of lactase persistence.
The activity begins with students watching the film. They then analyze data on the frequency of lactase persistence and associated alleles. The activity involves using the data to draw pie charts, place the pie charts on a world map, and identify patterns. It provides an interdisciplinary approach to studying lactase persistence by connecting biological concepts and data analysis to world geography and culture.
The “Resource Google Folder” link directs to a Google Drive folder of resource documents in the Google Docs format. Not all downloadable documents for the resource may be available in this format. The Google Drive folder is set as “View Only”; to save a copy of a document in this folder to your Google Drive, open that document, then select File → “Make a copy.” These documents can be copied, modified, and distributed online following the Terms of Use listed in the “Details” section below, including crediting BioInteractive.
Student Learning Targets
- Calculate frequencies and graph data in pie charts.
- Interpret data from different research studies to infer the global distribution of a trait.
- Make claims based on scientific evidence and use scientific reasoning to support the claims.
Estimated Time
Key Terms
allele, enzyme, frequency, genotype, lactose tolerance, pastoralism, phenotype, pie chart, population, sample
Primary Literature
Refer to the “Educator Materials.”
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
NGSS (2013)
HS-LS4-3; SEP1, SEP4, SEP5, SEP6
AP Biology (2019)
EVO-1.C, EVO-1.D, EVO-1.H, EVO-1.J, EVO-1.K, EVO-1.O, EVO-3.A SYI-3.D; SP1, SP2, SP3, SP4, SP5, SP6
IB Biology (2016)
5.1, 5.2, 10.3
AP Environmental Science (2020)
Topic(s): 2.6, 3.8, 5.3
Learning Objectives & Practices: ERT-2.H, EIN-1.C, EIN-2.C, SP1, SP5, SP6
IB Environmental Systems and Societies (2017)
3.2
Common Core (2010)
ELA.RST.9-12.7, ELA.WHST.9-12.1
Math.A-REI.3; MP2, MP3, MP6
Vision and Change (2009)
CC1; DP1, DP2