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Cool Tool: Creative Writing Assessment Tool for DNA Sequencing
Type: Assessment
Topic: DNA Sequencing (or other)
Grade Level: High school, middle school, elementary
Contributor: Maureen Munn (originated by Sue Black)
School: University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Purpose: To assess students' understanding of DNA sequencing (or another topic) by challenging them to write a creative story that accurately portrays the topic.
Reference: based on an article by L. Miller in the Journal of Chemical Education, volume 69, 1992.
Materials: Pencil, paper.
Activity Sheet: For full classroom activity sheet and assessment criteria, see Appendix II, Supplementary Classroom Activity Materials.
Methods: Clearly describe the activity to studentsówriting a 500 word creative, extended analogy that illustrates how DNA sequencing works. Portraying themselves as either a molecule of biotin-tagged primer, dideoxynucleotide, or template, students describe their adventures during the DNA sequencing process. For example, one student described her experiences as a thymine dideoxynucleotide at a sequencing party:
"These molecules were absolute party animals--the minute they got into the tube they started forming cliques and mixing with nucleotides that they didnít even know! It was insane.... The polymerase kept grabbing nucleotides right and left and adding them onto the primer, so big conga lines of DNA were being formed all over.... Then I got grabbed by some fresh polymerase and stuck on a chain! It led another nucleotide over to bond with me but I turned around and said 'Excuse me, but this is as far as this chain goes. I happen to be a dideoxynucleotide, so you can buzz off and work on some other chain.' Well--I showed that polymerase! He skedaddled."
This is a cross-disciplinary activity that emphasizes "communication in science."
Classroom Use: Depending on the topic, this tool could be used from high school on down through elementary. This activity has been used to assess how well high school students have understood the DNA sequencing process after they have completed a sequencing lab activity. This tool could be adapted to any grade level or topic, e.g. restriction enzyme digestion, gel electrophoresis, mitosis, plant reproduction, etc.
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last updated 06/15/04